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This is YOUR Weekend: Thrills in the Hills 2012

Thursday, February 16th, 2012
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Mark your calendar my trail riding friends: June 15-18, 2012.  This is the weekend for Burning Rock’s 3rd Annual Thrills in the Hills Off-Road Jamboree.  With newly formed off-road club Mountaineeer Trail Riders collaborating with the Burning Rock staff to amp up the event, let’s just say… hold onto your hat!

Yes, you’ll still find all the food vendors, trail rides, zip line, kids play area, races, live music, and fireworks we’ve always had.  But, we’re blazing a new trail in West Virginia!  This year, we’re making the event all about you – the rec rider.   

You’re the ones that work hard at a job all week so you can play harder in the mud on the weekend.   You can’t wait to pack up and head for the trailhead – often with your family in tow!  The family that rides together stays together, right? And then you meet up with your like-minded pals.  Ahh, there’s a wonderful spirit of friendship and comradarie among folks who share a love of 4-wheelin’.  We’re really all the same, especially when we’re covered in mud!  So with that in mind, let’s just say its a big Burning Rock ‘family reunion’ of sorts.

Bragging Rights Guaranteed!

Two exciting new competitons have been forged to test your mettle:

  1. Challenge at The Rock (Saturday):  riders compete against the clock in this amped up obstacle course full of twists & turns, logs, tires, rocks and mud pit!   There will also be kid & adult mud foot races and other games for prizes.  
  2. Pro Armor’s Burning Rock Xtreme Mountain Challenge (Sunday):  Sponsored by parts & assessories dealer Pro Armor, riders compete in this premier, one-of-a-kind extreme ‘skills’ competition of five individually timed challenges: obstacle course, frame-twister, mud pit, hill climb, and rock garden!  Are you tougher than The Rock?

 So What Else?  How’s This:

  • New! Celebrity TV Host appearance: TBA (oooh, stay tuned!)
  • New! Guided Trail Rides: Kids & Adults
  • New! Radio Control Off-Road Track & Races (way cool!)
  • New! Moonshine Run
  • New! Mud Pit Competition & Runs
  • Fireworks (big ones!)
  • Food Vendors
  • Vendor & Manufacturer Row
  • Kids Play Area w/inflatables
  • Live Music Concert: Blackwater Outlaws! 

Whew! That’s a lot to pack into a weekend. We start things up on Friday, June 15 and keep going until Monday, June 18.  

For a full schedule of events, admission fees, camping & lodging options  & more, visit our website or call our Reservations Center at 877-683-9240. 

 See ya there family, see ya there…

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Welcome Mountaineer Trail Riders.

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
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Mountaineer Trail Riders of all ages!

Southern West Virginia has a new off-road vehicle club and they’re looking for a few good men.  And women.  And children to help fill their ranks!  Mountaineer Trail Riders (MTR) club president Rob Atha, said he had the idea of forming a family-friendly club at Burning Rock Outdoor Adventure Park for some time. 

The Family That Rides Together…

It’s not unusual to find Rob and wife Amanda tooling around the Burning Rock trails in their Polaris Rzr trailed on their heels by their young daughters in their own ‘mini-me’ Rzr.  Riding together as a family is what the Athas love to do. 

“It’s just good clean fun”, says Rob.  “I see families all over the place at Burning Rock doing the same thing we are”, he said.  “I thought, I wish there was a  club we could join - where we could meet other like-minded folks and have some  group events. So I created one.”

 Mountaineer Trail Riders (MTR) promotes:

  • legal trail riding (Burning Rock is the home base)
  • safety
  • family atmosphere
  • fun events
  • contributions to local charities

Club Events 2012

MTR already has several events at Burning Rock scheduled throughout the year including ’moonshine’ runs (Rob’s humorous variation of a traditional poker run) that will benefit local charities – something the club puts great focus upon.  Giving back to the community, especially kids, is important to club members. 

The biggest event will be Burning Rock’s annual ‘off-road extravaganza’  Thrills in the Hills – now 3 days long (June 15-17, 2012) featuring live music, fireworks, races, obstacles course, mud pit, King of the Rock challenge and much more.

Some of the benefits you’ll get with a MTR membership:

  • Waived event admission fees (in exchange for event assistance)
  • Vendor (sponsor) discounts
  • Annual Burning Rock trail permit (after 1st year; to members in good standing)
  • Club decal
  • T-shirt
  • Access to club events, rides and trips

 Annual membership fees are $30 for adults and $20 for junior members (17 yrs & under).  

