Greggles and graggles, fellow lurkers of the outdoors!!! Do you ever feel filled with an urge to skip and scurry down a trail? Maybe you’ve always wanted to be a runner, but were put off by everyone aggressively discussing their lactate thresholds and post-run-chocolate-milk recipes? Or maybe you’ve been runnin the second you popped out of the womb (or before??) …
Announcements
COMMUNITY CONNECTION: envisioning life post-grad
WELCOME BACK ODC FRIENDS! For those that don’t know, I graduate UVA in May..and have FINALLY started to think about my future. In doing so, I keep coming back to conversations I’ve had with peers and other odc shredders. The ODC community and its members truly inspire and excite me, and have been a HUGE resource in my post-grad contemplations. …
Rustic Highlands Exploration and Picnining!
Feeling like a poopy indoor kid going into finals? Feeling the need for some bucolic frollicking? Well, you should probably come out with Ed and I to James Monroe’s Highland Rustic Trails! This is a small trail system just 20 minutes out of town, where we plan to spend about an hour and half exploring. When we decide it’s time …
MOAB 2024: THE CALL of THE GNAR
Shredders, senders, and aspiring desert sand frolickers, welcome to the last week of fall classes. Your reward: the glorious emergence of the most LEGENDARY, only ONCE an earth revolution, GNAR JOURNEY. We begin preparing now to rise from east coast hibernation and mass migrate to the land of canyons, red rocks, ultimate gritty-ness and cryptobiotic crust: MOAB, UTAH. Approximately 44 …
farmers market frolic
I somehow haven’t made it to the farmers market yet this semester, so come join me this saturday! This is a great way to kickstart a chill saturday, and we can all fill up on some yummerz foods and drinks and maybe even get some fresh produce! Also, LET’S BIKE THERE. **the club has a few commuter bikes if people …
Recess w/ Stevie and Margz!! (embodiment + connection with nature + inner child, etc.)
College slog got you down? Do you find yourself longing for the days of frolicking around the playground, rubbing leaves, galloping, playing pretend, etc.?? Do you looooove feeling the earth beneath you? Even hugging a tree? If so, come on out to the first of hopefully many ODC recess trips! The plan is for this to be a chill space …
Acro Yoga on the Lawn
We’ve been getting into acro yoga lately and have been really surprised by how fun and accessible it is. For those who aren’t familiar with acro, it’s a form of partner yoga that emphasizes trust in each other, often with poses that involve stretching, communicating, and elevating/being elevated above the ground. The poses can range from simple and easy to …
humpback sunset on HUMPDAY
Are YOU a chaser of sunrises but ALSO a chaser of SLEEP???? Well GOOD NEWS!!! Turns out there’s also a SUNSET???? come join us this Wednesday evening for some sunset viewing, conversation having, and coexisting atop Cville’s infamous Humpback rocks. Humpback rocks is a rather steep hike but is only about one mile each way. ALL are welcome on …
Backcountry Pizza Workshop
There are few things better than a delicious meal in the backcountry. But when backpacking, it can be hard to make the meal of your dreams come to life. Do you shell out $12 for Mountain House Bologñese? Roll a raw summer sausage into a tortilla with a few dollops of peanut butter? Cold soak a top ramen package? These …
Tarzan moment: Rivanna rope swing
A mere 15 minutes from here, there lies a wonderful rope over the Rivanna River. This Sunday, while the water is still warm and the weather is warmer, we shall endeavor to swing from this blessed rope and relish in the river’s cool embrace. I’ve never swung from a rope before, but I think it will be fun. This rope …
FIRST MEGA TRIP OF THE YEAR?!?!? CREEKATHON!!!!
