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: Walking carrots

Need a reason to walk (beyond the fact that it’s good for you)? You’ll find three reasons in Wilmington Saturday.

Like to see how other folks live? The Downtown Lifestyle Tour takes you through the Brooklyn Arts District and other historic parts of downtown to checkout the lifestyles of the not-necessarily-rich-and-famous; rather, those who have a certain flare for urban living. Condos, townhomes, single-family homes — some of which are for sale or rent. Self guided.

More on the historical side is the Guided Architectural Walking Tour sponsored by Historic Wilmington. Start from Forest Hills Elementary and check out one of Wilmington’s first suburbs to bloom as a result of the automobile. Plan to spend an hour and a half to two hours exploring.

Finally, nature is always a good motivator for walking. Learn about Wilmington’s Hugh MacRae Park on a brief talk followed by a 1.5-mile hike.

Vital stats: Learn more about all of these opportunities starting here, at WhatsOnWilmington.com.

Saturday forecast: High of 84, sunny.

Looking ahead: CFCC Bridge-to-Bridge 4.0 Run, June 10, Cape Fear Community College, Wilmington. More info here.

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Piedmont: Canoe the Mayo

Even if you consider yourself a fairly frequent paddler, you likely haven’t paddled the Mayo River. It’s smaller, a bit off the beaten track, more susceptible to bottom-scraping due to lack of rain. Plus, where do you put in and take out?

Saturday, Mayo River State Park gives you a chance to paddle a four- to five-hour stretch of the Mayo. Canoes, PFDs, and paddles provided; you need to provide your own shuttle, water, lunch and sunscreen, and promise, under no circumstances, to wear flip-flops. Also: “Cress for and be prepared for getting wet.”

It’s free, but you must be among the first 11 callers to sign up. Specifics below.

Vital Stats: Canoe the Mayo, Saturday, 10 a.m., Mayo River State Park, Mayodan. Call 336.427.2530 to sign up. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Partly cloudy, high of 80.

Looking ahead: National Trails Day, Saturday, June 4. Find out what’s going on to celebrate our North Carolina State Park trails by going here.

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Mountains: Cycle a Century

The mountain century season is upon us, the run of warm-weather rides that challenge cyclists by taking on some of the Southern Appalachians’ more challenging routes. One of the season’s kickoff events: Tour de Cashiers.

Routes include an English century (100 miles), a metric century (64 miles) and a quarter century (25 miles). None of the rides shies from climbing: the English century gains 10,500 vertical feet along the way, the quarter century a proportionate 2,500 feet. There is no easy, just durations of difficult. The race begins and ends in Cashiers, taking in Jackson, Macon and Transylvania counties along the way.

Vital Stats: Tour de Cashiers, Saturday, 8 a.m., Cashiers. $55. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny and 52 at the 8 a.m. start climbing to a high of 66.

Looking ahead: The Fletcher Flyer, June 5, Brevard. Rides of 100, 62, 50 and 31 miles. 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: Walk Wilmington, Paddle the Piedmont, Bike the Blue Ridge appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Often when we think of getting a little exercise on foot we think of putting on the hiking boots and fleece and hitting the trail, or digging out the windsuit for an early morning stroll around the mall. In short, we think workout, we think sweat.

But there are more subtle forms of walking exercise, one of which is Saturday’s Walking Tour of Historic Wilmington in … historic Wilmington. It’s a 1.5-hour walk that will cover roughly 12 blocks of downtown Wilmington, visiting homes, churches, and other structures of historical and archaeological significance. You’ll be so caught up learning about these structures and the roles they played in Wilmington’s development that you won’t feel like you’ve walked a mile and a half.

Logistics: Saturday, Feb. 7, 10 a.m., meets at the Latimer House Museum (pictured), 126 S. Third St., Wilmington. $10. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 59.

Piedmont

Citizen science is a great thing. Those of without formal training in an area are nonetheless deputized to help with some basic data collection. In the case of The Great Backyard Bird Count, for instance, for four days in February we’re all brought on board to help count birds, right in our own backyards. It’s a somewhat less formal way of tracking bird populations than the annual Christmas Bird Count, which also enlists amateurs but is overseen by experienced birders.

But even while no expertise is required for The Great Backyard Bird Count, many of us feel ill-equipped to make key bird identifications: Is that a robin or a condor, a woodpecker or a penguin? A little direction, please?

A little direction is what the folks at Raven Rock State Park will be providing Saturday in a Backyard Birds clinic. Bring your binos and learn how to make these important distinctions, by sight and by sound.