For more information or to join go to www.mountaineertrailriders.com or call Rob at (304) 237-4085.

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Why DO We Ride?

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011
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It’s the holiday season, so I’ve had friends, family and faith on my mind more than normal lately.  Guess that’s why we have holidays, to remind us of the obvious.  So I got to thinking today… what exactly IS it about 4-wheelin that we truly love the most? 

The Challenge.

Ah!  The open trail before us. And what’s that just around the corner? A fallen tree across the trail?  Big ole mud hole that we’ll have to winch out of?  Oh, look at that black bear that just ran across the trail and has the kids all jabbering!  It’s the the thrill of the unexpected ahead of us and knowing we have what it takes to overcome the challenge, whatever it is.

The Comraderie

It’s all about spending time with those we love.  Packing up the kids and having some quality time together as a family is what it’s all about.  The world is a complicated and crazy place these days, and when we’re out on the trails together, we bond as a family in a way few places allow us to do so.  Team work, communication  and plain-old having  fun creates memories we’ll share forever.

The Spiritual Connection?

The Great Outdoors.  Mother Nature.  Some of us crave being outside and never feel more alive than when we’re immersed in it.  The smell of wildflowers, a beautiful sunset and the breeze brushing our cheek just makes us giddy!  This is a sacred place for us, and it renews our soul to drink it all in.  We know all people need nature… some just don’t know it.  We’re the lucky ones.

So what’s your reason?  I’m guessing… it’s probably all three.   It is for me.

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Lights, Camera, (Black Trail) Action!

Thursday, October 27th, 2011
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Team Video Shoot @ Burning Rock Outdoor Adventure Park

The fearless Burning Rock video shoot team!

I rode my first black (expert) trails at Burning Rock recently.  And to be 100% honest, I actually rode, not drove.  But even that was still a big step for me & my comfort level… after all I had never even been on an ATV trail until I started working here.   And I stuck to the green and blue trails.

As marketing director, it’s my job to show you just how great our trail system is.  Photos are nice, but it’s video that shows the diversity of terrain that we have here the best.  Video takes you flying onto the trails from the comfort of your own couch, but hopefully also gets you stoked to come out and experience them personally.

So looking to get some new footage, and with professional videographer (Chad)  in tow, I enlisted the help of a group of local riders who proudly call Burning Rock their riding home.   Rob, James, Jason, Carl and Eddie  rolled in on a beautiful sunny day, outfitted in sleek  Polaris Razrs, miked helmets and need I even say it, plenty of male bravado.  They were excited for a day of  tearing it up on some black trails and showing off for the camera.

It Was Then I Tried to Bail.

“I think you guys can handle this okay without me today.  Really, just go tear it up. Chad has it ALL covered he knows what footage I want”, I said.   Dead silence.   “I’ll be here when you get back”, I drawled.  Dead silence.  “Lisa, if you don’t go we don’t go,” Rob said.  Dead silence.  Gulp.  Guess I’m goin’.

Chad outfitted the Razrs with a variety of cameras, shooting forward & backwards, to capture the full trail riding experience.  He also carried a handheld camera that filmed in 3D… he literally crawled into the middle of huge mudholes, creek beds and under rocks to get that coveted ‘in-your-face’ footage.  We giggled like girls all day at his physical antics to get where he needed to be to get that perfect shot.

And Then Things Turned Black.

And I don’t mean the sky.   We were at the top of  Trail # 94.  “We’re going down THERE?”, I barely choked out.  “Ah that’s nothing… wait till we come up it,” James said.  And that’s how I met my first black rated trail.  And I LOVED it.   Chad broke out the trail map.  “Awesome stuff guys… let’s head to Amazon now and get some serious mud footage!”, he crowed. “Riding that trail should require a winch”, said Rob.  Uh oh…

I Had Heard the Stories,  Seen the YouTube Videos.  I Was Still in Awe.

Trail #95 is nicknamed ‘Amazon’ for a very good reason… it’s generally an expedition to get thru it.  Only 1/2 mile long, this black rated trail:

  • twists and turns thru a narrow, watery ravine
  • between trees & over logs
  • over massive roots & rocks
  • and the mud … I have never seen so much in my life.

