The Zombie Tunnel Hike is a route that goes from Umstead State Park, and all the way through Carl Alwin Schenck Memorial Forest – with the help of the Richland Creek Trail.
All tunnels could be zombie tunnels…
I’ve been leading this hike for years, and people really enjoy it.
At over 11 miles, it’s a good long hike, but it’s pretty flat, and has a lot of different features – like Zombie tunnels!
Okay, there may not *actually* be any Zombies, but it sure looks like there could be….and one time I did find a mutant fish in there 🙂
According to legend, Brigadoon only appears for one day every 300 years.
I don’t host this hike very often because conditions need to be just right or the route is impassable, and I hate to disappoint anyone.
The other thing about this route is that, depending on recent weather conditions or new construction, parts of the trail have been known to disappear like Brigadoon at sunrise.
So earlier this year, before I posted the hike for others to join me, I decided to take a look and see if the route was still there – and still the same.
Good news! The route was still there – and still mostly the same. In fact some parts had actually been improved!
Now – just in time for Halloween! – I’ll tell you what I found, and how to get there – and maybe you can go try this somewhat spooky trail for yourself…
UPDATE: There have been some major changes to the Schenck Forest access area over the past few months. Read on for more updated info.
New construction on the Schenck access road off of Reedy Creek road.
– – Week 6 – the final week – of the ReFit Training is finished. Yay!!!
And I did go to see the Doc – which you may recall, was the endpoint for this training series because with all of the COVID-19 trail closures, it was hard to plan for a specific hike .
Here’s what I did this week and how the Doc visit went….
Week 6 Recap
Week 6 was another hot, hot, hot! week weather-wise, and I was still recovering from some dehydration from the week before.
So the first couple of days I did my main daily exercise indoors – kickboxing, treadmill runs, weights.
Some tools for indoor training in the home gym.
Midweek I was back out on the trail locally in Bond Park for a quick 6 mile walk before it got too hot.
Thursday I did the unthinkable – I took a rest day 🙂
That was also the day I went in for my checkup with the Doc.
The Checkup
The good news is, apparently I’m going to live forever!
The bad news is, I didn’t reach my weight goal. I blame licorice and chocolate sorbet…. 😉
But seriously, I’m not too worried.
My clothes all still fit, and the weight loss was my own goal – not mandated by illness or anything.
Hiking the Lake Trail in Bond Park.
I just generally feel better and more energetic when I’m a bit lighter.
I’ll keep working on it – hopefully without obsessing too much. Because no one needs more stress these days!
Actually, with all of the stress and forced inactivity due to COVID-19 restrictions, it could be a lot worse…
Stress and Weight Gain
Stress can leave you open to a lot of illnesses.
With all that’s been going on the past few months – health worries, job and financial losses, enforced isolation, restricted movements, killings and riots, incessant political noise, etc – we’ve all had a lot of reason to be stressed out.
And we can all agree that too much stress is bad for you.
Excess stress can lead to headaches, digestive and sleep problems, and depression.
Stress can also wreak havoc on metabolism and cause stress-induced weight gain.
For some time we’ve known about the connection between stress and weight gain, specifically due to an increase in cortisol levels.
What is Cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone that your body releases when you’re feeling physical or psychological stress.
The hormone raises your blood pressure and blood sugar and can suppress the immune system.
Higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol have also been shown to increase appetite.
Stressed to the Max
Fresh fruits and veggies are part of a healthy diet.
Psychologist Leslie Heinberg, PhD. , Director of Behavioral Services for the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute at Cleveland Clinic, agrees that the link between stress and weight gain is real.
Healthy habits like getting enough sleep, exercising and eating a healthy diet are harder to maintain when you feel like you’re maxed out emotionally, she says.
3 Tips to Fight Weight Gain
But even if you can’t fix the causes of your stress, you can make small changes to try to minimize offset the effects.
