Things To Do Archives - Opossum Creek Retreat

The Short list: Bridge Day 2016 (a how to)

WEAR SENSIBLE SHOES! Sorry for yelling but this alone can save the day. I see a lot of unhappy people each year because they did not heed this grandmotherly advice.

Friday

Food is a big part of Bridge Day and it starts Friday night with the Taste of Bridge Day. It’s sponsored by the rotary clubs and really a good time. And if you can get to town before the Taste event starts to play around in the escape rooms of New River Gorge Escape Rooms, you will thank me.

Saturday

Burn some calories so you can eat all day! This is the first year for the Active SWV Bridge Day 5k and it is going to be OSSUM! Way to go Mel!

I like my funnel cakes first thing in the morning, while the grease is fresh and clear (and I just drooled a little bit.)

This is a short Bridge Day funnel cake video we made just a few years ago to honor this food tradition.

Those boys are now young men whom I am very proud of.

You better share that funnel cake, because you need to save room for the other great stuff like gyros and sandwiches so big it takes a team to eat them, and kettle corn. I missed it last year. Thought I could wait till the end and take a fresh bag home to share with the homebodies, and they were sold out! Not letting that happen again. The food list goes on and on. Hmm, that give me an idea… I’ll get back to you on that.

Now the bridge closes at 3 p.m., so heading into Fayetteville is the ticket. Book your group early for New River Gorge Escape Rooms to ensure you get in on this really fun new attraction. (Yes, worth mentioning twice.) Bridge Day Chili Cook-off in Fayetteville starts after the bridge closes and there will be the music of Bridge JAM to round out the evening.

Wow! That’s a busy day but you still have:

Sunday

May I suggest breakfast at one of our great local spots like Cathedral Cafe or Vandal’s Kitchen, both in downtown Fayetteville. Then taking a hike on one of the 70 miles of trails in our National Parks— yes we have several, and you own them, so go use them!

I will be out there in the dark setting up the Chamber of Commerce tents on either end of the bridge, and secretly taste testing my way across the bridge and back.

A big shout out to The Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and CVB staff for pulling this monumental task off each year. Thank you Sharon and Mandy, and everyone else who helps make this great event happen.

See you out there wearing my sensible shoes! And enjoying the amazing day.

Whirlwind

That’s what that past 6 weeks was. A no-stops, back-to-school, end-of-summer, Yoga Teacher training, American Birding Expo, crazy-packed schedule, no time for self, and BAM fall is here kind of whirlwind.

And Breathe. I love fall the most. (Watch, I will probably say that about winter and spring, too, when they get here. But not summer.) Fall is fresh and cool and calm— thankfully calm.

Time to get away for a weekend to “your cabin in the woods,” surrounded by nature with great restaurants in town, and and enjoy some calm before the whirlwind of the holiday season.

Very special rates begin the end of October. And weekdays, starting now.

Calm is here for you.

Special

Once in awhile, you get to see something special.

PsicoRoc was something very special. You can tell by looking at me, I don’t climb. I do, do events. Not bragging, just saying, I have helped put on some cool events. And I only say that to say, I know a really outstanding one when I see it.

PsicoRoc was outstanding.

Hats and shirts and shoes— let’s stop there— off to all the volunteers of NRAC (New River Alliance of Climbers) for making this happen. From the happy people serving food and drinks on the flotilla:

To the local sponsors:

To the National sponsors:

To the Army Corp of engineers for being open minded!

To the athletes— some of the best in the world!

Did I mention the countless volunteer hours that NRAC has poured into this in a rather selfless attempt to help focus the spotlight on West Virginia, and the world-class destination it is?

Thank you all for taking part in what you have to know was a very special event.

Thank you NRAC for being special!

Eavesdropping

I mean, I overheard some WVU students conversations over the past couple of days that may have saved my jaded soul and given me hope. The WVU Student Government Association held their leadership retreat at Opossum Creek Retreat. Almost 40 students and an OSSUM advisor, spent 2 days working their butts off in really nasty conditions helping fellow Mountaineers!

Relaxing in the cabin after a long day’s work!

“This was the most challenging work I have ever done.” Just one of the many amazing things I ”overheard.”

They crawled under houses and cut and pulled out vapor barriers that had become laden with flood mud. Flood mud is different from regular mud because it carries with it all the stuff in the flood water like sewage, diesel fuel, other liquids and chemicals and, well, more sewage. Officials have told residents not to eat anything from their gardens and not to plant a garden on ground that was flooded for 3 years!

They also helped with demolition work and carried piles of debris into the street (I had thought all that work was complete.) Not! They crawled under one house and scooped the flood mud out from the crawl space with

buckets, and spread pulverized lime (to neutralize the flood mud) under yet another house. They did other work, too, helping organize donations and stack cases of bottled water on pallets. These kids from WVU accomplished a lot in 2 days.

It does not take 40 young adults to help. We had a young lady stay last week and work a couple days all by herself. She made a difference. You can, too.

More help is on the way from Trinity Baptist Church in NC. Both groups took advantage of our offer. (Pay for your first night in anyone of our cabins, volunteer the next day for flood relief and the next night is free.)

Suffice it to say, much help is still needed. You can find out more here, and we are continuing our offer.

The impacts of this flood event will be felt for a very long time, as will the good work these young adults will no doubt continue for the rest of their lives. Thank you and keep up the GOOD work!

Let’s GO, Mountaineers!

