New River Gorge Guide Spring/Summer 2015 by New River Gorge Adventure Guide

GorGe Guide SPRING/SUMMER 2015

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YOUR RESOURCE FOR ADVENTURE IN THE NEW AND GAULEY RIVERS AREA EVENT CALENDAR INSIDE!

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We start making biscuits before dawn.

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May–September June, July, Aug, Oct

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June, July, Aug, Oct May–September

CLOSED Wednesdays Weekdays 11am–4pm Weekends 11am–6pm Weekends 11am–6pm New River Gorge Adventure Guide is a recreation guide for the

Fun For All Ages!

beautiful natural playgrounds in and around the New River Gorge including the Gauley River and Summersville Lake area, the Bluestone River, the Meadow River, and more. It is based out of south-central West Virginia near the New River Gorge Bridge.

Rand McNally” • Voted “Best of the Road by • Trips Run Rain or Shine • Covered Jetboat Ride • Scenic Tram Ride • At Hawks Nest State Park

PuBLISHER/EDITOR Cristina Opdahl COPY EDITOR Martha Opdahl HEALTH/ENVIRONMENT EDITOR Ginger Danz CONTRIBuTING WRITERS Amanda Ashley, Jonathan Danz, Geoﬀ Elliott, Katie Johnson, Erin Larsen, Jim McCormac, Bryan Simon CONTRIBuTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Boyes, Christopher Danz, Pat Goodman, Kyle Heeter, Molly Wolﬀ ADVERTISING Send a request for a media kit to gorgeguide@gmail.com or call 304-573-8113 Copyright© 2015 by Nickelville Press, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is expressly prohibited. New River Gorge Adventure Guide P.O. Box 372; Fayetteville, WV 25840

Outdoor activities are inherently risky, and participation can cause injury or loss of life. Please consult your doctor prior to beginning any workout program or sports activity, and seek out a qualified instructor. Nickelville Press, LLC will not be held responsible for your decision to play outdoors.

COVER: A boy leaps off Jump Rock, Lower New River Gorge. Photograph by Molly Wolff/www.mollywolffphotography.com

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARTIN uNRuE

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Photos, opposite page (clockwise from top left): Randall Sanger, courtesy of adventures on the gorge, clay wright, molly wolff, courtesy of ace, pat goodman

Spring/Summer 2015 Issue

Happenings

8. Finding Balance A Q&A with Pat Goodman on living the climbing life. 9. The Jump Off New twists on Bridge Day BASE jumping platforms. 10. Festivalia So many festivals in the New River Gorge area this year, so little time.

Artist Found A longstanding trail mystery has been solved. 11. Not a Walk in the Park A new trail on the rim of the gorge will bump up the level of difficulty for area mountain bike trails.

12. O’ River! Wild and Free...

by Jonathan Danz, Geoff Elliot, Katie Johnson, Kim Maxwell, and more New River runners get swoony about their favorite, classic whitewater section—the Lower New.

18. The Long Way Home

by Andrew Forron What can you do in 24 hours with two bikes, 2 sleeping bags, and coffee supplies?

20. Bike Camping

by Mike Boyes How to get lost (and then found, just when you’re hungry) on two wheels in West Virginia.

21. Day Trips

Where to ride your bike in the New River Gorge area.

22. Going Deep

by Nate Freier The view from a niche sport that’s all about going under water—way under water.

24. Singing in the Rain by Geoff Heeter stop you from hitting the trail.

How not to let a little rain

26. Why I Live Here

by Katie Johnson The road from Iowa to a corner of the Appalachian mountains is a pleasantly curvy one.

27. Who Cooks For You?

barred owl flying to a branch near you.

28. Be Well

by Jim McCormac The beautiful, vocal

by Erin Larsen How to eat for healthy bones and teeth.

29. Event Calendar

A new mountain bike festival, birds of prey celebration, triathlons, turnpike hikes, and more.

31. The Gorge Guide Restaurant Guide

Hungry? Let us help source your next meal. Check this chart to find all the good food this area has to offer.

32. Where to Find It

Adventure, Cabins, Hotels, Restaurants, Retail, Camping, & Services found here.

Happenings

From first laying your eyeballs on it to sending it, how long did it take? I probably put eight days into it (over the course of) a month, trying it a couple of times a week. It actually went pretty quick.

Pat Goodman finesses Party in My Mind, Fern Point, NRG

Finding Balance

How’d you come up with the name? Another route near it is named Lone Rhinoceros. At Tudor’s (Biscuit World), there’s a Thundering Herd biscuit. It was a slapyou-in-the-face obvious name.

You’ve climbed in North America, South America, Asia. How do you support your climbing lifestyle? It’s a full-time job planning and finding the resources and whatever means to support climbing trips. You can apply for grants. I’ve had pretty good success in that. Sponsorship dollars. But ultimately, it’s elbow grease—I install and design hardwood floors and it’s a pretty good living. I probably work about six months a year and the other time I spend climbing and traveling.

pAT GoodMAN, A preTTy NorMAl Guy, doeS SoMe GNArly cliMBS

Q&A

By Mary reed

NEW RIVER GORGE-BASED ROCK climber Pat Goodman has claimed hundreds of bouldering and rock climbing first ascents from as far away as China to as nearby as the New River Gorge’s Beauty Mountain. Goodman talked with the Gorge Guide about creating a life centered around climbing. Out of all the places in the world you’ve climbed, why did you settle in Fayetteville? Because I was traveling here so much. The rock quality here is what makes this place so rad … especially being a trad climber, you can get away with finicky gear placements. You’ve put up quite a few first ascents. Which is your favorite? There are categories: adventure first ascents in the mountains, ones when I was younger growing up in New Mexico. It would be hard to pinpoint. They’re all like kids in a way. I love ’em all.

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What kind of grants do you get? The American Alpine Club has grants you can apply for. You have to come up with some viable adventure. Since they started (the Copp-Dash Inspire Award) in 2009, I’ve received that grant almost every year. (Alpine climbers Jonny Copp and Micah Dash) perished in 2009. Their families created a grant in their name, in their honor.

You describe yourself as a climbing ambassador. What's that? A lot of it is just inspiring normal people. I’m a pretty normal person. I don’t have a trust fund. I’m not just naturally talented to do one-armed pull-ups. I think people see I’m just a normal dude, I’ve got a job, I don’t have a chip on my shoulder. I think it helps people who want to live their dreams, to a degree. The other part of that is I definitely put a lot of time into establishing good routes and maintaining routes with anchor replacement and trail maintenance. I urge my sponsors to put money into events or sponsor athletes that are like-minded. Definitely a big thing is crag management and trying to make sure we get to keep these resources. What do you look for in a climbing partner? Somebody who’s psyched to climb. What’s your favorite post-climbing drink? That depends. I kind of like warm lemon tea. That’s not what I was expecting you to say. Yeah. Everybody likes a nice cold beer, but that’s not my first go-to…. I like warm lemon tea.

Goodman snaps a selfie on Mt. Daugou, China

I assume you don’t plan to have any grants named after you. No, there won’t be. I’m not nearly as gnarly as those guys.

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Who sponsors you, and is it just gear or also cash? I get money. At Mountain Hardwear, I was making a salary plus a pretty substantial equipment budget and a nice travel budget. Now with Outdoor Research, I’m still making some money and with La Sportiva, I make a little money. Julbo, Metolius, and Petzl is product.

You can read Pat Goodman’s blog at bolderznwallz.blogspot.com and see his climbing videos at vimeo.com/user2864090.

PHOTOGRAPHS THIS PAGE BY PAT GOODMAN. OPPOSITE PAGE: NRGAG

How about your favorite first ascent at the New? I think my favorite route is Thundering Herd. It’s probably 5.13b, all gear and it stands out to me for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a pretty big section of cliff—it’s about 100 feet tall. It kind of got overlooked during the days of bolting and development. And then the fact that it goes on gear … it’s absolutely four stars.

Happenings

Enjoy a relaxing cabin stay with adventure filled activities

UBS HOT T ED! D INCLU

BASE jumpers at New River Gorge Bridge Day

The Jump off AT THIS YEAR’S NEW River Gorge Bridge Day on October 17, BASE jumpers will have two new features to leap from. BASE, which stands for Bridge, Antenna, Structures, and Earth, is a subset of skydiving in which parachutists jump not from a plane but from fixed structures or land formations. First, a 24-foot-tall antenna will be installed on the bridge as a launching point. “The feeling of being on and jumping from an antenna structure is quite different than the platform at Bridge Day,” says Mark Kissner, a new BASE coordinator for Bridge Day. “At 24 feet tall, the view from up there will be unique. And, of course, the extra altitude never hurts either.” The second new BASE jumping feature at New River Gorge Bridge Day will be a long, narrow plank tht organizers are calling “Walk the Plank.” It will extend 15 feet over the bridge’s edge and will be only 4 inches wide— about the width of a gymnastics balance beam. “It’s pretty easy to walk on a balance beam at ground level,” Kissner says. “But 880 feet up, it will be quite the mind game.” Kissner comes to Bridge Day after long-time Bridge Day BASE jumping organizer Jason Bell stepped down from the

position last year in protest of changes to the security check for vendors, rappellers, and BASE jumpers. The check would have required them to be fingerprinted to gain access to the bridge. The change ignited a protest throughout the BASEjumping community. The Bridge Day Commission eventually followed with another option of 3rd party background checks for those who do not wish to be fingerprinted. BASE jumping is not the only feature of Bridge Day. Teams will rappell from the bridge, and a High Line—a 700-foot line angling from the bridge to the side of the New River Gorge—will be available for solo or tandem rides. Even better, parachutists from the All Veteran Group, a stunt skydiving team, will leap from a plane that flew in World War II’s D-Day attacks. The plane, called Whiskey 7, is the actual lead plane from the second attack on Normandy. It was brought back into commission last year in partnership with the National Warplane Museum. For more information, contact the Bridge Day office, 800-927-0263, or oﬃcialbridgeday.com.

