Before our new riding season begins, I need to finish last year's season with a blog about our vacation in August. I've been busy, lazy, tired, etcetera, but I don't want to let this trip go untold because the mountains fill my heart with hope that the walls I work inside of for so many hours that I rarely see the sun are not the end all of living! There is sky, wind, mountains, streams, and all of the roads that get me there. On that note, here's what went down...
As usual, Bryon, Hammer, Tiny, Goldilocks, and I prepared for our weeklong motorcycle trip. For August of 2020, it was a big loop through the mountains of West Virginia and Virginia, with a taste of Maryland and a re-do of parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania. We left on Sunday, August 9th, meeting at DiSilvio's Family Grill for breakfast.
I was created for the older days, and have a healthy distrust of technology dependence, so I ALWAYS type out step-by-step directions on, yes, my computer. Below is a photo of the path we were to take and stops we were to make. That doesn't always happen, but it's a great way to start. And you are welcome to knock yourself out by following these exact directions, just watch for the deer in WV!
What we did first was go back to Zanesville. Lunch was at the McDonald's on US-22 where we had to eat outside on the bushes because corporations are stupid Nazi wannabes and wouldn't let us sit inside. Fuck you, McDonald's.
Then we were off to hit the Triple Nickel OH-555. The 555 is worth the trip and the ride, dropping you off at the southern end near the Ohio River by West Virginia on OH-7. Here are some pics from our first break on the 555; it's a side road with welcomed shade on a hillside.
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| I always photograph Hammer peeing! |
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| Tiny LOVES ice cream sandwiches. |
Our destination in WV was the town of Weston to stay at the Super 8 hotel. We had reservations for that night and the next two nights, but none after that. I got us a little turned around a couple of times. Here is one parking lot we pulled into, and nobody liked me so I sat by myself across the lot and told them how I felt.
The section of roads from the WV line to Linn, WV, and then US-119 south to Weston were really nice, but a bit desolate in that there weren't many conveniences, and the two stores we stopped at were already closed before sunset.
Of course, it was a Sunday. But boy, when it started getting dark, it got DARK! Those mountain roads are no joke, and then the deer, the many, many deer we encountered were beautiful but on the pitch black, tree-lined, unfamiliar roads, it made for some cautious excitement.
We made it to the hotel before 10pm and checked in with no problems. Then we walked over to the McDonald's next door, once again not being allowed to eat inside, so we crossed there yellow tape line to the outside picnic tables and purposely sat at the table with the big white X on it that was to keep us "distanced". Fuck you again, McDonald's.
Monday morning we packed up in the sunshine and hit US-48 east over to WV-20 south.
After the fun riding on WV-20, we landed in the valley of Webster Springs, a secondary name given to the town of Addison, due to the healing sulphur springs of the area. Over a hundred years ago, people visited the springs there and there was also a grand, multi-story hotel.
Our room wasn't ready because we got there early, so took a ride further south on WV-20 and stopped at a picnic place beside the Gauley River that runs parallel.
After going back and getting settled in our rooms at the Mineral Springs Motel.The rooms were huge and clean, and the motel sits along the back fork of the Elk River! And the town is surrounded by mountains.
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| The yard and view from the motel toward the river bank. |
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| Center square of the town of Webster Springs |
We rode the bikes a tiny distance onto the main street to the The Custard Stand hot dog shop, where Hammer got a cheeseburger. Cool place to eat, literally; it was hot and humid outside.
Back at the motel, we kicked back and relaxed. A grocery store was in walking distance, so Goldilocks and I walked over the bridge to the store for snacks and drinks. The motel manager/owner was a cool guy. He offered to pick up some pizza for us when he headed out and brought that back with a 12 pack of Yuengling. The Mineral Springs Motel is definitely highly recommended. The tables and chairs set up outside the rooms made for a great place to hang out, and being on the river, priceless.
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pizza and beer |
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| flip flops for the evening |
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| Found these painted rocks at the Springs Soup & Sandwich shop that matched our flip flops! |
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| Logging has a big history here |
While there, we went for a brief walk on Lover's Lane, and newly built wooden boardwalk that runs along the back fork of the Elk River. It is a third generation boardwalk, built this time by Dr. David Gillespie, a retired college librarian. The guys limited our walk out of pure laziness, but Goldilocks and I went a bit further and turned back.
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| the guys were way back there |
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| We are not lovers; I made her do it |
After dinner, back at the motel, Goldilocks and I went barefoot into the river, and sat for a long time on the rocks out in the flowing water. No talking, no nothing but nature. The guys stayed back and bullshitted for the duration. Then it was bedtime. Bryon and I didn't want to leave; we really like that little town.
But Wednesday morning came, and we headed out for Seneca Rocks, WV.
