Leave No Trace

Since I am writing about places to enjoy the outdoors. I feel obliged to encourage people to take care of these beautiful places we have to enjoy.  There is an organization called the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics that has set some standard's for how to take care of the places we enjoy.

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is an organization dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors by all people, worldwide.  Leave No Trace is a set of seven principles with the intent to take care of the world's natural spaces.  The center was formed in 1994, but the concept of Leave No Trace dates back more than 40 years.  It was originally a concept started by the National Parks and the Forest Service. The first formal training was out of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS).  The center is based out of Boulder, CO and includes several different tactics for promoting the message behind Leave No Trace.  Here is each principle with a brief description of how to apply it while you enjoy the outdoors.

Plan Ahead and Prepare 

In order to correctly do this guideline you must think ahead about the place you are going to and the things you might need.  Many of the things you need are good for safety as much as they are for leaving no trace.  Take for instance going on a hike.  If you bring plenty of water and food you will have plenty of energy to enjoy the entire hike.  That way if you are faced with an ethical decision you will be able to make the right decision.


Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

This can work in the front country as much as it does in the back-country.  Everyone at one time or another has been to a park that has a switchback that also has a second trail where people have cut through in order to make the trail shorter or to avoid a mud puddle.  The problem with this is that every time someone takes a step around something a new part of the trail is formed.  Over time this causes a three foot wide trail to turn in to a ten foot wide trail.  No one likes that.


Dispose of Waste Properly

This is one of the most straight forward ethical guidelines and it may be one of the most frequently abused.  Remember this saying, Pack it in, Pack it out.  A difficult part of this ethic is defining what waste is.  Is an orange peel waste?  Is poop waste?  Is a candy wrapper waste?  Those are all good questions.  The answer to the question, what is waste, is that anything not in nature before a human came in to that environment should be considered waste.  Even apple and orange peels should be carried out because they are not native to the ecosystem.  They can make the local animals sick if they eat something they are not used to.  Even worse it can make animals begin to relate people with food and that leads to many animal encounters among humans.


Leave What You Find  


This is another ethic that is very straight forward.  Leave everything that you enjoy while in the outdoors there for others to enjoy it in the future.  Now again these are not rules but guidelines.  When someone goes to the beach with a ten year old they should not be a bah humbug and not let them take any sea shells home.  At least get the children to understand why they should search all day for that one special shell and only take that one home.  Help them to understand that if they leave some for the future, they may be bigger or more beautiful when they come back next Summer.


Minimize Campfire Impact


With this ethic I always think of a camping trip I went on during the Summer Solstice.  We got done hiking and as normal got busy when we got back to camp.  My friends and I all immediately began searching for firewood, putting the tent up and cooking dinner.  We immediately started a fire and we did not realize that the sun was not going to set until after 9 PM.  We had a fire going for nearly 2 hours before the sun went down.  naturally we ran out of fire wood around 10 PM.  

Respect Wildlife

The important thing to remember with this ethic is that plants and animals both constitute Wildlife.  We should not cut down trees or feed animals.  We can enjoy animals and photograph them, but remember that we are visiting their home and should respect them. The more you respect wildlife the more likely you are not to have a problem with them.

Be Considerate of Other Visitors


If you follow the previous 6 principles than you will be considerate of other visitors.  Remember that many people travel to the outdoors in order to get away from the things we have back in our daily lives.  A campsite is not the place to enjoy a new CD your favorite Rock-N-Roll band came out with.  Remember back to when you were a child going to spend the night at someone else's house and your mother told you to be on your best behavior.  That does not mean you cannot have fun, but it does mean you need to respect other visitors.



I hope this helps you understand how to better care for the places you enjoy.  Always remember Leave No Trace are a set of principles, not rules.  People should not be cops out there enforcing rules.  Try to help others enjoy the places we go to play. The more people that enjoy the outdoors, the more people will eventually appreciate the places we have to recreate.




