“We’re no Charlotte, but we’re growing.”

Back in the summer of 2000, when I was new to Richmond, I heard this all the time. Worse still were the self-deprecating comparisons to Atlanta. I grew up in Atlanta, back when it was a city of trees. But I’ve watched that city disappear under “improvement” projects. I always wanted to ask, “Have you been to Atlanta?” Or, more importantly, “Have you tried to live there?”

Libby Hill: One of many RVA locales that will still be cool once the bike races are gone. Credit: UCI

The inferiority complex infecting some native Richmonders confused the hell out of me. I’d moved around a fair bit by that point: San Francisco to L.A. to D.C., then back to San Francisco. Right before moving to Richmond I spent three years living in the coal fields of north Alabama. No doubt that influenced my view of Richmond. This place had great coffee AND great libraries AND great movie theatres AND museums. Plus three colleges. I mean, come on, people.

But the years spent in other cities did as much to shape my appreciation. More than once I struggled not to laugh when listening to complaints about downtown’s “parking problem.” Compared to The Mall or The Haight, parking in The Slip was cake. And I was ready for cake.

Richmond once tried to sell itself as “Easy to Love” and that’s fine, but to me it’s an easy place to live. It’s not the pin-up city of your childhood. It’s the city you marry. And it finally knows it.

Our selection as site of the UCI 2015 cycling races is nice confirmation of our beauty (past hosts include Prague, Paris, Madrid and Rome). But we were turning heads long before. In 2008, out of all possible routes nationwide, the U.S. Open Cycling Championships raced Route 5 right into Shockoe Bottom. Maybe we didn’t see the compliment. Like an adolescent, we got caught up in our awkwardness and our flaws, but strangers saw our bone structure – the river, the architecture, the neighborhoods, the farmland, and yes, the enviable history, the rich diversity of which we’re only beginning to tap.

Ed Trask’s Take 5 mural on the side of Millie’s Diner. Credit: RVANews

But it feels like somewhere in the last decade, Richmond shed its gawkiness and woke up…cool. We developed our own style, and with it, confidence. We stopped wishing to be some other place, and figured out what we are. And what we are is a bike city. We’re a paddling city. We’re a mural city. We’re a tattoo city. We’re a sculpture city. We’re a college city. We’re a city ready to pull the dirty bandages off our history of enslavement so we can, together, wash out and examine that wound. We’re a food city. We’re a time-to-fix-the-food-deserts city. We’re a neighborhood garden city. We are, and will always be, a river city. And we’ve become RVA.

This month “the world” will meet us. I say, Lucky them.

Then, in a snap, the blur of jerseys and the chaos of street closings will be history. The camera crews will pack their gear, and our guests will return to Prague and Paris and Madrid and Rome. And you know where that will leave us? Virginia in autumn. The Capital Trail will be finished, and calling. The James will run high with fall rains. The Folk Festival will be warming up. And we’ll be here. Because we’re the ones who call Richmond home. And I say, Lucky us.

Laura Kebede has an incredible story in the Times-Dispatch about a woman who was attached by a black bear at Douthat State Park on Saturday.

Laurie Cooksey, second from left, with her childen. Credit: Laurie Cooksey

Douthat, near Clifton Forge, is one of the original six Va. state parks and also one of the park system’s most popular. If there’s ever been a bear attack there before, I’ve never heard of it. But there was Laurie Cooksey hiking with her daughter and two sons over the weekend when a black bear charged her.

As Kebede writes, the bear clawed Cooksey’s back and knocked her to the ground off the trail. “The saving grace was it was raining hard and the leaves were slippery,” she said. They both slid in the leaves and she found herself slightly uphill from the bear when it bit her twice on the leg. Cooksey kicked just enough for the bear to lose its balance on the incline and slide far enough away for Cooksey to make a run for it, she said.

Her sons Blake and Ellis, then jumped into the mix, screaming “to intimidate the bear as they had been instructed in materials they received when they visited Yosemite National Park.”

