Rivers, Trails and Ales Festival Returns as RTA Lite

The beloved Rivers, Trails, and Ales (RTA) Festival returns to Marietta this week in a new form: RTA Lite! Held on this Friday, August 13^th and Saturday, August 14^th, the festival invites outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and skill level to participate in bikes, hikes, paddles and more.

With COVID-19 social distancing guidelines in place through early summer, the RTA advisory team made quick work to adapt their festival format to provide safe, family fun.

“We only had a few months to plan things out once it was announced we could hold an event,” said Eric Dowler, Festival Director. “Thus, our team took a super simple and low effort approach to put activities together.”

RTA Lite is a condensed version of the full Rivers, Trails, and Ales Festival folks have experienced in the past. “We won’t be selling new merchandise, registering people for volunteer-led events, or hosting an outdoor beer fest,” said Dowler. “We’re calling activities ‘self-guided’ meaning RTA will not be formally registering, organizing, and leading the activity. There are publicized times for folks to get together and adventure on a ride/paddle/hike as a group or on your own.”

We are abundantly fortunate with two rivers, miles of beautiful trails, amazing county roads, and a very active and positive downtown community.

Eric Dowler, Festival Director

This year’s festival includes 14 activities over a two day schedule – “which is crazy considering we usually have 70+ events over three and a half days,” said Dowler. There will be yoga each morning in addition to designated times for people to get together to paddle, mountain bike, road ride, and hike.

“There are a few establishments downtown hosting ale events, including the Marietta Brewing Company, Over the Moon Pub & Pizza, and Town House,” Dowler added. Festivities kicked off Tuesday evening at the House of Wines with an awesome pairing dinner with Outerbelt Brewing. The menu and ales will be available through Saturday for festivalgoers.

Even though this year’s festival is smaller than years past, Dowler said the spirit of the festival carries on through people taking time to be outside and enjoy the beauty Marietta has to offer all year round.

Ten years in, RTA festival continues to highlight Marietta’s rich outdoor recreation. “Many people and organizations make this such an easy task for RTA,” said Dowler. “We are abundantly fortunate with two rivers, miles of beautiful trails, amazing county roads, and a very active and positive downtown community. Outdoor recreation in the area has surged over the last ten years and we absolutely expect that momentum to continue for another twenty!”

Dowler encourages festivalgoers to make their experience a memorable one by trying something new this year. “Start your day off with a yoga session by the river and see what the day brings you from there.”

Those interested in participating can find a list of events at rtafest.com and on the RTA Festival Facebook page. Happy Trails!

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A kayak trip with her kids 12 years ago has turned into a new business venture for Jenny Southall Bartlett of Wild River Kayak Co. Noting that there isn’t a lot for younger people to do, and how much her children enjoyed kayaking, Bartlett noticed an unfilled niche in the local outdoor adventure industry. She always wanted to own her own business and the timing finally came together for her to pursue it. With the help of her children naming the business, she went out on a limb and opened up shop.

“The most challenging part about starting my own business was overcoming my own fears of becoming a business owner and finding the resources,” she said. “Traditional kayak rental stores usually have set routes where they drop you off and pick you up. We let you pick where you want to go and we deliver the kayaks. Not everyone has a vehicle where they can haul kayaks and we want everyone to enjoy kayaking.”

This year, Bartlett is focusing on strategic growth, but the vision for her business evolves daily. Next year, she hopes to have a fleet of at least 50 kayaks with a broader delivery zone. Currently, Bartlett delivers all over the Mid-Ohio Valley and as far as Seneca Lake in Ohio. 

“In regards to expansion, this year we are keeping things small. We have a facility we are looking into for the start of next summer and have plans to become a reseller for a well known kayak company,” she said. 

My favorite part about calling the Mid-Ohio Valley home is just that, it’s home. I’ve traveled quite a lot and you just can’t beat the view of our local area.

Bartlett is a born-and-raised native of the Mid-Ohio Valley growing up in Washington County, Ohio and graduating with a degree in business and accounting from Washington State Community College. There, she has raised her four children into adulthood and works full-time as an inventory specialist for a local HVAC company.

“My favorite part about calling the Mid-Ohio Valley home is just that, it’s home. I’ve traveled quite a lot and you just can’t beat the view of our local area. In my free time, I love being outside camping and hanging out with my children, their significant others, and my dogs” she said. 

For Bartlett, the love of the Mid-Ohio Valley is what inspires her to grow her business here. 

“We have so many different bodies of water and so many areas to explore, we have already had people from out of town book with us, so it’s an additional recreational activity we can offer people coming to visit our area,” Bartlett said.

Bartlett is a strong proponent of shopping and supporting local in her own business. All of her marketing materials are produced locally as well as the t-shirts and stickers for Wild River Kayak Co. Bartlett even made a point to purchase her kayak fleet from another local business. The reciprocity of giving between local businesses and the community is part of the small business experience for her. 

“The most rewarding part of this journey has been the support from my family, friends, and many others in the community. Just knowing people want to see you be successful is very rewarding,” Bartlett said. “I’ve truly been surprised by the amount of people excited to see us bringing this to the area. I knew there was a need, but I did not realize how many people were hoping for this very thing.”

Bartlett thinks the “very thing” is the experience of being in nature and exploring it from a different perspective and one of the reasons she fell in love with the activity. Additionally, with people making their way out of their houses, she thinks the community is ready for some outdoor activities that are cost effective and family friendly.

You can see more wildlife from the water than you can from the banks. Some of my favorite spots are the Little Muskingum River, Veto Lake, or the AEP Ponds out SR 83.