Feed me

Our local restaurants are OSSUM! All of them use local produce from the local farmers, and the locals love it. So will you.

We made it to The Station at long last and had some apps and summery cocktails that rocked our world. Can’t wait to get back for the full dinner. Tonight was art walk in Fayetteville, Music everywhere, artists set up selling their wonderful wares and a book signing by Eve.

Sleepy little town that even I can walk from one end to the other, but that lives so much larger.

When you are staying in one of our cabins, make sure you spend some time “in Town.” It will be quality.

For the Birds

That’s what the next couple weeks are all about here at OCR! This week is bird banding class, next week is the legendary New River Birding and Nature Festival!

We just finished up a Beginner Bird Banding class taught by certified instructor from The Institute for Bird Population. This is an intense (too intense for me) week-long course that puts everyone through the paces. They learn everything they need to get a certificate to work under a master bander. This intensive, all-inclusive event is limited to 8 people. We have had this event before, and hope to make it annual. You can learn more; just call Keith at 888.488.4836.

This week is BIG in a small way. Small birds, small groups, big fun! The New River Birding and Nature Festival is a unique event that allows our guests to spend quality time with lots of birds and each other. Yep, bird nerds are social creatures in the right environment, and man, do we have fun.

The New River Birding and Nature Festival is in its 15th year. From the beginning, we have used the proceeds to fund educational programing for the Students and Teachers of Fayette County. Our flagship program is Leadership Fayette County. We also put on a week-long middle school academy and close to a dozen other events throughout the year.

We are very proud to be part of such an OSSUM event that gives so very much back to the community.

See you in mid-May. Till then, look at a bird and smile.

We will be.

Fools me, April

Every time! I am so gullible! The spring flowers pop out like these beauties I found while driving along in The New River Gorge National Park over the weekend.

And then one afternoon it is so hot I turn on the AC in my car and boom my mind, body and soul are falling all over themselves to get in summer mode.

And then it freezes and snows, and I walk out the door barefoot, and it feels like my feet just had the bottom layer ripped off them. And my mind, body and sole are confused: WHAT HAPPENED? How do I get my feet unstuck from the ground? I am afraid to move; it hurts! I have to move; it hurts! Where did I put my ski gear?

Anyway, I have learned how to help fix this cruel joke called April. I need some relief from this, and thought you might, too. My recipe for getting back at April (Not you, April; the month of April). All through April you would really get into this type of weekend.

MIND: It is tax time, and this weekend, you could use a getaway.
BODY: take a stroll on some of the 70 miles of trails, get a massage in the cabin, or soak for too long in the HOT TUB.
SOUL: Surrounded by nature and eating really good food in Fayetteville, WV and doing all of the above, the soul knows what to do.

We can only offer this until the 20th, because we are full after that until mid-May, because some folks have figured out just how OSSUM this time of year is here. One group is a Bird Banding Class and the other is the New River Birding and Nature Festival, which has a couple of spots still open.

Choose the package and take ⅓ off— yep, 33% off— because we are about ⅓ of the way into 2016.

Thanks, April. I needed that.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Very few people know what they want to do in life few when they are young. Even fewer get the chance, and no one gets a second chance.

I love the story, “Ever since I was a kid I wanted to…” It is foreign to me; a curiosity. Here is what I believe: when these lucky people get to do this thing, whatever it is, they are very good at it and glow with happiness.

You know the people I am talking about? I found such a person and want to share him with you. Toby is my new barber. If you have seen any of the Opossum Creeks videos you will know that being my barber is not an easy task. The balding/bushy mullet with shaggy beard is my go-to look.

After years of self-taught practice on his friends in his basement, his wife said, “I want my weekends (and my basement) back. Either stop cutting hair, or get the license and open a shop.” Toby is now a classically trained Pro!

I am no stranger to the shave and a haircut at a barber shop. I am old enough to remember the straight razor getting sharpened on the strop. And Toby has the touch, training and skill to deliver this time-honored tradition.

My son said after his first encounter with Toby, “I won’t be needing hats anymore,” and “WOW, that man just blessed me. I feel amazing!”

I know this is a very odd thing to put on your vacation to-do list, but believe me when I say wait to get your hair cut until you are here. Get up early. He opens at 7 a.m.

Get your shave and haircut and go to breakfast at one of the amazing local spots feeling like a new man!

Flat Top Fridays
Classic Cuts & Hot Shaves
227B N Court Street
Downtown Fayetteville, WV

Finding happiness, even when…

Niche, niche, niche.

Market: yoga and climbing in the New River Gorge on the 4th of July weekend.

Climbing ropes. One way to start a weekend out right around here!

Not exactly a huge demographic to draw from.

You want to feel old and overweight, show up on this weekend. OMG are these people happy, healthy and happy and beautiful.

This is the 3rd or 4th annual yoga and climbing weekend that New River Mountain Guides have hosted. So I am no stranger to this stereotype. If you read this blog you know I “do the yoga,” and we have hosted lots of yoga events.

I stopped by to fix the hot tub. “Strike one.” It has been raining for 4 days. Rain and climbing do not mix. “Strike two.” And you can only do so much yoga. And the hot tub was busted. “Strike three!” I was expecting to see some glum faces.

Happy! Yep, smiling happy faces playing with ropes and a stray kitten. (Don’t worry, one of them is taking the kitten home.) It is not raining today, so they will be on the rock and really smiling. These people’s faces must hurt from smiling so much.

I wonder if there is a yoga pose to help with that?