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Posts Tagged ‘West Virginia’

Holidays Happenings Around the Bridge

Friday, December 9th, 2011

Old Man Winter has only shown his face a couple of times so far this year (here, at least).  On the other hand, St. Nick is getting ready to make his appearance and this means festive times in the New River Gorge.  Whether you need to work on your Christmas list or just want to get into the holiday spirit, you’ll find everything you’re looking for right by the Bridge.

Shopping

There are plenty of shopping options in this area, especially if you’re looking for something a little different than a department store offering.  Canyon Rim Gift Shop and the National Park Service Canyon Rim Visitor Center are next to the Bridge and have a lot of interesting gifts that you won’t find anywhere else.

Wisteria’s Gifts, located just south of the Bridge in Fayetteville, has a great deal of handcrafted and unique gifts. Pottery, jewelry, glass, children’s items, and much more line the shelves of this cozy shop.

If you need a present for someone who loves being outside, then Water Stone Outdoorsin downtown Fayetteville can’t be missed. From climbing gear and shoes to all sorts of outdoor clothing, Water Stone has a great selection of items for all kinds of outdoor activities.

Page/Vawter House Christmas Lights

Downtown Fayetteville has many other little specialty shops offering antiques, clothing and crafts. Take some time to stroll around town and pop in on these local merchants.  You never know what you might find.

And here’s what we think is the perfect gift – a West Virginia adventure experience!  Purchase a gift certificate from one of our area outfitters and give a rafting trip, a jetboat ride, or a zip line tour.

Holiday Activities

Lacy’s Lights are an annual favorite at the Fayette County Park.  For just a small donation, you can drive through the display, which boasts over 300,000 lights.  In Ansted, visit the Page/Vawter House for it’s Christmas lights and tour. If these holiday lights don’t get you into the spirit, nothing will.

The Historic Fayette Theater has a couple of holiday shows in the works. The New River Youth Symphony Chorus will have their winter concert on December 10 at 7 pm. Then, The Wild Rumpus will host their third annual New Years Bash on New Years Eve. Both of these events are fun for the family.

How are you getting in the spirit around the Gorge this year?

The Taste of Bridge Day – An Insider’s View

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

Everyone knows the magnitude of the festival that is Bridge Day. With over 400 BASE jumpers, over 300 rappellers and close to 100,000 spectators, it’s the largest one-day festival in West Virginia.

As Bridge Day has evolved over the years, one of the additions that has steadily grown in popularity and participation has been the feasting that takes place on Friday evening. The Taste of Bridge Day showcases some of the area’s finest cuisine and exposes people to the talents of local restaurants and caterers.

One of those local talents is Rezan Nese.  Rezan was raised in Fayette County, but she has Turkish roots.  She is the head chef and kitchen manager of Chetty’s Pub, one of the eateries at Adventures on the Gorge.  Rezan takes her cooking very seriously.

Background

Rezan has well over 23 years working with food. She has cooked in many different places including Costa Rica, Turkey and at her own place in Fayetteville, which she recently sold after four years. She credits her unusual recipes to the diversity of cuisine she has been exposed to around the world.

Rezan Nese

The Taste

This year’s Taste of Bridge Day featured 14 restaurants from a multi-county area. Rezan relates a few of her feelings about the annual event.  “It’s a great advertising and exposure tool for local mom and pop restaurants. It’s a wonderful opportunity to experience new food and flavors that many people would not normally try or have exposure to.”

Initially we planned to share a couple of Rezan’s Taste of Bridge Day recipes here for people to recreate. But as Rezan related, “mine are all in my head, which I know seems a little crazy, but that’s just the way I do it.”

Maybe you’ll get inspiration to try making something new and unique yourself.

Her Dishes

Rezan shared some descriptions of very unique dishes created according to her varied tastes. Her Thai lettuce wrap with red curry features red curry paste, coconut milk, garlic and ginger, your choice of  meat or seafood, shredded carrots, cabbage, shittake mushrooms, leaf lettuce and green onions.

Another favorite dish of Rezan’s is a Peanut Noodle Bowl.  It features rice noodles, peanut butter, chicken broth, crushed red pepper, garlic, ginger and cashew pieces for a garnish.

Rezan has served these dishes at the Taste of Bridge Day in previous years.  They are certainly not your typical WV cuisine.  Rezan says, “Each year I try to do something unique.”

What’s your favorite Taste of Bridge Day dish?

Rappelling the New River Gorge Bridge

Monday, November 28th, 2011

As far as high adventure goes, leaping off the New River Gorge with a parachute attached to one’s back (aka BASE jumping) is about as extreme as it gets. Over 400 individuals take the plunge each Bridge Day.

