Thrills In The Hills June 18-19, 2011

June 8th, 2011
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Thrills in the Hills 2011 poster

Thrills in the Hills 2011 poster

It’s a West Virginia Day Weekend Celebration: Racing, Fireworks & More

Is that thunder I hear?   Yep, it’s ‘United Cycle Thunder in the Hills’ actually.  That’s mud-slingin’, fender-bendin’, adrenaline-pumpin’ cross country racing that’s roaring our way!  This is the 7th series round of the the Super National Cross Country Championships (SNCCC), a 14 round off-road race series that stretches through Pennsylvania, Kentucky and (excuse me, the best state) West Virginia.  SNCCC races are open to all riders, from children to adults… oh you know those little kids are gonna be ridiculously cute rippin’ it up out there!

In addition to racing fun on Saturday, here’s a Schedule of Events 2011:

  • Food & other vendors
  • Kids’ Zone
  • Model airplane demonstration
  • Golf swing clinics                                                  Schedule of Events 2011
  •  Guided ATV tours of the park                                    
  • Live music
  • Dual-racing zip line rides (how loud can you & your bff scream, really?)
  • Southern WV Official Hot Dog Eating Contest
  • Fireworks display
  • More!

Attention Permit Holders (and Those with High Testosterone Levels Who Love To Beat Down the Competition Then Rub Their Faces in the Mud, Literally.)

It’s our 1st Annual Tam’s Mountain ATV Poker Run, co-sponsored by Beaver Coal  Company & Pocahontas Coal Company!  Riders search for and collect hidden clues on our 25 new miles of trails (in the Winding Gulf area of the park) with a host of prizes available for the winners.  Losers get… well, nothing… except a good time.  Register in the morning and have the whole day to enjoy the festivities and still have time to ride and collect that winning hand!  Permits are available in the General Store, if you need to get legit.

Pay to Play… or Not.

Admission to the whole weekend shebang is only $15 per person (kids 10 yrs. & under are free).  Poker Run riders pay an additional $5 per person – come on, you’ll definitely have more than $5 of fun out there and you know it!  Last but not least, admission on Saturday (after 6pm & for music/fireworks only) is free of charge.  So… Happy Birthday, West Virginia (June 20th)!

Call 877-683-9240 for more information or to make a reservation (we do have some really great camping & lodging options btw).

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73 Trails and Counting: New Trails Open!

May 23rd, 2011
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Last Wednesday, May 18th, Burning Rock officially opened 25 miles of new trails!  That’s 15 more trails added to the lineup.  These are the first to be developed in the western side of the park, known as the Winding Gulf section.  Riders will get to see some new territory that’s pretty spectacular!

Staff, friends, business leaders and local dignitaries joined us at the park for the ribbon cutting.  Thank you Register-Herald for collecting the photographic evidence!  Technically, the trails had been soft-opened a few weeks prior.  Now it was time to get the word out to everyone.

Ribbon Cutting for New ATV Trails at Burning Rock

Shh, Don’t Tell The News Director

At 3pm, with rain clouds brewing in the distance, it was time to cut the ribbon.  But wait!  No boring old scissors for us, even tho they were giant-size.  We cut the ribbon ‘off-road style’ by driving our ATVs through it!  Nice touch, huh?

Then, while everyone wandered over to the pavilion to enjoy hot drinks and dessert, a few of us snuck away.  We loaded our TV media friends from WOAY and WVNS-59 onto ATVs and we scooted up the mountain.  We didn’t get far before we found a stretch of trail with some really amazing mud holes and… well, you can probably guess how we wrapped up the day!

What You’ll See:

  • New scenic views (can you say panoramic?)
  • 7 Greens (Easy)
  • 7 Blues (Intermediate)
  • 1 Black (Difficult)
  • Varied terrain and cool trail features

Have you ridden the new trails yet?  Tell us about it!

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Dirt Bikes – Yep, the Trails Are For You Too

May 16th, 2011
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QUAD CONSPIRACY? NOT AT BURNING ROCK.

It’s true; the majority of Burning Rock riders whoop it up on four wheels.  But our minority friends, the dirt bikers, are growing in numbers.  And they have a secret the quad crowd might just be a little jealous of!

Just Call Me Shorty

I am personally fond of  two wheels.  As a kid, I grew up spending summers on my grandmother’s farm.  Not only were there farm animals to feed, watch, and run-like-heck-from, we kids had other toys to play with:  go-carts and dirt bikes.  We roared round Grandma’s 80-acres like dirt devils.  We sniffed out every trail from old logging roads to deer paths.

Riding the Burning Rock trails

My favorite bike was my brother’s beastly Kawasaki.  Forget the fact that my feet couldn’t touch the ground.  Once, I literally sputtered out of gas in a field with no bank or tree stump in sight for a dismount.  Instead I fell right over sideways.   Then I had to push that behemoth all the way home.

Dirt-y Little Secret

Okay, I’m letting it out of the bag.  There are certain trails at Burning Rock that are (ahem!) designated for dirt bikes only. Yep.  Not only that, they are designed to challenge intermediate/expert level riders (beginners have tons of other trails to choose from).

So what’s that mean to you?
•    Exclusive to dirt bikes
•    Narrow, wooded single-track
•    Variety of obstacles
•    Steep ascents
•    Bragging rights

As always, don’t ride any trail that’s beyond your experience/skill level.  But if you’re looking for a challenge, come say howdy to some serious single-track.  And now that our quad friends know the secret… maybe you’ll see a few new faces on the dirt bike trails this summer.

Is a dirt bike your ride of choice?

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

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

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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Zipping in Southern West Virginia Just Got More Exciting!