“My favorite part about kayaking is the peacefulness and being so close to nature. You can see more wildlife from the water than you can from the banks,” she said. “Some of my favorite spots are the Little Muskingum River, Veto Lake, or the AEP Ponds out SR 83.”

For those who are unfamiliar with kayaking, Bartlett offers lessons. She loves showing people her love of the activity and thinks that teaching someone is one of the most rewarding parts of operating her business. 

“On opening day we had a young man who was terrified of water and ended up out on a kayak for three hours. It took him about five minutes to learn the ropes and now he is buying his own. If you don’t have experience, but want to go, we will send a guide to accompany you. Basically, no experience necessary,” she said.

For anyone who wants to try their hand at kayaking, Bartlett recommends that people reach out to her on her Facebook page, website, or by calling 740-526-4798. 

Wild River Kayak Co.’s pricing structure is:

• Hourly: $10
• Half Day (five hours): $45
• Full Day (8-10 hours): $65
• Two Day Rental: $100
  

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The River Cities Singletrack Serpents Build Strong Minds, Bodies, Character and Communities Through Interscholastic Mountain Biking

One of the positives of 2020 was the widespread rediscovery of the value of outdoor recreation. Attendance at municipal, state and national parks surged to record highs nationwide as people looked for alternatives to indoor venues that were no longer open and events that had been canceled. Public greenspaces and nature in general, with their inherent capacity for social distancing, fit the bill perfectly for millions across the country.

The citizens of the Mid-Ohio Valley are fortunate in that our region was perfectly suited for this reawakening to the physical and psychological enrichment that simply being outdoors offers. Parks, public lands and nonmotorized pathways are abundant in the MOV, and anyone willing to lace up walking shoes or hiking boots to go for a day hike could easily do so without having to travel very far. Likewise, anyone who wanted to strap on a helmet and go for a bicycle ride could benefit from the numerous rail trails, bike paths and trail systems spread out across our greater area.

In fact, the MOV has earned a growing national reputation for trail systems that are sustainably designed and particularly well suited for mountain biking. Parks at the eastern reaches of the MOV, such as Mountwood Park and North Bend State Park, along with the Wayne National Forest’s Marietta Unit in northern Washington County, have long been popular destinations for mountain biking, and their extensive trail offerings continue to improve and expand to this day. As well, the Marietta Trail Network and Parkersburg’s Johnson T. Janes city park trails offer these cities’ residents exciting mountain biking options within their respective city limits. Farther west, the Baileys Trail System just outside of Athens will feature nearly 90 miles of purpose-built singletrack mountain biking when completed.  

Despite this fantastic mountain biking trail infrastructure, opportunities for organized local youth participation in this activity and sport have been limited. Aside from a relatively few races in the area affiliated with the West Virginia and Ohio state racing series and the River Valley Mountain Bike Association’s biannual Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day, there wasn’t much for kids to turn to if they wanted to learn to ride the MOV’s trails. And if parents did not make a specific effort to get their children involved, these youth typically gravitated to other sports and activities.

This lack of opportunity for young people is something that those involved with mountain biking nationwide have sought to address for some time, with limited success. However, in 2009, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association formed to meet this need. Since then, 31 state leagues have emerged under the NICA umbrella, and the activities and race series they promote have grown exponentially to include over 22,500 student-athlete participants across the U.S. as of 2019.   

There are many reasons for this growth. First and foremost is the quality of the instruction and training for coaches and youth participants alike. All coaches are background-checked yearly and have the opportunity to acquire valuable knowledge and relevant experience as they advance as leaders through both online seminars and in-person training. They are trained in first-aid and rigorous safety and concussion protocols as well as an understanding of riding fundamentals and bicycle mechanics. NICA also requires continuing education for coaches, and parents can be confident that multiple, well-trained coaching staff will be present to instruct and supervise their student-athletes at any practice.

Likewise, NICA’s national curriculum for training student-athletes uses research-based practices that allow youth with even no mountain biking experience to progress safely and confidently through the fundamentals to more advanced skills. Student-athletes are taught bicycle safety, basic bicycle mechanics, riding skills, and those who join the MOV’s local NICA team, the River Cities Singletrack Serpents, have opportunities throughout the season to work on trail stewardship and maintenance with the River Valley Mountain Bike Association.

NICA’s mission is to foster youth development by building “strong minds, bodies, character and communities through cycling,” and this is a part of everything that the River Cities Singletrack Serpents do. Student-athletes have numerous chances across any season to practice on all of the MOV’s beginner and intermediate trails, with options for more advanced rides as their abilities grow. The Singletrack Serpents are members of the West Virginia Interscholastic Cycling League NICA state league. WVICL’s summer race series travels to a number of NICA courses at some of the most scenic venues across the Mountain State, which perennially ranks among the top states for mountain biking in the U.S.         

While the annual race series is the highlight of the NICA season, there are also many other opportunities for cycling adventure within a given year. In fact, racing is not even mandatory for student-athletes, and NICA does not cut student-athletes. Student-athletes can play supportive roles on their teams or just ride for the fun and experience of it. The state league holds adventure weekends for entire families of NICA participants, and increasing female participation is a top priority through NICA’s auxiliary program Girls Riding Together and its GRiT events and camps.

Tony Styer is the new River Cities Singletrack Serpents head coach, and he has been involved locally with NICA since it came to the MOV four years ago. His enthusiasm is contagious. “I’m excited for the 2021 NICA season and what it can offer. We made the best of a bad situation last season with COVID-19 canceling our race season, but our team had fun doing virtual time trials, adventure weekends and our weekly practices,” said Styer. “This year, the team has new leadership with me as head coach and Adam Freed as team director, and we’re looking forward to working with the athletes and our fellow coaches to have a super-fun and adventurous year!”

