Diana Nyad: No regrets.

“I’m thinking about doing Georgia this year,” Alan said midway through our weekly 18-mile mountain bike ride at Umstead early yesterday morning. He said it wistfully, and punctuated it with a sigh.

The mention of Georgia a month into the new year was a trial balloon of sorts for Alan. Not so much to gauge my reaction; rather, for him to think out loud about what Georgia really meant.

“Georgia” is a three-day training ride organized by some of Alan’s younger (he’s 59), hard-core racing buddies. It’s a test of their pre-season conditioning: three days of riding Georgia’s bumpy high country, including at least one assault of legendary Brasstown Bald, a 10.3-mile grind that gets bell-curve steep as it nears the 4,643-foot summit. It was the climb fatale of the Tour de Georgia, the nation’s premier bike race from 2003-2008. It’s a climb that Alan, a born climber, once relished for his ability to put younger and otherwise stronger riders in their place — namely, off his back wheel.

Alan last did the ride two years ago. Last year, he discovered a life outside cycling, a life that included more hiking, more backpacking and, not coincidentally, a new girlfriend who likes to hike and backpack. Alan is quick (but not too quick) to acknowledge he’s happier and in better overall shape, but that wistfulness surfaces on occasion when he speaks of his past life in the saddle. To get in shape for Georgia, just two months away, he’d need to step up his riding, significantly. “For one, I’d need to start riding 100 miles a week immediately. I’d need to get in some long rides; I’d need to do some 60- and 70-mile rides ... .” And that would mean less time hiking and backpacking with Lois. Hence the sigh.

Balance and happiness vs. the drive to compete.

I’m familiar with the competitive dilemma. For the past three months I’ve been training for this Saturday’s Uwharrie Mountain Run, a 20-mile race on rocky, rooty trail in the Uwharrie National Forest. For the last three months I’ve also been training for a series of mountain bike races, starting with this past Sunday’s Mountain Bike Marathon in Sanford. Now, I’m a big advocate of cross-training. It keeps you from getting bored doing the same thing over and over. It also reduces your chance of injury from overuse. And it insures that a non-natural athlete such as myself finishes 81st out of 112 riders.

Not that I have illusions of winning. Still, I like to at least feel competitive.

The competitiveness issue came up during a backpack trip in December with Chris David. In the 1980s and 1990s, Chris, who is 67, was a competitive marathoner, logging 68 races with times dipping under 3 hours. He took racing seriously, putting in the requisite miles and watching his diet. A traditionalist, he bemoaned the recent trend of people who sign up for a marathon only to walk the entire thing. “To me, finishing in six hours isn’t ‘running’ a marathon,” he huffed.

Another contemporary, Peter Hollis, claims not to be competitive. He says he races mountain bikes just to stay in shape — the fact that he frequently podiums in the 50+ age group is an unintended consequence. The notion makes me smile every time I run into Peter, who is especially fond of “staying in shape” in front of younger riders. Like when I saw him training at Umstead last month. “My race age this year is officially 60,” he said. “I think before every race they should announce our age.” Or more recently when I hobbled to the finish of Sunday’s 42-mile Mountain Bike Marathon. Peter, having finished more than a half hour earlier, was already in street clothes and looking refreshed. “You know what I’m thinking of doing?” he asked. (I was thinking of getting the feeling back in my legs.) “I’m thinking of doing intervals at Umstead once or twice a week over lunch.”

You know, just to stay in shape.

Then there’s Steve Rogers, also a fellow 50+ mountain biker who’s a bit more forthcoming. I was clinging to Steve’s wheel during the Huck-A-Buck mtb race at Lake Crabtree a couple years back when suddenly he slowed and pulled over. I pulled up beside him. “My seat’s coming off,” he said. He fiddled with it for a minute or so as I watched. Suddenly, he stopped and looked up. “We’re in a race, you know,” he said, trying not to overstate the obvious, that as fellow 50-plusers we were racing against each other. “Go,” he said. “Go!” Steve was competitive to the point of having to remind me that we were competing.

Society tends to swing on the competitiveness issue. One decade it’s “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing,“ the next, “We’re all winners!” Sometimes, though, the “prevailing mood” is declared by those not intimately familiar with the subject. Did the leader of the “Everyone’s a winner!” movement ever lose a podium spot by a stride length in a 5K? I’m guessing no, because if finishing in the back-of-the-pack is as rewarding as winning a sprint finish, what’s the point in training hard? Why get up and run at 6 on a frigid winter morning, or go for a training ride after a draining 10-hour work day?

