Events Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Opossum Creek Retreat

Special Events! Where We Make You Feel Special at Opossum Creek Retreat

We host lots of special events here at Opossum Creek Retreat. Want to take part or plan one of your own? Read on…

This event starts tomorrow and you can still get in, so DO IT. We do a fair number of these specialty events each year.

You may not believe this but I practice yoga, and way back when I climbed too. These two activities belong together, and Elaina Erinz Smith and Erin Larson blend them wonderfully.

This is the second year for this ossum, intimate, expertly organized weekend. See you on the mat but not on the rock.

Run Around the Gorge

I am not a runner, but this looks like fun and Mark Lattanzi is a pro at organizing and running an event.

Even the guy who pulled a muscle and was laid up on the couch was smiling and having fun at last year’s event. He did not get to run but came anyway because he loves the camaraderie, the area, and the food.

So he got to relax at Opossum Creek Retreat all weekend cheering his friends new and old to the finish.

Meetings

If you have to be in a meeting, you should do it here.

Why? Because even though you need to get some work done, you can do it in one of the prettiest conference rooms around. It’s almost like you’re working outside; huge windows let nature right in.

Weddings

It’s a no-brainer that Opossum Creek is a place where lots of couples want to host their weddings.

Beautiful outdoor space? Check.
Plenty of nature and pretty views? Check.
Room for lots of guests to stay? Check.
Great indoor space too? Check.
An unique venue unlike any other? Check.

Who could ask for more?

Family Reunions

We’ve already given you plenty of reasons why Opossum Creek is THE place to host a family reunion. Simply put, we’re the perfect spot for reconnecting, rejuvenating, and remembering what’s important.

Some Other Fun Events

In 2013 there’s the Todd Norian yoga retreat weekend. My yoga teacher BabaRANBOYD has been studying with this guy for almost a decade. I am excited to be able to attend one of his weekend sessions on my home turf.

And of course the big one: The New River Birding and Nature Festival. This has grown into an amazing week with hundreds of people enjoying our hospitality and the Spring migration of birds.

We may not be all that special. But when we host events like these our guests tell us we are.

Okay, all are guests are special. I was just trying to say we do special events really well. Now, I am not bragging, Just repeating what I have been told. Why else would they keep coming back?

Want to feel special too? Just come to Opossum Creek Retreat.

Consumed, Devoured, Hit by a Train, Chewed Up, Spit Out, and Left for Dead

And that was from the family reunion, not the “Derecho” storm!

About the derecho – we suffered no damage from the storm at the Cabins or our home. Our neighbors and friends were not so lucky. We were without power for 8 days, but everything is back to “normal”.

The family reunion was a huge success! Really, it was “Ossum”.

I had every intention of giving regular updates during the week of my Familial-ish reunion; what we were up to, how it was going , who liked what best and why.

But then reality set in: TOO MUCH FUN! We were too busy ‘reunioning’ for me to talk about it. So a month later, here goes.

All week people were movin’ and groovin’, making themselves happy doing any number of activities (we will talk about ALL the great activities in a future post). Hanging out with each other, getting away from each other, and even fixing stuff. Fixing is always more fun when you have help!

The single best part of the week (although I was not excited about it at first) was the daily group meal idea. It turned out great. We kept it simple. No one got over stressed (that I saw) about putting on the dog for 40 + people. And because we did not try to outdo each other with fancy dishes, serving standard fare, that made it all the better.

The first night we ordered pizza from Pies & Pints. WARNING: This is important!There are two phone numbers for two locations on the website; one is in Fayetteville (304-574-2200) only 10 minutes from the cabins. The other is in downtown Charleston, WV, over an hour away. Do not call the Charleston location and order 20 pizzas! Like we did.

Now, this could have been really bad. But fortunately, we are a lucky bunch. When the group standing at the bar in Fayetteville got blank stares when asking for 20 pizzas plus all the other good stuff, some brilliant detective work quickly revealed the order had been called into Charleston.

This is the lucky part: The Brits arrived at Yeager Airport in Charleston a few minutes before the pizza was coming out of the oven at the Charleston Pies & Pints, so we just swung by and loaded up. This makes me laugh and started the week off with a great “TOP THIS MESS UP” story.

