You're not ready for summer.

No, seriously, you're not; you're not ready to go swimming off the coast of Spain (or even in the pool at your apartment complex), you're not ready for that looong hike up King's Mountain, you're not ready to fire up that grill at the family cookout, you're not ready to ... you get the idea.

Of course you may ask, "Why ain't I ready for all that fun stuff?" Well, last I checked, a ton of folks out there have no idea how to swim (believe it or not), another legion of people think hiking boots have wheels in the heels and a whole 'nother army of Charlotteans would be arrested for arson if they attempted to light a bag of charcoal. Am I right? (OK, I am exaggerating just a tad, but you get the idea.)

Face it: You're just not ready for the summer.

But, don't fret, dear reader — all is not lost.

You may not have the skills to fully partake in all the activities that make summer such a fun time today — but if you read the handy tips we've collected in this, our "How-To Guide to Summer Fun," you'll be an expert by tomorrow. Trust me. We've assembled a mad menagerie of step-by-step instructions sure to set you on the path to summer-fun heaven.

And once you've mastered these techniques, flip over to the cornucopia of summer activities we've compiled; I dare you to check out one or all of the hundreds of fun events we have listed and test out your new skills. I double dare you.

Have a great summer!

— Carlton Hargro 

Summer Guide 2007

The how-to guide to summer