The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
A river runs through them
Gorge adventure rite of passage for both mom, son to see fall colors
When I learned several of my friends planned special adventures to celebrate their children’s 13th birthdays, I knew it was an idea worth stealing. I began thinking of vacation opportunities that would appeal to my oldest son, whose birthday is in August.
The New River Gorge region of West Virginia quickly rose to the top of my list. Renowned for whitewater rafting, the region — which is drivable from Ohio — offers plenty of affordable fun for families. I figured an active itinerary would give Nick and me lots to talk about and be a nice change of pace for us. I’m usually the parent who deals with homework and doctors’ appointments, while my husband handles Boy Scout activities and camping trips. I also have the reputation as the family wimp — the one who’s afraid of heights and is usually content to hold everyone’s stuff while they have fun. I thought it might be good for Nick to see his mom enjoying some highenergy activities.
In June, we loaded up the car and headed south to Lansing, West Virginia, about 240 miles from Cleveland. Even Nick took notice of the changing landscape as we entered the Mountain State. The rolling hills, dense vegetation and wonderful rock formations made it clear we weren’t in Ohio anymore.
Because whitewater rafting is the region’s premier activity, we made it our first stop. We opted for the upper New River, the calmer portion of the river noted for more mild Class I to III rapids separated by slower water that requires some paddling to get through. We tackled the river on an escorted group trip in an inflatable two-person kayak. Although it often is billed as an introduction to rafting, we still got soaked as we bounced through the foamy rapids of one of the oldest rivers on the continent. We never felt in danger of overturning, but in stretches it required us to work hard to stay on course.
Nick loved the excitement of rafting but also had a great time swimming in the tranquil pools between the rapids. He was especially enthused when the guides engaged the kids on the trip in water games, stacking the kayaks on each other to create a floating dock and encouraging them to overturn
their boats and challenge each other to a version of King of the Mountain. The kids, still wearing their life jackets and helmets, happily wrestled on the boats often slipping into the clear water. The activity had a great old-school feel to it, with no parents telling them to take turns or micromanaging the fun. I also really enjoyed the rafting trip. It offered thrills, but it never felt scary. Also, the scenery along the river was beautiful.
I was more concerned about our upcoming adventure.
The next day we headed to the New River Gorge Bridge. We were supposed to walk the length of the bridge, which rises 876 feet above the river. It’s the highest vehicle-carrying bridge in the United States. I was nervous. Nick, a born “monkey boy” who spent much of his toddlerhood frightening other mothers by perching on top of playground equipment rather than playing on it, was looking forward to the trek.
Before heading to the Bridge Walk attraction, we visited the Canyon Rim Visitor Center to check out the exhibits about how the steel arch bridge, which took three years to construct, changed the local landscape. When the 3,030-footlong bridge opened in 1977, it reduced the travel time from one side of the river to the other from 40 minutes to less than a minute and opened the region up to increased economic growth.
I hesitated only a few seconds after the guide clipped my safety harness onto the bridge before stepping on the 24-inch-wide catwalk about 20 feet below the driving surface. Despite my racing heart, I couldn’t help but enjoy the view. The tree-studded hills of the national park that surrounds the winding banks of the New River Gorge were gorgeous. I imagined — because I don’t intend to do it again — how the view would look in the fall when the trees are ablaze with color.
The reassurance of the harness and my desire to show Nick I could be brave drove me across the bridge. As my comfort level grew, I found myself engaging in our guide’s stories about how the bridge was constructed and his enthusiasm for Bridge Day, a widely popular event held in October that celebrates the bridge’s construction.
The walk ended with a high-five and hug from Nick, who later confessed he thought I would back out of the adventure.
Buoyed by my success on the bridge, I signed us up for two more aerial activities offered at the Adventures on the Gorge resort, where we were staying. First up, MoonTrek, a series of aerial obstacle courses designed for adventurers aged 7 and older. The courses — which get harder as you advance — include swinging bridges, cargo nets and zip lines. Nick had a blast doing it. He had a big smile and real sense of accomplishment about him when I finally made him stop. I was less keen — especially because we opted for doing it at night when the course was only illuminated by holiday lights.
The next day, we went zip lining—something I have always wanted to try despite my fear of heights. When the guide clicked me in for my first zip, I held my breath and took off. My fear quickly gave way to joy. Turns out hurtling through the air over a lush forest is a real rush.
Nick gleefully launched himself off every platform, while I needed to psych myself up by counting to three each time. Still, I loved the tour, which featured 10 zip lines, five sky bridges and a couple of short hikes through old-growth hemlock forests. As a kid, I regularly climbed trees in my Lake County neighborhood, and the bird’s-eye view from the safety of the zip line platforms reminded me of those happy hours playing outdoors.
After all of our highenergy adventures, I was ready for some downtime. We spent our last day of vacation visiting Lake Summerville, a reservoir surrounded by sandstone cliffs, where a guide took us on a pontoon boat to a scenic cove and dropped anchor. Once stopped, we had the opportunity to kayak, paddle board, rock climb or swim. We were eager to try paddle boarding and spent a pleasant afternoon enjoying the crystal-clear lake. Nick, ever the adventurer, opted to rock climb while I encouraged him from my seat on the boat.
The lake visit provided a relaxing conclusion to the trip, which had challenged us physically and mentally. Nick, who still teases me about how scared I was to ride the scenic sky lift in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, several years ago, saw me overcome my fears and have fun doing it. I watched him make new friends, show off his daredevil side and develop a confidence I think will help him as he faces the ups and downs of becoming a teenager.