September 9. 2020
We left Saybrook, Ohio about 2:30 yesterday afternoon, excited to be on the road in the motorhome once again. A quick stop at the West Virginia Welcome Center provided us with a cache of information.
We spent the night in Fairmont, WV at a Cracker Barrel. We enjoyed a carry out meal of yummy chicken pot pie and biscuits with honey. We were the only RV there for the night – it was especially quiet.
Getting to the trailhead in Shinnston was a real adventure. It was only 20 minutes away on a winding, narrow road with over hanging trees and utility poles right at the edge of the road. We were fortunate to escape with only a couple scratches. 😥 Oh, those country roads.
West Fork River trail’s path was used by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to deliver coal. The trail was a mixture of asphalt, and crushed stone. At times it was a single track with some small areas of mud which we were able to avoid. It was a hot day, high 80’s, but we were in heavy shade most of the way.
Views of the river were mostly blocked by trees. That won’t be the case in a month or so. Some areas of the trail were already strewn with leaves.
There was very little traffic on the trail. We crossed a couple bridges but the Fork River Bridge was a highlight.
We had planned on continuing another couple miles beyond the bridge but the trail rapidly deteriorated. The surface was large road gravel. A real pain to bike on.
This was a great introduction to West Virginia biking for us. We put 30 miles toward our 100 today. Good to have the motorhome awaiting our return to the trailhead. Especially enjoyed getting right into the shower!!
