A looming crappy weekend weather forecast inspired Alegany and me to take the long way home Friday afternoon. Immersed in a patchwork of land use along a maze of public and corporate roads we circled the South Fork of Cherry River watershed.
Heading due north, the decidedly twisty Sinking Creek Road was our access to the mountains (disclaimer: file photos of the same road used to show its character)
North of Williamsburg, WV, a hard left west onto Pembroke Road, farm country was chock full of hay fields, sheep, cattle, horses, small game and freshly plowed corn fields. The 4000+ feet ridges in the background are where we would soon find ourselves.
Passing through Trout, WV to the Greenbrier Road at the toe of Cold Knob, the dogwoods showing off at the edge of the hayfield greenery along a rail fence was simply too good to pass up. We paused to let Alegany catch her breath before we began our ascent; ok really the stop was so a well hydrated old man could evacuate.
Topping the mountain, we encountered a group of camera shy spring bear hunters preparing for a late night.
Along with family farm agriculture, resource extraction turns the economic crank in the region. As has been the case since the birth of the Industrial Revolution, profiteering parent corporations based well outside of Appalachia siphon the real money just like mountain streams flow to the Gulf. The mountain top removal surface mine behind these signs is partnered with a Japanese group. ::009::
Together with outdoor recreation, Richwood, WV, once home to the world’s largest hardwood clothes pin factory WV still relies on timber for its meager existence.
Out of respect for their Friday evening escape, I did not stop to photograph the numerous trout fishermen and women we passed, but I threw in a file photo snapped on the fly last fall along a sister stream. I also captured images of their quarry at the hatchery last ride.
Wind power is a recent addition to the region’s land use.
Thoroughly spent and dusty but much better geared to face the upcoming week, Alegany and me made it back home well before light began to fade. Tarnation! I’m unredeemingly smitten with my mistress Alegany!
If you've survived this much drivel and simply can't get enough, here is a video rendering of the ride...http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=4254.0
Heading due north, the decidedly twisty Sinking Creek Road was our access to the mountains (disclaimer: file photos of the same road used to show its character)
North of Williamsburg, WV, a hard left west onto Pembroke Road, farm country was chock full of hay fields, sheep, cattle, horses, small game and freshly plowed corn fields. The 4000+ feet ridges in the background are where we would soon find ourselves.
Passing through Trout, WV to the Greenbrier Road at the toe of Cold Knob, the dogwoods showing off at the edge of the hayfield greenery along a rail fence was simply too good to pass up. We paused to let Alegany catch her breath before we began our ascent; ok really the stop was so a well hydrated old man could evacuate.
Topping the mountain, we encountered a group of camera shy spring bear hunters preparing for a late night.
Along with family farm agriculture, resource extraction turns the economic crank in the region. As has been the case since the birth of the Industrial Revolution, profiteering parent corporations based well outside of Appalachia siphon the real money just like mountain streams flow to the Gulf. The mountain top removal surface mine behind these signs is partnered with a Japanese group. ::009::
Together with outdoor recreation, Richwood, WV, once home to the world’s largest hardwood clothes pin factory WV still relies on timber for its meager existence.
Out of respect for their Friday evening escape, I did not stop to photograph the numerous trout fishermen and women we passed, but I threw in a file photo snapped on the fly last fall along a sister stream. I also captured images of their quarry at the hatchery last ride.
Wind power is a recent addition to the region’s land use.
Thoroughly spent and dusty but much better geared to face the upcoming week, Alegany and me made it back home well before light began to fade. Tarnation! I’m unredeemingly smitten with my mistress Alegany!
If you've survived this much drivel and simply can't get enough, here is a video rendering of the ride...http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=4254.0