Logistics: Saturday, Feb. 1, 1 p.m., Raven Rock State Park, Lillington. For more information and to register: 910.893.4888

Saturday forecast: High of 59, sunny.

Mountains

Here’s something you don’t always get to do on a winter’s day: take a guided hike in the Roan Mountain area, including a hike out to Grassy Ridge at 6,400 feet.

Not surprisingly, this hike is offered by the High Peaks Trail Association, a group of old hands at high-country hiking. Although the weather forecast is promising (see promising Saturday forecast below), it will be cold and windy. But it’s also supposed to be clear, offering the great views you hope for when you hike the three balds — Jane, Round and Grassy — from Carvers Gap. Bundle up for this 5-mile round-trip hike and make sure your memory card is clear.

Logistics: Saturday, Feb. 7, 8:30 a.m. meeting time in Burnsville for the drive up. For more information, contact Hike Leader Robert Branch at 828.682.3102 or rbranch18@aol.com. Read a write-up on the hike in the Asheville Citizen-Times, here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 41, winds from 30- to 35 miles per hour.

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

The post This weekend: Walk into history, ID your birds, a winter summit appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

You know you should walk more. The evidence for what it can do for your health is overwhelming; Walking for as little as 30 minutes a day can lower your blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein (bad) cholesterol, raise your high-density lipoprotein (good) cholesterol, reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes (or help you manage it if you are already afflicted), help you control your weight, put you in a better mood. Everyone from the Mayo Clinic to Martina Navratilova says you should walk.

Yet sometimes you just can’t find the proper incentive. Like something to get your mind off the fact you’re walking. Like time travel, for instance.

A number of communities in North Carolina have self-guided historic walking tours. Pick up a pamphlet featuring a map showing key historic points and you’re off. Raleigh has one. Charlotte, Chapel Hill and Wilmington, too. In fact, Google “historic walking tour” and a town of interest and chances are you’ll find something.

Or, you can get lucky and stumble upon a historic walking tour.

That’s what happened to us Saturday during a stop in Roxboro. Nosing around on Main Street we found the Historic Uptown Roxboro Walking Tour, a 1.5-mile loop taking in 39 historic sties. Most are homes dating back to Roxboro’s hey day, but there are also stores, churches, a movie theater, a grist mill … .

Sound interesting? Tag along on our quick slideshow. We suspect you’ll be inspired to do something you may not be crazy about.

Go for a nice walk.

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Coast

We’re always on the lookout for good reasons to walk for people who don’t like to walk. Such as Sunday’s African-American Historic Downtown Walking Tour of Tryon Palace in New Bern. This ramble through New Bern’s Historic District will cover 16 blocks (a little over a mile, by our reckoning) and 300 years of African-American history in New Bern. It’s estimated to take an hour and a half; lots of short walks with pauses in between to learn.

Logistics: $6 for adults, $3 for students, preregistration is required, by calling 252-639-3500. Departs at 2 p.m. from the Waystation Lobby. More about Tryon Palace here.

Weekend forecast: High of 73, scattered thunderstorms.

Piedmont

Have you been looking for a good reason to visit the Charlotte suburb of Pineville — twice? We can think of no better reason than the Pineview 100 Miler, which kicks off Saturday and ends June 25.

Now, the mathematically astute among you may have picked up on the fact that’s 100 days,

which is the theme of the Pineview 100 Miler: You don’t have to walk, run or bike 100 miles all on Saturday, you have 100 days — until June 25 — to make that magic happen. It’s the Pineville Parks and Rec’s effort to jumpstart your activity level by achieving this reasonable goal. Sign up online for $5 (another $15 gets you a “fashionable moisture wicking t-shirt) download the official activity log and get going. And show up for the kick-off this Saturday and conclusion June 25, of course.

Logistics: Sign up online, for $5, here. Saturday’s kickoff is at 9 a.m. at Lake Park with a 5K.

Weekend forecast: High of 75, with isolated thunderstorms.

Mountains

You probably don’t need a good reason to visit Brevard, gateway to the Pisgah National Forest, DuPont State Forest and assorted other outdoor attractions. But here’s one anyway: the Banff Mountain Film Festival. Brevard College hosts the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour Friday and Saturday at the school’s Porter Center for Performing Arts. Check out some of the best outdoors films to emerge in the past year, films likely to inspire you to stay an extra day and explore.

Logistics: Tickets are $10 per night, available online.

Weekend forecast: High of 72 with a 40 percent chance of precip.

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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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