September 16, 2009 at 10:37 am
Normally when I take a vacation, I take a vacation from exercising too. I know I’m not supposed to, but eh, I’m on vacation and I’ll do what I want. However, I’m gasping through running the IrishFest 5K on Saturday morning, so taking a week off before the race would be a very bad idea unless I owned an Irish wolfhound to carry me across the finish line. (I don’t.)
I’m visiting my brother and his wife, and their house is near a trail that was built on an old railroad line, much like the Happy Fun & Fitness Trail near my old apartment is. This trail is amazingly similar to my Happy Fun & Fitness Trail, except for the little things that make it seem like a cloning project that went slightly awry. This trail has more curves and moves up and down on the z-axis creating something I’ve heard are called “slopes.” Us Indiana folk are not familiar with these “hill” things. Thus the huffing and puffing increased cardio workout. I nearly stumbled over a turtle on the side of this trail, which I’ve never seen on the trail in Indiana. Also, the people here seem to be friendlier than Hoosiers. I got Hello-ed at least three times during my 25-minutes on the path by a mom with a stroller, a white-haired walking man, and a twenty-something with a UNC t-shirt. Must be that Southern hospitality.
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Tanya • September 16, 2009 at 11:57 am
I love discovering new trails & parks in when I travel – not overlooking the fact that a turtle tried to trip you :0)
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Kari • September 16, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Southerners do talk to strangers a lot. ;) We always say hello, and are also known to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger while standing in line. I get strange looks when I do that up here. LOL
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victoria • September 16, 2009 at 2:33 pm
I love it that you’re exercising and making new friends in NC! That sounds like a really happy way to spend your vacation.
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Dee • September 16, 2009 at 2:42 pm
@Kari – I must have been from the south in a previous life, i do this all the time but I was born and raised in New England.
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Quix • September 16, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Sounds like a lovely trail! Although – I hate that z-axis. Causes problems in games and in life. If I could run all races on a track instead of unfamiliar terrain I would love it, hehe.
Good luck with your training – running a 5k this weekend myself. :)
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Rahim • September 16, 2009 at 5:36 pm
I just started getting into walking trails this year. I think they’re great in the day time. At night, they remind me of the end scene of every horror movie I’ve ever seen. If you’re ever in Georgia, try Stone Mountain Park.
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Julie • September 16, 2009 at 9:35 pm
We do that “hello” and “smiling” thing down here, south of Australia too. And we talk to complete strangers. Must be a southern part of the world thing. Hello from Tasmania, Australia. Looks like a lovely trail.
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Melissa • September 17, 2009 at 8:50 am
It’s only flat in northern Indiana. We Hoosiers in southern Indiana know all about ’slopes’. :) It’s quite hilly down this way.
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Shaunta • September 17, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I lived in Las Vegas forever and I don’t think more then ten people said hello to me in stores or on the street in twenty years. I never ran into anyone I knew unless I meant to. I live in a tiny rural Nevada town now, and it was so weird getting used to the idea that I couldn’t run out to the grocery store in my pajamas, because I was likely to run into my daughter’s band teacher, two of my clients, and the mayor all in the freezer section while I was adding Cherry Garcia to my cart–plus drive by five or six people who would wave at me because they served me breakfast sometimes or sold me movie tickets or whatever. Weird! Friendly. But weird!
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Kyle • September 17, 2009 at 4:44 pm
I happen to think that NC’ers are some of the friendliest bunch out of all the Southerns actually. They have Southern charm without the Southern hoity-toity-ness.
Might I recommend you visit the Biltmore Mansion? I went there when I was like five. And I’m not even sure it’s in NC. But I remember it being SO COOL.
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table kitchen • September 18, 2009 at 5:40 am
It looks like you enjoyed your vacation and you got some new friends! Good for you!
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Marla • September 24, 2009 at 8:00 am
Next time you’re in Nag’s Head:
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/northcarolina/preserves/art5618.html
Just discovered it this year – gorgeous scenery for taking a walk when you’re tired of the beach, and they have a 5K, though I’m not sure what time of year.
(The Biltmore is in NC; in Asheville which is a 4-5 hour drive from the RTP area. Well worth the trip)
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