When I was a kid, there was nothing better than our family’s camping trips — usually in the mountains in August, as my father was a teacher. As there were nine children, camping was our kind of vacation because was cheap. However, most of us loved the outdoors and still camp together to this day.

If you grew up loving the outdoors, or if you wish you had, there’s a great opportunity right around the corner.

The Outdoor Adventure Social Club is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a camping trip and live music festival April 24 to Sunday April 26 at the Montebello Camping and Fishing Resort near Crabtree Falls.

The club has planned so many activities for this outdoor bash that it is staggering. These include hiking to Crabtree Falls, the tallest cascading waterfall in Virginia; hiking to the top of Spy Rock with its 360-degree views; native skills training; horseback trail riding; kayaking; canoeing; fishing; a bonfire; stargazing and even kickball and Ultimate Frisbee, just to name a few. To top it off, there will be a bonfire and live music concerts Saturday night.

The trip is for club members and organizers hope this will include brand new members enticed by the event and the membership prices that have been lowered to the 2004 prices during the month of April.

Angela Whetzel, who joined the club in 2004, is a club leader and usually takes people on canoe trips, teaches indoor rock climbing to beginners and hosts large dinners, where she gets to cook.

The native Virginian served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, where she did backpacking that was not so much about enjoying the outdoors. She will be handling the food on the camping trip.

“It’s certainly going to be a lot of fun things to do,” Whetzel said about the weekend. “It’s a super-packed weekend.”

Founder Matt Rosefsky said the club currently has 240 members, and he expects it to grow this month with the lowered prices. So far about 84 people are signed up for the April outdoor adventure and music festival, and he expects it to reach more than 100.

Tickets include five meals, adventures, live music concerts, campsite and building, the concert, a bonfire and field rentals. Tickets for the trip cost $30 if paid by Friday, $40 by April 23 and $50 on the trip dates. Rosefsky reports that organizers expect a $2,000 loss. Participants are required to register so that they can prepare properly.

“In celebration of our fifth anniversary, we set the ticket price way below cost to give thanks to our community for five wonderful years,” Rosefsky said. “Participants are welcome to come and go as they please, and staying for as short or long as they like.”
And while Whetzel met her husband through the club, she is quick to add that that is not the point of the Outdoor Adventure Social Club. Single folks and married folks alike of all ages are welcome to join. Members range in age from 17 to 70.

Arrive at the campground before 7 p.m. Friday to take part in dinner that night. All together, the OASC will provide participants with five meals, including a hot brunch on Sunday.
Rosefsky said they have rented out all of the tent sites, “nicely located in a forest, beside a stream, near a pretty lake.” He reports that there are also cabin beds. The club will provide all of its camping equipment and other members will share extra stuff once the club supplies are gone. You even can bring people and pet friendly dogs (on leashes) on the trip.
Of course, during these lean times, the question comes up about whether people will spend money on fun activities.

Rosefsky said that the club runs the trips for free or at cost with “just a small amount for the leader.”

“The club does not make any money on the adventures,” Rosefsky said.

“We’ve priced this festival way below cost. People still need to have safe fun in life.”

Another leader, Karin-Anne Jenkins, added, “If this isn’t getting the best bang for your buck, I don’t know what is.”

The OASC offers two to three trips every day, all year. Some of these are less outdoorsy and under the realm of social and cultural activities. They include bowling, cooking club, craft making, game nights, restaurant dining and wine and matching food tastings.
You can sign up for a year membership or a seasonal (i.e., summer) membership, or for just a month to see what it’s like.

The club also hosts a monthly information and social session, which is free to those who sign up and want to know about the club. It includes a slide show, refreshments and adventure signups. The meetings are on the second Friday of the month at 8 p.m. at club’s Social Space, on the Downtown Mall.

For more information, visit the Web site at http://www.outdoorsocial.com or call 760-HIKE (4453). You also can join the club or pay for the trip from the Web site.