A list of trails and greenways to tackle in spring 2018
My friend Kelly (an excellent mentor captain for Fleet Feet running group, Fresh Air Fitness coach and organizer, the awesome gift organizer for Duke Children's Hospital, and the founder of First Pages) is doing something epic this summer: she's running the Bryce Canyon ultra-marathon. She's tackling the 50K course, a rough trail race covering 31 miles in the national park. I am super excited for her and a little envious - I have such a love for running and for hiking, so combining the two and doing trail running just makes sense, so I eagerly volunteered to accompany her on some trail runs. To help her train we've come up with a bucket list of local trails to run.
Exploring strange places in the gloom of autumn
It was a foggy day in October and we were exploring. There were some abandoned places McCrae had noticed on some recent drives around the area that invited us out on a dreary weekend morning for an adventure. We first drove out to Chatham County to the Haw River, finding some small access point hidden off the highway - one of those gravel lots you might see and have some passing curiosity from the road as it flashes past your car window, but that you never actually stop and explore. It led down to a long wide dam next to the highway bridge over the river, all silt and rocks and rushing water and rusted cans and graffiti.
Some solitude and reflection on the American Tobacco Trail
It was the summer solstice and I was waiting for a group of cyclists to come down the American Tobacco Trail. I was hoping for a few photos of cyclists on the trail and had tentative plans to meet a group somewhere along the Wake County section, but with no firm confirmation and the sky darkening with clouds I found a scenic bridge and settled down to wait.
Who wants to write a user guide on Sunday mornings when you can go hiking?! My dad came over for a "Sunday Stroll" a few weeks ago and we explored Harris Lake County Park in Wake County over by the Shearon Harris nuclear plant. I'm used to visiting the park for disc golf and McCrae sometimes mountain bikes at the park, but this was the first time we were going to explore the walking trails.
Father’s Day is this weekend and instead of the tacky tie or discount power tools or new grilling tongs and apron, get your dad something that will make him truly happy: experiences. Science actually says spending money on experiences provides much more happiness than purchasing material things, and you know we can't argue with science. Here are a few ideas of affordable experiences in the Triangle for you to get out in nature with your “old man” and have a Father’s Day to remember!
