ADVENTURE IN THE OUTDOORS

2009-02-27T06:37:00.000-08:00

Post has been removed.

2009-02-18T06:39:00.000-08:00

EDIT: Chris, E-roc, and Anthony were upset I posted Patrick's Blog and not theirs. soooo Here it is. If I could set up a Vote I would. you can e-mail your Votes to us on our website!

Dano

Sunday Sunday Sunday…. Broathlon

Sunday turned out to be the nicest day of the year and here at Wilderness Adventure, we were not going to waste it. During the winter some people tend to get cooped up in the office, but it’s hard to keep us inside. Despite the frigid temperatures of VA, you’ll find us out at Carvin’s Cove riding our favorite trails or out at Snowshoe boarding. So with this awesome weather it was a tough choice to make between hitting our favorite trails or doing something out of the ordinary…. something extraordinary! Enter the BROatholon.
The mastermind behind this adventure was our favorite office dandy, Patrick Boas. As Anthony, Patrick, Eric and I were figuring out how to take advantage of the day, Patrick suggested the BROathlon! It was to be an epic day involving three rigorous activities. First was our Fenwick Loop trail – an 8 mile course involving road, jeep trail and single track biking that starts out right here at WA Base Camp. The next event was a mile run to our home away from home- the Staff House. The final event was kayaking down the mighty Craig Creek.
We geared up with helmets, gloves, glasses, and H2O and departed from the Bike Barn at 1:16 up the Base Camp Road. At the end of the camp road we hit a bit of a snag though. We looked behind us and noticed that our faithful camp dogs had followed us. As hardy and adventurous as they may be, we decided the dogs would have to sit this one out. Patrick and I decided to herd Rocky, Jackson, and Charlie back to B.C., while Anthony and Eric braved the Fenwick loop and its Hill of Despair.
Here’s what Eric had to stay: The ground going up the hill was soft and slow rolling. We got up though and without stopping. We hit the jedi night trail hard but Anthony had to stop for a fallen branch. I continued and bombed through the creek on the trail but got my feet wet. We rode through Fenwick and then met up with Chris and Patrick.

Once Patrick and I met up with Anthony and Eric we booked it back to Base Camp and switched out our clip-in shoes for trail shoes and started jogging to the Staff House. We took the cross-country trail across B.C. through the woods, past rolling pastures, and up the dusty road. With our legs burning from riding and running, we gathered up our kayaks, paddles, and PFDs and trumped on to Craig Creek’s second ford. The water level was up and the weather was warm, but the water in the creek remained an icy 34.983 degrees. We hopped in our boats and slid into the water. Along the way we passed sheets of ice and frozen water falls. With the water up, we were able to hit a couple of gnarly rapids…. with some icy results. We finally pulled up to the Base Camp Takeout at 4:14 and hauled the kayaks back to barn and warmed up. Excited with our three hour time, we showered off and got ready for the next event… the SUPER BOWL.

Signed with love,

Chris, Anthony, and E-Roc

Broathalon

2009-02-18T06:10:00.000-08:00

It seemed like it was going to be a typical lazy Super Bowl Sunday for Wilderness Adventure Staff. Realizing that most people were setting up for their parties, probably out fighting the crowds at the grocery stores trying to grab some chips & salsa and a couple 2-liter bottles of soda, we had hopes of accomplishing something more adventurous.

Being it was one of the nicest days we had seen in a couple months, and not wanting to do the typical bike ride at Carvin’s Cove, we invented what is known currently as the BROathlon. A BROathlon consisted of 4 of our male staff members (Eric, Anthony, Chris and Patrick) spending 4-5 hours trekking the New Castle countryside on; 1) a 7 mile bike loop around Fenwick Park back to Base Camp, 2) a 1.5 mile run to the 2nd ford creek crossing and then 3) a 3 mile paddle down Craig’s Creek in our open cockpit white water kayaks back to Base Camp.

