Gear Room and Other Bits and Pieces 4-26-26

Wow wow wow what an email I have for you this week!!! Before all of the crazy stuff, my dad told me to watch Listers today. It’s a documentary about some stoners who decide they want to get cracked at birding. I started watching it, then asked ODC’s resident birder Jackson Barnard about it, to which he said, “Great movie. They, in fact, see many birds.” You should watch listers! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl-wAqplQAo 

Now time for TRIP OF THE WEEK!!!!!

George, after the incident                                                            The river

 

Written by john and george: 

Chapter 1 – A promising beginning

In a dorm at UVA there lived a boy, not a nasty dirty dorm filled with worms and oozy smells, nor a dry sandy dorm with nothing to sit down on or to eat. This was a Bond dorm and that means comfort. This boy was prone to do crazy things, be it climb, bike, kayak, and fly fish but the boy had an acquaintance who always did his best to ensure that each sport was pushed to its limit, whether it be a whip at TRC or huck to flat on gold bar rim. The boy ensured he progressed linearly but there was one sport the boy underestimated, the sport of whitewater kayaking. Let’s give this boy a name, George, and his acquaintance John (unrelated to the Beatles). George and John tended to conduct themselves with the utmost care congruent with the hardest of sends, however, one day the ratio would be cattywampus but we’ll get to that later. The southeast, full of the most stout and gnarly whitewater this side of the Mississippi, over the course of the semester, John showed George video of the Gauley, Bottom’s Creek, the Green, and the Russell Fork, each time John said “oh it’s chill” and George took these statements as truth. On this trip, John put together this group of George, Max, and Mitch to tackle the beast of the east, the River of all rivers, the Taniwha of all Taniwha, the west fork of the Tuckaseegee but first they decided to warm up on the Ocoee. The three set off from Charlottesville to meet up with Mitch on the Ocoee before going big on the behemoth. On this drive they heard tales of religions of old but fear dwelt in the hearts of the weak but these fears lay quelled by the words of John “it’s chill.” Our Hero’s arrive at the OAC. Tuckered out and ready for a restful night

Chapter 2- Out of the river and into the emergency room

AHH SABENYA

The three wake with a jolt at the stroke of eight to the fourth member of the party Mitch and his wake up call. However the ill fate of the party became apparent as we rushed to leave, all of us neglecting the time honored tradition of clean teeth, clean lines.

Having just finished setting shuttles, the group begins a jolly scamper, boats on backs, to the put in. John’s words ringing in George’s ears, “it’s chill.” Each boater sets off on the first rapid of the river. All but George who gets stuck in a bush. As he gets out of the bush, he notices how uncannily shallow the river is as he can’t get any grip with his paddle. Whispering himself nay willing himself to go left, he scoffs at how far Max goes thinking he can skirt this hole. However his line proves ill as he tips, flips, and rolls back up eddying out next to this friends. It is at this point that George tastes blood and upon wiping his hand across his face, sees it come away blood red as the Uruk-hai feeding the orc draught to Merry and Pippin. John’s face drops, subsequently so does Max’s. Because what had truly happened under that water was that George shattered his face on a protruding rock jutting from the river bed. Their astonishment was well deserved because George looked akin to lord Voldemort. Teeth intact and resolution high, the group continues downstream. The group boofs the pourover with ease except John who got beat down and surfed for a little bit. “There’s some water in my boat,” says Mitch, which turned out to be a grave understatement. His boat was in fact a mock replica of a German U-boat with how low it sat in the water. The group decided that the best option was to split up much like Frodo and Sam leaving the fellowship at the falls of Rauros, George left to trek bloodied and alone with a broken boat, broken nose, and broken ties of friendship back to the car.

Chapter 3- The 4Runners are coming

Dripping with blood, George stands on the shoulder of the road, thumb up looking for a ride to the top, car after car whizzing by to no avail until a 4Runner coming in the opposite direction pulls over and offers him a ride. Their names were Hutch, Greg, Amanda, and Justice. George sat in Justice’s lap as they drove up to Max’s car. They regaled him with colorful tales of the Ocoee rafting scene until Justice remarked “I’ve never smelled blood this strong, why do I smell bone?” Graciously thanking the group, George is dropped off at Max’s white Subaru. As he cleans his wounds with a bog roll he packed for the weekend, again underestimating the severity of the injury, George drives down to Hell Hole and watches chaos unfold. Mitch and John both successfully surf the wave but Max, upon his attempt to surf flips and cannot roll, needing to be T-Rescued moments before being washed over another pour over, the camera stays on John to watch his reaction. Upon pickup at takeout, George drops the others at the top to do another lap while he goes off to seek medical attention. Calling one urgent care after another, none can look at a broken nose, so he decides the hospital is his best bet. Upon arrival at the hospital, faces turn every which direction, gasping as a man with the face of Gothmog walks into the building. Five hours and one X-Ray later, George is discharged with a smiling face, gaping cuts in his lip, nose, and face, and dozens of tiny fragments of bone dispersed across his nose and face. He had “never seen doctors look so sad”. Max, after hitchhiking from the takeout to the hospital, drives a swelling George back to the takeout to pick up John who had been waiting for hours, much like an abandoned dog waits for its owner. A quick switch of the boats and the group is off, driving steadily back to UVA, finally arriving bloodied, broken, tired and battered at 3:47am. 

-John and George

 

Wow. This makes me want to hop right into a kayak!

Announcements: 4-year send-off bonfire on Wednesday, 4/29, starting at 8 pm! If you are a 4th year trip leader this is how you get your odc cord!!

