We've never spent any time in West Virginia. In fact, our only recorded travel here was through a tiny corner of the state back in 2010. And we don't think we stopped. So really, this is our first time here.
We decided that we had to do some driving, so we got a really early start yesterday. In fact, we got out of bed and fired up the engine. Might as well warm things up with some engine heat rather than wasting propane.
We took a narrow mountain road. It was light out, but not good enough for photos. Good thing we were the only ones up that early because it would have been a little tight if we had met someone coming the other way. But, at least it was paved.
Still no sunshine.
We decided to take route 50 heading west. It looked like a fairly major road on the maps. And it was... but when we got into West Virginia, it became very hilly and curvy. A fairly major road, but we couldn't drive much faster than 35 mph (60 km/h).
And like one of our readers mentioned the other day, there are a lot of steep hills!
Didn't touch the gas pedal for three miles.
I pretty much didn't touch the brake pedal either. I put Sherman in first gear and let the transmission do most of the braking. Good thing there wasn't much traffic.
Ruth took a short video of us going down part of that hill...
Highway 50 in West Virginia.
West Virginia scenery.
After highway 50, we headed south on Interstate 79 from Bridgeport. Despite the fact that we'd rather no be on the Interstate, sometimes it just makes sense. But, it was only for an hour and then we took the number 19 south to Summersville Lake.
At one point, the suns rays were really bright through the clouds.
Summersville Lake is really low!
There is a free camping area below the dam at Summersville Lake. Picnic tables, fire rings, and outhouse style toilets. But the sites are really close together and made for tents more than RV's. And, not very level.
But fortunately, there was nobody there but us! So instead of trying to get level in one of the sites, I just parked parallel to the end of the sites so I just had to raise the front end a bit.
As it got dark, a car drove up, and a young couple started setting up a tent. They had a campfire, but it was too cold out for us! When we woke up this morning, it was only 37F (3C) inside the motorhome, and my phone said that it was 22F (-5C) outside. So that young couple must have been cold. I hope they had good sleeping bags!
We honestly thought it would have been warmer by now this far south. But looking at the weather, we're going to have to get south of Nashville before things start to warm up.
Sherman, boondocking at 38.214235, -80.88871
Yesterday's drive, 184 miles (295 kms).
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We've driven parts of US 50 in West Virginia, and many other states. I've often fantasized about driving it end to end, from Ocean City, Maryland to San Francisco.
ReplyDeleteWe never realized that Route 50 went right across the country. That might be an interesting road trip some day. You always hear people talking about the famous Route 66 but never here anyone mention Route 50, I wonder why?!
DeleteAside from the fact that I spend a lot of time looking at maps and daydreaming, the idea was recommended by William Least Heat-Moon, a travel writer who claims to have visited every county in the lower 48 states.
DeleteFunny that you mentioned that book because someone mentioned it to me on one of the RVing Facebook pages. I have even written down the name of the book and author and I will keep my eyes open for it. He definitely went about seeing the country in the right way. It was also stated that he never went on an interstate highway on the whole trip.
DeleteWhat did you think of the New River Gorge Visitor Center?
ReplyDeleteWell the outside of it was very nice but can't speak about the inside because it was closed for Thanksgiving! :-( We were really looking forward to having a good look around the inside when we got there too.
DeleteEvery fall they close the bridge for skydiving. The leaves are beautiful in West Virginia in the fall. I have white water rafted under the bridge several times. The reason that the lake looked low was because every fall they allow more water released for the rafting tourists.
DeleteYes, we read about that. It is on the third Saturday of October every year when the shut the bridge down for 6 hours and people are legally allowed to walk the bridge and they can legally base jump. It would certainly be an interesting sight to see. I can just imagine how beautiful fall would be in West Virginia. Maybe one summer we will have to come back and do a white water rafting trip down the river. :-)
DeleteHappy you're enjoying your easy traveling route.
ReplyDeleteGlad we didn't have those 9-% grades while pulling our trailer.
Sharing Body Heat helps people make it through cold weather.
We are also expecting cooler weather starting next week.
Be Safe and Enjoy!
It's about time.
I wouldn't say easy just nice and slow. Easy would be driving a straight line, lol! ;-)
DeleteTrust us we snuggle up as close as possible, if we didn't we would have woken up as solid lumps of ice.
Hope you have a great day on our U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. That terrain is a little hillier than Alberta, eh?
ReplyDeleteWe had a lovely day, thank you!
DeleteI think you have your geography a little wrong. Alberta has the Rocky Mountains so it is very hilly, unless you happen to be on the east side of Calgary which is much flatter. We are actually in Saskatchewan and yes, West Virginia is just a little hillier than that! :-)
A nice drive! Hope it warms up a bit soon...
ReplyDeleteIt will eventually, we are just happy if the sun is shinning! :-)
DeleteLooked like an interesting drive. I would have thought it would be warmer by now as well. Looks like your both enjoying it so what does the weather matter anyway. Stay safe!
ReplyDeleteWe would have thought so too but it really isn't any different than what the temperature is back in Ottawa right now. It should be a little nicer over the weekend though.
DeleteA nice area to explore, think we did some of those roads years ago remember the 9% grades and winding roads, Keep going eventually you will find warmer weather.
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't be hard to find any road here that doesn't have a 9% grade to it at some point along the way. Slow and easy does the trick. We are really loving the gorgeous scenery and the fun roller coaster ride that goes with it.
DeleteYou’re finding some great places to camp driving the country roads. Your pics look like back home in PA, driving up to the Wilderness Lodge. It’s 78 today in Juno Beach Florida.
ReplyDeleteWe sure are Connie! :-) Yep, West Virginia isn't too much different from the scenery back in your area.
Delete78 sounds like heaven right now. We are just about done with being cold! Have a good time with the "girls". :-)
Just signed up to receive your daily travel blogs. Following you because we are from Maple Creek and I will brag we had glorious sun today and plus 18C!! Water running in the streets. We will re read your posts when we take an eastern tour..........
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking the time to comment and for rubbing in the warmer temperatures you are having back in Saskatchewan, lol! Problem with that is, your temperatures are only going to get worse as time moves on and ours will only get better. ;-)
DeleteIf you have any questions about the east coast, don't hesitate to ask away and we will try to answer them.
We just left Nashville yesterday and now on the way to Memphis :) Just wondering what app do you use to find the free campgrounds? I don't get a lot using iOverlander unless its just because the areas we are visiting? :)
ReplyDeleteiOverlander is simply one resource that you could use along with quite a few others including freecampsites.net, and ultimatecampgrounds as well as doing your own research into sites that aren't listed on any of the "apps". There are tons of state forests and national recreation areas. Some of the best camp sites are the ones nobody else knows about. :-)
DeleteWest Virginia is a scenic state, full of natural beauty (that humans have tried really hard to mess up), but the weather "ain't the best!" We love traveling on Hwy 50, I guess because it'll take you places you wouldn't otherwise see. We are finally home to Tergel in Daphne AL and our morning's low was 40. Pretty soon we'll fire 'er up and head west.
ReplyDeleteAt this time of year the temperatures certainly aren't the best but I don't expect that this is prime time to be visiting either! ;-)
DeleteGlad that you are back "home" in Tergel. Looks like you had a very interesting trip to India but somehow I don't think that you will do a return trip there. We aren't that far away but I don't expect that our paths will cross because it will still be a little while before we hit Natchez and I would expect that you will already be long gone by the time we could possibly have crossed paths. Enjoy your trip back home.