There’s a biathlon at the coast, a lucky bike ride in the mountains, and salvation — or at least a way to save yourself from getting lost — in the Piedmont.

Coast

Before you go tri, perhaps you should try bi.

It only makes sense that instead of going directly to three sports, you should ease yourself in with two. Say, standup paddle boarding and running?

If that sounds like a plan, then plan on entering Saturday’s 7^th Annual Wrightsville Beach Biathlon, combining a 4-mile flatwater standup paddle  course and a 4.5-mile beach run. The action commences at the Blockade Runner Resort, at Wrightsville Beach. An avowed one-sport person? No problem, find another similarly committed soul and enter as a team.

Logistics: 7^th Annual Wrightsville Beach Biathlon, Saturday, March 18, 10 a.m., Blockade Runner Beach Resort, Wrightsville Beach. $35. More info here.

Saturday forecast: High of 65, chance of afternoon rain.

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Looking ahead: Hike NC! Cliffs of the Neuse State Park Lake Trail hike, 2 miles, Friday, March 24, Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, Seven Springs. More info here.

Piedmont

Our GetOriented! program has declared this weekend Find Your Way in the Woods weekend, with classes in both the Triangle and Triad areas.

We start the three-hour session with a half hour of map-and-compass get-to-know-you. Then, we head down the trail, and off, in search of the hidden treasures that elude the trail-bound. The overall goal: to make you feel more comfortable about your ability to navigate the woods.

Our Saturday morning session is at Umstead State Park in Raleigh, Sunday morning we’re at Haw River State Park in Greensboro. Compass and map are included.

Logistics: GetOriented! Finding Your Way in the Woods: Saturday, March 18, 9 a.m., Umstead State Park, Raleigh, more info and sign up here; Sunday, March 19, 9 a.m., Haw River State Park, Greensboro, more info and sign up here.

Saturday forecast: Saturday morning in Raleigh: Temperature in the 50s, chance of rain;  Sunday morning in Greensboro: Sunny, with temperatures in the 40s.

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Looking ahead: Hike NC! Celebrate the first day of spring with a hike along the Eno at Eno River State Park, Monday, March 20, 10 a.m. More info here.

Mountains

Talk about fortuitous timing: Saturday, it’s forecast to be rainy in the morning in Asheville. But the rain is expected to clear around noon, just in time for the 11^th Annual Bike of the Irish ride beginning and ending at the Wedge Brewing Company.

“We’re rolling through several historic places which have transformed with the times,” Mike Sule, executive director of Asheville on Bikes, told the Asheville Citizen Times. “The Wedge [Brewing Company], the [Wedge at] Foundation, the French Broad Greenway, downtown, and the Beaucatcher Mountain. They’re all old and new. We’re celebrating our dynamic city and rediscovering its nooks and crannies.”

The ride is 9.3 miles and gains 643 feet of elevation. Not bad for the Asheville area.

Logistics: 11^th Annual Bike of the Irish ride, Saturday, March 18, 1:30 p.m., Wedge Brewing Company, Asheville. More info here.

Sunday forecast: High near 60, partly cloudy at ride time.

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Looking ahead: Hike NC! Collier Cove Nature Preserve hike, Sunday, March 26, Arden. More info here.

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Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below. 

Coast

The post This weekend: Variety is the spice of adventure  appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast: Wrightsville Beach Biathlon

The Wrightsville Beach Biathlon: get ready for the only race of its kind on the East Coast. A typical biathlon includes swimming and running, but what makes the Wrightsville Beach Biathlon stand out is the replacement of swimming with paddleboarding. The other unique feature: the run portion takes place entirely on the oceanfront sand. The event lasts two day: Friday, there’s a paddle technique clinic and packet pick ups, Saturday, is the race, fat bike demos and more.

Two-day forecast: high of about 56 each day, sunny on Saturday.

