Like, all of them.  At once.

It’s big news. Around here, everyone knows that the scouts just purchased an enormous 10,000+ acre facility.  It’s right on the New River Gorge, and will be home to a new Boy Scout High Adventure Base, slated to open in 2014.

But it was unclear if the Boy Scout National Jamboree, a once-every-four-years event, would be held here.

Until now.

This is like the Boy Scout Olympics crossed with an old mountain Rendezvous, with the X-Games tossed in for good measure.  How many people come to the Jamboree?  Try 200,000.

That’s a lot of bandanas.  Or, I guess they call them kerchiefs.  Whatever- it’s awesome.

We’re celebrating.  You should too.  We’re happy to have an organization like the scouts in or backyard.  I mean, you want to talk about good neighbors?  They’re trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.

Can you think of someone better to call if you need something like a cup of sugar late at night?  Or an improvised splint made out of driftwood?

These High Adventure Bases are a big deal.  Three exist right now- the Sea Base in the Florida Keys, the Northern Tier Base in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, and the Philmont Ranch Base in the high desert mountains of New Mexico.

And now, there will be one right in the heart of the Appalachians in southern West Virginia.  White water.  Mountain Biking.  Rock Climbing.  Canoeing.  Camping.  Hiking.  Orienteering.   Basically the most fun a group of boys can have in the mountains.

Wait a sec- what’s the age limit?  This sounds like fun…

Hatfield-McCoy Trails

1.  It’s flat-out awesome.
2.  Most of you have never done it before.
3.  It’s a good way to see the mountains.

4.  Riding is loud (in a good way).

5.  ATVs are new twist on family time.

6.  Your kids will love you forever.
7.  So will your spouse.
8.  People that don’t usually like sports love ATVs.
9.  The views.
10.  There’s a lot of wildlife when you’re not revving the engine
11.  Southern West Virginia has the largest connected trail system in the country.
12.  The whole place is very ATV friendly.
13.  Everything from easy to difficult is available.
14.  Over 700 miles of trails, which, in local terms, is a whole bunch.
15.  You can choose from the Burning Rock or Hatfield and McCoy trail systems.
16.  The permit system is simple, and can be done on arrival.
17.  All the trail are well marked, so it’s simple to know where you’re going.
18.  You don’t need a guide.
19.  You can get a guide.
20.  You can find mud, and mud = fun.
21.  All the equipment you need is available for rent.
22.  In most areas of Hatfield/McCoy, you can ride on the roads to get to trails.
23.  The hospitality is better than you’ll find almost anywhere (standard for southern West Virginia   )
24.  There are tons of campsites, cabins, and hotels to base your trip out of.
25.  It’s an adventure that anyone   -anyone-   can be part of.

If you like all the stuff about our spookiest holiday, then you’ll probably want to know what times the kids will be trick-or-treating around the state.  Whether you take the kids out from house to house, pass out the candy from your own home, or hide under a pile of leaves waiting to scare some teenagers, you’ll want to schedule it.

If not, you’ll at least know when not to be home

Here’s the list…

(times are for Saturday the 31st unless otherwise noted)

Greenbrier County 6-8 p.m.

Fayette County 6-8 p.m.
Pax 5:30-7:30 p.m.

McDowell County
Bradshaw 5-8 p.m.
Gary 5-7 p.m.
Keystone 6-8 p.m.
Kimball 5-8 p.m.
Northfork 6-8 p.m.
War 5-7 p.m.
Welch 6-8 p.m.
Anawalt 5-8 p.m.

Mercer County
Athens 6-8 p.m.
Bluefield 6-8 p.m.
Bramwell 5-7 p.m.
Princeton 6-8 p.m.
Oakvale 6-8 p.m.

Monroe County 6-8 p.m.

Nicholas County
Summersville 6-8 (Thursday the 29th, downtown Summersville)

Pocahontas County 5-7 p.m.

Raleigh County
Beckley 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Sophia 5-7 p.m.
Mabscott 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Summers County 6-8 p.m.

Wyoming County
Pineville 5-7 p.m.
Mullens 6-8 p.m.
Oceana 5-7 p.m.

With all of the fall festivals we have up this way, there’s bound to be some good goodies to munch.  And if you’re planning on entering something like a bake-off, well, let’s just say you better bring it.