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Hula hoops and music at the Mountain Music Festival 2014

New Festivalia The New River Gorge is an ideal location for festivals. There is Bridge Day, of course, and the New River Birding Festival, an event that brings binoculared bird lovers tiptoeing in every spring. In the fall, whitewater paddlers celebrate the mighty Gauley River at Gauley Fest. The New River Rendezvous, a rock climbers’ gathering, had a great run for 10 years. The New River Festival, a fundraiser and awareness-raising

Artist Found 10 NEWRIVERGORGEGUIDE.COM

event for clean water issues, sputtered out in 2014. Most of these events have had music, but none have been actual music festivals— you know, the kind that draws in hoardes of people to loll in the grass and listen to singersongwriters by day and dance to electric jams into the night. Enter the Mountain Music Festival in June of last year, an event put on by the folks at ACE that featured some well-known

If you pay attention while hiking the short Face Loop Trail, at about 0.1 miles in you will notice a wonderful mossy carving of a man’s face in a rock. Just who carved it has long been a mystery among New River Gorge hikers. But late last year, the Gorge Guide received an email. “That rock carving was done by my Grandfather, George Johnson, who lived in that holler,” Sandy Reynolds wrote. George Lewis Johnson, Reynolds tells us, was born in Buchanon, Virginia, in 1892. He moved to Lansing, West Virginia, when he was 9 years old. At that young age he began working in the coal mines. Over his lifetime, he was married 3 times and had 17 children. He carved that rock after he retired and lived at his house

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Gauley Fest

in Lansing where the Face Rock Trail is now located. The house is no longer there. Reynolds tells us the carving was a self portrait and that a nearby carving of the name Johnson into a different rock was also done by her grandfather. “My grandfather was self-educated by reading history books, etc,” writes Reynolds. “He also taught himself woodworking and made many pieces of wood-hewn furniture for his family and friends (he personally made me a child’s rocker from grapevine).” George Johnson died in April, 1975, and was buried at a cemetery in Lansing. Thank you for the carvings, George Johnson, and may you rest in peace.

photos, this page:, clockwise from top: courtesy of ace , NRGAG, nrgag; opposite page: courtesy of imba trail solutions (top), christopher danz (bottom).

bands like the Wood Brothers and Keller Williams. The Mountain Music Festival will happen again this year on June 5-6 with the Del McCoury Band and Papadosio. It may be the beginning of a new wave of New River Gorge festivals, for quite a few more are in the works for this year. On Labor Day weekend, there will be the Cascade Festival, an arts festival drawing on participation by the Fayetteville Arts Coalition, Tamarack artists, and Mountain Stage. The same folks will be hosting a singleday music event on Bridge Day. New River Alliance of Climbers, who brought us the New River Rendezvous, are pulling together a climbing-oriented New River Gorge Film Fest. And a new mountain bike festival is planned in July. Get your party hats ready, because 2015 is shaping up to be a good one.

Not a Walk in the Park While most cyclists have been resting their quads or skiing over the winter, Adam Stephens has been busy trail building to complete what will be a new 10-mile mountain bike loop in the New River Gorge. Called the Wild Rock Loop, the new trail will link sections of previous trails at Wild Rock, Adventures on the Gorge, and the Ansted-Connector Trail. This 10-mile route bumps up the difficulty level of this area’s mountain biking options. “People have been asking for a more advanced trail to complement the fast and flowy Arrowhead Trails,” says Stephens, who owns Marathon Bicycle Compay in Fayetteville. “This loop will be

Solar in NRG Last October, the birds-eye view of Fayette County, West Virginia, changed as the Fayette County Solar Co-op began to

more advanced with harder climbs and some of the most technical terrain in the New River Gorge.” Some of the trail’s sections will traverse embedded rock, have tight turns, and include steep climbs. Riders will also feel some exposure to steep gorge slopes. The Wild Rock Loop is not completed yet—Stephens hopes to have the new section completed and trail markers hung by sometime in June of this year. That should be plenty of time for mountain bikers to get in condition for this new challenge. —Cristina Opdahl

install its first photovolatic (solar power) panels on the roofs of homes. The Solar Co-op was formed to try and make solar panels affordable for residents by arranging a bulk discount. The group has more than 30 members in the process of going solar. Federal tax credits may also be available. Visit wvsun.org/solarcoops/fayette.

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Forgive us for waxing poetic, but the mighty New River chisels itself into your soul. Just what leaves its mark is a little bit different for everyone. For some, it's the serenity of quiet drifting. For others, it's the bottom of the world dropping out from under them. We asked our writers and those who know the Lower New River well what most draws them back to the river. Many gave us the skinny on their favorite places in the 13 miles. Others tapped into their inner Walt Whitman. All are worth readingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Photos, this page, Molly wolff; opposite page, molly wolff (top), courtesy of ACE (bottom)

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; River! Wild and Free...

Jump Rock: Lower New River stop number one. Take a step back from the edge, get an “all clear,” put your eyes on the tree line, and walk out into open air. Your stomach drops before your body gets grabbed by gravity and dunked into the cool blue-green water. The current is slow enough here, you can swim back to the rock and do it all over again. —Cristina Opdahl

Here we are, my paddling partners and me, alone again on the mighty New River. All of this power, beauty, and peace unfurling just for us, reminding us that the antidote to all things stressful is right here. —Maura Kistler, former raft guide and current river runner

Greyhound: Surfing or Swimming

A small crew of friends digging hard through middle and lower Keeney, telling stories (and lies!) in the relative calm before Double Z, and recounting the day's adventures while packing gear and enjoying a drink. The smiles, the fun, the camaraderie—for me, that is the essence of a day on the New River.

—Bryan Simon, climber and author

Re-imagine History I’ve always been a history buff and find myself staring into the forest thinking about what things must have been like here in earlier times. The New River Gorge has such incredibly rich scenery in the present, its past is easy to overlook. For me the most incredible piece of history is the travels of Mary Ingles. Not the Little House on the Prairie Mary Ingles. This Mary was a settler in the village of Drapers Meadow in colonial Virginia. Her settlement was attacked by a band of Shawnee warriors during the French and Indian War. She was taken captive and moved close to present day Cincinnati. After several months, she escaped and began what was ultimately a month and a half journey home. The only route home she knew through the trackless wilderness was to follow the Ohio River and the New River back to Virginia. She and a companion followed the river’s left shoreline, never leaving the gorge and rarely getting out of sight of the river. The next time you’re floating below the Keeneys, take a look at the left shore. Think about what it must have been like to scramble over and around those massive house-sized slabs of rock with no supplies and only one thought...to survive long enough to make it back home. —Geoff Elliott

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photos this page: courtesy of adventures on the gorge (top), michael boyes (bottom). opposite page, top to bottom: kyle heeter, adventures on the gorge

When the Fayette Station gauge reads 8 feet high, Greyhound is a mammoth, boat-flipping hydraulic. At one to two feet, it's a dynamic surf hole. Drop down to zero feet or below (keep in mind, the Fayette Station gauge is a relative gauge with an arbitrary zero point) and it’s time to park the boat on the shore and body surf instead. It’s hard not to smile when I’m neck deep in the foamy backwash, staying cool and feeling the rush of water around me. —Jonathan Danz

The cathedral majesty of the gorge below Lower Keeney’s always reminds me of how old the New actually is. —Hawey Wells, former raft guide What I love about the lower New? Well, it is in my backyard, so I love that part. I love the way mist rises and clings to the lush green walls of the gorge, the way the sandstone lines it just so. I love the big water waves, the huge boulders, the light on the water in the late afternoon. I love that it is so easy to run shuttle and so unintimidating to run the river. I love that since it is so wide, so clean of line, warm of water, that it is the perfect moonlight run. —Colleen Laffey, kayaker

Hot Tub Rock Just downstream from the Halls of Karma is Hot Tub Rock, which is really two things: a hot tub sized pothole in the rock just beneath the surface of the water and a water flume between two rocks. One of the funnest places on the river is here for exploring and cavorting among fun configurations of rocks and water, floating between rocks, exploring the quiet underwater eddy beneath the backside of Hot Tub Rock, or just relaxing in the hot tub on a hot summer day. —Jonathan Danz

For information and resources on running the Lower New River, go to newrivergorgeguide.com/rivers. For guides and outfitter information, go to newrivergorgecvb.com/see-and-do/river-rafting

