I think it is safe to say that nobody has a larger impact in the Richmond community with connecting people to the James River than Riverside Outfitters. If you have ever been interested in seeing the city from river level but needed a guide, call up Riverside Outfitters, and get out there. It truly is the city’s greatest asset and a very unique experience at that. Riverside Outfitters has also agreed to help those participating in ‘King of the James’ grab a shuttle ride back to Reedy Creek after finishing the whitewater section of the event! Matt Perry of RO has been an integral part of multiple Richmond based outdoor events, and without his help, logistics would be a nightmare.
I stopped by the shop today and chatted with Matt. The shop is very cool and reminds me of what an outfitter should look like. Gardens line the property of an old house littered with James River Park System relics. When you walk inside, you see pics of trips on the James and get a glimpse into the world that is Riverside Outfitters.
“RO was started as a way to create an outdoor community center in RVA…a place where people of all skill levels and interests felt welcome. We love outdoor recreation, but I think we love the energy and vibe of down to earth people connecting with each other and with fun challenges even more,” Matt explains. It doesn’t take long after stepping into the shop to notice the staff at RO has traveled the world extensively and spent a lot of time in the outdoors. Even better, they look like they are having a blast! The environment that surrounds the shop is one that makes you inspired to get into the park and enjoy the outdoors here in Richmond.
Matt sums up the Richmond outdoor scene with perfection, “the variety and the edge the RVA outdoor scene isn’t just one great attraction with a bunch of lesser options. The paddling, mountain biking, climbing, running…all of it is bad-ass. There’s so much variety of challenges and people, and the urban edge makes it that much cooler.” And for a guy who is surrounded by outdoor recreation everyday, his favorite thing to do in the Richmond outdoors is to go “mountain biking [on] the city trails followed by a local beer at Crossroads or Galley.”
http://www.riversideoutfitters.net/
Thanks Riverside Outfitters for supporting ‘King of the James’
King