I am man enough to admit that the east side of Charlotte isn't for everyone. But for those of you who can venture forth into this wilderness, there are a few hidden treasures waiting to be uncovered.
One of those is Idlewild Road Park. It's not for those of you who need the fancy stylings of Freedom Park, so don't get your hopes up. It's more like the sort of place that brings out the Eric Rudolph in all of us. Unibombers unite.
From a sheer size standpoint, there aren't too many parks in the area that can compete with Idlewild. This 55-acre wilderness has a couple of picnic shelters, playground, softball fields and nature trail, as well as plenty of parking and loads of trees to provide cover for your civil disobedient nature.
Practice being on the lam by hiding in the woods without having to go to the mountains or eat out of dumpsters. Sure, it can get cold in Charlotte, but if you wimp out, you can always go home at night - a lot easier than having to hike down a frozen billy goat trail.