Student-athletes in grades 6-12 from across the entire MOV are eligible to participate, and owning a mountain bicycle is not necessary to join. Longtime Singletrack Serpents supporters the Marietta Adventure Company work with the River Valley Mountain Bike Association to sponsor riders who need bicycles and equipment, and no student-athlete has ever been unable to participate due to not having a mountain bike. In addition, races are typically held on Sundays to allow student athletes who play other, school-affiliated sports the opportunity to do both without conflict.

The 2021 NICA preseason begins with events that run from April 1 through June 30, and the season itself extends from July 1 through October 31. Parents who are interested can send an email to Coach Styer at singletrack.serpents@gmail.com for more information and to get their children’s knobby tires rolling. Scholastic mountain biking offers incredible experiences for local student-athletes and is a high-quality program for MOV youth. These student-athletes will develop the confidence and skills necessary to both mountain bike and progress through life with, as the Singletrack Serpents’ motto proclaims, their “Fangs out!”

Photography provided by River Cities Singletrack Serpents

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Bike racks, resources coming to Marietta thanks to Bike Marietta

A program years in the making is now a reality, allowing for the purchase and installation of 50 new bike racks for downtown Marietta. Through a partnership with the Washington County Department of Health and Marietta Main Street, the town will see the new bike racks installed this spring, along with kiosks offering cyclist resources. This new initiative, Bike Marietta, was the result of a 2020 grant of $10,000 from the Washington County Health Department.

“A few years back, Hallie Taylor [owner of the Marietta Adventure Company] had proposed this opportunity to Main Street and we began working on this initiative,” said Marietta Main Street Executive Director Cristie Thomas. “However, with a lack of funding and capacity at the time, we weren’t able to get it off the ground. Thanks to the Washington County Health Department, we made quick work of both proposing the Bike Marietta program and coordinating the materials for its implementation. I can’t wait for the bike racks to be installed this spring!”

Thomas said the initiative fit Marietta Main Street’s mission in several ways: The organization seeks to make downtown inclusive and accessible, and aims for its small businesses to thrive. “We want downtown to be at the forefront of people’s minds with shopping, dining, and enjoying our community,” said Thomas. “We have a robust trail network in Marietta and we want it to be crystal clear that people can enjoy our trails AND enjoy our downtown shops and restaurants.”

The program also meets some of the needs of Creating Healthy Communities, a program directed by Sherry Ellem at the Washington County Health Department.  “Creating Healthy Communities Coalition is committed to increasing opportunities for physical activity,” said Ellem. “Bike Marietta allows our community to make the healthy choice the easy choice through active transportation.”

With the grant, Bike Marietta also designed a Bike Marietta Resource Guide, coordinated a bike-friendly business initiative, and will soon launch a Bike Marietta web page and install kiosks with trail maps and other resources. “Sherry Ellem contacted us with the idea and said there was some funding there for cycling activities,” said Marietta Main Street board member Bret Allphin, who worked with others on the board and in the community to put together the grant application. 

We have mountain bike trails in the immediate vicinity. Outdoor recreation is a huge driver for the area.

Taylor took on a large role in planning, along with Allphin, Thomas, and Michael Bond of Marietta Main Street. “Cristie and I and some other folks on the board hatched the idea knowing that we have a wonderful downtown that has a great bike and pedestrian path,” said Allphin. “We have mountain bike trails in the immediate vicinity. Outdoor recreation is a huge driver for the area.”

Allphin said the plan centered around what could be done to bolster Marietta’s biking assets and also bring visitors to the downtown area in an accessible way. “We have infrastructure for cars and pedestrians, but we know biking is a big deal downtown, so we wanted to build on that,” he said.

Racks are anticipated to be installed in the first quarter of 2021. Spots for them have been chosen around downtown Marietta, said Bond. “They will be put in front of restaurants and other spots of interest downtown,” Bond said. “We biked and walked around to figure out exactly where the bike racks could go, where there was concrete. Hallie did a bunch of work scouting out places.”

In addition to the racks, kiosks designed by Just A Jar Design + Press will be installed in Marietta and Beverly, offering cyclists bike maps and other resources, including information on the rights and responsibilities of riders, listing local and state codes. Bike Marietta will also install fix-it station locations, where riders can access tools along the route to perform basic bike repairs and maintenance, like fixing flat tires and adjusting brakes. Resources will also include a list of bike-friendly businesses, letting riders know where they can use restrooms and refill water bottles. “People will seek out bike-friendly businesses,” said Allphin. 

When retail shops, offices, and public buildings are convenient to walk or bike to, it increases the opportunity for physical activity.

Prior to the formalization of Bike Marietta, two professional bike rides took place this past fall to encourage discussion about Marietta’s existing bicycle infrastructure. Clutch MOV Owner and Publisher Sarah Arnold participated in one and spoke to some riders to get their input.

“Recent studies have shown that one-third of home buyers prefer homes located in areas that offer transportation alternatives,” said Deana Clark, Executive Director of the Marietta-Washington County CVB, at the event. “When retail shops, offices, and public buildings are convenient to walk or bike to, it increases the opportunity for physical activity. It also makes it easier for low-income, senior citizens and disabled folks to navigate your community.”