Apparently that worked. The bear ran away. Eventually wildlife officers tracked the animal and dispatched it. Cooksey got away with 28 total stitches in her back and leg.

I’ve been to Douthat many times over the years, including just three weeks ago to map the park’s lake for our sister company, Terrain360. It’s an incredibly gorgeous place, with mountain ridges rising on both sides of the Wilson Creek valley. But this is certainly a reminder that anything can happen in Virginia’s wilderness places.

Students prepare for their six-day paddling journey on the Rappahannock. Credit: Brett Stonecipher

Early one morning last week, 10 local high school students arrived at an office in Church Hill and launched into a flurry of activity: They crammed old pickle buckets full of food and gear; they loaded dry-bags with clothing and sleeping bags and double-checked the buckles; they cut para-cord into sections and turned into leashes for sunglasses; they ate doughnuts. Excitement filled the room as the youths circled up one final time. With a spirited “Let’s do it!” from one, they began carrying the fruits of their labor to the brightly painted mini-bus at the curb.

These students are alumni of Blue Sky Fund’s Outdoor Leadership Institute (OLI), a leadership development program which cultivates character and teamwork through a five-day backpacking trip to Mount Rogers in the summer and monthly community service throughout the following year. Blue Sky Fund began running alumni trips last summer at the request of some OLI graduates who desired greater physical challenges and more training in hard skills. Some of the current alumni trip participants graduated from the program earlier this June; some are now returning for their second year as alumni. All of them are now nearing completion of a six-day, 58-mile canoeing trip on the Rapidan and Rappahannock rivers.

These alumni have been preparing for this trip for quite some time. They decided on their route and made most of the planning decisions on their own. They spent the days leading up to the trip planning their meals, purchasing and re-packing their food, checking and distributing their gear, hunting down rope-swings, and practicing their paddling skills on the James. They’ve also been working on their communication skills, and will be following an intensive curriculum oriented towards leadership and character building while they paddle. This summer, they will delve into four traits of good leadership: humility, empathy, resilience, and diligence. 

Character development like this is at the heart of Blue Sky Fund’s mission: to provide transformational experiences for urban youth through outdoor education. The organization is based in and focused on the East End, but runs educational field trips for the 3rd and 5th grades all around the city. The organization also runs after-school Adventure clubs during the year to promote the same skill development and character building as the OLI program.

A pre-trip pic of the students at Blue Sky Fund HQ. Credit: Brett Stonecipher

We will be hearing from the students themselves upon their return, and will have many pictures and stories to share. Stay tuned for more!

Blue Sky Fund will be running first-year OLI crews later in the summer. If you are interested in hearing more about OLI, head over to blueskyfund.org, or e-mail brett@blueskyfund.org for more information. The first year boys crew is full for the summer, but they are still recruiting girls for the program. 

Remember the old rockfish art competition/auction from over a decade ago? This could be like that…or it could be something else entirely.

To promote the James River as the single most important attraction and natural resource of the Richmond region, the James River Association is conducting its first-ever Regional River Feature contest. This design competition encourages residents to identify and create an iconic regional river feature that symbolizes, creates an identity for, and promotes the rivers of the Richmond region.

Other regions have used iconic natural or constructed features to help distinguish and identify their locality and this contest is an opportunity for Richmond to do the same. Examples of similar projects in the area include Richmond’s Rockfish, the Jefferson Pocket Park Design Competition and the RVA Street Art Festival.

The James River Association will accept submissions including but not limited to permanent or temporary art installations, conceptual designs to enhance underutilized riverfront spaces, and conceptual designs to promote the riverfront as a whole. Design concepts to consider include community spaces, gateways, public art, and low-impact design.

You know what would be cool? A James River cairn competition. Imagine thousands of these on rocks in the James through RVA when the water is low. Genius, I know.

The Regional River Feature contest is open to residents of the Richmond region. Submissions will be accepted from May 1, 2015 through July 31, 2015. A selection committee will review all submissions and select finalists for public voting. Feasibility, creativity and public benefit will be considered in judging process.