Here are three tips that might help you fight stress-induced weight gain:
ONE: Choose Your Fats Wisely
Fat is important to feel full, and it’s also one of your body’s key building blocks. But to keep it in balance, try to choose only one high-fat item per meal.
For example, if you have a healthy salad for lunch, don’t include both olive oil and avocado – just choose one of those things.
So, if you want avocado on your salad, use a balsamic vinegar dressing rather than an oil-based vinaigrette.
TWO: Adjust Your Meal Proportions
To reduce calories, shift your servings a bit to slash calories without having to eat less food.
Trading in a portion of dense grains for low-cal veggies is an easy way to accomplish a quick calorie savings that doesn’t require sacrificing volume.
For example, if you’re eating rice and veggies for a meal, shift the balance to include more veggies and less rice.
Eating 1.5 cups of veggies and .5 cup of brown rice instead of 1 cup of each can easily save you 60-75 calories. Those small savings will add up over time.
THREE: Take a Quick Post-Meal Walk
Take a short walk to boost your metabolism.
A study from George Washington University found that taking a 15-minute walk after meals helped normalize blood sugar levels for up to three hours after eating.
If you don’t have 15 minutes, even a 5 minute walk – just to break from sitting to get your blood pumping – can shift your metabolism.
It can also be a time to clear your head, connect with nature, or catch up with a walking buddy – all of which can help reduce feelings of stress.
Back to the Woods
Later in the week, the weather cooled down a bit and I’d recovered from my dehydration, so I was ready to hit the woods again!
The Lake Trail goes past the Observation Tower at Lake Crabtree.
So on Friday (after a treadmill run indoors in the morning), I hiked around Lake Crabtree in the afternoon.
It was beautiful as usual – though I miss seeing the sailboats on the lake! (They’re not allowed now due to COVID-19 restrictions.)
Saturday, That Man and I got on the bikes and had a nice 20-mile ride on the greenways and the ATT.
A new section of the White Oak greenway connects Bond park and Davis Drive Park.
It was a gorgeous day, and the trails were surprisingly un-crowded.
Sunday, was my long hike for the week, a 8-9 miler in Umstead State Park, on a combination of Company Mill and Sycamore Trails.
A great group of hikers came with me 🙂
That hike was the end of my training week, and of this training series. But I’ll keep on going!
A stroller-friendly trail in Umstead State Park
Training for Life
For me, training is never really over. Many active people are the same.
Even though our goals change from week to week, or year to year, we always keep moving forward and striving to improve.
Whether it’s a hiking to a new mountain summit, getting into a new dress, or mastering a new sport or skill, training towards a goal is what keeps us motivated and interested in what we’re doing.
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing was one of my Bucket List hikes.
What’s Your Next Adventure?
Although some destinations are still out of reach due to continuing COVID-19 restrictions, many State and National Parks are opening back up now.
I’ve got my eye on a few new adventures within driving distance of home, and I’m starting to get excited about it!
I might even start some new training hikes soon 🙂
If you’re local and would like to join us, check out the I’d Rather Walk Meetupfor hike postings.
The Hawksbill Summit in Shenandoah National Park is an attainable goal for most hikers.
I hope you’ve found my Training Log ramblings to be helpful- or at least amusing! 🙂 To see more of them go to my Training Log. Take a look at my 6 Week Training Planpost to see the whole plan.
For some ideas for your next adventures, check out my Hiking Destinations page for outdoor vacation spots for you and your family.
Thanks for stopping by – see you next time! LJ
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Working remotely doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors – in fact, it’s healthier for you to take breaks and get outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine!
Being stuck indoors by yourself – or with your kids – with no end in sight could make you nuts.
Paved trail beside Big Lake in Umstead State Park
Getting out on the trail on your own, or with 10 or fewer members of your family or friends, could help bring you back from Crazy Town.
If you’re a hiker local to Cary or Raleigh, NC, you know the nearby hiking places, and have been on the trails.
They’re beautiful, have varied terrain and are easily accessible.