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Floating into Double Z At normal river levels there are two Class V rapids on the Lower New. The first is the Keeney’s, big and wild. The second is Double z, which is more technical and allows little room for error. This is the rapid that kept me from eating lunch when I was a guide. It is the rapid that requires the most focus and skill. It is the rapid that has tossed me from my boat more times than any other. To enter the rapid, you set up your boat with a hard right angle WAAAAY upstream, and then you wait. And wait. That feeling you get climbing the first big hill on a roller coaster? You get that, times 100. Front car, no track. You can almost hear the chink, chink, chink… You watch raft after raft ahead of you pass Thumb Rock at the top of the rapid and disappear. After holding your breath for what feels like forever, you feel your raft pick up speed in the current and at last it is time to execute your plan. There is really nothing in the world that can compare to the feeling of joyful anticipation mixed with sheer terror at the entrance to Double z. This is what it is all about: living in the moment and feeling truly alive. —Kim Maxwell

For information and resources on running the Lower New River, go to newrivergorgeguide.com/rivers. For guides and outfitter information, go to newrivergorgecvb.com/see-and-do/river-rafting

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What do I look forward to most on the New? Peace. No matter what is going on in my life, when I step from the shore to the water it all melts away. I’ve never had a bad day on the New River, and I can’t imagine I ever will. This place has a great spirit and I feel it every single time I’m there. — Lauren Weatherford, former raft guide

PHOTOS, THIS PAGE: .NRGAG (TOP), COuRTESY OF ADVENTuRES ON THE GORGE (BOTTOM). OPPOSITE PAGE: MIKE TuRNER.

Drop down into this wrinkle in time Rise and fall with the river’s powerful wisdom Challenge your skills to find fun in each rapid, Settle into calm pools Spin lazily pondering your place on the planet Find a hot rock and listen for its secrets Play, paddle, share joy Drift under a bridge, last hurrah Relish how far you are from the turbulent troubles of the modern world. —Clay Wright, kayaker

Threading the Needle On summer evenings when the river is at a low level, our family will go on a mini mission to Thread the Needle. Features here include a small wave and a distinct pillow of water bouncing off a giant, black rock. The eye of the needle threads you into eddy lines strong enough to sink and spin you, boat or no boat. One of our favorite things to do is to swim up to a big round rock, grab a tricky hand-hold while the current pulls you in op posite directions and then climb up out of the river. It’s not easy and that’s part of the fun. If you miss the hand hold you have to swim back around again. When you make it up the rock, sit and enjoy the perch. It’s a great place to watch the sunset. Of course, you can always jump in, ride the whirlpools, and come back for more. My husband has fished plenty of big bass and catfish from the landing zone to remind everyone that we are never really alone in those deep, warm waters. —Katie Johnson

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New River Gorge Bridge in Sight There is a point in time on every Lower New raft trip when you round a bend in the river and suddenly an enormous, beautiful, arch bridge is in sight. Someone inevitably asks, “Hey, is that the New River Gorge Bridge?” This is a silly question (we are, after all, in the New River Gorge), but it is entirely understandable. After a full day of wilderness and nature, the bridge genuinely takes people by surprise. The Bridge itself is a treat to behold from any perspective, but nothing can compare to the experience of drifting underneath. Floating in the water down the river, surrounded by friends and happy strangers, held aloft by your lifejacket with the sun in your face and cool water all around, you admire the graceful arch. Approaching the bridge carried by the river, you feel so small and so connected. The current is slow and time seems to pause as you immerse yourself in the moment. —Kim Maxwell

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A 24-hour odyssey on two wheels

By Andrew Forron One Saturday morning last August, conditions were perfect for riding. As I rolled out of my driveway to work, I decided that taking a roundabout route on the Timber Ridge Trail to the Kaymoor Trail and up Fayette Station Road made more sense than just riding a couple of blocks across town. I had planned on being early. I chose the long route and hoped I wouldn’t be late. Playing hooky is contagious. Spinning along, I began to dream up ways to stretch this adventure out all day. There was one hitch: I couldn’t manage skipping work. But, I thought, why not sneak off after work for an overnight bike-packing trip? Once at work, a quick search revealed that the outdoor Theatre West Virginia at Grandview had a showing that night of Rocket Boys, a play based on the book of the same name about a West Virginia boy who built rockets. It seemed like a solid plan: ride trails along the New River from Fayetteville to Grandview, a beautiful part of the New River Gorge. I asked my lady to join me and she said yes. After working out some details, we were set for a 4:00pm rollout as soon as the shop closed. Bike packing is an interesting concept. It’s like taking bicycle touring, ultra light backpacking, and mountain biking and mixing them all up into one. It’s also really fun. It

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requires a few special pieces of inexpensive gear that allow you to use the bicycle frame as a backpack. Other than that, use just your average lightweight outdoor gear. At 4:00pm after some quick packing, we take off. We are both in good condition for the 40ish miles from Fayetteville to the theater at Grandview. With some road and a little trail, our route is direct. Since we are moving a little slower loaded down with gear, we hustle to get to the show on time. We cross a bridge over the New River at Prince and turn onto a gravel road. Once on the gravel, we look for an unmarked gravel trail that goes up to Grandview. The fellows I ride with around Beckley call this trail Legs of Fire. The name is appropriate for this uphill route. It is an even tougher pedal on a loaded mountain bike, but, luckily, it is short. Once we reach the top of the climb, we hit the

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plateau and are in Grandview with time to spare. We ride around Grandview to view the sights. With some amazing overlooks and some great trails to explore, it’s a nice part of the New River Gorge area. Show time is getting close so we make our way to the Amphitheater. The folks at the ticket counter allow us to stash our bikes for the show. We grab some layers of clothing and purchase some carnival-like food. It isn’t the healthiest choice but it is tasty and well deserved after our ride.

photos, this page: randall sanger (top), istockphoto (bottom). opposite page: courtesty of theatre west virginia

The Long Way Home

This night happens to be the last night for Rocket Boys and one of the last shows of the season for the theater. We are glad to be sitting in the audience. There aren’t many places you can watch a play outdoors. On the way to Grandview we had scouted some campsites that agreed with park service regulations. After the show, we are able to slip around post-event traffic and head to our spot. We are traveling light: no tents, just sleeping bags and bivy sacks. It is a perfect night with no humidity and lots of stars. We quickly fall asleep. In the morning, we are even luckier, for our campsite has the perfect aspect for watching the sun rise. It is foggy and the light shining through the rhododendrons gives off different colors. We make coffee while we wait for the fog to clear. Once the fog clears we pedal to the Subway near Little Beaver State Park, where we have breakfast before heading to the rocky trails of Little Beaver. They are always fun, even if you are toting around some camping gear. We enjoy a couple of hours of fun singletrack and then carry on with our adventure. We had planned a loop rather than an out-and-back, so next up is the freshly-opened Glade Creek Trail. It’s a fine section of very beautiful singletrack in a narrow gorge. In the spring, amazing wildflowers are strewn all along the valley floor. This time of year it is green all the way to the New River. Several miles down the trail we find a great swimming hole, a perfect place to cool off after 20 or so miles of riding. Once we finish the Glade Creek

A Grand View Grandview, once a West Virginia state park, became part of the New River Gorge National River in 1990. It’s well known for its sweeping views of the New River Gorge including Horseshoe Bend (see photo, opposite page), which can be seen from the Main Overlook, 1,400 feet above the New River. The 5 hiking trails at

Trail, we pedal along the river on a rolling gravel road, eventually returning to Prince, where we begin retracing our steps of the afternoon before. We pedal through Thayer, Stone Cliff, and Thurmond, down the South Side Junction Trail, and into Cunard. That is the end of the flat spinning. Home is at the top of the gorge and we are at the bottom. Much like the end of the previous day’s ride we have to climb straight up the side of the gorge. Thankfully, on this section the steep parts are paved. On the way up the gorge, we hit the Kaymoor Trail, a mellow trail that follows a contour along the gorge. It’s a classic trail that offers some nice views of the river and the cliffs along the north rim of the gorge. Eventually we come to a Y and veer up to climb Craig’s Branch Trail up the gorge to its rim. Once on the rim, we arrive at the Arrowhead Trails and their fastflowing singletrack. We take a left turn and link Arrowhead trails and a few other New River Gorge trails all the way to Fayetteville Town Park. By a few minutes after 5:00pm, we are home. We had been gone a little over 24 hours and had ridden more than 100 miles. We had watched a great outdoor drama. We had slept outside. We had caught an amazing sunrise. We had swum in a cool swimming hole. It was not bad for a last minute adventure by bicycle. Andrew Forron has been mountain biking for 24 years. He owns and runs New River Bikes (newriverbikes.com; 304-574-2453) on Court Street in Fayetteville.

Grandview include a 1.6 mile trail called Grandview Rim Trail that leads from the Main Overlook to Turkey Spur Overlook. For more information about Grandview, go to nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/ grandview.htm or call 304-763-3715. Theatre West Virginia, an outdoor ampitheater based at Grandview, offers a variety of outdoor perfor mances during the summer season. For a schedule, go to theatrewestvirginia. com.