Or why, if you’re already a record-setting endurance athlete and an icon in your sport, feel compelled to come out of a 30-year retirement at age 60.

For the 1970s, Diana Nyad was the world’s top long-distance swimmer. Routinely, she was in the news, for swimming the 102.5 miles from Bimini in the Bahamas to Florida, for swimming around Manhattan Island in a record time of 7 hours and 57 minutes. Yet it was a failure, her 1978 attempt to swim the 100 miles from Cuba to Florida that stuck with her. After swimming for 41 hours and 49 minutes, Nyad withdrew due to strong currents and bad weather. Despite her storied career, despite being a pioneer in the nascent arena of athletic extremism, that one failure haunted her. In the ensuing years she’s been plagued by what she terms “monkey chatter” in her head.

“I’d do a 100-mile bike ride and I wasn’t looking at the horizon of the ocean,” she said yesterday on public radio’s The Story. “I wasn’t taking in the flora and the fauna. The whole hundred miles I’d be asking myself why, why am I not doing this better? Why? Why? Why? I was just beating myself up.”

Last year, she decided to try the Strait of Florida again. That attempt was foiled when stings from a school of jellyfish sent her into respiratory distress. She plans to try again this summer.

“At 60,” she told The Story host Dick Gordon, “I’m gonna to do something that is so tough, so big that it takes so much of me that there’s not going to be room for all those regrets. ... There will not be time for that.”

Essentially, in the struggle over one's own competitiveness, that’s what it comes down to. Whether you go to Georgia, or split your time between two passions, or convince yourself that it’s only about staying in shape, or need to silence the monkey chatter, you want to make sure of that one thing there won’t be time for in the end.

Regrets.

* * *

Listen to Dick Gordon's interview with Diana Nyad on The Story here.

Tweety would probably love a peanut butter 'n' bird seed ball.

Sure, it’s supposed to rain almost everywhere in North Carolina this weekend. But that doesn’t mean you need to stay home and sulk.

Coast

After warm and sun during the week, it figures that we’re looking at rain for the weekend, approaching a 50 percent chance along the coast. So, how about retreating to the dryness of a classroom to learn something about the outdoors world. Like how to supplement our feathered friends’ diet come the Spartan days of winter? Sunday at 2 p.m. you can learn how to make treats your bird buddies will love, at Dismal Swamp State Park tucked up in the far northeast corner of the state.

Logistics: Program starts at 2 p.m. and it’s free. Learn more about the park (including how to get there) here.

Weekend forecast: Clouding up throughout the day, highs in the low 50s.

Rod Broadbelt breaks for lunch during last year's February 20-miler at Umstead State Park.

Piedmont

Eleven months of the year, Rod Broadbelt leads a marathon hike at Umstead State Park (on the 12th month, November, he doesn’t rest; he goes on the road to Raven Rock). The hikes are shorter during the dog days of summer, but get longer as the weather cools. February is the distance grandaddy: a 20-miler that heads out the Company Mill Trail, picks up the Sycamore Trail, takes a quick detour onto Potts Branch Trail before hitting Sal’s Branch Trail, then looping back on the same trails to the start. Plenty of opportunities to shorten the hike, but this is such a good bunch to hike with that the 20 miles will fly by before you realize how bushed you are.

Logistics: Starts at 8 a.m. sharp from the Umstead parking lot off Harrison Avenue and I-40. More info by emailing Rod at rbroadbelt@nc.rr.com, or calling him before 7 p.m. at 919.363.6611.

Weekend forecast: 40 percent chance of rain (only thunderstorms stop the hike) and a high of 56.

Mountains

The Snowbird Mountain area of western North Carolina’s Nantahala National Forest is one of those areas you may have seen on a map, but likely haven’t explored. For good reason: it’s a rugged area, the trails are not well-maintained and it’s an easy place to get lost. Which is why you should jump on Sunday’s opportunity to hike it with the Carolina Mountain Club. Sunday’s hike is a strenuous 11-miler, an out-and-back on the Snowbird Creek Trail featuring Middle and Upper falls. To get a sense of the area, check out the CMC’s hike description here or grab the McDaniel Bald topo map.

Logistics: The group will be carpooling from the Wendy’s in Robbinsville at 10 a.m.  To sign on, make contact with the aforementioned hike leader, Brent Martin, at 828.371.0347 or brent_martin@tws.org.

