Post-Leaf Peepers

The hurricane rains tried to blot out our weekend but Saturday, after a wet 5K race, was partly sunny enough that I can say even mother nature was a good host.

The RunForIt 5K fund raiser race was a great success for the town's Riverfront Park. The Riverfront Ramblers team succeeded in raising double my corporate sponsoring match, and won the Tucker Community Endowment Foundation's award for 'most money raised.' A second team called Trail Mix contributed additional funds to the Riverfront Park. It looks like the park got at least $22,000 Saturday. More pics below:

Looking good Friday Morning

I have to admit...last night was really feeling dejected as the barrages of rain hit the sides of the house here in Timberline (near Davis). I was so upside down that I found myself thinking about bailing and doing the Revenge of the Rattlesnake all day instead of being on hand for the concert and festivities. But the next thought was a more positive idea -- if it were to really come in torrents we could move into the old shopnsave. It is a warehouse afterall.

BUT it turns out that storm last night was a good purge of sorts; this morning the sun is out and the turning maples are using the sunhit to give us a fine display of fall colors. It is 60 degrees and spectacular. The wind is blustering and will dry this place out in no time.

The Oktoberfest tent is up, the carnival rides are set. The Davisson Bros will get here around 9am for setup tomorrow/Saturday. What I learned last night (in a glass of gin) was that we will have a great time no matter what the weather is!

Been busy getting ready for Leaf Peepers!

Davis has been dry and the trails are buff, drinking up what little rain comes every few days. For our guests we just need those clouds to hold off one last weekend...you wouldn't want to see my anti-rain dance. Friday evening the events begin with the traditional Cake Walk, a country fund raiser for the PTO -- I think it is like musical chairs but standing up, and homemade cakes are the prize?

Saturday morning we will meet the fall chill in our running gear. Over 300 runners are registered so we can expect double that to run or walk the course. With two teams raising $ for the Riverfront Park, I am betting we will really have a big summer of improvements for the park in '09. The 10am race will end with the beginning of Oktoberfest, food, rides, live music from the Davisson Bros, and locally crafted brews starting at noon.

We've really scrambled this year to build on this popular festival. We've installed power supplies for the band, vendors and carnival coming from the old shopnsave building (future Riverwalk Shops and Spa). Phil Ferguson cleared a canoe ramp area and brush-hogged the entire tract. And I think the Volunteer Fire Dept is going to help out by spraying off the parking lot. We've got parking, a welcome center, and two restrooms in the old Blackwater Overlook building (the old gas station) at the other end of Riverwalk. We'll have several new poster-sized renderings of the future site and buildings. We have been getting ready for a new tenant to take the first commercial space in Blackwater Overlook: New deck, new doors, upgraded electrical, new lighting, rustic poplar siding and flooring...practical, rugged and pure Davis. Stop by and glimpse the future!

Sunday there are more events, but the one I'm participating in is the Friends of Blackwater tree planting. We have 300 red spruce saplings between us, and will plant some along Riverwalk, then the town's Riverfront Park, and all along the Town Trail to Blackwater Falls.

The updated schedule is found at http://www.canaanvalley.org/leafpeepers/events.html

2nd team to support Riverfront Park

Trail Mix is a second team aiming to raise money for the town park in the TCEF 5K RunforIt race on September 27th in Davis. Each team in this 700+ person race may designate its own cause. The teams raise money for their cause and can earn matching amounts from TCEF. In the name of Davis Riverwalk I am pledging up to $5K in matching for amounts directed to the riverfront park.

Trail Mix will be a new retail business in Canaan Valley offering such things as organic trail mix and smoothies.