by KRISTIN LARMORE
Lifestyles Reporter

They pick multicolor tomatoes and an edible flower called nasturtium from their garden, in addition to onions, cucumbers and squash.

They head over to their commercial-grade kitchen and prepare and pack fresh organic lunches for their customers, sure to have the munchies after a long hike, dirty crawl or water rapid trek.

Grant R. Seldomridge and geology professor Laura K. Mallard are co-owners of the wilderness adventures company River and Earth Adventures, Inc.

The business opened four years ago and has been growing ever since.

“I saw a need for this service, and of course, a lot of those fast food style rafting companies that were in the area already, some of them had questionable reputations and some of them were just not raising the bar to the level that people were expecting it to be in this day and age,” Seldomridge said.

Though other businesses of this kind exist in the area, a unique aspect of the company is a strong dedication to environmental stewardship and a waste-free policy, Mallard said.

A fresh, picnic-style lunch is prepared for every tour and trip, made solely from either local or organic foods.

When they first opened, customers were calling the Seldomridges’ house to arrange pick-up times.

Now, however, the company is hiring around 15 guides for the upcoming season to accommodate the increasing number of trips.

With about four returning staff members, they will be looking to hire.

Additionally, students can find internship opportunities at River and Earth Adventures during the summer.

A graduate from Appalachian State University’s recreation management department, Seldomridge said students from any major relatively related to the industry can benefit, and he and his wife can always use the extra help.

“Internships are really crucial for us, being that we are in a college town, and a lot of our guides are college students. They are only here for two to three years at most,” he said.

On any given day during the summer, guides are needed to run separate caving, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, tubing and rock climbing trips, and two people will monitor the climbing wall.

The gem mine requires staffing, too.

Seldomridge assured all interns are paid, so students can knock out credits and make money at the same time.

“Overall, it is a great company. Laura and Grant are fantastic people to work for,” trip leader and climbing wall manager for Outdoor Programs Zack N. Green said.

They highly value customer satisfaction, treat employees well and pay better than many commercial outfitters in the area, Green said.

Because the business is mainly seasonal in nature, the busiest time falls in June, July and August when the weather and water are warmest.

However, the tours and trips don’t always shut down just because it’s winter. 

“We have the philosophy, if you’re crazy enough to go, we’re crazy enough to take you,” he said of rafting. “We will go year-round.”

Seldomridge explained outdoor adventure activities are an experience unlike any other.

“It’s awesome to be on a class five river and you look down in the crystal clear river and see huge rainbow trout swim by. The spray’s coming up over the horizon line and the sun’s coming down, and it’s really just kind of a surreal feeling. It’s really hard to put into words,” Seldomridge said.

Mallard said the office is currently open mainly for trips to the eastern Tennessee cave systems, because of the time of year.  

“We are custom-oriented with our trips,” Mallard explained. The guides often lead smaller field trips, but that allows potential families and couples to have a more personalized experience.

For more information about River and Earth Adventures or to schedule a trip today, visit raftcavehike.com.

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