Doug Arbogast is an adjunct faculty member of Bridgemont Community and Technical College and Principal of Travel Green Appalachia. He promotes authentic and sustainable travel experiences in Appalachia on his blog – www.travelgreenappalachia.com. I was fortunate to be a participant in a working retreat at Opossum Creek Retreat last week. The retreat brought in faculty […]
West Virginia
ATTACK of the Wooly Adelgid! But never fear, the Cavalry is coming!
At Opossum Creek Retreat we are blessed with a location that allows us to provide maximum privacy and seclusion with a minimum of impact. Part of the reason we can offer this is the Eastern Hemlock. This ever green tree, with its thick layers of low hanging branches, provides a visual break between the cabins. […]
Why 250,000 Boy Scouts are Coming to The New River Gorge And You Should Too (Just Not at the Same Time!)
The beauty of this area is all it takes to understand why the Boy Scouts of America chose to locate their newest camp here in the New River Gorge. Access to so many awesome outdoor activities is what makes it even more special. The Summit Bechtel Reserve is the 4th High Adventure Base Camp […]
West Virginia. It’s Nearby with Plenty of “Firsts”
Ever watch Jeopardy and something comes up that you can answer? If you’re like me, you jump out of the chair and shout the question. Hey, it’s rare. And my wife says I need to get some excercise. Just in case West Virginia ever comes up on the show, we want you to be prepared. […]
A Hole in Our Map?
Take a quick peek at the map. What do you see? Or, more importantly, what don’t you see? While I love riddles and trick questions, this isn’t one. There is an explanation. The image displays levels of light pollution on the East Coast. The brighter the color, you guessed it, the more light. You will […]
How To Catch A New River Gorge Firefly
I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Bucks County to be specific. Far, far away (or so I thought) from a vacation cabin in the New River Gorge region of West Virginia. I was definitely not the city streets, but not nearly as rural as here in New River Country, either. When I was […]
5 Simple Steps To Get Into Bird Watching In The New River Gorge
When I signed on here at Opossum Creek Retreat I had no idea what I was in store for. Sure, I knew what the job was. I learned Geoff’s techniques. But there was so much more. You know, stuff that would only be revealed as time went on. Jedi stuff. One of the things […]
5 Good Reasons To Take A Retreat To The New River Gorge
Whether you’ve been here before or it’s your first trip, the New River Gorge is “that place”- the vacation that you’ll be talking about for.. well, ’till you keel over and die. Probably. Just sayin’. How do I know? I’m a rental cabin expert. But I haven’t always been one… My wife Tammi and I […]
