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.

Skywatch Friday: On Big Ridge in Hardy County, West Virginia

This is the back road to my sister's farm in Hardy County, West Virginia. Unfortunately, development is moving into the area as people from the Northern Virginia/Washington DC are discover these beautiful hills.

The road is paved now, but I remember it when it was dirt, washboarded, dusty and tricky to travel. It's still tricky because it is one lane and some people drive too fast--they haven't learned the slow pace of rural life yet.

Old black crow soars easily on the air currents on Big Ridge. In the case of this area, the economic slowdown is a good thing (to me, anyway!) because development slows down.

A Little Time by the Woods and Water

While at the family reunion last weekend, Larry discovered this enticing spot and showed to my sister Theresa and me.

There is so much to see in a little patch of woods, like a patch of Mayapples (sometimes called Mandrake) in bloom,

and Jack-in-the-Pulpits in both green and purple, some of the largest I have ever seen.

A lovely Mayapple flower hides in the shade of its umbrella leaves. Later a fruit will form that is supposedly edible, although I have never tasted it.

A forest giant stretches its arms to the sky.

A little further down the road we came to another pretty place--a little creek bordered by wildflowers. Here the Bluets (also called Quaker Ladies by some) are barely visible as a blue haze along the creek's bank (see this poem about them),
while Golden Ragwort makes itself at home on a large rock in the stream. Have you ever smelled the leaves of this wildflower? They are highly perfumed, with a fruity-flowery scent. I used to have a plant in my garden just so I could nip a bit of the leaves every now and then.
A strange apparition--the Dancing Outlaw, perhaps?-- appears on the swinging bridge.
A small round tuft of moss, arched with a twig, looks like a soft green basket,

and water sluicing over rocks made music that was perfect for the time and place.

Buried Treasure?

photo from the top of Branch Mountain, from http://www.ashtonwoods.com/


While browsing through a volume of the West Virginia Encyclopedia published by Jim Comstock back in 1976 or so, I came upon the following story:

Apparently there has been a rumor in the eastern side of West Virginia ever since the Civil War that there is a treasure (supposedly $40,000 in gold) buried in a cave located somewhere on Branch Mountain, which is in the Moorefield/Petersburg vicinity. According to the story, three Confederate soldiers robbed a bank in either Richmond, VA or Fredericksburg, VA. One of the robbers may have been killed at the scene of the robbery. The other two hightailed it for the hills.



The story goes on to say that they arrived at the farm of the Cook family. (Which perked my ears since one of my daughter-in-laws who lives in that area told me her mother was a Cook.) The solders stayed at the Cook farm for some time, and buried their gold in a small natural cave "under one of three cliffs on the northwestern side of Branch Mountain," according to Comstock.

photo from www.ashtonwoods.com

The cave was in a direct line with the sun from a large flat rock located on the side of the mountain.

Now we all know that the sun does not follow the same path year-round. It's arch if higher in summer and begins at a different place on the horizon from day to day, as the days grow shorter and longer. So being in direct line with the sun isn't much help unless you know exactly what time of year the treasure was hidden in the cave.


After a time, the two robbers were arrested and sent to prison. One died there. The surviving soldier drew a map of the location of the money, and according to him the cave was visible "from the chimney of Joe Cook's house." The cave opening was very small, but a man could crawl in and stand up inside. the gold was placed in a cavity in the cave and concealed with "rock paper"-- Comstock notes he has no idea what rock paper is, and neither do I.

from http://www.branchmountaincampground.com/

So if you feel like buying property on Branch Mountain (unfortunately it seems the mountain is under development), camping on Branch Mountain, or taking a hike through beautiful fall woods on the Branch MountainTrail and seeking a fortune while you're at it, maybe you'll be the one to find the lost treasure.

My bet, however, is that some enterprising farmer found it long ago and spent it slowly and thriftily without telling a soul!

Matthew, since this is in your neck of the woods, perhaps you can add some details to this story?

And George, would this have been the same Cook family?