Coast / Coastal Plain

It’s every kid’s perfect summer night: wait until sunset, then grab a flashlight and wander through the local cemetery. A rite of youth fraught with the forbidden: sneaking out after dark, trespassing, cavorting among the dead … . No wonder it was a highlight of being a kid.

Now, those illicit evening romps are back, albeit with the edge replaced by education. Saturday evening, join local historians Dr. Chris Fonvielle and Robin Triplett, along with cemetery superintendent Eric Kozen on an Evening Flashlight Walking Tour through Wilmington’s Oakdale Cemetery. Learn about the history of Oakdale, Civil War veterans, funerary art and interesting Port City citizens, all while reliving those carefree days — nights, rather — of youth.

Vital Stats: Evening Flashlight Walking Tour, Saturday, July 16, 8 p.m., Oakdale Cemetery, Wilmington. $15. More info and to sigh up: 910.762.5682, friends@oakdalecemetery.org

Saturday forecast: 8 p.m. temperature of 82 with a 24 percent chance of rain.

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Looking ahead: Kayak Eco Tour to Masonboro Island, Aug. 16, Halyburton Park. More info here.

Piedmont

Think of Pilot Mountain and you think of crowds. Of cars slowly making the two-mile drive to the summit, of trying to find a place to park, of elbowing your way down the Jomeokee or Ledge Spring trails.

Sunday, we invite you to experience a different side of Pilot Mountain on the trails less traveled. At 9:30 a.m., our GetHiking! Triad hiking group will take a 6-mile hike on the Mountains and Grindstone trails, circumnavigating the conical mountain’s base. We’ll avoid both the clouds and the heat.

Vital Stats: Pilot Mountain hike, GetHiking! Triad, Sunday, July 17, 9:30 a.m. More info and to sign up, here.

Saturday forecast: Temperature of 72 at the start, with a chance of rain.

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Looking ahead: Occoneechee Geology Hike, Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, Hillsborough, Saturday, July 23. More info here.

Mountains

It may seem oxymoronic to put the words “sprint” and “triathlon” in succession. Most of us generally associate a triathlon with an endeavor of endurance: swimming, then biking, then running. In the case of an Ironman, that’s swimming 2.4 miles, then cycling 112 miles, then running a marathon, or 26.2 miles. Lordy.

In that context, then, the dimensions of Sunday’s Asheville Triathlon — a 400-meter pool swim, 11.6-mile bike ride, and a 5K (3.1 miles) — may indeed seem like a sprint. Which isn’t to diminish the challenge, a challenge taken up by up to 200 participants annually.

Feeling like a challenge? Details below.

Vital Stats: Asheville Triathlon, Sunday, July 17, 6:45 a.m., Asheville Recreation Park, Asheville. $60. More info here.

Sunday forecast: 63 degrees at 7 a.m. under partly cloudy skies.

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Looking ahead: “Movie: Winter on Mount Mitchell,” July 31, 2:30 p.m., Mount Mitchell State Park. More info here.

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Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below.

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The post Your Weekend: Adventure as different as night and day appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Perhaps you’re conflicted about what to do with Dad this weekend. On the one hand, he likes a good challenge. On the other, he likes to kick back and relax. What to do, what to do?

What to do, is sate both sides of Dad by entering him in Saturday’s Good Hops 5K Beer Run at Carolina Beach State Park. Dad gets to run 3.1 miles through this enchanting (and flat!) coastal state park, then kick back and enjoy the fruits of the sponsor’s thirst-slaking labors (which will happen outside the dry state park, we presume), for not only does Dad score a t-shirt, he also gets — provided he’s over 21 — a coupon for a pint of brew. Live music, food trucks and door prizes as well.

Logistics: Saturday, June 18, 8 a.m., Good Hops Brewery/Carolina Beach State Park, Carolina Beach. $30. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Race time temperature of 73, slight chance of rain.

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Looking ahead: O’Neill/Sweetwater Pro-Am Surf Fest, July 15-17, Wrightsville Beach. More info here.

Piedmont

Remember when Andy and Opie would go fishing, usually in a row boat, sometimes in a row boat that leaked? Didn’t that look like the ideal Dad/Kid activity?

Even if you’ve never touched a rod, you and Dad can capture some of that Mayberry magic Sunday (Father’s Day, btw) at Falls Lake State Recreation Area. And not just fishing, fishing and crafts. Equipment is limited, participation limited to the first 15 kids who sign up.

Logistics: Fishing with Dad, Sunday, June 19, 1-3 p.m., Falls Lake State Recreation Area, Wake Forest. Free, but preregistration is required, calling the park office at 919.676.1027.