For the rest of the week, family groups took turns satiating the masses from The Meadows Kitchen. Nothing fancy: frozen lasagna, chili, hamburgers and hot dogs, mexican grub, and leftovers made up the menu for the week.

Maybe the simplicity helped take some of the stress out of cooking for 40 people down a notch or two. The emphasis was on sharing a meal and some conversation with loved ones, and this was going on in abundance all week. It was magical.

It is a monumental task to organize a family reunion. Let us help you make yours as wonderful as ours was.

See you at the Cabins!

Why I Love the New River Birding and Nature Festival

Every spring here at Opossum Creek Retreat we host The New River Nature and Birding Festival. It has quickly become one of my favorite weeks of the year. The privilege of being a part of the festival has allowed me access to the amazingly diverse flora and fauna of the New River Gorge and surrounding areas. Each trip afield offers a new learning experience in all things nature.

There is something for everyone on the variety of field trips in and around the New River Gorge National Park. Here a Red Eft is adored by some of the folks on the Nuttalburg trail trip. This was a new trip for this year and will quickly become a favorite.

Getting a close up look at birds in hand is always a treat as Bill Hilton Jr., educator-naturalist extraordinaire puts on highly educational and fun banding demonstrations throughout the week. A female Canada Warbler was a first for her species here at OCR.

A great part of the the festival is its world class guides, a lot of whom are authors.I was able to identify this Moth, a Common Lytrosis (lytrosis unitaria) thanks to Seabrooke Leckie, author of the new Peterson field guide to Moths.

Just a few of the New River Birding and Nature Festival folks

The best part is introducing great folks from all over to the natural beauty of southern West Virginia, our home.

‘Birding By Butt’ and the New River Birding and Nature Festival

Well now that was a big week.

In fact, it was Opossum Creek Retreat’s biggest week of the year.

The New River Birding and Nature Festival just ended, and a good bit of the festival takes place here at OCR. Somewhere between 60-100 people a day get to enjoy our slice of almost heaven during the festival. During this event, people gather to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the New River Gorge.

We do not cook for many groups, but we will if it is the right fit. And this festival is. It’s all about happy people doing fun stuff, learning, and enjoying good food.

On Monday morning we got things going in a “back porch” kind of way with “Birding by Butt”.

We spent the day milling around the grounds, watching birds from the comfort of our lawn chairs (hence the name, “Birding by Butt”), in between feedings. This helps everyone get to know each other and settle into the routine of birding, eating, and listening to great presentations.

But you could say that Birding By Butt is a bit of a misnomer, because we do spend some time walking around the 20-some acres of Opossum Creek Retreat.

The day goes something like this:

People start rolling in about 6 AM and we have coffee and drinks ready. We get everyone checked in and give them a name tag and this spiel: “We will be taking walks and getting birds in the scopes and eating and watching Bill Hilton of Project Ruby Throat band a bird or two if we are lucky. There are plenty of chairs for you to bird by butt from, so get comfy and relax for a few minutes before we take a group for a walk.”

Of course everyone is too excited to sit down. They want to “go go go” and they soon hear, “My name is Jim McCormac” or “My name is Mark Garland” and “I will be leading a walk up the road. Who would like to join me?”. The routine of relaxing in the chairs around yard comes slower to some, but before long everyone has settled into the idea of Birding By Butt, just letting the birds come to them.

And they do.

During the rest of the week we come back to OCR after our field trips and have a ‘popcorn talk’. After that we have dinner, then the main attraction for the evening, another speaker or presentation.

It was great to look out the window and see folks sitting in chairs or just walking around looking up into the trees, smiling.

We also hosted the Roads Scholar group on Wednesday and Friday for the “Birding by Butt” routine. Keith and I also led field trips every day of the week (the best part of the week for us).

The New River Birding and Nature Festival is a great way to kick-start us out of winter season; we’d love more events like this to pour ourselves into. There is a price to pay for this much fun and we gladly pay it year after year.

By all accounts, the 10th Annual New River Birding and Nature Festival was the best one yet.

If you have a group you would like us to take care of for a week (or even just a couple of days), give us a call and let’s talk. We might even teach you how to bird by butt.

The Summit Bechtel Family National Scouting Reserve

The Boy Scouts are on their way!

The Boy Scouts of America have made a HUGE investment in Fayette County, West Virginia but more importantly in their own future.

