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GET ALL OF YOUR DUCKIES IN A ROW CLASS VI UPPER NEW RIVER FAMILY ADVENTURE
by
Autumn Rhea
Until
now, the term “river rafting” translated for me into a simple rubber inner
tube, some fluorescent pink water shoes last year’s leftover sunscreen and a
casual two-hour float down a Texas river. After a recent adventure down the
Upper New River Gorge National River in southern West Virginia, these
associations were replaced with memories of rushing waves, cozy campfire
singing sessions and unforgettable bonding moments. The
Class IV Family Adventure Rafting Trip began with a short preparation session,
with our two river guides, Bobby and Andrew. They began by teaching all of the
novices the uses of a dry bag, assuring us that later, that vital makeup bag
and hair dryer would only end up a nuisance. They demonstrated how to fit a
sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, a tent and three-days worth of clothes and other
overnight necessities into a large rubber bag and still be able to fit the
other 15 bags snugly onto the raft. After
all the legal papers were signed, waterproof cameras were purchased (this will
become an important factor later) and everyone had been educated on the
upcoming events, we piled into an aging school bus and began bouncing our way
to the New River Family Adventure weekend. I experienced flashbacks to the days
when the “cool” people got to sit in the back of the bus and taunt the younger
kids. Luckily this time, their would be no taunting - only a building
excitement for an introduction to one of the oldest rivers in the country.
(It’s estimated age is 65 million years old.) It begins in the Blue Ridge
Mountains in North Carolina, crosses Virginia and enters West Virginia at the
southernmost tip. We
arrived at the launching site and our guides began the process of airing up our
ducky and getting the larger rafts ready for the trip. A ducky is an
inflatable, kayak-like craft, which is 3x9 feet-long and is flexible and easy
to maneuver. After a short lesson on paddling, the best way to keep dry in this
one or two-person “boat”, how to wear the helmet correctly and how to adjust
the life jacket, it was time to go. Too engrossed in my ducky discovery, I
looked back to see that while the bus was launching our rafts, it became stuck in
the river. I was
persuaded not to worry and told that these guys were strictly professionals.
Within minutes, the bus was back on dry land and our driver was waving goodbye
to us in his rear-view mirror.
Next,
Chris gingerly balanced on the ducky in a standing position and bellowed a
loud, “Who dares to face me in a game of King-of-the Ducky?” Julie bravely
paddled to his side and jumped at the chance to enjoy a competitive game of
“chicken.” The two struggled a bit to see whom would be the last person
standing and finally Julie managed to get the upper hand. There were cheers for
the victor, but that would not be the final test of strength of the day. Chris
would make his comeback and regain his King ducky stature soon. The
Upper New River includes rapids ranging from Class I-III which allows beginners
a chance to build experience and alter in the trip meet more difficult
challenges. The classifications range from I-VI, depending on the paddler’s
experience, volume of water in the river and craft type. Our group was capable
of keeping up with the challenging whitewater, but there were some moments…. I
fell into a groove and found myself feeling confident that I was part of the
team. I had already watched a few people tip their duckies and chase their
paddles downstream. An amazing camaraderie developed quickly and everyone
helped each other, ensuring that paddles, duckies and friends all remained
intact during this adventure.
Andrew
and Bobby, both West Virginia natives and were true characters. In
the three days I spent with him, he sang a song that he wrote about a kid who burned
down his house, but saves the TV, because it spends more time with him than
his mother. He also announced he'll be the next governor of West Virginia and
when elected he promised to outlaw soccer (something about it starting wars)
and big-legged pants
(something else about that causing the demise of society.) He paraded around in
a Hawaiian shirt with Girl Scout braids and knee high blue socks and was
constantly keeping us entertained. Bobby wasn’t quite as boisterous, but still has
a story to tell. He had an entire kitchen packed on his raft and he managed to
whip all kinds of gourmet feasts for us. He works as a river guide during
rafting months and has other business projects in Florida during the winter.
Bobby was the teddy bear type and towards the end of the trip, I convinced him
to pull my raft when my novice paddling arms were at an exhaustion point. We
had finished creating a makeshift shelter, as a powerful storm began brewing
and the rain started to fall. Everyone huddled together and listed to the wind
tear at the trees. West Virginia was in desperate need of the rain, but we all
were more concerned with our sleeping arrangements and how we would finish the
journey if it didn’t stop raining. Bobby brought out a birthday brownie cake
for Scott, a birds and wildlife ecology expert, who was celebrating his
birthday on this trip. The blazing candles and the campfire music made us all
forget the ravaging storm and soon we were all too engulfed in song and
laughter to worry about a little rain. Scott blew out the candles and
celebrated his birthday in style.
