Wild and Wonderful

During recent trips to SW Virginia, I've driven (in pieces) old Route 52 from Bluefield, WV almost to the NC Border.  This is the route we drove (rode) when my family lived in WV (in the 60's) when visiting my mother's family (in NC).  Wytheville, Hillsville, Fancy Gap....  Into NC past Mout Airey and Pilot Mountain.  Up and down the mountains on 2 lane windy roads.  Back before the interstates cut straight through the mountains and bypassed the towns.  (Sheesh, I sound like a lecture from Cars!).

Anyway, the last section I drove was from the south end of the East River Mountain Tunnel, up and over the mountain.  I had missed this on our last trip, as the posted Rt 52 now goes through the tunnel.  A quick look at a map showed that the old Rt. 52 is now named 598.  There's an overlook at the peak, just into WV, with views into Bluefield and southern WV.  

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New River Gorge Bridge

Long drive yesterday, from Raleigh, NC, to Pittsburgh, PA.  And didn’t get on the road until almost 2 (for good reason, at least).  And didn’t make great time (for not so good reason).  

Anyway, we ended up with a little happenstance, as we crossed the New River Gorge Bridge (West Virginia) right as the sun was setting.  A quick stop at the overlook, a couple quick photos w/ the iPhone, and back on the road,

Mountains Speak And Wise Men Listen

"Society speaks and all men listen; Mountains speak and wise men listen" - John Muir

An oldie, from back in the '70's.  Scanned from a slide, from a backpacking trip during my High School days.  I know I've posted it a few times over the years, but I do like it.   Not the best photo technically, but it catches a nice moment in time.  And hey, I was just a teenager!  Sure whish I could step around that pine branch, though....

This is North Fook Mountain, overlooking Seneca Rocks in W.Va.

Travellin' Light

 

Just home from a week on the road, the 2013 Rust Belt Tour!  Just under 1,800 miles in 8 days.  Besides seeing some of my wife's family (Cleveland), and mine (Pittsburgh) we saw:

 

• The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland, OH
• The Pro Football Hall Of Fame in Canton,OH
• Frank Lloyd Wright's Weltzheimer/Johnson House in Oberlin, OH
• Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater in Mill Run,PA

A great trip, but nice to be home.  I'll probably be posting more images friom the trip over the next few days, I have a bunch to sort through, hopefully some are decent.

 

The title is from a J.J. Cale song...