The selected submission will be announced during the final presentation of the Regional Rivers Plan in September. The winning submission will be included as one of the catalytic projects recommended in the plan for implementation.

For more information contact Justin Doyle, Community Conservation Manager, at jdoyle@jrava.org.

It’s Dominion Riverrock week here in Richmond, and the forecast looks promising. Sure, there’s a chance of some thunderstorms on Saturday, but that shouldn’t stop you from checking out the riverfront spectacle of music and outdoor sports. It’s the biggest event of its kind in the country for a reason.

As in past years, Riverrock kicks off with a film festival the day before the music and races get cranked up. This year the 5Point Film Festival is coming to the Byrd Theatre on Thursday (May 14). I’ve been perusing the movie trailers, and it looks to be a fun one. The above is the festival trailer. That’ll give you a taste of everything available to moviegoers.

“These films will take you on a wild ride and leave you inspired to plan your next adventure,” said Jeff Fitch, of the Sports Backers. “Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the films begin at 6:30. Oh, and did I mention it’s free?”

Who doesn’t love free?

Bike to Work Day is coming up next Friday (May 15).

If you ride a bike often or you’re into bike-related issues, I highly recommend BikeableRichmond.com. Today’s post highlighted the upcoming Bike Month events, something I was about to post on myself.

Here’s BikeableRichmond’s highlight list (and make sure to sign up for his newsletter when you go to the site):

Monday May 11 – Downtown Bike Lanes meeting

May 12-14 – Bike Counts

Thursday May 14 – 5Point Film Festival opener to Dominion Riverrock

May 15-17 – Dominion Riverrock

Friday May 15 – Bike to Work Day Rally with Mayor Jones

Friday May 15 – Bon Air > Downtown Bike Train

Saturday May 16 – Church Hill Bike Parade and Rodeo

I’m a huge fan of the Virginia State Park system, so I thought it worth passing this along. If you’re a regular park-goer, here’s an opportunity to save some cash. If you’ve never been to a Va. State Park — like Pocahontas SP and Powhatan SP, locally — this is a great chance for you and your kids to discover all they have to offer.

As part of National Kids to Parks Day, May 16, Virginia State Parks will offer special kid-friendly activities, and visitors will receive a coupon for complimentary parking later in the year.

Swift Creek Lake at Pocahontas State Park.

“Virginia State Parks offer numerous activities and programs that promote our youth becoming engaged and active in the outdoors,” State Parks Director Craig Seaver said. “This engagement promotes a healthy and creative lifestyle for years to come.”

The fifth annual National Kids to Parks Day is sponsored by the National Parks Trust. The event is designed to foster an appreciation for nature and public lands and to encourage families to get outdoors and lead a more active lifestyle.

A list of park programs can be found here: http://bit.ly/kidstoparks2015. Many activities are great for first-time visitors and offer basic instruction in popular outdoor activities.

For example, fishing programs will be offered at Claytor Lake, False Cape, Mason Neck, Staunton River and Twin Lakes state parks to help young people and novices learn about fishing. Other parks will offer a day full of activities. Douthat State Park features an annual car show. Sky Meadows is introducing two new Junior Ranger activity books – Junior Historian and Junior Farmer – in addition to the Junior Naturalist.

This is one of two canoe/kayak launches at Powhatan State Park in Powhatan County. Credit: DCR

Powhatan, Sky Meadows and York River will offer star gazing or astronomy programs. Caledon and Twin Lakes have an Owl Prowl scheduled.

National Kids to Parks Day also kicks off the Get Outdoors! Challenge.

Visit five different Virginia State Parks between May 16 and June 30, 2015, to earn an Annual Naturally Yours Passport Plus, good for a year of free parking and discounts. Click here for complete details on the challenge, including rules.