SPRING/SUMMER 2015 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE 19

Bike Camping

Taking Just What You Need and Hitting the Trail

One of the latest buzzwords for cross-country cyclists and endurance riders is bikepacking. You read that right. It’s not backpacking, but bikepacking. Bikepacking is similar to backpacking in that you carry what you need for multiday adventures. One difference, of course, is that you have a bike frame instead of a backpack to carry your gear. Another difference is that with bikepacking, you can cover more miles than if you were hiking. If you plan properly, you can have the luxury of rolling into a town for dinner. We are lucky in southern West Virginia to have a good network of remote trails and roads plus scattered small towns. Together these are perfect for bikepacking adventures. As with most things, preparation is the key to success. A well-planned trip can take months of preparation. Take the time to gather the gear and knowledge, plus a good level of fitness—needed for an enjoyable tour. Cyclist fitness levels vary widely, so one of your first steps should be an honest assessment of your abilities. Is your idea of fun riding 10 miles a day? 40? or over 100? Your choice of terrain should also influence the distance you plan to cover each day. You can go much longer and faster on smooth, paved surfaces. Plan for fewer miles on dirt roads and trails. Be conservative rather than too ambitious for your first trip. Once you have a good idea of a daily distance, scour maps for potential routes. You’ll want to avoid US and state highways. Look for

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remote county roads, gravel roads, rail trails, and even singletrack trails, depending on your offroad capability. Along a route it’s important to look for connecting towns for dining stops and at refueling locations so that you do not have to carry cooking equipment and food. A personal favorite of mine is starting in Fayetteville and rolling into the Del Sol Cantina in downtown Lewisburg right when I am hungry. I order a large burrito to eat there, plus one to go for later, and I am fueled until breakfast. Nice pitstops in the New River Gorge include Fayetteville, Ansted, Lansing, Oak Hill, Beckley, Hinton and and others. To the southeast, the Greenbrier River Trail has several small towns along its length for such stops. Quaint mountain eateries can be found dotted throughout the edges of the Monongahela National Forest. Be sure to consider gas stations and convenience stores good resources as well.

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The gear list for bikepacking can fill an entire article. It will also vary depending on your ability to rough it. For me, lighter means easier. So that I am not overly loaded down when I am on my bike, I accept certain levels of discomfort when I am off my bike. I skip the cumbersome sleeping pad and I honestly don’t miss it. If I didn’t have to carry a sleeping pad all day, the hard, cold ground feels remarkably wonderful after a long hard day on the bike. You can buy special gear such as packs to fit on your bike frame. These tend to be lighter than other options and are particularly nice if you plan to be on a trail. Old school pannier packs and trailers are heavier and more cumbersome, but they carry more. They are the better choice for open-road touring. Planning and preparing for multiday tours on two wheels can be a daunting task, but it is well worth the effort. Wonderful two-wheeled adventures await. It really does get easier each day you are out there, and you will create memories that you’ll never forget.

photos, this page: istockphoto (top); bottom: michael boyes. opposite page: Courtesy of ace

By Michael Boyes

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Gorge National River designed by the International Mountain Bike Association specifically for biking pleasure. Clovis Trail, just 1 mile of smooth and twisty trail without much technical demand or uphills, is a perfect one to try for first singletrack. Three other loops—Adena, LeCroy, and Dalton—get a bit trickier in the technical department, and are quite a bit longer. A map can be found at newrivergorgeguide.com/new-river-gorge-mountain-biketrails Intermediate to Advanced

ACE Trails: 25 miles of mixed singletrack and old logging roads moderate to advanced in difficulty. Open to the public. Stop at the welcome center to get a car pass before you ride. Go to aceraft.com for directions. Intermediate

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Arrowhead Trails: 13 miles of singletrack at New River

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You don’t have to camp out to bike in the New River Gorge, of course. One-hour trail blitzes to epic all-day rides can be found in the trail systems below. Find links and some maps at newrivergorgeguide.com/new-river-gorge-mountain-bike-trails.

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Fayetteville Town Park Trails: A network of singletrack trails that follow ridgelines and drop down into several creek beds including picturesque Wolf Creek canyon. Begins with the 1.1 easy Park Loop. Trails that branch off from the loop step it up in difficulty and length. Bonus: you can link up to the Timber Ridge Trail and Arrowhead Trails from town. Beginner to Intermediate

Little Beaver State Park: 18 miles of singletrack, much of which is rooty, rocky, and very technical with few smooth sections for relief. Located in a scenic state park near Beckley, West Virginia, with an 180-acre fishable lake and a hiking path circling around it. littlebeaverstatepark.com, 304-7632494 Advanced New River Gorge National River: 65 miles of varied

riding opportunities ranging from gently sloping gravel roads to heart-pumping singletrack. Some trails are bike-free, but many are very rideable and very worthwhile. We love the Southside Junction Trail. Got to nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/ bicycling.htm for a list of NRGNR biking trails. Beginner to Advanced

Summersville Lake: 7 miles of mostly flat out and back trails, all ending near the lake. Beginner

56104 National Rd Bridgeport, OH 740-738-0578 3476 University Ave Morgantown, WV 304-588-5911

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Going Deep

The Unseen, Unexpected Pleasures of Squirt boating

By Nate Freier Photo by Clay Wright

Nate Freier in the Halls of Karma my first squirt boat was a little big, so I put rocks in my lap so that it could sink. That sounds strange, but while most kayaks are made to stay on top of the water, squirt boats are designed to go down under. They don't just sink when you get in them, they sink when you paddle them into river eddy lines and seams. It is possible to sink a plastic kayak, but it takes a lot of current because plastic boats have a good bit of volume. Squirt boats, on the other hand, are very low volume, fitting tightly around the legs. The boat is made of fiberglass instead of plastic. A true squirt boat is usually uncomfortable to get in, but it feels fine once you are in it. “Mystery Moves” are what make squirt boating special. It’s called a mystery move when you sink a squirt boat in a seam or eddy line in the river. During a mystery move, the downward currents of the seam push on the top of the boat. The key is to keep the boat flat so the current is pushing down on the most amount of boat. As the boat sinks, you also keep the boat rotating. But sometimes, when you get deep, it is possible to stay still in one spot. Either way, if you are doing a mystery move, you completely disappear under the water. A long ride can be 30-50 seconds. A 59-second mystery

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move has been timed once. This year at the World Mystery Competition, a 49-second ride was timed. During a good mystery move, it’s possible to get neutral buoyancy. It feels like floating in space (not that I know how it feels to float in space). You feel weightless, or like you’re flying through the water. Toward the end of the mystery, you slowly rise to the top. It’s funny when people are watching—they look around because they never know where you may pop up. On deep rides, you can feel the boat compress around your legs from the surrounding pressure. West Virginia is world renowned for squirt boating. There are many spots to do mysteries, not just on the New and Gauley, but on the Cheat River in the northern part of the state and I’m sure other rivers as well. Squirt boaters are always looking for new river seams to exploit. On the New River, the Halls of Karma, a place just below the Keeneys Rapids, is the most popular. It’s deep and powerful. I’ve never hit bottom there, but a kayaker I know wore a depth gauge there once that read 16 feet, so it’s at least that deep. The Halls can be violent because there are a lot of different currents converging together. It sometimes feels like you are in a

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hurricane, getting whipped around, slapped by rushing water. If you can keep the boat level and withstand the barrage, you will go deep and travel a good distance downstream. There is another spot there, too, called Dogma. The seam in Dogma has a down draft that’s like a waterfall. If you hit it right, it feels like you are in an elevator going straight down. There is a rock that is undercut and goes back pretty far. I’ve been under it and was able to put my hands up and touch the underside of the rock. There are several spots on the Gauley River to find mystery moves. Sweet Cheeks is below Pillow Rock. Last Chance is at Mason’s Branch. Junkyard below Canyon Doors is one of my favorites. I like it at 800 to 1200 CFS. The Gauley River has nice, cool clear water. Squirt boaters love it when the water is clear. The New has horrible visibility except during the fall when there is hardly any rafting traffic and the water temp is cooler. The whirlpools and bubbles make incredible, crazy configurations. You can see several whirlpools at once, or big horizontal whirlpools, or whirlpools that go really deep. The visuals are amazing. The deeper you go, the darker it gets and, of course, the harder to see.

3 Adventure Blitzes Choose your level of adrenaline ﬁx. Here are 3 activities: 1 mild, 1 hair-raising, and 1 in-between.

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Jetboat the New River at Hawks Nest One of the best ways to see

the bridge is from a jetboat on Hawks Nest Lake, even better when it’s a jetboat piloted by Rick Larson, who manages to deliver one liners he’s no doubt delivered a thousand times and still be honestly funny. He’s not a bad jetboat pilot, either. On a recent trip this writer actually got butterflies when he carved the jetboat into the tailwaves of Old Nasty rapid, our end point.

