Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 13, 1994 TAG: 9404130091
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOE KENNEDY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEW CASTLE LENGTH: Long
War is hell, but Nervo's usually is not this bad. Instead it's an enjoyable, if consuming, attempt to establish a facility to provide outdoor recreation to campers from all over the country.
He began it five years ago, when he retired as a colonel with 33 years of service in the Marines. His first skirmish came when he tried to buy about 50 acres of land near Eagle Rock in Botetourt County. He wanted to set up a rustic camping place for kids and adults, but irate neighbors - who never, he said, bothered to ask him about his plans - took him on at meetings of the planning commission and board of supervisors. The result was a rout.
``It turned out to be the best thing that ever happened,'' Nervo said. He went and bought 475 acres in Craig, where he and his staff have been bivouacked not in tents but in an old log cabin, to which he and his helpers have added a large lodge.
What was to be Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Rock became Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing, and Nervo could not be happier - if happiness lies in a strenuous effort to create, from the ground up, a year-round enterprise offering team training and physical challenges to people of all ages and in all seasons.
Nervo's all-volunteer troops of campers have increased from 30 youngsters the first summer to 240 last summer, and 300 to 400 are expected this season. Off-season, he and his core staff are teaching outdoor and American Indian skills to alternative-education students from Roanoke city and Salem, and now that the lodge is built, Nervo is hawking his family sessions and executive seminars, as well.
But the main thing is the summer program. As the brochure says, it is not a typical summer camp. Toting backpacks, participants hike from the base camp to six different campsites on the property, cook out under the stars and sleep in tents.
By day, they have a rugged adventure, either testing their skills on site or riding the colonel's fleet of rickety vans to nearby spots for rock climbing, rappelling, canoeing, kayaking, caving, hiking, mountain biking or tackling the ropes course, zip line and adventure trail. They spend much of their time in the George Washington and Jefferson national forests
The camp is open to boys and girls ages 10 to 18. They are divided into three age groups, and their sessions range from one week for the youngest to three for the oldest. Some stay on for more.
``I know Nervo,'' said Bob Boardwine, ranger at the Jefferson's office in New Castle. ``You couldn't ask for a guy who's more conscientious or dedicated to what he's doing.''
Other men may spend their retirements fishing or playing golf, but Nervo is building a dream. It's complicated, with 34 summer employees and a big shed full of tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, canoes, kayaks and mountain bikes, but it beats boredom.
So what if he's more than $250,000 in debt? If all goes well, he said, this will be the turnaround year.
Nervo and his wife, Pat, have seven children, who range in age from 14 to 31. Two work at the camp full-time and three help out during the summer.
During his military career, the family moved every two to three years. Nervo's stops included Camps Pendleton and LeJeune, Quantico, Okinawa, Thailand and Norway, plus two tours in Vietnam. From the looks of things, he's still on active duty.
``One of my weaknesses,'' he said, ``is probably that I want to move too fast.''
``In different directions,'' his wife said, with a laugh.
Nervo's motivation comes from the 15 years he spent as a Scout leader, specializing in camping excursions. There, and in his Marine training, he saw how overcoming obstacles can mold character and build systematic thinking.
He is a strong believer in teamwork. He believes that many of today's urban troubles result from the elimination of the military draft more than 20 years ago - not that he wants it restored.
The all-voluntary military was ``the best thing that ever happened to the military services, but the worst thing that ever happened to the country.''
In the old days, he said, a ninth-grade dropout could join the Army for training, self-respect and a couple of years of gainful employment, which could turn into a career.
Now, the option is closed. Nervo said some sort of national service for the young would be good if it were tailored to their skills.
Wilderness Adventure is built on his belief that everyone can benefit from a structured challenge, or even a bit of hardship. The true tests come from the backpacking and camping, activities which can be grueling and detailed, he said.
The recreational activities are the bells and whistles that bring the young people in. They have come from as far as New Mexico. About 70 percent are from Washington, Baltimore and Northern Virginia.
The kids seem to love it, if not at the exact moment of their challenge, then shortly thereafter, when they realize what they've accomplished.
Take the group that came in recently for spring break. They spent several days outside in cold, wet weather, slept in damp tents and nearly froze - literally - when snow and rain pelted them on their mountain bikes.
``It was really bad, actually,'' said Seth Gale, 14, from McLean.
Not so, said Nicki Pascal, a 14-year-old girl from North Potomac, Md. ``It was fun. It was, like, adventure-y.''
``Camping in the rain is hard because you get wet and you don't know when you're going to be dry again,'' chirped Susan Ewing, an 18-year-old from North Potomac, happily.
Katherine Martin, a 14-year-old from Vienna, said she was apprehensive about attending, but her parents talked her into it.
``They said it would be an experience,'' she said. ``They're into that cultural experience thing, like trying everything.'' By week's end, she was agreeing with Sarah Goldman, also from Vienna, who said, ``I love it here - the whole karma.''
Such accolades bring a smile to the colonel's face, if not hair to his shaved head.
The ambush in Botetourt is history. ``To this day, I do not know what was behind it,'' Nervo said.
The camp has been a welcome addition to Craig County, said Richard Flora, the county administrator, and Nervo is an asset to the community. In his three years as administrator, Flora has heard the camp get dozens of compliments and no complaints.
``We just wanted to present an opportunity to kids ... who had never had a true opportunity to appreciate nature and the beauty of the country we've got around here, and learn how to enjoy it,'' Nervo said. ``I figure I'm a little bit of a gambler. I'm not afraid to commit if I feel it's going to be a success.''
Patiently and persistently, he finally extricated his Landcruiser - which he bought in Okinawa and brought home from Thailand - from the muddy mess it was in and returned to firmer ground: another victory in his ongoing campaign.
by CNB