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Sunday, November 22, 2009

The Road to New Milton and Back Again

I said, "Stop! That's a cool house. I want to take a picture!"

He said, "There's a sign that says winery. Want to go?"

So we turned onto this one-lane road, seeking a winery that had no name. Here's what we found (besides Dale, the man I wrote about yesterday):


The home of the national marble champion, Ralphie Dillon. This young man lives off the beaten path, but found his way to Pittsburgh to become this year's champion shooter.

Beautiful still waters and crumbling old buildings provided food for thought. Who lived there? Why did they leave?


The road wound around curves, rocks and hills,



by an abandoned one-room schoolhouse,



and picturesque barns,


and more old ruins so hidden in the trees they looked like ghosts of the past.




But some older dwellings, like this one, were still being maintained and loved.

The detailed, tight dovetailing is one reason the cabin has lasted so well and so long,



but unless someone comes along soon to love it, this little place will soon be a memory.


At last, after abut eight ambling miles, we found the winery:


Notice the sign. Saturday and Sunday. We were there on Friday. How sad is that. Cascarelli's, you need to put a sign with your hours at the end of the road. Not nice to potential customers to have them drive 20 minutes or more out of their way to discover your hours.

But on the other hand, we would not have met Dale or had an interesting drive down yet another one-lane road in West Virginia that, like so many others, offered much for reflection. Will we go back? Maybe, although this is definitely off the usual route and not a place we are likely to go for any other reason. But if you'd like to know more about the winery, here's their contact information (note that it says call ahead!):

Cascarelli’s Old Country Wine
John R. Cascarelli
Rt. 3, Box 55A
Salem, WV 26426
304-782-2768
Hours:
Please call ahead.

9 comments:

  1. So many beautiful old buildings, with so many stories to tell. As always, I am totally into the things that you find along the way. Gorgeous stuff. Sorry you didn't get into the winery, but what a neat tour of old homes you had!

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  2. What a beautiful drive--even if it didn't end with a glass of wine. I love the photos you took!

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  3. Hey Granny Sue!

    You are making me want to go on a road trip exploring some of the off beaten roads around West Virginia! Being there a day early would be something that we would do! lol I got a kick out of that because things used to happen to us like that.

    Hope you have a Great Week!
    Angela

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  4. it was a beautiful drive. I would have gone and knocked on the door. Sometimes that works.

    Thanksgiving MeMe

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  5. It was a beautiful drive, Phill, and made me wonder why people left. Jobs, I suppose, particularly when it became impossible to make a living on a small farm.

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  6. Susan, you and I will have to go road-tripping when you come back to WV. It is so interesting; ther are few roads I've traveled that haven't intrigued me.

    Angela, you need to go! Sometimes what we do is look at the map and see if there is another way to get to where we're going it. It may take longer, but it's always worth the time.

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  7. I thought about that, Nessa. The sign seemed so adamant that I hesitated to intrude. They may have day jobs elsewhere and that's why the hours are so limited. I believe I tasted their wine at an event last year, and it was very good. So maybe we'll get back there someday.

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  8. hi; thanks for visiting my blog (a corgi in Southern California) and your kind comment. we are being very careful with the whole situation with son's girlfriend; thanks for your advice; it helps confirm some of the changes we're makign here as far as our accessibility and resources (i.e. we're not going to let her drive our cars when she gets her license, long story but it is going to be for the best)

    I love your blog; this looks like a very nice trip you took! sorry the winery was closed though because that would have been fun to explore. Those pictures of the scenery on the road to it were breath taking!

    I hope you and yours have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

    betty

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  9. I hope someone rescues the little house that is in need of some TLC. The little schoolhouse is rather sad, it must have been a lively place once upon a time. It's lovely country, I love these half forgotten places lost in time.

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