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I'm a solo travel enthusiast who began traveling in my thirties. Now, not quite still in my thirties, my goal is to encourage other women to get out and explore. For the more adventurous, I'm also a backpacking and hiking guide helping adults learn to explore our backyard of NC, TN and VA. Although not quite there yet, my next goals are mountain biking and rock climbing.
I didn't see pictures of people that looked like me when I started traveling and backpacking. All I saw were beautiful twenty-somethings in exotic locations. There were no pictures of women in their thirties or forties, overweight but active, out there traveling. After a few trips, I realized the reality is that more actual travelers looked like me than the models. You can stay in hotels or go on tours solo, you're not destined to stay in hostels and journey on foot if you don't want to.
Life is full of adventure. No one "missed their opportunity". It's always a good time to start.
Did you know North Carolina has a ton of micro breweries? I mean seriously, we're home to some famous beers. (which I'm not a huge beer drinker so I'm literally sharing information friends who love beer told me). Anyhoo --- we celebrate beer in a big way with our many festivals. If you love beer, bands, and food -- read on. April 26: Brewgaloo in downtown Raleigh. This 2-day festival features over 110 craft breweries from NC. There are also local food trucks, vendors, and bands. The event is free to attend, but you'll need to purchase tickets to sample the beers. The Friday night kick-off party is $25 for the sampling, Saturday sample tickets are $30 -$35 (depending on when you buy) for a pack of 25. 5 tickets = 1 pint. May 18: Durham Blues and Brews Festival. in Durham Central Park. While the price tag is a healthy $60 (designated driver $20), you get unlimited 20 ounce pours from participating breweries. And the money foes to non-profit organizations. August 24: High Country Beer Fest in Boone. Follow me here - the festival was founded by local a few local brewers and App State Chemistry Professors. General admission is $50 and designated driver is $20. Once inside, you can get 2 ounce pours from over 40 breweries. Should you need to take uber home, you can leave your car on the festival grounds overnight. There's beer, food, music, and seminars. Proceeds go to the Chemistry and Fermentation sciences program at App State. This is just a taste. Local breweries also host seasonal events. Bond Brothers in Cary, NC always has something going on. Just hit that search engine and look for beer fests near you today!
I finally wrote about my experience using the Kula Cloth. While I've had it for years (my memory is thinking 2021), for some reason I just never wrote a review. Is it bad? Nope. It's a solid product. Is it as awesome as the ads indicate? Not really. It's basically a very nice pee rag. And it will cut down on toilet paper use on backpacking trips. But (you know there's a but), I found it really needs to be washed with soap and not just rinsed every night. Good soap too. The paper leaf soap does not cut it - even if you use 5 of them. You need camp suds. If you use a pee rag or are interested in one and just don't want a smelly piece of fabric hanging off your pack, then this is a good option. It's thicker, has silver in the fabric to help prevent microbial growth, and there's a waterproof side where your hand goes so you're never touching a soaked rag. In this sense, it's great. I don't usually have soap with me when I'm out for a weekend and I'm not bringing it just to clean my pee rag. For me, there are other options. But it is something to think about if you already carry soap or hang with someone who does.
Spring was in the air. Yesterday was spring. Today, the first day of spring - not so much. But that's okay. We're dressed for anything. And that's because I brought out my spring wool. Perfect to mop up all that sweat when it's in the 70s with sunshine, or keep me warm when it drops into the 50s. I love my wool shirts. I've tried the synthetics but always come back to wool. It's soft, keeps you warm even if it's sopping wet, yet doesn't overheat. Did you know it also offers sun protection? Multi-tasking fabric - that's awesome. And since they keep odor at bay, they're perfect for hiking, backpacking, longer road trip, easy packing for vacation, 24 hour flights, anytime you're going to get hot and need to re-wear your clothes without washing. (don't judge - it happens). When buying wool shirts, especially lighter weight, look for products with at least 80% wool. In my own personal testing, anything lower than that and you lose the odor control and some of the insulation. Companies add synthetic fibers to the wool to help it lay better and also strengthen it so it holds up. Honestly though, my 100% wool shirts are holding up just fine and I abuse the mess out of them. My favorite brands include: Icebreaker, Minus33, and Ridge Merino.
