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The Best Kept Secrets of Bridge Day

Bridge Day, West Virginia’s largest one-day festival, is almost here. It’s on October 20, to be exact. And since we’re just a stone’s throw from the Bridge, we know all about it.

Here’s what we’ve learned: there are people who are all about Bridge Day, and then there are people (like Geoff) who’d rather avoid it altogether.

Which one are you?

Either way, we’ve got the skinny on what you can do if you’re here during Bridge Day.

Full Immersion

We have a secret or two for you if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t want to miss a minute of that Bridge Day excitement. Here’s your itinerary:

Right Now: Reserve your spot on one of the Bridge Day shuttles that take you under the Bridge to watch the action from below. Into the Gorge Shuttles will take you under the Bridge for $20. You do need a reservation.

BDBaseJumper — BASE Jumping on Bridge Day

Friday, October 19: Go to Taste of Bridge Day at Adventures on the Gorge. It’s truly a wonderful atmosphere with a world class sunset. Here, you’ll get to try sample plates from area restaurants and rub elbows with other Bridge Day faithful.

Saturday, October 20: This is the Big Day! Here’s what you want to do:

Get up early. As in, no later than 7am. Have breakfast in your cabin.
Between 8 and 8:30, head towards the Bridge. There are many ways to get there, but if you plan to drive, be prepared for a possibly longish walk from your car to the event entrance.
The gates open at 9am. Your first stop should be at the Official Bridge Day Booth, where you can pick up souvenirs like the official Bridge Day t-shirt and poster. These items have sold out the past couple of years, so get them first.
Take a walk towards the Bridge and check out all of the cool vendors lining the path. Stop for coffee and a funnel cake (no, it’s not too early).
Make your way to the jump platform and check out the BASE jumpers parachuting towards the river. You might even catch a glimpse of one of the catapult jumps, which are new for this year. Yes, we said catapult.
Catch your shuttle to head under the Bridge. You’re going to want to spend some time watching the action from this vantage point. A very cool experience that every Bridge Day fan should have at least once.
Head out of the Gorge and back up on top of the Bridge. Check out more vendors, or go into the town of Fayetteville. They are hosting a Chili Cookoff, a car show, live music, and more during and after Bridge Day.

Sunday, October 21: Grab the last ride on the Gauley River for the year. Rest up and head home.

Full Aversion

Your version of Fear Factor is negotiating a huge crowd and eating funnel cakes while walking on concrete all day and watching people jump of a bridge. Are you and Geoff twins?

Yes, you’d rather avoid the Bridge Day crowds. You’ve been there, done that.You’re looking for a different kind of adventure this weekend.

Now, your ‘aversion’ can be as simple as ‘stay at the cabin’. Check in and don’t leave the cabin until you check out on Sunday. But if the thought of that gives you cabin fever, we’ve got some suggestions.

Friday, October 19: Get to town and head straight to Fayetteville for dinner. You’ve got a ton of choices: Pies & Pints, Gumbos, Diogi’s, Secret Sandwich Society, The Vandalian, Dirty Ernie’s. End the evening in the hot tub or lounging by the fireplace.

Saturday, October 20: Get up early and head out for your rafting trip. Hit the New River and catch the fall leaves from the water. Coolest part? Your trip might end right under the New River Gorge Bridge. So yes, you could potentially float right past all of the Bridge Day excitement.

Skip the Bridge Day crowds and head north for Babcock State Park. It is close by, won’t be crowded, and is Ossum. Photos of the park’s iconic Grist Mill grace the pages and walls of publications and homes across the world. (Seriously, we know someone who spotted a Babcock Grist Mill photo hanging in their hotel room in Scotland). Check out the mill, take a hike or horseback ride, and then stop for lunch.

Next make your way to Richwood for lunch or just dessert and coffee at a little hole in the wall called Mumsy’s Iron Skillet. It is not to be driven past. In either direction. After lunch, you could head further north to Cranberry Glades. These bogs and wetlands are perfect for hiking, nature-spotting, and autumn leaf viewing.

We’re not the only ones who know how amazing fall in the New River Gorge is – National Geographic thinks so too.

So there you go – your Bridge Day itinerary. Whether you actually go to the Bridge or not.

Breakin’ the Rules!

Yes, we are rule breakers. School does not teach us this skill but we entrepreneurs can’t help it. We are made that way.

And you can be too.

Everyone has rules. I don’t know why but we do. My job has always been to bend or break them. Just ask my parents.

Opossum Creek Retreat has rules just like everyone else. The big difference between us and them is that we are happy to break the rules for you. Well, except the no smoking in the cabin rule. That one is not negotiable.

