Author Archives: dcreamer

By David Freeze

State Park Visits Begin!

    I’m excited to visit all the North Carolina State Parks, especially since I will miss the opportunity to go on another summertime cycling adventure. Bicycle riding will have to wait but there is plenty of energy remaining to get the party started. My back injury continues to heal, and walking is improving daily.

    Ken Beaver, a long-time friend, retired recently from the NC Prison system and his first adventure was to visit the state parks. He has shared pointers and information, so the journey begins.

    Last Sunday, July 7^th, I drove first to Mayo State Park not far from Mayodan. After a 90-minute drive north, I found a very small quiet park with an unattended weekend office. There are two ponds in the actual park, but the river is not accessible here. This section of the park has large lawns, a large pavilion and several short trails. Fishing and swimming are allowed in the main pond. This is a perfect park for a very quiet nature getaway.

     The park was established in 2003 and encompasses 2,778 acres. The park is named after civil engineer Major William Mayo who helped survey boundary lines between Virginia and NC in the early 1700s and helped to map the region for the first time.

    Mayo River is accessible at five access points, the first being the Deshazo Mill Access where I walked to the Fall Creek Waterfall. Few amenities are provided at river access points.

     Next, I drove to Hanging Rock State Park, an area purchased by the state in 1935, and most of it constructed from 1935 to 1942 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The park has 9,011 acres and is close to Danbury, which just happens to be one of the smallest, most interesting and historic county seats in NC. There is a new visitor center with an active information desk, where I met a wonderful attendant who told me about the must-see places in the park. I was wearing my back brace, and she immediately began to tell me about the easier trails, and the one can’t miss part of the park, The Lower Cascade Falls.

     There are currently 41 state parks and all of them have pages in a little passport booklet. The goal for those visiting all the parks is to get the specific park page stamped and signed while in the park. At the Mayo River Park, the park office was not open, but the page stamp was located beside the door. At Hanging Rock, I picked up the passport booklet and got it stamped. I will glue in the stamp from Mayo.

     Back to Hanging Rock Park, I think this was my first visit and was extremely pleased with the facilities and sights to see. There are 18 walking trails and nine bike trails. I did the Upper Cascades Falls and the Lower Cascades Falls Trails, along with much of the Lake Trail. I also got a good view of Hanging Rock.

     A huge 12-acre lake was busy with swimmers in a lifeguard area. A fishing pier is popular as are the benches around the shaded banks of the lake along the trail. Boats are available, as are concessions in an area that includes both a historic bathhouse and boathouse.

     I stopped to see Lower Cascade Falls and almost met my match with long rock steps down to the falls and pool area. This was a test for my recovering balance and leg strength. The rock steps were placed about 80 years ago by the CCC and to me are an engineering marvel.

     Hanging Rock State Park has so much to see and do, I could have easily spent a camping weekend there. It has the feel of a very good national park.

      My final stop for the day was Pilot Mountain State Park, the rock dome familiar to many driving north of Winston Salem on US 52. It is considered an isolated mountain and like Hanging Rock is part of the Sauratown Mountain Range, named after the Saura Indians. Pilot Mountain rises 1,400 feet above the valley floor and 2,431 feet in total elevation. The rugged mountain rock, quartzite monadnock, has survived for 500 million years while surrounding peaks were eroded by the elements. Tent and trailer camping are available, along with 11 trails ranging from a tenth to 6.6 miles. The views from the top encompass hundreds of square miles including the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west. Total acreage is 3,782 and the park is located nearest to Pinnacle, NC.  

     Pilot Mountain became the state’s 14^th park in 1968 and was dedicated as a National Landmark in 1976. The mountain was used as a landmark for the Great Wagon Road from Philadelphia to Salisbury.

     Additional sections of the park are located about a 15-minute drive to the south. One centers on the Yadkin River and the Bean Shoals Canal, and the other is the Horne Creek Living Historical Farm, depicting farm life in the early 1900s. I found the farm closed on Sundays and Mondays, so I will return at a later date to visit these locations.

     Three state parks visited, 38 to go!

By David Freeze

Making the most of your hot weather run or walk!

  Two of my own favorite running stories and my best biking story involve extreme weather. I haven’t been afraid of extreme weather on the run but sometimes determination can override common sense. I worked for a winter, December through mid-March, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I had no idea about real cold until we walked off the plane not properly dressed for a 20 below zero wind chill factor on a December morning.

    I had packed my running clothes, not enough of them, but desperately wanted to keep up my running while there. A new company friend was a runner too and helped me with proper gear. Good thing he did, because I survived a 5 mile run in 40 below wind chill. Locals said, “Don’t even try it, your skin will freeze!” It didn’t but thankfully I was much faster then and was only outside for about 35 minutes.

   We’ll not see that kind of cold here, but the heat has been the source of much running discussion the last week and more is ahead. I don’t care for the hot and humid days either, but any day with a run (and now with a walk) is better than the alternative. Here are a few tips worth sharing on keeping your daily run or walk going. Most runners and walkers head out with a goal pace or distance in mind and are willing to compromise on one or the other. On a hot and humid run, it’s better to be willing to compromise on both.

    I’m a morning runner or walker and I try to get the best temperature of the day for summertime exercise. But the trade off is that early morning exercise has potentially the highest humidity in the summer. High humidity, a nearly everyday companion in the summer south, can be a real anchor. Hot humid air feels thicker due to the amount of moisture in the air. Your body then must work harder to breathe. This makes you feel short of oxygen, which not only increases heart rate further but makes your effort feel harder. Sometimes I tell others that I just had “nothing” on my run. If this is the case, try switching to run/walk intervals or slowing down to allow your body to take in more oxygen. Particularly if the humidity is so high the sweat just won’t evaporate off your arms. Dial it back and you’ll still get a good workout.

    Your workout is likely doomed in these conditions if you haven’t hydrated. The worst and hardest workouts of the year can come on a warm and humid day especially if your hydration goals aren’t met. I find best results with emphasis on building hydration late in the evening and through the night. Some people say, “I don’t want to get up late at night to pee.” A serious runner or walker would be OK with getting up a couple of times, drinking enough so his or her pee is clear, the only proof that hydration has been achieved.

   I have often lost 3-5 pounds on a long summer run and every bit of it is sweat loss. One thing I tell my beginning runners classes about hydration, “Without proper hydration, your workouts will be much harder.” Simple water and summertime fruit will achieve proper hydration for most runners and walkers. Keep drinking!
     Whether you run early morning or not, don’t stop because its hot. Find shade if you must run during the day. Don’t be afraid to get up at 4am to run in the dark, usually the coolest times. Wear light dri-fit clothing and socks, never cotton which will collect your sweat. Use a treadmill if you must, but don’t stop running.

    Rowan’s next 5K is the Run for the Greenway 5K and Fun Run at the former Knox Middle School site. We just changed the course for a downhill start and a flat finish. I hope to see you there, runners and walkers all.

   Look for this 5K and other events at www.salisburyrunners.org.