But there’s another whole group of thrill seekers that use Bridge Day as a platform (no pun intended) to have their fun too. Rappelling on Bridge Day attracts almost as many participants as BASE jumping.  You may have seen these rappellers raising and lowering flags on Bridge Day.

Here’s the skinny on the rappelling on Bridge Day.

History of Rappelling on Bridge Day

Teams of Rappellers on Bridge Day

Bridge Day rappelling has been organized the same way for 20 years. Benjy Simpson has been the rappel coordinator since 1992 and has seen this part of the festival grow in popularity over the years.

In Benjy’s initial year of coordinating the event, there were 10 teams with 95 total rappellers. The event was opened to anyone who had rappelling experience and was a part of a team with the appropriate gear to participate.

Due to limited space the number of teams has remained capped at 25, but the number of people on each team has steadily risen. Most teams now have between 12 and 16 members.  A blind draw of the eligible teams determines rope positions, as the first position gets the longest rappel and ends up closest to the river.

2011 By The Numbers

Bridge Day 2011 had a total of 23 teams with 311 rappellers. They completed 860 rappels. Only 2009, when there were 25 teams that performed a total of 895 rappels, was larger.

Other Facts

According to registration records, almost a third of the rappel participants each year are first-time Bridge Day rappellers.  The youngest ever participant was 14 and the oldest was 81. These folks have come from approximately 35 different states and 6 different countries.

Benjy relies on a team of volunteers to assist him in putting this event together. Close to 60 people assist in everything, from being part of a safety team to taking registrations and making sure all participants are informed and taken care of while they rappel. Safety is a main priority,  and there has only been one injury in 20 years (in 2002).

The rappel team keeps 2 ropes available just for people who desire to ascend back up from the bottom. These participants must also have their own approved gear; the average ascent takes around 45 minutes. Teams are welcome to ascend their own ropes, but due to time constraints most people use the designated ropes instead.

This feat isn’t for everyone, and the numbers prove it. There were 74 ascents in 2008, 48 in 2010 and 30 on Bridge Day 2011.

Do you want to go ‘on rope’ next Bridge Day?

So, you want to BASE jump the New River Gorge Bridge?

Monday, November 21st, 2011

Maybe you’ve been a BASE jumper for awhile and the New River Gorge Bridge is on your jump list.  Maybe you’re an avid skydiver and looking for another way to get your rush. Or maybe you just showed up at Bridge Day this year and saw that an 82-year old man had jumped and thought you could do it too.

Whatever your reason, BASE jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge is an epic feat.  Depending on your experience level, there are some guidelines you’ll need to follow to get to the point where you can actually make the leap.

Experienced Jumpers

If you are already a BASE jumper or a skydiver, you may think this means you can just show up and jump. This is not quite the case. There are some requirements you must meet in order to jump at Bridge Day.

First of all, you need at least 100 parachute jumps (BASE  jumps and/or skydives), and at least one of those has to have been in the last two years prior to the event.

Tandem BASE Jumping at Bridge Day

First time BASE jumpers must attend a BASE jump training event prior to their jump. There are several opportunities to get this training.

You must have BASE jump-specific or approved skydiving equipment and need to make sure your stuff qualifies before registering and paying for your slot.

Unexperienced Jumpers

If you’ve never jumped before, you have a fairly long road ahead to get the required number of jumps before Bridge Day 2012. The bright side?  In 100 jumps you’ll probably realize whether or not jumping off an 876 foot tall bridge is for you. Plus you will have developed a pretty exciting hobby.

There is another way you can experience a BASE jump off the Bridge without going to all that effort. For the first time ever, the 2011 Bridge Day offered tandem BASE jumps.  Only 10 tandem jumps were available; stay posted on what might be offered in 2012.

The tandem jump isn’t cheap, but compared to the amount you’d spend to get your 100 parachute jumps in, its a steal. As long as you have an adventurous spirit and meet a couple of other small requirements, it’s safe to say that you’re going to have the ride of your life.

So, are you planning to jump in 2012?

Ski the New River Gorge Bridge – Skiing in Southern WV

Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

The New River Gorge Bridge is almost 1,900 feet above sea level. And our area is just the plateau BEFORE getting into the real mountains of West Virginia.

What does all this elevation mean for winter? Colder conditions with lots more snow than you will find for hundreds of miles in either a westerly or southern direction. For winter adventures, southern West Virginia is the place to be.

What’s Close

Winterplace Ski Resort is located just south of Beckley in the Flat Top area, making it a  wonderfully convenient spot for a ski vacation. With tremendous snow-making capabilities, this mountain makes it easy to enjoy skiing all winter.