All started out well, we planned out the trip in the Administration building, drawing a rough map that we would follow, as well as deciding what prep work we would need to set up before we hit the trail. We decided that we should drop off the boats, pfd’s and paddles at the second ford before we did anything else so they would be ready for us when we arrived after our jog. Then headed back to camp to get our bikes ready for the loop. It took a good 30 minutes to get set up and be on our bikes on the camp road headed to Fenwick Mines. Our start was time 2:15pm with a goal of finishing the event in 3 hours.

A factor we did not put into our estimated time was the pack of camp dogs, Rocky, Jackson and Charlie. They must have been looking for something to do this Sunday as well, and it seemed as if they decided that a Dogathlon was a great idea. Hoping we could out ride the dogs we started to pedal faster, even the littlest of dogs (Charlie) picked up his pace and followed us all the way to the 615/611 intersections. A little frustrated we decided that we needed to head back to camp and chain them up before we hit the road again. New start time: 2:45.

We completed the loop successfully the second time around in about an hour, put our bikes away and started our 1.5 mile run to the second ford. Again the dogs started to follow us; luckily they were distracted by some of the stray rabbits on the property. We reached the house in about 20 mins, grabbed a quit bite to eat (pb&J) and then grabbed our boats and carried them down to the 2nd ford.

Though it was a beautiful day outside the water was still extremely cold, flipping your boat and or dragging our boats through shallow areas would be a horrible idea. Along the way we found some ice formations that had drained off of the ridge and froze before getting to the creek. Not something you want to see as you are sitting in an open kayak with shorts and t-shirts on. Though it was a long paddle on flat water, it turned out to be a very peaceful paddle, soaking up some sun and remembering warmer days where we found ourselves on this creek almost every week. The creek looped around and we found ourselves pulling the boats out at Base Camp in less than 2 hours, finishing our BROathlon in roughly 4.5 hours. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon and we have hopes of setting out on one that would include more of our staff, meaning we might have to change the name from BRO to BRO/GALathlon.

Un-till next time.......

Patrick R Boas

XOXOxxOxoOx

2009-02-03T06:01:00.000-08:00

Here at Wilderness-Adventure we have lots of fun times Hiking, Biking, Kayaking and Caving in the Thomas Jefferson National Forest and surrounding area. When the weather starts to change and it starts to slow down around here in the winter we get to take our vacations for the year. It was around November and I was feeling the itch to do some traveling and to head west. So I talked to a buddy of mine and we put plans together to hit the road …a cross country road trip hitting some of the most beautiful national parks the United States of America has to offer. So after Christmas we packed up my Ford Taurus (The Bull) and headed out west.
The first day we drove from my house to St. Louis Missouri. We got there around 5a.m. Checked out the Gateway to the west. Then we caught some much needed z’s before heading further westward. We passed Kansas City and said “Sayonara” to Topeka. We traveled ever farther on Interstate 70 till we got to the Great Plains. Flat and somewhat boring is what most people said about them, but I did not really mind driving through the Great Plains it felt somewhat joyous to finally be on planet earth somewhere west of Ohio. Then we entered into Colorado. As the sun was setting we were approaching the Rocky Mountains, but we wouldn’t actually see them till dawn.