It had rained just two days prior and the mud holes were brimming.  If I stood up in it I’m sure it would be up to my shoulders!  I can’t believe we are going to drive thru this.  One & 1/2 hours, two winches and a tow later (and covered in mud from head to toe), we found our way out of Amazon with some amazing footage.  It was a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that we all enjoyed… and I can’t wait for another expedition.

Stay tuned for the premier of our new trail video, coming soon!

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Family Roots ATV Tour ‹ Burning Rock Outdoor Adventure Park

Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
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The Wood's Family Roots Tour 2011 @ Burning Rock

I never thought two of the most interesting people I would meet on an ATV trail this year would be an eight year old and a four year old.  Young Samuel Woods and (younger-yet) cousin Ahmaryah Mosby were part of a family group that happened to be on an ATV tour I took at Burning Rock recently.  Cute kids.  I have a camera.  I’m Burning Rock’s marketing director.  So, I’m snapping pictures of these cuties and chatting with the family. 

 

I learn ‘Grandpa’ Sam Woods II grew up in one of the coal towns literally next door, Slab Fork.  He had moved away years ago, but feeling the nostalgia of his youth he had brought his wife Tammy, their kids and the grandchildren to take them on tour of the Burning Rock property.  He figured that was the easiest way to share his ‘old stomping grounds’ with them. 

 

It was a sunny mega-scorcher of a day.  So hot, I seriously wondered if the kids should be out in it.  Heck, I wondered if I should even be out in it.  Adam the guide was on top of it… he made sure everyone had plenty of water to start and packed along more.   The kids and Grandma rode together in the 4-seater UTV guided by Adam.  A UTV is a great choice for families with younger kids, elders or anyone who just wants to literally ride along, and having a guide also means you get to learn interesting things about the area.  Everyone else climbed on their own ATVs and we headed off in search of family roots and some 4-wheelin fun.

 

Burning Rock’s trails weave among some of the most historic land in southern West Virginia.   Known as the Winding Gulf region this area is named after Winding Gulf Creek, a tributary of the Guyandotte River.  In the early 20th century, it was promoted as the “Billon Dollar Coalfield” and was home to more than 50 coal camps, such as:

  • Coal City
  • Cool Ridge
  • Helen
  • Itmann
  • McAlpin
  • Odd
  • Slab Fork
  • Stotesbury
  • Surveyor
  • Tams

Woods’ hometown of Slab Fork is one of the few surviving today.  Trails connecting the town to Burning Rock’s trail system are currently being built.  Rental properties like Coal Camp Getaways allows overnight visitors to stay in a restored coal camp home (complete with modern amenities) while they explore the region.   

I was honored to be a part of the Sam Woods’ family stroll down memory lane.  As my own Grandma used to say… “You can take the boy outta West Virginia, but you can’t take the West Virginia outta the boy.”  Girl either, for that matter.

 

See more photos of their tour.

 

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Road Trip to Fisher’s ATV World Reunion – Part 2

Monday, August 15th, 2011
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Country music under the stars!

Despite the technological struggles we had trying to post our blogs over the weekend, Saturday dawned a beautiful sunny day.  Rider’s were already up and milling about at 8am when we made our way to the Burning Rock booth.

For the next 10 hours, hundreds of curious riders from as far away as Florida stopped by to gather information on Burning Rock.  Yes, they had come here to party with their Fisher’s ATV World Mud Club brethren, but it’s trail riding that’s the true passion.  

The Grass Isn’t Always Greener on the Other Side of the Road.

New England riders from New York, Massachussets and Connecticut outnumbered possibly even the home crowd attendees.  “There’s nowhere to ride in our home state!” we heard them lament time & time again.  “We HAVE to travel out-of-state to find (legal) places to ride.”  To me, this was a reminder of how blessed we are as southern West Virginians to have the miles of trails that we do in our own backyard… and the genuine hospitality of wanting to share it with others.

Weird Uncle Bob and All… Family is Family.

Muddy contests, games and give-a-ways went on all day, but everyone was most stoked about the evening concert by country music stars Darryl Singletary & Lee Brice.  Host Brian Fisher, prior to introducing the singers, asked the audience to please stand up, turn around and look… “this is what it’s all about”, he said.  The thousands of people there (all lined up neatly in rows on ATVs, UTVs, side-by-sides and dirtbikes) cheered madly.  “We’re family” is a phrase we had been hearing all weekend long and at that moment, I knew they were.