Below are some websites to help you find more info about the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.

https://lnt.org/
http://travelingtrainers.blogspot.com
http://www.landmarklearning.org/
www.nols.edu



Don't forget to check out Blue Ridge Bandit on Facebook to see more awesome pictures of the places I have written about.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Ridge-Bandit/190721607643691?sk=wall

24 hours of Booty

The 24 Hours of Booty is a cycling event that raises money for Lance Armstrongs' Livestrong Foundation.  In 2011 the Charlotte area is celebrating its 9th year of hosting a Booty ride and will also be raising money for the Levine Cancer Institute.  Plans this year are for there to be 1,200 riders and to raise more than $1 millon for cancer research.

The event is set up for participants to raise a minimum of $240 in order to participate in the event.  Once they have raised this amount of money riders can participate in the Booty ride in one of two ways.  First they can ride the 24 Hours of Booty and ride continuously for 24 hours, or they can participate in a shorter version called the reboot.  Participants than ride as many miles as possible for the given amount of time.

The route for the 24 Hours of Booty runs 2.97 miles through the historic neighborhood of Myer's Park, south of Uptown Charlotte.  This neighborhood is near Freedom Park and the stylish Dilworth neighborhood.  There are many old house's and some of the biggest trees in Mecklenburg County.  Bootyville, the center of the festivities, is situated on the campus of Queens University.  Some riders set up tents and sleep in between rides while others just take short breaks and keep pedaling right on through to the end.



Three of my friends and coworkers at REI rode in the event.  Ann Smith and Cliff Stoner both did the reboot and rode more than 60 miles each.  Ben Malmquist rode the whole 24 Hours of Booty and finished with 250 miles.  Wow!  Good job guys.

Every year this event is held the last weekend of July and raises lots of money for a great cause.  Keep it in mind next Summer if you are looking for a cycling challenge.  

Congratulations to my friends on team REI.

Don't forget to check out the Blue Ridge Bandit Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Ridge-Bandit/190721607643691?sk=wall

There are many more photos of all the places I have written about and links to other cool blogs you might also enjoy reading.

Below are some websites that can give you more information about the 24 Hours of Booty in Charlotte, NC and the groups the event supports.

http://www.24hoursofbooty.org/site/PageServer
http://www.carolinasmedicalcenter.org/blank.cfm?id=2437&fr=true
http://www.livestrong.org/
http://leonlevinefoundation.org/aboutus.html

US National Whitewater Center

 

The US National Whitewater Center is one of the ultimate urban adventure sports playgrounds in all of the world.  That is a bold statement, but trust me it is true.  It may not be in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains or right along the Atlantic Coast, but Charlotte city dwellers can enjoy most of the outdoor sports mountain dwellers and beach goers a few hours away enjoy.


The USNWC is located just 12 miles west of Charlotte, NC on the banks of the Catawba River.  It includes 14 miles of mountain bike trails, one of the largest outdoor climbing walls on the east coast, a four-hour canopy tour, numerous zip-lines, flat water kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, and a world class man-made whitewater park.  It has a full service restaurant that is great for people watching and every Thursday night the center hosts the River Jam where they welcome a local band to play on the banks of the man made river.

The rapids at the US National Whitewater Center range from class two to class four.  A class one  rapid is a flat water lake or pond.  A class five rapid is most difficult usually consisting of a sharp turn, a large drop and many under cut rocks.  There is no under cut at the USNWC otherwise some of the rapids would be rated more difficult.

The USNWC consists of two channels named the Wilderness and Competition.  The Competition Channel is the first channel you see upon entering the facility.   It is all class three and class four rapids and consists of three main rapids called Bridge Drop, Pinball Alley, and Big Drop.  Big Drop is one rapid that would probably be a class five rapid if it were on a natural river.  It is an 8 foot drop coming after a ninety degree turn.  The Competition Channel was the site of the qualifying rounds for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

The Wilderness Channel is the far channel away from the restaurant and is all class two and class three rapids.  Some of the rapids on this channel are named Entrance Exam, Dave's Dilemma, Sunset, M-wave and Biscuits-N-Gravy.  M-wave is named after a wave on the Colorado River and Dave's Dilemma is named after a raft guide that during guide school had lots of trouble learning to maneuver this rapid.

