Change for the Better in 2008
May 08, 2008
This spring has been a new experience for me as GM. We were bought out by Ace Adventure Resort in April and have been working feverishly with them to update our catalog to offer new adventures for you, our guests.
Have no fear. Wildwater isn't going anywhere. We will continue to offer the professional river experience that's been our hallmark since 1968. We will continue to incorporate Jon Dragan's vision for providing the most professional outdoor adventures on and off the water. The beauty of this change is that Wildwater guests will now be able to take advantage of more opportunities to explore southern West Virginia.
It's been great working with Ace owners Ernie Kincaid and Jerry Cook. They've been growing what is already the largest, most diverse outdoor adventure company in West Virginia and want to include Wildwater in their vision to be one of the premier outfitters in the United States.
I hope those of you who have joined Wildwater in the past will notice and enjoy the changes that are underway here at Wildwater Expeditions!
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Harrisburg Hoopla!
February 08, 2008
I'm manning the Wildwater Booth here in Harrisburg West Virginia at the Great Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show. I've met a whole bunch of really friendly folks up here, some of whom are even interested in rafting!
I get to hear duck calls on a regular basis and more camouflage than, well, than anywhere that's not the U.S. military.
People come from all over the eastern U.S. for this show, the largest of its kind in the country. People shuffle past the booth all day like zombies with $5 Bud Lights and turkey legs. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the overwhelming number of vendors here. It's not unlike a cable TV guide where you have hundreds (thousands?) of options and only a handful that really grab your attention.
I didn't come prepared to do pull-ups at the U.S. Marine Corps booth, or to get my feet massaged in the Farm Show Arena. I could purchase a bug zapper that looks like a houseplant, camouflage lingerie, or a composting toilet for my hunting camp. The array of products and services is astonishing.
If you ever get a chance to visit the show, you should. If you ever want to go rafting, you should just call us at 800.982.7238.
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40 years of Wildwater Whitewater!
January 09, 2008
2008 marks 40 years of commercial whitewater in West Virginia and I've gotta say that I'm excited to be a part of it! It's been written in numerous articles that no one could have predicted the change on the effect whitewater rafting would have on the economy of West Virginia. Check out this article on the Appalachian Regional Commission's website that links the development of whitewater rafting to the construction of Corridor L, one of the Appalachian Corrider projects funded in part from the ARC, whose purpose it is to assist with economic development in rural Appalachia, from Maine to Alabama.
Jon Dragan (pictured right) and his brothers Tom and Chris began a tradition of excellence that continues at Wildwater today. We are not the biggest or the flashiest company, but we recognize that the number one most important part of what we do is you. Visit us, laugh, enjoy the water and be part of the family as people have for 40 years with Wildwater.
My Wildwater roots go back to the mid-seventies when my parents would come down and raft with Jon, Tom and Chris out of our old base camp in Thurmond. Back then it was no great shakes, but it was a start.
My brother, Christopher, and I were left in the hands of capable baby sitters while our parents would head down the Lower New river while we would hang out and skip rocks and go swimming in Thurmond pool, as well as eat cheesburgers in the store on the grounds.
Our parents were whitewater junkies. They couldn't get enough of the camaraderie the Dragans offered and had as much fun after the trips as during. As kids, we were treated to the occasional trip on the Upper New. It was a dream come true for us. We hiked Dowdy Creek, froze under the pelting waterfall, swam in the lazy river and tried to catch water bugs in the bailers we carried in the boats (old gallon jugs that were cut up to scoop water when the raft got loaded down). It was a great time.
When my brother headed to West Virginia in 1989 to learn to guide at Wildwater, none of us could've guessed that we would form an unending bond with Wildwater and southern West Virginia. Somehow, in 2008, my whole family, a bunch of Yankees originally from New York, are located in Fayetteville, West Virginia. We love it here and are proud to show the area to anyone who is willing.
If you have rafted with us in the past 40 years and would like to learn more about our 40 years celebration, please email us here
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Whitewater in Reno?
December 06, 2007
Greetings from Reno, NV. We've been enjoying a bunch of sessions related to marketing and management as it relates to the outdoor industry. We all got into our businesses because we love the experience, the water, the wind, etc. That love, unfortunately, doesn't pay the bills so we are forced to learn the skills of the business owner or perish.
I managed not to return to this entry for a whole month. Let me just say that the conference was a success for us and I look forward to implementing some of the things we've learned to get the word out more effectively. We are extremely proud of the rafting experience that we offer here at Wildwater and we know that if we can get people to join us once, there's a great chance that we will see them again.
On that note, hope your holiday season was great and we'll see you again in 2008!
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America Outdoors
December 02, 2007
On Tuesday I will be headed to Reno, NV for the America Outdoors Confluence conference for a healthy dose of sessions related to marketing and sales, risk management, business management and government affairs. My goal is to check out what outfitters in the rest of the whitewater rafting industry are doing compared to how we operate rafting in West Virginia.
