I’ve been reading the ACE blog all summer, and I’m finally making my dive into the world of blogging. I’m Brianna Jackson, Adventure Consultant extraordinaire and outdoor junkie.
I would say it’s in my blood, but my mom didn’t become a raft guide until I was older. If it is in our blood, it’s a recessed gene that must be discovered. My mother, Tracy Jackson, found her niche here at ACE as a river guide. In contrast, I am a sampler of everything, master of nothing. I love rafting, hiking, mountain biking, the zip lines, swimming, caving — the list never ends.
I have spent several summers employed as an Adventure Consultant. If guests ask if I am from the area, I emphatically reply that, yes, I am local. This is my home; I love West Virginia.
I can offer directions off the top of my head, and I can send anyone to great hiking trails, landmarks, restaurants, grocery stores, you name it, and I can tell you where to go (or how to find out the answer if I don’t know). I know this area, and I love talking about it.
I’m not entirely honest if I say I am from West Virginia, because I grew up in Louisville, Ky (Loo-ah-vulle). If you are from Louisville and land me on the phone, I always mention that Louisville was my home.
Most of my family remains there, and I attempt to spend one holiday each year with my Kentucky family. In the spring I miss the Derby festival, but I wouldn’t give up our secret big-water season (more on that at a later date) for any amount of parades or fireworks.
As an outsider-turned-native, I can’t wait to share my favorite memories, special areas, and offer fantastic specials that will help you fall in love with this state. One of my favorite job perks is seeing the delight on the face of someone who has completed their very first New River rafting trip, and listening to the details of their day. I have been rafting dozens of times (again, my mother is a guide), but nothing compares to the fervor one feels after the first trip.
West Virginia is full of hidden treasures, and I can’t wait to guide you to memories that you will never forget.
