50K in 50 States by 50 Years Old
North Carolina— 92.88Km, February 2023
Don’t judge all of North Carolina by my take on Charlotte. There is so much amazing in this state. It is beautiful. It is diverse. It is complex. So if you’re planning a trip, I might humbly suggest not-Charlotte, is all. The small towns around Elkin and Jonesville, for example, are fantastic places to go hiking and get some good wine and food. And Asheville is Asheville, which should be experienced.
But Charlotte. What’s with all the security guards and the ultra grumpy residents? New York, London, and Paris are friendlier than you. Are you some secret hiding place for gold and jewels and crypto-mining computers, and all your residents are actually goblins in trendy human suits? You looked like any other semi-large city being “revitalized” by developers to me, but perhaps you hide an interesting secret that I’ll never uncover.
I’m sorry to speak ill, I truly am. You’re a nice enough space — you’ve got greenways aplenty and some public transit, two things I’m always a total sucker for. Neither of your light rail lines caught on fire while I was there, so you’re way ahead of Boston on that front. You’ve got some good breweries, good food, and about a million of your 2.2M residents seem to partake of the great outdoors in nice weather by running and walking on your trails, which are exceptionally well-maintained.
So why can’t I love you, or even like you all that much? I don’t really know, and that’s OK. It’s probably me, not you. There are lots who do love you, you certainly don’t need me among your admirers. I’m afraid I just can’t find a single thing that makes me think “this is what makes this place unique.” The vibe I got from wandering your trendy areas and your uptown is pure façade and early-90s mall culture — so many On Trend Places! So many Shiny People showing off their Shiny Things! So much Chasing the American Dream and so little waking life.
Charlotte, who hurt you? Was it your disco parrot?
Where to get some distance in North Carolina
Elkin and the surrounding areas
We have good friends who live in Elkin, so we got a far too brief glimpse into the absolutely stunning trail system. We hope to go back and spend a lot more time, possibly during the NC Trail Days festival. Elkin is part of the Mountains to Sea trail system and is a vibrant little community that is oriented to mountain bikers, hikers, and the outdoors life.
In and around Charlotte
Despite my take on the residents of Charlotte, it has some really good and well-maintained places to run, walk, and explore on foot. We spent most of our time in and around Dilworth and the South End, with a few journeys into Uptown.
- From Dilworth to: uptown — 12Km (photos); Freedom Park — 11Km; in and around the South End (photos and more photos). Terrain: mostly flat pavement and sidewalks; bathrooms only in paid settings (e.g. shopping malls, coffee shops, etc).
- Run as far as you like along the Lower McAlpine Creek trail system (this was a bit over 15Km). Terrain: mostly flat, mostly paved with some hard-pack dirt; bathrooms available at trailheads.
Celebrating North Carolina’s Indigenous Voices
The Lumbee are the largest tribe in North Carolina, and total more than 55,000 registered members, mostly concentrated in and near Robeson, Cumberland, Hoke and Scotland counties in North Carolina. The people who originally inhabited the land merged with Eastern Siouan, Algonquian, and Iroquoian people during the early days days of colonial wars, disease and oppression.
While by far the largest, the Lumbee are not the only nation present in North Carolina today. There are eight tribes or nations present in modern North Carolina, living and working in the cities, industries, and rural areas that define the sate.
Like anyone else, Indigenous people often migrate into major cities seeking employment opportunities. The Triangle Native American Society exists to support urban Indigenous people in many different ways — through connection, leadership opportunities, education, and community.
I have set myself a goal of completing at least 50Km in all 50 states by the time I’m 50. To acknowledge that I’m traveling on land that was stolen from others, I am donating $500 to the First Nations Development Institute for each state I complete.
Thank you for reading and supporting me on this journey. If you’re able to chip in — for your state, or for all 50 states — you’ll help me double the impact I’m able to make on my own.
If you’re from Maryland or living there right now, please consider supporting the Triangle Native American Society, or donating to another local and indigenous-led organization.
