People often ask me what I do during the winter at a company better known for Rafting on the Shenandoah and Tubing on the Potomac during the summer? Shoveling Snow is one task I stay ahead of to make certain our other winter staff can find a place to park and a path to our office on the hill. Not to mention keeping the path clear to our river outfitter shop where you can find those items you need for this upcoming spring paddling season.
Marketing is another job we work hard at during the winter months attending various shows in the Baltimore and DC area to promote our activities. As a small company marketing is every employee’s job and we often have folks come up with creative ways to reach out to the community. A perfect example of this creative thinking is our own local resident here at River & Trail. Kevin, who works as a Kayak instructor for us during the season, noticed the traffic backed up on RT 340 due to a road closure during that day’s rush hour snow storm. Kevin took it upon himself to raid our retail shop, load up his back pack with bottled waters and M&M’s, venture out into the winter wonderland, and distributed the items to the poor souls stopped for up to 3 hours along the highway. A gesture that earned him recognition in newspapers across the country.
Spring is, hopefully, just around the corner and we’re all looking forward to rivers and creeks clear of ice and warmer weather. Remember, melting snow means bigger water so keep those spring raft trips in mind for what is normally the best ride of the season.