Virginia Outdoor Adventures: Hiking, Camping, Kayaking, Local Travel and more!

Fan Mail Bag, Gear Discounts, Parks Advocacy Day Recap (Ep 68, Part 1)

• Virginia Outdoor Adventures Podcast • Season 5

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From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia is a mecca for outdoor travel and adventure. Virginia outdoor adventures Podcast is your local guide for hiking, camping, kayaking, travel and so much more. Get the information and the inspiration to plan your own adventure right here in Virginia. I'm your host. Jessica Bowser, Virginia Outdoor Adventures is sponsored by the Virginia association for parks, V, A, F, P, champions parks across the Commonwealth. What's your favorite memory from a Virginia Park? Help ensure that everyone can experience our parks for generations to come. Join VA FP today by clicking on Virginia association for parks in the show notes of your listening app. Hello friends. Welcome to another solo episode. If you can't already tell by the sound of my voice I am sick, and I really hate to record while I'm sick. I haven't needed to do it before in the four and a half seasons of this podcast, but this time, it's necessary. I have been waiting for this head cold to clear up, and it hasn't happened yet, and now I'm up against a deadline. So if I want to get this episode out on time, I need to get the audio file to my editor so I've got my box of tissues and my hot tea. And for better or for worse, I am doing this, I do feel fortunate that I don't get sick very often. I have had situations where some of my guests have had to cancel recordings because they caught COVID or they got the flu. And you know, once you get congested, sometimes it takes weeks for that to go away. And so I've had situations where I haven't been able to reschedule recordings with guests for a very long time, until they started to sound normal again. I have not had a cold in nearly 15 years, and I know that's hard to believe. I almost can't believe it myself, but it's true, and I almost forgot what it feels like. But this is all coming back to me now, unfortunately, and I guess I've just been lucky. Maybe it's healthy lifestyle, but I will tell you, the last few weeks, I have not been living a healthy lifestyle. In fact, I've been running myself ragged since January 2, I believe. And the biggest project that I have taken on in the last few weeks is parks Advocacy Day, which happened at the General Assembly in Richmond just a few days ago, and maybe that's where I picked up the germs. I have been volunteering with the Virginia association for parks for several years now, but this is the first time that I have taken on planning parks advocacy day on my own. Well, actually, it's not entirely on my own. I also planned this project with Michelle Shope, who you will know if you listened to the episode that came out the first week of January about parks Advocacy Day. Michelle and I took on this huge undertaking all on our own, but I think we did pretty darn good. There's a lot that goes into planning. I mean, there's the logistics, the sending out the invites, making appointments with legislators, getting everyone organized. But well, before anybody shows up in Richmond, I spent the last several weeks tracking bills, talking to legislators, talking with other leaders in the conservation community, all to create a legislative agenda. And a legislative agenda is a list of talking points and bills that we support, that we bring forward to legislators when we meet with them, and these are all about issues that impact our state parks. And in the middle of all that planning, I had to fly to Atlanta for the college football national championship, I got to watch my Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. If you don't follow college football, I don't blame you, but being an Ohio State graduate, they threatened to revoke your diploma if you're not a fan, or so I'm told, not really, but, but close. And so I flew into Atlanta, where he was three degrees. And also, I will just go ahead and say that there were a lot of very sad Notre Dame fans at that game. And I get it, there have been many years that I've watched Ohio State come very close to winning a national championship and just barely not making it. I understand that feeling. But to be honest, I don't feel that bad. It was a great game, but I think the best experience was flying in and out of the Richmond airport. I just got to say, this was my first time flying in and out of Richmond, and it was so easy. And I'm thinking like, Why do I even bother with Dulles and Reagan when Richmond airport is so much simpler. I drove right into the airport, parked my car in the garage next to the terminal, got through security in a hot minute, and I was at my gate in I'm not kidding, probably 15 minutes from the time I parked my car to the time I got to the gate. And so I was sitting in a restaurant getting some lunch, and there was hardly anybody in the restaurant. There was hardly anybody in the terminal. And I'm thinking, I need to do this more often. It's only an hour and a half drive from Northern Virginia to the Richmond airport, and it was so easy. I got a direct flight to Atlanta, got a direct flight back. I don't know why. Nobody told me this before. I need to start doing this much more often, but I flew back into Richmond so that I could be there for parks Advocacy Day. The very next day after the national championship, we had a very successful day at the General Assembly. Our morning started in the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and natural resources, where several of the bills that we were supporting were being heard. A nice unexpected surprise was delegate Lopez, who chairs that committee, recognized our group, and so he asked us to stand and thanked all of us for being there and for being park advocates, and also mentioned how important it is to advocate for our parks. So that was nice to be formally recognized. And then after