Not partaking in commencement festivities this weekend? Then come with me to my happy place (the TBD whitewater river) and escape the mobs of relatives that are soon to descend on C-ville. (This is the SUNDAY trip, I’m doing a trip on Saturday as well, and something tells me that Saturday’s trip will be the more beginner friendly one, Sunday …
Announcements
Whitewater Kayaking (Somewhere Fun – Day 1)
Not partaking in commencement festivities this weekend? Then come with me to my happy place (the TBD whitewater river) and escape the mobs of relatives that are soon to descend on C-ville. (This is the Saturday trip, doing another trip on Sunday too, Thou something tells me that Saturday will end up being more beginner friendly than Sunday’s trip, so …
Cheat River Festival (Rafting, Advanced Kayaking & Music)
ACTIVITIES: The emphasis of this trip will be to enjoy whitewater. There is plenty of class III-V whitewater in the area including: The Cheat, Yough, Big Sandy, etc. Priority will be given to those who are interested in paddling or rafting, but there are plenty of other alternative activities available such as the 5K Cheat Race on Saturday morning, hiking, …
Intro to White Water Kayaking – from Flat Water Basics to White Water Rapids
This full day class will start with the basics on flat water, which will include info about kayaks, wet exits, how to paddle and maneuver a white water kayak, T-rescues, and briefly, the Eskimo Roll. After developing those skills for ~2 hours you will then test them in moving water as we navigate through the class 1-2 rapids of the …
Whitewater Kayaking (Intro & Beginner)
The refreshing water, and fluffy clouds of whitewater goodness are calling you! So lets go paddling! The venue will depend on who all signs up, and this trip will take the form of either a Walnut Creek (Intro) session or a (Beginner) River trip – so sign up regardless of your level. Both an intro and beginner river trip on …
Whitewater Kayaking (the Peoples Choice)
UPDATE 4/19: Walnut creek intro session first, meeting at my place at 0900, followed by a river trip (most likely the “Middle/Lower” Maury River) Bring non-cotton layers, bathing suit, towel, and $ for a stop at Sheetz if you want to pickup lunch food there on the way to the river. The rest of my office is taking vacation, so …
Pre-Creekathon Intro to White Water Kayaking
Join me on the water before the 378th Walnut Creekathon this Sunday to learn the basic skills of white water kayaking. This class is designed to prepare you for future river trips. We’ll spend ~2 hours on the lake at Walnut Creek Park (~10 miles south of town) learning such skills as the wet exit, how to paddle a white …
Kayak Canoe Training for the Aca Champanships
With the ACA Champanships fast approaching, lets get out on the water and I will pass on some racing tips. I use to race both slalom and down river (wild water) when I was in college in the UK. I was highly ranked and won several races in both formats. The section of the James River above Richmond offers lots …
Batteauing the Cowpasture and Upper James
Come Float the Cowpasture and Upper James on a replica of a late 18th and early 19th century cargo vessel. The Batteau, a large flat bottomed boat, was designed to navigate the shallow waters of the James and its tributaries and was crutcail to commerce in Virginia before the advent of the canal and railroad systems. My boat is a …
Beginner – Intermediate Kayaking
It appears that the rain gods will be granting local paddler’s wishes this weekend… So lets go kayaking Sunday! THE WATER WILL BE VERY COLD! Therefore, this is NOT a first timers trip, and I’ll be limiting attendance to those who have taken the intro to flat water class with Dave Clark or have similar experience AND have paddled a …
Beginner – Intermediate – Advanced Kayaking
I am trying to get out and kayak this Saturday and make a trip that can accommodate paddlers of all levels. Beginners are those that have been in a white water kayak on flat water or those that have only been down a river a handful of times. Intermediates are those who have been down class 2-3 rivers a handful …
Beginner – Intermediate – Advanced Kayaking
I am trying to get out and kayak this Sunday and make a trip that can accommodate paddlers of all levels. Beginners are those that have been in a white water kayak on flat water or those that have only been down a river a handful of times. Intermediates are those who have been down class 2-3 rivers a handful …
Intermediate – Advanced Whitewater Kayaking
This trip is being coordinated with the “Beginner-Intermediate Whitewater Kayak” trip on the section of the James above this one. You must sign up for both if you want to paddle both sections. If you only want to paddle the lower section, we will need to arrange a car to leave Echols to arrive at Reedy Creek at 3:00pm, when …
