Morning in West Virginia, afternoon in Virginia

Here's that Bridge over the New River Gorge that has shown up in so many of my pictures. The sign approaching the bridge on the hiway says it is the longest single-span arch bridge in northern hemisphere. Completed in 1977. Before the bridge it took 45 minutes to traverse the mountain roads to cross the gorge and now it takes less than 45 seconds on the bridge.

Lovely old CCC built set of structures overlooking a dam and river.

We discovered a new breakfast favorite

Memorial Day. Travel day. Entering a tunnel that comes out in Virginia

Sun finally came out today. Wouldn't you know, the day we head out! Nice drive, Blue Ridge Mountains ahead!

We are staying at a KOA at Fancy Gap, Virginia very near the Blue Ridge Parkway. Don't you love the name! Be here two nights.

Sunday drive

Found this picture perfect working grist mill in a local State Park.  Was restored using parts from 3 other old mills in WV to represent the 50 odd mills that operated in this area at one time.

Blooming forest! Bright spot with rain water dripping from them!

Sandstone Falls

Checking out what's here

The lady at the Visitor Center said this was the most popular short hike to a must-see overlook down into the gorge and that because it's an extra busy weekend, to go early. Parking area limited and you dare not park on the road! We took her at her word and we were there at sunrise--such that it was as it had rained all night and pretty drippy out there. Well, we were the FIRST ones in the parking lot!! I think the rain kept sensible people tucked in bed this morning. But we were out for what turned out to be a nice 2 mile hike, in our rain ponchos.  And the end overlook down into the foggy Gorge was not to be missed.

The New River rapids down below. Btw, there is nothing New about this river, don't know how it got its name.

Looking up stream from same point. This river brings lots of river rafting enthusiasts plus rock climbers to the rugged cliff walls. 

This bridge is a rail bridge and hiway bridge all in one.

Another lookout point down into the Gorge. This one was along the road.

A really interesting road down to the bottom of the Gorge and across the River, under that huge hiway bridge. 

Grand views of the bridge from underneath.

West Virginia and New River Gorge NP

Moved into West Virginia today. . .in the rain. Weather has changed and a wet holiday weekend is forecast.  At least it is not storming and so far is a warm rain.

This part of West Virginia--and eastern Kentucky, for that matter is really mountainous. Not like the western mountains but they are plenty hilly and the roads are curvy, rolling and narrow. We always say we like to stick to secondary roads and avoid freeways but changing our tune out here. Certainly scenic but we have found ourselves on roads, actually starting in Southern Illinois--that we should not have been on with the RV! Now we pick the major roads and interstate hiways and do our touring with the car that we tow. Only problem now is those major roads can be toll roads!! I am thinking we are going to have a substantial hiway toll bill by the time we leave the Easy Coast!

We are at Fayetteville, West Virginia, just outside the newest National Park. New River Gorge was officially designated a NP just last year. It was a fairly remote recreation area. This bridge over the gorge was built in the 70's and is pretty impressive to see it from below on the spot where the small original bridge crossed the New River. It's 876 feet high. 

We will be exploring for the next couple of days, rain or shine.

Train Ride and Arches

Took a ride on the Big South Scenic Railway out to the site of a Coal Mining camp that operated from 1902 until sometime in the 40's. 

Buildings had been recreated to look like it did when it was producing coal and miners were paid $7.40 a week. They lived in company housing and shopped for daily needs in a company store. 12 days, 6 days a week. Bleek life.

Entrance to mine. We packed a lunch and spent a couple of hours touring the grounds and learning how they lived.

Building served as church and school. Pews on one side and school desks on the other.

A natural Arch, one of over 70 in this county alone--so the sign said.

Cumburland Falls, perhaps the best known falls in Kentucky. Is impressive.

The falls is in a state park that has a really nice old lodge with a restaurant. We decided to enjoy the ambiance and have dinner. We had fried green tomatoes for an appitizer. Hadn't had them in years, couldn't resist ordering them.

Then Will had fried Catfish dinner--which he said was good-- and I had a local specialty, "Kentucky Brown." It's a hot open faced sandwich--toast topped with turkey, ham, bacon, smothered with 3 cheeses, all melted under a broiler. It was too much food but I would order it again.

Red River Geological Area

My knee not healing as fast as I had hoped, not really able to scramble over rocks and tree roots or climb up and down hills but managed a mile hike on a wide flat trail today to this  suspension bridge. 

Found a neat old one lane tunnel that was built about 1920 by a loging company. We missed the best part of area because the road was closed due to a landslide. Suppose to have been a natural Arch with outstanding views. Guess I will have to take their word for it!

We spent the rest of the day driving through countryside. Small towns tucked into the hills of Kentucky but then plenty of large estates/farms--horse farms and the like. Interesting to see all the black painted fences and black barns,  unlike red barns of the Midwest.

I see these same red rose bushes all over Kentucky, in front yards, in town boulevards, in the country. 

Cumberland Gap

Old mill replica

Kentucky historical sight. Dr Thomas Walker who discovered Cumberland Gap some 20 years before Daniel Boone arrived on the scene. Wanted to claim area beyond for  British land grant in 1750 but deemed area too rugged for settlement. This is as far as he got.

The Gap--an "opening" in the wall of Appalachian Mountains that eventually opened up Kentucky, the Ohio Valley and the West for thousands of settlers.  Pic taken from high point where three states come together, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia.

Today there is a tunnel that goes under the Gap as is National Historical Park. Just as we approached, red lights stopped us with signs suddenly closed the tunnel. Took a few minutes to realize what was going on. Whenever hazardous cargo (gas transport) approaches they stop traffic until tunnel is clear and escort that vehicle through. Then we can go. Didn't take long but we thought for a moment we were stuck!!

Town of Corbin, Kentucky boasts a famous citizen, Harlan Sanders, aka Colonial Sanders. This is where it all began.

Azaleas in bloom.

Just beyond the tunnel is small town of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee where we had lunch. My criteria was local, cutsie, and comfy, and this little coffee shop was it. 

We moved today about 125 miles to Eastern Kentucky to a Corp of Engineers campground on Lake Laurel, a big reservoir near London, Kentucky. A perfect spot in the woods of a National Forest on a gigantic lake. Very quiet, scenic, great place to stop about 4 days to check out the area. In fact it is so quiet and secluded that there is no internet at campsite and spotty cell service. Wonder if we can actually survive?!?!

The final 35 miles down this hiway was indeed narrow and very curvy, Will was not liking that road at all with the RV. It was well named!