Our Final Road Trip Highlight?

Anytime you have a group of people united by a common love for their sport, you’re gonna find a kindred family.  It doesn’t matter what you’re riding (altho we did see two guys riding mopeds – yes, mopeds) or if you’re a guy, a girl or a kid.  All that matters is that you ride - and that makes you part of the family.  I know I personally left there with a bigger family than I came in with… and I can’t wait to see them all again.

See photos of the event here.

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Road Trip to Fisher’s ATV World Reunion

Saturday, August 13th, 2011
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When the Burning Rock team decided to pack up and head to Brian Fisher’s ATV World (Mud Club) event at Rock Run Recreation Park this past Thursday, it was Dyane and I who won the coin toss (shhh we rigged it).  Road trip!! 

It's a Burning Rock road trip!

It's a Burning Rock road trip!

According to our map (if you turn it sideways) we were pointed in the right direction to Patton, PA.  First stop: Muddelty, WV (in keeping with the mud theme).  Another 100 miles later and a power lunch of beef jerkey and pork rinds, we found ourselves on a backroad in some gorgeous PA farm country.

As we rolled into Patton, we saw the Miner’s Rest diner and were so intrigued we had to stop.  It was charming.  Mining memorabilia on the walls with ornate tin ceilings and unique menu items like Hot Coals (jalapeno poppers!). 

First impression of the park: nice place!  Second impression: WINDY!  But, you can always count on gentlemen to lend a helping hand (and hammer) to women in need… especially when their tent is blowing away.  But us Burning Rock gals overcame the obstacle (and lack of hardware stores) to secure the perimeter.

Our Road Trip Highlight -Thursday?

Our show neighbors coming to our aid was sooo appreciated but it was meeting host Brian Fisher!  Okay, we technically have met him several times before already but here’s why:

  • he came & filmed a show at Burning Rock
  • he’s just a super nice guy
  • he loves riding trails in southern West Virginia!

Today (Friday) was opening day.  There was a lot of excitement about Burning Rock, the Hatfield-McCoy Trail system and West Virginia in general!  Made us proud to represent.

Our Road Trip Highlight – Friday?

Riding in the first place RAZR (with the final heat tomorrow!) in the mud pit obstacle course race = priceless.  But it was meeting the fine folks with Mud Buddies, a group that organizes ATV/UTV trips for special needs children in southern WV that made our day!

Stay tuned… tomorrow’s another day at the show and another blog post.

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Yes I’m An ATV Newbie… But Not For Long!

Tuesday, April 12th, 2011
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Hi.  My name is Lisa. I’m glad to be the newest member of the Burning Rock team, as the recently hired marketing director.

As the person that’s in charge of sharing the stories of all the fun things going on around here, it’s pretty important that I get out and experience it first-hand. Right?

Well, I have a confession to make. You might not believe it.

Me before getting muddy.

I’m a native West Virginian and I’ve never been on an ATV.  Around these parts, that’s crazy talk! Not just a little crazy, but A LOT crazy.

So, I signed up for a guided ATV tour. My first-ever. I’d like to share it with you.

The Ride Begins
The morning of my first ride arrived with 36 degree temperatures and snow flurries. The day before? Sunshine and 70. Welcome to spring in West Virginia!

The colder temperatures and snow had me a bit concerned at first. Then I remembered, riders come here year-round. So, I thought… what the heck, let’s do this!  I am so glad I did!

Preparing
I had come well-dressed for the weather conditions, but there was one small issue. I forgot my gloves.  Luckily, the well-stocked general store carries an ample supply of almost everything one might need, including, you guessed it. Gloves.

I admit it. I was nervous.

I mean, I’m a newbie rider. Also, a middle-aged mom (wait, that’s not even an excuse actually, strike that). I’d consider myself an adventure-lover but not an adrenaline-junkie.  I’m sure some of you can relate.

Our trail guide, Jerry, was friendly and knowledgeable. He quickly put me at ease.

Jerry helped me with my safety gear and gave instructions on how to operate the ATV safely.  Off I went around the parking area for a trial spin.

Riding the ATV
Operating the bike, a Polaris 500cc, was easier than I thought.

