Wilderness People in an Urban Setting…

A few years ago Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing received a phone call from Washington, DC. They were in need of our services. OK, so it wasn’t actually the Capital or President but it was the Society for Science and the Public, which hosts a program (sponsored by the Discovery Channel) for some of the smartest kids in the United States. We now help them out each year and we always look forward to it.

For the past year roughly 2000 middle school students had been creating science experiments and projects and this was the culmination of their efforts. They were competing for $40,000 in scholarships. These 2000 students were about to be narrowed down to 30 finalists who would move on to the final round of judging.

So…where does Wilderness Adventure come in? What does a Summer Adventure Camp have to do with a science fair?

The job our Retreat Center Staff Patrick, Julia, Dan, Sarah, and Chris was to prepare the students for their final round of the competition. During the final round students would be working together in teams of 6 on their final project/assignment. Most of these kids prefer to work alone, completing the projects, and taking all the credit. Working together was going to be a tough task. With dodge balls in hand our staff entered some of the nicest conference rooms they’d ever seen and tackled their hardest obstacle – kids that only like to study. After three hours it was declared “mission accomplished”. And as the parents entered the room they found that their reserved, studious children had transformed into crazy, sweaty kids that were working together.

What did we do? We started off with some large group de-inhibitors and team building initiatives to break down barriers and comfort zones…basically the plan was to get them laughing and to open up. Next we broke them into their groups of 6 and put them through a series of activities that would be useful for them in their final stage. In the end we had an initiative that stumped most at first, but once the code was cracked they moved quickly to finish their task. Overall they looked exhausted, yet ready for the next couple days of their competition.

Our work was done, and greatly appreciated by the staff of the convention. After a quick breakfast the next morning we handed out some summer camp information to our new friends, hopped in the minivan, and headed back to the beautiful mountains of Craig County.

Shocking Statistics

Did You Know?

• Children today spend an average of 6 hours each day in front of the computer and TV but less than 4 minutes a day in unstructured outdoor play. (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

• Almost 50% of children aged 8-16 years watch 3-5 hours of television a day. These kids who watch the most hours of television have the highest incidence of obesity. (Word on Health, “Childhood Obesity on the Rise”: Torgan, Carol, June 2002)

• Obesity in kids is now epidemic in the U.S. The number of children who are overweight has doubled in the last two to three decades. Currently one child in five is overweight”. (Word on Health, “Childhood Obesity on the Rise”: Torgan, Carol, June 2002)

• Obese children now have diseases such as type 2 diabetes that used to only occur in adults. (Word on Health, “Childhood Obesity on the Rise”: Torgan, Carol, June 2002)

• Increased study of science and nature, especially in the very young, has proved in studies extremely beneficial for cognitive functioning, reduced symptoms of attention deficit disorder, increased self-discipline and emotional well being. (Chesapeake Bay Foundation)

• Nature Conservancy funded studies correlate a decline in visits to U.S. National Parks with a condition called “videophilia” which is a preference for television, video game and Internet use. (Pergams and Zaradic)

• The effects of videophilia are substantial and include obesity, attention disorders, lack of socialization and poor academic performance. (P&G)

• A report by the Children and Nature Network warns that the mental health of 21st century children is at risk because they are missing out on the exposure to the natural world enjoyed by past generations.

• Studies have shown that people deprived of contact with nature were at greater risk of depression and anxiety. They also never develop a relationship with the natural environment and they are unable to use it to cope with stress. (C&NN: Derbyshire, David)

• “At no time in human history have children spent less time outdoors. Attention deficit disorders, obesity and a variety of other physical and emotional ailments can be attributed to a decline in exposure to the out of doors and the natural environment.” -Craig Whipple, Director of Vermont State Parks

• “There’s a strong correlation to whether people have nature experiences as they grow up and whether, as adults, they will be concerned about policies that affect nature. -Bill Kunze, Pennsylvania state director for the Nature Conservancy (nature.org)

• Declines in per capita nature participation typically began between 1981 and 1991, are losing about 1% per year, and have so far lost between 18% and 25%. (videophilia.org)

• The National Center for Education Statistics had a survey that describes the use of computer and Internet technologies by age group: 67 percent of children in nursery school were already computer users, as were 80 percent of those in kindergarten. About one-quarter (23%) of nursery school children were already Internet users, rising to about 32% in kindergarten. By high school, nearly all students (97%) use computers and a large majority (80%) use the Internet (USDE, 2005). These trends in Internet use at home have direct implications on time spent interacting with children, and indirect implications for parents as role models and gatekeepers of children’s recreation choices.

These are some pretty scary statistics. The staff of Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing and our Summer Adventure Camps feel that we are a vital solution to this major problem. Our summer camp programs offer what many kids today lack...a challenge. It is proving harder and harder for small outdoor companies like ours to get the word out about our programs. We kindly ask that if you are able to, please pass our information along in the form of links, emails, postings, etc.