And as Winterplace is just a short drive from cities such as Roanoke and Charlotte, it’s a great destination for ski groups and those who want an easy weekend getaway.

Family Appeal

In addition to having almost 30 trails that can accommodate all levels of skiers and snowboarders, Winterplace offers one of the longest ski days in WV. Night skiing is available, meaning you can take full advantage of your time at the resort.  Bonus: trails are less crowded in the evenings.

Try out tubing at Winterplace

Winterplace also has a terrain park for the more adventurous and experienced crowd. This area contains rails, boxes and jumps, so you can show off your X Games-style maneuvers.

Winterplace also boasts a tubing park, an additional activity that will keep the kids (and adults) entertained. This area is fun for all ages of folks who are over 44 inches tall. There’s nothing like a sledding experience with a tow back to the top.

Other Opportunities

There are other alpine skiing areas just a couple hours north and east of the Gorge area. These areas are truly in the mountains and get tremendously more snowfall than the rest of the state. Under normal road conditions you can access the Snowshoe/Silver Creek area or the Canaan Valley and Timberline ski resorts in just under 3 hours from Fayetteville.

Besides alpine skiing, the Gorge area has a plethora of hiking and biking trails that, under the right conditions, can be used for cross country skiing. Many of these trails are relatively flat or have a balanced amount of inclines/declines so you don’t have to be in incredible shape to get out and enjoy them.

So are ready to ski the Gorge?

Bridge Day 2011 By the Numbers

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Bridge Day 2011 is history.  Beautiful blue skies and an awesome crowd of BASE jumpers, rappellers, and spectators equaled a pretty amazing day.

A member of the Red Bull Team jumps at Bridge Day 2011

Also amazing?  Some of the numbers from this year’s event:

  • There were 750 BASE jumps by 421 jumpers this year.
  • 11 tandem jumps were made, for the first time ever.
  • $660 was raised by presenting sponsor Subaru for the Fayette County Humane Society.
  • 180 – That’s the number of pick-ups that the Rescue Boat team made this year, more than average.
  • The Fayette County Green Team and the Appalachian State University Outdoors Program collected almost 600 pounds of cardboard for recycling.
  • 82  - The age of this year’s oldest BASE jumper, Donald Cripps.
  • There were 868 Bridge Day rappels.
  • $1,000.  That’s the donation that Subaru made to World Hoop Day on behalf of Stephanie Bercht, the winner of the Bridge Day Tandem Jump Video Contest.
  • BASE jumpers came from 12 countries and 39 states.  9 jumpers were from West Virginia.
  • 1,000 of you downloaded the Official Bridge Day app.
  • 24% of jumpers were making their first BASE jump on Bridge Day.
  • There were 105 trash cans on the Bridge.
Thanks for being part of Bridge Day.  We’ll see you in 2012!

 

My Ride in the Rescue Boats

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

By Sarah Powell-Henning

I was born and raised just down the road from the New River Gorge Bridge, in Oak Hill, WV.  One of my earliest childhood memories is of being on the Bridge with family and friends.

My mother, father, grandparents and great-grandparents (and several generations before that!) all, were born and raised in the area. My Grandmother has told us stories of watching the Bridge being built. Her house was just a stones throw away.

Dad (in green life jacket) at Bridge Day in the mid-80's

It’s safe to say my family has been here awhile, and it’s safe to say that Bridge Day seems to be in our blood.

My Dad

The Dragan Brothers, founders of Wildwater Expeditions, along with Butch Christian, Tom Stafford, and some other Wildwater originals, were part of a group that formed the Bridge Day rescue boats. Many know them simply as, “The Pick Up Guys”.

My dad, Tom, was a part-time raft guide in the 70’s and 80’s for Wildwater Expeditions, and for a couple of years was part of this team.

I remember hanging out on the rocky shore of the New River, watching the jumpers aim for the target. More often than not (or so it seemed), Dad and the other guys would rush to pluck jumpers out of the water.

The jumpers would get out at the bank, cold and soaked, but smiling and ready to pack up and do it all over again.

Dad and Tom Stafford pull in a jumper

Jon Dragan and Tom Stafford are no longer with us, nor is my Dad. He passed away two years ago.

So this past Bridge Day, I was beyond touched to have the opportunity to get into the rescue boats with Tom Dragan and his crew and experience for myself what it’s like to be part of “The Pick Up Guys”.

Riding with the Rescue Team

I didn’t know which rescue boat I’d be in.  When I stepped into Missy and Shane Dragan’s boat, it was a good feeling.  After all, our fathers had worked together.

