You’ll need a wet suit to participate in Saturday’s second annual North Carolina Surf to Sound Challenge, you won’t need a firearm to go on Saturday’s gunless deer hunt at Lake Crabtree, and you will need skis or a board but not a lot of money to go skiing in the mountains.
Yup, thanks to Sandy your options for this weekend in North Carolina expand to the snow sports.
Coast
Not sure why, but November is one of my favorite times to paddle at the coast. Perhaps the droves of summer tourists are gone, perhaps because the cold of winter — a cold exacerbated by being on the water — has yet to settle in. In any event, it’s a magical time to be on the water. One of the best places to experience this magic: the peaceful waters of Bogue Sound behind the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.
There’s lots of outdoor adventure to be goblin’ up this last weekend of October: a spirited run in Wilmington, a haunted night hike at Jordan Lake, a hike into history in the Great Smokies.
Coast
Tis the weekend of the pumpkin run, and while they abound across the state the Trick-or-Treat Trot in downtown Wilmington rises to the top of our list. In large part, that’s because it’s in downtown Wilmington. Run your choice of race — Monster Mile, 5K or 10K — at 9 a.m., then have the rest of the day to kick around Wilmington. Hang downtown, head over to Carolina Beach State Park and do some exploring, hit the beach (the water temperature at Wrightsville Beach as of Tuesday was 71.6).
This weekend, avoid alligators, avoid trails, but don’t avoid the first big weekend of the Southeast ski season.
Coast
Remember the old Peter, Paul & Mary hit, “Where Have All the Reptiles Gone?” No, wait. That wasn’t PP&M in the 1960s. That’s Lake Waccamaw State Park this Sunday at 2 p.m., when a ranger explains why the park’s alligators are no longer on the prowl, why the turtles aren’t out catching some rays … basically why the entire reptile population is laying low. A great opportunity to learn a little something, then take a long (Lakeshore Trail, 5 miles) or short (Sand Ridge Trail, 0.75 mile) hike to look for the reptiles that aren’t supposed to be there.