WALKS & FORAYS by John Plischke III

April 17 10:00-12:00 Hampton Township Park, Allegheny County. MeetDick Dougall and Dick Duffy at the swimming pool parking lot. From Route 8, turn onto Wildwood Road Extension (not toward North Park). Then turn right onto School Road to Hampton Middle School. Go past the school to the end of the parking lot where the road makes a hard left. Turn left into park at sign to Tennis Courts, just across from Hampton High School. Turn left at another sign to the Tennis Courts. Turn right at the stop sign to the swimming pool.

April 24 10:00-12:00 Five Star Trail, Youngwood, Westmoreland County. Meet John and Kim Plischke. There is a parking lot on Route 119 at the traffic light for Buncher Commerce Park between Youngwood and Greensburg. The light is .9 miles from the traffic light at Sheetz in Youngwood. It is .7 miles from the Kings Restaurant south of Greensburg.

May 1, 2 11:00 am Morel Mushroom Madness Weekend, Mingo Creek, Washington County. Meet John Plischke and John Plischke III. Registration 11 am, program at 12:00 sharp. This is the biggest morel slide show and hunt in the eastern US. There will be an evening program on Edible Wild Mushrooms & How to Prepare Them. Sunday morning we will hunt morels. Camping will be available for 5. I 70 to Exit 9 Eighty Four/Glyde. Take Rt. 519 N for 2 miles. At a red light turn right onto Rt. 136. Go 4.4 miles and turn left at a sign to Mingo Creek Park. Follow signs to the park. Check in roadside near Henry House. TO PRE-REGISTER WITH THE PARK. CALL 724-228-6867. We found morels at this program last year. http://www.washpatourism.org/parks.html

May 8 -- 10:00-12:00, Deer Lakes Park, Allegheny County, Russelton. Meet Jim Wilson From the PA Turnpike get off at the Allegheny Valley Exit 5. Turn toward New Kensington. Turn left onto Route 28. Follow to Pearl Avenue and turn left. Continue on Pearl Ave, it becomes Russelton Road. In Russelton, turn right at the first intersection, look for a drug store, bank and liquor store and turn right. Go a short distance you will see a Deer Lakes Park sign, turn left into the park. Just past the first lake, there is a large parking lot, meet there

May 15 10:00-12:00 North Park, Allegheny County, Meet John Stuart at the Swimming Pool Parking Lot. From Pittsburgh go north on Rt. 8. Turn left onto Wildwood Road onto the Yellow Belt (Ford Dealer and Boston Market on the right). Go 1.3 mi. to a red light; go straight (W Hardies). Continue another 1.6 mi. to a red light at North Park Entrance, road name changes to Ingomar Road at this intersection, Turn left on Babcock Blvd. Follow the signs to the Swimming Pool parking lot and find the car with a mushroom basket and walking stick.

May 22 - 10:00-12:00 Hartwood Acres, Allegheny County. Meet Glenn Carr and Shirley Caseman at the parking lot in front of the Mansion (on the opposite side of the park from the Performance Center). We will hunt mushrooms and help you identify them. From PA Turnpike: Take Allegheny Valley (Exit 5). Stay right on the exit ramp. Turn right onto Route 910 West. Go 4 1/2 miles and turn left onto Saxonburg Blvd. at the red blinking light. Follow Saxonburg Blvd. about 2 1/2 miles, entrance will be on your right.

May 29 10:00 12:00 McConnells Mill, Butler County. Meet Joyce & George Gross. From the North or South: Take I-79 to the PA 422 exit. Go West on 422 for about a mile, turn left at the sign to McConnell's Mill onto McConnell's Mill Road. The sign is not obvious and is immediately at the turn. Follow this road to the parking lot and picnic area at the end. This area has been very productive on past walks.

