Looking Glass Rock, the objective of Sunday's Carolina Mountain Club hike.
It’s not officially winter according to the calendar, but the leaves are gone, the sky crystal and the air crisp (although slightly warmer than normal). The perfect time to enjoy the natural world.
Coast
December marks the beginning — in our book, at least — of the winter season, especially at the coast. The air is brisk, the sky clear, the bugs at bay, all of which makes for great exploring. Hence our recommendation for Saturday’s Biological Wonderland hike at Carolina Beach State Park. A ranger takes you on a hike through the diverse habitats at Carolina Beach and explains what makes them good for the critters who live there.read more
Monday — never an easy time for the outdoors enthusiast. After a weekend of adventure, returning to the humdrum work-a-day world can make one melancholy. To help ease the transition, every Monday we feature a 90 Second Escape — essentially, a 90-second video of a place you’d probably rather be: a trail, a park, a greenway, a lake … anywhere as long as it’s not under a fluorescent bulb.read more
There’s no time like Thanksgiving break to get moving. So … get moving!
Coast
This sounds pretty awesome. Head out to Jockey’s Ridge on Saturday, hike, cavort in the sand, explore. Then, at 4 p.m. get out your kite, get out those extra Christmas lights and that super long extension cord, and participate in Kitty Hawk Kites’ Kites with Lights celebration. Watch folks experienced in doing this kind of thing — including someone with a 19-foot delta kite — light up the night in zig-zag fashion. Extra enticement: Free hot cider, free cookies.read more
I wrote the following story for the Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer in Raleigh. It appeared in both papers on Nov. 20,2012, it reappears here with helpful (and occasionally entertaining) links.
If it feels like there’s a conspiracy afoot to make you gain weight over the holidays, well, you may just be right. Sadly, there’s science to prove it.read more
In today’s Charlotte Observer and The News & Observer there’s a story about the challenges of maintaining your weight, your health, your sanity during the stressful holidays that will momentarily be upon us. The story even cites science to show what you’re up against. read more
