Like everyone who drives on Rt. 19, I had to stop to see the New River Gorge in West Virginia. I was very surprised to find the trails to the overlooks closed "due to weather." Given that I fall no matter the weather, and given that the trail is a well marked route that is no more than a few hundred yards long I was even more surprised. I went into the visitors center and found a park ranger who seemed very unhappy that she was working at all on this day and she had a hand written sign on the door explaining that due to inclement weather the center would be closing early today. I think the sign maybe should have read: "Because I am going home early to watch American I am closing early and trails are closed now." Nonetheless it is a beautiful spot always worth a look.
The weather on Rt. 19 is always tricky and it was today, even more so if a person is trying to not slide off the road, stay out the way of trucks who seem oblivious to ice, and trying to take a photo all at the same time.
I stopped for lunch at a diner and there were a million guys from Ashplund Tree service in there. They have, the whole crew, been in Virginia and West Virginia since December 20th when, they tell me, a massive ice storm hit the area and downed trees and power everywhere. I believed them.
Of all of the road I have driven in this country, and they are adding up, I still never see more deer than on the stretch of I 79 and hour south of Morgantown, near (appropriately) Saltlick Creek. If you want to see them, go just before dark. There were literally hundreds of deer for about a 20 miles strecth, feeding on the hillside, and looking angry, and ready to bite, at dumb drivers like me who pull over on the interstate to take their picture.
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