I got a very nice note from a future guest about how she had spent 4 hours on our website (OMG! 4 hours! Are you okay? Did you stop for water?), her whole trip was planned when she saw THE RULE about minimum stay. Crushed, she sent a note explaining her situation. As it turns out we have room to make a shorter stay work for she and her lucky husband. He will be so surprised!

We are very fortunate to have a job that allows us to make people happy everyday. Even if that means we have to break a few rules along the way.

So get some really good rule breaking tips. Then get out there and break some rules! Just nothing that might end up with you in handcuffs.

Hmm, unless you can get a home confinement sentence and the judge lets you serve it at one of the cabins.

I see a potential “Cottage” industry here. “Special rates for longer stays”. “Nonviolent Offender Discount.”

What rule would you most like to break?

You Are Leaving? So SOON?

“Honey, I am leaving!”

“Again? So soon?” (with glee in his voice). “We will miss you, have fun.”

Because if Momma ain’t happy, nobody’s happy!

Groups fill The Meadows for lots of reasons. One of the best reasons is Boys or Girls Club Weekends. That’s our nickname for vacations where groups of gals or guys take a trip with just their friends. You know, ditch the significant other, line up some pals, good food maybe a high adventure. Stay at a comfortable, inviting place to relax and catch up at the end of the day like The Meadows.

Imagine this:

First the “guys from work” got together. Yee haw, THE GAULEY (said with a roar)! They went home with such a great attitude, fun stories, and more things they wanted to try here in the New River Gorge, that their families wanted in on the action.

You guessed it.

The next summer, not all, but some of the guys brought the families back. Again, so cool. So much to do, young and old thrilled to no end. With still more stuff on the to do list.

Next up is Girls Club.

I really like the way women go about this. Us guys must have SOMETHING to do, i.e., a high-adventure, manly endeavor. Fears to conquer. Women, ha. They don’t need the pretense to have a grand time. They can have fun just chilling out, painting nails, fixing food, long hot tub sessions. No need for the events of the day to stimulate conversation but they make great Facebook posts.

Girls Club getaway weekends make Mamma and everyone else happy.

We know you have some people in mind for one of these weekends. We are happy to help you plan.

How I Fell in Love in September in West Virginia

I fell in love in West Virginia in September and you should too.

The year and the date are a little fuzzy, but I do remember the place. I traveled a lot back then. I had just rolled in from Montana, in the dark chased down a windy two-lane road by a coal truck. The next morning I hit some raft companies up for a job. Late in the day an owner of one of the companies was walking out the door when I pulled up. You a guide? Yes. Where from? Montana. Really, they have white water there? Catfish hired me on the spot, not for my river resume but “based on the collection of cassette tapes on your dashboard”. I was on the river the next day.

Yes, the Gauley River is everything it is made out to be!

The river I was ready for. The tall drink of water from UVA I was not.

But that is another love story. This particular story is about West Virginia’s New River Gorge National River and Gauley River National Recreation Area in the fall.

Why You Should Visit WV in September

September anywhere is a great month. It is fantastic here.

I must admit I had some preconceived prejudices about WV. Some of them were well deserved. Some were unfounded. But all add to the character that makes this place so wonderful.

My first year here, I had only two or three days of work per week and got to spend the rest of the time exploring, fishing, hiking, golfing, and biking. I thought this was a wonderful place to visit; lots of very high caliber activities. As everyone knows, the Gauley River is world class and that has not changed, never will.

What has changed (and is not so well-known) is that everything else is just as good.

Really! Just as good. I am not bragging (okay I am), but my passport looks like someone used it to test stamps at the factory. I have spent time in 46 of our states. This place, our place, The New River Gorge Area, what I now call home, has something really good for everyone. Well almost (don’t show up looking for carnival rides, t-shirt shops, and rubber tomahawks).

We even have more really good restaurants than you could get sick of in a year, let alone a weekend.

I am having a hard time separating these two love stories. You see, Catfish did another favor for me a few weeks into that first September. He introduced me to that tall drink of water from UVA, my future wife. I am forever grateful for both favors.

This September will mark 20 some years for these two loves. There is something here that you will love too. Come test my theory.

Special Events! Where We Make You Feel Special at Opossum Creek Retreat

We host lots of special events here at Opossum Creek Retreat. Want to take part or plan one of your own? Read on…

Yoga and Climbing Weekend

This event starts tomorrow and you can still get in, so DO IT. We do a fair number of these specialty events each year.

You may not believe this but I practice yoga, and way back when I climbed too. These two activities belong together, and Elaina Erinz Smith and Erin Larson blend them wonderfully.