Weekend forecast: 60 percent chance of rain, highs in the mid-50s.

* * *

Those are GGNC’s thoughts for an active weekend. Find out other ways you can get out this weekend by browsing our super calendar, a collection of events calendars from throughout the state, below.

Coast

CapeFearCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar for the Cape Fear/Wilmington/southern N.C. coast searchable by date and event name.

Coastal Guide
Comprehensive calendar including nature programs from a variety of costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs. Covers the entire coast.

Crystal Cost Tourism Authority
Comprehensive calendar focusing on the Crystal Coast. Good source for programs offered by N.C. Coastal Federation, Cape Lookout National Park, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and other costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs.

NCCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar including programs for the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast.

North Carolina Coast Host
Comprehensive calendar for the entire coast that lets you search for events by day, by region, by county, by city or by event (based on key word).

This Week Magazine
Primary focus is the Crystal Coast (North Carolina’s coastal midsection).

Mountains

Asheville Citizen-Times
From the main page, click on “Outdoors,” then WNC Outdoors calendar.

Blue Ridge Outdoors
Searchable calendar lets you extend your reach to events throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast (or you can just limit it to North Carolina). Also lets you search a boatload of categories, ranging from Hiking, Mountain Biking and Climbing to Trail Running, Triathlon and Road Walking.

The Mountain Times
From the main page, click on “Calendars,” then Main Events.

Todd’s Calendar

Piedmont

Charlotte

Charlotte Observer events calendar
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including Nature, Recreation, Recreation & Wellness, Running

Charlotte Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triad

GoTriad.com
Comprehensive calendar includes a Sports & Recreation category.

Piedmont Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triangle

Triangle.com
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including: Birding, Boating, Cycling, Nature, Rec & Wellness, Recreation, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Yoga.

Carolina Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Statewide

Office of Environmental Education
One calendar for the numerous Environmental Education Centers statewide.

North Carolina State Parks
Lets you search for programs at the state’s parks, recreation areas and natural areas by location, by month, by topic. To reach the calendar from the home page, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks.”

National Forests in North Carolina
From the home page, click on Carolina Connections for news updates on the state’s four national forests as well as hints on recreational opportunities and a detailed rundown of recreation areas and the amenities at each.

* * *

 
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Boot Camp Moms stay warm by constantly moving.

(I wrote the following story for The News & Observer and Charlotte Observer; it appeared in both papers on January 31, 2012. It appears here, with links.)

