Summer is in full swing, and my family always enjoyed weekend day-trips as a productive and educational way to spend time together. This is probably what fostered my growing need for adventure, and I am always on the lookout for a new place to explore. Thanks to Google and some suggestions from members of the Mountain Blood community, I ended up exploring some more of Fayetteville, WV.
July 4th dawned dreary and foggy, but this was my last weekend to travel before my summer class, so I didn't let the rain hold me back. The mister and I got up bright and early and headed to Fayetteville. We parked at the trailhead for the Long Point trail, grabbed our picnic basket full of pasta and snack cakes, and headed into the forest.
The hike was 1.6 miles in each direction. I don't know how many avid hikers read this blog, but for a gal as un-athletic as myself, it was quite a workout, especially when it came to climbing the hills on the way out, but we took our time and enjoyed nature. The rain was unrelenting, but I preferred that over sweltering in the sun. We picked some wild blackberries, and tromped happily through the mud to what could possibly be the best view West Virginia has to offer.
Near the end, the fog had completely shrouded the mountain where we were hiking, and our whole world was just the surrounding rhododendron thicket and a cloud that engulfed the gorge. The trail eventually led to a narrow outcropping of rock on the side of the gorge. We could hear the rushing of the swollen New River, the chugging train below, and a distant waterfall on the opposite wall of the New River Gorge.
 |
| A wild boyfriend in a rhododendron thicket. |
 |
| Still smiling through the fear. |
 |
| A remarkable view of |
This was definitely the highest cliff I've ever been on that doesn't have some sort of barrier. It's quite wide and flat, so that helped keep my mind at ease. We sat down on a rock facing the bridge and had our picnic. The view was stunning.
After we tore ourselves away from this cliff-side paradise, we decided to check out the town of Thurmond, WV.
Thurmond is a little railroad town hidden in the hills of Fayetteville. It consists of a few company houses, a one room town hall, and a bank. According to the 2013 census, the population of the town is 5. It used to be pretty active, but the population saw a dramatic and steady decline through the 1900s. It was used for the C&O railroad, and was the filming location for Matewan (1987).
 |
| This is the town hall. |
This town has a Wikipedia page if you're interested in the demographics of 5 people and the history of its singular railway. It's definitely cute and interesting, and if you happen to be in Fayetteville with some time to kill, look into it. The drive there was more exciting to me than the town itself because of the waterfalls and the overwhelming number of rhododendron blossoms in the forest along the road. Picture the sky on a really clear night, and then replace the stars with flower blossoms. They were that numerous. It was amazing. The sheer numbers in that forest alone justify the rhododendron being the state flower.
We returned to my parents' house for a shower and a nap and then enjoyed the illegal fireworks courtesy of the neighbors. It was a great day. Thanks for reading!
Have you ever hiked around New River Gorge? Do you know any spectacular views I should seek out? Do you know any quirky little places like Thurmond? I'd love to hear about it mountainbloodwv@gmail.com. You can also find me on Facebook under MountainBlood WV, and now on Google+!
i like this Obat Pengering Luka
ReplyDelete