Posts Tagged ‘summer vacations’

You Totally Rock, Mom! (The Secret To The Last Blast Of Summer)

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Labor Day looms large here at our humble white water rafting company in the New River Gorge, and you know what that means?  Yeah.  School begins.

Yeah, you know what that means.

But I wouldn’t suggest saying goodbye to summer yet. It’s not quite over. We all have things to do, and to be precise, a whole month to do them.

Which means it’s time to rejoice, enjoy, and live a little.  This summer’s almost outta here, and it’s never coming back (this particular one, I mean).  I have some secret suggestions for you to get the most out of the last blast of summer…

How about a little rafting on the New River? It’s just about the most awesome time a kid can ever have. And just in case you didn’t already know it, those there kids only have to be 6 years old to raft the Middle New.  See how helpful blogs can be?

There’s also  great Rock Climbing at the New River Gorge Bridge.  The bridge buttress (no jokes, please) has to be one of the coolest places in the world to go climbing.  It’s an experience your kids will never forget.

Or what about a little bit of Mt. Biking on some trails in these here hills of West Virginia?  Riding a bike is like, well, riding a bike.  Once you know how, you never forget.  In fact, the only part that most people ever forget is how much fun it can be.

What about puttin’ a little hitch in your giddy up and jump on a horse for a guided trail ride.  Or visit a state park, like nearby Babcock, Hawk’s Nest, or Carnifex Ferry.

Yo, Mom- I promise your kids will think you rock if you do one of these activities with them.  If you’re looking for some lodging, we can hook you up with that too. Camping, hotels, rustic cabins and even deluxe cabins.

And while you’re visiting the mountains of WV, be sure to bring a fishing pole.  You can go out to Songer’s pond and try to catch some fish (this might be the most kid friendly thing you could possibly do, outside of a ride down the river). And of course, if you want to do some swimming you can check out Summersville lake. Rent a boat, or just go to beach.  The beach, BTW, costs a buck per person.  Don’t you love West Virginia?

Whatever you’re into, whatever your kids are into, we can definitely point you toward a good time here at Songer.  Let us help you book your trip today.

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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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