Join Charlie Gandy, a renowned active transportation professional, former state legislator, and veteran livable community advocate, for an engaging and insightful presentation titled Travels with Charlie: Hiking the California Coast. In this session, Charlie shares his extraordinary experience hiking the entire 1,200-mile California coastline, from Mexico to Oregon, offering a unique perspective as both an adventurer and a trail planning expert. Well known as an entertaining storyteller, Charlie combines humor and practical wisdom, recounting the challenges, social encounters, and breathtaking landscapes he experienced along the way. This presentation will inspire you to rethink trail design, active transportation infrastructure, and community engagement in their projects.

Through vivid anecdotes and professional insights, Charlie highlights the value of trails as vital components of urban and rural environments, emphasizing their role in fostering mental health, community connectivity, and economic development. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for designing inclusive, safe, and sustainable trails, informed by Charlie’s decades of expertise in trail advocacy and community design. From navigating rugged coastal headlands to integrating trails into urban settings, this session offers practical tips and a renewed appreciation for the transformative power of trails, leaving participants inspired and equipped to enhance their communities.

Learning Objectives

1. Apply Trail Design Principles: Incorporate lessons from Charlie’s coastal hiking experience to design safe, accessible, and sustainable trails that enhance urban and rural connectivity.
2. Enhance Community Engagement: Leverage the social and economic benefits of trails, as demonstrated by Charlie’s encounters, to foster community support and stakeholder collaboration in trail planning projects.
3. Integrate Active Transportation: Develop strategies to integrate pedestrian and cycling infrastructure into urban planning, inspired by Charlie’s car-free lifestyle and advocacy for active transportation.
4. Address Environmental Challenges: Understand the environmental and safety challenges of trail development, such as tidal navigation and wildfire management, to create resilient trail systems.
5. Promote Health and Well-Being: Design trails that serve as therapeutic and recreational spaces, drawing on Charlie’s insights into the mental and physical benefits of trail use.