Once upon a time Americans had spare time. During this spare time, they would do chosen activities at their leisure. Sometimes their chosen activity would be a form of recreation, recreation being a pastime involving direct participation. Many recreational activities included play, like sports, climbing trees, sledding, skating, bicycle riding, hiking, and boating. What they all had in common was physical activity combined with fun.

In today's world, fun typically takes place sitting in front of a big-screen TV and physical activity takes place in a gym. While both the activity and the fun aspects are covered, they've moved down separate paths. Fun has become an observational sport, and physical activity has become another task to perform. Spare time still exists, but it has been filled with watching or working out. Recreation is a perfect way to combine the two while having fun and making play of our workouts.

In Rochester, you won't have to look hard to find someone to buddy-up with; there are plenty of groups eager to invite you to join in on their fun. By no means a complete listing, below are some ideas to help you get started. While these are mostly groups, you can take it upon yourself to take a stroll in our many parks, hitch up with a walking tour, or join a sports league. The point is to have fun while doing it.

Take a hike

The Genesee Valley Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club offers a slew of activities. During the summer, it holds morning and evening kayak and canoe paddles, hikes, backpacking, rock climbing, and even cave exploration. It also organizes winter hikes and backpacking, along with cross-country skiing and snowshoeing treks. The schedules also include many overnight and weekend trips. Activities are custom-tailored to beginners, seasoned intermediates, or experienced pros. There are also activities for younger members, so the whole family can participate. A complete list of offerings can be found at gvc-adk.org

The Genesee Valley Hiking Club also offers hikes at a variety of skill levels and durations, some using cross-country skis and snowshoes in the winter. You can find the schedule at fingerlakestrail.org/gvhc.htm. The Friends of Letchworth (friendsofletchworth.org/topics/hikes_walks) also offer guided hikes in Letchworth Park, located about an hour south of Rochester and referred to as "the Grand Canyon of the East."

If you fear getting lost in the woods, it might behoove you to learn how to orienteer. The Rochester Orienteering Club (roc.us.orienteering.org) holds meets approximately every other week. Learn to find your way around the world with a map and a compass.

Pop a wheelie

If you're looking to kick up the pace, try running or biking. The Greater Rochester Track Club (grtconline.org) and the Genesee Valley Harriers Running Club (gvh.net) have the low-down on many local races, while at the Rochester Running Page (robertstech.com/run/groups.htm) you can find a variety of groups to run with. If you're interested in triathlons, check out the Rochester Triathletes (rochestertriathletes.com).

To train to compete in cycling, connect with Genesee Valley Cycling Club (gvccracing.com). For a more leisurely pleasure, the Rochester Bicycling Club (rochesterbicyclingclub.com) has rides scheduled for all levels of experience.

If you're looking for a less intense, more social bike gathering, Rochester Critical Mass (myspace.com/rochestercriticalmass) meets at 6 p.m. on the last Friday of the month at the Liberty Pole downtown, rain or shine. The slow-moving ride is intended to make a statement that bike riders have just as much of a right to the roads as gas-guzzling vehicles do.

Skating, splashing, and spying

Skating can be an indoor or an outdoor activity. The City of Rochester offers ice skating at Genesee Valley and Manhattan Square parks. The Frank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena at RIT is home to the Genesee Figure Skating Club (geneseefsc.org) and also offers public skating. Call 475-2223 for the open skate schedule. The Rochester InLine Skate Club (skaterisc.com) meets during the warmer months.

Durand Eastman and Ontario Beach Park both offer fresh water swimming during the summer. In addition, many of the City's recreation centers have indoor or outdoor pools. Go to the City's Parks Recreation & Human Services website (cityofrochester.gov/PRHS) for listings and water conditions.

If a slower pace is more to your liking, you might want to try birding. The Rochester Birding Association plans field trips throughout the year. You can view the changing migrations, listen to the warblers, or feed chickadees with this group. Check the group out at rochesterbirding.com. The Genesee Valley Audubon Society also offers a variety of year-round field trips. Check the schedule at gvaudubon.org.