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Zipline Through the Trees

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Flying through the trees, hanging out on a platform way above the forest floor—these are the pleasures of ziplining. When you first start, it will get your heart pumping. After all, some ziplines can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. But you’ll quickly learn how to apply the brakes. At that point, you can relax and have fun. How to Get There: Adventures on the Gorge (855-9237619; adventurewestvirginia. com) and Ace Adventure Resort (800-787-3982; aceraft.com)

wild

Aerobatics in the Air

Taking flight in an open-cockpit 1940 Stearman biplane is not an

opportunity that comes along very often. This adventure can be quite mild as you gaze at the seemingly endless ribbon that is the New River and admire the bridge. It only gets wild if you give your pilot the thumbs up to begin the aerobatics. How to Get There: Wild Blue Adventures, wildblueadventurecompany.com

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Family Travel

Singing in the Rain

You really haven’t lived until you’ve hiked

Don’t pick a trail that is longer or even as long as one you would take on a clear day. in the rain. Keep it short and sweet. I get hot while walking, so just some kind of synthetic layering is all I need. The number one rule for everyone is no cotton, not even your underwear. To make this point very clear, I want

By Geoff Heeter It’s really, really green here in the New River Gorge National Park. We have tons of gushing streams and waterfalls and lush, brilliant foliage. Do you know what all of these amazing things have in common? Rain. Yes, rain. It rains a lot here. We love it and you can, too. When you are walking in the woods and it’s raining, you are going to get wet. Remain calm. It will not hurt a bit. You won’t melt, I promise, although I know some have been convinced otherwise. With today’s technology, check the weather app on your phone and see real-time radar of where you plan to hike. If it is yellow and orange (thunderstorms), deploy your Rainy Day Plan B. If you see blue and green (just rain), get out there. In fact, walking in the rain is a worthy check mark on your bucket list. Trust me: you want to hike in the rain. Walking in the rain is quoted in songs and poetry and movies and art everywhere throughout time for solid reasons. Such as: It is amazing. It’s particularly good for the deep, dark corners of your brain. “The sky is crying, baby, look at the tears roll down the street.” —Elmore James (made more famous by Stevie Ray Vaughan) Some things you can see only if you hike in the rain, like the red-spotted newt. Those little wonders come out only in the rain. Then there are raindrops on a spider web that turn it into lace. A miniature waterfall running down the trunk of a tree. Water spots on your foggy glasses are also good. Here is how to go about it: One way is to ignore the rain and just get wet. You won’t melt and you do not need any special stuff. Just relax and enjoy the fact that your skin is waterproof. Just keep moving and smile and you'll stay plenty warm, The other angle is to be ready for it.

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you to get a tissue, put it on the back of your hand, and sprinkle a few drops of water on it. Just writing about it makes me queasy. Notice how the water spreads out but never dries up. That is what happens when wearing cotton of any type in the rain. Quick, wipe that stuff off your hand and put on some synthetic undies. Okay, now you are ready to dress. For some folks, wet feet are a big hurdle. Muck boots keep your feet from getting wet from the outside, but your feet will still end up damp from sweat. They are also not very good for walking. If you have high-dollar “waterproof ” hiking boots, wear them. If you don’t, do what I do. Wear regular shoes and good quality synthetic socks and live with wet feet. This part is way different for me than the wet cotton underwear, for some reason. Secret #1: Pull the insoles out and stuff the shoes with newspaper as

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soon as you get back. If they are soaked, change the newspaper before bed and by morning they will be wearable again. Moving on up, if it is warm I am in shorts. No cotton jeans, for sure. I like long sleeve t-shirts or shirts for my first layer. Next is a fuzzy-type pullover or vest. You could also wear a wool sweater or, like I do, a buffalo-plaid shirt like in old hunting photos. (Remember, if you look good, you feel good and it is so important to feel good.) A shell, or raincoat, is often too much for me, unless it is a cold downpour. But wear a shell if you get cold easily. My wife has several different types of shells depending on the temperature and intensity of the rain, her mood, the season, the rest of her outfit. She looks marvelous in all of them. When needed, shells are great. A hood is both my favorite and least favorite part. I love that it keeps my neck dry but I hate that it cuts down on my hearing and peripheral vision. The upshot: Use it when you need it. Apologies to my friends at Waterstone Outdoors in downtown Fayetteville, but having a state-of-the-art raincoat is not necessary for hiking in the rain. It’s nice, but not necessary. A hat is key. Just what kind of hat is depends on your own preferences. Speaking practically, a wide brim is great, although it keeps you from deploying the hood when that is needed. You’ll eventually learn the finer points that work best for you. Baseball caps are better at keeping the raindrops off your face and glasses. If you wear glasses, bring a lens cloth so you can keep them clean. Secret #2: an umbrella. Yes, just like Gene Kelly's famous and

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Great Hikes in the NRG For hiking in the rain or under a blue-bird sky, here are a few of our favorite trails in the New River Gorge area. For directions on how to get there and other details, go to our online Trail Guide at newrivergorgeguide.com/trail-guide. â&#x2014;&#x2020;â&#x20AC;&#x192; Endless Wall Trail â&#x20AC;&#x192; Offers beautiful views of the New River Gorge plus an old Eastern forest feel in some sections and tight rhododendron tunnels in others. Length: 2.4 miles â&#x2014;&#x2020;â&#x20AC;&#x192; Longpoint Trailâ&#x20AC;&#x192; A 3-mile out-and-back cruise to a prominent point where you are rewarded with an up close view of the New River Gorge Bridge. Length: 3.2 miles

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â&#x2014;&#x2020;â&#x20AC;&#x192; Glade Creek Trailâ&#x20AC;&#x192; This trail, long enough you can really sink into it, follows a pictureesque waterway through hardwood forest. Length: Length: 5.6 miles â&#x2014;&#x2020;â&#x20AC;&#x192; Ansted-Hawks Nest Rail Trailâ&#x20AC;&#x192; This rail trail overlooks Mill Creek, offering spectacular waterfalls during the rainy season and enormous icicles in the winter. Length: 3.8 miles â&#x2014;&#x2020;â&#x20AC;&#x192; Burnwood Trailâ&#x20AC;&#x192; A perfect trail for families, this trail is almost entirely flat and includes beautiful American Beech trees and other worthwhile flora. Length: 1.2 miles

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was confused. After college I attempted to find a job near home and family, but I only felt doom each time The pull of interesting topography is strong I looked at my interview suit. One week of vacation per year seemed like a prison sentence. I needed to explore, to ramble, to see and feel new things, but I didn’t know how to explain this angst. “Nomad” wasn’t in my family’s vocabulary. It would have been easier if I’d had a sibling, or even a distant relative, who’d gone off and lived in a tent by choice. But it seemed that all of my relatives were hard-wired to grow food and families, not feed their inner explorer. Finding my way required that I listen to myself and leave home. When I decided to go there was no itinerary to give the folks. I just hung up my interview suit, slipped into my black sheep costume and drove into the mountains, bushwhacking myself into the future. For nearly a decade I worked seasonal jobs and explored mountains, deserts and oceans. I got a commercial drivers license and drove tour buses, shuttle vans, and alpine taxis in national parks and resort In every walk with nature one receives far more towns. The location of each than he seeks. —John Muir working vacation was based on unique geography, natural beauty, and the easy accessibility of the Where I grew up in Iowa, the roads wilderness that I wanted to explore. I soaked in are laid out in a grid. They are wide, gravel roads rocky desert springs, surfed in the Pacific along that run in the cardinal directions intersecting black sand beaches, and swam in emerald lakes every mile. When I was little we would jump dotted white with icebergs. I learned to ski. in the car and go for a drive to check out the My folks were not thrilled. Both parents are neighboring crops. I loved those rides and smart and full of good advice. They raised six kids remember being so excited when we'd come to on homegrown food, hard work, lots of books, a road that was made from an old buffalo trail. and plenty of fun. But they didn't know what was This road didn't run on the grid. It meandered itching inside of me. My dreams were beyond and curved defying the laws of midwestern their imaginations. They didn't understand structure. Later, when I got my driver’s license, why I would leave my wonderful home. On one my friends and I would go out exploring. We visit to Vail, Colorado, Dad looked at the Rocky looked for rivers and ridges, places that weren’t Mountains and grumbled, “Why would anyone flat and roads that weren’t square. I even chose live here? You can't grow anything.” my college because it was a rare Iowa campus Along the way I learned to guide a raft. My with interesting geography. focus narrowed to whitewater rivers. This led It makes sense to me now that I was attracted me to West Virginia and West Virginia is where to variation in the land, but as a young adult I I've been for more than twenty years. In none of

