February 9, 2017
Coolest Charlotte Places
Having lived in Charlotte for over 10 years I've discovered a lot of really cool places to explore. Here's my list of the best places to hang out.
Abari – a video game arcade plus bar. They have a lot of classic arcade machines that are restored to their original glory. You can relive your childhood playing Ms Pacman, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and many others. They also have a great selection of pinball machines (my favorites include: Star Trek The Next Generation, Indiana Jones, and The Adams Family), as well as a bunch of console classics for the Super Nintendo and the Sega Genesis. If you like video games and beer, you've no excuse not to check out this really fun and geeky place to hang out. For the low price of one dollar you can buy a life-time membership. Visit their website.
The National Whitewater Center – home and official training site for the US Olympic kayaker and rafting teams. I actually stumbled on the USA and Canada teams training before the 2008 Olympics. If you like outdoor fun, you have access to tons of hiking running and mountain biking trails. They also have several whitewater courses for kayakers and rafters, as well as a climbing wall, ropes courses, and flat-water kayaking. In the summer they often feature free or inexpensive concerts. Visit their website.
The Common Market Deli – essentially a pilgrimage site for hipsters. This place feels like ground zero for the alternative crowd. They serve a great beer and wine selection, and some really great coffee. But the main reason to go is for the deli which makes some of the best sandwiches! It's always crowded, but it's a really cool crowd.
The Map Shop – If you're a map or flag enthusiast, you have to make a trip to the Map Shop. Some of the most interesting maps from around the world are available in their selection. Its a great place to find travel guides as well. And of course they have some great custom maps of Charlotte. Visit their website.
Exit Strategy – if you're looking for an unusual team building exercise, then consider Exit Strategy. The idea is your group is put into a room with a theme that requires using problem solving to escape in less than an hour. My company went there and we actually escaped the room with a Bank Heist theme just in the nick of time. Visit their website.
Breweries – in recent years breweries have popped up around Charlotte like mushrooms overnight. There are quite a few great choices when it comes to selection and atmosphere. My favorites are: Birdsong, Noda and Unknown.
BB&T Ballpark – When it comes to sports, Charlotte has a lot of options: from the Panthers (NFL), to the Hornets (NBA). There's also the Charlotte Checkers (minor league hockey), the Charlotte Independence (minor league soccer), the Charlotte Hounds (major league lacrosse), and the Charlotte Roller Girls (roller derby). And you can't forget that the city is home to the Charlotte Motor Speedway, and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. But a ticket to BB&T Ballpark, home of the minor league baseball Charlotte Knights (AAA minor league baseball team for the Whitesocks), is the best deal in the Queen City. I think it has the best view of any ballpark I've attended. I'm biased because I love baseball, but I really think it's the best sports arena in the city. Visit their website.
Labels: Abari, Charlotte Knights, Charlotte Roller Girls, US National Whitewater Center, video games
June 26, 2007
A Course in Fluid Dynamics
As a way of saying thanks for a year of volunteering our Habitat affiliate sent my roommates and me to the US National Whitewater Center...which is right here in Charlotte by the Catawba River.After a brief explanation of safety procedures we were given all the necessary equipment: a helmet, a life-jacket (which even came with a specialized pillow, designed by the US Coast Guard, in case you fall over board that pops up to keep your head somewhat out of the water), and a paddle.
Our group was divided in half. Myself and four of my Americorps roommates were in one guided raft, and our other roommates were in another. Our guide quickly showed us the basic maneuvers to control the raft. This included: paddling, quickly sitting in the bottom of the raft to focus weight in the center (handy for 'surfing' rapids), and how to lean into a rapid as you go down into it (which, as he explained is slightly counter intuitive but important or staying in the raft when it comes threw the rapid on the other side). He kept his raft a little low on air, because as he explained, it makes the ride a little more 'bouncy'.
This was my first time whitewater rafting, and at first I was skeptical of how well an artificial park could replicate a natural river. And maybe it doesn't, I really can't say since I've never been. But it seemed to me that the USNWC was able to cram a lot of the excitement of rafting in one condensed (and relatively 'safe' I presume) area.
The park has, as our guide explained, class 2 through 4 whitewater rapids. There are 6 classes of whitewater all together. Our guide used “Niagara” as an example of what class 6 whitewater would be like (which I think may be an exaggeration), but essentially we were in the most difficult whitewater you could experience without being fairly experienced at whitewater rafting. I was totally soaked in a matter of no time.
I'm really glad I payed attention to the safety procedures explained at the beginning. It wasn't long into our trip that one of my roommates went overboard as we attempted to “surf” a rapid in the class 2 whitewater track. We were able to catch up to her and our guide pulled her back in the raft pretty quickly. But it was pretty obvious then that these rapids were intended to be challenging.
At the end of the trip, as we were going down the track with class 4 whitewater, and feeling a little daring, our guide attempted to get our raft to ride the edge of a class 4 rapid, but at that time another raft was quickly approaching and as they slammed into us, 3 of their passengers went overboard. We were able to pull one of them into our raft in a nearby eddie. Not wanting to be outdone by that rapid, we attempted again to ride the edge of the rapid, and I'm not sure at what point, but I remember the left side of the raft raising way up and realizing that capsizing was eminent. So I held onto my paddle as I plunged into the highly aerated whiteness. Everyone ended up being pulled in different directions. I did my best to follow the safety procedures, keeping my feet up and facing downstream, but it was slightly difficult in the constantly changing currents. As I more or less tumbled through the water, bumping into rocks here and there, I saw a couple people on the shore and could faintly hear them yelling at me to grab ropes that were just out of my reach. It was not long though before I felt myself in the calm waters at the end of the course and was pulled into another raft. Capsizing, for me, was the best part of the trip!
To sum the experience up, the USNWC was extraordinarily fun, and well worth every penny (that I didn't have to pay, thanks!).
Labels: Fun, US National Whitewater Center