We'll see how it goes. I'm bringing my mother Stephanie with me as she helps with marketing and answering phones. Mom has been rafting with Wildwater since 1975+/- and loves being involved. She love the water, the people and the fun. Between the two of us, hopefully we can divide and conquer and head back to WV with some fresh ideas and inspiration.
In the long run, the plan is to use the kind of information available to us through America Outdoors to make Wildwater a better company for you.
I'll check in with you all soon!
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Honest Holiday Reading
November 25, 2007
I just finished reading David McCullough's biography of Harry S. Truman called Truman. I've also read John Adams by McCullough, which, although well-written and evocative, didn't resonate the way Truman did. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that Harry S. Truman lived in the modern era (indeed the inception of the modern era!).
The common thread between both books is that they document two honest men in positions of supreme power. McCullough does a fantastic job of presenting both Adams and Truman as utterly human. I will put a book down if I don't care about the characters. John Adams was eminently readable, whereas Truman was a thoroughly engrossing page turner. I couldn't get enough of the story.
It helps, I suppose, that I am interested in that period of world history, but it was so well written and presented a man who had the courage to follow through on a career path that would've crumpled lesser men. I took away from Truman's story the lesson that we can withstand great pressure if we make up our mind to do so. It is also is apparent that Truman was almost categorically nice and upbeat to people (political intrigues excepted), not because he was politicking, but because he genuinely liked meeting and talking to people.
As the general manager of a whitewater rafting company, my duties are significantly less monumental than the President of the United States (thankfully!). However, if an everyman like Harry S. Truman, as the U.S. President, could take time to genuinely connect with people all over the world, I hope that I can find it within myself to make those people who visit Wildwater Expeditions to go whitewater rafting feel welcome and special. The people are the best thing about this line of work. The people I work with, the people who come to visit and the people in the community that represent the area as I do are varied and have interesting stories to tell.
Hope you enjoyed this little ramble and I'll talk with you soon.
P.S. If you read one book on an American President, read Truman.
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When Black Friday Comes...
November 23, 2007
...I'm gonna dig myself a hole. Gonna lay down in it 'til I satisfy my soul." as sung by Steely Dan. It reminds me of today in that I'm looking for some satisfaction for my soul and I don't think it is on sale at Elder Beerman.
I have to say that I much prefer a walk in the park with my family in 37 degree temperatures than milling about in fluorescent lit, mausoleum type buildings perusing the wondrous bargains available to me, the consumer. It makes my head hurt.
More importantly, I love to spend time with my family and now that the West Virginia river rafting season is over, I am doing just that. I look forward to when my daughter is old enough to get on the water with me on the Upper New River. She loves the water and it seems likely that she will enjoy the river as well.
That said, if she opts out of the whitewater rafting scene, I'll be okay with it. I'd be lying if I said I didn't care if I share with her the beauty of the rivers here in southern West Virginia, but I want it to be her choice. She loves to splash and thrash about in the her little inflatable pool and in the bath tub, so hopefully that is a good sign.
I hope you all are enjoying this holiday weekend as much as I. In the back of my mind, I know that the 2008 rafting season here in West Virginia is not far away. However, before I enjoy myself on the awesome spring whitewater, I am going to enjoy the slower pace of winter and the company of those I love.
Happy Black Friday!
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What I am Thankful For
November 11, 2007
I am most thankful for my family, immediate and otherwise. I probably don't show it enough, especially to those who are geographically removed from me. I love waking up and being able to see my daughter (she'll be two in December). I don't normally get to do that throughout the whitewater season so I treasure it everyday during the offseason. My wife is stalwart in her support and puts up with the long hours during the season. Without her, I don't believe I would be able to do what I do. My brother and his family just moved back to the area a year ago and I've had the pleasure of working with him throughout the 2007 whitewater rafting season. My Mother recently moved from out in the sticks of Fayette County to Fayetteville, just a few doors down. She also works at Wildwater during the season. She absolutely loves the river and will be glad to tell you why!
I am thankful for the natural beauty that is around me every day. I love great scenery and driving over the New River Gorge Bridge everyday reminds me how fortunate I am to live and work here. The sunsets are magnificent, the terrain rugged, and the greenery in summer is lush. Throw in the awesome ribbons of water that cut through the topography and it just cannot be beat.
I am thankful that I am relatively healthy and get to enjoy the amazing whitewater of the New and Gauley rivers on a regular basis. Throughout the course of the rafting season, I spend most of my time doing the management boogie and forget how much I enjoy being on the water. Then I'll get out there and find myself amazed at how easily my worries wash away with that first big hit. There's absolutely nothing like it.
I am thankful that I get to interact with so many people throughout the season. I love the stories of those who come to visit and play in West Virginia. The reasons for their coming are as varied as the personalities and they are all valid. I love to hear what people take away from their whitewater rafting experiences and I love it when people take the time to write us and tell us how much fun they had, how awesome their guides were and how they can't wait to come back. I am thankful for those of you who make my lifestyle possible.
If you get a chance to drop a comment about the things for which you are thankful, please don't hesitate. During this holiday season, take a moment to take a deep breath, take it all in and just be.
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