·         The automatic transmission meant no clutch to worry about.
·         Braking was sensitive and easy to apply.
·         Automatic gears meant I didn’t use my brake nearly as much as I thought I would have to. Even on steep hills.
·         The thumb accelerator was a little awkward at first but I quickly got it.

The Ride
Mother Nature must have been pleased this mama was out enjoying the day – she quickly banished the snow and the sun came out.

For the next 3 hours, we explored miles of trails rated from Green (easy) to Blue (moderate intensity).  Black rated trails are the most difficult and I’ll get to them one day I’m sure, just wasn’t quite ready on my first ride!

I was impressed with the wide range of terrain the trails covered. The scenic beauty and ‘delightful places’ seemed to be picture-perfect picnic spots.

As we rolled back toward the General Store at the end of our tour, I was sad our ride had come to an end.  But I realized I have a fun, new outdoor activity I can enjoy for years to come. No matter the weather.

Mother Nature agreed and to prove it, the skies opened once again pelting us unmercifully with sleet and snow the last 200 yards.

It just made my grin even bigger. See you on the trail.

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Spring Break, Burning Rock Style

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011
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Last week, a group of students from the University of Evansville Venturing Crew visited southern West Virginia.  Venturing Crews are affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America; both males and females can be part of the group.  The UE group usually spends spring break doing adventurous outdoor activities, so visiting our area was a no-brainer.

I spent a little bit of time with the group, and let me tell you, they fell in love with West Virginia!  And it’s no wonder, check out what they did while here:

Some of the Venturing Crew

  • Stayed at the lovely ACE Adventure Resort Chalets
  • Cleaned up debris and litter at the New Salem Baptist Church
  • Rode the longest dual-racing zip line in the eastern United States
  • Woke up to witness the most beautiful snow fall of the season
  • Walked the catwalk at the New River Gorge Bridge with Bridge Walk
  • Got muddy while doing a little ATV ridin’
  • Worked on sprucing up a playground in Beckley
  • Camped out in some pretty interesting weather
  • Had it all filmed by WELD for an upcoming BSA/The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve video

Whew.  That sure sounds more exciting than the same old spring break beach trip.  Check out some pics from their trip here.

In fact, they loved West Virginia so much that many of them vowed to be back.  We suggested that they come a little later in the year when they could take advantage of all of our great water sports. 

What are you doing over your spring break?

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Meet the Guides – Ryan Ratcliff

Friday, October 29th, 2010
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Here’s a little bit about zip line guide Ryan Ratcliff:

Hometown –  Midway, WV

Any pets? – One; a Lhasa Apso  - aka a cute fluffy puppy

Other outdoor activities you enjoy (besides zip lining of course!) – I love to hunt, fish, ride ATV’s, and I really really really enjoy skiing. I enjoy skiing so much actually I’m an instructor at Winterplace. I’ve been teaching people for 5 years now.

Most embarrassing moment  - Oh man… the most embarrassing moment would have to be when I was with my friends and family at the river and it started to rain so I had to get the stuff off the dock.  I was running back and forth between it and the house.

 On the last trip I had a fishing pole, a chair and my tackle box. And I missed the step to go up the bank and all the stuff went flying everywhere and I ended up hitting head first… go figure.

So I come up soaked and covered in mud, I get my stuff and walk up to the house and the first thing I hear is everyone laughing… worst moment ever.

What country would you most like to visit? – I would love to visit Switzerland. Reason why: best skiing in the world.

What sports team do you cheer for? – WVU and MSU (Mountain State University)

What do you say to guests who are nervous before riding the zip line? – Usually I tell a joke or say something like “just take the first step and you’ll love it! I promise, and I haven’t broken my promise yet!”

Favorite moment working at Burning Rock (so far)? – I don’t have one favorite moment, I have favorite moments! It’s mostly whenever I see a guest go down for the first time and see their faces at the bottom with a big smile, or whenever I get to tell people about the area and they say tell me more!

But most of all I love to see people come back time after time and always leave the same; happy and saying see you again next time!

Anything else? – You can tell by now I’m a people person and love to talk and make people laugh, so if you’re ever at B Rock I’ll tell you some stories and jokes.
I’m also the new mascot for my school MSU (Mountain State University). I love to pump up the crowd and have fun with the people in the audience. I enjoy every second of it and hope to continue being the mascot for the remaining 3 years of school.

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