In West Virginia there were no Hatfields or McCoys around those parts. Instead we met great people, like a lady whose mother had passed away recently. Her mother, a registered organ donor, was older, but her tissue was still able to be used for burn victims. The lady was thankful that her mother was a donor because it made such a difference knowing her mother was able to help people.
Here are some highlights from West Virginia:
Best Meal: Z Brick Oven Pizza. Z’s pepperoni roll was surprisingly tasty. I normally don’t like pepperoni, but this was so light on the pepperoni, that it really tasted more like salty cheese bread, and that I do like!
Biggest Surprise: How moist a biscuit can be! Tudor’s Biscuit World has the largest, moistest, most delicious biscuits I’ve ever had. Typically I’ll pass on biscuits because they’re so dry but not Tudor’s. I was wondering if I’d be full after eating just a biscuit sandwich, but considering they were the size of a hamburger bun, I was plenty full.
Biggest Disappointment: The cost of admission to the Cold War era bunker under the famous Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulphur Springs. It was $30 apiece and hasn’t gotten good reviews on Trip Advisor since a different company took over the tours. We just couldn’t justify that much money with such bad reviews, but I would have loved to see where Congress would have stayed all safe and snug during a national emergency. It seems appropriate for Congress that they would be holed up under a fancy resort, spending our tax dollars like crazy, even in a crisis.
Must See Thanks to Hollywood: Marshall University’s memorial fountain. It honors the football players and staff that died in the tragic plane crash that inspired the movie “We Are Marshall.” Actually we didn’t know it was a fountain and couldn't figure out what it was until we learned that every year, on the anniversary of the crash, the fountain is turned off until spring. We also had fun tossing a Nerf football on the Marshall University quad on such a nice sunny day with the leaves rustling under our feet.
Worst Closure: Beckley Coal Mine. It’s sooo West Virginia, but we were too late in the year.
Most Beautiful Spot: New River Gorge and the famous bridge spanning it that’s in practically every West Virginia photograph. With the late afternoon sun shining on it, it was beautiful. I can’t imagine how stunning it would have been two weeks prior with all the fall leaves still on the trees.
Best Tourist Spot: Mountain State Miniature Golf. Normally I don't choose a mini golf course for the best tourist sight, but at this course each hole represented something unique for West Virginia. What a great idea! The course needed some repair, but it was fun playing all the state themed holes.
Worst Tourist Spot: Tamarack. Basically it’s an arts and craft bazaar for local West Virginia artists. We breezed through because we just aren’t shoppers. There’s only so much room in the van, and that’s already taken with our suitcases and other necessities.
Best Bathroom: We’ve used far more gas station bathrooms than one person should in their entire lifetime; however, at an Exxon in White Sulphur Springs, we experienced one of the best bathrooms on the trip. It was bright, clean, and even had toilet seat cleaner!
Best Drive: Through the mountains at sunset.
Seen on the Drive: Driving through West Virginia, we noticed three things over and over and over again: cemeteries, churches, and gentleman's clubs. We're not sure if there's any connection between them or not...
Funniest Memory: Driving down the road Chloe said, out of the blue, that when we have a house again someday, she wants to have a sign in our yard so we can write messages on it. We didn’t understand what she was talking about, so she said, “You know, like…(reading a nearby marquee) Dancing Girls Apply Within.” Somehow, I don’t think that’s the actual message she wants to communicate on our yard sign!
Worst Memory: Removing thorns. The disc golf course we played through the woods was impossible. Attempting to retrieve his Frisbee, Levi ventured into a nasty sticker bush. I’m not sure exactly what kind of plant it was because we just call them “sticker bushes,” but they’re nasty in West Virginia. The thorns penetrate through your jeans!
Best Memory: Playing catch in the hotel room with a soft ball and saying something we were thankful for every time we dropped the ball. We played for a long time because we have so much to be thankful for!
My WV Hike: Actually we attempted several places. Beartown State Park was a little, hidden gem, but a ½ mile boardwalk trail was just too short to be a hike. Our second attempt was the Greenbrier River Trail, which is a very nice rail trail, but it made us want to bike, and the bike rental shop closed at 1pm. Lastly, we tried Greenbrier State Forest, but as Chloe mentioned the bear signs and hunting zones frightened us from hiking. In a last ditch effort, we pulled out the frisbees and went disc golfing at the course in the park, and we finally achieved my hike! The views and golfing were nice, too.
Biggest Revelation: That’s why they call it the Mountain State! The entire state is hilly - mountainous, I guess you could say...
What We Did Miss: White water rafting, Carnegie Hall, Cass Scenic Railroad, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Blennerhassett Island where Aaron Burr plotted to take over the government, Beckley Coal Mine, and others all recommended to us.
In Summary: West Virginia, we didn’t see any feuding, just mountains and great people!
-The Mom
Love the Chloe sign story! :)
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