Blog

Written by Adam Faber, Hydaway Outfitter Manager

As the school year comes to a close and the campus empties, many of you might be asking, what next? A year hindered by quarantines and hardships of COVID-19, maybe hitting the open road (in a safe way, of course) might be the highlight of your year. If you like exciting new experiences and traveling, then a road trip might be for you. The Hydaway Outdoor Center staff is always willing to lend a helping hand with your trip planning needs, whether it’s a short road trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway or cross country to the beaches of California. 
Choose Your Destination
One of the most important parts of planning a road trip is choosing your destination and the route you want to take. Think about your road-tripping style. Would you rather hop in a car and take the back roads with unplanned or planned pitstops, or do you prefer the detailed itinerary filled with guided tours and new people? Are you interested in hitting historical landmarks, touring California beaches, tasting popular bites in big cities, or are you looking to strap on your hiking shoes and walk through national parks? Everything is up to you, and that is the … Read More

Written by Katy Ward, Assistant Director of Outdoor Adventure

It’s starting to get warm again. It is time to get outside and explore new adventures. So, what are you going to do? Where are you going to go? Do you have a list of places you want to knock out? Or are you open to new possibilities? Well, here I am, giving you a new trip idea, one that I myself have not tried but is on my list!
A 3-day, 28-mile river trip down the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. Whether you prefer a kayak or a canoe, this river provides a diverse set of challenges and beautiful scenery. Between slow and peaceful waters and fast class II-III rapids, this trip is good for beginners or experts.
If you want to take this trip but do not have the gear for it, check out Hydaway Outdoor Center’s Rental List for all of your trip needs!
What’s the Plan?
Friday

8 A.M. ­– Leave Lynchburg
10:30 A.M. – Arrive at Bentonville Boat Ramp to drop your shuttle vehicle
10:30 A.M. – Leave Bentonville for Bixler Bridge in Luray, VA
11 A.M. – Arrive at Bixler Bridge
11:15 A.M. – Set out down the Shenandoah for 13 miles
1:30 P.M. – Stop for lunch … Read More

Written by Josh Bryant, Assistant Director of Operations

Are you a complete novice to shotgun games? Maybe even shooting in general? Don’t worry, we’ll give you a primer in the shotgun games available at the Liberty Mountain Gun Club.
LGMC currently offers American Trap, American Skeet, and 5 Stand. The targets for all three games are small clay discs—commonly referred to as clays, pigeons, or birds. Each game consists of 25 targets. Only one person shoots at a time, but up to five people can participate in a game at once. So, keep that in mind when you’re getting a group together to come to the range! When it’s a shooter’s turn and they’re in position ready to shoot, they call out ‘Pull!’ and the clay pigeon is thrown.
American Trap
American Trap is a good place to start for people unfamiliar with shooting. In American Trap, only one target is presented at a time, and the targets are always going in the same general direction—away from the shooter. The shooting positions are 16 yards behind the target launcher, or trap machine, which is inside a small building also known as the ‘trap house’. There are 5 shooting positions, evenly spaced in a line (or shallow … Read More

Written by Isaac Gibson, Programs Coordinator

If you were to ask someone if they have ever skied or snowboarded there are usually two main responses: “Yes, I love skiing. I go every year!” or “I went once and it was so hard. I spent more time on the ground than I did on my skiis.” Over the years, I have learned that people either fall in love and continue riding for nearly the rest of their life, or they have a terrible experience and never do it again. In the end, it all comes down to that first experience, and I highly recommend the first experience being a lesson with a trained instructor.
It’s Like Driving
I describe skiing/snowboarding for the first time like getting in a car to drive for the first time. If you get in with no experience, no one telling you how to properly operate the vehicle, and go straight out onto a busy highway… the result will most always end in an accident. There is a reason why Driver’s Education and behind the wheel instruction is required to get your driver’s license. It’s not because the act of driving is incredible difficult to learn, but rather because of the high level … Read More

Written by Harriet Carter, Farm Management Coordinator

All sports require a particular type of attire, and the equestrian sport is no different. Having the right apparel for equestrian riding is key for both safety reasons and comfort. Equestrian dress observes the sport’s physical and safety demands and considers the unique history of the sport. Whether you are stepping into the barn for the first time or looking for ideas to dress appropriately for the sport, this guide covers all the tips on feeling confident and well dressed in the saddle.
Long Fitted Pants
It is logical to assume that wearing shorts is appropriate for horse riding during sunny days. Unfortunately, shorts and the equestrian sport do not mix well. Friction from bare legs and the saddle moving from the horse’s natural motion leaves the rider with uncomfortable pinches down the legs [2]. Also, wearing baggy clothing such as loose pants, sweaters, or scarves is not recommended as they can easily get caught on the saddle, risking being dragged by the horse.
Dressing in long, tight fitting pants protects you from being pinched by the saddle and can keep sharp objects that may be lurking in the barn such as hay, farrier nails, and splinters off of … Read More

