24 Jan 12: Unfulfilled Expectations I am sure most readers are familiar with Trip Advisor and other accommodation or activity review sites. For operators the world over, these sites can be a tw... [More...]
4 Jan 12: It Was The Summer of 2012 Summer time is not when we would normally talk about a big water trip on the Grade 5 section of the Rangitikei River. However, yesterday was just that. ... [More...]
23 Dec 11: A Busman's Holiday Normally I wouldn't write about Staff Christmas functions. However this year was a little different as we decided to do a Busman's function. What is a... [More...]
17 Dec 11: New Addition at River Valley Stables Earlier this week the newest addition to River Valley Stables touched down. Elvis is his name, a newly born colt. Gypsy is again the proud Mum, while a... [More...]
5 Dec 11: River Reflections On the 23rd October 2011 Nicola and I put on the Colorado River at Lee's Ferry for a 21 day rafting trip through the Grand Canyon. A trip that I especia... [More...]
13 Oct 11: The Grand Canyon Awaits A Busman's Holiday Have you ever heard the term - "A Busman's Holiday"? Evidently the term first appeared in 1893, and of course referred to someone takin... [More...]
17 Sep 11: River Valley Welcomes Rugby Followers Now into the second week of the Rugby World Cup, and what a show! While I must admit to being one of those who initially was not that excited about the whole... [More...]
24 Aug 11: Passion is Everything The one comment I hear from satisfied guests at River Valley more often than any other, is how good/great/fantastic/wonderful the staff were. Of course, so... [More...]
2 Jul 11: Rangitikei Rush Putting the Rush into the Rangitikei For many years we have worked in to a certain extent with our near neighbours, Mokai Gravity Canyon. Mokai Gravi... [More...]
25 Jun 11: Prices Unchanged for World Rugby Tournament In New Zealand there has been much made in the media of the price increases being touted for many activities, attractions and styles of accommodation during t... [More...]
21 Feb 11: Electric Jugs, Plasma TVs, Eels, Dams and Stuff This morning I get out of bed, walk up the hall, switch the light on in the kitchen, and put the electric jug on to make a cup of tea. If it had been a cooler... [More...]
13 Feb 11: Then There Was Magic The day was slightly overcast, but very warm, as we left the campground in Murchison. It had been a pleasant time staying there, but it was time to move on (n... [More...]
River Valley Blog
Are Our Children Missing Something with the Lack of Being Outdoors?
I recently wrote an article based on some research I came across about the positive effects being in the Outdoors can have on your health. You can read the article here
Where I grew up as a child - about 40 - 45 years ago - was on a small farm, right on the town limits. The first farm out of town in fact. On many days after school, my school friends would come to play. Most afternoons we would head down to the "bush". An area that seemed huge to us, but in fact on reflection, was probably no bigger than 5 acres.
Part of that area was the "Swamp". In actuality, a shallow pond filled with willow trees and frogs.
The hours and hours we spent building bridges and trying to catch frogs - as far as I can remember, the frogs did not have a lot to worry about.
Contrast this to Children's Play Now
Four Decades of so called Risk Management. I find it hard to imagine that young children would be allowed to do what we did unsupervised in this day and age. Playing in the Swamp would have to be part of an organised and supervised activity.
Mix that in with the explosian in digital entertainment, Play Station, X Box and so on, is it any wonder that we have an obesity epidemic. However it is more than that, what is missing in so many young lives is the element of adventuring that you only get in the outdoors.
I am sure most readers are familiar with Trip Advisor and other accommodation or activity review sites.
For operators the world over, these sites can be a two edged sword, with the biggest issue being that someone who is unhappy with an experience is likely to tell the whole world and their cousins, while those who are happy are more likely to just tell their brothers and sisters.
Recently we have experienced two bad reviews on Trip Advisor. While the staff keep telling me not to take them to heart, and that 99.9% of people who come through our doors have had a fantastic time, it is still hard not to be effected by them. That is not to say that some of the points raised may not be fair and valid, because on occasion they may be.
However the main issue we have experienced is customers arriving at River Valley thinking we are some sort of semi luxury Lodge Retreat, or a rural Motel of some sort. We have not met their expectations, and consequently they have left far from happy. In neither case did they take part in any of our rafting or horse trekking adventures.
So here it is folks.
River Valley is an ADVENTURE LODGE. The deal is to stay and DO STUFF!
We hate people leaving unhappy, but please, please, come to River Valley for the right reasons, and do some research first. If you just want to hang out, then that is fine as well, but with the knowledge of what our focus is.
Summer time is not when we would normally talk about a big water trip on the Grade 5 section of the Rangitikei River. However, yesterday was just that.
The journey to the put in was very quiet and subdued amongst the guides. After all the previous trip down the river had been at a typical summer flow of 7 cumecs. Today's flow was at 48 cumecs - just a little different!
Familiar rocks were well buried by water, while normally still pools had a fast current through them.
In many ways high water on the Rangitikei River is easier than lower flows. Many of the features are covered, and lines are straight forward - it is just that everything is BIG. In addition we portaged all of Fulcrum Rapid - the chances of flipping were about 100%, and portaged some of Foamy Rapid, for the same reasons.
A fun day was had by all on the water.
Even after all the years I have worked on the river, it still surprises and delights me. High water, low water, summer or winter. It is simply a beautiful place to be.
Normally I wouldn't write about Staff Christmas functions. However this year was a little different as we decided to do a Busman's function.
What is a Busman's function?
A Busman's function is where you holiday doing the same type of thing that you do as a job. I doubt many accountants do Busman's Holidays!
On Tuesday afternoon we set off, 23 people in total, the oldest 77 years, the youngest 5 years, 9 by horseback, 14 by raft. Two fully loaded Gear rafts, 2 Family rafts and one Inflatable kayak. The aim - an overnight campout on the river, with the horse trekkers riding in.
The afternoon Sun was shining, the sky was blue, the planets were in alignment.
Upon arrival tents were erected, kitchen set up, refreshments got out of chilli bins (coolers), chairs out around the fire, dinner on. The horse trekking crew arrived shortly after.
What a great afternoon and evening. Camp fire, good food, great company, beautiful surroundings, the night sky a myriad of stars. What more could we have wished for.
I can't imagine what it must be like to go to a job where there is no passion.