March 7th, 2011
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I know what you’re thinking – how is that even possible?  Right?

Here’s how: we’re partnering with our friends at ACE Adventure Resort to bring you a new zip line experience.  Here’s what you need to know about their canopy tour:

ACE has a dual line too!

“ACE Adventure Resort has a series of 7 dual lines, spanning over a half-mile located on their 1,500-acre resort in Minden, WV.  The longest zip line is 680 feet with clear view of the New River Gorge.”

And you already know that the Burning Rock Express is the longest dual-racing zip line in the eastern United States.  Oh, and the fastest too.

All you need to do is call our reservation center at 1.877.683.9240 and request the ‘Bounce Pass’.  You’ll get a half-day experience on ACE’s tour, and 3 zips on the Burning Rock Express for only $149.00, plus tax.  That’s one heck of a deal, if I do say so myself.

A few folks from ACE visited us recently to check out the Burning Rock Express.  Read more about their experience here.

Any questions?  Just ask!

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Super National Cross Country Racing – Almost Here!

February 23rd, 2011
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Are you counting down the days like we are?  The opening race of the 2011 Super National Cross Country season is almost here!

Join us February 26-27 (this weekend!) at Burning Rock for this super-fun event!  Registration will take place the day of on-site.

Wild Willie D’s will be back out with yummy food for the weekend, and the zip line will be in full swing.  If you don’t want to race, spectators are definitely welcome.  Campsites and RV sites are still available.

Finish Line

For more information and a full schedule of race times, visit the Super National Cross Country website.

And big thanks to our friends at the Register Herald for this week’s article on the race.

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Super National Cross Country Race February 26-27

February 14th, 2011
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Hi folks!  For more information on the SNCC race being held at Burning Rock on February 26 and 27, please visit http://www.supernationalracing.com/eventsarticle_85.html .   All race details can be found there.  And remember, you will register the day of the event, on-site.

See you there!

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Live from the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show

February 6th, 2011
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This show is huge!  And by huge, I mean 9 exhibit halls full of anything and everything outdoors related.  And thousands of guests have been through today.  We hear that when it’s all said and done, over 100,000 guests will have filtered through. 

And we’re having a blast!  People are excited to hear about what’s happening at Burning Rock.  Brian Fisher was with us for a few hours, signing autographs and meeting fans.

Brian Fisher meets his fans

Lon represents

Best of all, some of our partners are here: River Expeditions, Class VI, ACE Adventure Resort, and Cantrell Ultimate Rafting are just down the aisle from us.  It’s nice to have some West Virginia friends nearby. 

Come out and see us if you’re visiting this week!

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Southern West Virginia History

January 28th, 2011
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Early 1900s Newsboy

Every few weeks I like to share a little bit of southern West Virginia history.  Most often I reference Melody Bragg’s books, and today I came across some interesting newspaper excerpts.  In Window to the Past, Part III, Melody includes a section on articles from the Fayette Tribune and Fayette Journal.  I wanted to share a few here.

Not so long ago (and maybe still a bit today), what constituted ‘news’ was often gossip or community happenings that gave residents a peek into their neighbors’ lives.  Chances are rumors were already swirling, so why not print the ‘truth’ in the paper?  What happened in the coalfields was everyone’s business, right?  You can take a look at some old Raleigh County newspapers here.

These articles sure were entertaining today.  If anyone has details on any of these stories, please share!

FIVE IN ONE NIGHT IN ONE ROOM

August 8, 1907

Five children were born on the same night and in the same room of a mountain cabin on the estate of Judge Henry C. Stuart, of Russell County, Va.  This is the record birth event in this part of the country.

The event took place in the one-room hut of a mountaineer, who lived there with his wife, his daughter, and her husband.  The mountaineer’s wife gave birth to triplets and his daughter gave birth to twins within the same hour.

MONKEY FOUND NEAR MINDEN

September 10, 1908

A tiny monkey, that had evidently escaped from the circus at Hill Top last week, was found in a tree near Minden by a farmer a few days ago.  The little animal was frightened in his strange surroundings but was tenderly cared for until sold to a Fayette County resident.

ARE THERE ALLIGATORS IN NEW RIVER?

August 27, 1908

Are there alligators in Kanawha River or were several placed in the water by some unknown person?  This is the question that is puzzling some of the citizens of Montgomery where a few days ago an alligator measuring 16 inches or more, was caught and brought to shore alive by two young boys of that city.  The boys claim they distantly saw two alligators but were unable to catch the larger one.

The above story is substantiated by one of the citizens of Fayetteville, who was in Montgomery on the day the boys captured the animal.

BUYING OUT THE WHOLE STORE

January 2, 1908

A Mt. Carbon miner succeeded in getting possession of a book of $10 scrip a few days ago and proceeded to buy himself rich.  After several of the forged scrip were punched out by the store clerk and the miner had a wagon load of goods, the fraud was detected.  The goods were all returned.  No prosecution of the miner was made as it is claimed he was hardly responsible for his actions.  He fell from the incline a few years ago and received a severe blow on the head which at times causes him to lose his senses.

MCKENDREE NURSE RESIGNS

June 25, 1907

Supt. Sparks was taken by surprise a few days ago when he received a telegram from Miss Fosler, one of the hospital nurses, tendering her resignation to take effect at once.  She had gone on a visit a few days before to her home in McDowell County.  No reason was given for her resigning and the McDowell authorities were puzzled.  Later it was learned that she had married to a Mr. Vernon at North Fork.  None of her hospital friends knew of Fosler’s intentions when she went away.

Have your own ‘news’ to share?  Do it here…

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