The next morning we awoke after spending the night at a motel 6. We left for Rocky Mountain National Park. We headed for the east entrance. We got there and were awestruck by the size of the mountains and the natural beauty that surrounds them. We got there Paid for our America the Beautiful all inclusive visitors pass and went to the backcountry office. There we were helped by Lyle. He gave us a suggestion where to go snowshoeing and all we needed to know to go into the backcountry in Rocky Mountain National Park.
We Got back to our car and prepared to Snowshoe up to Mill Lake. We were planning to then camp a little bit further up the trail past Jewell Lake. We made camp around an Altitude just above 10,000Ft. My buddy Dj was feeling a little under the weather so I was left to take care of dinner by myself. We then slept the night away listening to the wind howl with gusts up to 55MpH. The next morning we arose packed up camp and snow shoed over to Loch Lake. Loch Lake was one of the most amazing views that I have ever seen in my Life. The clouds and sun were just amazing. To walk up over the edge of the hill and see the ridge towering over the frozen lake was a feeling that is indescribable. The weather again was quite amazing in the 20s with wind 25-35 MPH with gusts up to 55Mph. We then left Rocky Mountain National Park and we headed towards Moab a Mecca for the Outdoor Industry and also the location of our next stop Arches National Park.
Arches National Park has amazing rock gardens and breathtaking features. We started by driving into the park trying to take in everything we could with our eyes. We first saw Delicate Arch and Fiery Furnace. We then wound up at the Devils Garden Trailhead where we hiked to Tunnel Arch, and Pine Tree Arch. Then we worked our way to Landscape Arch, Which is probably the most impressive spanning over 300 ft. and only 11ft. thick in one spot. A portion of the arch fell off in 1991. We then left Arches and headed to Zion National Park on the way we had one of the most spectacular sunsets we have ever seen.
The next day at Zion we first drove through the park and explored what it had to offer. Zion is a Beautiful canyon land offering a unique landscape unparalleled in any other park. We wound up hiking the river walk and then we hiked the Patriarchs trail where we saw the most wildlife on our trip. We saw Turkeys, Mule Deer, Woodpecker, and Blue Jays. We got back to The Bull and went to the furthest west our trip would take us, the land of giants, Sequoia National Park.
When we got to Sequoia we didn’t know that high up in the sierras there was over 2.5 feet of snow and would need to rent snow chains to be able to see the giant marvels. We drove up and up seeing spectacular views all around us. While passing through many types of ecosystems traveling to see the largest trees on earth we were smitten by the biodiversity of our planet. We finally get to the chain up point, hook up the chains, and take off again. We round two corners and there are trees that you cannot even imagine how big they are! We get to the top after passing Sequoia after Sequoia and we decide to get out and walk around. We are now in the zone where these giants live 6000 to 9000 ft. in elevation and are also only found in the Sierra Nevada’s in California. We walk over to the General Sherman Tree, the largest living thing on the planet and the largest tree in the entire world. We cannot believe our eyes again on this trip. We just cannot even start to take in all the sights we have now seen because of the amount of beauty we have tried to process in the last few days. Moving on we leave the land of Giants and go to the land of Death…Death Valley.
At Death Valley we hiked Mosaic Canyon, which is a beautiful limestone canyon. We then drove through the sparse landscape, past many water barrels for cars that overheat in the summer, to the most famous point within Death Valley Badwater Basin. Badwater Basin is the lowest place in the United States at an elevation of -282ft. below sea level. From that point you can also look at the highest point in the park at over 11,000ft. Leaving Death Valley we worked our way towards Las Vegas. Then after having a night on the town we hit our final park.
The Grand Canyon is one of the biggest wonders in the world. Created by the water of the mighty Colorado it continues to be shaped and changed which you can see by looking at all of the exposed layers of rock and earth. At the Grand Canyon there was about 2 feet of snow up on the rim. So we decided to not hike into the canyon for safety purposes. We decided we could still see plenty and it wasn’t worth the risk. The canyon is an amazing sight, from whatever angle you see it from. Most of the other visitors that we met in the park were not Americans but travelers from other countries. We drove through the park and after experiencing all that these parks had to offer. I asked my friend Dj anything else you want to see. He replied “what else is there to see” in a tone like we have seen everything. We had just seen the Grand Canyon and 5 of more of the best National Parks in the United States. I had no answer, but “I guess we go home then.”
These are just small examples of my trip and many more stories can also be shared. The experiences from this trip will stay with me forever and the fun times that I shared with my good friend. I can’t ever imagine something better than what I had just done. So who wants to go to Alaska?

