Interview with Author of “Take A Hike With Your Children”

“I believe, and hope, that my guide gets families outdoors, active and engaged with nature. In doing so, I hope it creates a “recruitment pool” of aspiring naturalists, environmentalists, biologists, outdoor education professionals and nature lovers.” Lynda Pianosi

Lynda Pianosi & Author of Take A Hike With Your Children

Recently, we had the pleasure of talking with author, outdoor advocate and all-around good person Lynda Pianosi from Canmore, Alberta, Canada. Lynda wrote the family hiking guide called, “Take a Hike with Your Children™, from Tots to Tweens in the Canadian Rockies”. The trail guide features 46 Hikes of 5K or Less in Banff, Canmore, Kananaskis, and Lake Louise, Alberta. It is an easy to use, icon-based, hiking guide aimed at helping families have a great day out on the trails!”

Take a Hike with Your Children™, from Tots to Tweens in the Canadian Rockies Website: http://pianosipublishing.ca/

You can also connect with Lynda and her book on Facebook and Twitter and on our ehCanadaTravel.com website.

Many of us who embrace nature know that laughing, smiling and communicating (not texting but talking) go hand-and-hand with exploring and sightseeing outdoors. The outdoors teaches us qualities like respect, hard work & confidence. What better classroom is there to teach your children important life skills than the outdoors. So when we heard about Lynda’s book, “Take a Hike with Your Children™, from Tots to Tweens in the Canadian Rockies”, it caught our attention.

Hiking Mountain Trails : Photo Copyright of Pianosi Publishing

We started communicating with Lynda a while back and experienced a strong connection. Lynda was kind enough to send us her book. We read it from cover to cover… twice. Now Lynda’s book, “Take a Hike with Your Children™, from Tots to Tweens in the Canadian Rockies”, is available online for purchase on ehCanadaTravel.com.

Had to do it. What is an interview with out a good plug anyway.

“The “Friends of Tourism” program is an interview initiative conducted by eh Canada Travel & Adventure. The interview introduces you, the reader, to some of the most interesting people in Canada we have had the pleasure of meeting online and in person including outdoor enthusiasts, advertisers, non profits, artists, photographers, book publishers, gear manufacturers, sponsors and travel bloggers. Below is our interview with Lynda Pianosi – the author of “Take a Hike with Your Children™, from Tots to Tweens in the Canadian Rockies”. Enjoy.

Interview with Lynda Pianosi of Take A Hike With Your Children..

1. Who are you, what do you do and where are you from?

(Lynda Pianosi) An Active Old Broad with two young, active and free range kids. I am the owner of Pianosi Publishing. As a family, we researched wrote and published the hiking guide “Take a Hike With Your Children, from Tots to Tweens in the Canadian Rockies” while living and loving life in Canmore, Alberta (originally from Ontario… ahhh Muskoka!)

2. Favourite thing about Canada?

(Lynda Pianosi) I feel very fortunate to live in the best country in the world. I can’t pick one favourite thing, but here are my top 3: Our Mountains; the abundance of fresh water lakes and rivers; our wildlife, and the fact that we actually get to see it!

(eh Canada Travel) Hey that’s 4! LOL. We think you are bang on here. From our vantage point… it is pretty safe to say that anyone from Canada who has done any traveling around the world agrees with you.

Exploring Canyons : Photo Copyright of Pianosi Publishing

3. Tell us something unique about Take A Hike With Your Children Hiking Guide Book?

(Lynda Pianosi) The rating scale that I created for the trails in the book. The one, two and three mountain walking scale, and subsequent descriptions for each, were written with a child’s walking ability in mind. Also, the Plan B section, for when things just are not going to work out!

(eh Canada Travel) When reading your book we found the quick guides and rating schedule very convenient for a quick glance. The guide book is also a good size making it easy to take with you for quick reference while hiking on trails.

4. What suggestions do you have for the tourism industry in Canada?

(Lynda Pianosi) I have a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, but I couldn’t live on the entry level salary, not unless I wanted to work two jobs, and live in a two bedroom apartment with 4 people. I think the gov’t (federal/provincial/municipal) needs to provide bigger financial incentives/grants/discounts to tourism companies, so they can attract and retain the best and the brightest. Which in turn, will allow us to showcase this great country of ours. (I graduated in 1988, maybe this is already being done, but from what I have heard, and seen, it still is not enough)

(eh Canada Travel) We agree. The governments are not tourism friendly or forward-thinking as they like to think they are. There are too many gate keepers and barriers to new ideas and creative thinking. Too bad too because the best and the brightest talent you are talking about thrives on new ideas and creative thinking.

