Hoppy Kercheval: Falling in love with West Virginia

August 4, 2015

By: Hoppy Kercheval

I have fallen back in love with West Virginia.

I had not exactly fallen out of love with my home state; it’s more that I had become complacent, even cynical, about West Virginia. That can happen when you don’t nurture a relationship.

In covering West Virginia as a talk show host, I tend to focus on the negative — political controversies, disasters, broken roads, economic woes, our growing drug problem and more. After awhile, the scales tip too far to one side and Wild and Wonderful are just words you say.

But that changed last week during an adventure “staycation” at the New River Gorge with my wife Karin and son Ben. It was a brief, but intense courtship with the Mountain State that included zip lining and whitewater rafting.

Roaring over and past the trees on a zip line at heights of up to 200 feet and speeds that reach 60-plus miles per hour was exhilarating.

The nine-mile rafting excursion down the New River is one of the greatest outdoor adventures in America. The intensity of Cxlass IV and V rapids makes the ride exciting and memorable, but it’s also safe enough for a family adventure with plenty of float time to enjoy the wonder of some of the state’s best scenery.

But what really made the experience special was the personality and professionalism of the guides. They are some of the state’s best ambassadors.

A combination of tour leaders, safety experts, naturalists and comedians, they worked hard to ensure that everyone had a memorable, safe and fun adventure.

The last time we went whitewater rafting, it was hard to find a place to stay or even a place to eat. Now you can stay on a campus that includes a variety of lodging and dining options all within walking distance of the adventure activities, which makes it even easier to experience the great outdoors without having to worry about any of the logistics.

People come from all over to have the West Virginia adventure. Our zip line outing included a church youth group from Chicago. Their chaperones told me this was a return trip for them. An extended family of eleven made the trip from Auburn, Ala., for the rafting adventure.

We are rightfully concerned about our image, but nothing helps us more than people coming here from all over the country and being treated to a once-in-a-lifetime adventure combined with a healthy dose of good-hearted West Virginia hospitality and even some corny, down-home humor.

I was completely taken in. My cynical shell was cracked by the speed of the zip line and my sour demeanor about the state was washed away by the roaring rapids of the New River.

Not only was I reintroduced to our wild and wonderful state, but I was exceedingly proud to be one of her native sons.

It’s good to be home again.

Kercheval is host of Talkline, broadcast statewide by the MetroNews Radio Network from 10 a.m. to noon weekdays. Listen locally on WCHS 580 AM.