Anything but resolutions.

At the start of any new year we look at a blank slate and ponder how best to fill it. Traditionally, we’ve referred to these slate-fillers as resolutions. And over time, the term has become burdened with negative connotations. Primarily because “resolutions” tend to be things we don’t really want to do. They’re things we think we should do. Like lose weight.

Admirable and healthy as losing weight might be, in and of itself it’s hard to muster the motivation to see you through 10, 20, 30 pounds or more.

This is why I don’t make resolutions. Rather, I set goals. While you may think this is a simple matter of semantics, well, it probably is. But to me, “goals” has a more positive connotation. Something to cheer about when achieved. Think of the enthusiasm of a soccer announcer when the rare point is made: “GOAL!” Think about it: have you ever heard anyone shout “RESOLUTION!”?

Goals excite us. The following goals, for instance, the one’s I’ve set for 2024. And because I love a good gimmick, we’ve borrowed from “The Happiness Project” author Gretchen Rubin and her 24 for 2024 List, which looks at goals based on a format involving the numbers 2 and 4. You’ll see.

• 2 backpack trips of 4 days each. I got out once this year, for a two-night trip on the Appalachian Trail. That’s unacceptable. I have no idea where these two trips will be, I just know they will be.
• 1 weekly hike of at least 6 miles (2 +4). I’ve gravitated to shorter hikes over the past couple years, and I love them. Still, I need a good leg-stretcher on a regular basis. My first weekly long hike was this past Sunday at the Butner Game Lands. Not sure where this week’s will be.
• 24 books read. Good thing I like a quick YA novel every once in a while.
• 24 new trails. This is the one I’m most excited about. It’s so easy to get stuck hiking the same trails over and over — not that a hiking rut is the worst rut you can dig. Still, I love discovering a new trail, new either to me or new period. The latter was the case with my first new trail of 2024: the 1.8-mile Fox Trail at Mayo River State Park, which was inaugurated as a First Day Hike on New Year’s Day (see photo). 

I have other goals for 2024 — 24 total, of course — but these are the outdoor-relevant ones (most of the books — say, 8 [2×4] — will be adventure related). And they’re good, goal-worthy goals, no? The kinds of goals that will motivate a person to make 2024 a satisfying and, more importantly, memorable year.

The post Goals for a memorable 2024 appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Saturday doesn’t look half bad, with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the 50s. However, the wind is expected to kick up in the afternoon, with a steady blow of 15-20 mph winds out of the southwest, with gusts up to 35! That’s especially problematic if you worry about dead wood showering down upon you from the canopy.

So, on Sunday:

• Spring Hike: Naturally Wonderful Waterfalls, 3 p.m., Stone Mountain State Park, Roaring Gap. From the upper trailhead parking lot a ranger will lead this 1.2-mile out-and-back to Stone Mountain Falls (pictured above), which tumbles down the east shoulder of Stone Mountain, a 600-foot-high granite dome. Build in the time to hike the Summit Side of the Stone Mountain Loop Trail, accessible from the same trailhead, which will take you to the dome’s largest exposure. Learn more about the hike here.
• In the Pines: Guided Hike, 4 p.m., Gorges State Park, Sapphire. If you find yourself in the western part of the state, drop by the drop-dead gorgeous Gorges State Park for this short hike to check out the various pines that inhabit the park. The hike, which originates from the White Pines Picnic Area, is notable because it’s rated “Moderate” in difficulty, possibly the only “moderate” hike in the park. Learn more here.

OK, we won’t completely ignore Saturday. We’ve got one program early, before the wind is expected to whoosh through, one late that should benefit from the wind.

• Trail Building at Horseshoe Road Nature Preserve, 8:45 a.m. to noon, 3018 Horseshoe Road, Creedmoor. Join the Tar River Land Conservancy in its effort to open 2 miles of trail at its Horseshoe Road Nature Preserve. The supervised workday will include a variety of tasks: building wooden footbridges and benches, installing signs, trail clearing and more. Learn more here.
• Stars and Planets, 7:45 p.m., Mayo River State Park, Mayodan. One great thing about the wind is that it tends to scour the sky, leaving it free of debris. Combined with a half moon that should leave lots of stars visible, stars that the Greensboro Astronomy Club will be more than glad to help you see with their sophisticated telescopes. More info here.