2009-01-27T06:20:00.001-08:00

New years resolutions. Everyone has one. Are you going to lose weight this year? Be more productive? Call in sick less? Brush your teeth more? There are plenty normal and boring ways to try and be a better person in 2009. This year, as 2008 was rolling out and 2009 was becoming a reality I was trying to decide what my new years resolution was going to be. Should I mow the lawn more “nah”. Should I try and save more money this year” Phhhhh…..yeah right”. Should I make more of an effort to keep in contact with my friends ” no that’s what facebook is for”. What is it going to be? Maybe I should ride my bike more! If you think about it, It is perfect! I will ride my bike more in 2009. I will be working out, losing weight, having fun, spending time with friends and making new ones almost every time I go for a bike ride. Sounds like the best New years resolution ever right?
The first day of the new year and it is time to test my theory. 12:00pm Jake Janine , Anthony , and I are suiting up. We hit a low loop at Carvins cove for our first ride of the new year. It was cold, it was windy, and I had to wear all the cold gear I had. But it was such a great ride! You can’t get much better then spending time with people you really enjoy and being in nature. There is just nothing like it. Only 365 days left to make this years resolution the best it can be. I may not be saving money, and I am sure the lawn will look worse than ever this year. But for me, and I am sure for some of you, this new years is going to be the best yet. Good luck with all the new years resolutions!

Ride or Di……Maybe my new years resolution should be to change my motto…

~Dano

2009-01-16T06:03:00.000-08:00

Hey bloggers!,

I know it has been a while since my last blog update. It is a new year and a time to start over, a time to grow change and learn from the year gone by. now lucky for all of you, you do not have to read a blog about me going on for ever about any of that. Instead I am going to post up an essay composed by one of our very own alumni from WAEL. Thats right "Bobo"!

Enjoy!

Dano

Caryn Maconi
October 19, 2008
I was introduced to backpacking at a summer camp called Wilderness
Adventure at Eagle Landing when I was eleven years old. After learning about
the program at a local camp fair, my mother signed me up on a whim, unaware
that the experience would have a lasting impact on my life. The founder of
the organization, Colonel Gene Nervo, is a wise, friendly, balding man in
his sixties who started the camp after serving in the marines. His goal was
to create a program that builds character in young people by having them
experience firsthand the challenges that the outdoors can hold. Throughout
my five years as a camper and one year as a staff member at Wilderness
Adventure, “Colonel”, as he is lovingly called, has taught me about the two
main principles of character that I base my life on: a strong work ethic and
a positive attitude.
When Colonel talks about the “principles of success” in his
discussions at the start and finish of every youth backpacking session, he
explains their usefulness in the outdoors, but especially emphasizes their
importance in the rest of life.
During my summer working as a Wilderness Adventure employee, I
really learned to understand what a good work ethic was all about. I was
excited to spend six weeks at Wilderness Adventure, getting paid to
backpack, rock climb, kayak, and mountain bike - all of the activities that
I have grown to love during my years as a camper. It was easy to put forth
my best effort with these. I soon realized, however, that the ins-and-outs
of running an outdoor adventure camp require a lot of work that is not so