June 5 10:00-12:00 Emmerling Park, Indiana Township, Allegheny County. Meet Dick Dougall. Enjoy this mushroom walk along a part of the Rachel Carson Trail. From Route 8, go east on Route 910, or from Route 28, go west on Route 910. The park is on Cove Road almost directly across from the Indiana Township Municipal Building. Meet at the large parking lot in the park.

June 12 – 10:00 -12:00, South Park, Allegheny County. Meet LaMonte Yarroll Brownsville Rd & Corrigan Dr, See their website at: http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/parks/facility.asp Take Route 51 South. Turn slight right onto Fairhaven Road/Provost road. Provost Road becomes Brownsville Road. Continue to the Park. Meet at the Nature Center. We will drive to the walk location in the park.

June 19 – 10:00-12:00 North Park, Allegheny County. Meet Dick Dougall and Barb DeRiso at the Swimming Pool parking lot. North Park has a variety of habitats, we always find mushrooms here. Directions Below.

June 26 - 10:00-12:00, The Dorothy Fornof Memorial Walk at Deer Lakes Park, Allegheny County, Russelton. Meet Jim Wilson and Jim Tunney. From the PA Turnpike get off at the Allegheny Valley Exit 5. Turn toward New Kensington. Turn left onto Route 28. Follow to Pearl Avenue and turn left. Continue on Pearl Ave, it becomes Russelton Road. In Russelton, turn right at the first intersection, look for a drug store, bank and liquor store and turn right. Go a short distance you will see a Deer Lakes Park sign, turn left into the park. Just past the first lake, there is a large parking lot, meet there

July 10 - 10:00-2:00 Hartwood Acres, Allegheny County. Meet Glenn Carr at the parking lot in front of the Mansion (on the opposite side of the park from the Performance Center). We will hunt mushrooms and help you identify them. Directions below.

July 10 - 9:00-12:00 Regional Environmental Education Center, Boyce-Mayview Park, Upper Saint Clair. Fee: 15 or 10 for mushroom club members with a current membership card. John Plischke III will present a slide show and lead a walk. Bring mushrooms from home for identification. To register, contact Jessica at (412) 838-0064. From Rt. 19, Heading north (from Washington County): Follow Rt. 19 to intersection with Boyce Road. Turn left onto Boyce Road. Follow Boyce all the way to the intersection with Mayview Road. Turn right on Mayview. Follow Mayview past Mayview State Hospital, across Chartiers Creek, until you see the barns and the sign for 1571 Mayview Road on your right. Turn right at the 1571 sign. Follow the road to the parking area, then walk through the parking area to the REEC. See their website for more information, other directions and a park map. www.regionaleec.org

July 17 – 10:00-12:00 Chanterelle Mania at North Park, Allegheny County. Meet Valerie and Jack Baker at Deer Browse #2 pavilion beside the Swimming Pool parking lot. Last year this spot produced beautiful chanterelles. There were also a good number of boletes and other species. You never know what the season will bring, but it could be very good again. North Park has a variety of habitats, although the area abounds in large oaks there is a large variety of trees and habitats that make this an exceptional place for hunting mushrooms. Directions below.

July 16-18 - Join the Ohio Mushroom Society for their Summer Foray. Ohio University, Athens, OH. Martha Bishop, Dept. of Environmental and Plant Biology, OU. Multiple foray sites will be available. Ohio Brew Week Festival with beer tasting.(http:www.ohiobrewweek.com/) Speakers include Michael Kuo on “20 Cool Mushrooms” and Daniel Molter on “Species, Species Taxa, and the Species Category.” Check their website for further details. http://www.ohiomushroom.org/oms/

July 24 – 10:00-12:00 Harrison Hills Park, Allegheny County. Meet Joyce and George Gross. Pick up PA Route 28 towards Natrona Heights (Allegheny Co. Belt System [red, green, yellow or blue], PA Route 910, Route 356, PA Turnpike [Exit 5 - Allegheny Valley], or Interstate 270-Route 422). Get off Rt. 28 at Exit 16 (Millerstown/Freeport) and turn right if you've been traveling northbound, or left if traveling southbound, onto Route 908 for approximately 0.8 mile. You will come to a flashing red light at an intersection of a four-lane highway. Turn right (Freeport Rd.) and get into the left-hand lane. The entrance to Harrison Hills Park is 0.8 miles on the left, just beyond the Harrison Hills Fire Dept. (large, single story buff building) and Harrison Hills Chiropractic on the right.

