Hello nature dwellers,
I’ve spent so much time in my hammock this past week, and I’m really loving this weather. Am NOT loving the mosquitos and yellow jackets. Once a yellow jacket enters my territory, it is now theirs.
Live, laugh, love bugs (minus ones with stingers- i’m allergic. but I still respect what they do for our ecosystem🤞)
Anyways, go hang in a hammock.
-Charlotte “just stocked up on trader joe’s snacks” Maxwell
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- FIRST ODC PARTY OF THE YEAR THIS FRIDAY (9/13)!!🕺🏻🕺🏻
- 9:00 pm at the shrackkk (116 Washington Avenue)
- Theme is in the making- we will be sending an email this week.
- Be there.
- Do you have any general comments, concerns, or recommendations about Outdoors Club?
- If so, feel free to leave feedback here. This form is anonymous and only viewable by the DEI Chair.
- BRING BACK YOUR GEAR!
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- Did you borrow something for the Spring or Summer and forget to bring it back? Well, here’s your opportunity to return your club gear to a gear room this week or email the officers (outdoors-officers@virginia.edu) to schedule a return time. Before we hunt you down…
- Are YOU in the GroupMe?
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- Join it here!
- Checkout these ODC member Discounts!
- We now have a 40% off code to use on as many purchases as you want from Nature Buff! Use code UVA40 on your next purchase.
- We have an epic one-use per person promo code with Bedrock Sandals for 20% off online purchases. Use the code “UVAOUTDOOR” and twin with so many ODC members!
- We have a 40% off code for all of HIMALI, a super cool mountain-wear brand! Check them out and use the code UVASendIt40.
- Also, anyone who is a member of this lovely club can get 10% off at High Tor Gear Exchange & Endeavor Cycles here in Charlottesville!
- 9/08 Officer Meeting Notes
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- Here are the notes from our officer meeting today. I take them. You read them. Sick.
GEAR RESOURCES AND POLICY
Finalized Gear Room Schedule for the Semester:
Monday @ 12:30 pm — John Woodward (804-944-1929)
Tuesday @ 7:00 pm — Parker Sims (540-840-8024)
Wednesday @ 3:30 pm — Max Titov (703-862-7391)
Thursday @ 9:20 am — Max St. Clair (617-780-1129)
Friday @ 10:30 am — Anusha (571- 455-0721)
If none of these times work for you, please email the officers at 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, sweatshirts, hats, 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
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 know you have done so. They will then activate you on the website! Alternatively, come to a Trip Leader Workshop, led by the officers several times each semester and posted on the website. Keep a lookout for these in outlook- there will be many to come!
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:
- Cam Burke – twz5mz@virginia.edu
- Ella Mortimer – rzq9wc@virginia.edu
- Caving
- Allie Shelhammer – kvb8gz@virginia.edu
- Lillie Ehrmentraut – ubc2ga@virginia.edu
- Biking
- Max Titov – uhg2nv@virginia.edu
- Susannah Allen – bay6nh@virginia.edu
- Hiking/Backpacking
- Carson Hopwood – mxz2fc@virginia.edu
- Ed Aten- eba4ksx@virginia.edu
- Water Sports
- John Woodward – uce3pa@virginia.edu
- Will Lankford – xsc9gq@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.
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.
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.
ADVENTURE(s) OF THE WEEK!!!
Shout out to Aidan Wards Caving Trip:
They had such an awesome caving trip with Aidan, Renee, Riley, Josh, Cassandra, Omid, Laurel, Claire, Amanda, Zach, and Archer. They started off by exploring a massive abandoned iron mine with huge bedrock columns and a 100+ foot ceiling, which eventually led them to a natural cave. The cave was smaller but still had wide passages, cave pearls, a northern red salamander, and even a rare bat colony—such exciting finds! One of the most interesting things was how warm the cave was, around 60-68°F, which is unusual for Virginia caves. After a fun afternoon of exploring, they stopped for lunch and headed back to Charlottesville while Renee and Archer set off for Philly.
Another shout out to Brians Snake Rock Painting trip:
From Brian: “We went to one of the pavilion gardens, sat on the ground, and painted rocks. Once we were done painting, we added our rocks to the rock snake at the intersection behind Clark hall, and everyone’s rocks looked great. Last time I led a rock painting trip, there were about 10 rocks, and now there are more than 200!”
How to be featured:
- Each week we’ll feature a different adventure that happened within the previous 7 days. To be featured, send a couple of pictures of you and your pals adventurin’ and a little blurb about what you did to us (outdoors-officers@virginia.edu) or to my (Charlotte’s) number (540-816-6429)!
- We’re stoked to see what y’all get up to, but 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!)
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,
Charlotte and the officers
