The Motivation for this Journal

My name is Matt and I play in West Virginia. Actually, I'm addicted to the state.

Living inside or within a few hours of a WV state border for all of my life, I've had plenty of "West Virginia Moments," a characterization that could range from WV stereotype reinforcements of the cultural (could be bad) to the natural persuasion. Fortunately, the number of the latter is far greater than the number of former.

I wish to document with this blog these "West Virginia Moments." If you're reading this, then you are a friend or family member, or have stumbled upon this blog, and I thank you for reading and hope you'll get a laugh, discover a new natural place in WV, or gasp at the thought of it. However, the real reason for this blog is personal. I will consider this blog an archive of these moments for a man with a poor memory.

Enjoy!

12 June, 2007

"Mommy, I Want to Live in the Woods!"

My nephew, Xavier, was being a bit of a baby as we packed up on Monday morning. We'd been camping and enjoying the New River Gorge for a few days and it was time to go home. To a 4-year old, living in the woods probably sounds like a fantastic way of life. There'd be no showering, the weather would always be perfect, and s'mores would follow each meal.

I will admit that I've had the fantasy; it's come to me at various times while on extended trips or hearing stories of those who have indeed lived in the woods. I became fascinated enough about it a few years ago to read a copy of The Last American Man, an account of the life of Eustace Conway, a living mountain man who has spent years living off the land in western North Carolina.

However, I do not intend to ever move to the woods. But, Xavier's words -- even though they came between tears -- reminded me of this constant fantasy. I've even been to a few places that I felt might be ideal for it (outside of Taos, NM, and Santa Cruz, CA to name a couple) because of the resources available. Alas, I've decided that the turmoil of full-time employment is worth it, especially since the things I like doing in the woods aren't free.

The crew arrived at various times on Saturday; me, Marc, and the Groves coming via Morgantown, and Mark Burns, Chrissy, and others coming from DC, Fairmont, and beyond. The agenda, for a change, was centered around a specific event, and all of the other time spent there was keenly directed at the event. Of course, the event to which I refer would be my second Captain Thurmond's Triathlon, and I survived once again after a long day on the river Saturday, a bit too much drinking that night, and two enormous burritos haunting me for hours before the race. Mark, Chrissy, and Jeff survived as well, despite a puncture in the Irishman's tire about halfway into the bike section. Congrats, Chrissy and Jeff, on podium finishes in your respective classes. I was happy to avoid a crash on my bike, breaking my new fast fiberglass boat, or falling backwards while attempting to run straight up a cliff side, as the run course tends to go.

Returning to my original point, living in the woods is great at the New. The woods in which we lived for the weekend had picnic tables, fire pits, and a guy named Ray even delivered ice and firewood! Friendly people from Baltimore, Louisiana, and Ohio also live in these woods, and we were lucky enough to all be hungry at the same time. How perfect it is in West Virginia!

Git 'r dun.
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