The finisher’s bottle opener for the Hardywood Twilight 4-Miler. Credit: Shake and Bake Sports

I ran into Patton Gleason, CEO of Richmond Multisports, the other day at a coffee shop we both frequent. We got to chatting about RMS’s upcoming events, and he mentioned tomorrow’s Hardywood Twilight 4-Miler. I watched a couple of friends run last year’s race, then hung out afterward to participate in their post-race re-hydration. The event had a relaxed vibe, live music, lots of non-race activities.

Gleason said that last year, in just its second-year on the RVA racing calendar, the Twilight 4-Miler drew about 1,800 runners. That’s a pretty darn big number. This year, he said, RMS is teaming up with race organizers Shake and Bake Sports and the guys at Hardywood to amp up the race/party atmosphere even more, adding vendor stalls and more food and music. He said they expect somewhere around 3,000 race participants and as many as 4,000 people total on hand for the festivities.

To get that size in just three years is incredible. I can’t be sure, but I’d guess the “Block Party With a 4-Mile Cover Charge” is the fastest growing running event in the region. Ownby Street will closed for the party, and Gleason said the course will remain the same as last year, winding around the Northside between starting and ending at Hardywood.

Online registration is closed, but race-day registration will be available at Hardywood during packet pickup tomorrow between 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., assuming the they haven’t reached the 4,000 participant limit by then. Oh, and runners get a free beer!

Hot off the press!

I spent a good portion of last summer scouring the western part of Virginia for waterfalls. It was a lot of driving and a lot of fun. The payoff comes this Friday (April 3rd) when my first guidebook comes out.

Hiking Waterfalls in Virginia features the 48 waterfall hikes I thought were most worth the effort to seek out and explore. Of course, there are many more waterfalls than that in Virginia. Many are on private property and some weren’t quite big enough or dramatic enough to include. (I wrote posts on a couple of my favorite cataracts here at RichmondOutside as summer road trip ideas.).

The book is divided up by region — Southwest Virginia, the Valley and Ridge, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah National Park, the Piedmont, Northern Virginia — and each entry has directions to get there, hike specs, a description of my hike to the waterfall, a picture and more. With spring finally arriving, and summer on the way, this slender tome is an invitation to explore.

(Also featured: my Top 10 state waterfalls and Top 10 swimming holes. Those lists are worth the $16.46 right there, no?)

The icy James. Credit: Hunter Davis

Editor’s note: Thanks to Hunter Davis for sharing these words, pics and video with us. For more from Davis, check out HomeontheJames.com

I’ve always enjoyed a good snow day.  Whether it’s outside sledding with your buddies or huddled inside, warming up with a hot meal.  Snow can give a whole new outlook to everyday life.  When I initially saw the snow forecast, excitement started to build with thoughts on how to celebrate the white stuff we rarely see here in Richmond.

My buddy Joey just got done riding the JayP’s Backyard Fat Pursuit in Idaho about a month ago.  The Backyard Pursuit is a fat bike race that covers about 120 miles in the snow around Yellowstone National Park and is incredibly challenging.  Joey completed the race on a CHUMBA Cycles URSA 29er+, in which he said performed fantastic in the snow.  Needless to say, I was curious to see Joey and the URSA take on the terrain here in RVA.  Check out SNOW DAY part 1 as Joey grabs the first tracks in Forest Hill Park after receiving six inches of snow.

After parting ways with Joey, I headed to the 14th Street Takeout to meet up with a crew of whitewater boaters.  It was time to see the city from river level – arctic style.

This is not something you see every winter in Richmond. Credit: Hunter Davis

We decided to hike out to 42nd Street Rocks to begin our descent.  Although it wasn’t easy to reach the main flow of the river due to ice, the scenery is breathtaking.  SNOW DAY part 2 documents the majority of the our trip as we navigate the falls on the James River.

I think what I enjoy most about the winter and snow is the silence that accompanies it.  A blanket of snow seems to trap the normal sounds of the city, making the park more intimate.  I hope everybody had a chance to get out and have a SNOW DAY of their own.