Beginner – Intermediate Whitewater Kayaking
The section of the James River above Richmond offers lots of class 1 and 2 rapids and is a great place to learn and/or practice river skills. This trip is for beginner – intermediate paddlers looking to improve their river skills: Beginners are those that have been in a white water kayak on flat water or those that have only …
Acorn Bread and Whisperlites (Gathering and Stove Workshop)
Back by popular demand: acorn cooking and backpacking stove workshop! Our club survivalist, Roland, will meet the group at Echols. He will talk about acorns while the groups gather acorns on west campus and on the way to my house near Runk. There we will turn the acorns into something delicious. This is where part 2 comes in – stove …
Beginner – Intermediate Kayaking
Hopefully this past weeks rain will hold the river level up for a trip to a wonderful section of the James River: Balcony Falls. This section of the James is a great place to learn, rapid running, ferrying, eddy hopping, river reading, or work on improving your skills. We’ll stop at several places on the river to go over those …
Gauley Fest
I have had sever requests for different leaving times. Please specify your preference for leaving in the comments section: Choices are: 1) Thursday Evening approx: 6:30pm 2) Friday morning approx: 7:00am 3) Friday early afternoon approx: 1:00pm 4) Friday evening approx: 6:00pm Gauley Fest is the biggest whitewater kayaking festival of the year. Last year pretty much every major kayaking …
Learn to Be a Trip Leader Workshop #3
Hoping to lead some AWESOME trips this year? Come to our trip leader workshop and learn the ropes!!! We’ll cover a variety of important points about leading trips, including: – How to plan your trips – Tips for making sure adventures run smoothly – What expenses the club will reimburse you for – Benefits of being a trip leader, including …
Learn to Be a Trip Leader Workshop #2
Hoping to lead some AWESOME trips this year? Come to our trip leader workshop and learn the ropes!!! We’ll cover a variety of important points about leading trips, including: – How to plan your trips – Tips for making sure adventures run smoothly – What expenses the club will reimburse you for – Benefits of being a trip leader, including …
Learn to Be a Trip Leader Workshop #1
Hoping to lead some AWESOME trips this year? Come to our trip leader workshop and learn the ropes!!! We’ll cover a variety of important points about leading trips, including: – How to plan your trips – Tips for making sure adventures run smoothly – What expenses the club will reimburse you for – Benefits of being a trip leader, including …
Brms Discount Night #2
Hello fellow gearheads, Our discount night at Blue Ridge Mountain Sports is coming up fast! Mon April 12th from 8:15-9:15pm you’ll be part of an exclusive 20% sale to Outdoors at UVa members only. **Don’t forget: If you plan on buying gear that you’ll need to get fitted for (e.g. shoes, packs, etc.) you must go in this week prior …
Intermediate-Advanced Kayaking: Somewhere Fun!
Let’s go kayaking! It has rained a ton recently, and as you know, rain + snowmelt = BIG rivers. Where we go is very water-level dependent, options include high-water Balcony Falls, the Maury River (Goshen Pass section), the Lower James, or one of the many creeks in Nelson County if any of them hold enough water. To come on this …
Kayaking Downtown Richmond
If you’re crazy enough to paddle in the winter, you know the deal. There will be a lot of surfing on this trip. Richmond should still be in the 6 foot range, which means a ton of great play waves. Very likely we will be able to bum a shuttle from locals at this level, otherwise I may just jog …
Intermediate-Advanced Kayaking: Somewhere Fun
Its a new semester, let’s go kayaking! We’ll most likely go to the Lower James through Richmond, a short, Class III run with some fun play spots, or possible the Maury or Tye if we get any rain, both class III-IV. Or somewhere else entirely. Lots of options! You must have a solid roll and good boat control to come …
Intermediate-Advanced Kayaking, Somewhere Fun
Take a break from exams and go kayaking! We may go to he Lower James through Richmond, a short, Class III run with some fun play spots. Or we may go to Balcony Falls (Class II-III, but really fun at high water). Or the Maury or Tye, both class III-IV. Lots of options! You must have a solid roll and …
Pre-Thanksgiving Peak
Want to work out at Peak before we gorge ourselves with delicious thanksgiving food? Come climb at Peak Experiences, a huge indoor climbing gym in Richmond. There are climbs ranging from party (the ones kids use at birthday parties) to 5.13+ (MUCH harder than I can climb). The cost to get into the gym is $9, but, depending on how …
Intermediate-Advanced Kayaking on the Maury River!