that committee, we broke out into small groups, and we met with over 35 legislators, and all of the legislators were very friendly. They were all in support of parks, and we've been having this conversation with many of these legislators year after year about the need for sustainable funding for our state parks, and the message is starting to sink in. So the work is paying off, and there are more and more conversations being had about how to address this issue of our parks being underfunded. We felt like we made a lot of progress there. And then in the afternoon, we went and sat in on the Appropriations, commerce, agriculture and natural resources subcommittee, which is where another one of our bills was being heard, and that was the Virginia's Great Outdoors act, and that was a comprehensive bill for funding for trails and state parks and other public lands. So there was a long line of people who rose in support of that bill, some people representing themselves, many people representing different organizations. I was one of the people in that long line of folks who rose to support the bill, which I did as a member of the Virginia association for parks. If you would like to support our state parks, there's still time to do so this legislative session. The best place to start is in your show notes, where you can click on Virginia association for parks. From there, you can join the association, and vafp will send you updates on bills that impact our state parks. So there's likely going to be several opportunities to contact your legislators in support of our state parks, and vafp will email you as those opportunities arise. And if you would like to join us for a parks Advocacy Day, we do this every year. So once you join vafp, we will make sure to let you know when the next one comes up, and then you can join us in Richmond. So with all that has been going on, no wonder I got sick with how busy and how stressed I have been, I don't think the weather helped anything. But also being in and out of airports, being in and out of a large stadium, in and out of the General Assembly Building, things have been really wild, so no wonder the 15 year streak of not having a cold has now ended. Adventure seekers will find endless opportunities in Grayson County, where many of Virginia's iconic trails and landmarks excite hikers, cyclists, paddlers and happy campers alike. Imagine this. You're hiking on one of the most scenic sections of the entire Appalachian Trail through the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, summiting mount Rogers or white top mountain, the two highest peaks in Virginia, or strolling through the valley of elk garden, where the now extinct Eastern elk once roamed. Or maybe your perfect day is on the water. Grayson County is home to the New River, one of the oldest and most scenic rivers in the world. Enjoy a leisurely class one float with the family or adrenaline packed class three rapids. Navigate the waters using the New River float calculator to plan your trip. The app factors flow rate, water levels, weather conditions, vessel type and more to calculate flow times from point A to point B. Prefer two wheels. You won't want to miss the grace and gravel traverse a 72 mile mixed surface gravel bike route that connects the Virginia Creeper trail and new river trail over well maintained and remote roads featuring a variety of challenging climbs in the foothills of Virginia's highest peaks. This overlooked gem of Virginia presents some of the best gravel cycling in the state mostly unwritten and undiscovered after a day of adventure, there's nothing like gathering around a campfire under a sky filled with stars. Grayson County offers plenty of spots to pitch a tent like the New River campground or cozy up in a rustic cabin at the buck wild reserve. De. Discover why Virginia is for outdoor lovers. Start your Grayson County adventure at the historic 1908 courthouse and visitor center, or access the visitors guide online by clicking on visit Grayson County in the show notes of your podcast listening app. Next up, I've got some fan mail to share both of these messages came in after the last solo episode, and if you remember, in that episode, I shared everything that I pack with me for a state park cabin stay. So I got a message, actually, one from out of state. I was kind of excited about this. It always surprises me when I find out that people outside Virginia. Listen to this podcast. But this is from gene from New Jersey, and Gene says, great podcast on what to take with you, staying at a cabin, not only was the list thorough, you explained why you would want to take some of those items with you. We have bicycled and hiked to false cape, through the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge twice and once all the way to North Carolina, it is definitely a recommended hike. Hope to stay in a Virginia state park one day with our camper. Since we have four dogs, we will need to stay in private parks for now. Happy travels from New Jersey. Gene, while gene, I've got good news for you. You can stay in a Virginia State Park with your four dogs. Virginia State Parks does allow dogs so and I double check just to make sure, because I don't have dogs. So sometimes I'm not always aware of what the rules are with dogs, but I did go onto their website and double check before I read this aloud. And yes, you can bring your dogs onto the campground. Thank you so much. Gene for your message. And then the other message is from Ann in Fredericksburg, and she says, I enjoyed your latest episode. It gave me a few ideas for sure. We keep a checklist for each type of adventure and print it off when we pack and mark each item off. Now I need to make a cabin list. We didn't have that one before. We have a list for car camping, beach trips, winter, day hiking, summer day hiking, bike packing and backpacking. We also keep a box in the car with seasonal items like hats, gloves, spikes, bug spray, extra first aid, etc, looking forward to your