The trails at the USNWC are another fascinating part of this facility.  They bring a different group of people from two entirely different sports, mountain biking and trail running.  These two groups add to the unique culture that is shared at this facility.  Combining the people that enjoy whitewater rafting and kayaking, with mountain bikers, trail-runners, and rock climbers creates a group of people that are truly unique.   This culture is one of the best parts of the Charlotte community and adds a lot to the richness of the city.



Some of the trails at the USNWC include The Green/Lake Loop, North Main Trail, South Main Trail, Toilet Bowl and Carpet Bag.  The trails are coded by difficulty level.  They are color coded by green, blue and black.  Green trails are the least difficult beginner routes, blue trails are moderately difficult and the black routes are very difficult.  The black routes are not extremely more difficult than the blue routes, but it is a good idea to get comfortable on the blue routes before jumping right in to the most difficult trails.

The Green/Lake Loop Trail which is great for trail running and as a warm-up for biking the more technical trails later.  There are lots of rolling hills and beautiful views along ponds located on the back of the property.  The Green/Lake Loop Trail is 3.5 miles in length.

The main route is all blue level in difficulty.  It has a north and a south section.  In total it covers 5 miles in length.  It has some areas that have great views of the Catawba River.  There is an area that is perfect for a rest stop right along the Catawba River near the flat-water kayaking  section of the facility.

If you pair this route with the green loop it will total 8.5 miles and will take about an hour by bike.  I like to ride these three routes together and then go back to the parking lot for some water or Gatorade.  After a short rest I then head out to ride one of the trails another time.  The Green/Lake Loop is also perfect at this time for a cool-down.  

The trail system at US National Whitewater Center were begun eighteen years ago by the Tarheel Trailblazers and Dirt Divas.   Throughout the years these and other groups have contributed to the building and maintaining of the trail system at the USNWC.  The next time you see any of these groups please thank them for their commitment to our trails.  

The other parts of the US National Whitewater Center include the climbing wall, zip lines and ropes courses designed by Alpine Towers Inc..  This is a part of the USNWC many people do not know about and just about anyone can enjoy.  There is a four-hour canopy tour that opened the Summer of 2011.  There is the climb to zip where you can climb a telephone pole and then zip to the ground from one of the best views of the facility. 


This facility is my favorite part of Charlotte, NC.  I found out about it shortly after I moved here in the Summer of 2007.  I first enjoyed the facility for the mountain biking trails, but quickly began enjoying the other parts of the USNWC.  When you cannot find the time to get away to Asheville or Boone area then spend the day right here in Charlotte enjoying adventure sports right in your backyard.  



For further research about this facility you can go to the following websites:


http://www.dirtdivas.net/
http://tarheeltrailblazers.com/
http://usnwc.org/

Freedom Park

Freedom Park is one of the favorite places for my wife and I to visit in all of Charlotte.  The park is located right in between the historic neighborhoods of Dilworth and Myers Park.  It is 7 acres and has 3 miles of trails.


It is located just minutes south of Uptown Charlotte.  The main entrance is off East Boulevard.  Near this entrance are tennis courts, soccer fields, baseball fields, and a few sand volleyball pits.  Many groups meet here for pick-up games nearly everyday.  Last Summer I met some of the Carolina Panthers players here at an event called Panthers in the Park.


After this area is a large playground area that is perfect for children.  It is complete with a replica of a train for them to climb on and lots of swings.  Next is a small bridge that enters the area that is a huge circle around a very large pond.  The pond includes fountains and a bridge to an island.  This island includes a stage for an amphitheatre.  Across the water there are several rows of seats and a hill with places to sit on a blanket and have a picnic.  Every fall they celebrate Festival in the Park here with many local artists performing.



