Oak Hill, ACE Adventure Center, Surfing the River.
I could hear the screams of delight; bodies of all shapes and sizes were bounced about as each raft navigated the first rapid on the New River. Soaked by the first rapid, my heart pounding, I could see more whitewater and more fun ahead. I knew it was going to be a vacation to remember.
Last year we (my family and I ) decided that we wanted an adventure vacation, one with river rafting, mountain biking and maybe horses. We needed a place where no one would be bored and everyone could be together but still do their own thing some of the time. Thanks to my mom, we found ACE Adventure Center in West Virginia. It is a one-day drive from Florida but absolutely worth it. Our destination, Oak Hill is very near the longest single arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere and a town with enough Deliverance jokes to make your head spin.
When we, my parents and sister, pulled into ACE on the morning of our first rafting trip I was very apprehensive. I hadn’t been whitewater rafting in about seven years. Not my fault but my excuse. (I am now seventeen.) Theme park whitewater does not really count. The ACE place is neat and not just for rafting. The whole complex surrounds a “pond” and on the “pond” there is a big jumping raft. I saw canoes, bikes, kayaks and more important other teens. My first impression—it looked like a summer camp for families. They even have cabins and a lodge.
At the meeting point, we were given a brief talk by the head guide and then we got our gear. After being fitted for life jackets and helmets, we grabbed our paddles and headed to the buses for the short ride to the New River. Our guide’s name was Tug (Tall Ugly Guy). He was funny as well as really skilled at making the rapids seem easy. Even before our first rapid, I knew it was going to be a super ride. Tug made everyone feel confident and at ease. He told jokes and stories, played tricks on other guides and made sure we had a great ride. Unlike other rafting trips, rafting in West Virginia is all about getting wet and wetter. We went on, over and through some awesome rapids, my favorite being the Lower Railroad Rapids.
One of the absolute coolest things to do is to “surf” with the raft on the river. Invented in West Virginia, I think, the river surfing takes team work to turn the raft up stream into the rapids and it does not always work. But when it does, catch-the- wave action is wet and wild. The raft literally bounces and drenching everyone. There is an unspoken surfing competition among ACE rafting guides. The best guides are able to make their team pull around at precisely the right angle and catch a long ride. Lucky for me, Tug is one of the best. Surfing the river is not-to-be missed.
During our down river journey we stopped at “jump rock,” an enormous flat topped boulder, ideal for a thrill. I hate heights but when on the river, doing the river things made sense. I took the challenge along with my sister and other rafters, we climbed single file to the top, about 30 feet above the river, and plunged into the water. It was totally awesome! About half way through the trip we stopped for lunch that included chocolate pudding and great sandwiches.
We took a few more rapids and then sadly it was all over. The time had flown by so fast, yet even on the bus ride back to ACE they served sodas and beer and made lots of jokes. I was totally pumped for the next rafting trip when my cousins arrived.
A few days later my aunt, uncle, two cousins, my sister, and I headed back to raft the famed Gauley River. I had been told that the Upper Gauley trip is the best one-day whitewater runs in America. My mom had told me that there would be no less than five Class 5+ rapids. Needless to say I was really excited. The introduction was much the same as on the New River trip; the same safety talk; gear selection and bus boarding. As before the bus ride was lively; everyone was excited about the Gauley because it had rained the previous day and the extra water would make the river even better and it did.
The Gauley River put-in is a short bus ride and a 30-minute hike down to the river. Because of the rain from the night before the river seemed intense at first sight, unlike my first impression of the New River which was friendly. I was pretty nervous because our first rapid was a pounding in-your-face encounter, sort of an initiation to the river. After that, it was pure fun. We went on some awesome rapids including my favorites like Julie’s Juicer, The Pencil Sharpener, Sweet’s Falls and Fuzzy Box of Kittens. After lunch we got to swim a rapid which was wild and we got to try another “jump rock.” More high energy rapids, jokes and anecdotes from our guide and the trip was over. Too fast for me, I can’t wait to do it again.
