CHRIS ARVIDSON

What happened, you might well ask. There I was, blogging to you on the New River Expedition, it was just the first week, and then POOF - I was gone. (more…)

OK, I'm not sure if this will work, but here's a short video I made of Day 5 today. There's one on You Tube of Day 4, too. I am starting to get dangerous with this stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=safz5pG3we8

Things are going well...knock on wood... only minor hiccups (more…)

In the car on the way back to town, our NCNR intern Jasmene asked me if I would call the first day a "success." I had to think about the answer to that question for a second or two.

I was kind of in a gut-twisting moment when she asked. I had thoughtlessly taken the long way back to where we were dropping off cars and just realized I'd added at least 45 minutes to our time to get home. Following me in another vehicle, my husband had just noted this screw-up via IPhone. (more…)

I can't believe it's almost time. Time for another adventure down the New River -- about 235 miles worth. Holy crap. No matter what little thing I think up at 3 in the morning now, I'm sure to forget something that I needed to do!

It all starts on Saturday, July 24. That's not even a week (more…)

Last Friday we hit the North Fork. George and Ben and I put in at the bridge off Deep Ford Rd. and went down to the bridge at Hwy 16. I went swimming, too, not on purpose... and it was cold, my friends. Trying to scooch in off the bank, ooops, put the nose right on in and filled up the boat in nothing flat. (more…)

Below is an essay I've submitted to the New River Writers in Blacksburg who are mounting an exhibit of photos and the writing they inspire. The photo to the right of this post is the photo I have written about below:

Under the Bridges
Wednesday, August 5, 2009

The morning started out refreshingly cool; a quick little shower had wet the pavement and then moved on. Beside the road, we found a small parking lot, the ubiquitous brown wooden government issue sign denoting the place to put in your boats. Claytor Lake Dam loomed industrially in the background. (more…)

My Henry made his way to Beckley, WV, yesterday morning. He and Ben and Carol from National Committee for the New River went to close on the largest ever conservation easement (1400 acres!) for NCNR, and our first in West Virginia. They made it back to beat the main part of the snowstorm, although they (more…)

It's just a bit past 8 p.m. National Committee for the New River's New River Expedition will be starting in just 12 hours.

I'm the "Advance" person for the trip, which is really just a glorified term for "gopher." I'll be schlepping kayaks and canoes on my trusty Subaru "Snowball," making sure the folks on the water have lunch, get picked up, get to where we're staying at night; I'll take pictures, do video, meet media people, and handle arrangements for the events we're having with our supporters and partners along the way, and hopefully have a chance to take a shower and change my clothes here and there. (more…)