Archive for June, 2010

How to Have the Best 4th of July in the History of the Earth

Monday, June 28th, 2010

So how do you have the best 4th of July in the history of the world? You spend the weekend with us!

Lawn chairs and snow cones. Scavenger hunt and cotton candy. Families and candy apples. Some things go hand in hand. Songer and fireworks have been a great combination for the last 7 years. We take perfecting our Independence Day celebration very seriously.

The lawn at Songer is turned into a play ground for the day: inflatable games, dunking booth, door prizes, scavenger hunt and music all afternoon and evening Saturday, July 3rd. (yeah, we know it’s a day early but Saturday is the best day to pack in all the fun. You can rest on the 4th).

Independence Day Celebration at Songer Whitewater

Independence Day Celebration at Songer Whitewater

So in addition to all the games and fun, we are still hitting the river, watching trip videos & chowing down on a southern style cookout. Watermelon anyone?

It's not complete until you have a slice of watermelon!

It's not complete until you have a slice of watermelon!

One of the key characters to the weekend is DJ Judd. Not only does he bring all the games and the cotton candy machine, but he MC’s the afternoon keeping all the activities rolling right up until the fireworks show.

The evening will lead into two fabulous, well known, local bands tearing up the High Water Lounge. Don’t be surprised if they dance barefoot.

So we have some whitewater, we have some games, we have some prizes to just give away (all you have to do is sit there) and we hope to have you!

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How To Go Camping And Make Your Own Berry Cobbler

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Are you getting ready for a camping trip to West Virginia?  Time to go get that tent out and make sure it’s fully functional.   All the stakes, poles and flys ready to go?  Check.

And what goes well with camping?  Try berries.

How great is that?

How great is that?

West Virginia is well known for blackberry bushes, and here at Songerville’s campground you can find yourself plenty of bushes to pick from.   There’s even a cherry tree by our main building, and that tree just happens to be overloaded with cherries this year.

Decide what kind of cobbler you want to make. If you don’t want to go pick some berries out in the woods (why wouldn’t you?), then go to your store and buy some berry filling.  But, just so you know, it’s not going to be near as good.

Okay, here are the ingredients:

  • 2 cups Bisquick
  • 1 1/3 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Berries

If you have a dutch oven, great.  And if not, you can use an aluminum square pan.  I’m for the aluminum square pan -no dishwashing- but there’s also the question of recycling.  For easy cleanup with the dutch oven you will want to line it with heavy duty aluminum foil.

Start that campfire!  You will want to put your pan on the bed of coals for approx. 10 to 15 minutes to preheat.

Mix all of your ingredients except for the berries of your choice.  Remove your pan from the coals and be careful not to burn yourself. Pour in your fruit, and remember if your using fresh berries to clean them first.

Next pour your mixed batter over top of your berries. You can add some cinnamon on top of the batter for some extra spice.   Put your pan back on the coals.

Place a piece of aluminum of foil over top of your pan, and if you have a dutch oven put your lid on it.   Bake it until it’s golden brown on top, approx. 45 minutes.   Once brown on top, remove and let cool.

Time to eat. If you like some ice cream on it, come to the outfitter’s store and grab a pint.  And, you know, you could even bring us a piece of your cobbler to try!

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Grilling 101: How To Chow Down With The Big Dogs

Monday, June 14th, 2010

What is summer without a hot dog?  Call them what you will: wieners, franks, dawgs, or sausages.  At Songer, hot dogs will always remind us of summer vacations in West Virginia.

Cooking Hot Dogs on the Campfire by Jason Pratt

A bunch of dogs on the grill.

We don’t serve them on white water rafting trips (yet!), but I’m thinking it would be a welcome addition.

In a lot of households, it’s women in the kitchen doing dinner.  Then, when it comes to grilling, it’s all of a sudden the man’s job. Not here. Anyone can grill here at Songer (except for little kids, who we think should just stay away from the matches, huh?)

Now, just for the sake of clarity, there are as many ways to fix hot dogs as there are people.  We’re just going with the simple “stick-in-fire” method.  So don’t be a hater.

Here’s what you’ll need:
Charcoal
Newspaper
Lighter fluid (not gas)
Hot dogs
Condiments
Buns

Get your fire started. Charcoal, newspaper, lighter fluid.  Add fire.  Stand back.  Take it slow and allow the charcoal to burn for around 30 minutes until you have some nice orange coals. While it’s warming go to the nearby woods and find you a good stick to put your dog on. Free sticks, y’all.

Time to cook. Spread out the coals, watch your dogs carefully, and don’t forget to turn that dog frequently. Think of your dog as a square turn it four times letting it cook around a minute or two on each side. Unless you’re one of those people that like it charred beyond recognition (and that’s okay, I guess).

Time to dress that dog. Options are endless for this: chili, cheese, sauerkraut, onions, relish, slaw, ketchup, mustard, jalapenos, and bananas (just seeing if you’re paying attention).  A true West Virginia hot dog has ketchup, mustard, chili, coleslaw, and onions.

Save some space on the grill for your bun.  It won’t take long at all to toast, and it’s much better if you spread a little butter on that sucker before you throw it on.

Simple.  Have a good old fashioned cookout, and know that you’ll fit right in in our campground.  Because, y’know, it’s the simple things in life that are so… simple.

So that’s the easy way.  Hot dog. Stick. Fire.  What about you?  Got any good hot dog recipes for us out there?

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School’s Out..Now what?

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

Don’t panic.  Take a deep breath.