Jason Pyles, GIS Coordinator at Buckeye Hills Regional Council, also participated on the ride — his second, following one he’d done in Meigs County a couple years prior. “I was quite happy with how the drivers handled us, especially on the busier roads,” Pyles said of the Marietta ride. “I never felt completely overwhelmed by the traffic, even around 7th and Greene, and it was nice how there was always a quiet street you could move to fairly easily. Even with some of our hills, it seems you could get around most of the city on a bike without tremendous effort.”

Thomas said that one facet of the program she appreciated is that it is accessible to bike riders of all levels — not just those who have been riding for years.

Bike Marietta connects our commercial district with those trails, and Marietta Main Street wants to promote and support downtown.

“We have a tremendous amount of outdoor assets, including hiking and biking,” said Thomas. “A bike rider at any level can come and enjoy our town. We have all kinds of trails of different skill and experience levels. Bike Marietta connects our commercial district with those trails, and Marietta Main Street wants to promote and support downtown.”

Thomas added that a celebration is in the works once Bike Marietta is ready to formally launch.

“We will celebrate big time,” she said. “We will coordinate a celebration with the city and bring together all the folks who helped make this dream a reality. We also have a few events we’re currently planning – like, Bike Marietta Day, Bike to Work Day, and more.”

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What began as a serendipitous chance encounter last summer resulted in an artful partnership that celebrates the natural beauty of Nelsonville, Ohio and its surrounding landmarks. Earlier this month, Adventure Pro Outdoors unveiled the first of several large-scale murals to grace the sides of its new building, designed and painted by traveling muralist, Erica Arndts. The mural features the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, Conkle’s Hollow, and Old Man’s Cave.

“I discovered Adventure Pro Outdoors last summer when I was taking my eight-year-old niece camping in Hocking Hills. We were supposed to be tent camping when Mother Nature had other plans,” said Arndts. “A storm came through and we had to find a place to stay where we were safe, and the only place we found was a B&B owned by Bernie and Jennifer Roell.” The couple own several properties in the area, including Adventure Pro Outdoors.

Arndts said the couple took notice of her car the following morning, which is painted to look like a spaceship, complete with aliens, galaxies, and constellations. “We started talking, I shared a few images of my mural work, and they said they were looking for an artist to paint a mural on the back of one of their properties.”

The ‘Welcome to Nelsonville’ mural was created to show off some of our favorite areas in the region.

For the Roells, the timing could not be more perfect. “We had just purchased the old Carter Lumber Building,” they said. “We fell in love with her artwork and we bounced ideas off one another to make our dream mural for our building.”

A few months later, she returned, working on the mural in between bouts of snow and ice.

“Bernie wanted something that would capture the essence of Nelsonville and the surrounding area. I did a lot of research about the area while Bernie sent me some pictures of all the different attractions, including the train, Conkle’s Hollow, Old Man’s Cave, Ash Cave – all of the really cool spots in Hocking Hills,” said Arndts. “So once I had an idea of what he really wanted, I designed the image, we agreed on the design, and then I start painting!”

The Roells said they decided that covering Adventure Pro Outdoors with murals would draw people into Nelsonville and encourage them to get involved in the outdoor activities in the local area. “The ‘Welcome to Nelsonville’ mural was created to show off some of our favorite areas in the region.”

Arndts painted the entire mural in spray paint over the course of three weeks. “I do a sketch first, and then I just start spraying until it’s all done, until my hands fall off,” she laughed. This mural took her about 7-10 days to complete in total, but was spread out due to “good old Ohio weather.”

An Ohio native originally from the Dayton area, Arndts travels back and forth between her studio in Kettering, Ohio and Tulum, Mexico. “I don’t really have a style as a muralist, I kind of look at myself as a chameleon artist, I can mold myself to whatever my client wants.” When she’s painting for pleasure, she finds herself drawn to the jungle and jaguars, heavily influenced by her travels and exploring different cultures. “I really like to pay tribute to as many different cultures as I can – because there are so many! And because I have an affinity towards Mayan and Hispanic women, people of color, and people I feel should have a spotlight put on them.”

We couldn’t be more pleased with what she’s already done to transform our building and the future mural projects we have planned.

The ‘Welcome to Nelsonville’ mural is about 70 feet wide by 30 feet high and is the first of several that Arndts will be painting on the building. “We couldn’t be more pleased with what she’s already done to transform our building and the future mural projects we have planned,” said the Roells. “We have a lot of blank canvases at Adventure Pro Outdoors. We plan on painting two other walls that showcase all the outdoor activities that we specialize in and what makes the Hocking Hills and Wayne National Forest area worth visiting.”

Firm believers that everyone should go outside and play in the great outdoors, the Roells want to show people how much fun they can have in the Hocking Valley region. “Erica will be doing some more painting for us to help tie our businesses together,” they said. “Our business is tailored around outdoor activities – ATV riding, cabin rentals, and river trips located in the beautiful Hocking Hills and Wayne National Forest.”

The Roells anticipate opening their new storefront in March of this spring, with rental activities varying by season. “We’re most excited to bring something new, fun, and exciting to Nelsonville, and to support the community by bringing more jobs to the local area.”

The couple have been active in the tourism industry since 2013 when they launched 1^st Choice Cabin Rentals. In 2015, they added Murray’s Landing Canoe & Kayak Livery to their business. Adventure Pro Outdoors complements their rental companies. “Throughout our time, we have fallen in love with helping bring people to the area because Nelsonville and the surrounding areas are absolutely beautiful.”

Adventure Pro Outdoors and the associated businesses are independently owned and operated by Bernie and Jennifer Roell. Jennifer grew up in the area and attended Hocking College and Bernie graduated from the Ohio University graduate program. Jennifer & Bernie’s children, Bernie III and Sarah, and Bernie’s III wife, Hannah, help run the businesses along with a great team of like-minded and driven individuals.