July 31 10:00-12:00 North Park, Allegheny County. Meet John Stuart at the Ledgewood Shelter. North Park has a variety of habitats, although the area abounds in large oaks there is a large variety of trees and habitats that make this an exceptional place for hunting mushrooms. You never know what different mushrooms we will find. Directions: www.county.allegheny.pa.us/parks/parkphon.asp From Pittsburgh go north on Rt. 8. Turn left onto Wildwood Road onto the Yellow Belt (Ford Dealer and Boston Market on the right). Go 1.3 mi. to a red light; go straight (W Hardies). Continue another 1.6 mi. to a red light at North Park Entrance, road name changes to Ingomar Road at this intersection, Turn left on Babcock Blvd. Follow the signs to the Swimming Pool parking lot and find the car with a mushroom basket and walking stick.

July 31 Prince Galitizen State Park, Cambria County. Meet John Plischke and John Plischke III at the park amphitheater. Walk, hunt and identify mushrooms at 3:00 then stay for the slide show and talk at 8:30 pm Saturday. We will be camping, come join us. Prince Gallitzin State Park is reached by PA 36 and 53 and US 22 and 219. From US 219, at Carrolltown turn onto SR 4015. At Patton, take US 36 east to Glendale Lake Road. From US 22, Cresson Exit, follow PA 53 north. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/p-gall.htm

August 7 10:00-12:00,- Deer Lakes Park, Allegheny County, Russelton. Meet Jim Wilson and Jim Tunney. From the PA Turnpike get off at the Allegheny Valley Exit 5. Turn toward New Kensington. Turn left onto Route 28. Follow to Pearl Avenue and turn left. Continue on Pearl Ave, it becomes Russelton Road. In Russelton, turn right at the first intersection, look for a drug store, bank and liquor store and turn right. Go a short distance you will see a Deer Lakes Park sign, turn left into the park. Just past the first lake, there is a large parking lot; meet there.

August 12-15 NAMA Annual Foray at the Snow Mountain Ranch in Winter Park, Colorado. It is hosted by the Colorado Mycological Society. See their website for details. http://www.namyco.org/

August 14 10:00-12:00 Moraine State Park, Butler County. Meet Jim & Charlotte Tunney. From Butler take US 422 west 8.7 miles to PA 528 N and turn right, then an immediately left just before a lawn & garden store with a John Deere sign. Go about .8 miles to the parking lot at the end of the road near the boat launch by the lake. OR take I-79 N to 422 E for about 4 1/2 miles and turn left on PA 528 N, follow the directions above. We will drive to a secret location.

August 14-15 Join the Central PA Mushroom Club for their Foray. Check their web site for more information. http://www.centralpamushroomclub.org/

August 21 10:00 - 12:00 Emmerling Park, Allegheny County. Meet Dick Dougall. Enjoy this mushroom walk along a part of the Rachel Carson Trail. From Route 8, go east on Route 910, or from Route 28, go west on Route 910. The park is on Cove Road almost directly across from the Indiana Township Municipal Building. Meet in the large parking lot in the park.

August 28 10:00-12:00, South Park South Park. Meet Bonnie and Brian Davis, LaMonte Yarroll and the Washington Green Chapter. Brownsville Rd & Corrigan Dr, See their website at: http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/parks/facility.asp Take Route 51 South. Turn slight right onto Fairhaven Road/Provost Road. Provost Road becomes Brownsville Road. Continue to the Park. Meet at the Cabin. The same place the Mushroom Classes today. Walk in the morning and take the Bolete Class in the afternoon.