On our return to ACE Adventure Center, we shared stories, laughed and enjoyed feeling wet, tired and happy. It is easy to see why the ACE guides love their rivers so much.
ACE Adventure Center doesn’t just have water stuff, they also have horses, rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking and oodles of water toys.
My cousin, Jaime, loves horses, so we took a guided horseback trip from the top of the mountain. While we waited for the horses and mules to be saddled, we played with a very cute little puppy -- sort of a stable bonus. The scenery was beautiful as we rode through open fields and along rocky trail through beautiful forest. We were surrounded by a canopy of green with sunlight shining through the small spaces above. The pace was slow; no galloping was allowed.
Our guide, Caroline, was a lot of fun. She told jokes and kept us all in good humor. After around an hour-and-a-half of riding we stopped to see the breathtaking view of the ancient New River Gorge. The New River is said to be one of the oldest rivers in the world, even older than the Nile. That is really hard to believe but all of the guides believe it. We rode back to the stables and dismounted and begrudgingly went down to the cafeteria to wait for our parents.
When it was time for our vacation to come to an end we packed our bags and loaded that car and headed back home. As we pulled away I made my parents promise that we could return to ACE and stay longer-not something my mom wants to hear because she is always trying new things. I sat back and looked out the window as we crossed the New River Gorge Bridge on more time. I wonder if I can adjust to a normal non-adventure filled life now that I had tasted the life of a river rat. River rafting is so awesome that it could become addictive.
Notes from the editor.
ACE Adventure Center makes creating a terrific family adventure vacation easy. It is by design one stop. No one will be bored. While we were there during August of 2005, I interviewed about a dozen parents and spoke with half as many kids. No complaints, except about leaving. For many of the adults it was are return trip and most agreed it would be an ideal reunion or retreat spot. The place is comfortable, like old sneakers. The meals in the lodge restaurant are exceptional by both adult and child standards.
Remarkable in many ways, it is the positive energy provided by the staff that makes the place exceptional. It is truly a joy to see smiling faces and hear laughter, from guests as well as staff. They go the extra mile. Bonus points: Amazing to me, after each rafting excursion videotographers are able to assemble one-of-a-kind videos and CDs of the trip within about an hour. The skills clinics offered can't be matched for attention to details and sensitivity to participants. But not everything is serious or skills oriented. At the center of the complex, enticing all ages to chill out and be silly, are giant yellow (inflated) lake toys. No lines, no numbers, it's all for fun.
The 1400-acre complex has the area's only on-premise climbing school and area's most complete and challenging Alpine Tower and Ropes Course surrounded by the 70,000-acre New River Gorge National River. You'll also find cabins, chalets, campground, outfitter's store, dining lodge and the Lost Paddle Lounge on site. Discovery: During our first visit to check in for rafting the New River, I noticed a remarkable amount of positive energy not only from the guests but from the staff. The complex emits good vibes making it a truly pleasant place to spend vacation time. From the sales staff in the store and the dinning and kitchen staff to the guides and housekeeping staff, everyone seemed happy. They have assembled a team of more 200 dedicated people, each determined to meet the highest standard of customer attention. They do that very well, meaning that take care of everything from start to finish: reservations, guides, food service, lodging, transportation. Bonus Points: Because everything is right there on the grounds, we were able to arrange our own kayak school, go caving, mountain biking and rock climbing and horseback riding. These guys love what they do and it shows in everything that they do. It is an awesome family vacation spot. ACE Adventure Center P.O. Box 1168 Oak Hill WV, 25901. 1-888-223-7238, 1(304) 469-2651, ace@aceraft.com or www.aceraft.com
Jule Nelson-Duac, a teen who loves whitewater and horses, is a frequent contributor to FamilyTravelFiles.com. 1/2005