Vital stats: Friday and Saturday, Blockade Runner Beach Resort. For race fees, contact Beth Todd at beth.todd@blockade-runner.com or call 910.256.2251; go here for more info.

Looking ahead: U.S. Open Fat Bike Championship. Open to beginner, sport, and experts. Saturday, March 12. More info here.

Piedmont: Winter Walkabout

Come out to Great Bend Park in Burlington this Saturday to hike the Haw River and Island Trails. Dogs and children are welcome on this journey through the woods, that will satisfy your need to get out, to adventure, to explore. No matter what your reason, it feels good to go walk around. The hikes are free, but registration is required at least 24 hours in advance.

Saturday forecast: 58 degrees and mostly sunny.

Vital stats: Saturday, 10:30 a.m.- noon, Great Bend Park, 350 Greenwood Dr. Burlington. Sponsored by Burlington Recreation & Parks. Contact: 336.222.5135; for more info go here.

Looking ahead: 2nd Saturday Outing at Flat Shoals Mountain near Walnut Cove. Sponsored by Piedmont Land Conservancy, Saturday, March 12. More info here.

Mountains: Wilderness Skills Institute

Although the Wilderness Skills Institute is not until the end of May — May 23 to June 3 —  the deadline to apply is this Sunday. At this two-week institute, you’ll learn such skills such as sustainable trail building, land stewardship practices, axe-slinging and tree felling by cross-cut saw, wilderness first aid, bridge construction using traditional tools, wilderness interpretation and education, and more. The focus of the institute is on basic to advanced skills needed to work in a wilderness, where motorized equipment is prohibited.

Vital stats: Wilderness Skills Institute, May 23 – June 3, Cradle of Forestry, Pisgah National Forest. Apply online by March 6 here. Free camping is available. Contact: Leanna Joyner with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy at 828.254.3708, or Brenna Irrer with SAWS at 828.226.4320. To learn more about the program, go here.

Looking ahead: Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, April 19-April 23, more info here.

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The post Your weekend: A bi, a hike, a rare learning opportunity appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Here’s a good, coastal biathlon for these modern times: the 6th Annual Wrightsville Beach Biathlon, involving a 4-mile standup paddle and a 4-mile run on the beach. Hosted where all your hip beach adventure competitions are hosted, at the Blockade Runner Beach Resort. Competition in various categories.

Logistics: Saturday, March 28, 10:30 a.m., Blockade Runner, Wrightsville Beach. From $45 for individuals up to $150 for corporate teams. Details here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny with a high of 54.

Piedmont

Nature programs abound in spring, and understandably so: our world is coming back to life and there’s so much to see and figure out. All those emerging amphibians, for instance.

Saturday morning, get a feel for the amphibians at Lake Crabtree in Morrisville with Toadally Awesome Amphibians. According to the sponsoring Lake Crabtree County Park: “After the first week of spring, but before the April showers start, we’re hoping to catch some sleepy salamanders. This program will investigate the park’s amphibian habitats, show you how to create your own, and teach about the important ecological roles amphibians and the vernal pools they inhabit play.”

Logistics: Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon, Lake Crabtree County Park, Morrisville. $3 per person, $5 per family. Call 919.460.3355 to reserve a spot.

Saturday forecast: Mostly sunny, high of 50.

Mountains

We like Saturday’s Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon and 5K in large part because it’s in one of our favorite places in the state: the campus of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

The 5K stays on campus, the Half starts and ends on campus but spends most of its time along the Tuckasegee River. Racing in a gorgeous setting is always good, but especially early in the race season when distractions may be especially welcome.

Logistics: Saturday, 8 a.m., Western Carolina University, Cullowhee. Race-day registration is $80 for the half marathon, $30 for the 5K. Read more about the race in the Asheville Citizen-Times, visit the race website here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny with a high of 44.

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Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below.

Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below.

The post This weekend: A bi, a sign, a race appeared first on GetGoing NC!.