Used to be that neighborhood moms got together for lunch or a game of bridge. Today, they’re increasingly likely to gather for burpies, squats and to work up a good sweat.
The boot camp workout, born a decade ago and initially targeted to hard-core fitness buffs, is moving out of the gym and into local neighborhoods, where it’s finding a growing following among busy moms struggling to juggle work and family, let alone find time for a workout.
The workouts incorporate a variety of intense strength and aerobic exercises jammed into a half hour or hour. Boot camps continue to be one of the nation’s most popular group exercise programs, according to the non-profit American Council on Exercise, ranking with Zumba, TRX suspension training and interval training as 2012’s hottest options.
That boot camps are now coming to your neighbor can only enhance their attraction.
“One of the most commonly cited barriers to working out is that the gym is too far, it’s not convenient,” says Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist with ACE. “The workouts are fun, they’re convenient and they have the added social element of catching up with friends, of seeing your neighbors, of being part of something active.”
Fun?
Thirteen women from North Raleigh’s Harrington Grove neighborhood who gathered in 25 degree temperatures for their regular Saturday morning Boot Camp Moms workout a couple weeks back might take issue with that notion.
“My hipbone hurts!” complained one during a bout of figure-eight crunches.
“That’s because you have tiny butts,” shouted instructor Kyle Gill Furlow, attempting to spin the pain.
“Yeah, right.”
“We lie to them all the time,” joked fellow instructor Jennifer Pinder. “We find it motivates them.”
Friends Furlow and Pinder came up with the idea for Boot Camp Moms when both emerged from pregnancy five years ago, Furlow carrying an extra 45 pounds, Pender an excess 80.
“Kyle joined Jenny Craig and I joined Weight Watchers,” says Pinder, “but we knew we needed to exercise, too.”
They got in shape and in the process realized that other moms were in similar condition. Both got certified as group fitness instructors through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and hung out their shingle — via fliers placed around the neighborhood and word-of-mouth. The response surprised them.
“We had 22 women at our first session,” says Pinder.
The path for Missy Isom, founder and owner of Moms Evolution in Cornelius, was similar.
Prior to having her first child in 2008, she was a financial adviser by day, a body builder by night.
“But I always wanted to take my love of fitness and turn it into a job,” says Isom.
She, too, got certified through AFAA and initially struck out with Baby Boot Camp, a San Francisco-based franchise operation. But she found the focus was “less on the moms, more on the baby and the social aspect. My true passion,” she says, “was on taking these moms and helping them get fit.”
Which isn’t to say that baby doesn’t play a key role in her workouts. For some of her exercises the baby is integral to the exercise.
“We use the baby as weight,” says Isom. For curls, for overhead presses, for lunges ... .
Matthews, the ACE exercise physiologist, says that’s smart for two reasons.
“That movement, that up and down: out of the crib, into the car, how many times do you do that in everyday life?” she says. “Those are very functional movements.”
Further, she says, “In working with people who specialize in new moms, from a psychological standpoint that face-to-face eye contact is important for bonding.”
Isom’s group, which started in 2008 and averages 30 moms at any one time, uses space in a neighborhood fitness studio. Furlow and Pinder, who currently have 40 signed up in their year-and-a-half-old program, meet on the outdoor tennis court of the Harrington Grove neighborhood community club.
On that 25-degree morning, the 13 Boot Camp Moms who braved the cold for an hour-long workout that began and ended with aerobics (jumping-jack-infused sprints, running a circuit course) with strength training wedged in between. For strength training, the women rotated among eight stations, doing TRX, Bosu Ball pushups, snatches, equalizers, rowing, squats with a medicine ball, resistance bands, more squats.
“Your mind is going to give up before your body does,” yelled Furlow, the self-appointed drill sergeant of the duo (Pinder is the cheerleader). “Don’t let it.”
Melissa Diana didn’t let her mind give up, despite being “scared” at the group’s very first session.
“I tried everything,” she says of what Furlow and Pinder threw at her on day one. “I couldn’t do many reps.”
But Diana, who is 33, kept coming back. Within a year, she had lost 80 pounds. More importantly, she’s kept it off and she’s embraced an active lifestyle.
“I went from exercising zero days a week to exercising six days a week,” she says. “I like the group atmosphere. I like that we’re all in the trenches, doing it together.”
Julie Nelson, at 52 one of the group’s advanced moms, echoes the sentiments of several fellow boot campers. “I like that I have much more energy. I like the way I feel.”
That, says Furlow, is what ultimately counts: how you feel, rather than how many dress sizes you drop.
“Strong,” says Furlow, “is the new skinny.”

* * *

More info

• Boot Camp Moms meets Mondays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. at the Harrington Grove Clubhouse in North Raleigh. Cost is $8 per class, 10 classes for $50 through Feb. 1. More info at Bootcampmoms@gmail.com or here.
• Moms Evolution meets Mondays at 9:30 a.m. and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. at KadiFit in Cornelius. Cost is $8 per class, $50 a month, or $40 a month for a six-month commitment. More info at MomsEvolution.com.
• Another option for mom/baby workouts is Stroller Strides, a franchise that operates nationwide with several offerings throughout North Carolina. For more information go here.
• If you don’t live near one of the above options, the American Council on Exercise offers two free parent-oriented workouts you can do at home. Postural Workout for Parents “is designed to help people who have postural imbalances resulting from carrying unbalanced loads (e.g., children, a heavy shoulder or computer bag) for extended periods on a regular basis.” Total-body Conditioning Workout for Parents “is designed to improve muscular endurance and strength through exercises that focus on the correct execution of the five primary movement patterns (bend-and-lift, single-leg, pushing, pulling, and rotational movements) in all three planes of motion.”

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Big dreams? Better start planning.

Got a plan for this year? If you don’t, you need one.

If you vowed to be better this year, you need to start planning. You need goals to move you along. You need a carrot to get you out of bed and ride on a morning when it’s 25 degrees out. You need incentive to lace up your Asics and do your weekly track workout when your body is saying it would rather stay on the couch and watch the second half.

If you’re a road cylclist, for instance, you need an event to spur you on. The MS 150 in September, perhaps. Maybe Cycle North Carolina in October. Or perhaps one of the numerous centuries and half centuries that will test your endurance. (If you really want to test yourself, shoot for a mountain century; the Roan Moan in July is a good place to start.)