Let’s go kayaking! The Maury is a sweet Class III-IV run near Lexington, VA. It’s in a beautiful area of Virgina, and the whitewater is lots of fun! To come on this trip you need to have a solid roll and solid boat control in class III water. You must have paddled the Lower James or equivalent at least once …
Intermediate-Advanced Kayaking: Maury River
Let’s go kayaking! The Maury is a sweet Class III-IV run near Lexington, VA. It’s in a beautiful area of Virgina, and the whitewater is lots of fun! To come on this trip you need to have a solid roll and solid boat control in class III water. You must have paddled the Lower James or equivalent at least once …
Bikram Yoga (a.K.a. Hot Yoga)
Check out this awesome way to make you a more agile and flexible athlete! Bikram Yoga 109 5th st. http://www.bikramyogacville.com/ Basic Info: Bikram Yoga is yoga in an intentionally warm room (105-110 degrees) that help relax muscles. Classes are 90 minutes, starts at 9:45 but we’ll try to arrive 20 minutes early for signing up and such. Wear lightweight, close …
Intermediate Kayaking: Somewhere Fun
It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man says go kayaking! There’s been a ton of rain today, and its supposed to keep coming down, so we should have plenty of water tomorrow. Not sure what the destination is yet, it depends on what the river gods decide to do with the water levels and who signs up. Options include: Lower …
Intermediate Kayaking, James River Through Richmond
Let’s go kayaking! We are going to leave at 9am, which should put us on the water by 11. This will give us plenty of time to take our time, play a lot, and make it back to Charlottesville for the Creekathon at 3pm. **If you are planning on attending the Creekathon, make sure you sign up for that trip …
Brms Discount Night
Hello fellow gearheads, Our discount night at Blue Ridge Mountain Sports is coming up fast! Next Wed Nov 4th from 8:15-9:15pm you’ll be part of an exclusive 20% sale to Outdoors at UVa members only. **Don’t forget: If you plan on buying gear that you’ll need to get fitted for (e.g. shoes, packs, etc.) you must go in this week …
Camping and Kayaking at the Youghiogheny
Let’s head to MD/PA this weekend for some camping and kayaking on the Youghiogheny River. We’ll leave Friday afternoon, returning Saturday evening or Sunday evening (your choice). On Saturday we’ll run the lower Yough, which is class III water. You will need a fairly dependable roll to run this stretch of river, and should have some class II-III kayaking experience …
Bridge Day and the Last Day of Gauley Season
Let’s head to WV this weekend. Saturday we’ll go to Bridge day. One day a year, the largest span bridge in the western hemisphere is closed to traffic so 300 base jumpers can have the thrill of their life (maybe their last thrill) jumping 876 feet into the new river gorge while about 200,000 people stand around and watch, hang …
Intermediate Kayaking, James River Through Richmond
Take a break from midterms and go kayaking on Wednesday! We are leaving at 4:15, which should put us on the water by 6, and hopefully will give us time for one long slow run. We will parking at Tredegar, walking up, taking out at Pipeline, and walking back up to the car. The Lower James through Richmond is a …
Intermediate Kayaking, James River Through Richmond
Take a break from midterms and go kayaking on Tuesday! We are leaving at 3:45, which should put us on the water by 5:30, and hopefully will give us time for one long slow run. We will parking at Tredegar, walking up, taking out at Pipeline, and walking back up to the car. The Lower James through Richmond is a …
Kayaking, Rafting and Camping at the Gauley River
The Gauley River is one of the best stretches of whitewater in the country. Located 3 hours away in West Virginia, the river is “turned on” for approximately 6 weekends each fall when the Summersville dam is realesed. With this trip, you can choose your level of engagement…kayay if you have the experience, raft if you want an adventure, hike …
Aca Collegiate Canoe and Kayak National Championships
The American Canoe (and Kayak) Association is hosting the annual national collegiate kayaking and canoeing championships! We are going to take a team to compete in as many events as possible. The races will take place on a 5 mile stretch of the Rappahannock River near Fredricksburg, VA. The events are Men’s and Women’s one-person kayaking (K1), one-person canoeing (OC1), …
Gauley Fest!