I
learned one more thing - I have a long way to go before I can call myself King
of the Ducky.
For more information:Class
VI River Rafting Lodging:
Woodcrest B&B, Fayetteville - 304 574-3870 |
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TM
The
Family Adventure Rafting Trip involved a mixture of adults and kids - ranging
in age from eight to 13-years-old. Two characters I met were Julie and Chris.
Our introductions began when Chris casually asked me, “Can you answer this
riddle?” and the games began. It’s a little intimidating to be inundated with
questions upon an initial meeting, but it made me admire these kids. “You CAN
bring a fiddle on this trip and you CAN bring a faddle, but unfortunately, you
CANNOT bring a fable.” It was driving
me crazy. I couldn’t let these kids
beat me at this riddle game. I was in the word business, after all. I
eventually gave up. Julie coyly told me, “This is all about the double letter.
Both of these words have double letters and this one doesn’t.” They wouldn’t
trick me next time. But the next challenge was just being able to keep up with
the rest of the group. My paddling skills on the ducky were still in the
tadpole stages.
After
a grueling day of exercise, the group was ready for some relaxation and
nourishment. We were guided into shore and set up camp in a beautiful, lush
area that provided much privacy and warmth. Andrew quickly schooled me in the
art of setting up a tent and my “buddy” Jennifer helped me with various other
camping duties. I discovered a turtle that wasn’t affected by our visit in the
least. He casually eyed me with his drooping stare and I admired his bright red
striped and decorative shell. He ventured on to the next tent, looking
carefully disinterested in our whole existence. After meeting the turtle, I
discovered an amazing spread of food, prepared by Bobby. It was not the usual
camping food of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and juice with a possible
side of chips and watermelon. This was a full exhibit of vegetables, rice and
seasoned chicken with rosemary potatoes and delectable garlic bread. I could
have never created such a meal in a fully armed kitchen, much less with a
simple Dutch oven and some basic pots and pans. We savored each bite and
discussed our day’s activities. Andrew produced a guitar and proceeded to
entertain us with campfire songs and his own views of the world, based on his
“West-By-God” experiences. 
We
rose early the next morning to discover more delicious food, that would give us
endurance for the day’s upcoming challenges. We packed up the tent, said
goodbye to the turtle and launched our duckies into West Virginia’s Upper New
River once again. As I eased into the paddling pattern, I was overcome with a
peace. John Denver’s well-known song, “Country Boy” felt like the most
appropriate way to express it and I actually fond myself humming it as I eased
down the river. It was almost a spiritual experience for me. Unfortunately, it
was interrupted by a sudden rock that I missed and was tipped over into the
chilly water. My camera (which wasn’t waterproof) was dumped along with me and
I was trapped for seconds beneath Chris’s ducky. I felt a surge of panic, but
quickly decided to continue swimming until I could pop my head above the water.
The whole experience only lasted about two minutes, but it quickly tore me from
my serene mindset and back into one of full attention. This river was the boss
and I had to constantly be aware of it at all times - John Denver could still
be my background music, though. (“West Virginia, take me home…to the place…I
belong.”)
We
continued our journey, seeing various birds and fish, and learning about
their natural environment and daily lifestyles. Jennifer and I became more
relaxed and decided to take a shore break along the way. She proceeded to teach
me the finer points of the river by parading her fashion statement with the
local seaweed. Another rafter, Nora and my riddling friend, Julie, took the
resting opportunity to test the weathered rocks along the shore and learn more
about the river’s erosion process. Sondra, an Irish masseuse, gave free facial
massages and told me about her recent trip across the U.S. and her life in
Ireland. We visited more tributaries, remote stretches and the gorge,
where we saw the best smallmouth fisheries in the United States.
My stereotypical images of West Virginia faded
completely. Somehow we develop these ideas of places we’ve never seen before -
I had imagined front yards filled with dilapidated trucks and banjos playing in
the background. I was surprised to discover it is a place of lush land and
friendly people, who want to share their beautiful river with the tourists and
teach them about its history and adventure. The Class IV Upper New River trip
is one you can enjoy with your whole family, creating lasting memories forever.