“Nelsonville has been our permanent home for the past ten years and we don’t plan on ever leaving. Nelsonville stole our hearts.”

The post Painting the Great Outdoors appeared first on Clutch MOV.

The Marina at Harbor Point is Already Bringing People Together

The ability to see hidden potential is a practice in creativity and optimism that few have mastered. When Mark Mondo first walked a quiet, wooded piece of land along the Ohio River more than a decade ago, he had a vision – a vision now coming to life as Harbor Point, an innovative community just outside of Williamstown, WV. While the planned community is still in the early phases of construction, the development is beginning to take shape. At the heart of the property is the marina, a man-made marvel that provides quick access to the Ohio River through the Big Run tributary inlet.

Protecting boats from the wake, debris, and commotion of the Ohio, the marina offers a private boat ramp, concrete docks, and a bathhouse for members. Once the finger docks are installed, the harbor will accommodate up to 60 vessels.

Mona Mondo, Mark’s sister and primary point person for Harbor Point Development said the marina is starting to fill up now that summer is in full swing. “We were only open a couple of months last year, and with the coronavirus, some people weren’t sure if they wanted to put in this spring,” she said. “But now it’s getting crazy – people are already calling to reserve slips for next year.”

Even before the finishing touches were complete, Mona said families were making use of the docks. “I see people come down and the kids have inner tubes on their arms, wearing their little flip flops, all excited to go out on the boat.” She hopes the marina will become a place where families will gather and meet new friends, a place where the community can come together. “And, now more than ever, it’s a great way to social distance. How better to have some safe fun than go out on the boat on the river?”

We are really hoping that this integrated community brings people together for a good time and contributes to the quality of life we enjoy here.

The first of several luxury condo buildings is currently under construction on the strip of land between the river and the marina and groundbreaking will begin soon for the commercial projects planned to accompany the community. Residents and visitors will be able to spend a day dining, shopping, and enjoying themselves at Harbor Point, between restaurants and eateries, boutique shops, and services.

“Whether you live here, have a boat in the marina, or are just passing by, you’ll be able to come enjoy a meal or go shopping,” said Mona. “We are really hoping that this integrated community brings people together for a good time and contributes to the quality of life we enjoy here.”

In an effort to help build up the local economy, Mona said they are not reaching out to any big box stores or chains to fill their commercial space and are instead partnering with local small business owners who might be interested in expanding or opening a second location.

“I’m a big believer in supporting local business,” she said. “When you buy local, more than 70% of that money stays in the local area and is reinvested back into the community.”

One local business already leaving their mark on Harbor Point is Patterson’s Farm, owned by soap-maker Kathy Patterson. Kathy worked with Mona and the Harbor Point team to develop a special scented goat’s milk soap for marina members and the boathouse.

“The scent is a custom blend that came from a few weeks of blending and sniffing,” Kathy said. “It took a while for a group of noses to settle on the perfect one, but we did – a rich, cashmere vanilla!”

When locals lift each other up, it helps both sides grow.

Kathy agrees that partnering with local businesses is crucial for our local small business community. “Everyone starts small and needs the local support – and where do we give back first when we succeed? Local!” Kathy said she is grateful to be supported and encouraged by so many local businesses here in the Mid-Ohio Valley. “When locals lift each other up, it helps both sides grow. I just hope that someday I will be in the position to help another small business achieve their dreams like I have.”

Mona said she used the Best of the MOV Guide to discover local businesses she hadn’t yet visited. “In addition to our local business owners being extremely talented, people here are just so genuinely kind and welcoming. You can’t help but see that shine through – they do everything with a sense of kindness and community that’s really special to this area.”

Nestled along the shoreline across from the Henderson Wilds, Harbor Point’s location is special to the Mondos, too. From her office, Mona sees a variety of wildlife visit the grounds each day, from deer and geese to eagles and heron.

“I love the wildlife, I love the sunsets, and I love this view each and every day,” said Mona. “It could be cloudy and rainy or a bright, sunny day and it will be a gorgeous view looking out on the river.”

The magic happening at Harbor Point is more than a decade in the making, rooted in Mark’s vision of local families enjoying access to the river, the natural surroundings, and local amenities. While the mixed-use community concept is not a new idea, Mona believes the marina and its idyllic location along the river are what make it truly spectacular. “And anybody who knows Mark knows he does everything the best way that he can. I love being a part of it.”

The post New Marina Anchors River Community appeared first on Clutch MOV.

This year marks the 10^th Anniversary of the Rivers, Trails & Ales Festival, a summer festival staple eagerly anticipated by folks across the region and beyond. Last year’s festivities featured more than 50 events for outdoor enthusiasts, scheduled over four days throughout Washington County, and saw record attendance.

“Every single year since Rivers, Trails & Ales (RTA) began, we’ve seen growth in attendance, growth in our outdoor recreation community, growth for support of our local breweries and small businesses, and growth in appreciation for our rivers and trails,” said Festival Director, Eric Dowler.

Organizers were looking forward to another record year, but amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, the RTA Advisory Council made the difficult and informed decision to not host the festival in its usual format this year. Instead of hosting the event concentrated over an extended weekend, festival leadership launched a month-long celebration of regional outdoor recreation in which participants can engage in their own time while maintaining social distancing.

“While this year’s RTA Fest will not be hosted physically – that’s right, no RTA Headquarters, no Beer Fest, and no group events – the RTA Advisory Council remains committed to our mission to uplift outdoor recreation and all things rivers, trails, and ales in our corner of Southeast Ohio,” said Dowler.