Here’s what I learned:

This team moves fast.  Missy and Shane kept their eyes on the sky most of the time, expertly judging where the jumpers would be landing.  Before they even hit the water, a boat was on it’s way.

And once they got to the jumper, they had to quickly pull them up into the boat, gear and all, because chances were good that someone else needed to be picked up.

Dropping a jumper off at shore (side note - some sweet 80's fashion going on in this pic!)

Jumpers (as many as four at a time, at one point that morning) ride in the boats until the rescue team gets a break in the action and can drop them off at shore.

Their job is critical.  There’s no doubt that what the rescue boat team does is one of the most important jobs on Bridge Day.

After the exhilaration of just jumping off The New River Gorge Bridge, some of those who make a water landing might not exactly have swimming at top of mind.  Jumpers are not wearing life jackets, making it imperative that a boat get to the jumpers quickly.

One of the strangest things we saw was a jumper who landed in the water and lost her shoes in the drink. The jumper was fine. The shoes? Never to be seen again.  She didn’t seem too worried about it though, since she’d just made her first jump off the New River Gorge Bridge.

Teamwork is key.  And this team was tight.  There was constant communication about jumpers coming in, who would grab them, the status of jumpers.  There were times when two or three boats needed to work together to assist a jumper.  I’ve never seen a team more focused or in control.

One of the toughest things about being part of the rescue boat team?  Finding time for a bathroom break.  Who would have thought?

Me on the boat in 2011 with Missy and Shane

A Reflective Day

I want to thank Missy, Shane, and Tom Dragan and the entire rescue boat team for providing the opportunity to experience something that was a very special part of my Dad’s life.

For a moment, I was able to close my mind to the action and reflect on how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place, full of determined, generous people.

Most of all, I thought of my Dad.

I thought of his life, and how grateful I’ll always be for our time together.  He was my best friend, and riding with the rescue team gave me a chance to connect with him again in ways I didn’t expect.

WOAY Taste of Bridge Day 2011

Friday, October 14th, 2011

This year’s WOAY Taste of Bridge Day was the place to be.  A fun (and hungry) crowd filled Smokey’s on the Gorge and the surrounding decks and overlooks, enjoying samples from lots of area chefs.

So many delicious options to choose from...

A diverse group of culinary artists presented this year.  Some of the highlights:

  • Blue Grass BBQ – Dished up cheesy BBQ potatoes.
  • Buffler’s BBQ Grill – 3 words: Chocolate Lava Dessert.  Oh, and baby-back ribs.  They ought to make a scented candle that smells like that sauce.
  • Chetty’s Pub – Its spicy Pho-Vietnamese Soup was a sought-after favorite.
  • Cultured Catering – Homemade Peanut Butter Pie was going fast.
  • Diogi’s Mexican Grill – Oscar and crew served up ginormous BBQ Pork Tamales that were a huge hit.
  • Gumbo’s –  The She Crab Soup was perfectly spiced.
  • Hawks Nest Restaurant – It’s Hot Spiced Apple Cider was perfect for a crisp fall evening.
  • Historic Whitehorse B&B – Big ‘ol bowls of lasagna hit the spot.
  • Long Point Grille & Bar – BBQ sliders were going as fast as they were made.
  • Maloney’s – Chicken and white bean chili was a popular choice.
  • Mumsey’s Iron Skillet – 4 beautifully presented desserts went fast – Lemon Drop, Coconut Creme, Death by Chocolate, and Raspberry Truffle.
  • My Thai – The Thai Dumplings were spot-on.
  • Smokey’s on the Gorge – Served a Seared Jumbo Scallop with Herb Polenta and Bacon-Onion Jam.  What’s not to love?
  • Sunset Grill WV – Piping hot clam chowder was a crowd favorite.
  • Also on site was Sheetz, providing coffee, lattes, and smoothies made to order.  As if you needed another reason to love Sheetz, right?

Besides good food, there was plenty of good company.  Chances were good that you’d run into friends that you might not have seen since last Bridge Day.  Locals and Bridge Day visitors got to know each other while taking in some pretty amazing views of the Gorge.

What did you try at Taste of Bridge Day?

BASE Jumping on Bridge Day: An Expert Tells All, Part 2

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

This is the second part of an interview with expert BASE jumper, Jason Bell, who has so many BASE jumps he quit counting and has thrown himself off the New River Gorge Bridge over 100 times.   Jason and his company, Vertical Visions, now have the distinguished and difficult job of coordinating BASE jumping on Bridge Day.

One of the things people notice is different jumpers have different amounts of time they hold onto their chute before throwing it.  How long do you typically wait before throwing your pilot chute?

