Going Across the Mountains

Photos from my trip to see my sisters last weekend. West Virginia showed her wild and wonderful side  all the way across the state. These were taken east of Elkins as I headed into the Allegheny highlands.

A lot of snow remained from the previous week's storm.

I like sights like this--the road disappears, a mountain looms in the distance, but the sign says you can take 'er at 50 mph.

 Beautiful Seneca Rocks. I never tire of seeing this formation. Some of my family have hiked to the top, but I've not done that, yet.

 Heading up the Eastern Continental Divide, where winter hangs on longer than in most of the state,

 and deep drifts still line the hillsides even though most of the snow has melted.

 Lots of these along the way, those curves where you think you'll meet yourself on the other side.

And then I was on Big Ridge, the back way to my sister's house. This road used to be gravel, with maybe one or two houses along its 12-mile length. Unfortunately it's been "discovered" and there are many houses, now, mostly people from the Washington DC metro area who can get here in about an hour and a half thanks to the new Corridor H that is mostly completed to this part of West Virginia. Still the road is a real climb with such sharp twist-backs that you literally have to take them at 10mph or slower. I started worrying here because my car suddenly started getting hot and losing power. Not the place for such issues. (Yes, the mountain does drop off that steeply on the right. Those are treetops of some very tall trees. Big Ridge is about 3000 feet above sea level.

Finally on top of the mountain, I stopped to let my car settle down and to admire the views once again.

 Stunning doesn't begin to describe this lonesome place. I passed only one vehicle on this leg of the trip--a Dish saltellite installation truck :( Ah well, civilization has a way of creeping in when we're not looking.

A lonely barn testifies to what once was the prime activity on this mountain.

And finally at the bottom of the mountain, I reach--almost--my destination. My sister lives just on the other side of the park, so when I see this sign I know my 235-mile journey is almost over.

(My car was fine the rest of the trip, but my mechanic thinks its about to blow a head gasket, which means, most likely, a new engine--or, as he suggests, another car. At 187,000 miles, I guess I should expect that, but it's going to hurt the pocketbook.)

Linking today to Madge's Top Shot. Come have a look at some great photos.

Copyright 2012 Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.