2012 - Cathy and Larry Traveling Across the USA

Week 6

Day 36 - September 20 - Chief Logan State Park area - Today we are heading out to play golf. We've seen nothing but mountains ever since we entered the state. Just awesome beauty in these mountains.

The Twisted Gun Golf Course near Wharmcliffe, WV is located on top of an old coal mine and has some incredible views.

Actual coal mining operations going on

the restrooms

more coal mining operations

what a view!

coal mining operations at the base of the mountain

Next stop, R. D. Bailey Lake

This tells the story about auger mining better than I ever could.

Spotted this creek on the way back to camp

Our campsite at Chief Logan State Park with the Mud River running beside our site.

Day 37 - September 21 - Chief Logan State Park area - Today we're traveling the Hatfield-McCoy Feud area. I won't bore you with all the facts as most are very familiar with this tale.

This is the Coal House in Williamson, built in 1933, which is made entirely of Winifrede Seam coal.

This is the Matewan RR Depot. In case you haven't figured out, I have a thing about old RR depots!

Matewan floodwalls - since 1949 Matewan (located in Tug Valley) has flooded 36 times. Now the town is protected by these.

Outside this building where the Matewan massacre occurred.

The Hatfield-McCoy trail is a major all terrain and off-road vehicle destination with 500+ miles of trails, some connecting to ATV "friendly" towns with restaurants and lodging like this picture below.

The Hatfield-McCoy mountain area

Coal towns built by the coal companies. We saw lots of these in our travels. A lot of them all the same, some modified, and all close to the street.

our campground

These 2 cars passed through our campground this evening.

We were advised that a bear was spotted in the park, but we never saw him. Boo Hoo!! This and some deer were the only "wildlife" we saw. Isn't this butterfly beautiful!!

Day 38 - September 22 - Travel day to Romance, WV - Once we set up camp we went in to Charleston to check out the Capitol Farmers Market. But first we stopped off at the State Capitol Building. Since it was Saturday, this part of town was empty.

Notice the gold leafing on the dome

The Governor's Mansion

Charleston was a real nice town including this downtown area

We finally made it to the Capitol Market with pumpkins, apples, vegetables and mums.

We bought fresh corn that we cooked that night

and fresh tomatoes which were some of the best tasting tomatoes, yum yum

and these heirloom green beans which were great too!

The RV park that we stayed at had this little chapel across the lake. As a matter of fact, there were two weddings being held there that day. Do you think because it's in Romance, WV that has anything to do with it???

Day 39 - September 23 - Romance, WV Area - Today our travels took us north to the town of Ripley where we spotted yet another beautiful County Courthouse.

Then moving further north to Parkersburg, the historic Blennerhassett Hotel built in 1889.

The Wood County Courthouse ca. 1899

We spotted this mural/antique shop across from the courthouse.

This historic Smoot Theater was days away from destruction in 1989 when purchased by a volunteer group who believed that this 1926 vaudeville house was too valuable to destroy.

These beautiful old houses are in the Julia-Ann historic district of Parkersburg

On our way to Cairo, we spotted these leaves starting to make their showing!

This poor little town of Cairo is on it's last leg! Our visit to the historic Marshall Hardware found the building up for sale. Guess how much for 12,000+ sq. ft? Only $78,000!! Location, location, location.

More turning leaves on display

a very old gas station along the highway

Now heading back south to Harrisville. Berdine's Five & Dime has been in continuous operation since 1908 and claims that it is America's oldest five and dime.

The County Courthouse in Harrisville was another beautiful old building. Although this one is fairly new (1923), it replaced the the previous one built in 1874.

Historic Robey Theater in Spencer claims it is the longest continuously operated theater in the country. The Robey was once a vaudeville house before it began showing silent movies in 1908.

The unusual along the roadside.

Day 40 - September 24 - Romance, WV Area - Today we are setting out to find the perfect chili dog. Along the roadside, we saw that more leaves are changing!

Larry wanted me to show y'all the kind of roads I've been taking him on! We can't always trust "Lucy," our personal GPS assistant.

Our objective today is to eat the best chile dog every!! So here at Hillbilly Hot Dogs, in Lesage, WV, we hope to obtain that objective! By the way, this is only the 3rd time we've gone out to eat. Hillbilly Hot Dogs was made famous by Guy Fierei on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. I woud categorize this as a "dive."

We did NOT get the Hillbilly Hot Dog!

But this guy got the "homewrecker." Now he was going to share it with his wife, but still, there is no way Larry and I could have eaten that!!!! And by the way, our chili dog was darn good. Beats anything we've had so far.

Huntington, WV is home to Marshall University. Marshall University was recently portrayed in the movie, We Are Marshall.

Marshall University stadium

This explains the tragedy.

The Ohio River separates WV and Ohio.

This is the B&O RR Depot in Huntington.

Historic Keith-Albee Theater was also once a thriving vaudeville house that opened in 1928.

This is the East End Bridge they are so proud of. This is nothing compared to the Baytown Bridge!!

For our dessert and after a hard day of sight seeing, we stopped off at Frostop for a rootbeer float. And may I just say that this is by far the BEST rootbeer float I've EVER had!!! This particular location has been in business since May, 1959. The daughters of the original owner still operate this Frostop today.