BUCKHANNON – A new business has come to Upshur County and it hopes to help people experience local rivers in a whole new way.  

Day Trippin Adventures LLC is owned by Alan Stephens, who moved to Buckhannon two years ago. His business is a full service outfitter offering tube rentals, guided fishing trips and more.

“I don’t know if you’re familiar with Tygart River Outfitters, but I just bought them, and I’ll be operating at Audra State Park this year,” Stephens said at a recent Consolidated Public Works Board meeting. “The reason I’m in front of the board today is I would like to create a working relationship with the City of Buckhannon.”

Stephens said he wants to set up a booth or a static location on Wood Street, where he can offer river trips. The plan would be to focus on Audra on weekends and be in Buckhannon during the week.

“Basically I have the boats, I have the equipment, I can provide the labor,” he said. “The ability to work with the city to do trips … would be beneficial, I think, to everyone.”

The initial idea would be to promote trips from Hampton to Wood Street and then from north Buckhannon to Pringle Tree, River Road, Hall Road and beyond. He said the routes would be three to four miles long, lasting about three to four hours at a casual pace. 

“On the weekends, I will be at Audra State Park and will be doing rentals and the like,” Stephens said. “During the week I’d be here in town, and I would run the river trips.”

Day Trippin Adventures will officially open April 1 and their services at Audra State Park will begin Memorial Weekend. Their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DayTripper19 is a good place to check for updates, or their phone number is 304-516-6353.

Mayor David McCauley suggested making a motion that would approve Stephen’s request after coming to an agreement with the city attorney Tom O’Neil. 

In other Consolidated Public Works Board news:

The Board decided to recommend that Buckhannon City Council name City Hall building after JD Hinkle Jr., who was Mayor of Buckhannon from 1965-75. Mayor David McCauley said Hinkle had plenty of achievements in his time as mayor.

“Mr. Hinkle was perhaps the greatest visionary leader in our city’s history,” McCauley said. “J.D. Hinkle paved many streets that had never been paved before and realized the installation of street lights.  He acquired the city’s waterworks system and greatly expanded and enhanced our sewer works and waste collection systems and the list goes on and on and on.”

The motion was made by Shobe and seconded by board member Pam Cuppari.

The board also decided to recommend a Wall of Fame at city hall. The motion was made by Cuppari and seconded by board member CJ Rylands.