This summer I'm going to visit West Virginia

[LynneSin]

http://www.world66.com/myworld66/visitedStates/statemap?visited=CACOCTDCDEFLGAILINKYLAMDMANJNMNYNCOHPARISCTXVA

I haven't seen most of the states but I find it ironic that I actually lived in neighboring Pennsylvania for 35 years and never once did I step foot in West Virginia.

So what the heck should one do when visiting West Virginia?

[madinmaryland]

1. Marry your cousins.

:hide:

[IndianaJones]

3. there is a law that forbids marrying such distant relations. nt.

[Lyric]

22. Do I detect a bitter Terrapins fan?

:rofl:

:hide:

[TZ]

2. Find some roadkill

Its legal to eat it...yuuumm.
Actually the Morgantown area is beautiful, I would recommend seeing it.

[madinmaryland]

10. Roast turtle??

:shrug:

:puke:

[KamaAina]

14. While you're there, you could stop by oktoberain and ThinkBlue1966's

maybe bring 'em some stuff.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=7643103&mesg_id=7643103

Mmmm... fried chicken 'n' tequila!

One hopes their situation has improved by summer....

[taterguy]

4. Whitewater rafting

Seriously. The most fun I've ever had with my clothes on.

[LynneSin]

7. I've done you know what with my clothes on

so there - there are things more fun with your clothes on than white water rafting

[cemaphonic]

5. All I've seen of it is Harper's Ferry.

Stunningly beautiful, and lots of interesting history.

[TZ]

8. Oh yeah! Harper's Ferry is a MUST!

Indeed beautiful, lots of interesting history and lots of fun artsy crafsy places to shop! Really..you can find some nice, not too pricey jewelry there.

[Parche]

6. They Have Butt Doctors In Wv

:woohoo: :woohoo:
:rofl::rofl: :rofl:

:hi:

[Blue-Jay]

29. He didn't say he was a doctor....

[leftyclimber]

38. Dude, that's Georgia.

We have fewer teeth here.

:evilgrin:

[spinbaby]

9. Dolly Sods

It's wild and eerie in a moon-scape kind of way.

[Awsi Dooger]

11. I've always enjoyed the Canaan area

http://www.canaanresort.com/

Remote and very scenic. Three or four times I've spent a week or more there, in the state park or via a time share transfer. Relaxing nature walks. So many deer that I've literally used them as line of site targets while playing the Canaan golf course in late afternoon.

[Critters2]

12. I went to Nebraska the weekend before I moved to Illinois,

because it just seemed wrong that I had lived so close while in Iowa, but never did cross the wide Missouri! So, I did one weekend. Now I only have 26 more states to visit.

[harmonicon]

46. I lived in Nebraska City, NE for six weeks

It was for an artists' residency. I loved it, and want to go back as soon as I have the time. My love for it may have had something to do with it being my first paid gig after finishing grad school, but I'm pretty sure that I just like it a lot. The country side is lovely there, and there was a genuine, if some times bizarre, small town feel. Not only did the cashiers at the grocery store make small talk, but they remembered who I was and would follow up on previous conversations. There was one Mexican restaurant run by an older Mexican woman and her daughter, with the grand kids running all over. I was a regular customer there, and they were just the best people ever. I've been to Omaha numerous times and think it's an ok city (though, when I was in the band, our show in Omaha sucked like sucking had never sucked before).

[two gun sid]

13. Lot's of beautiful places to see in WV...

the grist mill at Babcock State Park, New River Gorge, the Cranberry Glades....



*on edit* Visit Blue Smoke Salsa at Ansted in Fayette County. It's owned and operated by two women who make everything fresh. Their peach salsa is amazing.

http://www.bluesmokesalsa.com/

[Burma Jones]

24. The New River Gorge.....

I almost drowned on the New River......My advice, whitewater raft with a professional......

[China_cat]

26. White water rafting is about the most there is to do (dial-up)

But just driving around looking at the scenery can be a whole trip by itself.

Speaking of the New River Gorge: (taken this past Oct.)

[two gun sid]

27. Did you go for Bridge Day?...

beautiful pictures, by the way.

[China_cat]

30. No, we were coming back from PA from a family thing.

Stopped at the rest stop there at the overlook. My husband actually walked down that trail to get some pictures. (Took him half an hour to get back up)

[Awsi Dooger]

42. New River Gorge is excellent

The visitor center has a good history of the bridge and the area, in exhibits and a short film. That's always a relaxing and enjoyable stop. I like it best when it's foggy.

[underpants]

15. Where abouts in West BY GOD Virginia?

:shrug:

My whole family is from SW WV -Huntington

as noted above the Canaan valley is really beautiful

[mikita]

18. cute...

I went to college in West BY GOD Virginia, and reading this thread I was wondering if anyone else used that expression. Thanks!

[LynneSin]

19. Will your family invite me over for dinner if I say I know you

:shrug:

[underpants]

20. Actually yes

Just don't go down into the "squirrel box" just DON'T!

No actually my relatives in WV are pretty normal-nothing like the stereotypes (that isn't really surprsing now is it?) in fact two of them are LOADED rich.

[LynneSin]

28. Loaded Rich? *** ears perk*** - any of them Loaded RIch single

:loveya:

[Sheets of Easter]

16. Hillbilly jokes aside, WV is beautiful country.

Lots of cool historical stuff, camping, mountians. I love it there. If you're in the mood to visit a spa, I highly recommend Berkeley Springs.

[Richard Steele]

17. Check out the fine scenic beauty.

All of the parks are great- you can't go wrong.

Just remember- If you hear banjos, paddle faster!

