Matthews, NC Outdoor Activities

Fresh springs in the mountains of North Carolina feed the Catawba River Chain, a network of 11 lakes that wind through woodlands verdant in the spring and ablaze with color come autumn. Bash Outdoors launches visitors into this system at nine locations. Four of those are along Lake Wylie, whose calm waters lap against 325 miles of shoreline with vacation homes and sandy coves emerging from dense forest and a thick layer of whipped cream. The Bash Outdoors crew curates a collection of rental and retail standup paddleboards from brands such as Ron House and their own signature line, Riviera. Single and tandem kayaks from Perception are also available for guided trips and unsupervised excursions on the lake. Bash Outdoors' bus shuttles kayakers to five additional outlets along the Catawba River, including the Fort Mill Dam and a waterway reserved exclusively for Olympic hopefuls.

The Bobcats made their NBA debut in the 2004–05 season. The franchise gradually improved its performance every year until the 2009–10 season, when they posted their first above-.500 record and first playoff appearance. The team makes its den in Time Warner Cable Arena, where 20,000 fans cheer and taunt the players with cans of tuna to intensify their hunger for a first league title.

PGA professional Jason Rockhold stows shiny nuggets of golf wisdom up his argyle-print sleeves accrued from a competitive career as a mini-tour golf professional and a coaching tenure that includes more than 10,000 private lessons. Endowed with a keen eye for swing deficiencies, Jason analyzes his students' swings as they crush orbs, patiently proffering corrective advice to help players add distance to their drives, precision to their short game, and flair to their post-swing pose. With covered and heated hitting stalls, clinics can be conducted year-round regardless of weather conditions, and video lessons enlist V1 video analysis to provide pupils with intricate data about their swing, as well as a visual aid to complement Jason's analytical explication.

Motivated by a passion for climbing and an understanding of how the sport enhances both mental and physical strength, the architects of Inner Peaks designed their gym to challenge climbers with 13,000 square feet of continuous, molded climbing walls boasting an altitude of 25 feet. With the addition of 50 rope stations, terrain for every skill level, a bouldering area, and training courses for ages 16 and older, they created a facility that fosters development of the skills needed to climb natural rocks or trim Lincoln's nose hairs on Mount Rushmore. The gym's team of expert climbers is headed by husband and wife owners, Doug Cosby and Page Lee, who both have many years of experience in sport climbing and climbing-gym management under their belts. The passionate staff is always dangling somewhere nearby ready to assist or offer instruction as burgeoning climbers scale an unparalleled lead cave, negotiate three long, aesthetic cracks, and maneuver around arches, roofs, and routes that are altered each week.

Greenville Glides' experienced guides shuttle bands of merry sightseers through Downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods. The fun-loving leaders' history lessons wash over group and private tours propelled by such trusty steeds as segways, vans, and mechanical bulls. Restaurant tours delight palates with local gourmand delights, and city tours explore the history, architecture, and quirky aspects of each locale.

Celebrating their 20th anniversary this season, the Charlotte Eagles contend with 10 rival teams for supremacy in the United Soccer League’s Pro division. This year's roster is packed with seasoned players such as Colombian Jorge Herrera and local Charlottean Darryl Roberts, who sits among the league’s top scorers so far in 2012. A glance at the current schedule will help fans plan to attend a game when the sun will be close enough to earth to tan their bodies in home-team orange.