WV - VA - NC Trip

alan0614

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If you hate trees and stunning scenery, don‘t go to West Virginia. What a beautiful place. We live in western NC and started the trip through Boone into western WV Picnic lunch at Pinnacle Rock. We bought a Ecoflow battery and Setpower cooler, both worked flawlessly. Woohoo, no more ice.
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From there we made it to Beckley for a coal mine tour and a bridge walk under the New River Gorge bridge. 851 ft above the river on a two foot wide platform.
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The next day we toured the bunker at The Greenbrier Hotel. It was built to house Congress during the Cold War, 1962-1992. No cameras allowed, tours available but still classified. https://www.atomicheritage.org/history/greenbrier-bunker. The work that went into the ability to house 1,100 indefinitely (Congress and support crew) is amazing. The closest city is Lewisburg, population under 4,000. It has an airport with a 7,000 ft runway. All to support moving DC to WV.

On to Sharpsburg, MD and the Antietam Battlefield. The bloodiest day on US soil. On the morning of 9/17/1862 132,000 men began a battle that left 22,717 dead, wounded or missing. It was pretty moving to look over the cornfields it was fought in and try to imagine the carnage. The National Park Service has it agriculturally restored to how it looked during the battle.

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Next up was Harper”s Ferry, back in WV. Another important town in Civil War history. Harper‘s Ferry sits at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.
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And down the Skyline Drive, have to throw in some wildlife
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The last things on the trip were a visit to the Wood Brothers Racing museum. True legends in the early days of Nascar. And a stop in Mt. Airy for lunch, home of Andy Griffith.
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Almost 1,200 miles and 19.7 mpg. Not too shabby when most of it was on 2 lane mountain roads.
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CEL2022

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Awesome pics there and thanks. Looks like a great trip. I did just pass thru VA, WV, NC and SC on my way to Florida in May. Great countryside when cruising down routes 81 and 77. Much better than 95. Love your Shelby GT350 and my current one is a 2013 GT500. Been thru about 12 or so Mustangs, Cobras and Shelby's over the years. That Woods brothers museum looks great and would love to see it. Thanks again for sharing. My Shelby's garage mate will be a 2022 Subie Crosstrek Sport soon for my wife until the Ranger arrives in a few months then it will be the GT500's mate in the garage. Its all good.
 

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Looks like a great trip you had Alan. We did a mining tour a couple years ago down in Bisbee, AZ. It's crazy what they use to have to do back then and yes Robert @NotBudule it's really dark when the lights go off down there. :eek:?

I've yet to see that part of the country and should've when I lived up in MA as I was a lot closer then. We really love going through those old towns, it brings back a lot of memories and it's nice to see them not commercialized.
 


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Nice trip and photos.
We were at the Gorge Bridge in April...did the exact same walk...scary for someone who's afraid of heights...ME !!! Also did the drive down into the Gorge to the river.
We're in Va, Shenandoah Valley region and have visited the mine, the Ferry, and we live 15 minutes from the Blue Ridge and Skyline Drive. Been to Mt Airy several times...easy to spend a day walking thru.
 
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alan0614

alan0614

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gets pretty dark in that mine when he shuts the lights off ...REALLY dark...
@NotBudule Yessir, total blackout.

Awesome pics there and thanks. Looks like a great trip. I did just pass thru VA, WV, NC and SC on my way to Florida in May. Great countryside when cruising down routes 81 and 77. Much better than 95. Love your Shelby GT350 and my current one is a 2013 GT500. Been thru about 12 or so Mustangs, Cobras and Shelby's over the years. That Woods brothers museum looks great and would love to see it. Thanks again for sharing. My Shelby's garage mate will be a 2022 Subie Crosstrek Sport soon for my wife until the Ranger arrives in a few months then it will be the GT500's mate in the garage. Its all good.
@CEL2022 We are blessed with some wonderful roads in this area. I had a 2011 GT500 and would love to find a low mile 13-14. Love the 350 but miss the torque of the 500. We love our Subie as well, our 5th.

Thanks for the taking us with you. Beautiful country down in Wild Wonderful West by God Virginia :like:
@GregM Yes it is.

Looks like a great trip you had Alan. We did a mining tour a couple years ago down in Bisbee, AZ. It's crazy what they use to have to do back then and yes Robert @NotBudule it's really dark when the lights go off down there. :eek:?

I've yet to see that part of the country and should've when I lived up in MA as I was a lot closer then. We really love going through those old towns, it brings back a lot of memories and it's nice to see them not commercialized.
@AzScorpion If you head this way, let me know. Will be glad to help steer you to some great places to see/visit.

Nice trip and photos.
We were at the Gorge Bridge in April...did the exact same walk...scary for someone who's afraid of heights...ME !!! Also did the drive down into the Gorge to the river.
We're in Va, Shenandoah Valley region and have visited the mine, the Ferry, and we live 15 minutes from the Blue Ridge and Skyline Drive. Been to Mt Airy several times...easy to spend a day walking thru.
@Grumpaw You live in a stunning part of the country for sure. As we left Skyline Wednesday we got into the worst rain and wind I’ve ever driven in just as we got onto 81. Hope you guys didn’t have any damage.
 

