Category: West Virginia

September 21, 2020

We spent yesterday afternoon driving from Lewes, Delaware to Morgantown, WV. The Walmart where we spent the night was so quiet we slept till after 7 AM. We only had a short distance to drive to the Mon River Trail access parking area.

It was a small parking lot but we were able to just fit in without blocking the area for others.

We we were looking forward to getting on the trail to finish our West Virginia 100 miles. The Mon River Rail-Trail system was recently selected to Rails-to-Trails Hall of Fame so our expectations were high.

We only experienced a small portion of the trail which follows the Monongahela River. The trail surface was crushed stone and in excellent condition and the river was in sight the entire time. I think scenic and peaceful best describes our ride.

The Monongahela River is 130 miles long and is navigable via a series of locks and dams. Within the 10.5 miles from where we parked we were able to see 2 of the locks and dams.

We enjoyed the shade, the river views and the quiet beautiful forest. We even saw a couple deer.

We didn’t see anyone on the trail on our ride out but on our return there were many bikers and a few walkers. We met several people in the parking area and enjoyed sharing thoughts on finding free RV overnight parking. They are electric bikers and RVers.

A wonderfully relaxing day for us as we have completed our 100 miles in West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Over 300 miles in 11 days of riding. We are only about 4 hours from home so that’s where we are headed! What an adventure!!

September 11, 2020

We left Lewisburg for the trailhead in Renick. Through no fault of our own (??) we missed a turn and crossed the river. The narrow road became narrower and narrower until it was only one lane. After several miles we turned around, with much difficulty, and headed back across the river. Amazing, there was the trail!

It was our good fortune (God’s blessing) that we crossed paths with Glen and Twyla Diehl. They happen to have a campsite on a lot near their home and offered it to us for a minimal fee. We had water and electric and use of their dump station. They are an interesting couple and have traveled all over the US in their RV. Renick is a small town and I think they own most of it.

After we were settled we headed north on the trail toward Beard which is the halfway point of the trail. The forest was beautiful, sometimes we could look right into it and other times it towered above us on cliffs over looking the trail.

About a mile from where we started there was a swinging wooden bridge. We would have loved walking over it but there were no trespassing signs. Also, when we stopped to take pictures we were swarmed with mosquitos.

Six miles from where we started was the Droop Mountain Tunnel. Our favorite part of the ride. Traveling through the tunnel heading north you begin to see the light at the other end within a few yards of entering. It’s very different when entering traveling south. There are a few seconds when you are pedaling in total darkness. It’s a very unsettling feeling.

The trail was not busy and we only saw 4 other bikers and a couple walkers. There are areas for camping and shelters along the way.

This was a great trail. There was plenty of varied scenery to keep it interesting. The trail surface was constantly changing too, so we had to keep our eyes on the road.

The Greenbrier River Trail is a Hall of Fame Trail. I have been looking forward to riding this trail since we began this journey. The trail is 77 miles long and we rode almost all of the southern half between Beard and Caldwell. We hope to ride the northern end from Cass to Marlinton in the future.

We have completed 82 West Virginia miles. Tomorrow we are going to Maryland to begin our 100 there. We plan to complete our WV 100 on our way home from Maryland.

September 10, 2020

We had a really quiet night at Walmart in Summersville. It was nice to have access to satellite and watch some of the Tour de France while having breakfast.

Planned our route to Caldwell so we could avoid those narrow country roads. It gave us the chance to see the New River Gorge Bridge. We stopped at the visitors center which was closed but we were able to visit the viewing areas using a dramatic wooden walkway.

The bridge reduced a 40-minute drive down narrow mountain roads to less then one minute.

Route 64 heading into Lewisburg/Caldwell area had some very steep grades. Views of mountains were awesome.

We went right to the trailhead in Caldwell. Lenny had some repairs to do on his bike and we wanted to ride a few miles to check out trail conditions. Also to be certain Lenny’s new axle and tune-up corrected his shifting issues.

While eating lunch at the trailhead a bear ran across the road. It ran thru a field, looked very confused and went into a corn field. That’s our bear sighting for this trip, no more needed.

The few miles we planned turned into 13 out to mile marker 16. Lenny’s repairs to his bike were successful. Heading back it started to rain and then pour. We have ridden in rain before but never to this extreme.

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!!