next episode. Well, and you've got some lists in there that I don't so now you've got me thinking that maybe I need to start making some extra lists. Yeah, I've done that before too. Like, I create these lists and then I laminate them. Oh my gosh. I didn't actually laminate them, but I put them in like, these clear folders. I think I just gave away my age. I put them in clear folders, and I keep them in the bags, and then I use those as the checklists, and every now and then I update it, because you're always finding something else to add to the list. So thank you for that. Anne. For anyone who wants to send me a text message, you could do so by going to your show notes and clicking on Send Jessica a text message. And that's how I will get your fan mail coming straight to my phone in that last solo episode, I did say that in the next solo episode, I would share what I packed for a campsite stay. And I am gonna do that, but I think I'm gonna hold off on it for a little bit. It is January, after all, and I don't know how many people are really thinking about packing for a campsite stay right now. I'm gonna hold off on that, maybe till a spring solo episode. So keep an eye out for that in the spring. Something that Anne said in her message made me just think of something else that I want to mention. She was talking about things that she keeps in her car, and one of them was a first aid kit. And I have here a first aid kit that you can get a discount on. And this is called Keep going. And this thing is awesome. I'm not gonna lie, it's also super cute. They sent this to me. The outside of it is like all this cute like mountains and jeeps and tents and water bottles and lanterns and all the cute stuff. And then you open it and it has got every single thing you can possibly imagine, everything from let's see. We've got cotton swabs, we've got scissors, tongue depressors, every size, Band Aid, you can imagine, Sting Relief Pad, triple antibiotic lip balm, hydrocortisone cream, burn gel. I mean, really like there. I don't think there's anything they forgot about here. What is this gauze pad? And then, actually, nosebleed plugs, really, they've got everything in here. They've got medical tape. And then I know it's in here somewhere, but I'm not seeing it right now. I know there is a tick remover in here too, which, if you do not have a tick remover, my friends, what are you doing? Get yourself a tick remover to put in your pack or on your key chain all the time. But yeah, this thing has got everything, and it comes in really cute designs, and you can get a discount for being one of my listeners. And the way you get that discount is by signing up for my newsletter, by clicking on newsletter sign up in your show notes. That'll take you right to the Virginia outdoor adventures website. And on the bottom of the home page, there's a space to fill out your information, or there's a pop up box that will pop up too. And you can sign up for the newsletter, but I've added something new that I wanted to bring up, starting just this week. For anybody who signs up for the newsletter, you will also get a free listener resource guide. And what is that? It is a guide that includes my top podcast episodes, a Virginia bucket list curated by me, and exclusive discounts and so much more. And so one of the discounts that is there is this keep going, first aid kit. And every time the newsletter comes out, I try to put in a new discount for a new product. So I've got some really good offers on outdoor gear, things that if you don't already have, you need to get. So if you sign up for the newsletter, you'll get that resource guide, and in that resource guide you'll get a link to all of the discounts from past email newsletters that you might have missed, and that link will be updated as more discounts are added. I think this is where I'm gonna end things for the day, with part one. Normally, I would knock out an entire episode and then break it into two parts, but with me being congested like I am now, I think I'm gonna give it a few days before I attempt part two, and hopefully I will sound better. So thanks for bearing with me, considering all things. I hope you enjoyed part one of the solo episode. Part two will be coming out next week, and I will see you then friends adventure on escape to the heart of Virginia wine country for a four day, three night experience that will reset, restore and renew Veritas wineries, farmhouse retreat is your perfect blend of adventure, relaxation and indulgence. Hike the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains, practice yoga in the serene garden house and tour the renowned Veritas vineyard and wine cellars, each day delight your senses with chef prepared meals paired with award winning wines, from wine hour to yoga flow every moment is designed to inspire joy and connection. The farmhouse retreat at Veritas winery is the perfect getaway for outdoor lovers after a hike on the Appalachian Trail, choose to indulge in a massage or take a cooking class with the farmhouse chef, whether you're craving rejuvenation or simply some well deserved fun, this retreat is your invitation to savor epicurean delights and embrace the great outdoors. View upcoming dates and book your farmhouse retreat today by clicking on Veritas winery farmhouse retreat in the show notes of your listening app Virginia Outdoor Adventures is inspired by and supported by listeners like you, which is why your messages and feedback mean so much to me. You can text me directly by clicking on, send me a text message in your show notes. I answer questions, respond to comments and share your feedback on the show never miss an update. Get even more information and inspiration by signing up for my newsletter. Click on newsletter, sign up in your show notes or visit Virginia outdoor adventures.com. Thanks for listening until next time. Adventure on you.

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Jessica Bowser

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