West Virginia

Year of First Visit – 1998
Point of Entry – US 340 near Harper's Ferry


My first glimpse of West Virginia was out the window of a Suburban full of youth workers heading to Nashville for a Youth Specialties Conference.  It was mid-November and as we rounded the bend along the Potomac and Shenandoah river confluence, I saw what looked like a Christmas village being set up and waiting for the lights and frocking.

The intrigue brought me back to Harper's Ferry several times in spring, summer, and fall.  It's a quick trip from home and a quick trip back in time among a stunning blend of natural and man-made beauty.

I've had a couple of "drive through" trips in West Virginia where I could enjoy the scenery, like on our road trip that led us to Monmouth Cave that included a night in Charleston.  Or that drive west on I-70 through the Wheeling.

Beyond the drives, we spend a day or two at New River Gorge.  It was quite the blend of technologies, cultures, and time periods all living in both harmony and conflict simultaneously.

Fascinating.

Wild.

Wonderful.