So we thought we’d provide you with an ace-in-the-hole.  This pie is so awesome, no one will talk about anything else.  Probably because their mouths are full of pie.

Southern WV Praline Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
2 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup ground pecans
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup fresh pumpkin puree (canned works)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1 cup light cream

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.  I don’t know why I said “F”, as if anyone reading this cooks in Celsius.  Well, it is the internet…

Mix up the pecans, the ½ cup sugar, and the butter in a bowl.  Take out about 3 spoonfuls of that mixture and put it in a small bowl in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  Eat that while you firmly press a little more than half of the mixture into the unbaked pie shell.  Good, isn’t it?

Then bake the pie shell for 10 minutes, and pull it out of the oven.  DO NOT EAT IT.  Yet.  You might want to, but don’t.  Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F (whatever degrees C.)

Combine the rest of the ingredients, and blend in the cream.  Is it creamy and smooth?  No?  Keep blending.  Is it now?  Good.  Pour it into the pie shell.

Bake for 30 minutes, then top with the rest of the pecan mixture.  Bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until you just can’t stand it anymore.

That’s it.  Enjoy, and please wait until the pie has cooled to start eating!

How about you?  Do you have the world’s greatest pie recipe?  Share it with us!

Haunted Southern West Virginia...

Everyone knows what makes October in southern West Virginia spook-tacular.  It’s the haunted houses!  No, wait, it’s the festivals!  Right?

Actually, it’s both.  Plus, the colors.  We have great leaves.  Adds to the atmosphere.  Of course, when it’s dark out, the colors don’t matter, and all that crunching is probably letting whoever’s hiding in the woods know EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE!  MWWAHAHAHA!

Too much?  Sorry.  A blog isn’t the best place to scare people.  So we put together a list of some Halloween haunts that will do just that.  Plus, there’s a big list of activities that aren’t scary at all, right down below.

Here are both calendars.  And here’s hoping you have a happy and safe southern West Virginia Halloween this year…

HAUNTED HOUSE CALENDAR
4th Annual Haunted Hotel:  This one’s in Mount Hope, WV, in the former Mountaineer Hotel.  Now through Halloween. $8 admission, children 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult. 7-10 pm

Little Beaver State Park Haunted Trail:  Oct 23-31st.  Dark until 10 weekdays, until 11 weekends.  $6 for adults, $4 for children 304-763-2494

MSU Forensic Investigation Association’s Annual Haunted House: Takes place at the Crime Scene House, 703 S Kanawha St. 7-11 Mon-Thurs and 7 – midnight Fri and Sat. Runs through Oct 31st.  There is a different theme every year at the house.

14th Annual Second Creek Haunted Trail: This is a haunted trail that benefits the community as well as families in need. It’s the 14th year of operation and the trail sees upwards of 1500 guests each year! Dates are Oct 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31st. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for under 12. No children under 5 allowed. Open from dark to 11pm.  October 16, 2009 – October 31, 2008 www.wvhauntedtrail.com
Second Creek 304-645-7450 or 304-645-2696

Princeton Rec Center Haunted House: Hours will be at the from 7-11pm, except on the 31st which will be from 8-11pm.   October 23, 24, 30, 31  Admission is $5/person. Info: 304-487-5040.

The Haunted House in Pineville: Opens on October 24th and runs through Halloween, from 7-10 pm and til 11pm on Halloween night.  RA Mihailoff, who played Leatherface in “Texas Chainsaw Massacre III” will be in Pineville Oct 30-31st and will be part of the Haunted House on those dates!!!  Admission is $3 per person. 304-732-6813

Haunted History Tours: This one’s at the Whipple Company Store in Scarborough.  Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays in Oct.  Adults only.  $20 per person.  9:15 to 11 pm.  Flashlights provided. http://www.whipplecompanystore.com/hauntedhistorytours.html

NOT-SO-SCARY-STUFF CALENDAR
Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze:  Okes Family Farms  http://hstrial-kokes.homestead.com/

Tailgate Halloween: The Youth Museum of Southern WV will present the 23rd Annual Tailgate Halloween in uptown Beckley from 11am to 1pm on Saturday, Oct 31st.

