Axercise while on Vacation in the WV Mountains

[Multifaceted]

Like always, when going into the wilderness, I'll bring an axe or two. This year while vacationing near New River Gorge, I only brought one axe - my trusty vintage restored Hults Bruk 'Wira' pattern: 2.2 lbs on a 28" stick (1.0 kg head, 71 cm handle). Unfortunately due to the drought conditions, WV Gov. Justice has administered a statewide open burn ban. Since I like to work up a sweat and elevate the heart rate, and also love chopping some wood - figured why not pay it forward and process some firewood for the next guests in the cabin. Hopefully by then, the nights will be cooler, and there will have been ample enough rainfall to lift the ban.

My trusty village Hults Bruk 'Wira' pattern. 1 kg on a 70cm handle. Has an 18° Scandinavian grind and is a dream to swing. Blacksnake for scale...

Black Rat Snake (non venomous) constrictor, colubrid family. Normally they are either feisty or the flee quickly. This feller doesn't care at all.

Eastern Hemlock deadfall, blocking a path and off the ground. Cleared the residual limbs and got to work.

The axe bites deep and throws nice sized chips. Bucking is pretty much low effort, just mind the rocks!

A bit hard from being dead, though moist and sticky from the recent (and much needed) rainfall.

Not bad for 20 minutes worth of work. Splitting was tricky due to all of the knots, but not hateful.

Appropriate beverage for the axe wielding woodsman... Much deserved after a small task.

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Bonus 12' drop on a Class IV Rapid while running the Upper Gauley River - (I'm the one wearing the Stihl ballcap) -- What a RUSH!

 

[jimdeere]

Burn ban lifted on 10/10. Hope you had fun on the “Golly”.
https://wvva.com/news/west-virginia...0/west-virginia-lifts-ban-on-outdoor-burning/

 

[Multifaceted]

Burn ban lifted on 10/10. Hope you had fun on the “Golly”.
https://wvva.com/news/west-virginia...0/west-virginia-lifts-ban-on-outdoor-burning/

Well, Gauley Damn! Figures, we leave tomorrow. Might light one when we get back from dinner, but we also plan to leave early in the morning, so we'll see. Plenty of wood to burn back home!

 

[rancher2]

Wish we had a burn ban around here got three inch's rain last week combines ran two days and now another inch last night and today. Can't get crops out or firewood processed. Looks like you had a nice vacation. Be safe going home.

 

[Multifaceted]

Wish we had a burn ban around here got three inch's rain last week combines ran two days and now another inch last night and today. Can't get crops out or firewood processed. Looks like you had a nice vacation. Be safe going home.

Sorry to hear about the mud, reminds me of our summer last year, heck, the entire last year. Nothing but rain, this year is incredibly dry for us back home, just like here in WV, though the drought is even worse here. About 5" below average. Back home, everything is brown and dying, leaves started changing back in early September due to lack of water, I presume, because the sun was still pretty high in the sky.

 

[buzz sawyer]

The Gauley is definitely a "seat of the pants" experience, not to mention the cold water from the bottom of Summersville Lake. I'll be down that way in a couple weeks for Bridge Day. No jumping for me, just photos.

 

[Multifaceted]

The Gauley is definitely a "seat of the pants" experience, not to mention the cold water from the bottom of Summersville Lake. I'll be down that way in a couple weeks for Bridge Day. No jumping for me, just photos.

You're not kidding! That picture was from Sweets Falls and was actually a Class V. First time doing it, been trying for the last 3 years but the weather hadn't cooperated in the past. Next year were going to do the Gauley marathon run (Upper and Lower) good weather permitting, of course...

Yeah, I've heard Bridge Day is a hoot. No jumping for me either, have a thing with heights. Would be fun to watch and photo/videograph.

We have the mountains back home and the woods too, but it's nothing like out here in God's country.

 

[farmer steve]

You're not kidding! That picture was from Sweets Falls and was actually a Class V. First time doing it, been trying for the last 3 years but the weather hadn't cooperated in the past. Next year were going to do the Gauley marathon run (Upper and Lower) good weather permitting, of course...

Yeah, I've heard Bridge Day is a hoot. No jumping for me either, have a thing with heights. Would be fun to watch and photo/videograph.

We have the mountains back home and the woods too, but it's nothing like out here in God's country.

Hey Clarence. Showed the wife your pic of Sweets Falls. She wanted to know if you hit "postage stamp" the big rock below the falls? She was one of the first female raft guides back in the 70's on the Gauley and New river.

 

[bowtechmadman]

Great time it sounds like! My wife and our two daughters spent a week in WV this summer hiking the Dolly Sods area as well as rafted the New. We had a fantastic time such a gorgeous place.

 

[buzz sawyer]

The Gauley is definitely a "seat of the pants" experience, not to mention the cold water from the bottom of Summersville Lake. I'll be down that way in a couple weeks for Bridge Day. No jumping for me, just photos.

If heights bother you, you probably wouldn't want to do the walk under the bridge on the catwalk. Yes, there is a raft-full of people in the rapids below.

 

[Multifaceted]

Hey Clarence. Showed the wife your pic of Sweets Falls. She wanted to know if you hit "postage stamp" the big rock below the falls? She was one of the first female raft guides back in the 70's on the Gauley and New river.

Some of the rapids have different names, but I think I know which one you're talking about. It's an area that slips in between two large rocks, and if not careful you can get caught in the "toilet bowl" and swirl around until you get free. Had one guest take a swim there, but managed to get out. Later, their guide told them "now you know what it's like being a turd" ... Ha ha ha

We did high-side the front of the boat and slapped "pillow rock" then went down the rapid sideways.

That is very cool, that's back when the Whitewater culture was blooming into what it is today, must've been really neat to be apart of that back then! Our guide, who has become a good friend over the years - his long time girlfriend is also a guide on the New and Gauley Rivers.

Great time it sounds like! My wife and our two daughters spent a week in WV this summer hiking the Dolly Sods area as well as rafted the New. We had a fantastic time such a gorgeous place.

Very cool! Yeah, we've done the Upper and Lower New River, and the Upper Gauley this past Sunday. The best Whitewater I've ever ran, have down - especially the Gauley, I don't think much else can stack up to it now!

It really is, Dolly Sods is indeed beautiful. We tried to do more hiking this year, but with our dogs it's a challenge. They both are used to running our small, fenced-in acreage and don't get much leash time, so treading coarse, steep terrain while being pulled by a 55-65 lb dog will wear you out in double time!

Ha ha, my thread was about coping firewood the old fashioned way, and now it's all about WV

 

[Multifaceted]

If heights bother you, you probably wouldn't want to do the walk under the bridge on the catwalk. Yes, there is a raft-full of people in the rapids below.

Because the overhead is covered, I'd be okay, but if I can see the vast expanse of the sky, that's where I get freaked out. It's not so much as the feeling of falling down, but rather, falling up! I know that makes absolutely no sense, but hey, that's why they're called irrational fears...