Well, some of them.

In the first of our every-other-Thursday Lunch with GetHiking! Zoom gatherings, we’ll talk about  ways to find the trails less traveled. Some of our tips may be obvious — hike early in the day, hike late in the day — some not so much. We’ll discuss a couple examples of less populated trails at some of our most popular hiking venues. And we’ll take a few minutes to talk hiking gear with our friends at Great Outdoor Provision Co. Our first Lunch with GetHiking! is Thursday, Sept. 16 at noon. Find an exclusive invitation (our Zoom membership limits us to 100 participants) here. 

Why Lunch with GetHiking!? Mainly, because come fall and its ideal conditions we can’t wait for the weekend. That’s why we started our Fall Friday Morning Hike Series. But even Friday morning didn’t seem soon enough, so we’ve started posting our GetGoingNC.com GetOut! blog, with thoughts on weekend adventures, late Thursday afternoon. And why now we’re starting the weekend even earlier, at noon every other Thursday, with Lunch with GetHiking!

We’ll gather for a half hour or so, long enough for an informative talk, not long enough to irk Mr. Dithers if you’re on the clock. Our topics will all be hiking specific, and seasonally appropriate, when possible. 

Here’s a look at what we have planned (note: topics are subject to change; we see a shiny thing, we’ll be on it).

What’s for lunch

Sept. 16 — Finding the Trails Less Traveled. This early run of fall-like weather has been both blessing and curse. After a summer of heat and humidity, the first half of September has been hiking-perfect: you can’t wait to get on the trail — and neither can the seasonal masses who discover hiking every year at this time. Today, we’ll talk about  ways to find the trails less traveled.

Sept. 30 — Our Favorite Piedmont hikes (that aren’t crowded). As a follow-up to our first session, we look at some of our favorite trails that, for various reasons, don’t attract the masses. 

Oct. 14 — Fall color comes to the Piedmont. Color should be in full bloom in the region. We discuss where to find the best color.

Oct. 28 — Longer hikes. Maybe your hikes have been in the 3- to 5-mile category so far this fall. Lately, maybe feel the urge to hike farther (cool weather will do that). We discuss what to consider as you start hiking longer, including a look at some of our favorite hikes in the 5- to 10-mile range.

Nov. 11 — Coastal Hiking. It’s finally cool enough that the biting bugs and slithery critters are at bay. It’s time to look east for a hiking destination. We discuss 5 of our favorite coastal hikes.

Nov. 24 (Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving) — Where to take the visiting kin for a Thanksgiving Day/Weekend hike. Our shorter favorite trails that showcase the best the region has to offer.

Dec. 9 — Winter hiking. It’s a knee-jerk reaction: it’s getting cold, time to hang up the hiking gear until spring. Yet winter can be a magical time on the trail; we discuss how, and why you should keep hiking through this unjustly maligned season. 

Dec. 23 — Hike in the New Year. Where to hike in the new year and what to expect on a First Day hike. Plus, setting goals for 2022.

Join us for Lunch!

Again, we’ll meet every other Thursday at noon. Find your invitation here. And about the photo? The main course is John Marzetti, a mainstay of the lunch program in the Denver Public Schools in the 1960s. Mmmm … .

The post Join us for Lunch! appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

In addition to this weekend being the Great Backyard Bird Count, there are other reasons to look up.

Coast

Winter is an especially good time to check out the night sky. Skies tend to be clearer (the cold zaps the moisture from the air) and when the clouds have scattered there’s so much to see. Even more so if you happen to be stargazing at the coast, where interference from light pollution is less of an issue.

Take advantage of both factors — dry winter air and the coast’s minimal light pollution — at the Native American Astronomy program Friday evening at Goose Creek State Park east of Washington. You bring the chairs, blankets and flashlights, the scopes and expertise will be provided. Not only will the program leaders point out key constellations, they’ll also share Native American stories associated with them.

Logistics: Friday, Feb. 15, 6:30 p.m., Goose Creek State Park. Meet at Visitor Center. Free. More info here.

Friday evening forecast: Partly cloudy with slight chance of rain after midnight, low of 37.

Piedmont

Did you get excited about the aforementioned Goose Creek astronomy program, but driving to the coast Friday evening won’t work? How about driving to the Triangle? Saturday evening you’ll find a similar program conducted by the staff of UNC’s Morehead Planetarium at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area. The UNC astro nerds will set up their telescopes on the beach at the Ebenezer Point Recreation Area for a couple hours of viewing fun.

Logistics: Saturday, Feb. 16, 6:30 p.m., Jordan Lake State Recreation Area, Apex. More info here.

Saturday evening forecast: Overcast, low of 28. (Note: the program is canceled in the event of inclement weather. Check the aforementioned Web site if in question.)

Mountains

“Frog Love in the Pink Beds” — rrrrr. Or, rather, rrrrrribit! It may sound like lascivious V-Day pandering by the Cradle of Forestry, but in fact it’s a great chance to explore and learn about a rare highland  bog, located in the Pisgah National Forest above Brevard. Enjoy a presentation, then enjoy a hike to the adjoining Pink Beds and learn about how warm, rainy, winter weather puts our amphibious friends in an amorous mood.

Logistics: Saturday, 1-4 p.m., Cradle of Forestry near Brevard. Free. (828)-877-3130 for more info, or go here.

Saturday forecast: Overcast, high of 41.

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Those are GGNC’s thoughts for an active weekend. Find out other ways you can get out this weekend by browsing our super calendar, a collection of events calendars from throughout the state, below.

Coast

CapeFearCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar for the Cape Fear/Wilmington/southern N.C. coast searchable by date and event name.

Coastal Guide
Comprehensive calendar including nature programs from a variety of costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs. Covers the entire coast.

Crystal Cost Tourism Authority
Comprehensive calendar focusing on the Crystal Coast. Good source for programs offered by N.C. Coastal Federation, Cape Lookout National Park, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and other costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs.

NCCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar including programs for the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast.

North Carolina Coast Host
Comprehensive calendar for the entire coast that lets you search for events by day, by region, by county, by city or by event (based on key word).

This Week Magazine
Primary focus is the Crystal Coast (North Carolina’s coastal midsection).

Mountains

Asheville Citizen-Times
From the main page, click on “Outdoors,” then WNC Outdoors calendar.

Blue Ridge Outdoors
Searchable calendar lets you extend your reach to events throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast (or you can just limit it to North Carolina). Also lets you search a boatload of categories, ranging from Hiking, Mountain Biking and Climbing to Trail Running, Triathlon and Road Walking.

The Mountain Times
From the main page, click on “Calendars,” then Main Events.

Todd’s Calendar

Piedmont

Charlotte

Charlotte Observer events calendar
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including Nature, Recreation, Recreation & Wellness, Running

Charlotte Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triad

GoTriad.com
Comprehensive calendar includes a Sports & Recreation category.

Piedmont Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triangle

Triangle.com
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including: Birding, Boating, Cycling, Nature, Rec & Wellness, Recreation, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Yoga.

Carolina Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Statewide

Office of Environmental Education
One calendar for the numerous Environmental Education Centers statewide.

North Carolina State Parks
Lets you search for programs at the state’s parks, recreation areas and natural areas by location, by month, by topic. To reach the calendar from the home page, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks.”

National Forests in North Carolina
From the home page, click on Carolina Connections for news updates on the state’s four national forests as well as hints on recreational opportunities and a detailed rundown of recreation areas and the amenities at each.

U.S. National Wildlife Refuges
Rundown, by month, of regular activities at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service refuges in North Carolina.

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The post This weekend: Frog love and other things in the air appeared first on GetGoing NC!.