West Virginia - Lets finish this off

I've tried to write these last two days up and move on with my blog and talk about other things. But, I've made a mistake and accidentally deleted a whole days topic. So much and many other things to talk about.

I'll just make this quick.

Day 6 - Redemption! Finally I was able to get away from the pushers. This trip was called 'The Gable End of Hell' in the guidebook but it should have been called Solace or Redemption or something like that. The day began on Hwy 41 to 55 over to 20 and onto 15. The gateway to 15 is Webster Springs. A town that needs to be explored more fully. I followed a log truck for a ways and that helped keep the pushers at bay. Being on a small vehicle you tend to get picked on. I found this same phenomenon when I drive in small cars - drivers in larger vehicles like to try and push these people around on the road. Explains why I've had five rear-end collisions and most of them involved large vehicles like trucks and vans. The problem was either someone had their head up their ass and usually following way to close with way too big of a vehicle.

The best part of Day 6 was the town of Cass. This is something you really got to see. It's a whole town that was bought - lock, stock and barrel by the state of West Virginia in the 1960s. All of the houses, the railroad, company store - every bit of it. The vintage railroad is in working order and you can take trips to the top of the mountain on it. The sound of the whistle will bring you back to earlier times. I love the sound of Johnny Cash playing Orange Blossom special and I can see where he gets that sound he makes on his harmonicas. Definitely stop and see Cass if you are in the area.

I was able to revisit FR 150 - a highly delectable motorcycle road. Not as many curves but so nice views and very little traffic. Returned to the campsite and began thinking about leaving the next day. Start working my way back home.

Days 7 - Search for the Swiss. Now this route should have been labelled The Gable End of Hell. Day 7 was the most trying and arduous journey on the entire trek. The day started with a decision to break camp and leave the resort. I was getting tired of the place and the latest tenants made the decision final. I was thinking of doing most of this route and the make my final decision in Helvetia.

After leaving the resort, fueling - I began the hunt for CR19. I was able to find exactly this route on the GPS or the maps but between the guide book and some surmising - I finally found this backwoods roads that only the locals seem to know about. CR19 turned out to be a gravely semi-asphalt one lane road. Yet, even this desolate road in the West Virgina back country had more pushers and some nerve-wracking on coming cars. This area is very pretty but wasn't able to take much of the view in as I was watching for pushers, oncoming traffic and deer. Eventually, I made it to 16 in Clay - then followed 4. I missed a turn and some very nice locals offered my assistance in finding my way.

Hwy 4 was smooth, gentle and rolling as it followed the Elk River. The only detraction was the dilapidated shacks that obscured the view. I ended up getting turned around in Sutton and had to pick my way through some road construction. Eventually, I made my way to Hwy 15 - another nice motorcycle road. I found the next road CR22 but this road was closed - thank goodness. It looked like a road more for a dirt bike than a street bike. I motored on and enjoy the rest of Hwy 15.
This eventually led my to CR3.

CR3 is where the comedy of errors began and my bikes dual-sport features came into play. I remember reading the guide book that said avoid this road if you don't want to take the backwoods route. CR3 was not too bad as it started. Mostly asphalt but then gave way to gravel. The smooth throttle and the long suspension on the Versys made all of this possible. After several miles of this I came to an intersection - I wasn't sure which way to go. I took a left and found myself at this beautiful white country chapel. Out in the middle of nowhere - the grass was neatly trimmed and all of the windows had nice little curtains. It was kind of curious to see this out here - I was not sure if I was seeing a vision or not. Still I was not sure where I was supposed to be and the GPS just kept rerouting me and stupidly I kept following it. I followed it through some rough road and through deep water. Finally, I gave up and decided to turn around.

I was in a total freaked out mode at this point and just wanted to get out of this area. I turned around and went back to the original intersection. I almost went back down CR3 but I thought I'd give the left a try and see where it headed. This lead finally into Pickens and I began to see signs for Helvatia. Helvatia was so small that I went right passed it. I did a u-turn and when right into the restaurant. I need a drink (a good hard belt would have been good at that point) but when for an ice-tea and a nice salad. Their menu was mostly meat - the salad was the only vegetarian choice on the menu. It was still good and refreshing.

At this point - I was ready to head for home. Which was was it going to be? Either Winchester, Virginia (the birthplace of Patsy Cline) or make my way to Morgantown - which was more direct path home. I decided the weather wasn't looking good and I had been on the road for a week. Morgantown it was and I'll see Winchester another time.

That is the end of my story about my visit to West Virginia. The remainder part of my journey was just working my way back home - took some super slab and took some back roads. Next year - I'll point my two wheels in another direction for my one week reprieve and see something else.