Greg’s Truckload

Volume 21

Hello, truckers. We have finally received some much-needed rain. The ground in my yard had cracks in it deep enough to twist an ankle. Back in the spring, I planted three hemlock trees around the patio. With all the early-season rain and not needing water, I simply forgot about them. Last week, one of them was dropping needles, so I busted out the hose and gave it a drink. The hose knocked off all remaining needles, and I knew it was a goner. The other 2 survived. Whoops. I think that dry spell will affect more than just my new trees; fall color and leaf season will be at least a week early this year, and not last as long. Reach out if you’d like to place a bet. The farmer’s market is full of summer and fall veggies, so they have been running the irrigation full blast. I’m happy to see they can take a break from that. As with all that bounty, it’s also preserving time. Drying, canning, freezing, and pickling are time-consuming processes, but they are worth the time to have summer’s hard work pay off in the winter. While visiting the markets, be on the lookout for their preserves as well

I just returned from West Virginia for a long weekend of exploring and rafting with my brother, Ted, and our oldest son, Marley. September and the first two weekends of October are Gauley season, when they release the dam on Summersville Lake predictively, creating some serious world-class whitewater. We set up camp at the river expeditions to be on-site for rafting day. The day before rafting, we explored the New River Gorge National Park, hiking and taking in views of the iconic bridge. We hiked up to the abandoned Kaymoor coal mine and community, where many of the structures are still partially intact. The mine entrances and vents were emitting cold air, which was welcome as it was a warm day. The trail is about a 5-mile round-trip hike with views of the gorge and river below. There were some spectacular mountain streams, with waterfalls and enticing clear pools. We encountered deer snakes and millipedes. We took our time to notice the species of trees overhead and wildflowers at our feet. The wildlife should not starve this year, as abundant nuts were falling from the trees. After the hike, we asked our friend Google for lunch suggestions near us with great views and ended up at Chetties pub. This was a fantastic discovery for us, as it was located at the resort, Adventures on the Gorge, and was new to all of us. They have 3 restaurants on site and multiple lodging offerings. The 2-tiered pool overlooking the gorge even had a full bar and a large viewing deck. We all agreed that we would return to stay at some point; however, I am fond of the river guides at River Expeditions. Speaking of which, the next day was our turn to tackle the raging rapids of the Gauley, and we were stoked. We woke up, cooked some bacon and eggs, and then meandered over to check in for rafting. Everyone went through the gear house and picked up life jackets, helmets, and paddles before boarding the bus. It’s about an hour drive up and over the dam and down to the put-in, and it’s very bumpy in parts. So rough in fact that it shook the battery wires and caught the engine compartment on fire. We sat on the side of the road for another hour, tossing rocks and swatting flies until we were picked up by a new bus. This wasn’t horrible, as we were now starting at a warmer part of the day, and I had accidentally left my wetsuit at home; the water comes from the bottom of the lake and is 55 degrees. Brr. Once at the river’s edge, they divided us into groups, with each group split between four boats. I was happily surprised to see that our guide was Carla, the same guide we had 10 years earlier while visiting for my 40th birthday. She grew up rafting in the area, and I have complete confidence in her ability to navigate the rapids and her commitment to safety protocols. We set the boats in the river and loaded up. I sat in front, right of my brother, and to my left, and Marley right behind me. The first wave was freezing, but we eventually got used to it, and it wasn’t so bad. The first two river miles were spent practicing as a team before reaching the first class 5 rapids. We weren’t ready. The left side was overpowering the right. Somehow, we made it through the big ones without incident, but we were told we would need to get in sync if we were to get through the next big one, which was a double Class 5, meaning you had to come out of the first and line up for the second right away. We hit the first one pretty good, but heading into the second, I saw the boat pivot and the left side swept out in front, and that was it – the whole boat and all nine of us flipped in a giant hydraulic. Ted bonked his knee and knuckles pretty good, but other than that, it was just our egos that were hurt. Check out the truckload on Facebook and YouTube for videos of the wipeout. If you want to raft the Gauley or the New River, hit up River Expeditions and make sure to request Carla as your guide.

My family and I are more excited about Halloween this year than usual, as it’s on a Friday and not a school night. We plan to start decorating the yard and house as soon as possible. We recently visited Gallrein farms to get in the spirit. It’s been a few years, and we were excited to see that they have added a lot of fun activities, including apple cannons, slides, and a corn pit. Our favorite part, and the reason we went, was the giant corn maze, which we spent a lot of time getting lost in. Check it out if you haven’t been in a while.

Before I go, I want to share an interesting Google search I did, and you can do the same if you’re interested in eating healthily. “What are the health benefits of cooking potatoes the day before?”.  I later learned that this includes other starches as well, such as rice and pasta. It turns out to be very beneficial for gut health and blood sugar control. Google it and find out more.

Happy Fall, Truckers. May your lawns be green, your plates be vibrant, and your pumpkins large. If you know someone who might enjoy this letter, please share it with them. Stay cool