Why devote an entire weekend to getting your Wilderness First Aid certification? Imagine you’re on a trip deep in the backcountry. Someone in your group goes down, there’s a loud snap, their leg below the knee is at an angle at odds with the leg above the knee. Do you want to be paralyzed with fear because you haven’t the slightest idea what to do? Or would you rather know exactly what to do and set a rescue in motion?
A bench for Rod
Rod Broadbelt officially retired today from more than two decades of leading hikes, almost exclusively at Umstead State Park. And not just hikes, as anyone whoever tried to tag along on one of his hikes would attest, these were no-holds-barred hiking extravaganza’s: lace up tight, hold on to your Tilley and try to hang on. Even into his mid-80s, Rod was no Sunday stroller — he was an unabashed steamroller, leaving hikers half his age in his dust.
GetOut! Your Nudge for Weekend Adventure
We have a season-appropriate forecast for the weekend: partly sunny with temperatures in the upper 50s! Perfect for getting out and exploring. Perfect for:
Spring Hike, Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, Seven Springs, Saturday, 1 p.m. Spring comes even sooner on the coastal plain, so expect an extra-special treat on this 1-mile hike through a longleaf pine forest. The trail is flat, suitable for a range of hiking abilities. Learn more and sign up here.
Hey, aspiring hikers! ‘Let’s GetHiking!’
On Monday evening, our GetHiking! Triangle group celebrated the start of Daylight Saving Time with an after-work hike at Eno River State Park. We had some new people on the hike, and it was clear that they were a bit tentative.
But, a mile down the trail, I noticed the steady buzz of happy hiker chatter. Our more experienced hikers had adopted the newcomers and were making them feel at home. When we finished our four miles and returned to the trailhead, it was near dark and the temperature was rapidly dropping, yet no one was in a hurry to leave. The conversation continued another 10 minutes or so until we had trouble seeing one another. I knew the newcomers would be back.
GetOut! Your nudge for weekend adventure
Let’s see, last weekend I tried the rah-rah cheerleader approach to get your mind off the rain, the wet weekend before I suggested just throwing a trash bag over your head and making the most of it. This weekend? How about, it’s not supposed to rain the entire weekend …