05/11/2011 to 05/26/2011
May means ROAD TRIP. We had to go to Maryland so we decided it was a good opportunity to do some places we have wanted to visit or re-visit. We took our time and drove the little back roads for their scenic value and great little points of interest. We also found some great restaurants like Mythos in Joplin, MO, Gumbo in Fayetteville, WVA, and Edelweiss in Staunton VA.
Our main attraction on this trip was New River Gorge in West VA. We made a brief stop here last year on our way home and liked what we saw. So, we spent several days hiking and appreciating the incredible views.
We took a day to go into D.C for some tourist fun, and then on our way home we finally made that detour to see Brents Fort near La Junta CO.
Thankfully the weather was good while we were playing tourist. Tornado dodging, slogging through torrential downpours and rubber-necking overturned semis were all on the homeward bound portion of the trip. It's all good!
- Kanawha Falls - Glen Ferris West VA
- Gauley Bridge Falls
- Hawks Nest Hydro Station
- Keymoor Trail - New River Gorge
- New River Gorge Scenic Drive
- Kaymoor Trail Shrooms
- Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine
- Endless Wall Trail - New River Gorge
- Beartown State Park - West VA
- Battlefield and Coverd Bridge
- D.C Tourist
- Sandstone Falls - New River Gorge
- Brents Old Fort - La Junta, CO
As usual we are taking the scenic route because you can find all sorts of great sights once you leave the big highways. US 60 through West Virginia is no exception. As we were tooling along we came upon these beautiful falls on the Kanawha River. Try to forget that nice old brick building is a coal fired power plant and just enjoy the scenery.
Kanawha Falls
The power station along the river.
As you can see the falls may not be high, but they are quite wide, and noisy.
Too bad we don't have audio for this. There has been a lot of rain and the falls were really flowing.
That little sign warns the boats to stay clear of the turbulence. Unfortunately it's so small that you're probably in trouble if you get close enough to read it.
This huge machine was working on the railroad along US 60 by the entrance to Kanawha Falls. True, a gang of beefy men hauling rails would be more interesting but this is probably more efficient
Just a couple miles further up US 60 from Kanawha is Gauley Bridge. This is a very nice little pull-out with a lovely bridge and this very nice waterfall.
Gauley Bridge
Yes, that is the bridge
At some point the falls were much fuller
This little guy was quite comfortable on the ground just before the bridge
Just a bit farther up US 60 from Gauley Bridge we saw a sign for this hydro station. It seemed to promise more interesting views and river so we made a stop. Well, I would not say you can get to the river easily, but apparently the fishing is great
I am still wondering about the "without discrimination" phrase
The tracks lead down to the power station. Rather a nice walk
Yes, I too had silly thoughts when I saw this
You can see the water is rather turbulent
The building itself is quite nice looking
This very nice young man let me take his picture with that huge catfish
This trail takes you along the top of the gorge, past the mine entrance, and then to a series of 821 steps which lead down to the old processing sight, coke ovens and town. Yes, that's right. Those nice park rangers constructed 821 steps just so you can get down to the bottom. Sweet!
That's the distance to the top of the stairs
You cross this pretty creek
Nice waterfall. I'm in it for scale
One of several shafts - great for cool air after hiking out of the valley
Lots of old buildings remaining - this is near one of the shafts
Close to the stairs down to the old town
Labor Liberates! OK so that is not what it says, but it is what came to mind when we read it
The obligatory safety board and another shaft
Going down the first of many, many steps
This was a rather large structure you can see on the way down
Part of the old ore carrying best still stands
No idea what these were used for but they are pretty big
A rather large old corrugated building now being reclaimed by the forrest
All the old buildings are behind fencing to try to keep people out
Another decaying corrugated building
I thik this was part of an old head frame assembly - and it too is inside fencing
Lots of old pieces of machinery just lying about
Just some of the 100 plus coke ovens
Time to up the stairs
When the town was active there was a motorized lift that took folks up to the top, not 800 stairs
After our trip down and up the stairs at Kaymoor we decided to enjoy a scenic tour from the comfort of our truck. Naturally the main attraction is the natural beauty of the gorge and that wonderful bridge that spans it. So, be prepared to see it from many vantage points.
From the overlook near the Visitors Center
Looking down the New River
The bridge through the trees
And my sister has rappelled from this on Bridge Day? WOW
View of the bridge from New River Gorge Preserve development
The Tunney Hunsaker Bridge
We were in time to see some rafters going by
It may not be the Colorado but it looked like they were having fun
Always a kayaker moving through like a bullet
We love mushrooms, and one day we may actually have one site dedicated to nothing but shrooms,rn but for now I will just share some of the beauties we found along the Kaymoor Trail
We love mine tours, so how could we resist taking this one since we are staying in Beckley while enjoying New River Gorge. This mine closed in 1910. Your guide is a retired miner who is a trove of information about the Beckley Mine and coal mining in general. I finally understood what a "fire boss" did, what a "low seam mine" is, and lots of coal miner humor. There are also a "restored" coal mining town you can visit. Buildings that would had been common during the hey-day of the mine have been brought to the site and are open for viewing. All in all it is a very nice tour.