Set the alarm clock one more time.  Get in the car, plane or train and come to the New River Gorge in West Virginia.

Southern West Virginia is an outdoor mecca attracting rafters, hikers, bikers, climbers—well, you get it—of all ages and all skill levels.     And here’s the best part: KIDS LOVE IT!  You could actually stay for about a month, but I realize you have to visit grandparents and maybe go to camp.  So here are my Top 5 Things to do on Vacation:

Go swimmin’.  Do it on a raft trip, do it at Summersville lake, do it while you are rock climbing at Summersville Lake.

Go campin’.  This has different definitions for different folks.  We have it all.  Tent camping, rustic camping cabins, lovely deluxe cabins with hot tubs, 3 bedrooms, kitchen and screened in porches.  Also, if your idea of camping is a room that doesn’t face the pool, we have those too.

Play in the woods.  Wow, we have lots of woods.  We’re 20 minutes from Hawks Nest State  Park and Babcock State Park.  We are within the New River Gorge National Recreation Area and the Gauley River National River.  So, we know woods.  Believe it or not, your entire family (over 6 years old) can climb, rappel, ride horses, ride ATV’s, or hike on miles of great trails.

Get a little culture.  Visit Theater WV.  It’s a huge outdoor ampatheater  that has hosted “Honey in the Rocks” and The Hatfields and McCoys” for years.  These plays depict the history of West Virginia in song and dance.  1000’s of visitors have attended and they love it.

Be lazy.  Let the kids look under rocks while you contemplate the beauty and majesty of the New River.  Sit on that screened porch or by the pool while the kids play.  All you have to do is react when they say, “Look, Mom!”  Visit Tamarac, the Best of West Virginia to see local artisans at work as well as purchase juried WV crafts.  Don’t forget to have a meal—the chefs are from the Greenbrier Resort—5 star eating!

Hope to see you this summer!

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A Family Vacation Whitewater Rafting While Looking for Bald Eagles

Monday, June 7th, 2010

West Virginia is seeing a fast growing population of Bald Eagles.  I just saw one on a recent raft trip in the New River Gorge and it make me want to go and read about the newest addition to the Bald Eagle population.  With a 1,000 ft gorge, home to cliff top after cliff top, it’s the perfect environment for the All-American bird.

There have been almost daily sightings on the Middle New River section where we raft with our family trips.  This is a float section with class 2 whitewater and is perfect for ages 6 and up (making you the coolest parents around when you book it, BTW).

The New River Gorge is 1,000 ft deep with cliff outcroppings along the way.

The New River Gorge is 1,000 ft deep with cliff outcroppings along the way.

Binoculars are a must!

The most abundant kind of wildlife you see on a whitewater rafting trip are the birds: swallows dipping in front of the raft and zipping away, the sound of woodpeckers pounding away in the distance, vultures soaring around the top of the gorge, cardinals (the WV state bird), hawks & ospreys looking for the next fish dinner.

I see a field trip in your kids’ future.  What a great “summer-school” activity.

Good luck birding on your trip!

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5 Questions You Need To Ask When You Take Your Family Rafting

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

“I’m sooo bored!”

Guess what, parents? You can totally shock the h*ll out of  your kids on summer vacation with three words: white water rafting.  (I know that’s kind of a strong way to put it, but it’s true).

Also, the word bored is outlawed here. No whining.

Surf west virginia, y'all!

Surf west virginia, y'all!

And when I’m talking about those three words,”white water rafting”, you know I don’t mean the lazy river kind.  It’s very cool for families, kids love it, and, well, so do we.

Here are 5 common questions we get from folks booking:

1. Which river and section is right for my family?

Kids 6 to 12—The Middle New River.  Fun splashy rapids, great scenery, lots of wildlife (we saw 2 bald eagles this week), as well as creepy crawly things kids love. Do it in a raft or do it in a duckie.   Kids 12 and older—The Lower New River. Great for first timers and experienced folks. The Lower is a wide part of the river at the beginning, but the canyon walls crowd in later on. The gradient of the river gets steeper, making this a fun ride of roller coaster rapids and whitewater waves.  It’s where the big kids play.

2. How do I get there from here (because if I hear “are we there yet” one more time I’m going to [insert your own version of insanity here])?

We’re actually the easiest place to get to in West Virginia.  Seriously. We are within 8 hours or less of most of the eastern U.S.  Just don’t confuse us with Virginia; we’re a bit touchy about that.  Amtrak goes right through the New River Gorge, and if you like, we can pick you up at one of the stations next to the river. In a hurry? Fly to Yeager Airport in Charleston WV (CRW) and rent a car from Enterprise (we have a deal w’ them- call us about it).

3. Where do we stay?

Got you covered. We have it all, from camping to deluxe cabins at Cabins on Miller Ridge, to B&B’s and hotels.  We take the “staying” part seriously; the lodging totally makes (or breaks) the vacation.  You get the idea.

4. What else is there to do in your area?

Here? Well, we have a National Park and 2 State Parks within 20 minutes. We go rock climbing, horseback riding, and ATV riding, just to name a few (and they pick you up—no driving). We have Tamarac, a beautiful juried arts center.  Theatre West Virginia, an outdoor ampitheater.  And lots more, of course.  And hey, didn’t I say no whining??

5. What’s the fun factor?

Pretty high for the kids.  Like, off the charts, talk about it for the rest of the year, can’t wait to go back levels of fun.  No-brainer fun.  Pry the smile off your face with a crowbar fun.  You will be the guaranteed hero in your family for setting up this vacation.

Just don’t tell them how easy it was.

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