Oh my gosh!!!! Could it really be true????? Could it be time for the bi-annual CREEAKTHON?!?!??!?!?! That’s right shredlings, it’s time for you to GET CREEK’D!!!!!! They say you never forget your first Creekathon and it is so true: getting creek’d is unlike anything you’ve ever done before. The formula is simple: you, us, a pavilion, and a walnut. But …
FRIDAY RIVANNA SWIM (SO CHILL AND RELAXING)
it’s gonna be 80 degrees on Friday so let’s FIND SOME WATER TO SUBMERGE OURSELVES IN!!! AKA the Rivanna River! The plan is to drive to Riverview park and find a spot to swim in, possibly the rope swing??? THE PLAN: leave from echols @2pm drive to spot (15 minute drive) walk to spot (10-20 min walk) SWIMMY SWIM/ROPE SWING??? …
Doodling at da Rivanna
Whats up my nature admirers, this upcoming fall I am planning on doing a lot of observatory drawing of foliage because its one of my favorite things to do! Drawing nature is such an amazing mindful experience and teaches you how to ~really~ look and see. If you’re hoping to hone your sketching skillz or just take a break to …
welcome fall sem! walk the long way to the bonfire
take 2 bc the first one was posted for the wrong day XD I haven’t made it up to O’Hill yet, so I’m planning to take a nice chill walk up around on my way to the bonfire on Thursday (8/31). Alsoooo I will bring a set of binoculars and a Tree Finder so that we can look try to …
Welcome fall sem! walk the long way to the bonfire
greetings 🙂 I haven’t made it up to O’Hill yet, so I’m planning to take a nice chill walk up around on my way to the bonfire on Friday. Alsoooo I will bring a set of binoculars and a Tree Finder so that we can look try to identify (or at least better appreciate) trees and birds along the way. …
BLUE HOLE
HELLLOOO everybody nn welcome back!111!! this trip is my feeler for who doesn’t have class on Wednesdays … so that we can all conspire to do dope shit every week. Its super duper hot so I wanna go chill in some water: Blue Hole. I’ve never actually swam here but it’s very deep and a popular place near cville!!! To …
Shenandoah Night Sky Festival
SOOO I (extremely last minute) found out about the Night Sky Festival in Shenandoah… and somehow secured a campsite at Big Meadows (don’t ask me how)… so WHO WANTS TO GO???!! The festival runs from Friday-Sunday and is a series of events/activities going on at various locations in the park. Most of the events are at Big Meadows, and then …
Blackrock QUEER Picnic + Hike: SOR x ODC Collab
So, Outdoors Club may not be the only organization on grounds… I know! I was pleasantly surprised too. Presenting… SOR, Sigma Omicron Rho, our Queer & Allied Gender-Inclusive Social Fraternity at UVA. We are teaming up to bring you a laid-back, languid afternoon on Blackrock, a beautiful Shenandoah summit that is the site of some serious SOR-lore (you’re going to …
Super Swaggy Spring Sitting in a Sgarden!!!!!!
Greetings fellow earthlings!! Calling all stressed students (or non-stressed students) for a sunny Sunday sitting in one of our lovely sgardens (the “s” is silent)! Join Evelyn and Ivy as we unwind and sunbathe in a garden of our choosing (our favorites are gardens 1 and 7). The forecast for Sunday is looking soooo nice and warm and we want …
Close to Home art show X bikes X night!!!!!
hey hey folks! our most dearest friends Eliza and Marion are organizing and hosting a super amazing art show called Close to Home. It’s an art exhibition inspired by environmental sustainability!!! If you like art, going to High Tor (a used gear exchange store) and biking around Cville: this is the most ideal trip ever that could exist! Come hang …
Living Earth School Interest Day: OUTDOOR EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY
The Living Earth School is hosting a recruitment/interest day for ODC members! What is the Living Earth School??? LES is an amazing Cville organization that provides outdoor educational programs to local kids during the school year and over the summer. Have any interest in outdoor education? This trip is FOR YOU! Going to LES camps as a kid was absolutely …
humpback + reading (for pleasure!!!! not school!!!!)