Autumn Fest in Pineville:  from 5 to 11pm this Saturday, Oct 24th.  Includes a Halloween Tailgate Party for children, annual chili cook-off, pie-baking contest, pumpkin decorating contest, cake walk, gurney race, adult and children’s costume contests and more.  Fest info 304-732-6255

Pipestem’s Annual Pumpkin Run: October 31, 2009 www.pipestemresort.com
304-466-1800 or 800-225-5982  31st Annual 5k, 10k Pumpkin Run.  Get out there and run your pumkins off!!

Bridge Day Zipline

Bridge Day.

Around here, those are some big words.  Everyone knows that Bridge Day is the largest festival in West Virginia.  We also know that it has to be seen to be believed.  It’s a spectacle.

That much, we can all agree on.  Bridge Day is about as cool as it gets.  But there are always other rumors, and questions, and misunderstandings about what’s going on from year to year.

So, we’re here to tell you, with this blog post, some of those little Bridge Day secrets that will make you the authority when it comes to info on the big day.  We’ve put together a group of facts, trivia, and logistical info for you to jump into (get it?  oosh- sorry)  before Bridge Day arrives.

No need to thank us

1.   Bridge Day sells more funnel cake per capita than any other festival in the country.  Actually, we’re just basing that on our own love of funnel cake.  Don’t quote us on that one.

2.     Jumpers have to qualify for the lottery to get a pass to jump It’s first-come, first-served until all 450 slots are gone and they always sell out.  There’s always a ton of confusion about this one from us, the un-jumping public, on this one.  They have to have 140 100 skydive jumps before getting a ticket for the bridge.  Once they get their spot, they can jump as many times as they like from open to close. For more information for B.A.S.E. jumpers, visit http://www.bridgeday.info.

3.     Bridge Day 2009 is on Saturday, October 17.  Okay, not so secret.

4.     Taste Of Bridge Day, the eating party with all the restaurants from the New River Gorge cooking their best dishes, is on Friday night before the big day.  This party is in contention with Bridge Day itself for best event of the weekend.

5.      The First Annual Bridge Day Chili Cookoff will start just after the festivities on the bridge end on Saturday, and has one of the greatest slogans of any chili cookoff ever.  Ready for it?  “Jumping.  Beans.”  Get it?  Awesome.

6.      Bridge Day is as much about rappelling as it is about jumping.  The ropes hanging off of the bridge on Bridge Day are from 750 to 800 feet long.  There’s also a zipline hanging off the bridge that’s open to the public, if you can believe that.  You should, because it’s true.

7.    The Bridge Day website has every single piece of information about bridge day ever released.  If you have any questions about the event, click on over there to check it out.

8.     All of your photos, videos, and comments can be shared with the entire world (and definitely the Bridgeday audience) by tagging them with #bridgeday when you upload to Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, or Twitter.  You can then check out everything that everyone has said about the festival by going to the social media newsroom at Bridge Day social media newsroom

9.     All of the New River Gorge rafting outfitters have Bridge Day specials.  It’s one thing to go to a festival like this one, but it’s another thing entirely to show up via whitewater raft.

10.     No bungee jumping.

Questions?  We’d love to answer them.  Get in touch with us, and we can help plan your Bridge Day this year.  Otherwise, see you on the Bridge!

Indian Creek Covered Bridge

busy.  Especially in Monroe County.  It’s the ideal place to take it easy.

Seriously.  I’ve had to wait minutes, literally minutes, for big groups of wild turkeys to cross the road.  Same thing with deer.  With me just sitting there, watching.

And if I’m taking a walk around the mountains in the southern part of the Mountain State, I’ve had to wait almost an hour to see the sun set.  Honestly.  Sometimes longer.

A Different Kind Of Busy
Monroe County doesn’t have a stoplight.  Or a highway.  And that suits the people there just fine.

It suits a lot of visitors just fine, too.  Monroe County might be one of the greatest escapes no one knows about.  Those lucky ones who know and visit there get to experience a real retreat.

Nothing To Do, And All The Time In The World To Do It
If you’re thinking of heading out to Monroe County, you’ll want to take your time.  That’s why you’re going there in the first place, right?

Well, you should look around, because there are a lot of great places to do nothing when you get there.  For starters, there’s some perfect lakes and streams that are made of the kind of country R n’ R that fits Monroe County so well.

