I love to paddle rivers. But I don’t always have a party to paddle with. That’s a problem for three reasons:
Paddling with others is more fun;
It’s safer, and;
From a purely selfish standpoint, paddling with a party makes setting up a shuttle a whole lot easier.
Usually.
Like most folks, I’m excited about the near completion of Raleigh’s Neuse River Trail, a 27.5-mile greenway following its namesake river from the base of Falls dam south to the Johnston County line. (The missing link, a 3/4-mile stretch below Horseshoe Farm Park is scheduled to open early next year). And, like most folks, I’m excited for the cycling/running/walking potential the greenway offers.read more
If it rains, don't forget your local climbing gym.
On Wednesday, we clued you in to what was going on throughout North Carolina on this upcoming weekend, the first official weekend of summer. Today, we provide a quick weather overview to further help in your weekend decision-making.
In short, the Triad appears to be the driest part of the state this weekend, with no rain in the forecast for Saturday and just a 30 percent chance on Sunday. Could bode well for a trip to Hanging Rock State Park or Pilot Mountain State Park. Elsewhere, temperatures appear to be seasonably cool, with highs in the Piedmont and coastal plains in the low to mid 80s, upper 70s in the high country. There’s a 20 percent to 50 percent chance of rain for much of the state this weekend.read more
The following is part of GetGoingNC.com’s ongoing collaboration with Great Outdoor Provision Co. To keep reading, click on “Keep reading here.” You’ll be taken to the rest of the story, plus a list of 10 Can’t-Miss Paddling Destinations in Eastern North Carolina.read more
Moores Creek. Photo courtesy National Park Service
This weekend in North Carolina you can paddle into the Revolutionary past, you can paddle at night, or you can go camping a mile up.
Coast
Like a paddle with a little history? Thursday’s Moores Creek Kayaking History Adventure paddle on Moores Creek, which meanders through the Moores Creek National Battlefield, is just the ticket. The 88-acre park “commemorates the battle between Patriots and Loyalist militia on February 27, 1776,” according to the Halyburton Park (Wilmington) program guide. “This battle was the first major victory for the Patriots that lead to Cornwallis’ withdrawal from North Carolina. Join us and paddle this historic creek and watch history come alive after your kayaking adventure with a ranger-lead tour of the battlefield.” Fives mile roundtrip.read more
A Charlotte Meetup group at Hanging Rock State Park.
Here’s an exchange I find myself having surprisingly often.
Other Person: I’ve been trying to find a local hiking [slash-paddling-slash-cycling-slash-climbing-slash-other-favorite-activity-here] club but haven’t had any luck. Are there any?
Me: Have you tried Meetup?
OP: Meetup?
Yes, even today, after 12 years, 14.1 million members, 131,119 Meetup groups and 2.65 million monthly RSVPS (members indicating they plan to attend a Meetup activity) there are still people out there unfamiliar with Meetup.com. In short: Meetup is how people gather to play in the internet age. You want to go on a group hike in Charlotte, you join Outdoor Club South: Charlotte. You want to go kayaking in the Carolinas? Simply join Simply Kayaking. You want to do just about anything and you live in the Triangle? Become one of the 5,392 members of the Triangle Hiking & Outdoors Group: they’ve got 20 events currently scheduled and odds are at least one will tickle your adventure fancy.
Finding a group is easy. Go to Meetup.com, click “Find a Meetup Group,” click on your interest and how far you’re willing to drive, and options will appear. If they don’t, if there’s not a group that does what you want to do, start one.
To give you an idea of what’s out there, here’s a list of the 17 Meetup groups I belong to. Click, see what they do, where they go and who they are. Like what they’re about? Click one more time and become a member.
It’s that easy.read more