Why I Live Here

By Katie Johnson

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those wild dreams I had when I was a teenager and young adult did I imagine myself living in Appalachia. When I drove up the Kanawha Valley I first noted the poverty, industry and pollution. I never had that, “Wow, this is amazing,” first impression. There were no grand vistas like out west, just humble, old, rugged mountains. As I drove eastward and into Fayette County the roads got narrower. They twisted and turned and I felt like I was going back somewhere in time. It was when I parked the truck, lined up my job and began to poke around in the cool, dark woods that I really started to fall in love. Here was a place that had mystery around every bend. The woods were full of trails leading me to surprises of all sizes. I walked under giant orange walls and played in cascading waterfalls. I picked wild mushrooms and ate all kinds of wild berries. Every square foot of land was teeming with life. It would take a lifetime to explore it all. Making that first move away from home, and the many moves that followed, was the smartest thing I ever did. I found adventure and a way of life that was not going to crush my spirit. I learned about myself in a playful environment. I was challenged and humbled by things that, to me, were interesting and worth a lot of effort. I learned how to live a day that was satisfying. When I followed my heart, I found a community of people who were like me. This was especially true in West Virginia. I made friends who were locals and friends who had moved here for the same reason I had, for adventure. I met my husband working on the river. His knowledge of the mountains and thirst for adventure was what attracted me to him. When we got married my parents made their first trip to West Virginia. It was at our wedding that I heard Mom try to explain to my friends that I wasn't normal, almost as if she was apologizing, or warning them. What she didn’t know was that she was talking to a bunch of other “interesting” (that’s her go-to adjective for me) people who were so much like me. Now, twenty-some years later I still live here near the rim of the gorge. When people ask me why I live here I can honestly answer, it is because of the mountains. Every single day I leave automation behind and get out into these mountains. Whether it's before work, after work, or even on a lunch break, I make it a point to get there. I go for exercise. I go for fun, to rejuvenate, to stay sane. I go to get away. Even if I just take ten minutes, I get there. I walk, run, bike, or ski. I paddle and swim. Sometimes I just sit. I go with friends, I go with my kids, or my husband. Most of the time, it’s just my dog and me. Almost every time, even if it’s on a trail that I've been on hundreds of times, I see something new. There is no end to the exploring. It is because I can get there that I stay here.

photos, this page: forestwander.com; opposite page: Jim Mccormac

Lifestyle

Nature charismatic. It is often detected by its hooting, a loud series of growling guttural notes often transcribed as “Who Cooks for You?”, “Who Cooks for You All!?” A singing barred owl frequently triggers its mate to join in. The resultant cacophony is unbelievable, and a pair caterwauling back and forth is “fairly startling, as if a pair of demons were fighting,” in the words of biologist Arthur Bent. Identifying barred owls is easy. They’re big, nearly the size of a red-tailed hawk. Most West Virginia owls have yellow eyes; only this species and the much rarer, whiter barn owl have brown eyes. Barreds are also “earless.” The other common owls in the state, the eastern screech owl and great horned owl, have conspicuous ear tufts. Barred owls are quite common in heavily wooded ravines in the New River region. Occasionally one gets lucky and stumbles into a sleepy, heavy-lidded owl as it dozes on a branch during the day. To more easily find owls and get their full effect, one must venture out after dark. Barred owls are quite vocal, and very inquisitive. Even the crudest imitation of their calls might bring a bird in to investigate. It can be a spooky experience for the uninitiated, as a large ghostly shadow courses through the branches on utterly silent wings. Dropping onto a nearby branch, the owl will typically regard its imitator with an inscrutable gaze for a few minutes, and then launch into its salvo of astonishingly loud hoots. For a brief magical interlude, the black woods come alive with barred owl-speak, one of the coolest sounds of nighttime West Virginia.

“Who cooks for you?”

The woods are alive with the barred owl

By Jim Mccormac OWLS ARE ALL AROuND uS. They aren’t even particularly secretive. But these birds normally ply their trade under cover of darkness, so we don’t often see them. The 19 breeding species in the u.S. represent only 2% of North America’s bird species. In spite of their general scarcity, these hooters generate an inordinate amount of interest. Some of mankind’s earliest scrawlings indicate this fascination. Cave art discovered in France, dating back 35,000 years, clearly depict an owl. In modern times J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, prodded owls into the limelight. They serve as winged messengers; Harry’s mail-owl, Hedwig, is a snowy owl, an extremely rare visitor to West Virginia. Look into the face of an owl and you’ll see an oddly– perhaps spookily– human-like visage staring back. Large round eyes pierce the beholder, seemingly transmitting otherworldly barred owl intelligence. The startling appearance of owls coupled with their nighttime habits and often frightening calls have led to all manner of folklore. Depending on the culture, owls can be good luck, bad luck, evil, tools of witchcraft, and even weather predictors. But owls are none of these things. They are predatory birds that have evolved incredibly advanced traits that allow them to hunt in nearly total darkness. Their eyes abound with rods and cones that allow for unparalleled night vision. Softened feather edges permit nearly silent flight. Offset ears enable owls to triangulate on sounds extraordinarily well, thus pinpointing even animals under the snow. Woe to the rodent that appears on owl radar. Of the three common breeding owls in West Virginia, the barred owl is perhaps the most

Jim McCormac is an Ohio-based naturalist, author of three books on wildlife, and frequent blogger at jimmccormac.blogsport.com.

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Health

We know all the best places in the New River Gorge

NewRiverGorgeGuide.com Facebook.com/ NewRiverGorgeGuide

1,000,000 people visit New River Gorge National River every year. They all want to know about your business. To advertise in the New River Gorge Adventure Guide, contact gorgeguide @gmail.com or 304-573-8113

NewRiverGorgeGuide.com 28 NEWRIVERGORGEGUIDE.COM

By Erin Larsen

Nutrition for Strong Bones & Teeth

→Digestion starts in your mouth. Chew your food well so that when it hits the small intestine, it has been broken down almost completely and is ready to be absorbed and used to build and repair your cells.

Last year when I went to the dentist for a cleaning, my x-ray showed that I had a cavity. I admit I do not go to the dentist as often →Limit grains and grain-based foods as I should, although I am pretty diligent about (crackers, cereals, pastas), which are broken dental care. I down into glucose brush my teeth (sugar) in the body. daily, floss every →Ferment grains evening, avoid and nuts for a few sugary drinks, hours or overnight and abstain from by soaking them most processed with water and a bit foods, which of acid like lemon often have added juice, buttermilk, sugar. When I yogurt, whey, or was told I needed vinegar.* This a root canal, I process renders began a panicked the grain more search for ways to digestible and more heal cavities and easily assimilated by avoid root canals. our bodies. My research *For an easy, led me to the delicious breakfast, work of dentist soak raw oatmeal Weston Price, overnight in two whose nutritional Oatmeal: better fermented tablespoons of plain theories now yogurt with water, strongly influence raisins, almonds, my diet. and cinnamon. Heat in the morning. Add During the 1930s, Price studied ancient raw honey and bananas. cultures which had remained unaffected by modern Western dietary practices such as →Eat bone broth, leafy greens, a variety processed flour, sugar, and vegetable fats. Price of colorful vegetables, and organic dairy concluded that nutritional deficiencies associated products, which are rich in nutrients. with the classic Western diet led to a variety of →Avoid processed foods since nutrients have dental issues and health problems. The isolated been stripped from them. cultures that ate unprocessed animal fats, Seem complicated? It’s not, really. Eating vegetables, and whole fermented grains (more more whole, unprocessed foods may not always on that later) had none of the dental issues he be convenient, but neither are unhealthy teeth typically saw in his practice. and bones. A little education, planning, and Throughout the course of our lives, as Dr. forethought can save your teeth and bones. If you Price outlines, every cell in the body is dying and want to know more about the traditional ways being replaced over and over again. If we fuel of eating as researched by Weston Price, check our body with the adequate nutrition needed, out Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon. It is our cells are rebuilt with integrity and vitality educational and full of great recipes. without upsetting the balance in our body. If our nutrition is poor, our body is forced to find Erin Larsen is a yoga instructor, holistic health the minerals and nutrients needed from another coach, and adventure junkie who helps people find source, such as our bones. balance in their lives. If you need guidance in your Human bones, which are similar in home, health, or habits, contact her at eelyoga@ composition to teeth, are made up of a mineral gmail.com or 304-640-7320. 100% recycled paper

PhotoS, opposite page: top to bottom: courtesy Ace, nrgag

Be Well

matrix consisting of not only calcium, but also potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. If your body is not getting the adequate minerals needed for metabolism, these minerals can be leached from your bones and teeth resulting in brittle bones and dental caries. So how can you protect yourself through nutrition?

Event Calendar

April ■ April 24-26 New River Gorge Wildflower Weekend

Enjoy Appalachian spring through ranger-guided hikes and other activities at national and state park locations throughout the New River Gorge. nps.gov/ neri/planyourvisit/wildflowerweekend.htm

■ April 25 New River Earth Day

Celebrate our planet Earth, learn about sustainability projects, and listen to live music in downtown Fayetteville, WV. visitfayettevillewv.com

■ April 27-May 2 New River Birding Festival

A full week in the region with expert birders to spy warblers, vireos, bobolinks, waterthrushes, eagles, and many more winged friends. birding-wv.com

May

■ May 9 Fayette County Farmers Market Opens

Official opening of the FCFM season at the new Farmers Market pavilion on Virginia Street in Oak Hill. Beginning May 9, the farmers market will be on Saturdays off Court Street in Fayetteville 7:3011:30am and at the pavilion in Oak Hill on Tuesdays, 4-7pm.

■ May 8-17 Walden: The Ballad of Thoreau

■ May 24 Michael and Carrie Kline at Tamarack

A musical duo that performs tight, high mountain harmonies of traditional Appalachian, Gospel, and contemporary songs. 2pm; tamarackwv.com.