This is the second year for this ossum, intimate, expertly organized weekend. See you on the mat but not on the rock.

Run Around the Gorge

I am not a runner, but this looks like fun and Mark Lattanzi is a pro at organizing and running an event.

Even the guy who pulled a muscle and was laid up on the couch was smiling and having fun at last year’s event. He did not get to run but came anyway because he loves the camaraderie, the area, and the food.

So he got to relax at Opossum Creek Retreat all weekend cheering his friends new and old to the finish.

Meetings

If you have to be in a meeting, you should do it here.

Why? Because even though you need to get some work done, you can do it in one of the prettiest conference rooms around. It’s almost like you’re working outside; huge windows let nature right in.

Weddings

It’s a no-brainer that Opossum Creek is a place where lots of couples want to host their weddings.

Beautiful outdoor space? Check.
Plenty of nature and pretty views? Check.
Room for lots of guests to stay? Check.
Great indoor space too? Check.
An unique venue unlike any other? Check.

Who could ask for more?

Family Reunions

We’ve already given you plenty of reasons why Opossum Creek is THE place to host a family reunion. Simply put, we’re the perfect spot for reconnecting, rejuvenating, and remembering what’s important.

Some Other Fun Events

In 2013 there’s the Todd Norian yoga retreat weekend. My yoga teacher BabaRANBOYD has been studying with this guy for almost a decade. I am excited to be able to attend one of his weekend sessions on my home turf.

And of course the big one: The New River Birding and Nature Festival. This has grown into an amazing week with hundreds of people enjoying our hospitality and the Spring migration of birds.

We may not be all that special. But when we host events like these our guests tell us we are.

Okay, all are guests are special. I was just trying to say we do special events really well. Now, I am not bragging, Just repeating what I have been told. Why else would they keep coming back?

Want to feel special too? Just come to Opossum Creek Retreat.

Bucket List: You Can Do it All Here in the New River Gorge

I took a quick look at all the fun stuff we did during our reunion. Here’s what I realized:

Some of the people in the group will never need to make a bucket list because they have done any and everything that pops up.
Others have slayed dragons so large and scary most of us could not comprehend them.
Others overcame fears that paralyzed them for years.

Your reunions may not be like this; however it sure makes for great dinner table conversation.

And so we begin the story of stuff our family did during our famial”ish” reunion.

The New River Gorge area became famous for white water rafting 30 some years ago, and it is still the mainstay of high adventure activities in the area. That said, we are just as famous for rock climbing. Mountain biking is growing in stature and recognition. Several ziplines have popped up in the past few years. You can skydive here and roll down a hill in a ball. Golf is all around us. Smallmouth bass fishing is world class. I am sure I am missing something, so let’s tell the story and see if we find it.

Dutch, who is one of the “ish” parts of the famial”ish” reunion, had actually made a bucket list. He has been tweaking it since retiring a few years back.

Dutch put 4 check marks on his bucket list in 5 days.

Zipline
White Water Rafting
Bridge Walk
SKY DIVING

He also golfed, visited historic sites, and was all-around up for anything, including passing initiation into the clan. He is welcome to come back.

Even more impressive, Aunt Chrissie checked one off her list. A Giant one. She is absolutely terrified of water. Like, won’t do dishes except in the dishwasher terrified! YES, she went Rafting!

Aunt Chrissi (on left) and Aunt Gay Gay with the littles.

I would not say she relaxed but she did calm down enough to look around take some pictures and really enjoy herself. I doubt she will ever do it again. And that is not the point; she did something so huge so scary and so far out of her comfort zone that she may never find her way back. And for that she should be very pleased and proud.

Yes, others slayed some dragons too. My Mom took a Biplane ride and did a Barrel Roll. Several folks with a fear of heights got up in the trees and had a blast on the zip line or went on the Bridge Walk.

Surprise! My Dad ambushed my Mom and son with a Bi-Plane ride. What a great idea and the both loved it.

Some people had just never had the opportunity to do some of the many adventures we have here. My little brother got to hop on a horse’s back for the first time and go for a ride.

Lots of people even did two different activities in one day. Rafting first thing in the morning gets you back about 2 or 3 PM, leaving plenty of time to get in nine holes or take a hike or bike ride or rappel or heaven forbid just kick back and relax. For some of us everything was new and different.

How cool is that?

It is not about how scared you are of the activity or how dangerous or expensive it is; instead it’s being open to a “NEW” experience, stepping out of your normal routine and trying something. Even if you don’t end up loving it, you will have something to talk about at dinner (and will have attained new heights in your mind’s eye and everyone else’s too).

We are here to help you slay some dragons! Big or small, let us help.

What did you cross off your bucket list when you visited the New River Gorge?