Gauley Fest is the biggest whitewater kayaking festival of the year. Last year pretty much every major kayaking company was there selling and giving stuff away, and about 3000 people, kayakers and groupies alike. Here’s the link to the American Whitewater website about it: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Wiki/aw:events_gauley I’m planning to head down either Thursday evening or Friday and coming back late Sunday. …
Intermediate-Advanced Kayaking: Paddle the Lower Yough!
Let’s paddle the Youghiogheny River! This is also the weekend of the Over the Falls Festival – the only weekend of year that boaters race over the falls! We’ll make sure to watch in awe. http://fallsrace.com/ **IMPORTANT**: The Lower Yough has about seven class III rapids. It’s tons of fun – as long as you spend most of your time …
Intermediate Kayaking: Somewhere Fun
Let’s go kayaking Thursday! There’s been a ton of rain recently, so we’ll catch the tail end of all the high water. Not sure what the destination is yet, it depends on what the river gods decide to do with the water levels and who signs up. Options include: Lower James, Balcony Falls (if realy high water), Maury River, Bullpasture, …
Intermediate Whitewater Kayaking: Lower James in Richmond
Take a break from exams and go kayaking on Friday! We are gonna leave at 10am, which should put us on the water by noon, and hopefully will give us time for 2 laps (or 1 lap and a trip to z-dam), depending on what people want to do. The Lower James through Richmond is a short, Class III run …
Beginner/Intermediate Kayaking at Balcony Falls
Let’s go paddle Balcony Falls on Sunday! This run is a mostly class II with one class II+/III rapid that is easily walkable if you don’t feel comfortable running it. Balcony is about an hour and a half away and is an awesome, beautiful run; I’m so excited to get back down there! We’ll meet at Bonnycastle Circle at 8am, …
Intermediate Kayaking, James River Through Richmond
Let’s spend Easter Sunday on the water! I’m going to church with my fam in Richmond, so let’s meet at the 14th Street take out at 1:30 to run the Lower. The Lower James through Richmond is a short, Class III run with some fun play spots. You need to have a solid roll and good boat control to come …
Beginner/Intermediate Kayaking at Balcony Falls
Let’s go paddle Balcony Falls on Friday! This run is a mostly class II with one class II+/III rapid that is easily walkable if you don’t feel comfortable running it. Balcony is about an hour and a half away and is an awesome, beautiful run; I’m so excited to get back down there! We’ll meet at Echols Dorm at 10, …
1st Annual Recreational Alleghany Highlands Triathlon
Do you like to run, road bike, and paddle? Perfect! Join me at the Alleghany Highlands Triathalon! This is my first-ever triathalon; I am not an expert trainer, and I am more excited about doing my three favorite sports than winning first place. The main purpose of this trip (for me) is to carpool and camp together, and to HAVE …
Intermediate Kayaking, James River Through Richmond
The Lower James through Richmond is a short, Class III run with some fun play spots. Let’s plan to leave Charlottesville (meeting at Echols dorm) at 10 which will put us on the water by 12 hopefully. Depending on how long we play at Pipeline (last rapid on the run and the best surf spot) and if / how many …
Intermediate Whitewater Kayaking: Lower James in Richmond
The Lower James through Richmond is a short, Class III run with some fun play spots. Let’s plan to leave Charlottesville (meeting at Echols dorm) at 11 which will put us on the water by 1 hopefully. Depending on how long we play at Pipeline (last rapid on the run and the best surf spot) and if / how many …
Intermediate Kayaking: James River Through Richmond
The Lower James through Richmond is a short, Class III run with some fun play spots. Let’s plan to leave Charlottesville (meeting at Echols drom) at 9, which will put us on the water by 11 hopefully. Depending on how long we play at Pipeline (last rapid on the run and the best surf spot) and if / how many …
Intermediate Whitewater Kayaking: Lower James in Richmond
The Lower James through Richmond is a short, Class III run with some fun play spots. Let’s plan to leave Charlottesville (meeting at Echols drom) at 12, which will put us on the water by 2 hopefully. Depending on how long we play at Pipeline (last rapid on the run and the best surf spot) and if / how many …