When you read this week’s summer guide (p. 26), you’ll see that floating down the Rivanna River is among our favorite warm-weather activities. Whether you want to paddle, float, or take a guided tour, the Rivanna River Company is there to help. Gabe and Sonya Silver founded RRC to help connect locals with the beautiful river and share their love of everything outdoors. The Rivanna River Company is currently hosting Rivanna Roots, an outdoor concert series, with performers including Downbeat Project, Bluegrass Destroyers, and Chamomile and Whiskey. rivannarivercompany.com
Name: Gabe Silver.
Age: 39.
Pronouns: He/him.
Hometown: C’ville.
Jobs: Co-owner of Rivanna River Company with my wife Sonya Silver.
Worst thing about living here: Price of housing and what it does to diversity of all kinds.
Best thing about living here: The Rivanna River and our wonderful friends.
Favorite restaurant: Southern Crescent.
Bodo’s order: Everything with cream cheese, lox, tomato, red onion.
Where do you start and end a night out: Start on a mountain bike exploring the RTF with a few friends … end at Holly’s Diner.
Who is your hero: My dad.
Best advice you ever got: “Hurry up and make some mistakes so you can fix them and get on with your life!”
Proudest accomplishment: Creating the Rivanna River Company with Sonya.
Describe a perfect day: Family river trip, going real slow, lots of good snacks, a fishing rod, a snorkel mask, and nowhere else to be.
Most memorable adventure you’ve guided: Twenty-eight-day full descent of the James River in canoes with a dozen high-school students. Every possible high and low was experienced on our way from the mountains to the bay.
Favorite outdoor spot in C’ville: Other than the Rivanna River Company?… I’ll go with Ragged Mountain Reservoir.
What’s something about yourself that people would be surprised to learn: I’m pretty sure I was a pirate in a past life.
If you could be reincarnated as a person or thing, what would you be: A river otter.
If you had three wishes, what you would wish for: No more school shootings. The knees of my 18-year-old self, forever. For my daughters to never have to enter the world of social media and smartphone use.
Do you have any pets: Two cats, six chickens, 45 goldfish in the backyard pond.
Most embarrassing moment: So many to choose from. … I’ll go with the time I had a full-blown yet undiagnosed case of giardia on the night of my high school prom … enough said there.
Favorite movie: The Big Lebowski.
Favorite book: The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy.
What are you listening to right now: A Star Is Born soundtrack.
What’s a song you pretend you don’t like because it’s embarrassing that you love it: All of the Taylor Swift that my 9-year-old daughter loves.
Who’d play you in a movie: I’m going to say Bradley Cooper and Matthew McConaughey should both audition, though I’m not sure either quite have the looks for the role 🙂
Celebrity crush: It’s always gonna be the first girl in Braveheart, who gets executed. Still kind of in love with her. Such a tragedy.
Most used app on your phone: Wunderground (river outfitters watch the forecast more than anybody I know).
Last text you sent: Inviting my big sister to dinner.
Most used emoji: The strong arm one.
Subject that causes you to rant: Lack of decent public infrastructure here locally for residents to access waterways.
Best journey you ever went on: Four months in a little camper trailer across the country and back with our 4- and 6-year-olds at the time, plus dog, during the first COVID winter. Lots of family bonding time in the desert.
Next journey: A winter trip somewhere north, like Maine or Finland for real winter, x-country skiing, and saunas.
Favorite word: Y’all.
Hottest take: When it’s been really dry and everyone says ”The weather is so nice,” and all I can think is, ”No it’s not … we need rain!!!”
What have you forgotten today: To do my bookkeeping work.