This year, RTA participants are encouraged to explore local rivers, trails and ales throughout the month of July through a variety of regional experiences. Sponsored by Marietta College, the celebration consists of Kids on Trails (including the beloved Gnome Hikes at the Kroger Wetlands and Broughton Trails), a series of hiking, running, cycling, and paddling trails to complete, and custom badges available through a mobile app called Untappd for supporting local and regional breweries.  

The shift in format allows for families and individuals to participate in activities at their own pace and time.

Dowler said it was important to their team to prioritize the health of the community above all else. “The shift in format allows for families and individuals to participate in activities at their own pace and time,” he said. “We won’t be inviting large groups of people in from the region to convene at any given time.”

Festivities officially kicked off on Friday, July 10^th with downloadable checklists, guides, and maps made available on the RTA Facebook page and official RTA website. Paper copies are also available for pick-up at the Marietta Adventure Company and Marietta-Washington County CVB office at the Armory.

Jeremy Stackpole, the Ales Director for the Rivers, Trails and Ales Festival, is excited to be able to utilize the Untappd app to continue to uplift local and regional breweries. “Untappd has been around for a while, I’ve been using it for several years,” he said. “It is primarily a way for people that like to try many different beers to keep track of what they have had and how they liked it.”

The app makes it easy to discover new local breweries and beers, stay up to date with venue and brewery event alerts, and rate beers as you try them. The app has been used around the world and has hundreds of thousands of beers in its database.

Sponsored by Ameriturf, RTA has created the Summer Celebration badge with Untappd for 2020. For each beer you “check in” that is from a brewery that has participated in RTA’s Beer Fest in the past, or would have this year, it counts towards earning the virtual badge within the app. While tastings are not included, it’s a great way to show support for our craft breweries, many of whom have suffered during the pandemic.

That’s what my family and I love most about this area – a true sense of community.

A week in, families and outdoor enthusiasts across the valley are eagerly working their way through the RTA Summer Celebration activity sheets. AJ Ligas, also a member of the RTA Advisory Council, said he and his family are enjoying the opportunity to still participate with social distancing in mind.

“Now instead of a large group going out on a hike to look for gnomes or go for a bike ride, we can go when it’s most convenient for us, yet still be able to post our adventures to social media using #rtafest so that we still have some feeling of community while participating,” said Ligas. “My daughter and I just completed the Kroger Wetlands Gnome Hike today and we got to do it on my lunch break! I think that’s pretty sweet!”

While Ligas said he personally would have loved for the whole community to be together to celebrate the festival’s 10^th anniversary, he believes they did the best they could given these uncertain times to still celebrate the outdoors and support each other. “That’s what my family and I love most about this area – a true sense of community.”

And that’s what the Rivers, Trails, and Ales Festival is all about – a community of people that come together to invest in all things local, uplift our region’s natural assets, and build friendship over pints of locally-brewed craft beer. Cheers!

The post Celebrate the Great Outdoors with RTA Fest appeared first on Clutch MOV.

Kayaks – and paddleboards – filled the confluence of the Ohio and Little Kanawha Rivers in record numbers last weekend during the 6^th Annual Parkersburg Paddlefest.

After last year’s event was canceled due to high waters, there was some concern that the event might have lost some of its momentum, said Mark Lewis, director of the Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau which organizes and hosts the event. This was not the case, with 150 paddlers participating in Friday evening’s Glow Paddle, twice the number of participants in 2017, and increased participation across the board.

“We enjoyed a spectacular weekend this year,” said Lewis, “I could not be more pleased with the turnout.”

Lewis attributes some of the event’s success to Avery West, who recently joined the Greater Parkersburg CVB as a Marketing Assistant and engaged participants over the weekend through social media.

“The turnout was incredible, especially for the Glow Paddle on Friday night,” said West. “We had the perfect trio of imagery, with the beautiful sunset, the full moon, lighted kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards. The energy was high and participants were there to enjoy the scenery on the water – it was a perfect weekend.”

It was a busy weekend for Parkersburg, which also hosted Riverfest at Point Park and Downtown PKB’s Downtown Throwdown BBQ and Brew Fest. While Downtown Throwdown began after Paddlefest’s main event on Saturday, Lewis said the CVB coordinated with Riverfest to successfully share the riverfront over the weekend. Festival-goers were able to participate in all of the planned festivities and took advantage of their time in town to visit local shops and restaurants.

“On Friday night, we had folks drop off their kayaks early so that they could head downtown to grab dinner. We heard from the Parkersburg Brewing Co., Mango Latin Bistro, and Brunello that they saw an increase in sales that evening from Paddlefest participants,” said Lewis.

CaSandra Winter and her mother participated in the night paddle Friday evening, their first experience kayaking at nightfall. “I loved how everyone participated in decorating their boats, themselves, and even their pets,” she said. “We are already anxiously waiting to hear dates to be announced for next year’s paddle. We have several friends, some even out of state, who would love to attend.”

Attending the event for the first time, Parkersburg residents Lucas Martin and Tracey Sartor participated in all three of the festival’s paddling events. “We had a great time, all three events were awesome,” said Martin. “Of course, the glow paddle with the full moon on a Friday the 13^th made for a nice paddle up the river. Seeing all the work that people put into their boats was amazing, there were quite a few with interesting themes.”