Sunday forecast: High of 80, sunny skies.

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Looking ahead: Fort Mill Bootlegger 5K, Saturday June 25, Anne Springs Close Greenway, Fort Mill, S.C.. More info here.

Mountains

A triathlon typically isn’t something you decide to do at the last minute. But if you’re in reasonable condition, you’re prone to whims and you find you’re calendar blank this weekend, then you might consider Saturday’s Enka Triathlon at Biltmore Lake in Enka. It’s a sprint — 750 meter swim, 17.8-mile bike ride, 3-mile run — which, even without a boatload of training, might seem doable — especially with the great weather forecast for the weekend.

Intrigued? You can sign up on site; details below.

Logistics: Saturday, June 18, 8 a.m., Enka Triathlon, Biltmore Lake, Enka, fees range from $80 to $115, depending on how you appoach the event (individual, team, aquabiker). Add another $15 for a one-day USAT license if you aren’t a member.  More info here.

Saturday forecast: High of 79, sunny.

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Looking ahead: Naturalist Niche: Big Basswood Hike into a hidden cove where the state’s largest basswood tree lives, July 16, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Chimney Rock State Park. More info here.

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Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below.

The post Your weekend: Make a date for Adventure with Dad appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

“For how many of you is this your first triathlon?” Sage Rountree asked the 70 or so women who had shown up for last night’s informational meeting on the Ramblin’ Rose women-only triathlon series.

Nearly every hand shot up.
Predictable, but a good thing considering Rountree’s presentation was a Triathlon 101 primer for newbies. Of course, Rountree being perhaps the Triangle’s best-known and accomplished trainer/coach/yoga practitioner, she likely would have done fine had nary a hand gone up.
So, what does a first-time female triathlete need to know? Here are a dozen thoughts on the subject from Rountree.

• Only an 8-year-old should do an entire triathlon in a bathing suit. Lots of good reasons why, most involving chaffing.
• Pump up your bike tires before the race (and every training ride) and spin ‘em beforehand as well to make sure they aren’t rubbing against your brake pads.
• “Do you need a $4,000 bike,” she asked. “Not yet,” she answered. You might if you become ultra-competitive, but for your first race a hybrid, a mountain bike, a cruiser will do.
• You must wear a bike helmet, you must have it buckled and you should remember to take it off when you transition from the bike to the run.
• You should be fine doing the bike and run in running shoes. If you’re looking for a speedier shoe transition from swim to bike, consider bungee laces. “But try them in training first,” she advised. “You may not like the way they feel.”
• If you’re looking for an even speedier transition from swim to bike by not donning socks, sprinkle your shoes with baby powder.
• Place a dab of baby shampoo in each lens of your swim goggles, then rinse. That will keep them from fogging.
• If you eat breakfast within three hours of a short event such as a sprint tri you shouldn’t need additional nutrition during the race. If it’s more than three hours, you might consider eating a banana or doing a power gel in transition.
• Your bike should feel comfortable. If it doesn’t, take it to a bike shop and have them tweak your fit.
• Indoor cycling, while good aerobically, is no substitute for doing the real thing.
• In training, you should do the actual distance of each individual event at least once, perhaps a week before the event. In the case of the Ramblin’ Rose, that would be a 225-yard swim, 9-mile bike ride, 2-mile run.
• Practice your transitions. For instance, Rountree says you can replicate the transition from swim to bike in the privacy of your driveway. “Spin in circles for a minute, then get on your bike and pedal away.” (Though probably not out into the street.)

While much of this may be new to most of you, Rountree told the gathering at Great Outdoor Provision Co.’s Cameron Village store, you already have one key strength.
“For those of you who are mothers, you’re already good at equipment management and planning. Moms always excel at that.”

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For more information on the Ramblin’ Rose race series, visit its website here.

Wondering what makes the Ramblin’ Rose special, what makes it appeal to so many women? Get a sense from last night’s gathering in this post on the Great Outdoor Provision Co. blog.

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The post Sage Rountree: A dozen thoughts for novice triathletes appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

A little behind in ticking off your 2012 resolutions? This weekend gives you a chance to knock off a sprint tri, a mud run or a 5K.

Coast

A sprint triathlon isn’t the kind of thing you decide to do at the last minute. Unless … . Unless, for instance, you’ve had an active year but thought your season was over in September. Then, suddenly, you hear about a sprint tri this Saturday at Emerald Isle. Or unless one of your resolutions for the year was to do a sprint tri and here it is mid-October and you still haven’t done one. Or unless you don’t have plans for the weekend and a swim/bike/run at the coast sounds fun.

