Category: How To

How Not to Have “The Family Reunion from HELL!”

I am planning for my family to arrive in June. This is a true story and is happening as we speak. Okay, we are not technically speaking, but you know what I mean. Or did you?

That is the really challenge at the heart of a family reunion: communication. Even though everyone in my family speaks English as a first and only language, getting them all on the same page is like herding cats with a pressure washer. If you are lucky it is very exciting and rewarding for a brief moment, but the overall effort is usually futile.

Our fabulous Facebook group page

Here are a few things we are learning (this time around):

Practice makes perfect. We do not plan a family reunion on a regular basis and it shows. Those families that we see here at OCR who make an annual or biannual tradition out of it have the advantage. Expectations have been managed through repetition.

I hate to say this, but someone has to be the point person. This seems to work best if there can be several point people, actually. Food, Lodging, Group activities; all of this must be arranged. Ultimately, someone has to be large and in charge. Personally, I love chaos and mayhem, especially when they show up together! So for me not knowing who is cooking dinner and what it will be are not big questions. But others’ happiness depends on knowing every detail long before it happens, like what type napkins will be in the dinner roll baskets at each meal. So you’ve got to plan.

Knowing the differences that make people tick is helpful because it allows everyone to get the details they need. A Google doc spreadsheet is a great place for all this to evolve. Remember, not everyone will feel safe entering info in this format and you’ll need another method for them to get ideas out to the group.

Also, we are using a Facebook group page and it has been great. It makes for wonderful conversations taking place before the event even kicks off. Still, some folks will not bring certain things up until they confer with others in the group. This helps put things in place that may have otherwise been overlooked, such as who is driving Grama? Because last time she farted and ruined my new car seat…..

We all need to spend more time with those crazy people we are linked to by family ties. Reunions are the perfect way to do just that. But remember, planning is key

I will report back as we get closer to our own event and during said festivities. Until then remember: women are a bowl of spaghetti and men are waffles.

Beat The Heat

Baby, it’s hot out there!  I’m talking about the New River Gorge in West Virginia.  Y’know, the big backyard for our cabin rentals.

Time to cool off in a mountain stream.

I remember when I made the move here in 1992 from Central Florida.  My dad and I rented the box truck, loaded it and made the trip. It was July and it was H-O-T in the old F-L-A. When we arrived here, the temperatures were in the high 70’s, and dad was digging for his sweatshirts and long pants. We were only here for a day or two before we headed back, just long enough to unload the truck.

The mountains of the New River area are usually a cool retreat from the hot south. Even when the temperatures are in the 90’s you can always find relief in the shade of the hemlocks or an old maple.  Mom and dad would come for several weeks during the summer to visit, and when the temps went up you could find dad in the shade of the big maple in the front yard.  He was always amazed at how much cooler it was there. “It’s gotta be twenty degrees cooler under here” he’d say, and invite me under to sit a while.

There are plenty of cool things to do here when the heat is on.

One hot afternoon on the way home I decided to take a drive down to Fayette Station, just for kicks. When I got there I ran into some friends who were cooling off in the river. I kicked off my shoes and joined them in the water. We floated and caught up since it had been a while.  Floating with friends is a pretty cool way to spend an afternoon.

Summersville lake is another cool spot that’s close to Opossum Creek Retreat. There are some great swimming holes, and you can enjoy the cool clear water of the lake, fed by the Gauley River. My daughter Al and I have had some great times playing in the water at Battle Run Camping area and beach.

Of course a whitewater rafting trip will give you plenty of opportunities to get wet and cool down.  That always helps beat the heat.  On the Lower New River there are a few long pools that are great for swimming alongside the boat.   And if a more controlled environment is what your after the Fayette County Park has a pool that offers some refreshing public swimming, and lifeguards too.

There are also plenty of hiking trails that wind through the heavily forested areas of the New River Gorge. Remember “it’s gotta be twenty degrees cooler under here,” from my dad?  Fern Creek trail is a “cool” walk with some beautiful views of the gorge.

So, when it gets too hot where you are, come try the New River Gorge National River.  It’s our backyard.  And we’re pretty sure it will quench the fire.

The Secret To Hiking With Kids

Hiking with kids in and around the New River Gorge of West Virginia is all about going nowhere fast…

I am a mountain of patience. I am mountain of patience. I am a mountain of patience.  Aaand breathe.

That’s how I recommend starting each hike with kids.  You can try starting each day that way, too.  Best of luck with that.

When they’re little, anything (and I mean anything) will stop them in their tracks and halt the hike. The older they get the more creative the diversions become.  They make up games to play, and still later we look at birds and bugs and plants to break up the march.

From the kids we can learn a very important concept to understand and embrace: The destination is secondary to the hike.

The value in going for a hike is not the part where are feet move it is the part when we stop and talk, look, listen, explore, play, snack and wonder. Yeah there is a great view at a beautiful overlook but don’t overlook the value of taking your time.  Enjoy the distractions along the way.

Here’s some stuff to make sure you bring:

  • water
  • snacks
  • wipes (hey, they’re not just for babies!)
  • camera
  • patience

Ultimately, that last one’s the secret.  Be patient.  The whole idea is to make sure that you’re somewhere memorable (the trail) with someone you love (the kids).

Here are some things to leave behind, or at least to not use:

  • phone
  • temper
  • phone
  • watch
  • phone

True, there’s some safety in having a phone and watch with you.  But you have to balance that with how tempting they are to use.  If you can keep them in your bag except for emergencies, great.

But if you’re renting a cabin, and you’re just out to spend a little time on the trails around the gorge, consider leaving them back.  I can say from experience that you’ll enjoy yourself a lot more if you can devote yourself to just walking around in the woods for a while.

Your kids will too.

5 Things Everyone Needs For A Beginner Bike Trip

This is easy.

That’s why we’re beginners, right?  We like things easy.  The easier it is, the more comfy we are when we fall on our faces.  Easy makes things, especially outside things, better.

Check out this video we made last year…

So, with a trip like that in mind, here are 5 things that are absolutely indispensable to a New River Gorge mountain bike ride:

  1. A bike.
  2. Water.  Skip the snacks and go out to lunch or dinner after the ride. You don’t even need to go back to the cabin to change-  dirty mountain bikers aren’t unusual around town at all.  Plus, it fits in with #4.
  3. Lazy pump/co2 thing (see video).
  4. Kids.  They make it more fun.  Why? They know how to take lots of brakes and look around and be amazed.  If you don’t have kids handy, just try and remember what it was like and act like one you’re in the woods.  No one you know will see you.  Probably.
  5. Pace yourself.  This is not a race (well, it may be a race to get to the restaurant for lunch after the ride.  Or, y’know, beer).  But for now just take your time and enjoy the ride.

If you’re interested in going outside and testing the five tried-and-true principles for a successful beginners ride, the trail in the vid is the Cunard Trail.  It’s flat and wide, and you can rent a great bike around town.   They’ll even take you there and pick you up.  And, they have guides!

The setup is perfect for beginners.  Now all we need is have you come here and be as inexperienced as me.

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