More How to Spend Summer in the South

What To Do When It’s Too Hot To Hike: Part II In our last post we talked about some of the ways to beat the heat in the Carolinas. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, it’s awfully hot and buggy to be indulging in the sport of hiking. We do it anyway to keep in shape, trying to go as […]

The Mountains Or The Sea — Why Not Both!

North Carolina’s Mountains to Sea Trail The most celebrated long distance hiking trail in the United State – and perhaps the most celebrated in the world among trails of its length – is the Appalachian Trail. This 2000+ mile footpath traces most of the Appalachian range from Georgia to Maine, and is what gave the term “Thru Hiking” its name. […]

Wilkerson Nature Preserve: A Microadventure

Wilkerson Nature Preserve, Raleigh *We have added Anne B. Wilkerson, MD Nature Preserve to our list of Best Local Hikes in the Triangle Area. Though small it is also quiet, scenic and feels much larger, in part because its trails connect to the much larger Falls Lake area and the Mountains to Sea Trail.* Not all the hikes we take […]

The Education of Mr. Fitz Roy

The Life and Training of a Hiking Dog Some updates from the life and training of a hiking dog… Sylvia and Brian continue to work molding expedition sled dog/surf dog Fitz Roy into a companion suitable for hiking. Fitz is intelligent, energetic and eager to please. But he is also very excitable (that’s the sled dog in him) and sometimes […]

Sunday Afternoon by the Eno River

Eno River State Park, Durham, NC *We have added Eno River State Park to our list of the best local places to hike in the Triangle Area. In fact, all things considered, sprawling Eno River might have the best overall experience of any park within an hour of the Raleigh-Durham area. We found ourselves with nothing in particular to do […]

Spring is Here, Time for Hiking…and Updates!

Updates to the Site Spring is the time when hiking season gets into full swing. In the Southern Appalachians you can actually hike any time of year, and summer is perhaps the LEAST attractive month. Spring is our second favorite season behind fall. It’s also time for some updates to the site. We have added some new prospective hikes to […]

The Evolution of a Hiking Dog!

Our Time with Fitz Roy: We’re So Glad to be Adopted by a Great Dog! Few things have proven more satisfying to us than the adventure of dog ownership. When Sylvia and Brian married in 2009, Brian committed on paper to a dog. But that commitment stayed on paper for nearly a decade. Many valid concerns and objections were raised, […]

A Day on the Mountain (Sort of)

Medoc Mountain State Park, Halifax, NC **We have added Medoc Mountain State Park to the list of our Best Hikes in the Triangle Area. Okay, so there’s no actual mountain here…it’s still one of the best and least crowded outdoor getaways within an hours drive of Raleigh.** For our first official expedition with new team member Fitz Roy, the captain […]

Fitz Roy Turns One Year Old!

The Domestic (Dog) Adventure: Fitz Roy Two months ago we introduced the fabulous Fitz Roy, the first four-legged member of the BecauseItzThere team. It has been a seriously new experience having Fitz aboard. Site Editor and Minister of Expedition Brian has managed a hiking expedition or two, most often with positive results, and he has had some past experience with […]