If any of those scenarios fit you, then check out Saturday’s Emerald Isle Triathon, which begins with a bracing 750-meter swim in the Atlantic, followed by a 19.3-mile out-and-back bike leg on NC 58, followed by a 5K. Awards awarded in the usual age categories.

Logistics: Packet pickup begins at 6 a.m. Saturday, the race at 8 a.m. $45 for USAT members, $55 otherwise. To register — and registration closes today, btw, go here.

Weekend forecast: Overcast early, high of 73.

Piedmont

Speaking of resolutions, have you done your mud run for 2012? No!? Tsk.

Fortunately, Saturday is your lucky day, the day of the MudBug Run 2012 at Hagan Stone Park in Greensboro. And if you’re worried about getting your share of pain, be advised that this year’s version of the MudBug Run offers 16 obstacles, “including more mud, more fire … than last year.”

Logistics: Saturday’s race commences in waves, with the first 50 heading out at 11 a.m. and packs of 50 sent out every 15 minutes until 7 p.m. Sign up now for $50 here or race day for $65.

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 63.

Mountains

Let’s hope you can go home again because if not, Saturday’s 36th Thomas Wolfe 8K could be a really, really long run. Home, in the case of this annual race celebrating Asheville’s literary lion, is downtown. You’ll run through Asheville’s historic Montford District, on the Reed Creek Greenway, through Riverside Cemetery and past some great fall color before returning home to the Bankers Insurance Building.

Logistics: Race starts at 10 a.m., on-site registration at 8:30 a.m. $35 day of. To register in advance , go here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 59.

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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.

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The post This weekend: Sprint tri, mud run, mountain 5k appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

“Are you excited? I’m excited.”

Marcy gave me a curious look. OK, so this wasn’t my event. I wasn’t the one who would be swimming 225 yards, riding my bike 9 miles, then running 2 on Sunday at the Finley YMCA in North Raliegh. Still, the pre-race clinic we’d just sat in on for Sunday’s Ramblin’ Rose Raleigh triathlon had gotten my competitive juices flowing.

Ramblin’ Rose Raleigh is one of six Carolina sprint triathlons in the Ramblin’ Rose series targeted exclusively to women. The events have become enormously popular in just a few short years, typically selling out well in advance (though spaces remain for Sunday’s RRR). The events are designed for people like me only female who think they might like to try a tri, but are intimidated by the sport’s Ironman image.

Clinic leaders Monette Williams and Amy Charney tried to emphasize the “fun” aspect of the Ramblin’ Rose for the 75 or so triathletes attending Wednesday night’s clinic.

“There’s going to be a lot of people in the pool at the same time,” Williams said. With 600 registered as of Wednesday, she said there would likely be eight women swimming in a lane at the same time. Though the triathletes are supposed to rank their speed in the water and the swimmers are sent off according to that ranking, you still get faster and slower swimmers intermingling.

“If you come up on someone you’re not gonna grab them, you’re not gonna dunk them,” Williams said. “You’re going to be nice. You’re going to tap them on the foot and see if they’ll let you pass at the wall.”

A far cry from the Ironmans I’ve watched on TV where the swimmers, sent off en masse, are clubbing one another with frothy ferocity.

They spent a lot of time discussing the transition area (“There is no nudity in transition,” Williams advised) — the area where triathletes change from swimmer to biker, then biker to runner — especially the fact they would have a very small amount of space to stash their stuff. They pointed out, more than once, the location of the porta-potties. And they delivered the bad news that even though the race doesn’t start until 8 a.m., they should arrive to get set up no latter than 6:30 a.m.

I learned a lot at the session. I even learned stuff I didn’t know needed to be learned. Like when the race is over.

Turns out the finish of this tri is a rather complicated affair. There are two blow-up arcs at the finish, for instance. The first arc tells the people at the finish that you are approaching. It’s not the finish, so keep running. The second arc may not exactly be the finish, either, so keep running through it as well.

“Just keep running until someone tells you to stop,” Williams said.

Someone asked how long the race officials would stick around, inferring she feared they would pack up and leave by the time she finishes.

“We stay ‘til the last runner,” Williams laughed.

“It pays to finish last because you get the biggest cheering section,” added Charney. “We support our women.”

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Excited?

You can still sign up for Sunday’s Ramblin Rose Raleigh here.

The post A Rose by any other sex … appeared first on GetGoing NC!.