Riding the train into the mine
Lots of big equipment with some old and some newer models
Our guide showing us the progression of types of head lamps
A one ton coal car. Just can not imagine doing 16 of these
As you leave the mine you drive around the mountain and it looks like a water park is on the site
Some of the buildings surrounding the mine
A restored living room. I loved the linoleum glued over the hardwood floor
Inside one of the bedrooms
The Rahall Company Store, or a replica of one with upgrades
A restored miner's cottage. Now, i have been in the Appalachians and I never saw one this nice
This was home for a single miner
This is the supervisor's house. Quite huge and well appointed
One of the rooms in the supervisors house
Another day, another hike. The Endless Wall. The trustees of the Nuttall Estate sold the property to the park in May of 1998. During the 1800s this was the site of the Nuttalburg Mine, the largest mine in the New River Coalfields. Today it is just a place of great beauty, spectacular views and beautiful rhododendrons
Just a short way onto the trail is this lovely little bridge
Just to give some idea of what the trail looks like
Beautiful rhododendrons are abundant on the trail
Mist in the valley
From here it looked like a white carpet covering the valley
You can see the sun is starting to come out and burn off the mist
Yup, that is the bridge over the gorge
One shot of the Endless Wall - yes it does go on a ways
That's George across the way on that little outcropping
George is actually smiling
From one vantage point along the trail you can see the Kaymoor Trail and the start of the 821 steps
The sun came out and the views were wonderful
More Endless Wall
Ok an artsy shot. That butterfly was really enjoying that rhododendron
Despite the name, there are no bears. The great rock formations are droop sandstone. They fragment in very interesting ways and there are numerous little openings in most of the formations. Add to that the beautiful (but doomed) hemlocks and thriving birch trees and you get a great place to visit.
Beartown
The boardwalk goes throughout the park
Just one of many halls leading through the formations
Rock, lichen, moss, trees.
These formations are great. I see a face with funny fern hair
Shooting up one of the shroom formations
I am in this for scale as usual
Tight squeeze
The stacking is just amazing
Notice the moss covering the rails
More towers
Yes, I love rocks
Love those fern tops. This is rock-cap fern. OK, not imaginative but accurate
More scenic driving and more discoveries. Somewhere around Lewisburg is the Hern Mill Covered Bridge. Originally built in 1884 in the Queenpost truss design. OK, so I have no idea what that means, but it is a pretty bridge.
After we left Beartown we were enjoying the scenic 219 and saw a sign for Droop Mountain Battlefield. Never heard of this battlefield so we made a quick stop to investigate. It has trails, a tower with great views, and definitely needs to be explored when we have more time
Yes, we are touristing in D.C. There is a Civil War photographic display at the Library of Congress in the Jefferson Library so we thought it would be great to go see it. We rode the metro down to Union Station and were just amazed at the restoration. Lots of photos. Then on to the Library of Congress, which is also amazing inside. You almost do not care about exhibits, just craning your neck at the ceiling is enough.
We did a lot of walking around and decided a few more miles to the World War II monument would be a good idea. I must say, I do not care for it at all. Something honoring so many who served should touch you, but to me this was cold and impersonal.
This is the main lobby area with that great wooden tier and dining area
Darn tourists! Could not get a clear shot of those great stairs
Note the high arches with statues, gold inlay i the panels, and the floor reflects the same colors
Two of the Roman Centurion statues by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The shields were added to hide the manly assets originally visible on some of them
The concourse at Union Station
Union Station from outside
Statues in front of Union Station
The Library of Congress
The exhibit that we came to see
OK, I really did not remember how beautiful the LOC was inside
More of the main entrance - beautiful mosaics, Ionic columns and wonderful colors
Ornate, but not overdone
As a kid on school tours I was obviously not paying attention because I just do not remember these lovely ceilings
Lots of wood trim, and no one tells you not to touch
One entrance into the pond area of the WWII Memorial
Big, lots of stone, and nothing relating to the men who served
In all my trips down to the Mall I never remember seeing this Park Ranger Survey Station
On our way home we decided we would stop at Sand Stone Falls in the New River Gorge. When we were here before we were rained out, but today it is fairly clear and no rain in the forecast.
These falls only plunge about 25 feet over what is called Sandy Gap Sandstone, but they were running at a pretty good pace and making quite a roar. Well worth the little side trip.
Oh yes, great place for finding shrooms. I have pity on you however so only a few are posted
Sandstone Falls
The boardwalk takes you down to the river and the falls
This was just one of several little falls we saw along the drive into the falls
Never have I seen a green and rust combined group of fungus
Little, bitty red button shrooms
These were so delicate looking
Shells covered the ground above the high water mark
One more of those places we had on our list to see. So, how many of you even know why Bents Fort existed? OK, Brian, put your hand down - we know you are a history buff. Well, it was a major trading post in the early 1800s. Trappers, traders, the U.S. Army, and travelers all came here to do business, make repairs and rest. It had everything from a blacksmith for wagon repairs to Italian glass beads and a pool table. Yup, the Belagio of its day. It was rebuilt around 1976 and is manned by living historians who are more than happy to talk to you as long as they can spare the time between doing work the old fashioned way and schlepping the less mobile tourists in the golf cart.
I wonder how anyone found this place before roads, signs and GPS
The courtyard and front gate
Huge bellows in the blacksmith shop
The Susan Magoffin room. She traveled the trail in luxury, including a bed with mattress and linens
Peacocks strut around the fort just as they did in the 1800s. They are a much better warning system than dogs
The dude finally got tired of displaying
The huge fireplace cook area in the kitchen
Cooks room
The upper ramparts
Quite a view from up here
We just loved this horse. He was wandering around freely, and just stopped by for a good scratch
From one of the ramparts, our favorite horse and one of the folks who work here. That wood pile is just a small portion of what is split and stacked in rooms and alleys