Sunday morning we undergo that annual ritual of falling back. Meaning, when the clock strikes 2 a.m., we wind the hour hand back an hour, to 1 a.m. So when what had been 7:42 a.m. rolls around, it will actually be 6:42 a.m.
Normally, we celebrate this occurrence with getting to sleep an extra hour. But it’s true import? Instead of the sun rising at 7:42 a.m., it will be up at 6:42 a.m. Meaning … ?
Every year around this time we rerun the following post about night hiking, with a few tweaks. Granted, we don’t switch back to Standard Time for another week (Sunday, Nov. 2 this year), but it doesn’t hurt to plan ahead. That said, we make our annual case for a night hike, and offer some tips on how to make it happen.
Hiking Thursday on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail along Falls Lake I suddenly realized I couldn’t see the trail. The colorful fall leaves that had lured me were now messing with me by covering the trail and obliterating the path ahead. Years ago, I might have panicked. But years of fall hiking have taught me a trick or two — or 10.
At the beginning of September we extolled the virtues of a passeggiata— an after-dinner stroll around the neighborhood. Good for digestion, good for winding down after a stressful day, good for getting to know your immediate surroundings. Besides, with daylight becoming more scarce it was a sensible option for getting out.
Perhaps you’ve noticed we seem to have gotten a jump on fall this year. Especially along lakes and streams and where woods meet meadow, the colors of fall are starting to percolate. So why wait until October to indulge some fall color?
True, the color change is yet to be pervasive. But there are a handful of places where you can get a feel for fall hiking right now. Today, we share some of our favorites. Most make the list because they’re along water, where fall color tends to first become evident. Some make the list because they have plenty of edge forest, where color also tends to pop early. All but one is in the piedmont — and the one that isn’t is pretty darn close.
