Fourteen years ago, I visited the Shenandoah Valley looking for a location to host an adventure race. With Shenandoah National Park, George Washington National Forest, and the Shenandoah River, the area was perfect as an outdoor adventure playground. Not long into the reconnaissance, I came across Downriver Canoe Company, an old-school outfitter nestled right on the Shenandoah River in Bentonville (VA, not AK). With its huge covered deck, friendly staff, and enthusiastic owner, John Gibson, I knew we had to work with this company and location to help make our events shine. Along with vans, canoe trailers, piles of paddles and life jackets, the smell of the river, and smiling river-goers coming on and off the water, I was taken back to my childhood in Wales, where I grew up in an outdoor pursuits center my parents ran. As a youngster, I was surrounded by kayaks being made in resin molds, trips to the rivers and canals to paddle with teens from London, and the hustle and bustle of adventure coming to life in the form of various outdoor activities, I instantly connected to the Downriver vibe. I distinctly remember telling Margo about Downriver and how cool it would be to run somewhere like that. We met as counselors at a summer camp and have always dreamed of owning some type of outdoor outfitter or camp. Hosting adventure races, mountain bike races, trail runs, and various other outdoor competitions over the past fifteen years brought us closer to that goal but never quite scratched the outdoor itch we have had since we first met thirty years ago.
As years, work, and family life went by, we slowly migrated out further and further west from the hustle and bustle of DC and Northern Virginia to a quiet spot nestled right on the Shenandoah River in Front Royal. Remote work and running events gave us the luxury of being a little more off the grid, having more adventures, and becoming fully engrossed in the amazing outdoor recreation opportunities the area has to offer. Hikes in the national park, mountain biking in the national forest and state park, and daily paddles on the river have become part of our schedule.
As our kids Syd and Sam started to embrace the outdoors, they were lucky enough to get summer jobs with John and his crew at Downriver. Whether it was running the front desk and greeting guests with a smile or hucking boats and driving vans up the river to Trip 3, they both loved the environment, hard work, coworkers, and community of working on the river. Margo and I really appreciated the opportunity John gave our kids, and it helped build a bond with him and the business.
This brings us to May 2024. After an event we had been hosting out of Downriver, John approached me asking if I would be interested in taking over the business. My immediate thought was yes and how amazing that would be. But filling John’s shoes and taking on such a legacy was a daunting prospect. I know others had approached John about the business, and having him come to me with the offer…I knew it was a great honor. I know that John having started and run Downriver for 53 years and now looking to move on was not an easy decision for him. This was his baby, his daily life, and a business he had traversed from a tiny spring back in 1974 to the beautiful flowing river it is today. I let him know I would think about it and talk it over with Margo. As a family, we went through the pros and cons of the opportunity, and I think it was a foregone conclusion that the pros would be the longer list. I let John know I would be honored to take over the business, keeping it family-run and holding tight to the same vibe that drew me to it 15 years prior.
So for the 2025 season, I, along with family, friends, and much of the fantastic existing Downriver crew, will be opening our doors on April 1 for what I hope will be a great season. Am I worried about the weather, river levels, safety, getting guests through the doors, marketing, carrying on a legacy, staffing, repairs, maintenance, afternoon thundershowers, too much rain, too little rain, and a whole host of other things that keep me up at night? Yes, I am. Would I let that stop me from embarking on a new adventure with people who I know and love and that I know will be challenging but have rewards and fulfillment that you just cannot get working behind a desk or for someone else? No, it will not.
All of us here at Downriver Canoe Company hope to see you all out on the river with us this summer. We promise whether you are floating in a tube, casting a line to get a bite, bonding with your kids, or out for a fun day with your family, friends, or coworkers, we will make it as much of an adventure as we have had getting to where we are today.