Go Together Life

📍 New River Gorge, West Virginia | Challenge #7 | 5 Stars | 9 Rafters | 2 Lost Sunglasses

Our family trips usually feature a challenge or two, but on a hot July weekend in 2025, the challenge was the trip. We set off for West Virginia on a two-day adventure that promised adrenaline, breathtaking scenery, and one more tick off our bucket list goal of visiting every U.S. National Park.

This time, the spotlight was on white water rafting in the New River Gorge, America’s newest National Park and one of the oldest rivers on the continent. It was our second rafting experience, though the first (on the Colorado River) had been more “lazy float” than “white-knuckle ride.” This one promised more splash, more speed, and definitely more stories.

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🚍 The Bumpy Start

Our journey began with a winding descent into the gorge aboard a shuttle from Adventures on the Gorge, which we highly recommend, by the way. They’re organized, friendly, and didn’t blink at the chaos we brought along.

Now, our family has a long-standing transportation hierarchy thanks to Ally and Patrick’s legendary carsickness. If it’s not Ally or Patrick behind the wheel, someone’s turning green. For longer journeys Mandy and Jon have become permanent backseat dwellers, while the older teens take turns driving the designated “kids” car. The short journeys however became fair game. So began daily “shotgun” battles for the coveted front seat. Let’s just say this bus ride added another chapter to the saga and Ally was very grateful to step onto firm ground at the end of it.

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🛶 A Family That Rafts Together…

Once we hit the riverbank, the excitement ramped up. Determined to ride as one dysfunctional unit, we piled into the same raft, with one person designated “Princess” (aka the seat in the middle where no paddling is required). In true competitive spirit, no one wanted to sit out, so we resorted to mid-river musical chairs, shuffling seats every time the waters calmed.

Cue chaos.

To complicate things further, Ally could only paddle on the left thanks to a shoulder injury, Daniel had to be in the front row, and the rest of us jockeyed for optimal splash zones. Our guide watched in disbelief as we launched into a wobbly game of seated Tetris after nearly every rapid, until Mandy, in an eye-rolling act of mercy, claimed the Princess seat permanently, bringing a little peace to the raft (and her legs).

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💦 Rapids, Laughter & Sunglasses Overboard

This stretch of the New River offers Class III and IV rapids, and we loved every minute. We surfed waves, gulped down river water, and were tossed around the raft like Tic Tacs in a glovebox. Best of all, every person stayed in the boat (except for a few voluntary swims in calmer patches).

Only two casualties: two pairs of $3 Walmart sunglasses perished in action. R.I.P., neon heroes.

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☀️ Hot Days, Cool Drinks, and a Perfect Score

The half-day trip included the bus ride, safety briefing, and rafting time. After a sun-drenched few hours on the water, cold drinks on the return ride felt like a five-star luxury.

And the challenge outcome? A rare perfect score, all nine of us participated and completed the challenge.

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📝 Challenge #7 Scorecard: New River Gorge Rafting Edition

Name	Result	Comment
Adam	✅	Self-declared “Best Rafter.” Jury still out.
Ally	✅	Only paddles left. Still crushed it.
Daniel	✅	Front row. Maximum splash. No regrets.
Jon	✅	Calm, steady, and slightly sunburnt.
Madison	✅	Quiet MVP of the paddle squad.
Mandy	✅	Claimed the Princess seat. Zero shame.
Patrick	✅	Survived the bus and the rapids. Heroic.
Quinn	✅	Laughing the whole way. Possibly surfing.
Reese	✅	Smallest paddler, biggest energy.

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We even splurged on the trip video, which Adam later “edited” into a highlight reel starring only our raft. Naturally, he gave himself the title of Best Rafter, prompting outrage from the rest of the crew and threats of a family veto.

This trip was the perfect blend of thrill and bonding, ideal for families with teens who love adventure but aren’t quite ready for the Class V beasts of the Upper Gauley. West Virginia, we’ll be back.

Next stop? Maybe a zipline. Or skydiving. Stay tuned