They have purchased more than 10,000 acres of the New River Gorge and are turning it into the next, best thing. 10,000 acres!

We (Fayette County and West Virginia) look forward to hosting the National Jamboree in 2013. And again, every 4 years after that. Each time, bringing 200,000 to 300,000 visitors to our area.

If that weren’t enough to be excited about, consider we could possibly play host to the World Jamboree in 2017. All of this, in addition to my favorite part, High Adventure Camp!

Every High Adventure Camp will bring kids from all around to experience all the “Wild and Wonderful” they can handle!

This is huge! Can you tell I am excited it?

Know what else is huge? The machines being used to move earth.

Check out this video showing the care being taken to offset some of the major earth moving required to get ready for a quarter of a million people.

We welcome The Boy Scouts to Fayette County and look forward to helping make this huge project a huge success.

P.S. My Grampa B would have loved this.

How To Have The Best 4th Of July Of Your Life: Follow These 5 Tips

The New River Gorge is surrounded by small towns, and it’s perfect for the 4th of July. I came from a much bigger place, but a lot of the traditions are the same.

Back in the day I can remember weaving red, white and blue crape paper through the spokes of my bicycle.

A couple baseball cards taped strategically to the rear forks created the sounds of the motor as they slapped the passing spokes. And a couple of American flags attached to the handle bars.

It meant we were ready for the parade.

All the neighborhood kids got together and rode along with the parade as it went through town, displaying our patriotism and cheering on the veterans and others who marched. Back then I knew the definition of the holiday and why we celebrate it. But it wasn’t until much later that I would understand the true meaning, sacrifice, and perseverance that it represented.

The day always ended with a fireworks display of some kind. Some years it was a magnificent display with a grand finale that left us in awe. Other years it was a neighbor with some illegally imported fireworks that they set off in their back yard (sometimes I was the neighbor).

My favorite memories of the 4^th of July are when families got together and celebrated together. Kids running around the yard with sparklers (as a parent I would discourage this), marshmallows over a campfire, hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill. You know, the stereotypical 4^th of July that you’d see advertised most everywhere. Watching my daughter Alex when she was six or seven years old holding a sparkler, imitating the Statue of Liberty while singing the Star Spangled Banner, still makes me smile.

If you’re in our neck of the woods around the 4^th of July, these 5 tips will help you have the best ever.

Make sure you have family and friends around you that you like.
A hike in the Gorge is a great way to start the day.
Be sure to catch all of the festivities that Fayetteville has to offer.
Let the kids roast their own marshmallows
When you watch the fireworks, Ooooo and Ahhhhh as much as possible.

What else? What’s essential to your 4th of July?

Top 10 Reasons The Bird Fest Rocks

Let me just say this: The New River Birding And Nature Festival is so much fun.

A lot of work, yes. But who cares? It’s totally worth it. If you’re here, you know what I’m talking about. If you’re not, you should be.

Here are 10 reasons why:

-The Food. Local restaurants help us out with the fare, and its hard to stay the same size this week.

-Walking In The Rain. It rains here. If you’re ready for it, it’s quit enjoyable, and bird friendly. (beautiful sunshine today, though!)

-Anticipation. We work on this festival all year. People who come look forward to it all year. Maybe that’s why it’s great when we finaly get to start birding.

-The Face Ache. You know, from smiling so much.

-The Presentations. Nothing like a little edification for some after dinner fun. The presentations are enjoyable, informative, and, hey, they aid digestion!

-Spring In The Forest. ‘Nuff said.

–ZIPLINE!

-Making People Happy. This one’s kind of a gimme, since, as a cabin rental guy, it’s what I try to do all the time. But still, you really can’t get to much.

-Great Conversations. I’ve, um, been known to talk. A lot. So it shouldn’t be any surprise to people that know me that this makes the list. I’ll just say that, during the fest, I find myself doing a lot more listening.

-New Friends And Old. Best thing about the fest, hands down. As I’ve said before, you don’t need birds to make a good day birding. It’s all about the people. Especially these people.

And lastly…

Making A Difference In Someone’s Life. It’s not me; it’s the whole thing. The people. The camaraderie. The New River Gorge. Oh, and the birds. Let’s not forget them. The fest makes people’s lives richer. Especially mine.