Consumed, Devoured, Hit by a Train, Chewed Up, Spit Out, and Left for Dead

And that was from the family reunion, not the “Derecho” storm!

About the derecho – we suffered no damage from the storm at the Cabins or our home. Our neighbors and friends were not so lucky. We were without power for 8 days, but everything is back to “normal”.

The family reunion was a huge success! Really, it was “Ossum”.

I had every intention of giving regular updates during the week of my Familial-ish reunion; what we were up to, how it was going , who liked what best and why.

But then reality set in: TOO MUCH FUN! We were too busy ‘reunioning’ for me to talk about it. So a month later, here goes.

All week people were movin’ and groovin’, making themselves happy doing any number of activities (we will talk about ALL the great activities in a future post). Hanging out with each other, getting away from each other, and even fixing stuff. Fixing is always more fun when you have help!

The single best part of the week (although I was not excited about it at first) was the daily group meal idea. It turned out great. We kept it simple. No one got over stressed (that I saw) about putting on the dog for 40 + people. And because we did not try to outdo each other with fancy dishes, serving standard fare, that made it all the better.

The first night we ordered pizza from Pies & Pints. WARNING: This is important!There are two phone numbers for two locations on the website; one is in Fayetteville (304-574-2200) only 10 minutes from the cabins. The other is in downtown Charleston, WV, over an hour away. Do not call the Charleston location and order 20 pizzas! Like we did.

Now, this could have been really bad. But fortunately, we are a lucky bunch. When the group standing at the bar in Fayetteville got blank stares when asking for 20 pizzas plus all the other good stuff, some brilliant detective work quickly revealed the order had been called into Charleston.

This is the lucky part: The Brits arrived at Yeager Airport in Charleston a few minutes before the pizza was coming out of the oven at the Charleston Pies & Pints, so we just swung by and loaded up. This makes me laugh and started the week off with a great “TOP THIS MESS UP” story.

For the rest of the week, family groups took turns satiating the masses from The Meadows Kitchen. Nothing fancy: frozen lasagna, chili, hamburgers and hot dogs, mexican grub, and leftovers made up the menu for the week.

Maybe the simplicity helped take some of the stress out of cooking for 40 people down a notch or two. The emphasis was on sharing a meal and some conversation with loved ones, and this was going on in abundance all week. It was magical.

It is a monumental task to organize a family reunion. Let us help you make yours as wonderful as ours was.

See you at the Cabins!

The New River Gorge – Your ‘Bucket List’ Destination

If you have a “Bucket List”, this is a great place to fill it up! I might not always remember that though.

It’s kind of like when I worked at Disney. I had all of these awesome activities right at your fingertips, but ended up taking it for granted every day.

So when Geoff told me that one of his family members here for their family reunion ticked off 4 items from his bucket list, it got me thinking.

There really are some great and unique things to do here at the New River Gorge National River! For a lot of people, the things you can do here are “Bucket List” items. For example:

Doing a Barrel Roll in a WWII Bi-Plane!
Rock Climbing!
Get on the catwalk of a REALLY tall bridge!
White Water Rafting!
Learn to kayak!

These are just a few of the awesome adventures you’ll find in the Gorge. And remember, bucket list items don’t only have to be extreme adventure. Maybe your bucket list includes seeing an eagle in the wild, or trying a West Virginia craft beer. Maybe it’s been your lifelong dream to see The Mystery Hole.

So if you have a list, c’mon over and we’ll start helping you cross those tasks.

What’s on your bucket list?

Why I Love the New River Birding and Nature Festival

Every spring here at Opossum Creek Retreat we host The New River Nature and Birding Festival. It has quickly become one of my favorite weeks of the year. The privilege of being a part of the festival has allowed me access to the amazingly diverse flora and fauna of the New River Gorge and surrounding areas. Each trip afield offers a new learning experience in all things nature.

There is something for everyone on the variety of field trips in and around the New River Gorge National Park. Here a Red Eft is adored by some of the folks on the Nuttalburg trail trip. This was a new trip for this year and will quickly become a favorite.

Getting a close up look at birds in hand is always a treat as Bill Hilton Jr., educator-naturalist extraordinaire puts on highly educational and fun banding demonstrations throughout the week. A female Canada Warbler was a first for her species here at OCR.

A great part of the the festival is its world class guides, a lot of whom are authors.I was able to identify this Moth, a Common Lytrosis (lytrosis unitaria) thanks to Seabrooke Leckie, author of the new Peterson field guide to Moths.

Just a few of the New River Birding and Nature Festival folks

The best part is introducing great folks from all over to the natural beauty of southern West Virginia, our home.