September 5 10:00-12:00, South Park South Park. Meet Harriett Yarroll and LaMonte Yarroll Brownsville Rd & Corrigan Dr, See their website at: http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/parks/facility.asp Take Route 51 South. Turn slight right onto Fairhaven Road/Provost Road. Provost Road becomes Brownsville Road. Continue to the Park. Meet at the Nature Center. We will drive to the walk location in the park.

September 10-12 Join the Eastern Penn Mushroomers for the Helen Miknis Memorial Foray. This year's annual EPM foray will be held at King's Gap Environmental and Training Center near Carlisle, PA. Contact Bill Miknis at fiverbill@verizon.net or see their website for more information http://www.epennmushroomers.org

Sept 11 Gary Lincoff Mid Atlantic Mushroom Foray Don't miss it, register today!

September 18 11:00 am Brady's Run Brady's Run Park, Beaver County. Meet John Plischke and John Plischke III for a program and walk. Head on the Parkway West out of Pittsburgh toward the Airport/Route 60. Pass the Airport on Route 60 and continue on to the Chippewa exit. It is the last exit before 60 becomes a toll road. When you exit at Chippewa, make a Right at the light onto Route 51, south. Continue on Route 51 (about 2 miles) until you come to the red light in front of the entrance to Brady's Run Park. Make a right into the park. About 1 mile down the road (near the lake and beach) you will see a turn up the hill to your right and a sign that says "Ed Calland Arboretum". Turn here and follow the road all the way to the top, you will see a parking area and the pavilion.

September 23-26 The Northeast Mycological Federation is holding its 2010 Sam Ristich Foray at Soyuzivka, Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Center, in Kerhonkson, NY. Soyuzivka (Soy-u-'zhif-ka) is just south of the Catskills in the Shawangunk Ridge region, easily accessible from I-87 and I-84. See their website for details http://nemf.org/files/2010/2010.html

September 25 10:00-12:00,- Deer Lakes Park, Allegheny County, Russelton. Meet Jim Wilson. From the PA Turnpike get off at the Allegheny Valley Exit 5. Turn toward New Kensington. Turn left onto Route 28. Follow to Pearl Avenue and turn left. Continue on Pearl Ave, it becomes Russelton Road. In Russelton, turn right at the first intersection, look for a drug store, bank and liquor store and turn right. Go a short distance you will see a Deer Lakes Park sign, turn left into the park. Just past the first lake, there is a large parking lot; meet there.

October 8-10 NAMA Regional Foray at Camp Sequanota in Jennerstown, Somerset County, hosted by the Mycological Association of Washington and the Western PA Mushroom Club. See our website for a registration form.

October 8-10 Join the OMS for their Fall Foray - Penitentiary Glen Nature Center. See their web site for more information. www.ohiomushroom.org

For all walks and forays, bring water and lunch. Dress for the weather. Bring basket, wax or paper bags (no plastic) to keep mushrooms separated, whistle, compass, chair, hand lens, insect repellent, cell phone, and books for identification. Also bring a knife to dig up mushrooms for identification or to cut edibles off to keep them clean. Try to dig up 3 of the same species at different stages of development. Dont pick old mushrooms; leave them to drop their spores. Bring your membership card and a friend or two.

You are responsible for not getting lost, if you have that tendency stick like glue to others. We won't wait for you, and we won't come look for you. Dont take the identification of the person standing next to you, they might not know as much as you do. Only club mycologists and identifiers should be used for advice. The Walk Leader will tell you when to be back at the walk starting place where the mushrooms will be put on paper plates and the Walk Identifier or Club Mycologist will put names on only the mushrooms that they know well. Take notes and pictures to help you remember the mushrooms. You should go home and check books yourself. Whether you decide to eat a mushroom, is ultimately only your decision.