Chris M

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If you hate trees and stunning scenery, don‘t go to West Virginia. What a beautiful place. We live in western NC and start the trip through Boone into western WV Picnic lunch at Pinnacle Rock. We bought a Ecoflow battery and Setpower cooler, both worked flawlessly. Woohoo, no more ice.
3B4D55C6-685B-48EE-B303-16F987D62706.jpeg
29658AAF-4001-4D8B-869A-EEA87A6C3C0F.jpeg

From there we made it to Beckley for a coal mine tour and a bridge walk under the New River Gorge bridge. 851 ft above the river on a two foot wide platform.
06E347FB-BAC8-407A-AA80-06011B94979D.jpeg
459C6336-BD41-4C11-B8DE-EDE579DBBAA9.jpeg

5A366839-3DED-4EE3-9D4F-5944A31EB25C.jpeg

D8C9D21A-4A14-4365-9DAA-B7965F4040E1.jpeg


77158959-055F-4B02-A7D7-5F756B6C3DE8.jpeg

The next day we toured the bunker at The Greenbrier Hotel. It was built to house Congress during the Cold War, 1962-1992. No cameras allowed, tours available but still classified. https://www.atomicheritage.org/history/greenbrier-bunker. The work that went into the ability to house 1,100 indefinitely (Congress and support crew) is amazing. The closest city is Lewisburg, population under 4,000. It has an airport with a 7,000 ft runway. All to support moving DC to WV.

On to Sharpsburg, MD and the Antietam Battlefield. The bloodiest day on US soil. On the morning of 9/17/1862 132,000 men began a battle that left 22,717 dead, wounded or missing. It was pretty moving to look over the cornfields it was fought in and try to imagine the carnage. The National Park Service has it agriculturally restored to how it looked during the battle.

9A7F5C42-E461-40CA-8E31-5BD6D9C768A2.jpeg
F908F8EC-8649-4DCB-BE19-647A5E3C193B.jpeg
7E298C5A-2DE4-41DF-929E-416C83FE9673.jpeg


Next up was Harper”s Ferry, back in WV. Another important town in Civil War history. Harper‘s Ferry sits at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.
53DDB041-900C-4945-B8CF-437CDE90E138.jpeg

7B1E42EC-D238-48C0-A03A-6C5A625D948A.jpeg
62CD6A83-6614-4547-8A0F-D2537A38934F.jpeg

And down the Skyline Drive, have to throw in some wildlife
56EE4EAD-4043-45B2-A9C7-14CACDF25FD0.jpeg

The last things on the trip were a visit to the Wood Brothers Racing museum. True legends in the earla days of Nascar. And a stop in Mt. Airy for lunch, home of Andy Griffith.
DCF67603-E6BF-4B87-9B41-F5867E49A71E.jpeg
03147699-4FD1-4412-B11D-E89A223A8934.jpeg
8D8FCE41-CBB0-4BB5-AAF0-EBF794485BBF.jpeg
BE469E7F-D58C-49E6-9C91-B1E6DA85BA38.jpeg


Almost 1,200 miles and 19.7 mpg. Not too shabby when most of it was on 2 lane mountain roads.
3A2C0D4D-D3C1-4ACE-BE67-EC67E3EC0249.jpeg
Nice trip, much of which is somewhat in my old stomping grounds. Excellent pictures...especially the smiles on your faces as you adventure together.
Well done!
 
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alan0614

alan0614

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Nice trip, much of which is somewhat in my old stomping grounds. Excellent pictures...especially the smiles on your faces as you adventure together.
Well done!
@Chris M What took you west? It would be hard for me to leave all the green behind.

Beautiful pics Alan, and it is a beautiful area. You, and your daughter look great. :)
@wanted33 LMAO. Had to show that post to the wife.
 
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alan0614

alan0614

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Clean Ranger.

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Chris M

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@Chris M What took you west? It would be hard for me to leave all the green behind.
We had a handicapped daughter that wanted to go to college at ASU. She couldn't live by herself so we moved out here to make that happen for her.

We miss the green, and the seasons, but not the snow, ice, and power outages. Also don't miss the humidity.

We lived in Bassett, VA...just down the road a piece from Stuart (Wood Bros), and not far from Blue Ridge Parkway. Also, about 70 or so miles as the crow flies from Mt. Airy. I worked in the Youth Conservation Corps in the Shenandoah National Forest in the mid-70's, and as a trucker drove for 18 years up and down the east coast along some of those scenic highways and smaller roads. Beautiful country. Oh, first wife's family was from Beckley, WV so I was in and out of there a lot, too.
 
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alan0614

alan0614

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We had a handicapped daughter that wanted to go to college at ASU. She couldn't live by herself so we moved out here to make that happen for her.

We miss the green, and the seasons, but not the snow, ice, and power outages. Also don't miss the humidity.

We lived in Bassett, VA...just down the road a piece from Stuart (Wood Bros), and not far from Blue Ridge Parkway. Also, about 70 or so miles as the crow flies from Mt. Airy. I worked in the Youth Conservation Corps in the Shenandoah National Forest in the mid-70's, and as a trucker drove for 18 years up and down the east coast along some of those scenic highways and smaller roads. Beautiful country. Oh, first wife's family was from Beckley, WV so I was in and out of there a lot, too.
@Chris M That's the best reason I can imagine for moving out that way, family first always. The seasons are very nice but the humidity sucks. It's 90+ today with humidity of 70%., instant sweat.

I'm very familiar with Bassett, I have worked in the wood coatings industry basically all of my work career and have been all over that area in and out of furniture factories. My dad was in the same industry and spent many years in Martinsville.
 

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@Chris M That's the best reason I can imagine for moving out that way, family first always. The seasons are very nice but the humidity sucks. It's 90+ today with humidity of 70%., instant sweat.

I'm very familiar with Bassett, I have worked in the wood coatings industry basically all of my work career and have been all over that area in and out of furniture factories. My dad was in the same industry and spent many years in Martinsville.
I do miss the change of seasons too and being up in Colorado and South Dakota last month gave a nice taste of it. Like Chris I don't miss the humidity, snow and black ice. Today it's 111 out but only 10% humidity. We've been out doing stuff all afternoon and while it's hot you're not soaked like you just took a shower with your cloths on.

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