Lovers of the Outdoors,
October is (nearly) already upon us and the New River Gorge Extravaganza (NRGE) is fast approaching. What is NRGE you ask? Quite simply, NRGE is the highlight of your semester, and it’s our pleasure to invite each and every one of you to the club’s most popular event of the year. Please read all of the below information!
WHAT:
NRGE is a choose-your-own-adventure megatrip that ODC puts together every fall to one of the best outdoor recreation destinations in the nation, perhaps world, and is only 3 hours from C’ville. The New River Gorge is the NEWEST NATIONAL PARK! Additionally, the New River itself is 1 of 10 National Wild and Scenic Rivers in the US, and the gorge and surrounding area (including the Gauley River/Summersville area) hosts excellent white water kayaking for all levels, rafting, mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking/backpacking, and caving. The club makes various trips to the NRG area throughout the year but the goal of the extravaganza is to bring all of the club’s popular genres/activities/shredisciplines and people together for one gnarly weekend.
HOW?/WHERE?/WHEN?
NRGE is set for Fri October 14th – Sun Oct 16th . The Club has reserved the “party zone” at Ray’s Campground in Hico, WV. (http://www.rayscampground.com). This will be our central meeting area for all trips. Addy is 1199 Sunday Rd, Hico, WV 258534
Most cars will be leaving from the Echols half-brick wall on Friday afternoon. Everyone will participate in various separate adventures in the NRG area and then will reconvene at night at Ray’s for chilled beverages, friendship, the warm glow of fire, and the sharing of shredventure stories. It’s a really, really good time. Cars will head back to Charlottesville at various times throughout the day on Sunday, or perhaps even a couple on Saturday night.
This mega-trip, as with the quality of the club as a whole, depends primarily on 1 factor: trip leaders. To make this mega-trip work, we need people to step up and organize a trip (or two) to a destination in or near the NRG for that weekend. The goal is to have several trip options going out on Saturday and Sunday (perhaps Friday too) and one campsite for all of us to converge and party at after the adventures.
**If you are not a trip leader in the club but are interested in becoming one, perhaps for putting something together for this trip (hikes are super easy to organize and require little gear or experience, in some cases) email the club officers (outdoors-officers@virginia.edu).**
If you are interested in creating a NRGE adventure, YOU MUST first email me, Will, and Max with your trip details so that we can give further guidance.
WHAT DO I DO TO SIGN UP?
There is one general trip entitled: “2022 NRGE — CARPOOL.” located here: https://outdoorsatuva.org/adventure/nrge-2022-main-carpool/
This trip is not an actual NRGE adventure. It is simply a way for the officers to keep tabs of drivers & attendees. You can only join this trip once you have BEEN TAKEN OFF THE WAITLIST of an actual NRGE adventure.
Individual NRGE-specific adventures will get posted on the website in the coming weeks (I’d check your email pretty frequently). The trip leaders will indicate specifically what day/time their adventure(s) will depart from the campsite. You very well may end up only going on one trip during the weekend, which will give you a day to explore or hang out at the campsite.
For those not going on Friday adventures and for the sake of carpool simplification, most drivers will leave from Echols at around 4-5pm on Friday. Trip leaders, if you want an alternative to the ~4pm departure time on Friday (ie. if you want to lead a trip on Friday and need to leave earlier), let us know in your email to us.
Drivers for trips and for the general carpool will definitely be needed as well! Gas is fully reimbursed, and the current club tip-rate for drivers is 50% capped at $20, so if you drive for the NRGE, you’re guaranteed a $20 tip!!!!
GEAR:
Trip leaders will be responsible for acquiring their adventure-specific gear (e.g. climbing harnesses) from the gear room before NRGE for attendees. The club’s entire supply of tents/sleeping bags/pads will be brought to NRGE, but it is a limited supply, so some peeps will need to bring their own camp gear. Once you are off the waitlist for a NRGE trip and you have been added to the general carpool trip, this will be coordinated with you.
Even if you’ve never been on a trip before, you’re absolutely encouraged to still come! No experience is necessary, and many people have their best memories from hanging around the campground with newfound friends. (: As the NRGE weekend approaches, we will send out more details to those that will be attending. Hit us up if you have any questions. Remember, communication=key homies!!
In conclusion,
Ride or Die
Joseph Abbe (jca5cu@virginia.edu), Will Lankford (xsc9gq@virginia.edu), and Max St. Clair (mps9xs@virginia.edu)