Students can get a break from the books and the classroom and catch a breath of fresh air exploring nature through the various Outdoor Program trips.

The Outdoor Program allows students to take part in several different outside activities, such as white water rafting, canoeing and backpack hiking trips.

The cost of each trip varies, but according to the Outdoor Program Web site, program members pay around $10 less per trip. Eight adventures are scheduled for this semester, including a backpacking trip in Alabama, white water rafting in West Virginia and a canoeing trip in Kentucky.

Adam Lerma, student supervisor of the program, said he’s looking forward to upcoming trips, especially the canoeing at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky and backpacking in Alabama.

‘I love being in the outdoors,’ Lerma said. ‘And one of the greatest aspects of these trips is getting to experience an outdoor adventure such as these with someone who has never gone before.’

Even though the outdoor trips are intended to be entertaining for the participants, there is also another objective.

Assistant Director of Recreation and Wellness Jerome Gabriel is in charge of the Outdoor Program and said it’s not a club or organization, but rather a service provided by the University.

‘All of our trips are designed to give students a new experience that is fun and exciting, but they are also supposed to be a good learning experience as well,’ he said. ‘We want students to come back with some knowledge of the outdoors. It’s not just looking at cliffs but learning how to rappel them instead.’

Along with the scheduled trips, there are also custom trips available.

‘If a Resident Advisor wanted to plan a canoeing trip for his or her floor, that can be made possible by our program,’ Lerma said.

He encourages anyone who might be interested in one of the trips to give it a try.

‘If it’s something you’ve never done before, give it some thought because it is a great time,’ he said.

The cheapest trip is Kentucky cave exploring at $65 for non-members and the highest price is $195 for non-members backpacking in Alabama, according to the program Web site. There is one free scheduled trip offered, however, to the Starlit Night hike in Oak Openings, Ohio.

For more information and details, Gabriel encourages students to visit www.bgsu.edu/recwell/. Brochures are also available throughout residence halls and the Student Recreation Center.

Fall 2009 trips: White water rafting, Hico, W.Va. Sept. 26-27 Canoeing, Hocking Hills, Ohio Oct. 10-13 Canoeing, Mammoth Cave National Park, Ky. Oct. 10-13 Kayaking workshop, Cooper Pool, BGSU Student Recreation Center Oct. 19 Canoeing/rapelling Hocking Hills, Ohio Oct. 24-25 Starlit Night Hike, Oak Openings, Ohio Oct. 28 Caving trip, Ky. Nov.14-15 Winterbreak Backpacking, Sidsery Wilderness, Ala. Dec. 28 – Jan. 3′