■ May 23 Wonderland Mountain Challenge

Choose a 10K or half marathon. Both distances travel past scenic rock outcrops, cascading streams, and abandoned coal mines in the deep hardwood Appalachian forest. aceraft.com/ pages/special-events

■ May 23 Bluestone National Scenic River Walk

A 2-mile ranger led hike along this beautiful river starting from Pipestem Resort State Park at the bottom of the tram. Begin at 10:00am every Saturday from May 23 through October 10, 2014. Be sure to give yourself an extra 15 to 20 minutes for the tram ride down. nps.gov/blue/ planyourvisit/ranger-programs.htm

■ May 30 Appalachian Music & Arts Festival

To advertise, contact gorgeguide@gmail.com 304-573-8113 NewRiverGorgeGuide.com

Eight hours of live music from blues to string bands, artist demonstrations, and treats at Tamarack. 304-256-6843, facebook.com/tamafest

■ May 31 Mike Snodgrass

The soulful music of singer-songwriter Mike Snodgrass at Janutolo Park in Fayetteville from 6 to 9pm. visitfayettevillewv.com

Lively community theater production at the Historic Fayette Theater with this play about the great naturalist and writer. 304-5744655, historicfayettetheater.com

Two Days a Week, Two Locations!

We accept Food Stamps and WIC-FMNP Coupons!

■ May 9 6 Hours of Arrowhead

Six hours around and around an 11-mile loop that is 90% singletrack. Register at bikereg.com.

 in Fayetteville Saturday Mornings, 7:30–11:30AM

■ May 9 Migration Celebration

Birds of prey educational programs, nature hikes, and family activities at Little Beaver State Park, 9am to 5pm. tracwv.org

More than 1 million people visit the New River Gorge National River every year. They all want to know about your business.

on Court Street in the parking lot of the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau

Photos: top, a mountain biker in the 6 Hours of Arrowhead; bottom: watching warblers at the New River Birding Festival.

 in oak Hill Tuesdays, 4PM –7PM

at the new Farmers Market Pavilion on Virginia Street

Event Calendar combines original well-crafted material with traditional songs. pipestemresort.com

June

■ July 18 Coalfield War Games

■ June 5-6 Mountain Music Festival

Crossfit and fitness competitions including a powerlifting bar fight, with pig roast and live music to follow. coalfieldwargames.com

A high-end lineup at the secondever Mountain Music Festival including the fabulous Del McCoury Band and Papadosio. At AceAdventure Resort, mountainmusicfestwv.com/

■ July 25 Gritty Chix Mud Run

Craft and food vendors, music, and give-a-ways all along the White Oak Rail Trail in Oak Hill. newrivergorgecvb.com/ events/summer-events

▶July 4: Old-fashioned 4th of July in

downtown Fayetteville including a parade, music, and fireworks. visitfayettevillewv.com ▶July 4: Big Air Blob contest and the Rubber Olympics at ACE Adventure Resort (aceraft.com).

■ June 6 Bluestone Turnpike Hike

A remote and beautiful 9.5 miles along the Bluestone River to Bluestone State Park, a hike not otherwise doable without arranging your own shuttle. Pre registration is required. 304-466-0417, nps.gov/blue/planyourvisit/ranger-programs. htm

■ July 10-12 New River Gorge Mountain Bike Fest A gathering of mountain bike enthusiasts with group rides, shuttles, clinics, and plenty of riding on New River Gorge area trails. aceraft.com/pages/special-events

■ July 12 Scenic Mountain Triathlon

A traditional swim, bike, run triathlon in one of the most beautiful areas of West Virginia. A 0.5- mile swim, 17.1-mile bike, 6.2-mile run in the Cranberry Glades area. scenicmountaintriathlon.com

A 5K route over wet, muddy trails and obstacles to benefit First Descents, which provides outdoor adventures for cancer survivors. aceraft.com/ pages/special-events

■ July 26 Little Beaver Chainring Challenge

Locally famous for its technically demanding trails, the Little Beaver singletrack hosts a 7, 14, or 21-mile mountain bike race. wvmba.com

■ July 29–August 2 Appalachian String Band Music Festival

A five-day gathering of stringed instruments, the musicians who play them, and the people who love to hear them at Camp Washington Carver, Clifftop, WV. wvculture.org/stringband

■ July 17-August 2 Dearly Departed

■ June 19-21 Hometown Mountain Heritage Festival

Enjoy lively community theater at the Historic Fayette Theater with this comedic play about life’s passing. 304-574-4655, historicfayettetheater.com

■ July 18 Wheels of Hope Ride

Crafts, food, a parade, and rides in Ansted, WV. newrivergorgecvb.com

July

■ July 3-5 4th of July Weekend Celebrations ▶July 3: Fireworks and a carnival at Adventures on the Gorge. (adventurewestvirginia.com)

30 NEWRIVERGORGEGUIDE.COM

Choose between 4 rides: 113 miles, 65 miles, 31 miles, or 18 miles long. All the routes are through the lush and rolling-hill countryside of the Greenbrier River Valley. Proceeds benefit the HospiceCare and local cancer survivors. wheelsofhopewv.com

■ July 18 Little Sparrow A haunting and humorous duo that

100% recycled paper

■ July 31 Sacagawea—History Alive!

Hear a portrayal of the the young Native American woman who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their arduous journey west in 1804 at the Pipestem ampitheater. wvstateparks.calendar.html Photos, clockwise from top: Keller Williams at the Mountain Music Festival, a gritty chick at the Gritty Chicks Mud Run, Black-eyed Susans along a trail in the New River Gorge National River.

PhotoS, this page: photos courtesty of ace; opposite page: nrgag (top), WV department of culture and history

■ June 6 White Oak Rail Trail Expo

Event Calendar

■ August 22 New River Gorge-ous Trail Run & Hike Where: Minden, WV A 5-mile walk, 8.5-mile run, or 13.2-mile run on mountain roads and singletrack trails

new river

adventure

emergency primer

What to do When Things go Wrong

WWW.NRGORGEGUIDE.COM

GorGe Guide SUMMER/FALL 2013

adventure

FREE!

YOUR RESOURCE FOR ADVENTURE IN THE NEW AND GAULEY RIVERS AREA EVENT CALENDAR INSIDE!

Scenic 10 Waterfalls

Guide Tales STORIES FROM

NRG

THE FIELD

BouldeRiNG

Aerial Sports in the New River Gorge

comes of age

WWW.NRGORGEGUIDE.COM

FrEE!

sUMMEr 2011

new river

Adventure

GorGe Guide Your resource for Adventure in the new And GAuleY rivers AreA

EvEnt CalEndar insidE!

HoW to BUILd aN

adVeNtUReR tEstEd sECrEts FroM tHE FiEld

locals give it Up on Favorite trails

An eclectic mix of old time, bluegrass, and country music at the Pipestem ampitheater. pipestemresort.com/special.html

A fishing tournament for any species on any lake or stretch of water from any craft. aceraft.com/pages/special-events

Must-do Items

■ August 22-23 Mountain Mama Hospice Regatta

■ August 8 Sugar Run Band

■ August 8 King of the Gorge Fishing Tournament

World Class River Playspots

←

A remote and beautiful 9.5 miles along the Bluestone River to Bluestone State Park, a hike not otherwise doable without arranging your own shuttle. Preregistration is required. Sandstone Visitor Center. 304-4660417, nps.gov/blue/planyourvisit/ ranger-programs.htm

EVENT CALENDAR INSIDE!

New River Gorge Bucket List

←

■ August 2 Bluestone Turnpike Hike

a new guide + new trails

←

It’s a perfect length for a first triathlon: 2-mile bike, 1.5-mile paddle, 2-mile run. Kids as young as 7 can enter, and adults and kids can pair up in double inflatable kayaks, free with preregistration. thurmondwv.org

YOUR RESOURCE FOR ADVENTURE IN THE NEW AND GAULEY RIVERS AREA

Live music, games, prizes, and lighthouse tours at this 2nd annual festival in celebration of the Summersville Lake lighthouse. 888-8725580; summersville lakeretreat.com

The 5th annual regatta on Summersville Lake to benefit Hospice of Southern West Virginia. 7-foot to 26-foot boat divisions and an opportunity to watch the race up close enough to hear the crews holler. Good food and kids activities including a rain gutter race. 10am. www.smsawv.org/the-mama

SPRING/SUMMER 2013

Terrific Trails

■ August 22 Summersville Lake Lighthouse Festival

A 13–mile mountain bike, 6-mile kayak down the Lower New River Gorge, and 6.5-mile run back up to the top. Starting and ending in downtown Fayetteville, West Virginia. visitfayetteville.com/ events

■ August 2 Thurmond Triathlon

GorGe Guide

FREE!

new river

■ August 1 New River Gorge Captain Thurmond’s Challenge

at Ace Adventure Resort. The route is rolling, following ridgelines through deep, hardwood forests and past Gorge views. 8:00-9:30am race day registration. aceraft.com/pages /specialevents

←

August

Miss an issue?