Try the banks of Indian Creek that drains into the New River (and passes under the Indian Creek Covered Bridge), or Potts Creek which runs the other way, into the James River.  There’s fishing and floating to be done on both, and they’re about as busy as the rest of the area, meaning there’s plenty of peace and quiet.

For the best water in the county, though, you should try Moncove Lake State Park. Everything in the park is within walking distance, and the park backs up to a much larger wildlife management area.  So, there’s swimming in the summer, hunting in the fall, and all kinds of stuff in between.

So What Else?
Well, a stop in Union can give you a glimpse of what small town life in Monroe County is all about.  Make sure to check out the courthouse, which is on the national registry of historic buildings.

The county also boasts  restored covered bridges, old grain and blacksmith mills, and historic churches and cemeteries.

Another “don’t miss” is the Wolf Creek Winery.  Tours and tastings are held all the time, and there’s plenty of opportunity to drink in the great flavor of the area.  With every sip, you can taste the clean Greenbrier Valley water, cool nights, and warm summer sun.

And if you don’t taste it the first time, just keep on sippin’.  You’ll get there.  Promise.

So take a trip to find out what the big deal is about Monroe County.  When you get there, grab a bottle of wine and head off in any direction.  You’re sure to find mountains, streams, lakes, and some secluded, laid-back spots that jump up and invite you to relax and enjoy it all.

And forget about traffic.  Except the deer.

I loved climbing the first very time it was introduced to me over 14 years

Learning to Climb in the Gorge

ago.  After my first week I bought all of my own gear.  Through out the years the time I have been able to dedicate to it changes constantly, but one thing remains, I love teaching people how to climb.  It’s what I do for a living.

My friend Holly had moved to Fayetteville over the winter and had been trying to find someone to “show her the ropes” as it were. Time schedules and weather finally lined up last week, so off to the Rico Suave Buttress we went.

It ended up being a girls’ trip which was perfect.  On the way to the crag, Holly was bombarded with climbers’ lingo and terminology.  We had already found her a pair of very uncomfortable climbing shoes. Climbing shoes are a form of modern day torture devices.  Think along the lines of ballerina slippers and/or Chinese foot binding.  The shoes are made to compress your toes so that all of your toes act as one powerful toe.  They are made with very sticky rubber so that your feet adhere to the rock.

She was suited up with a harness and two very willing instructors! She did beautifully! Her first climb was a 50 ft tall, left leaning crack.  Her foot work was great and anytime she had any questions, we were there to provide beta, or information, to coach her through the next move.  She got to the top in no time flat!
After completing two more climbs, our bellies were telling us it was time to head home.  So we packed up our gear and prepared for the hike up the hill.

It was a great day!  We shared our experience over a big plate of pasta, salad and a cold one.  It doesn’t get much better than that!

Fayette County, West Virginia has a secret.  It’s one of the world’s oldest places.  And that’s mainly due to the New River Gorge.

Sight-seeing in the New River Gorge

How do we know?  Read on…

Back before it was called Fayette County, about 500 million years ago, the New River Gorge drained the entire Appalachian Mountain Range, a lot like an ancient Mississippi river.  Everything that wasn’t under water or under ice drained into the New.

Fast forward to right now.  The New still cuts it’s same path down through the same ancient rock, but now you can visit without getting eaten by a T-Rex or a giant carnivorous slug.

In fact, Fayette County is a getaway destination for people all over the world.  The river and it’s shockingly good whitewater are the big draw, but there’s a lot more to see than just the “Grand Canyon Of the East”.  Fayco, as the locals call it, is a pretty big deal.

Eats
The area definitely benefits from having so many people from so many different places come in to visit.  That fact alone turns a lot of the fare from “food” into “cuisine”, without necessarily jacking the prices way up.

The result?  Great food just about anywhere you go around the gorge.   And it’s authentic.  Real Central American food that goes way beyond typical Mexican dishes, or the best Cajun broil outside of Louisiana. Sammies and salads, breakfast cafes, and just about anything else you’d like to scarf down is ready and available.

Shops
The New River Gorge is the place you want to go to find the otherwise unfindable.  From fine art to folk crafts, there are plenty of shops around the gorge to let your shopping bug run wild.