sooo the time has come for me to lead my first solo-led trip!!! nnn what better way than a sunrise hike
>>>MOAB 2023<<<
MOAB, UTAH 2023 We’ve got an extra special gift for all of you this last day of class: without a doubt the most legendary adventure of the year. ALL ABOARD THE GNAR TRAIN May we all blossom from this fake wintry East Coast of ours and emerge as sun children in the soft red sands of the Utah desert. There …
CHICKEN STRIP CHALLENGE
What’s the best fried chicken chain? Charlottesville is well known for its range of fried chicken offerings, and thanks to Nash equilibriums (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotelling%27s_law), they just so happen to all be next to each other on one long strip. On this trip, we will bike to seven fried chicken fast food restaurants, and order a tenders, sandwich, and fries at each …
Adjust your ALT-titude PT.2: Old Rag
WOOHOO READING DAY. It has been a couple weeks since I’ve been hiking, and I’ve yet to summit Old Rag. I’m a big fan of rock scrambles, and now that the leaves have fallen, we should have great visibility through the trees. And the best part is, we don’t have to buy tickets anymore (until spring)! We’ll be hiking the …
Gittin’ Pickled Appalachian Trail: GLAMPING AND HIKING
It’s finals season and I need an overnight escape in the woods. Enter the Gittin’ Pickled Cabin, a beautiful getaway 0.6 miles east of the AT. Mcafee’s Knob, Dragon’s Tooth, and Tinker cliffs trailheads just minutes away with a car. This is definitely glamping- the cabin has bunk beds, potable drinking water, a fire pit, toilet, hot water with a …
Adjust your ALT-titude: Hawksbill Summit and Dark Hollow Falls
I haven’t been hiking in a couple weeks, so this weekend I will be taking a much needed trek into Shenandoah to knock out two hikes I’ve been wanting to try out. We will leave Saturday morning for Hawksbill Summit first. It is the highest peak in Shenandoah, and should take about 1 1/2 hours to complete. We’ll be going …
Embodiment (LGBTQIA+ Affinity Trip)
Real moment: it took me a long time to get comfortable with myself and my body. When I was a student, I remember cherishing my time in solitude outdoors in part because it was one of the few environments where I could exist in a disembodied way, escaping the perceptions of individuals and the judgements of society. While I believe …
Forest contemplation + tea
Hi Everyone, When was the last time you sat still by yourself in the forest and just focused on whats going on around you? Even if you spend a lot of time in the outdoors, you’re probably leaving many small details unnoticed as you bike, paddle, or dash through the world. If this fact torments you as it torments me, …
DRAGON’S TOOTH + COSTUMES
Hello! I love Halloween. I also love hiking. I have also never hiked Dragon’s Tooth. So I am combining all of the above. Dragon’s Tooth is said to be pretty rocky and there are some areas with rock scrambles, so I might not recommend if you have a crippling fear of heights. It is rated as hard, but with the …
Pointing out Leaves before the Trees are all Naked (and other beautiful creatures)
The number of leaves on the ground has increased greatly, which means the ones on the trees are decreasing. Yike. Soon, we will not be able to use those leaves as a means of identifying our friends (the trees), so we’ve got to get out and get to know them asap! This identification/appreciation themed meander through the OHill roads & …
NRGE BASE JUMPING…
So, You want to go BASE Jumping, Eh? Well, Unfortunately the paperwork elves over at UVA’s Risk Management Department will not let anyone currently enrolled as a student go BASE-jumping, and I have no desire to hurl myself off of a multi-ton steel structure to prove Sir Issac Newton right. Instead, let’s watch a couple of other people decide to …
Advanced Mountain Biking at Carvins Cove
Calling all lovers of knobby tires: Charlie’s back! Come join us for a 1.5 day exploration of Carvin’s Cove plus grilling+camping: Carvin’s Cove is a big trail network near Roanoke, filled with challenging climbs and thrilling descents, from rocky, rooty, technical stretches to built-up flow trails. We could write more but all you really need to know is that there’s …
NRGE 2022 : MAIN CARPOOL
All my NRGE dirtbags, **PLEASE REFER TO THE NRGE CLUB EMAIL (Sent shortly after this post) AND READ THIS ENTIRE DESCRIPTION. THEN, FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS** New River Gorge Extravaganza 2022 This is NOT an actual NRGE adventure. This is the CARPOOL for NRGE. This is how the officers will keep track of drivers and attendees. So make our lives easier …
Pride (*I mean humpback*)Rock Hike + Sunset Picnic!!
Hey party people!!! Come lose your humpback virginity with us this Sunday night!!! A gorgeous (and delicious) reset before an exhausting week??? I think yes. All experience levels welcome!! Just a short (but kinda steep) 1 mile hike up to a Lion-King like view and a picnic because what is the point of hiking if you’re not gonna reward yourself …
MEGA CREEKATHON: Biannual Creek of the Thons
LISTEN UP FOLKS! It’s that time of year again. Time to make the winding journey down country (Albermarle county) roads to the place where dreams come true, where the sun shines forever, and where the Virginia red clay squelches abundantly. CREEK – A – THON definition: the most creeked, creeking creek-a-licious, creektastic, creek hangout, cookout, shredout, and headout of the …
Cure for the waitlist blues: Tuesday Trip Leader Workshop!!!
Hey there ;)))))))))))))))))))))))) Are you sick of being on waitlists and not being on trips? Do you have cool ideas of ways to get outside with your friends? Are you generally competent at being a human being? Do you want your DUES REIMBURSED???? If the answer to these questions is yes, SIGN UP FOR THIS TRIP! This will be a …
take a break from studying for gorgeous sunset viewz + picnic!!