Rest day odyssey

oUr taking-it-Easy tiCk list

PHOTO BY MIKE TURNER

■ August 26-30 Oak Leaf Festival

Music, crafts, quilts, and inflatables for the kids in downtown Oak Hill, West Virginia. newrivergorgecvb.com

Photos: top, a past Captain Thurmond’s Challenge winner; bottom, dancing at the Appalachian String Band Festival.

FILL tHe VoId

Where to Eat after takeout, Hike out or Bike out

sUmPtUoUs sHadeCool Crags

and What to Climb there

www.nrgorgeguide.com

Past Articles Photographs Trail info Happenings

Found here. Newrivergorgeguide .com

SPRING/SUMMER 2015 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE 31

Gorge Guide Restaurant Guide

Photos, top to bottom: the decor at Los Vaqueros, peanut butter brownie terrine at Pies & Pints, the buffet at Smokey’s on the Gorge, Cathedral Cafe, and the Eleanor Salad at Secret Sandwich Society.

32 NEWRIVERGORGEGUIDE.COM

Meals

Restaurant

Address

Fare

The Burrito Bar at Breeze Hill 304-574-2750

Oscar White Rd. Lansing

“Mexican fusion”

Cathedral Café 304-574-0202

134 South Court St. Fayetteville

American

breakfast & lunch

Chetty’s Pub 888-650-1932

219 Chestnutburg Rd. Lansing

American

lunch & dinner

Country Thai Restaurant 304-900-1188

464 Ames Heights Rd. Lansing, WV 25862

Thai

Diogi’s 304-574-3647

186 Laurel Creek Rd. Fayetteville

Gumbo’s Cajun Restaurant 304-574-4704

South Court St. Fayetteville

Los Vaqueros 304-469-6505

2027 East Main St. Oak Hill

Pies and Pints Pizzeria 304-574-2200

219 West Maple Ave. Fayetteville

Rio Grande Restaurant 304-465-5434

571 Mall Rd. Oak Hill

Secret Sandwich Society 304-574-4777

1031/2 Keller Ave. Fayetteville

Smokey’s on the Gorge 888-650-1932

219 Chestnutburg Rd Lansing

Wild Flour Bakery 304-574-0001

105 West Maple Fayetteville

100% recycled paper

Latin American

lunch & dinner closed Wednesdays

lunch & dinner closed Mon., Tues.

lunch & dinner

Cajun & American

lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch. closed Mondays

Mexican

lunch & dinner closed Mondays

Gourmet pizza

lunch & dinner

Mexican

lunch & dinner

Sandwiches, burgers and salads

lunch & dinner closed Tuesdays

Gourmet buffet

breakfast & dinner

Bakery

breakfast & lunch closed Sun., Mon.

Food

Fayette County has a Montessori-based education option for preschool and elementary-aged children.

A Taste for local

pick-your-own and other Adventures

By Amanda Ashley EATING LOCAL FOOD HAS BEEN a way of life in West Virginia for hundreds of years. Before highways and modern transportation made their way to West Virginia, families had to grow and make everything they needed. If they produced anything extra, they walked a country mile to sell or trade it. Today there are more than 21 thousand farms and 3.6 million acres of farmland in the mountain state. National Crop Insurance reports that as of 2013, West Virginia had more farms than any other state in the nation. If you’ve dined at any of the restaurants in Carrots at WV Homegrown Farms Fayetteville, you’ve already eaten locally grown and produced foods. The New River Gorge area has farmers markets, local foods workshops, pick-your-own farms, and plenty of locally grown artisan foods to provide culinary adventure.

Fayette County Farmers Market Thursdays and Saturdays, May-October The Fayette County Farmers Market is a community of farmers dedicated to bringing their exceptional products to the market. What you’ll find: Fresh in-season fruits and vegetables, chickens, eggs, honey, jams, jellies, breads, and take-out meals made with local ingredients. • In Fayetteville: Saturdays, 7:30am-11am, on Court Street in the CVB Parking Lot •In Oak Hills; Thursdays, 4pm-7pm, and Saturdays, 7:30am-11am, on Virginia Street

West Virginia Homegrown Farms Sundays, Year Round Located 4 North miles of the bridge in Hico, this family-owned farm features fresh produce and herbs as well as a nature trail you can hike while they harvest your food. (Sundays, 10am-5pm; facebook.com/WVHomegrownFarms; 304-719-0079)

Gourmet on the Gorge

The Montessori educational model has been shown to increase creativity, social adeptness, and problem solving abilities.

Learn More at NRGLC.org Donate at NRGLC.org

Raven

Creative

Year Round Locavore Joy Marr integrates her studies from Chez Panisse into her catering and family-style meals for take away. Gourmet on the Gorge also offers cooking workshops using seasonally available local food. (gourmetonthegorge.com)

The Briar Patch June 15-September The Briar Patch offers potted perennial herbs, shrubs, and trees, plus pick-your-own blueberries. Near Mount Hope, West Virginia. (304-673-0568, www.wvfarm2u.org/on-thefarm/the-briarpatch/Products.aspx)

Blueberry Hill

Locally-raised lamb chops prepared by Gourmet on the Gorge

July-August Located 25 minutes south of the Gorge in Flat Top, West Virginia, Blueberry Hill is West Virginia’s largest you-pick blueberry farm. The season is July and August, although every year is different, so call the Blueberry Hotline before you go, 304-787-3930.

SpriNG/SuMMer 2015

Offering an array of professional writing and content services • Web Content • Marketing • • Social Media • Newsletters • • Rack Cards • Email Marketing • • Publishing • Editing •

from the publishers of the New River Gorge Adventure Guide

304.573.8113 RavenCreativeWV.com ravenhasapen@gmail.com NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE 33

The degree of difficulty will vary from rapid to rapid and with water level. River users should consult with an experienced river runner or ranger before attempting river running.

Much of the land within the National Park Service areas remains private property; please respect the owners’ rights.

5 Miles

Picnic area

Public river access

Campground

Primitive campsite

Restaurants, adventure, Cabins/Hotels, Retail & Services Dixie WHeRe To FiND THeM 16

er y ule Ga

Summersville Lake

Jodie 39

Riv er

Ga ule y

GAULEY RIVER NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

Ho m i ny Cre ek

Mount Nebo

Cabins, Hotels & Camping 6. Chestnut Creek Campground 7. Country Road Cabins 8. Mill Creek Cabins 9. Quality Inn 10. Summersville Lake Retreat

Carnifex Ferry State Park

er Riv

Riv e r

Summersville Dam 41 129

Gauley Bridge

Adventure & Sightseeing 1. Ace Adventure Resort 2. Adventures on the Gorge 3. Hard Rock Climbing 4. New River Jetboats 5. Wild Blue Adventure

R iv

Peter s Cree k

Swiss

Belva

129

ANSTED Hawks Nest State Park Victor

Cotton Hill

Hawks Nest Dam

Ames Heights

Canyon Rim Visitor Center

8 6

Lansing

13 19 26 18

Winona

14 16 29

k ee Cr

Meadow

lf Wo

Riv e r

Lookout

Edmond

FAYETTEVILLE

Hico

naw ha

Clifftop

Ma nn s

Cunard

28 11OAK HILL 1 24 16

C ree

22 23

RAINELLE

Minden

77 64

Babcock State Park

Thurmond

612

Whipple

Plum Orchard Lake

Thurmond Historic District 61 loup Creek Dun

Fayetteville

Danese

Glen Jean

Plum Orchard Wildlife Management Area

Restaurants & Farmer's Market 11. DelFino's 12. El Rio Grande 13. Fayetteville Farmer's Market 14. Gino's Pizza and Spaghetti House 15. Los Vaqueros Restaurante 16. Oak Hill Farmer's Market 17. Pies and Pints 18. Secret Sandwich Society 19. Tudor’s Biscuit World

16 31

Thayer 41

Dowdy

ek Cre

Prince

Terry

ure

Quinnimont

41 64 77

Meadow Bridge

NEW RIVER GORGE NATIONAL RIVER

Grandview

k Cre e ow

20 64

r ee k

Piney Cre

ea d

C ill

Meadow Creek

k ree

Glad e

Sandstone Visitor Center

Green Sulphur Spring

Retail 20. Crossroads Mall 21. Marathon Bicycle Company 22. New River Bikes 23. Water Stone Outdoors

Lick

Cr e

BECKLEY

64 77

Sandstone 16 307

Beaver

307

L au rel Cr e e

Little Beaver Lake

Daniels

Brooks

Little Beaver State Park 20

Shady Spring Glade Creek Reservoir

ad am

C re

HINTON 107

Bellepoint

Bluestone State Park Ghent Flat Top Lake

tle Lit

Bluestone Dam

iver rR

Creek

Greenbri e 3

ne River sto ue Bl

BL U

K E LA TON ES E

BLUESTONE NATIONAL

Services 24. Active Fitness Center 25. Bridgeview Urgent Care 26. Fayetteville, WV CVB 27. Kula Community Yoga Studio 28. New River Gorge CVB 29. Ocean's Massage Therapy

Gallery

The train bridge across the New River at Hawks Nest State Park. Photograph by John Harrison Hardy II

To submit a photograph for the Gallery, email a jpeg to gorgeguide@gmail.com.

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