Lewis said paddlers came in from Morgantown, Charleston, Cincinnati, and beyond to enjoy the weekend in Parkersburg. “Having the barge traffic stopped makes people more comfortable about being out on a big river like the Ohio,” he said. The river was closed to commercial traffic for Saturday’s afternoon paddle between Point Park and Blennerhassett Island. Participants were able to leisurely paddle to the island and spend a few hours exploring.

Martin and Sartor said the weather was perfect for paddling to the Island on Saturday. Although they did not partake in the Temple Challenge or Yoga activities, Martin said they enjoyed “strolling around the island, absorbing the history, and petting some horses and mules.”

On Sunday, Lewis led a farewell paddle at North Bend State Park. The lake, located about 40 minutes east of Parkersburg, is less than twenty years old and still has lots of standing trees in the water which have become a habitat for what might be the largest congregation of red-headed woodpeckers in the United States. “The group was smaller on Sunday,” said Martin, “Mark Lewis guided our group and helped us spot birds which was so much fun. We were able to casually paddle and make new friends.” All in all, Martin said he paddled around 12.5 miles over the weekend, “and I would do it all over again.”

Lewis said he is grateful for the many partners that come together to make Paddlefest successful, including the City of Parkersburg and the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources. “We also have a terrific team of volunteers, including those who volunteered their private motorboats to help slow down private boat traffic and protect the paddling area.”

While three consecutive days of perfect weather are never guaranteed, Parkersburg looks forward to another great Paddlefest in 2020.

The post Parkersburg a Paradise for Paddlers appeared first on Clutch MOV.

This month’s Rivers, Trails and Ales Festival was another one for the books, with more than 50 events for outdoor enthusiasts scheduled throughout Washington County over the course of four days. Wrapping up its ninth year, RTA Fest brought hundreds of bicyclists, paddlers, hikers, and craft-beer drinkers to the Marietta in celebration of the region’s abundance of outdoor recreation and natural resources.

Since the festival’s launch in 2000, it’s transformed into a staple summer festival that folks all across the region and beyond look forward to for months.

“There have been several transformations of the event, and every step of the way it has changed to better represent the goals of the festival, volunteer interests, and new energy coming from the community into RTA events,” said Hallie Taylor, the festival’s Emeritus Director and Co-Owner of Marietta Adventure Company. After the first three years, she said the festival went through a restructuring to distill the schedule down to the things that really added to the primary goals of the festival like bike rides, paddling events, and craft beer events at local restaurants.

Pretty much all of the events are volunteer-driven, so the activities we offer are directly connected to local people willing to share their interests.

Hallie Taylor, RTA Emeritus Director

Since then, the RTA Festival leadership team has been able to build from that foundation. “We have added even more family activities, community yoga, craft beer events, and moved our headquarters to offer more space for these expanded offerings,” said Taylor. “Pretty much all of the events are volunteer-driven, so the activities we offer are directly connected to local people willing to share their interests. Eric Dowler took over as Director of RTA the last few years and has helped grow the event infrastructure tremendously. This is truly a community event!”

Dowler said the festival would not be sustainable nor attractive to attendees without the help of volunteers. “Not only do we have more than a hundred volunteers helping out each year, but each of them is also high-quality and awesome.” Recruiting volunteers helps keep festival costs low, which is important to the RTA team. “RTA highlights outdoor recreation that can be done throughout the year. Having registration fees would deter people from participating in what we hope they continue doing even after the festival,” said Dowler. “This concept promotes attendance and then transfers money to local restaurants and downtown businesses.”

Accessibility is another major consideration for festival planners, who take great care to make sure events are available for adventurers of all ages and abilities. “The Rivers, Trails and Ales Festival is all about getting outdoors and having a good time,” said Taylor. “People of all ages, ability levels, and backgrounds should have the opportunity to explore.” Many times, attendees join up on a group activity for the weekend and then find out it’s something they want to do again, she said. “It’s a great chance to introduce new people to our outdoor resources, but also to re-introduce our own community to some of the great things they can do here locally.”

While the festival has always been strong in the rivers and trails aspects, it wasn’t until last year that the ales focus began to grow into a proper third leg. Last year was the first year for the RTA Beer Fest, a showcase of local and regional craft brewers. The festival’s Ales Director, Jeremy Stackpole, said this year’s Second Annual Beer Fest exceeded all expectations.

Breweries are a huge stimulus to local economies and when you support them, you are really supporting small businesses, and small towns, just like Marietta.

Jeremy Stackpole, RTA Ales Director

“Every brewery present was popular and many ran out of beer by the end of the event – which is a good thing,” he said. “It’s important to support our breweries in Ohio and West Virginia because it helps to build community and keeps our friends and neighbors working. Breweries are a huge stimulus to local economies and when you support them, you are really supporting a small business, and a small town, just like Marietta.”

Of the fifteen breweries showcased at this year’s Beer Fest, eleven are less than a two-hour drive away, and five are within an hour’s drive. “This is world-class beer being made close to home,” said Stackpole. “Just like the rest of RTA Fest’s featured assets, our breweries are places you can and should visit year-round. While Beer Fest allows us to draw attention to them in one convenient time and place, the fun doesn’t have to end there.”

Stackpole is looking forward to growing next year’s Beer Fest even more, after expanding it from 300 tickets to 500 tickets in 2019. He said this is a reflection on the growing craft brewing industry in Ohio, home to more than 290 breweries as of this February.

With next year being the festival’s tenth year, attendees can expect it to grow in other ways as well. Dowler said the team has lots of ideas in store for their big anniversary but isn’t ready to make any reveals just yet, although he did mention digital registration is a goal to better streamline the process.

The festival began from an idea that Ryan Smith had, starting with just the name. ‘The Rivers, Trails and Ales Festival’ – from the name, the event grew, always out of the resources that the community itself already had.

