AUGUST UPDATES  

Somehow I woke up Monday morning and it's the beginning of August and I haven't even started drafting a newsletter! My husband has been away for work for about 25 of the last 27 days so I'm just in survival mode over here AKA outside with the kids all day every day and far away from my computer (on most days).

July was BUSY but also in a way where I felt like we were going to be busy but then we had to cancel a bunch of adventures due to weather — thunderstorms, air quality, beach/water quality, etc etc etc. Despite having 9 adventures with an anticipated 150 participants in July, we only hosted two adventures with 35 participants. So it was busy planning and then busy cancelling and then busy putting out fires when people were sad that we cancelled — don't worry folks, we're sad, too!!! For anyone wondering, here is or inclement weather policy and here is an Instagram post about our Inclement Weather Policy that my 5yo helped me design (she designed the graphic, not the policy LOL).

COLLAB REQUESTS

For the rest 2026 and moving forward, I want to put a huge emphasis on collaborations. We already do this but I want to make it more obvious that we prefer to collab on any and all adventures with other outdoor businesses, groups, clubs, meet ups, etc. Our goal is to showcase the amazing outdoor opportunities we have here in NEO and that is best done through collaborative programming.

SO, if you are an outdoor business or outdoor adjacent business (restaurant, coffee shop, book store, art studio, etc), please reach out! We'd love to plan something together. We truly believe that a rising tide lifts all ships.

Please reach out to kara@opentrailcollective.org to share your idea!

SURVEY PLEASE

I have been terrible at sending post-adventure emails lately, so sorry. I love yall and appreciate yall so much. If you've attended an adventure lately/ever, please take a few moments to fill out this survey so we can get some funding and learn from your experiences! THANK YOU!

BLOG: New River Gorge Road Trip Ideas

In honor of Gwennan Richmond, OTC Board Member and New River Gorge local, getting hitched last weekend, we wanted to share with you all our favorite activities in and around Fayetteville, WV! Check it out here

NEO ADVENTURE DIRECTORY!

We'd love to get the NEO Adventure Directory into schools, scouts, and HR departments this fall! Do you work with a large group of people? Reach out! We'd love to get you hooked up with NEO Adventure Directory flyers, magnets, etc. to help get your people outside.

Alsoo please reach out to kara@opentrailcollective.org if you want to join the directory, sponsor the directory, or if you have a group with whom you want to share the directory!

Upcoming OTC Adventures — JOIN US!

• 8/7, 10 AM — Wildlife Conservation Center Tour + Family-Friendly Hike

• 8/8, 9 AM — Birding with Cuyahoga Queer Birders

• 8/18, 5-630 PM — CVNP Clean Up Crew

• 9/11, 10 AM — Farm Tour and Playdate at Crown Point Ecology

• 9/12, ~5 PM — Bike Overnight with Radical Adventure Riders

• 9/17, 9 AM — CVNP Clean Up Crew with Keep Nature Wild

• 10/11, 9AM — Birding by the Canal with Summit Metropark

• 10/15, 5PM — CVNP Clean Up Crew

   

Stay tuned for additional adventures! Got an adventure idea? Let us know! Adventure updates are posted on our Instagram, Facebook, and event page on our website. Please remember to register in advance. 

Community Highlights (in ABC order)

Crown Point Ecology Center — Fun on the Farm: All Abilities Fall Fest (10/3)

Built specifically with the special needs community in mind — individuals and families navigating autism, sensory processing differences, physical disabilities, and other support needs. A day designed around you, not one you have to adapt yourself to fit into. Learn more here.

Cuyahoga Valley Farmers Market — Visit this farmers market year round, rain or shine, every Saturday located in the Scenic Cuyahoga Valley National Park. With loads of vendors selling fresh and local fruits, veggies, meats, breads, desserts and more, it's the perfect place to stock up on everything you need for the week. And being that it's located in the middle of our national park, it is the perfect place to fuel up before a morning adventure or grab a snack afterwards. They constantly have live music, cultural events, food demos and more! Check out their robust list of vendors and programs here.

HAPI Fresh Farmers' Market — This is tasty, mult-cultural farmers market at ASIA Inc in Akron is starting at the end of July on Wednesday, July 29! The later start date gives our vendors more time for their gardens to produce marketable crop after a cooler spring. HAPI Fresh is an opportunity for neighbors, especially from refugee and immigrant backgrounds, to gain entrepreneurial opportunities with their farming skill sets. Many of the crops sold at the market are popular, culturally significant vegetables that are challenging to find in mainstream grocery stores, such as bitter melon, water spinach, Thai eggplant, and more. The market accepts SNAP EBT, cash, and credit card.

Climbing & Yoga Retreat in the New River Gorge (8/20/2026): An immersive three-day climbing and yoga retreat designed to help you move with confidence, focus with clarity, and recover with intention. This experience blends professional rock climbing instruction with mindful yoga practices in a supportive, small-group setting. Whether you’re brand new or experienced, this retreat welcomes all levels. Learn more here. 

Women Only Rowing Clinic in the New River Gorge — 3-day Rowing Clinic starting Auguts 25 at 8am in Oak Hill, WV. Develop your skills on the oars surrounded by women who want to do the same thing! Whether you are a brand new rafter looking for the basics or an experienced boater looking to advance your abilities, WILD is here for you. This course is designed for beginner and intermediate rowers to learn and solidify the techniques that will help you navigate a day trip on your class II backyard run or a 21-day expedition down the Grand Canyon. With a maximum ratio of 3 students to 1 instructor, you will get plenty of practice at the oars. Join us for 3 days of building camaraderie with fellow women paddlers, learning in a supportive and empowering space, and gaining confidence while feeling safe and comfortable with our female ACA-certified instructors in wild and wonderful West Virginia.

As always, if you want to support more adventure in our amazing community, you can make a tax deductible donation here. We appreciate your support SO MUCH!

Thanks for being a member of our awesome community! Seriously so thankful for each and every one of you.

Kara Lapso, LSW MSW

kara@opentrailcollective.org