Gear Room and Other Bits and Pieces 12-17-25

The weather outside is frightful, but inside is boring. (thought I was gonna tell you guys to go inside, huh? NEVER). So don your coats and put on your gloves because bla bla bla I can’t write songs to save my life. In short: go outside kids. 

Speaking of the outside…. There were two back[acking trips this weekend! Love to see it. Good job guys. Scroll to hear more in the trip of the week.

Pietro “I promise trip of the week is a true story” Ciliberto

Gear

  • We have new gear: water filters! Yay 
  • Also: as we go into Thanksgiving and you do some winter cleaning, bring back gear please!!

Social events! BONFIYAAAAA

BONFIRE!! BONFIRE!! BONFIRE!! WOOP WOOP WOOP

After a brief social hiatus, where all ODC members crystallized into cocoons in the trees behind old dorms, we are back! I’m sure you will all be beautiful butterflies. Because butterflies come out in November, as everyone knows. 

ANYWAYSSSS: BONFIRE THIS THURSDAY AT 7:30 AT THE SHRACK (116 washington avenue).

New merch coming soon! Keep your ears peeled and have your contacts/glasses on* (at all times) for a new announcement coming soon! 

* if you have perfect vision we can’t be friends

DRUMMMROLLLL PLEAAAASSSEEEE.

Your new officers have been chosen. They come from far and wee. They come from high and low. They are young and old. They can do backflips and they can ride bikes and they can trad climb and they can backpack and the whole works. Word on the street is, all 5 of them can even fly planes (this is actually a secret requirement to be an officer. I can fly a plane. Would you want to be on the plane? Depends.)

Without further ado, your officers are:

  • Ben “backflippin’” Johnson
  • Evan “wonder what this button does?” Kulp
  • Loreley “leaf pressin’” Staik
  • Max “the puzzle man” Goldberg
  • Gabe “paddleboard” Cohen

I want to say one more thing. Jokes aside, we had a really crazy good pool of applicants this year. I know people say that all the time but I’m for real. With that in mind, I implore you to apply again in the Spring! I did not become an officer the first time I applied either 🙂

Trip of the Week:

Max and Gillian led a backpacking trip to Crabtree Falls! WOWZA. Nobody submitted a trip of the week, but I heard through the grapevine about their escapades. Allow me to recount:

As Max was bravely warming the cold, he started a fire to nourish his fellow backpackers. Suddenly, a low hush fell over the forest. Max, being in touch with nature, put his hands to the dirt and closed his eyes. Deep through his veins he could feel the ancient words of the forest: “do a backflip Max, do a backflip.”

Max, in a fit of fear, started to tremble. He did not know how to do a backflip, and never has. What was he to do? Not unlike the stories of old, Max separated himself from the group and climbed atop the mountain. Sitting criss-cross-apple-sauce, he closed his eyes and pondered to himself. He did not want to let the forest down, and, accordingly stayed up there for the whole night. 

Gillian, understanding that Max was undertaking a very important task, made sure everyone was safe. She fought off seven bears and a wild racoon. And, additionally, sent positive thoughts and affirmations to Max as he undertook his task.

Max eventually reached Nirvana, he sat there in the cold for so long. He can’t do a backflip, but now he’s turned into a tree. They say if you go up Crabtree Falls you can see a Max-esque tree, desperately trying to do a backflip.

Words from the grapevine. This story has been independently reviewed and is certified: true.

Meeting Notes:

notes 11-17-25

The Usual:

Are YOU on the Trip Leader Listserv? 

G-G-Gear Requests *Airhorn* 

  • We love buying new equipment for you, but we need you to tell us what you want! Do that here. 

#Anonymous Feedback Form 

  • This form is anonymous and can only be viewed by the DEI Chair. 

GEAR RESOURCES AND POLICY 

This Week’s Gear Room Schedule: 

Monday – Parker 11:40 am (540) 840-8024 

Tuesday – Chris 12:30 pm (203) 805-1195 

Wednesday – Allie 5:30 pm (970) 294-8781 

Thursday – Max Ellis 4:30 pm (571) 215-0938 

Friday – Afton 8:15 am (804) 338-3673 

If none of these times work for you, please email the officers outdoors-officers@virginia.edu at least 24 hours in advance to schedule a separate time to be let into the gear room. Please only do this if you really can’t make the gear room times, not just because you don’t feel like it or didn’t plan ahead. 

You can stop by the gear room to check out or return gear and be reimbursed at any of the times listed above! Officers remain at the gear room only for as long as people are checking in/out gear (usually about 20-25 minutes). You may also purchase ODC t-shirts, hoo rags, patches, stickers, and more at the gear room! 

Climbing: 

  • Afton Hessian (xfu6vq@virginia.edu)  
  • Via Miller (pwa5xq@virginia.edu) 

Caving 

  • Allie Shelhammer (kvb8gz@virginia.edu) 

Biking 

  • Susannah Allen (bay6nh@virginia.edu) 

Hiking/Backpacking 

  • Evelyn Lepsch (mph4ca@virginia.edu) 
  • Chris Blonkvist (cej5pq@virginia.edu) 

Water Sports 

  • John Woodward (uce3pa@virginia.edu) 

If you have questions about how to lead trips, refer to the Leading Trips pages under Resources on the club website. 

Want to lead a trip for an under-represented group in the outdoors? Lead an Affinity Trip! See the link for details and guidelines. 

ET CETERA. 

Social Media: 

FB: (https://www.facebook.com/groups/OutdoorsAtUVA/) 

Insta: (https://www.instagram.com/uvaoutdoors/) 

GroupMe: (https://groupme.com/join_group/68250538/0HmzE2tL) 

Peace, Love, & Dirt, 

Pietro and the Officers