Yours in challenge and adventure!

Pete

Gear Review: Crank Brothers 50/50x pedals
As I am sure most of you know gear is an important part of our lives here at wilderness adventure. It’s what gets us through the day, it’s what we spend our money on, and it’s what we like to brag about to everyone else until they spend their hard earned money on something better. I am no different than anyone else here, so last year I spent some cash on a new set of flat pedals for my mountain bike. With some help from Jake I chose a set of Crank Bro’s 50/50 non sealed flats. They look cool and perform even better. The awesome part about these pedals is that you can change the plates on the pedals, to different colors. You can also change the pins so that your flats are completely custom to your bike. Just because these flats have cool colors and the ability to custom match them to your bike, don’t assume they are for light riding. After a year of hard abuse on the Giant I still love these pedals. First off the look like something that is designed to grind up meat, or crush rocks. The only way they could grip better is physically glueing your foot to the pedal. They can handle anything I have been able to throw at them, and more. After a year of hard riding once, maybe twice a week. 4 trips to Snowshoe. And lots of spur of the moment trips to the staff trail to get some air time, these flats are still spinning. If you are looking for a set of sick bike flats, or meat grinders, these are the ones for you. At around $60 bucks for the non sealed bearings they are a good deal. You can find the xx sealed for around $100. But deals can be found on the web. I also installed the Grub Pin’s , or Set Screws, on my 50/50’s, for more grip when riding downhill. The only thing you can do to make these Flats better is to use a Set of FiveTen Impact’s to slap on your feet. The stickiest shoe for freeride and downhill biking, on the market. All this talk about gear makes me want to buy some more! For all my Crank Bro part needs I go to our local shop, Just the Right Gear Tell them we sent you. they will take care of you. enjoy the photo's!

Ride or Die…….

Dano

Snowshoe MTBP

6:00 am. My alarm goes off and I am once again upset that morning came so early. I can’t really complain too much, I am going to snowshoe (www.ride.snowshoemtn.com) for gosh sakes! Well a half an hour later I am at the staff house meeting Jake and Patrick. Another half hour later we have left WA (www.wilderness-adventure.com) and are on the road. We get to snowshoe around 10:00am ready for some H-Core biking action! The Day could not be much better. We have a perfect temp around 58-60, the sun is out and I get to do some biking with 5 of my very close friends. The crew is, “Me” Dan, Jake, Ruckus, Anthony, Chris, and Steve. We start the day with a great run, and warm up on the basin side with a trip down M, and N. We are all feeling great, Chris got his first taste of freeride and I think he liked it! After the first Run we hit the drop park for around 30 min getting ready for some airtime in the Western territory. We drop in on the sport Corse. A short but rocky trail with tight trees and some steep drop off camber spots near the end. We then make our way down to Ninja Bob, which is a fast east coast style type of trail. Lots of red clay rock drops and trees to avoid. Next we get to Ball Jack and the beginning of Missing Link “The New Trail” .It was SICK to say the least. It was fast, flowey, and has Berms and tables and jumps sprinkled in everywhere. When you make it to the bottom you are tired, pumped, out of breath and psyched for another run. The last section of the journey to the bottom of the mountain is a trail called Powerline. Now powerline in a trail you can ride as a novice or pro and anywhere in between. A great place to work on getting some air or just cleaning a berm at full speed. It is fast and full of tabletop’s, big berms. A short ride and you are at the pickup for the buss to the top of the mountain. We broke up for a while, Patrick rode the XC stuff , Jake and I killed the Basin, Anth, and Chris did a little of both, and Steve made some new friends on Missing Link. The Basin side or “Freeride” side is Awesome. Full of drops, man made features, Boulders, Rocks on top of rocks, roots, and a thin layer of mud. It is such a great place to work on speed and your trail vision. It seems the Theme on Snowshoe’s Basin side is huge Ladders and big wall rides. All in All it was an epic day. The rest of the Day was a blur. We could have all stayed and rode again the next day. It was once again amazing, and worth every penny. I am sorry to see that it is again “that time”.......the end of the season. I can’t think of how better to spend a day off. A great day, good friends and one awesome Ride.
Ride or Die....

Dano


Here are some pics, Enjoy!!!

ZZZZZ...Definitely Not the Sound of Snoring

In 1990, 900+ feet of galvanized aircraft cable was laid through a forest canopy and strewn over a 150 foot vertical elevation drop. Col. Gene Nervo and and his family would be the guinea pigs for the first flight test of what was to be the longest and fastest zipline in the world.

Fast forward to present day...

The clicking of the pulley and carabiners echo down the mountain as preparations are made. One last breath and off goes the pilot! The reverberation through the anchor poles rev like an engine reaching its redline, matched only by the battle cry of exhilaration as the zipline pilot achieves approximately 35-40 mph.