Written by Bill Crawford, General Manager of Liberty Mountain Gun Club

Every industry/sport/hobby has its own lingo to one extent or another, and shooting is no different! In this brief introduction to gun lingo, we’ll look at some words and phrases you may hear at LMGC. After reading this, you’ll have a better understanding on the most common phrases spoken on our ranges. Our goal is to explore more obscure phrases in another blog to come!
“The Range is Hot”
We may declare this on a 25-degree day in February…when it’s snowing…and windy…and everyone is bundled in five layers of clothing. It’s not a weather observation, but rather a command that means the range is now ready for individuals to handle firearms and begin shooting. Prior to this command, however, we must say something else that sometimes seems an equally odd statement (see next).
“Eyes and Ears Everyone!”
We are aware that the vast majority of our range users do, in fact, have eyes and ears. We’re not suggesting that folks check for the physical presence of their eyes and ears, but rather it is telling everyone that the range is about to “go hot” and that everyone must put on their eye and ear protection. We’ve … Read More

Written by Mike Ellsworth, Director of Outdoor Recreation

The outdoors has a lot of wildness in it; it’s this wildness that draws us to it. We like to hike on an uncultivated trail and paddle a river that feels untamed. The exhilaration is palpable, and it often drives us to reach outside our comfort zone. Though, often these moments begin to welcome unnecessary risk. Our “danger-senser” takes a back seat to sense of adventure.
I can think back to a few moments (that I’m not proud of), where I chased that exhilaration just a bit too far. Whether I wanted to look fearless in front of my friends or independently paddle that river that I wasn’t ready for. Moments like my own are what have led the drive for our Hike Safe initiative. These are a simple set of guidelines to help you stay safe on your next adventure.
Plan Your Trip Carefully
We all glorify the “last minute adventure,” but if you are having an adventure there is probably some element of risk. So, be sure to do your best to minimize that risk. It is important to take the time to know as much as you can about where you are going and what … Read More

Written by John Nelson, LMGC Range Safety Officer
With the record setting number of first-time gun owners in America today, many individuals are finding themselves the proud owner of a new handgun, rifle, or shotgun and are now wondering how to safely store this new firearm. Whether it is to safeguard it from children or other occupants in the home, potential thieves, or for any other reason, firearms should absolutely always be safely locked up whenever they are not in your possession! Common options for securing your firearm include gun safes, gun cabinets, and single-gun lockboxes.
Gun Safes
Gun safes are very commonplace in homes across the country and are an excellent option from a security standpoint. Typically the costliest and heaviest of the options, weighing in at several hundred pounds, these containers are ideal when you do not intend to move the container frequently, would like to store multiple firearms, or desire a container rated for protection against fire and flooding in addition to theft. That last feature also makes them great for other valuables and important documents.
A few options I recommend are Cannon Safe and Stack-On’s Sentinel line.
Gun Cabinets
Gun cabinets come in a myriad of sizes and shapes, many similar to gun safes on … Read More

Written by Morgan Segner, Aquatics Manager & Swim Instructor

Swimming has long been seen as one of the best full-body exercises and can strengthen almost all major muscle groups without the concern of injuries associated with high-impact workouts. It acts as a physical and neural exercise through breathing exercises and the use of sharpened focus. In this blog, we’ll review all of the positive roles learning to swim and swimming for fitness plays to your overall health.
Swimming as a Full Body Workout
Since swimming is a high endurance sport, it allows anyone choosing to swim for cardio purposes a way to burn off a great deal of calories. As a rule, swimmers burn around 3 calories/mile per total body weight.  So a 220lb swimmer would burn around 660 calories/mile depending on the intensity. Swimming as a cardio workout compared to running is usually judged at a 4:1 ratio—this means that when you swim one mile you’re burning as many calories as a four mile run!  You can also differ your swimming strokes and techniques to work and train different muscle groups.
Freestyle — works your arm muscles the most, mainly your biceps and triceps, as well as your calf muscles with the kick.
Breaststroke — works … Read More

Written by Kylie Tidmore, LaHaye Rock Wall Manager

The LaHaye Rock Wall is a special place that hosts a unique, eclectic community who comes together to solve puzzles that flex their minds and bodies. Through the variety of competitions, challenges, and new sets the LaHaye Rock Wall has to offer, strangers have become unified friends as they work through problems and encourage others in their pursuits. The newly installed Grasshopper Board is a really neat training technology tool that can help advance anyone’s climbing skills—but it’s also much more than that. The Grasshopper Board is the newest thing at the wall that the community can use to come together.
So, What is it?
The Grasshopper Board features a variety of holds and uses an app to light up different routes. The app is super easy to navigate and houses a variety of problems at all difficulty levels, making it easy for climbers of every skill level to get involved.
Through the app, users have the opportunity to light up the board with any of the problems listed. One of the coolest features is the ability to create your own problems for the board. You simply select the holds you want and specify which are for feet … Read More