Vertical Visions Setting Up, Bridge Day 2009

I normally wait 3-4 seconds before deploying my pilot chute.  Pilot chutes are small 42″ diameter miniature round parachutes that are tossed into the airstream in order to create drag to extract the main parachute.

Many first time BASE jumpers will hold their pilot chutes in their hands while in free fall.  More experienced jumpers store the pilot chute in a spandex pouch on their back, which they cannot see.  This may sound crazy, but jumpers know the location of their pilot chutes better than the location of their nose.

What is going through your mind when you are standing on the platform waiting to jump?

I’m nervous.  We keep a portable toilet at the Bridge Day exit point for this very reason. Normally, I’m too busy checking my gear to worry about my family, bills, or my job.  It’s kind of relaxing to be able to not worry about life’s everyday problems.

After the parachute opens and I enjoy a 30 second parachute ride into the gorge to a soft landing, I realize that this is the most amazing sport in the world.

Where’s the worst place you’ve landed jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge?

I landed on the railroad tracks at Bridge Day a few years back.  My parachute opened with numerous line twists, which is similar to what a person would experience if someone twisted them on a swing set.  If not cleared quickly, line twists can can be fatal since the jumper can’t normally steer or flare the parachute.

Have you ever injured yourself jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge? What did you do?

Unfortunately, yes.  Back in the 1990′s, I thought it would be a great idea to propose to my wife while BASE jumping at Bridge Day.  I prepared a special flag that read “Jenn, will you marry me?” and even made some test BASE jumps with it.  On the last jump of Bridge Day, I opened my parachute and deployed the flag.  The flag didn’t fully open and I accidentally dropped a steering line while clearing the flag.  Not wanting to land in the river on my proposal jump, but lacking the steering lines that permit a soft flare, I broke my ankle on landing.  She said “yes”, and off we went to the hospital.  It was one of the best days of my life and I’ll never forget the experience.  I wouldn’t change a thing.

What makes Bridge Day worth attending?

Bridge Day is worth the effort to attend because admission is free, the view from the bridge is breathtaking, and there is no other place on the East coast where spectators can watch adrenaline-hungry parachutists leap from a perfectly good bridge.  With 450 BASE jumpers from 10 countries and 40+ US states, the six hours allotted to jumping are well utilized with continuous leaps from the 876′ New River Gorge Bridge.

In addition, Bridge Day offers spectators a view of what it’s like to fly like a bird, something that every person has probably dreamed at one point in their life.

So now you have a better idea of what it’s like to BASE jump.  Are you ready to give it a try?

B.A.S.E. Jumping on Bridge Day: An Expert Tells All

Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

One of the biggest draws for the Bridge Day crowd are the BASE jumpers.  Anyone who has ever watched these thrill seekers launch themselves towards the rocks and water waiting a mere 880 feet below wonders, “What makes these people do this?”.

Well, we found the answer to that question, and a few others, when we chatted with Jason Bell of Vertical Visions.  Vertical Visions is a parachuting and BASE jumping company in Bridgeport, WV and this is its tenth year as the Bridge Day BASE coordinators.  Owner Jason and his partner Bill Bird are the co-organizers and both have extensive skydiving and BASE jumping experience.

Jason and his wife, Jennifer

Jason is originally from Morgantown and has a Mechanical Engineering background.  It was at WVU where his passion for jumping out of and off of things was spawned.

It didn’t take Jason long to become an experienced skydiver.  After only one year and 150 jumps, he trekked down I-79 and Rt 19 for his first Bridge Day BASE jump.  Jason was kind enough to take a moment out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge.

How many years have you been BASE jumping now?

18 years, which is nearly half my life.

How many BASE jumps do you have total?

I stopped counting around 7 years ago after I reached 500 BASE jumps.  It’s exciting to quantify jumps when you first start, but it became time consuming and unimportant.

How many of those jumps are off the New River Gorge Bridge?


I’ve got 100+ jumps off the New River Gorge Bridge over the years.  This bridge is an amazingly safe object and hopefully jumpers will get to legally leap from the catwalk outside of Bridge Day in the near future.

How was your first Bridge Day experience?

I waited in line for over 5 hours to jump, but enjoyed every minute of the adventure.

What makes jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge so exciting/scary?


We BASE jump entirely because it’s scary.  After 18 years of jumping, I still get butterflies at the exit point.  The New River Gorge Bridge is one of the tallest bridges in the USA, which makes it an ideal location for safe BASE jumps.  As a mechanical engineer, I can also appreciate the structural beauty of this bridge.

Tomorrow, our interview with Jason continues…