900 feet of "pure screaming fun" breaks through the atmosphere as the zipliner flies down the mountain. And like a fighter jet landing on an aircraft carrier, the pilot gets caught by the dynamic brake system and sent backwards towards his or her final destination. A group effort is taken underway to retrieve the zipliner and prepare for the next flight...



Come get some!!

TRuC

My Favorite Place in Virginia: Bouldering at McAfees

Around the year 1992, I made my first trip to the idyllic hills of McAfees Knob just 20 minutes down the road from Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing (WAEL). I remember seeing big, elephant-skin colored rocks poking out of the forest alongside the jeep road. I also remember being awestruck at the Main Area and humbled at the summit. But it wasn't until 10 years later that I returned to be utterly blown away at the immense quantity as well as quality of boulders that swarm the mountain.

Since my return, I've had a lot of fun being a part of what I'd consider the "knob renaissance." My main partner in ushering a new era on the mountain was Adam Walker - also author of 'Distilled Bouldering,' a blogspot dedicated to bouldering in VA with a lot of emphasis on the knob. A guide was put out by my buddy, Jay Shultz and posted on drtopo.com a few years ago with coverage on past development, as well as the early resurgence at the turn of the millennium. Dislaimer: The list of motivated developers and first ascentionists span the decades and any list would be non-exhaustive...I apologize if your name is not mentioned.

Adam on Greasy Belly a.k.a. Domino

Even with all the 'local' buzz (consisting of a small handful of motivated people from Blacksburg, Roanoke and WAEL), McAfees carries an almost ghostly spirit. On any given day, with the exception of curious hikers, you'll find solitude and rarely see another climber. Walking up the jeep road and passing the roadside boulders, you'll see fresh chalk on the crimps and slopers as if you've just missed the guy before. Higher up the road, the boulders and chalk fade out and open up into an extensive and clear view of blue ridges and rolling valleys.

About 1/4 mile from the summit, you hit the Main Area. This is where the most classic problems lie as well as the biggest concentration . Keep going to the summit and you'll be rewarded with awesome views, refreshing breezes (sometimes windy enough to blow you off the summit when you're wearing a crashpad) and even more bouldering. I'd be conservative to say that there's at least 100 (small to house sized) boulders up there and even more to be discovered in the forest. Heidi (my wife) and I discovered two new boulders in the forest off the jeep road two years ago and put up about 7 great problems...adding a whole new area to the roadside circuit. We even found a 100' w x 50' t wall (although mostly chossy) off the lower jeep road that day!


Heidi on the Mickey Mouse Left Boulder



The 6'4" arete

In short, McAffees is a place unlike any other - a beautiful forest, classic boulders, no crowds and more climbing to be found for the adventurous - with one of the best views in the state. If you're a climber in or traveling through VA, you owe it to yourself to check it out!

Truc

Here We GO!

Welcome to the Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing (WAEL) Blog!

Just a quick note on who we are:

WAEL is...well, a lot of things. Essentially, we're a group comprised of fun loving, hardworking and talented outdoor professionals...and its our lifestyles that shape the place we work.

Throughout the year, we operate as an outdoor adventure and conference center. Most of the activities we do here consists of rockclimbing, rappelling, kayaking, mountain biking, high and low ropes, caving, canoeing, sea kayaking, group development/teamwork and our famous 900' zipline. When the weather gets too cold - although we adhere to the "rain, sun or snow" adventure philosophy, most people come here for school events, business meetings, reunions and full- to small-scale gatherings or parties.
During the summer months, in addition to our year round program, we offer outdoor adventure experiences to youth ages 10 up to 18. These trips are expeditious in nature and are designed to provide opportunities for discovery in many facets of life. Please checkout our official website at wilderness-adventure.com.

So, what's in the new? To start off, I'm excited to announce that WAEL is a proud sponsor of the "No Child Left Inside" movement. "No Child Left Inside" is a coalition founded on the simple goal of "finding new ways to encourage kids to experience nature and learn about the environment," as well as reminding us that life has lot more to offer than TV, computers and video games. Check out their website, it may answer your questions on how to get your kid outside more!

Another recent addition to the WAEL programming is the new "Family Adventure" program. This basically opens up our doors for anyone wanting to come for just a single adventure for themselves or the family, without the obligations of group size and associated costs. Bring the family for a Saturday afternoon on our high ropes adventure course, a fun mountain bike ride, or even a ride on our 900' zipline! Reservations required, please contact us in advance - the earlier the better.

If you've ever used the phrase or had the thought "when I was young, I never wanted to be inside..." then you might want to see just how much our society has changed "since you were young" by going here and reading some of the interesting statistics on the youth of today and the trends that are developing.

Lastly, I'd like to let you know that WAEL is now on Facebook! We made this page for our participants in hopes of staying connected with each other after their experiences at WAEL - and to develop new relationships with others that have been through our programs as well. Add us, get in touch and stay informed! (You have to have a Facebook account to view and join. It's FREE!)

Join us again (subscribe!) in a couple days to read more on who we are and what's happening in the world of WAEL.

Truc