What’s up in the GetHiking! and GetExploring! worlds this week and beyond
GetHiking! After Work at Umstead
GetHiking! Triangle
When: Thursday, June 16, 5 p.m.
Where: Umstead State Park, Harrison Avenue entrance
Nothing beats following up a day in the salt mine like a hike on the trail. We make a loop of the Loblolly Trail and Reedy Creek bike and bridle trails for a brisk, 4.2-mile hike on both single-track and smooth bike & bridle path. Lots of up-and-down, nothing extreme. You’ll sleep well afterward.
Hike leader: Lori C.
More info here
GetHiking! Southeast’s Classic Hikes: North Mills River Weekend
GetHiking!
When: Friday, June 17 to Sunday, June 19
Where: North Mills River Recreation Area, Pisgah National Forest
Our second Classic Hikes weekend trip takes us to the North Mills River Area for two days of hiking. Saturday, from the campground we’ll hike to the Hendersonville Reservoir where we’ll follow Big Creek Trail. About 5 miles in, we’ll stop for lunch in a meadow. From here, return to camp for a 10-mile round trip, or continue up (very literally; the trail gains 2,000 vertical feet in 1.5 miles) to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Roundtrip: 13 miles.
Sunday’s hike is a mellow 5-mile loop in the Pink Beds area. Both Friday and Saturday nights, we will camp in the North Mills River campground. This hike is part of our 2016 GetHiking! The Southeast’s Classic Hikes series, sequel to 2015’s inaugural GetHiking! North Carolina’s Classic Hikes series. This is a fee program.
For more information and to sign up, go here
GetHiking! Roan Mountain Rhododendron Festival
GetHiking! Charlotte
When: Friday, June 17, to Sunday, June 19
Where: Roan Mountain, North Carolina/Tennessee line
Saturday: 13.7 miles on the Appalachian Trail from Carvers Gap north to US 19E, a hike that offers some of the best views in the Southeast. Sunday: Another 9 miles on the AT, from US 321 at Watauga Lake to Dennis Cove Road. Plus, the rhododendrons should be in bloom.
Hike leader: David Brantley
More info here
GetExploring! Hike at Raven Rock State Park
GetExploring! Greenville
When: Saturday, June 18, 10 a.m.
Where: Raven Rock State Park, Lillington
We’ll be hiking the 5.5-mile Campbell Creek Loop Trail, a good hiking option for summer. For one, the trail is protected throughout by a lush canopy. At the midpoint, there’s a side trip to Lanier Falls on the Cape Fear River, a great watering hole for cooling off. The return is largely along Campbell Creek, which does a good impression of a cool mountain creek.
Hike leaders: Andrew and Lindsey
More info here
Gear, Tips, Resources
Gear: tecnu Extreme Medicated Poison Ivy Scrub
On a Corporate hike last week, Betty showed up with a tube of tecnu Extreme Medicated Poison Ivy Scrub; turned out she’d grappled with some poison ivy in her yard and, as is often the case with poison ivy, didn’t realize it until a rash began blooming two days later. She applied tecnu and within a day the rash was gone.
That may not be an impressive tale — unless you’ve had poison ivy. Wash and scrub immediately after an encounter, the medical world advises; otherwise, you’re stuck with it for a week and a half. Post-exposure prophylaxes, the pharmacist will tell you, only work if applied very soon (maybe an hour) after exposure. Yet Betty’s testimonial for this homeopathic remedy is backed up by others, who also claim it worked when applied days after being exposed.
It is pricey: $15.99 for a 4-ounce tube, online from Walgreens. But if you’re even the slightest bit sensitive to poison ivy, it’s a small price to pay for quick and lasting relief.
Tip: Pack extra socks
It’s hot. You start to sweat. Your feet sweat. Your wool socks do a good job of wicking away the moisture — initially, at least. But even if they stay a little damp, they can be a blister liability. Avoid the wet-sock syndrome by packing an extra pair. You start to feel your feet slipping around, stop and swap out your socks. Use your compression straps to tie your damp socks to the outside of your daypack. They stand a better chance of drying there — and they won’t funkify your lunch and whatever else may be in your pack.
Resource: Treating allergies the natural way
Betty’s testimonial for the homeopathic tecnu (see BELOW) made us wonder what other natural options there might be for the allergies that can bring us down (or worse, make us stay indoors) in summer. WebMD offers a rundown of herbal supplements known to deliver a 1-2 punch to various allergies. It also covers potential downsides. Check out the article here.