Take a little break from studying to bop on up to Hawksbill Summit: a super quick 1.5-mile out and back trail that is relatively steep on the way up but should allow for a nice distraction from the stress of finals. I’m thinking we acquire some foods from Trader Joe’s, get to the summit a little before sunset, have a …
Embrace Your Inner Dirt Child – Fairy House Building
Jade, Ed and I were reminiscing summer days spent barefoot in the woods crafting little earth houses for the mythical woodland creatures and fairies that exist. So come join us as we honor and embrace our inner barefoot dirt child that is still somewhere within us. The plan is loose – leave the Corner of Echols at 2 on Friday, …
Trailside repair part 1: repairing a broken chain
What do you do when you’re in the middle of the woods (or far away from home on the road) and your monster legs cause you to snap your chain? If you can’t fix it, you’ll have a long walk back out, and nobody wants to end a ride like that. Come learn how to fix a broken chain! This …
Picbird nicwatching!
Hi friends!! This coming Thursday looks like a beautiful day to sit down in one of the UVA gardens, munch on some food, and attempt to identify birds! I’m pretty non well-versed in the art of birding, but perhaps some of you have knowledge to share, or want to be bad at bird identification in solidarity! This trip is generally …
Climb a mile? On a mountain bike?!?
You read that right – the plan is to ride 50-some miles on our bikes and climb just over a mile vertically (~5500 ft). This won’t be an easy ride, but it promises high reward: great views, comraderie, and a serious sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. We’ll ride a loop I’ve done a few times before …
PEAK WEEK super autumnal sunset hike/picnic!!!!
***THIS HIKE WAS RESCHEDULED FROM 10/15 TO 10/22*** but it will be even better this time bc it is PEAK WEEEEKKKK BABY Hi fellow fall lovers <33 if you’re anything like me, pumpkin cream cold brews and the imminent arrival of fall foliage are the only things getting you through midterms season. What better way to celebrate the BEAUTIFUL Virginia …
Halloweekend hike & picnic at Cole Mountain
Hellooooo again everyone!!! If you can’t tell I am a picnic lover so I thought why not plan another picnic hike?? This time we’ll be heading to Cole Mountain which has a very lovely meadow 🙂 the loop is ~6 miles but not super strenuous so hikers of all abilities are welcome. You can check it out on all trails: …
Its a bird, its a plane, no its just the moon…..
Hello again my fellow terrestrials, I really like looking in the sky and I hope that you do too! This is going to be the best night of your life so buckle up for another night of stargazing, tanning, and picnicking. Here’s the rundown: 9:00pm meet at corner of echols 9:10 arrive at rotunda 11:30 depart from rotunda Here’s what …
Creekathon Main Bikepool: Let’s bike to Walnut Creek
Description Is sitting in a car not sendy enough for you? Bike to Creekathon! For this trip we’ll be biking from the Shred Shack to Creekathon which is a 10 mile ride (https://www.strava.com/routes/2877325816707511532). Once there, you can either go on trips that you’re already signed up for or just hang out with slacklines, a frisbee which I will provide, or …
Observing Big Balls of Burning Gas in the Sky
Uh Houston… we have a problem…. Craving an escape from classes? Me too. Want to look at the stars and eat sandwiches? Me too. Join us for a night of stargazing and picnicking with lots of fun stories and some music. Schedule: Meet at Echols dorm @ 9pm and walk over to the lawn (gotta kiss TJ goodnight) Picnic and …
I WANNA SEE YOUR BODY ART, BODY ART
Why hellloooo my fellow creatures of the Earth!!!!! I recently hurt my knee, so I’ve decided this fall will be the season of connecting with our marvelous Earth through ANY HEALTHY MEANS POSSIBLE. CUE: cornstarch, crushed up berries, and a bubbling concoction, oh my!!!!! This Thursday we shall gather pre-sunset to admire the clouds, then concoct a lil ~au natural~ …
420th Biannual CREEKATHON (Main Trip)
Hear ye, hear ye, You are hereby invited to the illustrious Shred-festival, the Dirtbag’s-reunion, the much-revered biannual CREEKATHON!! This is a time to wallow in comradery, to fester in fun, to devour all things grilled (vegan and non vegan snackies to be found). For those who have never been, Creekathon is a laid-back social cookout for all you forest-children at …
LAST GEAR ROOMS OF THE SEMESTER: Week of 5/10
What’s up outdoorsy folk, the end of the semester is just around the corner and that means that this week is the LAST week of scheduled gear rooms for the year. Please return all outstanding gear this week! Gear Request/Return Form: https://forms.gle/Jii4KZPV3VgTbTat7 Any gear rooms after this week are dependent on officer availability and will be held solely at officer …