exciting. For example, I spent entire days digging a drainage pipe out of
the ground with a pickaxe and a shovel. I worked hours in the base camp
kitchen, washing dishes, taking out the trash, and mopping floors. I would
frequently help out after work hours were done, loading a boat trailer or
preparing a re-supply for a group out on the trail. This task consisted of
collecting mail, food, fuel, water, and other items to be distributed to
backpackers in the middle of a long trip, and it often took more time than
expected. Still, I remembered Colonel telling me that a good work ethic
meant doing every task, no matter how big, small, or smelly, to the best of
my ability. I followed his advice, knowing that I was lucky to have a job at
Wilderness Adventure and that I would be given an opportunity to have an
action-packed day off if I only kept up the effort. This principle carries
over into my life at home in countless ways. As a cross-country and track
runner, I train hard every day, never slowing down or cutting a run short
when the coach isn’t looking. At school, I study for tests until I know I am
well prepared, and I complete every homework assignment, even if it won’t be
checked by a teacher. To me, “slacking” is a bad word, and when I notice
somebody slacking off, I feel compelled to encourage that person to set his
or her goals just a little higher. I love the personal feeling of
accomplishment that a good work ethic provides, and I know that every
challenge I meet with perseverance and effort makes me a stronger, more
confident person.
I believe that a positive attitude is one of my most outstanding
traits, and Colonel consistently strengthens that trait within me. He has
shown me the value of keeping my head up whatever difficulty comes my way,
always trying to find something good in the situation. A positive attitude
is extremely important at Wilderness Adventure, because while living purely
outdoors and carrying your life in a pack is an amazing experience, it
certainly has its share of obstacles. Backpackers must find ways to deal
with poison ivy, rainstorms, bug bites, hikes that last into the night,
flavorless freeze-dried meals, and worst of all, no showers! Still, I see
all of this as part of the package; I realize that with each obstacle
overcome I build character, and I know that each experience will be another
exciting story to look back on with pride. With a positive attitude, I find
life so much more enjoyable and challenges so much more fun to meet. I get
excited about my eleven-mile cross country practice, and instead of dreading
and procrastinating that term paper, I look forward to the moment when I can
say it’s completed and I can read over my impressive work. Approaching life
with optimism helps me to be fearless and believe in learning through every
opportunity. Most of all, having a positive attitude means being happy, and
spreading that happiness to everyone I meet with a bright smile, a hug, or a
few encouraging words.
Perhaps I have always possessed the qualities that Colonel
advocates, and he has really only brought them to the surface through his
program and its unique challenges. When I feel like something in my life is
not quite right, like my plans are not working out the way they should or my
frustration level is a little high, I think of Colonel and those two
powerful virtues. I take his lessons to heart, for they have helped me to
see life’s bigger picture. I have learned to look at life with optimism,
motivation, and a kind heart. By sticking to the values that have come to
define me, I find that I am always ready and determined to commit to
challenges, to take risks, and to build character with every experience.