What a beautiful morning ride! We worked our way across WV-15 east and took US-219 north, then turned east on US-33. It was really, really nice. Unless you look at a relief map or the satellite view on Google Maps, you don't realized how mountainous the terrain is, but from the ground it's just as amazing. At Seneca Rocks, I pulled us into Yokum's Vacationland, a store, hotel, and deli that I had been to about 13 years earlier. The store has all the souvenirs any one needs, plus snacks and cool t-shirts. Relax inside or on the deck.
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| Down below Seneca Rocks outcrop |
After viewing the rocks from a distance (you can climb the mountain and see the view from the top; I recommend that if you are capable of the hike), we took off a little south to head toward Seneca Caverns. But more precisely because I wanted to see again and show the most breathtaking valley I'd ever seen! We were met with disappointment as the valley was being turned upside down by a mining company that had beauty as the last thing it could every consider. We got to the Seneca Caverns facility, and at the restaurant we were told that the mining was getting dangerously close to the caverns and they didn't know what the future held.
Our next goal was to get to Unger, WV to see the Farnham Colossi, but the weather started taking a bad, dark cloud turn, so we headed directly for Winchester, VA to find a hotel. The first random hotel was not so hot, so with seriously dark spiraling clouds headed for us, we rode like hell to another location that I found using Google Maps on my phone. We missed that one and turned into the Fairfield Inn which saved our asses! The hotel manager met us outside and told us to park our bikes under the canopy because he knew that bikers like to keep tabs on their motorcycles. How cool is that? He walked us inside and got us set up with rooms. And then, we ordered pizza and, while the dining area was closed off due to the scamdemic, he let us sit in there to eat and relax as the rain poured down outside. We outran the storm.
Winchsester was on the list due to, you guessed it, a Harley-Davidson store located there at none other than the corner of Independence and Constitution Drives!!! And they weren't maskians, but rather normal Americans.
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| Hammer found his twin |
Our original plan was to head south a bit onto the Skyline Drive, but the forecast was 100% rain south of Winchester, so we headed north on an adventure. We followed US-11 north to our next destination, the Martinsburg Roundhouse, and old railroad exchange facility. That was a decent ride getting there. The roundhouse is located in an old neighborhood that was a little shady, but it was interesting. I had found it while searching the online map prior to our trip.
Onward, we rode to another planned destination, the Antietam National Battlefield. It was a Civil War site, in 1862, which are places we like to visit. We learned a lot there too, for example that the upside down canons were used as memorials to the higher-up military leaders who died in battle.
On the road again, we headed further north out of Maryland. Instead of heading west across WV on US-50 as planned to make a path toward home, we ended up in Gettysburg (another of our favorites) back at the Budget Host motel. Cheap rooms at a great location.
We must have worn old Hammer out, because when the rest of us knocked on his door so we could go ghost hunting in the cemetery, he was already in bed. Luckily he did not answer his door naked, but had he done so, he would have looked very similar to an apparition considering his albino coloring. LOL! Off into the night and across the road to the soldiers cemetery we went. It's also the location where Abraham Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address. We sat in that location on the benches waiting for a ghost, but nothing happened, unless of course you can spot something in the flashed photo of Tiny, Meanie, and Goldilocks.
In the morning, we packed up for the last time, and rode into the town to have breakfast at the Lincoln Diner. Across the street is the old railroad station, where back in 2019 I had kind of hoped to get married there in our 1880s garb, but it didn't pan out. But we got to go there and grab a few photos.
It was time to go, home. We can't say it enough that US-30, the Lincoln Highway, is a perfect road to take across PA. Make it a point to do so and you won't be disappointed. Plus, you can get to and from Gettysburg for a weekend trip from our home location in the Mahoning Valley.
On our way back, we passed by this side-of-the-road BB joint that looked like a shithole, just to get a little further to a place we know only to see it was closed. Well, why not try the shithole! We went back the few miles and pulled in to the gravelly, holey parking lot of Smokey Joe's Barbeque. Indeed, we wanted to go back the following weekend for more of the super-delicious smoked goodness! We all ordered and chose something different: pulled pork, smoked half chicken, ribs. We wondered where we would sit to eat when the owner said there were tables around back, and there under the trees at the picnic tables we ate more than we should have and less than we wanted!
Well, there's not much more to this story. We followed our usual route back home through Latrobe, then Apollo, then onto US-422 west. Here's me wanting for sleep when we stopped the last time at the Loves truck stop near I-79. We ate at the McDonald's there, and were being kicked out of the seating area at 9pm when we had just sat down to eat. For the third time, fuck you McDonald's.
That is all I can say here, but there's so much more. We are lucky to have memorable stories and moments. And motorcycles are a wonderful way to make that happen! Get on yours, and ride!
~ Holly, a.k.a. Stitchblade
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