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OK, so maybe they aren't the Black Rebels. But Warren "Johnny Strabler" Slate reports that his Trikke meetup.com group, Trikke Riders of the Carolinas, had a take-no-prisoners heck-of-a-time on their New Year's Day ride. "We rode about 15 miles and we will be back there this weekend (Sunday at 2:30 p.m.) weather permitting. You can check out our rides at meetup.com/trikke."

Leathers optional.

In August, I dropped by the Cary REI to find out when the revered $.83 sale would be. There are a handful of such sales, when the price of everything ending in $.83 is cut in half, throughout the year and there's usually one around Labor Day, as I recalled. But when I approached a sales associate and asked, I was met with a blank, "If-I-tell-you-they'll-shoot-me" stare.

"We're not allowed to say," she said stiffly. Pause. "But I can tell you there's a good sale starting the Friday before Labor Day," she added.

Contrast that with the email I got a few minutes ago from Paul Graf at the Durham REI: "Just thought you might like to know that our super clearance, $.83 sale starts on 1/9/09. *wink."

What a difference a broken economy makes.

"Ron," I said extending my hand to hike leader Ron Drago, "my name's Joe Miller. We've exchanged emails over the years but I don't think we've every met." Actually, Ron begged to differ, we'd met on two occasions prior to yesterday's New Year's Day Hike at Umstead, which Ron has lead for six years now.

Hike leader Ron Drago, far right, isn't afraid to take an occassional break to discuss something along the trail.

"There was that time on the Thursday hike at Lake Crabtree," he began, "when I thought I had discovered that interesting critter." With this an impish smile creased his face.

"The shoelace!" I said. Several of us had gathered around what appeared to be a small snake bearing a curious white and black checked pattern. Thoughts of a new species being named after Ron filled our comments — until I kneeled down and discovered aglets on both ends of the "critter".

Ron laughed. "And there was the hike off-trail hike around Big Lake." Ah, yes. "I think that was the last Thursday hike I've done," I said.

"Me, too," he answered. Ron didn't start the weekly Thursday hike over a decade ago, but he took it over shortly thereafter when the hike founder took a vacation to Alaska and felt Ron had done such a good job leading it in his absence that Ron should just take it over. So he did.

Initially, the Thursday hike was a gathering of Mensa members with some free time on their hands mid-week. They let me tag along for one hike, and, from what I've been able to piece together, realized that since the gene pool had already been tainted, what the heck, let's open it to the masses. The group has since evolved into the Adventurous Trekkers and is led by Ian Potter. (BPotter777@aol.com to get on Ian's email list.)

Ron hasn't hiked with the group in a while because a case of planter fasciitis keeps him from doing hikes much over five miles (the Adventurous Trekkers typically do five to 10 miles or more). Instead, he's been leading shorter weekend hikes in the area. (rd4ah@earthlink.net to get on Ron's list.)

Yesterday's New Year's Day Hike was a delight. About 30 of us departed from the parking lot at the far end of the main park entrance off Glenwood Avenue/U.S. 70 at 1:30 under clear skies with the temperature in the upper 30s. Ron likes to make the hike accessible to a variety of hikers, so we started with a 2.8-mile loop on the Sal's Branch Trail. That was enough for about half the group. The remainder of us did the shorter Pott's Branch and White Oak loops, which brought us back to the car. Five miles for those of us who did the whole enchilada.

Along the way, we saw, among other things: a cocker spaniel who we thought was wearing a coat but in fact just had peculiar markings ("Sorry!"); ranger Keith Nealson, who stood sentry on the Sal's Branch Trail serving the traffic cop role of his ranger position as he kept the NYD masses from getting lost; and an unidentifiable plant (Anyone? Anyone?) that appeared to be heeding a premature call to spring.

Mid-hike, Ron Drago filtered to the rear of the pack where our family was playing caboose and reminded me of a third time we had met. It was on a Wednesday hike on the Crabtree Creek Greenway, four, five years ago. Belatedly and only at Ron's prompting, I remembered that encounter as well. Is it the Mensa thing, " I wondered, or the fact that Ron, who has a few years on me, spends so much time exploring the woods that's left him with such nimble recall?

Can't do anything about the former, I quickly realized. Better plan to spend a lot more time on the trail in 2009, I concluded.

Got another New Year's Day hike for you, this one along Morgan Creek in Chapel Hill. It's sponsored by the local meetup.com group, Triangle Hiking and Outdoors Group, and is limited to two-legged adults, no dogs or kids, please. The hike departs at 1 p.m., from the "parking lot right across the street from Merritts Store & Grill," follows the creek to the N.C. Botanical Garden, then heads back. It's advertised as covering 7 to 8 miles in about 3 hours.

You must belong to THOG, which is as easy as going here, and you must sign up in advance, by going here.

Return to this space tomorrow for a complete rundown of runs, hikes and bike rides scheduled for New Year's Day.

I keep hearing about more New Year's Day runs, rides and hikes; as promised in yesterday's roundup, I'll pass 'em along as I hear about them. This latest event, a group ride, will involve a little drive — unless you're already planning to be in the Jacksonville area New Year's Day. Join the Down East Cycling Club for either a 25-mile ride or a 38-miler, both of which begin at the Golden Corral (NC 24 at Piney Green Road) in Jacksonville and wind up in downtown Swansboro. Both are inland routes on relatively quiet country roads. There's a pre-ride chat at 7:30 a.m., the ride begins at 8. I did a Memorial Day century with the club a few years back and they were great fun to ride with.

Get your new year off on the right foot by making sure your right foot moves in front of your left foot — then vice-versa — a lot on New Year's Day. Sunday, I'll have a number of ways you can do just that — on a hike, a run or a bike ride — in the Fit column appearing in the Arts & Living section. Today, I'll tease you with an event that didn't make it in time for our print deadline: Ron Drago's 6th annual New Year's Day hike at Umstead State Park. This hike consists of three loops, all returning to about the same spot, creating a baby bear/momma bear/pappa bear effect.

Meet at 1:30 p.m. in the parking lot at the far end of the entrance to Umstead off Glenwood Avenue/U.S. 70 between Ebenezer Church Road and I-540. The first loop: a 2.8-mile hike on Sal's Branch Trail. Then, if you choose, you can do a loop on the Oak Rock Trail and finally on the Potts Branch Trail, for a total distance of 5 miles. It's free, bring water and any snackage you require.

Remember to tune in to tomorrow's A&L section for more complete rundown. And come back to this space Wednesday for a recap and expanded run down of New Year's Day options.