WAEL @ Ray's!

2008-12-01T07:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I have to admit, working at a place like Wilderness Adventure, comes with a lot of cool perks. Usually when you think about perks that you get from a job you think of things like, your own cubical , paid holidays, and a stapler, and maybe if you are lucky you will get your name on a mug for Christmas or a sweet tie with the company logo on it. Well here at W.A. we have a different set of perks. Perks that I feel are worth far more than a desk with your name on it or even your own company computer. What perks am I talking about you ask? I am talking about perks like, lifelong friendships, new experiences, getting up in the morning and wanting to go to work, the support of your peers to be whatever you want to be, the memories you create, and the people you meet. There is nothing like it…..
I was writing the above paragraph for another blog I was going to do for the website. Now fast forward 2 days to Wednesday morning…….
What is worse that getting up at 5:00am on a weekday to drive to Ohio? The answer is waking up at 4:00am on a weekday to drive to Ohio. Yes, us WAEL staff are at it again. Another trip, more memories, more new people and awesome experiences. This time we are headed to Cleveland Ohio , to Rays Indoor Mountain bike park! Yes you are reading that right, an indoor park! Only in flat, corn filled, Ohio will you find a place like this. 115,000sq ft of ladders, jumps, logs, rocks, and a half mile XC loop! All jammed and crammed into a huge old warehouse that looks all but abandoned. Steve and I were lucky enough to meet up with Jake, Janine, Sarah and Chris for a few days of riding, and good times. So Steve and I get into Columbus at around 1:00 and meet up with Jake, Janine, and Sarah. We had just enough time to cram 5 people 4 bikes and clothes into Jake’s jeep and get on the road. 2 hours later we are at Rays. Rays is open from 5:00pm to 10:00pm every weeknight. We went on a Wednesday and Thursday night. The first night we got there just after 5:00, we took enough time to change, get our bikes together and throw a helmet on. Everywhere you look at Rays there is something fun to ride on , or jump off of. Or if you want you can watch other riders hit the stunts while you build up your courage. It did not take long and the building was full with all sorts of people. There was a wide variety of riders. BMX, XC Jake was on his All Mountain rig, and even a down hill bike made it in, “Cough” Steve “Cough” . It was awesome to be in a place where all you needed to fit in was a love for bikes. There were some older XC guys riding the same stuff as the BMX kids. I saw people that were Pro quality riders, beginners, first timers. Families, and senior citizens! There was even a 8-10 year old kid throwing 1 foot Can’s off a small jump on the pump track. I wanted to talk to the little dude and give him some info on our Youth Adventure Camps, But his mom called him out of the park because he needed to go home and do his homework.
Ray’s is divided into 7 main areas with other trails and stunts shooting off. Jake and I spent a lot of time in the GT Sport section, and the Mongoose expert section. The GT Sport section had lots of cool stuff laid out all over the place. There were ladders that challenged even the most skilled riders, rythym jumps, and a large platform that the BMX guys liked to pulling tricks on platforms and the staging area’s. The Mongoose section was filled with Ladders, skinny’s, and tons of cool stunts. There were teeters, double teeters, and even an elevator! The skinny’s and ladders in this section were even harder than the GT section. You had plenty of room to try new things and hone those skills. To the far left side of the GT section there was the Gary Fisher, pump track. Talk about a workout, and a heck of a lot of fun. It was a perfect place to work on your trail flow, and work on getting every ounce of pump out of each corner. there was even a beginner room for people new to biking, to work on their skills without the worry of being in the way or making a fool of yourself in front of the pros. Scattered around the park there are a number of lounge areas. I am not talking just some chairs to rest on. The SRAM lounge has 3 full gas fireplaces, wireless internet, food, comfy chairs and music playing around the clock. The lounge is a great place to rest, eat some pizza and get your energy up for another round. Just off the Lounge is the entrance to the XC loop. You would think that a Indoor Mountain bike park, would be kind of limited to the type of riding you can allow in such a small space. Well Ray has thought of everything, and devised a way to fit a half mile XC loop into a warehouse that is already busting at the seams. How did he do that? He built it into the rafters!!! That’s right you heard me! You have climbs, decents and a small but very fun ride in the rafters, where you can look down on the park and your fellow bikers shredding it up in the other various area’s Ray's has to offer. If all of that was not enough, Ray did one more thing to solidify this as one of the best Bike parks in my mind. He put in a foam pitt! Heck yeah! Now you can try all those tricks you are scared to pull on your local trails or jumps. That’s right, now you can work on turn down’s, or the elusive 360. Or if you are looking to challenge yourself, you can try to polish up that backflip, 360, turndown, flair, that you can’t seem to pin.
I guess what I am trying to say is that Ray’s is amazing. The icing on the cake is the people. I can’t say enough about the people of Cleveland. Everyone we met was down to earth and friendly. We became friends with Bob, “the guy behind the counter at Ray’s” he hooked us up with some free stickers and gave everyone in our group a free Ray’s water bottle. What a great trip! This brings me back to the point in my first paragraph. A perk can be something as simple as a good time with good friends you work with. I feel lucky to have worked with all of them. It’s a perk I would not trade for anything. Not even a sweet W.A.E.L. tie.

P.S. if you are in the area hit up Melt. It is a awesome place specializing in the art of making the best dang grilled cheese sandwiches on earth! You will not leave hungry!

As always, Ride or Die……and have some fun in between.

Dano

P.P.S. we will be uploading a video to the site soon, but it is not finished yet. so these screen shots of me and Jake in the foam pitt will have to do till it is done. Thanks!

Wilderness People in an Urban Setting…

2008-10-31T08:17:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-20T08:50:00.001-07:00

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

2008-10-10T06:19:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-10-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

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