One place visitors might not expect to find good shopping is at the local whitewater outfitters shops.  These stores usually carry items that outshine the typical “T-shirts and Shot Glasses” inventory of most gift shops.  Oh, they carry that stuff, too, but you’re just as likely to find prints and other art that shows off the soul of the river.  They’re well worth checking out.

See And Do
The name of the game in Fayette County is white water rafting in the New River Gorge and on the Gauley River.  These rivers are the standards by which all others in the Appalachian Mountains are judged.  If you like doing stuff outside, it has to be on your list.

Here’s what you need to know about white water rafting:  it’s fun.  That’s it.  Everything else is just details.  The trips are easy to arrange, and the outfitters, no matter which one you choose, can pretty much take care of everything you need for your whole stay.   Just know that you can do super-adrenaline rafting trips, and lazy river kiddie trips, all with the same outfitter.

Then, there’s all the other stuff.  It’s pretty much a smorgasboard of outdoor bliss; anything you want to do outside, you can do in the gorge.  And the coolest part is, you get a local expert along for the ride.  Another cool part is that it’s not an amusement Park, and these aren’t rides.  This is the real deal- outdoor adventure that people can actually go and do on a vacation.

Other Stuff
Fayette County is also a good place for history buffs.  Civil war reenactments, interpretive natural history hikes, and plenty of old-timers who’ll tell you about growing up in the coal camps of the New River Gorge (that last one is my personal favorite) are all worth a visit.

Fayette county also has a vibrant music scene.  Again, this has a lot to do with the rafting companies, but there’s always live music somewhere to be seen out and about in the Gorge.

And that’s why Fayette County is a big deal.  There is quite literally always something to do, along with great places to stay, fine food, and friendly people.  There’s a lot to experience up in the New River Gorge, so make sure that you check it out when you visit southern West Virginia.

Summersville Lake

West Virginia’s mountain lakes region, and there’s a lot going on up that-a-way.

First up on the Nicholas County list of cool things is, of course, the world famous Gauley River.  Nicholas shares the big time whitewater part of the Gauley with Fayette County, it’s fine neighbor to the south, and they are brought together once every year for the phenomenon known as Gauley Season.

Gauley Season starts the weekend after Labor Day Weekend and rolls into mid-October.  During that time, the whitewater world descends on the Nicholas county area for food, recreation, and some of the wildest excitement this side of, well, northern West Virginia.

Nicholas County famously won the war to host Gauley Fest, the largest whitewater festival in the world.  Gauley fest is a little hard to describe- part trade show, part family reunion, and part outdoor nightclub is probably as close as anyone is going to get.  One thing’s for sure:  if you go, you’ll never forget it.

Nicholas county also gets to claim what’s on the other side of the dam there on the Gauley River – Summersville Lake.  The lake is often referred to by divers as the “Little Bahamas Of The East”.  That’s a bit confusing, as the original Bahamas are also little and located, well, east.  But who cares?  It only means that the diving is fantastic, clear, and scenic.

Nicholas County is also home to it’s very own winery and distillery which hosts an annual ‘Grape Stomping Festival‘ in September.  (Anyone thinking of Lucy and Ethel stomping grapes?)

The lake also boasts something lakes are not really famous for – great climbing.  A lot of the river outfitters (and all of the area’s climbing outfitters) take climbing trips  to the sheer sandstone walls that rise straight up out of the lake.  It’s the perfect place to go if you want to have a climbing experience that’s way, way out of the ordinary.

Beyond the lake is the town of Summersville, the county seat.  Summersville is not unlike some other towns in southern West Virginia in that its buildings are beautiful, its people are friendly, and its food is outstanding.  Anyone visiting southern West Virginia from the north owes it to themselves to stop over in Summersville and hang out for a while.

Summersville also attracts plenty of art, music, and culture from the rest of the county, and puts it all in one place.  The town often hosts touring productions of plays, big name music acts, and entertainment of every stripe.  The performing artists that come through are eclectic and interesting; they make it always  worth checking out the Nicholas County calendar of events.

Wasn’t music mentioned there a while back?  Nicholas County hosts what’s often the country’s biggest bluegrass festival, Music in the Mountains.  For almost 30 years, the lineup at Music in the Mountains has gotten bigger and better.  It’s a staple for the festival crowd, and a sight for any and all travelers to see.

Plus, there’s tons of other stuff to see and do in Nicholas County.  This is just a tiny fraction of it.

Interested?