The park also includes the Charlotte Nature Museum.  This is a museum that specializes in the animals and plants native to the Piedmont area of North Carolina.  The museum hosts interpretive programs.  It is a great place for children to visit and learn more about the plants native to the area they live.

The best part of this park is the opportunity to take amazing pictures.  I have seen numerous couples here to take their engagement photos.  There are always geese in the pond that add great to the backgrounds of photos.  The plants around the pond seem to always be in bloom.  It is the perfect place to take that perfect picture.

My first two posts have been about pretty chill places.  Both of these places are as good for going on a first date as they are to go for a good workout.  I will be delving in to some more extreme places in the future.  I promise.


For more information about this park go to the following websites:

www.charmeck.org
http://www.festivalinthepark.org/

McMullen Creek/Four Mile Creek Greenway

When people ask me what I do for fun the first thing that comes to mind is skiing the back bowls at Vail, mountain biking at Tsali, hiking the Shining Rock Wilderness, or canoeing on the Buffalo River.  The truth is that most people spend a majority of their time recreating at places closest to where they live.  McMullen Creek/Four Mile Creek Greenway is that place for me.  I can reach it by bike or a short walk from my apartment.  That means I spend most of my time recreating here.

This place is a great suburban greenway south of Charlotte, NC.   It is great for walking the dog, biking, running or even taking the kids for a quick stroll.  It may be an urban greenway, but there are many sections where you might forget you are in a city.

This greenway has entrances with parking on Pinville/Matthews Rd., Jonston Rd. and Rea Rd..  There are other entrances off of other neighborhoods in the area, but these are the three entrances with parking.  The trail is around 7 miles total.  It has parts that are packed dirt, wooden bridges and asphalt.  There are mile markers every quarter mile.

From the Pineville/Matthews Rd. end of the greenway the first mile is all hard packed dirt and loose gravel.  This side of the greenway is great if you are getting in a short run of around two or three miles.  You can do all or most of your run without stepping on pavement.

Around the 1 mile marker begins the first wooden bridge.  Around this area is a great place to see wildlife.  Every time I go to this trail I see ducks underneath this bridge.  Also this is a great place to spot deer.  I have seen groups as big as 8-10 deer (seriously).  Usually they are in groups of 2 to 4, but keep your eyes peeled and you just might see some.

After this bridge begins the first stretch of asphalt.  Just before the 1.5 mile marker is where the trail goes under Interstate 485.  Not far past this area is a marker indicating the turnaround point for a 5K.  The next few miles are asphalt with woods to your right following McMullen Creek and the backyards of a neighborhood to your left.  The forest area is occasionally flooded.  I believe this is why this area has not been developed because it is a flood plain.

Around the 2.25 mile marker there is an area where there is a curve in the trail with a peach tree in someones backyard.  They do not mind if you pick one to enjoy just as long as you leave some for others to enjoy as well (Remeber to leave no trace).

Around the 4 mile marker is where there is an entrance connected to Johnston Road.  This is where the two greenways have been joined.  They used to be two separate greenways.  The mile markers start over again here.  Not far after this area is my favorite part of this entire greenway.  There is an area that is about 4 acres of marsh land.  In the Summer it is filled with plants that look like giant monkey grass.   This is another place for great wildlife viewing.  I tend to see many interesting birds here.

About a mile past this area is where the trail ends across the street from Piper Glen Shopping Center.  This end of the trail is better for walking while the other end is better for running and biking.  The next time you need a quick get away from the stresses of everyday life in the Queen City.  Look to McMullen Creek/Four Mile Creek Greenway as a way to escape.


For more information about directions and ways you can help take care of this greenway go to the following websites:


http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/ParkandRec/Greenways/Pages/default.aspx
http://lnt.org/
http://www.tarheeltrailblazers.com
http://www.imba.com/