September 6, 2014 – Gauley Bridge to Elkin WV – New River Gorge Bridge

This morning we had a choice of driving back over the overly-narrow 14 mile section of Route 60 we’d taken to reach our campground two days ago … or take a longer route west along the Kanawha River, through a number of small mining towns and then back east along an interstate. We opted for the latter.

Though our current and past travels in West Virginia we’ve come to appreciate the beauty of the state with is sometimes seemingly endless rolling hills (the section of the Appalachian Trail which runs through West Virginia is called “the rollercoaster” for a reason)
DSC_0097and green forests, 18a

15 DSC_0103In some areas along, invasive Virginia Creeper vines have a gained strangle-hold on the native trees.
3Also noticeable is the apparent economic disparity as typified by the majority of housing where ranch, mobile and small two-story homes appear to dominate in blue-collar and rural communities

DSC_0003 DSC_0004 DSC_0006while there appears to be relatively few very affluent areas such as those in the Charleston area.

DSC_0018 DSC_0023Our drive retraced much of our route to Gauley Bridge, highlighted by a return trip over the New River Gorge (the bridge we’d previously crossed in the pouring rain when we could not even see the edge barrier the roadway).
5aThe river’s name and age are both unusual and shrouded in mystery. No one knows the name’s origin; although legend suggests that explorers found an unidentified river and simply coined it the “New” river on maps for convenience … a name that stuck. Meanwhile, archeologists have determined that the New River is both one of North American’s oldest rivers as well as one of the most ancient in the world, even older than the ancient Appalachian Mountains through which it flows.

Completed in 1977, the New River Bridge is the world’s longest (3,000 feet at the deck level and 1,700 feet between the ends of the supporting arch) single-arch steel span bridge. At 876 feet (taller than two Statue of Liberties standing on top of the Washington Monument) above the river, it is America’s 2nd highest bridge.

The steel used (Cor-ten steel) rusts slightly on the surface. This surface rust inhibits deeper rust, protecting the steel and eliminating the need to paint. It also provides the color which darkens with time. Concrete supports anchor the bridge to the slopes … where abandoned mine tunnels honeycombing the hillsides created major engineering problems for which the engineers had to devise special supports.

New River Gorge Bridge (a), Fayetteville, WV - 2014-09-06 New River Gorge Bridge (b), Fayetteville, WV - 2014-09-06 New River Gorge Bridge (c), Fayetteville, WV - 2014-09-06Continuing north, we played hopscotch with a 14’ wide oversized load
16and a semi transporting some plastic cargo we struggled unsuccessfully to identify.
17Arriving in Elkins (population 7,200 … a comparative metropolis in the Appalachian hills of eastern West Virginia), a quaint yet surprisingly modern community and vastly fewer store fronts than we’ve seen in most other towns we’ve passed through in the state.

Finding our way to the Pegasus Farm RV Campground took us off the major, secondary and even local paved roads and onto Arnold Hill Road.

Arnold Hill Road (b) Arnold Hill Road (a)As the road continued to narrow we hoped that there was no oncoming traffic as passing would present a challenge and with our Jeep in tow, we cannot back up.

Arnold Hill Road (d) Arnold Hill Road (c)Eventually, however, we arrived at the farm where an expansive camping area with wide, full-service sites greeted us … and where the loudest noises came from the unseen crows yakking in the trees surrounding the field.
2014-09The owners, who are also musicians and were away for the weekend on a “gig” in the Shenandoah Valley, parked two of their old tour buses on the property and left them open for browsing.

Black Bus (a), Pegasus Farm Campground, Elkin, WV - 2014-09-06 Blue [School] Bus (a), Pegasus Farm Campground, Elkin, WV - 2014-09-06 Blue [School] Bus (c), Pegasus Farm Campground, Elkin, WV - 2014-09-06 Blue [School] Bus (d), Pegasus Farm Campground, Elkin, WV - 2014-09-06 Blue [School] Bus (b), Pegasus Farm Campground, Elkin, WV - 2014-09-06An old railroad also runs through the campground

Railroad Bridge, Pegasus Farm Campground, Elkin, WV - 2014-09-06 Railroad Tracks, Pegasus Farm Campground, Elkin, WV - 2014-09-06although apparently only one train a year uses the tracks … two on a busy year.

Along the tracks we spotted

Thistle in bloom

Thistle in bloom

 An amphibian who did not seem a bit unnerved by our presence


An amphibian who did not seem a bit unnerved by our presence

There was even a wedding overlooking a pond
Pond, Pegasus Farm Campground, Elkin, WV - 2014-09-06on the property this afternoon and, fortunately, the rains held off until mid-way through the outdoor reception which was held under tents.

 

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6 Responses to September 6, 2014 – Gauley Bridge to Elkin WV – New River Gorge Bridge

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