[Rhythm]

40. Dick: that's down along the SC/GA border... with a little western NC thrown in

Mostly on the Chatoochi river, if i remember correctly

[Richard Steele]

48. I assume you are referring to West Virginia's vast areas of scenic beauty.

If so, you are wrong:
There are smaller "parks" sprinkled throughout the state, and they're all worth visiting.
My dad (Richard Steele the 1st) moved to WV about 30 years ago,
and I've taken many different routes to sneak in to his place
for visits, over the years.

I gotta tell ya: I've been a lot of places, and seen a lot of things...
and the average "roadside rest area" in WV is more photo-worthy
than 75% of all the "State Parks" I've ever been to.



But, if by "that" you meant "free-roaming groups of birth-defective ass-rapists",
you are wronger still. Those shuffling & drooling hordes are EVERYWHERE
in WV, and that's just the way it is.

It's scary the first time or two you go there, but you get used to it.

[Rhythm]

51. No, Dick, i was referring to the ACTUAL locales

(and script setting) for "Deliverance".

I've lived here for about 5 years, and my better half is a WV native, and yet i have yet to observe the 'free roaming... yada yada yada' that you've described, so obviously they can't be EVERYWHERE (or maybe they just hide when they see me coming?!). You suppose that could be a wee bit heavy on the hyperbole?

[Lyric]

21. Come visit me!!

ThinkBlue1966 and I live in Morgantown, which is right across the PA border, about an hour south of Pittsburgh. Lots of gorgeous scenery stuff to see in this area. :hi:

[leftyclimber]

34. We can have a DU mini-meetup in Morgantown!

And if you want to go climbing, I'll take ya. ;)

If you like serious, windy roads with serious views, drive 33 eastbound to Seneca Rocks, wander around a bit, turn around and take 33 back to Elkins, then go south toward Snowshoe resort (I can't remember ... it's 2hundredsomething) and stop by the Green Bank Radio Observatory -- giant radio telescope. Then head back north (there's no convenient way to get to anything in this state, sorry), catch 15 westbound for some driving along incredibly high ridges above incredible steep gorges, at the end of which you'll hit 19 southbound, where you can see the New River Gorge, stop in Fayetteville for some general coolness and great food, go further south to Tamarack for some local-made crafty goodness. Then you can...

In all seriousness, though, what kinds of stuff do you like to do and see? There are a lot of unbelievably great options here. As long as you don't say "urban shopping" or "riding roller coasters" there should be something to your liking. :)

[ileus]

36. Snowshoe, Seneca Rocks, Greenbank....yeah what he said.

[leftyclimber]

37. She, please.

;)

[Burma Jones]

23. Canaan Valley and Dolly Sods are very near each other

And are very beautiful. I'll be backpacking Dolly Sods May 29 - June 1 and we're going over to the Canaan Valley Ski Area via our feet....

[sasquatch]

25. Go hang out with Bob Kincaid

[lost-in-nj]

31. Sounds great!!!

all these pictures are beautiful!!!




Almost heaven, west virginia
Blue ridge mountains
Shenandoah river -
Life is old there
Older than the trees
Younger than the mountains
Growin like a breeze

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

All my memories gathered round her
Miners lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine
Teardrops in my eye

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

I hear her voice
In the mornin hour she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
And drivin down the road I get a feelin
That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday





Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads
Take me home, now country roads
Take me home, now country roads




lost


:hi:

[China_cat]

32. No matter what else you do in WV

if you drive route 19 around Sommersville, be sure to watch your speed. The cops there just LOVE to give tickets.

[liberaltrucker]

45. Yeah, tell me about it!

:grr:

:hi:

[Rhythm]

52. yeah... place has been on the list of 'speed traps' for over a decade...

and the bastids hide the speed limit signs... :grr:

[CrownPrinceBandar]

33. Depends on what you want to do.............

If you're into hiking, camping or the like, check out the Monongahela National Forest. Its a big area, so you might want to see the following:

Otter Creek Wilderness
Cranberry Backcountry
Canaan Valley State Park
Dolly Sods Wilderness (careful of the unexploded ordinance!)

If yer into artsy-fartsy things you might want to check out the Augusta Heritage Arts Festival. It happens every summer in my hometown of Elkins, WV. Here's a link to the goodness:

http://www.augustaheritage.com/

There's a bunch to do! Good luck and have fun!

[lizerdbits]

35. Gorgeous hiking

I often do some hiking in Harper's Ferry. It's touristy in town but there are some trails that aren't really crowded. Maryland Heights is one, a couple hours round trip with some civil war fort ruins . I hiked Loudoun heights (across the river in VA) in my high school history class since I grew up in Loudoun but the entrance is on 340 which is a little scary as there's so much more traffic now.

[hippywife]

39. View the chemical plants in Nitro

at night. The lighted scaffolding light up the night like stars.

Just kidding...whitewater rafting is awesome. And there are a lot of very scenic areas. :hi:

[Tuesday Afternoon]

41. I would contact oktoberain and ThinkBlue1966's for some ideas

and post in the WV forum...

[harmonicon]

47. does anyone actually post in the state forums?

I check into mine every once in a while, but it seems pretty dead. The UK forum is super dead.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

49. well,

I think they are under utilized. This place is huge and has a lot to offer if we just use it to our advantage.

[pokerfan]

43. It's a gaping hole on my map

I need to visit too.

It has some interesting history. It broke away from Virginia during the Civil War and joined the Union as a separate state.

A secession within a secession.

[liberaltrucker]

44. Be sure to visit The Gorge

On US 19 south of Summersville. AWESOME scenery! Also, the longest arch bridge
on the Planet. Enjoy!

[doc03]

50. Don't take the wrong turn!

[SoxFan]

53. Pay homage to Mothman!

http://www.mothmanmuseum.com/