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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.
There are lots of places to walk outside in Abingdon, Virginia where I am staying the night. And, apparently, there are even diabetic animals in the area. This syringe was laying in the snow in the woods. I can only imagine some poor bear, or raccoon or crow even, not feeling too well tonight because he lost his last dose of insulin. That is what I think anyway.
I also think this is a massive country with so much open space that it is just about inconceivable. I could have spent another month in Kentucky alone exploring the back roads. But alas, the only expense I can't seem to control entirely is gasoline and that means it is time to head home. I still maintain that it is best to travel on every type of road, without too clear of an agenda, and always, always turn around when something is interesting. Just my opinion.
More stuff that you see when you drive back roads. Francis Gary Powers was the most famous human being on the planet when his spy plane was shot down over the USSR in 1960. I had no idea that he was born in the tiny village of Pound, Virginia. This old, weathered sign was posted on Orby Cantrell (I looked it up, he was a State Senator from VA), State Highway 23 in Virginia. Supervan asked if she could get in this shot with the Powers sign.
One of hundreds of Civil War Battle sites, but worth a stop to look. This one was about 1 hour north of Hazard.
Battlefield Memorial Flags blowing nicely in the wind.
Though the actual battle resulted in the death of something like 20 men, I found two more dead soldiers in the parking lot. I am sure there is a story behind this bottle of vodka. I would like to think that some relatives of the deceased came here to pay tribute.
I did not know what to think of these additional dead soldiers left in the parking lot of the Middle Creek Battlefield Memorial. There they were, open, something taken out of them I am guessing, and now, for the time being, part of the battle site.
I am a great distance away from this hillside, which is huge, and these are, believe it or not (and I did not so I climbed up there) logging roads that create the zig zag pattern.
Leaving Kentucky and into Virginia and into the Appalachian Mountains I saw this great scene off in the distance. The mountains are probably 5 miles away, but because of their height they were frosted with snow and it was a great view. Again, as always, if I knew how to use a camera it would be an even better shot.
This is why I turn around and go back and look at things. Driving by this green house looked simple enough, but I noticed that there were indeed trees growing through it. It was a very old wooden structure that has seen its better days, but still it was growing things. Look close if you can. Click on the picture. Those are trees growing through what used to be the old glass root. Lesson: always turn around and go back for another look. Life goes by so fast that I know I don't even see half the stuff I see. Illegal turn arounds on roads that say no U turn are allowed for this purpose. I am sure of it...I think.
Ah, my old friends the crows. This one was eating a dead coyote. What a glorious New Years Day meal for him. And yes Al, I took this shot from a distance as I did not want to be attacked by this obviously carnivorous and unafraid crow.
Just outside of tiny St. Paul, Virginia I saw this massive construction project with these huge cranes shining in the sun. It was in the middle of nowhere. I think I saw a sign that said "Dominion---no accidents since 12/30/09"
I hope this photo of this sunbeam comes out. It was early morning heading east out of Hazard towards Virginia and it was overcast and then I saw this beam break through, obviously lighting up some person, or some town. It was very cool to the eye, and hopefully through the lens.
As far as graffiti goes I thought this was pretty good work. Just a big old rock along the highway that somebody decided to decorate.
If a person wants to travel on empty highways, early in the morning on 01/01/10 might be the time to do it. This is Highway 23 in Kentucky and I saw no cars or trucks for a about an hour.
Taking a walk into the woods in Kentucky I stumbled across what I believe was a secret and sacred satellite dish graveyard. Showing respect I did not desecrate the area.
As with everything else I have learned in my life, I refer to grade school biology and I am pretty certain that these are goats, and the one on the left is a Billy goat....and in spite of what good friend Al may say, I am pretty sure these things bite. I did not get any closer to this, but, as is my normal strategy, I did toss a few sticks at them to see if they would look at me. They did, then I ran.
This is Lovely Lisa the housekeeper at the Hampton Inn in Hazard Kentucky. While hiking in Natural Bridge State Park I fell and bumped my teeth. Later that evening, in the shower, I lost a tooth crown (courtesy of a rugby game years ago) and it went down the tub drain. Damn, what to do. John the maintenance guy came first thing in the morning with tools, a shop vac, and a great attitude and did everything he could. No luck. I headed north, deciding to camp my way home. I was about 150 miles north of Hazard when Tami, the Hotel Manager, called to say that Lisa had found the crown on the floor behind the toilet (lucky bounce out of tub I guess).
Thank you to whole staff at Hampton. They did what they could, and found the crown, saving me endless dollars and days at the dentist. Go team. Great start to 2010 in my opinion.