Reminder that there are only two gear rooms this week! We only heave daily gear rooms when classes are in session. 

OLD (BUT STILL IMPORTANT) ANNOUNCEMENTS: 

Are YOU on the Trip Leader Listserv?

WOOOAAAHHH ODC Member DISCOUNTS?!

  • You read it right! Anyone who is a member of this lovely club can now get 10% off at High Tor Gear Exchange & Endeavor Cycles here in Charlottesville!
  • We now have a 40% off code to use on as many purchases as you want fromNature Buff! Use code UVA40 on your next purchase.
  • Super cool mountain-wear brand HIMALIhas reached out to us with a sick discount code for 40% off all their stuff!! Check them out and use code UVASendIt40.
  • We also have an epic one-use per person promo code with Bedrock Sandalsfor 20% off online purchases. Use the code “UVAOUTDOOR”!
  • ODC Members can also now get 10% off any regular priced purchase in the Hardgoods/Camp Equipment Dept. at Great Outdoors Provision Co! Just show them your member page on the ODC website at checkout to verify that you’re an active member.

Evan Denison Memorial Fund

  • The Evan Denison Memorial Fund is up and running! Please read the form linked herefor more details, especially if you’re a beginner backpacker. And check out the backpack in the gear room—a blue embroidered ULA Circuit!

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

  • Do you have any comments, concerns, or recommendations about/for Outdoors Club? Leave some feedback here!
  • This form is anonymous and can only be viewed by the DEI Chair.

Donations

  • Did you know that you or your parents who want to know what you’ve been up to at UVA or your grandparents who were around when backpacking was invented can DONATE to ODC at any time ?? Donate here!

 

GEAR RESOURCES AND POLICY

This Week’s Gear Room Schedule:

NO GEAR ROOMS THIS WEEK AFTER LDOC

Monday – Parker 6 pm

Tuesday – Chris 9:15 am

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!

MISC. GEAR INFO:

  • Before returning gear, refer to the GEAR CLEANING DOC!
  • If you return damaged, dirty, or incomplete gear, you will jeopardize your ability to check out gear in the future. It is your responsibility to return your gear in the condition you received it.
  • Please refer to our reimbursement policy here.
  • You can check our gear inventory here.
  • Want to check out water sports gear or a mountain bike?
  • Please email the officers at outdoors-officers@virginia.edu. They are stored at separate locations. We ask that you give at least 24 hours notice.
  • Gear is due one week from when it is checked out unless renewed by an officer at a gear room. Keeping gear past its due date is a UVA Honor Offense. Club trips have priority access to gear.

Directions to the Gear Room:

  • Start at Echols Dorm → go right on McCormick → turn right on Alderman Rd → take a left on Leake Drive → walk to the end of the road (there are several buildings and parking on either side) → pass a picnic table on the right → keep going! → walk straight to the first big maintenance building directly ahead → walk behind the building on the left side (if it feels like you maybe shouldn’t be there, you’re in the right place) → walk up the stairs → End: knock on the door!
  • Map to Gear Room

 

  • How to be featured:
  • Each week we’ll feature a different adventure that happened within the previous 7 days. To be featured, send us (outdoors-officers@virginia.edu) a couple of pictures of you and your pals adventurin’ and a little blurb about what you did!
  • We’re stoked to see what y’all get up to, but PLEASE (please!) do not take pictures of people without their consent (and don’t submit them to us without their consent).
  • Try and submit pictures as .jpeg files if possible! (not .heic live photos!)

Who will be the next ADVENTURE OF THE WEEK???

 

TRIP RESOURCES AND REMINDERS

Leading Trips:

To become a trip leader, thoroughly read the Trip Leader Manual (resources page of the website) and send the officers an email (outdoors-officers@virginia.edu) letting them you know you have done so. They will then activate you on the website! Alternatively, come to a Trip Leader Workshop, lead by the officers several times each semester and posted on the website.

As a reminder, climbing, caving, mountain biking, and whitewater trips have special rules to lead! To learn more about types of trips and to become an approved trip leader for the sports listed above, feel free to contact the club’s Sport Advisors:

Climbing:

Caving

Biking

Hiking/Backpacking

Water Sports

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.

Absences:

  • Please be aware that if you are joined on a trip, and you do not show up, or you drop out at the last minute, you are depriving another member of a spot on that trip.
  • No-shows and last-minute absences not only hurt trip attendance, but they also make logistics more complicated.
  • If a member is reported for two absences, trip leaders are permitted to take this into account when moving people off wait lists.

Incident Reporting:

  • Anything wild or crazy happened on your trips recently, but not in a good way? Fill out this form to let the officers know about incidents or near misses on your ODC trips. Incidents can include but are not limited to: major injuries, extreme/ dangerous weather, or getting lost. We’ll keep it for our records/learning and follow-up if necessary! Here’s the template.
  • Check out this swanky guide, aptly entitled “Incident Reporting Form Cheatsheet,” for a how-to on handling common incidents in the woods, and make sure you’re prepared for your next trip!

Sexual Harassment and Equity Reporting:

  • Outdoors at UVA is committed to providing a safe and welcoming space for everyone to enjoy the outdoors. If you feel you or another have experienced misconduct at the hands of another club member, please report it here. This is including but not limited to misconduct regarding sexuality (including sexual harassment), gender, race, ethnicity, ability, etc.
  • Outdoors at UVA’s Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct policy can be found here. Our club Code of Conduct can be found here.

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,

Afton and the Officers