And mountain biking certainly isn’t without its share of interesting races. From the local TORC cross-country series, to 24-hour races such as Memorial Day weekend's Burn 24-Hour Challenge, to quirky races such as Pisgah Mountain Adventure Bike Race that marry distance riding with thinking.

Are you a runner? Maybe you need those weekly 5Ks to string you along. Perhaps you’re in to distance running — or would like to be. I know of at least one, no, two, training programs ideal for folks interested in running their first marathon. Maybe you prefer trail running. Now’s the time to start upping the miles for April 1’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail 12M and 50K Challenge, among others.

Into the new breed of adventure 5K? There are more and more of ‘em out there.

Triathlete? You have to plan ahead because triathlons are so popular they fill up in an instant. Still, you may be able to find a good tri, sprint to ironman, with openings left.

If you’re into team sports, check with your local parks & rec to see what options they have coming up.

And if you’re like me and live for a good backcountry adventure, well, I had a little planning session myself the other day and came up with five must-do trips for this year: the Snowbird Mountains of western North Carolina, a section of the Great Smoky Mountains I’ve yet to explore, the little-known west flank of the Black Mountains, the Black Mountain Crest Trail — much of it above 6,000 feet — in winter, and the 73-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail between US 19E and Damascus, Va. You can read more about those adventures here.

Stop reading. Start planning.

Wilson!

Hiking into the past: It’s all the rage in North Carolina this weekend ... .

Coast

Feeling competitive? Have three friends, at least one of whom is the opposite sex? And are all of you 16 or older? If you answered yes to all of the above, consider about heading down to Emerald Isle Saturday for the Emerald Isle Parks & Rec 4 x 4 Volleyball Tournament. Entry fee is $55, winner gets 70 percent of the pot ($231 if the maximum of six teams signs up), second place gets 30 percent. You must preregister by 5 p.m. Friday, by calling 252.354.6350.

Logistics: In addition to pre-registering (see above), you have to bring your own ball and officiate games you don’t play in. More info here.

Weather: The tournament is indoors. That said, it’s supposed to be 60 and sunny at the coast.

Piedmont

When you hike in the woods, odds are you're oblivious of the history around you. That you’re unaware of the daffodil that might signal an old homestead, or the wide trough that could be what remains of an old “highway.” This weekend, you have not one but two opportunities to hike into history.

This old roadbed up from Crabtree Creek near the old Company Mill goes past the old Camp Craggy at Umstead State Park.

Friday at 2 p.m. (we like to start the weekend early around here), join a ranger for a mostly off-trail hike to historic Camp Craggy in Raleigh’s Umstead State Park. Located upslope from Crabtree Creek near the old Company Mill, Craggy was a Boy Scout camp in the early 1900s. The hike, 2.5 miles round trip, begins at 2 p.m.

Logistics: The hike, which begins from the parking lot off Harrison Avenue and I-40, is free, but pre-registration is required, by calling 919.571.4170.

Weather: The good news: A high of 63 is forecast. The not-so-good: there’s an 80 percent chance of rain.

On Sunday, join the Eno River Association’s Joe Liles for a hike, Fanny’s Ford and the Road to Holden Mill. Subtle signs will tell the tale of this once commercially vibrant area that is now part of Eno River State Park.

Logistics: Meet at the picnic shelter at the end of Cole Mill Road at the Few’s Ford access area of the Eno River State Park, at 2 p.m. More info here.

Weather: Sunny with a high of 54.

Explore the human past of Stone Mountain, such as this chimney from an old homestead along the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, on a 336 hike.

Mountains

They’ll also be hiking into history Saturday in the Stone Mountain area, albeit for a more colorful past. The 336 Area Hiking Group sponsors the Moonshine Stills Hike, a 5- to 7-mile mostly off-trail exploration in/around Stone Mountain State Park. Stills, old homesteads, cemeteries “and what ever we can find,” are the objectives, according to hike leader Steve Martin. A rugged outing is in store, Martin cautions. “If you enjoy nice, marked trails please pick another hike.”

Logistics: The group will meet at 7:30 a.m. in Greensboro to carpool to the park. More info here.

Weather: High of 52, 20 percent chance of rain.

* * *

Those are GGNC’s thoughts for an active weekend. Find out other ways you can get out this weekend by browsing our super calendar, a collection of events calendars from throughout the state, below.

Coast

CapeFearCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar for the Cape Fear/Wilmington/southern N.C. coast searchable by date and event name.

Coastal Guide
Comprehensive calendar including nature programs from a variety of costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs. Covers the entire coast.