5. #1 Reason you decided to publish a book about hiking with children?

(Lynda Pianosi) Initially, I couldn’t find something specifically for families, my husband was sick of me complaining, so he told me to take a hike and write your own guide. I believe, and hope, that my guide gets families outdoors, active and engaged with nature. In doing so, I hope it creates a “recruitment pool” of aspiring naturalists, environmentalists, biologists, outdoor education professionals and nature lovers.

(eh Canada Travel) Bingo! We hope for the same results plus we aim to grow our tourism industry naturally and outdoors.

6. What is your funniest hiking moment?

(Lynda Pianosi) It involves Bear Spray! It wasn’t one of my finer moments, but one that my family does not let me forget. Note to all: The mountain winds can change very quickly. What happened? My boys ( approx. 5 & 7 at the time) kept asking if they could try the bear spray, what did it look like, how far can it go, how close do you need to be to the bear, etc., etc. . As we hiked back down a deserted trail, I found a spot that looked ideal to demonstrate a “short, quick, spray”. WELL, that is all it took. The wind changed the minute I released the tab on the can of bear spray. We attempted to “out run” the dense orange cloud floating toward us, unfortunately, we were not fast enough to outrun the entire cloud, as we all ended up with a “small dusting” of the spray on our exposed skin. It BURNS!!!!! Sounds very irresponsible, I know, but we all survived and continue to laugh about it!

(eh Canada Travel) Yikes. Well, I guess that is one way to answer those questions. Sounds like a great campfire story with a few laughs.

7. What do you love about our winter and summer seasons and why?

(Lynda Pianosi) Winter is peaceful, calm; it provides time for regeneration and growth. (think of all the spring babies) The blanket of snow that covers our landscape provides a different, but equally beautiful perspective of the landscape we see all summer. Plus, snowshoeing, skiing both downhill and cross country. Summer is full of energy! It is vibrant, warm, the longer summer days are ideal for taking longer hikes/ bike rides, camping. The landscape is full of colours; the animals are out and active.

(eh Canada Travel) Yes, we too love the seasons in Canada and the two different set of activities which go with each season.

Canmore/Kananaskis : Photo Copyright of Pianosi Publishing

8. If we had limited time where should we visit when exploring Alberta.

(Lynda Pianosi) Canmore/Kananaskis, of course!

(eh Canada Travel) OK, silly question.You live and wrote a book about Canmore. How else are you going to answer. Duh… on our part.

9. Where would you like to travel in Canada for your next vacation and why?

(Lynda Pianosi) Ideally, I would like to do a family road trip: Starting in the North West Territories, ending in Newfoundland, and seeing as many places as possible in between. May to October would be a great span of time for this. Why? This is real life experience, one that can’t be taught while sitting in a classroom, my kids wouldn’t miss school that much, the weather would still be decent for driving and the Eastern Canadian falls, in my opinion, are the best.

(eh Canada Travel) Take it from us… we have traveled and explored coast to coast to coast many times for our website and blog and it is by far a “must do” item. Do it. You will not be disappointed.

10. Please give us some insight on what, you see, as the biggest mistake travelers do?

(Lynda Pianosi) When travelers say, “we will do/see that the next time” because there is often no next time.

(eh Canada Travel)  Thank you for your time and thoughts Lynda. And… for you readers of our blog who are planning a trip to the Rockies in Alberta, Canada, make sure to pick up a copy of Lynda’s hiking guide.

Have questions for Lynda please feel free to contact her on Facebook, Twitter or on her website : http://pianosipublishing.ca/

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eh Canada Travel

ehCanadaTravel.com (eh Canada Travel & Adventure) is the largest and fastest growing booking, planning and researching tourism and travel website for Western and Northern Canada currently expanding into Eastern and Atlantic Canada. The EH Team Brothers (Co Founders) also author the eh Canada Travel Blog which was recently awarded “A Top Canadian Blogger” by FlightNetwork.com.

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