Do you enjoy wine? Well then, you're in luck. Spring brings North Carolina's wine festivals. These usually require a ticket, but the cost is reasonable. (And they all offer designated driver options for reduced cost or entirely free!). March 30th. Let's start with Charlotte's South End Wine and Hops fest. $35 gets you 4 hours of "boundless" wine/cocktail/cider/craft brew tastings. There are also food vendors to help sop it all up, and bands. April 13. The Lost Colony Wine and Culinary Festival at Roanoke Island. Tickets are $80 for non members with designated driver tickets at $35. You're not just meandering around here. 10 local chefs provide dishes paired with the wines and craft beers. It's sure to be quite a meal. April 13. Downtown Statesville Wine Walk. Tickets are $25 in advance ($35 at the door - if available). You get a commemorative wine glass and 20 tasting tickets. You're given a wrist band and map and walk through downtown Statesville enjoying the shops, restaurants, and wines. There's a free trolley to help you get places a little faster. April 14. Sip of Spring: A Beer, Wine, and Music Festival in Wake Forest. For $25 you get 6 tickets, each good for a 4 ounce sample of beer or wine. Local food trucks will be on site with plenty of options. Don't see anything you like? No worries, this is just a taste (haha). There are plenty of smaller events, and events that add chocolate. Now that you're inspired, go online and take a look. Fine your favorite wine festival in NC.
Hello Peoples!!! Gosh, we're heading into mid-March. Time really flies. And you know what happens in April right? We head into North Carolina's festival season!!!!! Start planning now so you can block off those days. I'm not missing the Mount Olive Pickle Festival April 27th. That's one of my faves. It will forever be the festival where I first experienced a Duck Donut (blueberry pancake flavored to be exact). And there's the famous Wilmington Azalea Festival April 5-7 (these are dates for the street fair. There are events throughout the week). Rounding out the fun is the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival April 26-28. And we're just getting started -- there are plenty more festivals to come.
After visiting several Carolina Bay Lakes in NC, I think my new favorite past time is photographing trees growing out of the water. Their bark forms a giant bulb like an onion where is rises from the water. Then the towering trunk heads up with branches that look like they're out of a vampire novel. Put that against a bridge or a dark blue sky and wow. It's mysterious, eerie, and beautiful. What's your favorite thing about NC's lakes?
What do you get when you 1 lake, a boat ramp, tons of trails, a dam, the most interesting campsites of any NC State Park, and friendly staff? For me, it's Lake Waccamaw State Park in NC. I had a great weekend there, even with the 28 degree overnight temps. It's unique, interesting, odd, and beautiful. From tons of wooden boardwalks and bridges (I LOVE me some boardwalks), to unique ecosystems, it has everything. The staff are awesome and the entire vibe is laid back. It was really cool to see the lake dark and rough on a windy day, and smooth blue the next. I'm not sure which one I like better.
Right on the heels of visiting Lumber River SP, I headed over to Lake Waccamaw State Park. It's been on my list for a long time and I'm glad I finally made it there. The staff is AMAZING. Campsite check-in is seamless, the park is super clean, and everyone from the Visitor Center Staff to the rangers were helpful, kind, and knowledgeable. What more can you ask for. When I arrived, it was windy. I tried to take a few photos and my camera stand kept blowing over. Oh well. The next day it was sunny and calm. It was crazy how different the lake looked. I'm not sure if I like stormy lake or quiet lake better. Either way, check it out. It's a unique experience.
Ya'll. I had a blast visiting Lumber River State Park. The two entrances are an hour apart with Chalks Banks being closer to Raleigh and Durham. I think Chalks Banks is more rural. Perfect for quiet camping. Princess Anne is a little livelier and super pretty with all the grass. Plus, the bench swings by the river are a nice bonus. Either way, you can't go wrong -- pick your location and go. It's worth the trip.
Is anyone else crushing on Lumber River State Park? I thought it would be "eh" because there aren't that many hiking trails, but it was "WOW". Each entrance had its own charm. Princess Anne is bright and pretty and fun. Chalks Banks is rural and a great place to get away for a winter weekend. The trails were fun and I saw amazing things. And I've already picked out my campsite. I'm not telling which one because everyone will want it. Nope - it's mine. Check out this awesome park.
You may have noticed I've been big on NC's Coastal State Parks lately. I mean I'm not heading to the mountains to ski. First - I don't ski, never learned. Second - I am NEVER getting on a ski lift again (thank you Autumn at Oz for that revelation). So that leaves the beach! At least in my mind. While not always warmer, at least the bugs are gone. And NC has some of the best Coastal State Parks. So far I've been to Jones Lake, Singletary Lake, Lake Waccamaw,, Lumber River, and Carolina Beach. Technically Merchants Millpond, Cliff of the Neuse, Raven Rock, and Carvers Creek fit in this category too. Next up are Goose Creek and Pettigrew. So many coastal Parks - so little time. Which one is your favorite?
Have you been to Singletary Lake State Park, NC? The lake is a Carolina Bay, one of thousands of mysterious lakes in perfect ovals and no one knows how they got here. It's all very.....mysterious. There are many theories but they don't answer all the questions. I learned about the different ideas scientists have had over the years on the trail at Singletary Lake State Park. It was fun to read how they do and don't answer all the questions. This is the perfect place for a fun afternoon with kids. The trails are easy and you don't need boots - sneakers are fine. You can walk down the pier, or head into the woods across pretty wooden bridges. Don't forget to look under the bridge for a small waterfall!