Crystal Cost Tourism Authority
Comprehensive calendar focusing on the Crystal Coast. Good source for programs offered by N.C. Coastal Federation, Cape Lookout National Park, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and other costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs.

NCCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar including programs for the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast.

North Carolina Coast Host
Comprehensive calendar for the entire coast that lets you search for events by day, by region, by county, by city or by event (based on key word).

This Week Magazine
Primary focus is the Crystal Coast (North Carolina’s coastal midsection).

Mountains

Asheville Citizen-Times
From the main page, click on “Outdoors,” then WNC Outdoors calendar.

Blue Ridge Outdoors
Searchable calendar lets you extend your reach to events throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast (or you can just limit it to North Carolina). Also lets you search a boatload of categories, ranging from Hiking, Mountain Biking and Climbing to Trail Running, Triathlon and Road Walking.

The Mountain Times
From the main page, click on “Calendars,” then Main Events.

Todd’s Calendar

Piedmont

Charlotte

Charlotte Observer events calendar
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including Nature, Recreation, Recreation & Wellness, Running

Charlotte Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triad

GoTriad.com
Comprehensive calendar includes a Sports & Recreation category.

Piedmont Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triangle

Triangle.com
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including: Birding, Boating, Cycling, Nature, Rec & Wellness, Recreation, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Yoga.

Carolina Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Statewide

Office of Environmental Education
One calendar for the numerous Environmental Education Centers statewide.

North Carolina State Parks
Lets you search for programs at the state’s parks, recreation areas and natural areas by location, by month, by topic. To reach the calendar from the home page, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks.”

National Forests in North Carolina
From the home page, click on Carolina Connections for news updates on the state’s four national forests as well as hints on recreational opportunities and a detailed rundown of recreation areas and the amenities at each.

* * *

 
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I grew up in Colorado, where the sun shines, on average, 642 days a year. It’s now been four days since I’ve seen the sun here in the Triangle and the weather people say we shouldn’t count on seeing it today. Well I can’t wait.

Get out your cocoa butter, folks. Here’s 90 seconds of ol’ sol to tide us over.

• Has the highest share of bicycle commuters (6 percent to 8 percent) of any major metro area in the country.
• Is the only large city to earn The League of American Bicyclists’ platinum status as a bicycle-friendly city.
• Has 324 miles of bikeways, which are broken into four types: 1.Traditional on-street bike lanes(202 miles); 2. Neighborhood greenways/bike boulevards, or residential streets where safe, comfortable cycling is the top priority (46 miles); 3. Off-street, multi-use, car-free, paved lanes that typically located in public parks and along former rail corridors (76 miles); and, 4. Cycle tracks, painted buffer zone and parked cars separates cyclists from motorized traffic (less than one mile, with more under construction.)

It’s a scenario that a growing contingent of Triangle residents would love to see happen here, and a large contingent of that contingent turned out Thursday at appearances in Durham and Raleigh to hear Blumenauer describe Portland’s transittopia — and how the city got there. The “how it got there” part was surprisingly straightforward — and encouraging.

“Fifty years ago, Portland was a typical medium-size American city — in a gorgeous setting,” he said. “We were in violation of air quality standards one day out of three. The downtown-think was to tear down historic buildings for parking lots.” The city, he added, was caught up in the Robert Moses-inspired urban renewal trend of the late 1960s that resulted in hardship for many urban centers. (See Durham’s Hayti community.)

But then, said Blumenauer, something happened. While the mayor, the council and business leaders were pushing expansion of a major highway downtown, the people said no — and won. That highway became Pioneer Courthouse Square, a 37-acre park that’s a popular downtown gathering spot. The trend continued (and caught on statewide), downtown prospered and alternate forms of transportation took hold (the city now has 79 bus lines and 14.7 miles of commuter rail line).

“In terms of mass transit,” said Blumenauer, “we’re 7th nationwide in per capita ridership although we’re number 24 in size. Portlanders drive 20 percent less than the average American.

“There’s a rumor that Portland declared war on the car, that it’s all socialist engineering,” Blumenauer added. “We didn’t declare war on the car. But we didn’t surrender to it.”

Because 40 years ago the people of Portland decided not to surrender to their elected officials.

The Croatan's wet nature requires lots of pricey bridging and boardwalk, such as this stretch on the Weetock Trail.

Options for the MST

View Mountains-to-Sea Trail / coastal options in a larger map

* * *
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