On the spring wildflower front, you may see the leaves of the trout lily, but the flowers have pretty much passed. You’re more likely this weekend to see spring beauties, bluets, rue anemone and bloodroot.

Enjoy!

The post GetOut! This weekend gets off to a blustery beginning appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

We live less than a half mile from Occoneechee State Natural Area in Hillsborough, and I either hike or run there a couple times a week. Though I generally like to mix things up on trail I do regularly — hiking clockwise one time, counterclockwise the next — I have the same routine at Occoneechee: I enter from the neighborhood entrance off Eno Mountain Road, then take the Occoneechee Mountain Loop Trail, Overlook Trail and Chestnut Trail back to the Loop Trail, which brings me around the west side of the mountain to the Eno River for the hike’s highlight: a 75-yard stretch beneath a north-facing cliff that is perpetually green. Green with holly and ferns, which are common in these parts, but also with mountain laurel, with rhododendron, and even a narrow carpet of galax. For this brief stretch the trail leaves the Piedmont for the Southern Appalachians.

We look to trails for escape. My Occoneechee route is the Tardis of Triangle Trails. It’s also the focus of a ranger-led hike Saturday at 2 p.m. From the park’s main lot, armed with water and closed-toe shoes, the group will head out on a mile-and-a-half hike in search of Evergreens at Occoneechee. Learn more about the hike and about how to register, here. 

So what else is going on this second weekend of December?

Winter Bird Walk, Sunday, 3 p.m., Weymouth Woods State Natural Area, Southern Pines. One of our favorite places to hike in winter (yes, technically winter doesn’t start until a week from Sunday, but have you stepped outside lately?), is Weymouth Woods State Natural Area. Even on a cold winter day the sun penetrates this expanse of longleaf pines — one of the largest collections of longleaf pines remaining — warming the soul and igniting the smell of pine. The terrain and location also make it a prime winter bird watching site. This program piggybacks on Audubon’s 120th Christmas Bird Count bird count occurring at the park, meaning there will be plenty of qualified birders on hand to help identify what you’re seeing. Learn more here. 

Hike with a Ranger at Mayo River State Park, Saturday, 1 p.m., Mayo River State Park: Hickory Creek Access, Stoneville. Maybe you know someone who’s looking to be more active in 2020, but hasn’t quite figured out how to make that happen. This hike on an old farm road would make for a great way to float hiking as an option: it’s on an old road, which generally means more foot-friendly travel, and it’s less than a mile long. Just long enough to get the heart rate up and stoke an appreciation for hiking, not so long that it seems like work — or worse, a workout. Learn more here.

GetHiking! this weekend

What are our GetHiking! groups in North Carolina and Virginia up to this weekend? Plenty, thanks for asking … 

GetBackpacking! Weekend Quick Escape: Birkhead Mountain Wilderness, Uwharrie NF, Friday, December 13, 5 p.m. – Sunday, December 15, 12 p.m., 3091 Tot Hill Farm Rd., Asheboro. Moderate. 15 miles. Hike highlights: Birkhead Mountain Wilderness Loop, views from ridge line. Learn more here.

GetHiking! Charlottesville: Thornton River Circuit, Sunday, December 15, 8 a.m., 4105 Lewis and Clark Dr., Charlottesville. Strenuous. 10.5 miles. Hike highlights: Elkwallow Wayside, Appalachian Trail, Piney Ridge Trail, Fork Mountain Trail, Thornton Hollow Trail, Thornton River Trail, multiple stream crossings, Thornton River Falls. Learn more here.

GetHiking! Charlottesville: Appalachian Trail – Rockfish Gap to Paul Wolfe Shelter, Sunday, December 15, 10 a.m., 415 Ray C Hunt Dr., Charlottesville. Moderately Strenuous. 9 miles. Hike highlights: This section of the AT is primarily along a ridgeline. And with the trees stripped of their leaves, we should be treated to several nice views of the Rockfish Valley. Learn more here.