Hallie Taylor

Next year’s tenth anniversary is evidence of Marietta’s recent transformation into Ohio’s #1 Adventure Town and destination for outdoor recreation. This evolution did not come easy but from the result of years of hard work and sweat equity. “What is interesting, and not something that most people would expect, is that the Rivers, Trails and Ales Festival began before we opened Marietta Adventure Company,” said Taylor. “The festival began from an idea that Ryan Smith had, starting with just the name. ‘The Rivers, Trails and Ales Festival’ – from the name, the event grew, always out of the resources that the community itself already had.”

“When we first began, the Marietta City Trail System was a network of only 8-10 miles of trails built by the River Valley Mountain Bike Association. As we stand today, that same trail system includes over 35 miles of single-track trails!” Taylor said she and Ryan started the festival to highlight the trail systems and riverways that they had to explore. “Those options continue to improve and grow thanks to our local volunteers.”

Along with the trail system, Taylor said the regional appreciation for craft beers has increased while the local restaurant scene continues to grow. “Marietta Adventure Company opened with many of the same goals as the festival – to support our local outdoor adventurers, and to share our natural resources with others. We continue to see more and more people visiting Marietta to come to ride our regional trail systems, and there is no question that the visibility of the festival has helped make that happen.”

The 10^th Annual Rivers, Trails and Ales Festival returns August 6^th – 9^th, 2020 and according to Marietta’s most ardent outdoor enthusiasts, you won’t want to miss it.

The post Outdoor Recreation on the Rise Thanks to RTA Fest appeared first on Clutch MOV.

Winter has a funny way of bringing things into focus. The cold vacates all manner of bird and drives summer’s cicadas below ground. The snow mutes all save the low and rumbling wind. I personally like the cold and silence. It slows things down. It lets you think.

I wasn’t sure how best to tackle an article on West Virginia’s Canaan Valley, as one cannot take in the breadth of one of the state’s most sublime regions in a single trip. The landscape reinvents itself every few months, offering everything from January’s pristine snow to June’s rhododendron blooms. The autumn veils the valley in gold, orange and deep red while spring births new greenery, including the uniquely Appalachian ramp which itself is celebrated across the state.

An article on winter in Canaan Valley would be remiss to not discuss the region’s nationally recognized Timberline and Canaan Valley resorts, both of which are well-acclaimed and established for their skiing and winter sports; however, as much as I respect those who find joy in sliding down mountains at forty miles per hour, that is not a hobby for me. Skiing is fast. I like things slow. Besides, there are a million and one articles on West Virginia winter sports, and there is much, much more to the area. Perhaps it is best to start at the beginning.

The Canaan Valley owes its ecology to the Pleistocene, which is the scientific name for what we all know as the “Ice Age”, which lasted from approximately 2.5 million years ago until approximately 11,700 years ago. Canaan Valley, due to its proximity to advancing glaciation, developed flora much more akin to that which can be found in the Canadian tundra than the lowland regions of Appalachia. That unique ecology with its windswept fields, boggy wetlands, and boreal forests is best observed in The Dolly Sods Wilderness Area; although one can easily observe those landscapes across the area. Immense hemlock and red spruce, some reportedly as tall as sequoias once presided over the land before the industrial revolution and the growth of the logging industry. None of the old growth remains, unfortunately.

European settlers discovered the region sometime in the 1740s. Most sources I looked at list 1746, others differ by a year or two. The area was named “Canaan” after the promised land of the Old Testament. Over the next several decades, generations of settlers and homesteaders moved into the area and made use of its abundant hunting and fishing. The lumber industry erupted in the 1800s and allowed small settlements, including Elkins and Davis, to prosper; unfortunately, without progressive environment regulations which came about in the 20th century, industrial wealth came with a dire ecological cost. Deforestation stripped the once dense woodland to unsustainable scarcity.

The absence of a shielding canopy exposed underbrush which dried and served as kindling to wildfires which further ravaged the area. The 1920s saw the valley added to the Monongahela National Forest. The federal protection allowed new growth to develop, although practically none of the original forest survived. The United States Army used part of the Monongahela Forest, including Canaan Valley, for live round mortar training during World War Two. Munitions and relics from those training exercises have been found in the area as recently as 2006. The 1950s saw the development of recreational skiing and in 1971 the Canaan Valley Resort opens its doors.

The Canaan Valley has become synonymous with winter sports since the 1970s. It is a paradise for skiers, snowboarders, and tubers. For those that are less gravity-inclined (like yours truly), rustic cabins, snowy trails, and picturesque landscapes offer a calmer source of entertainment. Deer and plentiful in all seasons, and in warmer months one can observe several species of migratory bird and butterflies. Mere miles down from Davis, WV, one can find the mighty Blackwater Falls, a nearly sixty-foot deluge of water tinted dark from tannic acid found in the area’s plentiful groves of spruce and hemlock. Here one will find even more hiking trails and scenic overlooks. Let it never be said that the West Virginian highlands skimp on natural beauty.

The entire Canaan Valley region is family friendly and offers a plethora of activities to tire out even the most rambunctious kid. Its halcyon scenery provides a great backdrop for couples in need of a romantic getaway. Heck, a trip to Canaan would even make for a great work retreat. Perhaps none of the above apply – one doesn’t need a reason to find enjoyment in the area. The next time you’re looking at options for a long weekend or just want to get away, keep Canaan Valley in mind. It is a sight to behold in all seasons.

The post Winter in Canaan Valley appeared first on Clutch MOV.