Keep riding

Got to Davis at 5pm sharp last night to meet friends, and sure enough the Ride@5 was departing Blackwater Bikes. Sure it was 34 degrees, but the air was crisp and Dobbin House trail would be dry enough. This -- I hear -- involved headlamps for anyone who valued their bones. Muttley's steak special was good as always...$1/oz for tbone. The new frontage is nice on Muttleys. I just wish that the owner wouldn't dump his construction debris in the alley adjacent to the Riverfront Park.

Parson's Advocate today had an article about the slow but steady progress of the Davis Riverfront Park. Next week you should see a follow-up piece on Davis Riverwalk, by the editor Chris Stadelman.

Met Congressman Mollohan at Muttley's, too. This man really cares about the future of this community -- the Valley, Davis and Thomas. It is very exciting to have someone in office representing WV who recognizes the importance of this area. On a related note, it appears the Governor may have bought a condo in the Valley. This friends is a great indication for our visibility in the years to come.

Bridge to everywhere

This is a Contech Solutions "Continental" bridge. It's a span bridge that can be stretched to 200ft. It's what we want for Christmas, next Christmas that is....This would span the Blackwater River from Davis Riverfront Park to Blackwater Falls State Park. Bikes and hikers will cross the 6'W bridge but no motorized vehicles (you in the cammy's, you know what I'm talkin' about). Of course we need the State Park's permission, and -- a small detail -- we need to raise about $100K. I've got the quote on the bridge and am asking two engineering firms to estimate the construction of abutments and the installation. I think we can raise the $100k with some diligent grant application over the next two years. Imagine...families will take a 1 or 2 mile walk through the Davis Riverfront Park, loop over the river on the foot bridge, and then walk back on the 6' shoulder of the brand new road bridge for WV32. And what's more, visitors will be able to walk across the pedestrian bridge and arrive at Blackwater Falls in less than 1.5 miles. This bridge would also benefit the future residents of Tuscan Ridge, as the robust among them decide to hike the 1/2 mile into historic downtown Davis. A fund is being set up with Tucker Community Endowment Fund to attract and manage a fund for the Riverfront Park.

Smell of chocolate-making in the mountain air

The next time you are flying first class and happen to sit next to the president of Intuit (Quicken Software), he might be popping a bonbon made in Charleston, WV. Scribner Chocolates was founded to make beautiful and tasty chocolates for the peanut- and tree nut-free crowd but has grown a broader following, just because they are good! Founders Debbie and David Miller are considering a location in the area and their products can already be found at Canaan Valley State Park's gift shop. I had some buttercreams and almost couldn't stop eating long enough to interpret the color coded exteriors. On their web site you can find gifts that will stuff more than stockings...the petite buttercreams, truffles, dark and milk chocolates and crown caramel.

100 Year Floods

I've heard of flood plains but how about Zone AE? The Blackwater River may be at 3200ft in Davis but its feeders start on Dolly Sods and Canaan Mountain, and every 100 years (FEMA says) there is a flood that will go to certain Base Flood Elevation (BSE) in Davis. This BSE line is the 100 year flood line and anything inside that is Zone AE, the area inundated by flood to that determined elevation. I am paying surveyors to make sure of where that line really is, since of course the FEMA maps are not accurate. The lower dashed line at left represents the approximate BFE line on part of Riverwalk. After surveying we know EXACTLY where the Base Flood Elevation line is.

What happens if a house is built inside the BSE line? Well, it might be against code or zoning if there were any, but it most certainly would require flood insurance underwritten by the US Govt National Flood Insurance Program. A little guesswork would put the cost of insuring a townhouse built inside the flood line at about $1,000 per year plus or minus a few hundred $. Such houses would be built on slightly elevated foundations such that the living spaces were all above the BFE, but there would still be a flood insurance requirement. We may reserve a few lots inside the BFE but we probably will not build any homes inside the floodline unless specific buyers wish to be riverside despite the added insurance cost. Any thoughts on this?

How to insure a Mountain Bike Park

Well this one ain't easy. We want to have a place where mountain bikes can play, practice and generally entertain us. But I think the insurance guys are onto the idea that maybe sometimes we crash, and woops, get hurt. I'd like to believe that anyone riding would take responsibility for themselves, but there are the types out there who wouldn't. So we are still looking for a solution. Telluride Town Park and Buena Vista CO town park have skateboard parks; so we can have the same sort of thing. Sorry, I don't see skateboarding exploding in Davis too awfully soon.

It also turns out that there has been a trend in legal precedent to the favor of government entities hosting such risk sport parks. The reason is that courts have found it illogical that a guy can hurt himself in a park that was created for his enjoyment using his tax dollars for the enjoyment of the community. Negligence would probably be a different story, but it is clearly more favorable to have skateboard parks, MTB skills parks, and climbing areas on government ground.

If hosted on private property, insurance companies generally required a supervised environment with signed waivers. For example, Ray's MTB Park. An solution will emerge, and there will be a mountain bike park in Davis, WV!

Bluegrass Brewing Company for Oktoberfest 08?

Dave is a best friend from high school in Indiana who went on to become something of a micro-brew rock star in the mid-west. He is now the brewmaster for Bluegrass Brewing Company in Louisville, KY. I told him about the fantastic beer we have in Davis, WV -- Blackwater Brewing, Mountain State Brewing -- and how it might be cool to get him and a couple of kegs out here to next year's Oktoberfest in Davis. In '07 the Oktoberfest was such a success that the beer and BBQ was gone in a couple of hours! Wouldn't it add some spice to invite Bluegrass Brewing Co out for the fun?