GetHiking! Winter Wild: New Adventure in the Places You Most Love to Hike, Saturday, December 21, 10 a.m., Lower Haw River State Natural Area, Pittsboro. Moderate. 6-8 miles. Hike highlights: East bak of the Haw River between Bynum and Jordan Lake. Learn more here.

Live the video

This week’s video takes us on the Company Mill Trail at Umstead State Park in Raleigh. It’s the park’s most popular trail, in part because it has options: Hike down to Crabtree Creek and back for a 2-mile roundtrip hike, continue on and do the abbreviated Company Mill Loop (cutting short across the Reedy Creek Bike & Bridle Trail) for about 5 miles, or do the entire loop of just under 6 miles. Learn more about exploring Umstead here.

More Weekend Options

Looking for more options for weekend adventure? Check out our GetOut! Find An Adventure resource page here.

The post Getout! Your Friday Nudge for Weekend Adventure appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Look! Up in the Sky! Saturday night, Haw River State Park (8 p.m.) and Pettigrew State Park (8:30 p.m.). If it’s August it must be the Perseid meteor showers. Grab your camp chair or a blanket, sit (or lay) back and watch the best light show around. Remote Pettigrew, located in the remote coastal plain, an area with minimal light pollution, seems an especially good bet for a night of brilliant sparklers. More info here.

On the water. The dog days of August: the perfect time to be on the water. Here are three opportunities:

• Canoe the Mayo, Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Mayo River State Park, Mayodan (Triad). A rate opportunity to test drive a canoe on an intimate river. Canoe, paddles, personal flotation device provided; you need to provide a shuttle to get back to your car. More info here.
• Kayak Tour, Sunday, 8:30-11 a.m., Hammocks Beach State Park, Swansboro (coast). Follow a ranger and explore the marshland and ecosystems around this coastal state park. Kayaks, paddles, pfds provided. Free, but preregistration required, by calling 910.326.4881.
• Tubing at the Park, Sunday, 1 p.m., New River State Park, Connelly Springs (mountains). With paddling, you’re above the cool water, with tubing part of you is in it. More info here.

Find more adventure at the following:

• North Carolina State Parks has a variety of adventures planned for the weekend. Check those options here.
• North Carolina Environmental Education Center represents environmental ed centers across the state and has a calendar complete with every class and trip these centers are conducting. Find it here.
• Right here, at GetGoingNC.com.

The post GetOut! Your Friday Nudge to Weekend Adventure appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

After a teasing blast of fall early in the week, we’re back to the realities of July in the Southeast this weekend. Not a bad thing, just something to take into account as you plan your weekend. We share our thoughts on what might make for a grand weekend of adventure below.

Canoe 101, Merchants Millpond State Park, Gatesville. Saturday, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. One of our favorite paddles anywhere is on this 760-acre millpond that is slowly evolving into swamp. Tupelo gum, bald cypress, Spanish moss … this trip’s got it all. And the 101? For you newbies, a short intro to paddling kicks off the trip. $5 fee. More info here.

Stars and Planets, Mayo River State Park, Mayodan. Saturday, 9:30 p.m. Being outside at night is pretty awesome, especially when you have the friendly folks from the Greensboro Astronomy Club on hand to share their sophisticated telescopes and knowledge of the night sky. It’s cooler at night, too. More info here.

Guided Canoe Trip, New River State Park, Laurel Springs. Sunday, 1 p.m. Nothing says keep it cool like canoeing a mountain river. The New River is wide and friendly on this stretch — you’d have to work hard to capsize. (Don’t work too hard!). Small fee to cover the cost of a shuttle. More info here.

As for us, you’re welcome to join us on a 4.5-mile hike Saturday morning at Eno River State Park: we’ll be hiking the Buckquarter Creek, Shakori and Ridge trails, the latter two of which are rare, for Eno River, trails less traveled. You can learn more about this hike and sign up to join us here.

You can find more events at the following:

• North Carolina State Parks has a variety of adventures planned for the weekend. Check those options here.
• North Carolina Office of Environmental Education, here.
• Right here, at GetGoingNC.com.

Whether you join us along the Eno, grab a paddle in a state park or do some star gazing, just be sure to do one thing:

GetOut!

The post GetOut! Your Nudge for Weekend Adventure appeared first on GetGoing NC!.