tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42269652382324740502024-03-13T13:11:55.395-04:00InquisineerRamblings from a West Virginia Mountaineer with an inquisitive nature.<p> [When trying to think of a name for my blog, I wanted something unique. I decided to combine two of my strongest traits—my inquisitiveness and my love for West Virginia—into the title “Inquisineer.” As an added bonus, I think it sounds like one of those “nom de plumes” used in writing letters for publication (“Publius” was used when writing the Federalist Papers).]</p>WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.comBlogger188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-57669023925127014492015-07-01T21:24:00.000-04:002015-07-01T21:24:05.181-04:00My Farewell Column<i>For several years, I've written a monthly column for "Two-Lane Livin'" magazine, which is distributed to 15,000 readers in central West Virginia. I'm thankful for that opportunity, but my stint in the Peace Corps will interrupt my column for the next two years. Here is my "farewell column" which was just published in the July issue of the magazine:</i>
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<CENTER><H3>Farewell For Now</H3></center>
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If you have read my columns (or visited my blog) the past few years, you know that I am a proud West Virginian, and that I love traveling around my native state. With the exception of three years working in Washington, DC, I have lived my entire life in the Mountain State. It will always be a defining part of my existence.
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However, my life is about to take a two-year detour. I retired from my federal job at the end of May, and left the country in June. I was selected to serve in the Peace Corps, and so I am spending my first two years of retirement teaching students overseas. I have been assigned to serve in the Eastern Caribbean. You can follow my adventure in my new blog at <a href="http://kuribbean.blogspot.com">http://kuribbean.blogspot.com</a>.
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I had considered joining the Peace Corps while a student at WVU, but didn’t do it at that time. As I neared retirement age, I realized that the Peace Corps would be an excellent way to transition into retirement. I feel fortunate to have been chosen for what has been touted as “the toughest job you’ll ever love!”
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The Peace Corps was created in 1961 by President Kennedy. It has three main purposes: 1.) to provide assistance to developing countries; 2.) to help the foreigners we serve to better understand America; and 3.) to help Americans better understand other cultures. I look forward to doing my best to be a good teacher, ambassador, and communicator in order to accomplish all three of these objectives.
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In some respects, it would seem that going to an island in the West Indies will be completely different than living in wild, wonderful West Virginia. However, I am eager to see what underlying similarities there may be beneath the obvious differences, and to analyze them in my new blog.
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In the meantime, I hope that I have inspired some of you to get out and enjoy the many great places we have in West Virginia. I promise that I will be returning in a couple of years. Despite all my travels around the state, I still have some West Virginia destinations that I haven’t fully explored yet, such as Tomlinson Run State Park, the Sinks of Gandy, the Coal House in Williamson, Lost River State Park, and many more. Following my stint in the Peace Corps, my retirement will give me the time to cross these locations off my list, plus allow me to make return visits to many of my favorite tourist spots.
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So as of now, I will need to sign off as a contributor to this fine publication. It has been a lot of fun taking you with me on my journeys around our state. Perhaps I will be able to resume this column when I return in 2017. But in the meantime, please get out and explore all that the Mountain State has to offer. More importantly, please continue supporting this independent publication by spreading the word and patronizing the advertisers.
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To close, I’d like to paraphrase one of our state songs: “[although by sea] I roam, still I'll think of happy home, and my friends among the West Virginia hills.”
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<blockquote><i>The mountains on St. Lucia are a bit <BR>different than the mountains back home!</i></blockquote>WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-90770450939254200402015-05-27T22:04:00.001-04:002015-05-27T22:04:32.572-04:00Loving West VirginiaFor the past several years, I have been sharing my West Virginia stories in “Two-Lane Livin’” magazine. Most of my stories have been about interesting places to see or exciting things to do in our state (with a few historical stories thrown in for good measure). Some of you might have wondered where I got my interest in traveling around West Virginia.
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I come from a long family line of West Virginians. I’m proud to have a few ancestors who joined newly formed West Virginia volunteer units of the Union Army during the Civil War. In a sense, they were helping to fight for our independence from Virginia (because if the Confederacy had won the Civil War, there is no doubt that the fledgling new state of West Virginia would have been reabsorbed into the Old Dominion). Even with the South’s defeat, the Virginia government still challenged the legality of our statehood (as well as questioning some of the counties that were included within our borders) in a case they brought before the U.S. Supreme Court. Fortunately, in that case of Virginia v. West Virginia, the Supreme Court ruled against Virginia.
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Most of my ancestors settled along the Ohio River, from Pleasants County to Mason County. Although my father’s family moved to Akron to work in the defense factories during World War II (my grandmother was a “Rosie the Riveter” building Corsair fighter planes), they moved back home to West Virginia after the war. I’m very thankful they did, so that my parents could eventually meet and I could grow up as a West Virginian.
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My family was always interested in and proud of our state. North Bend was our nearest state park, and it served as a frequent destination for family picnics and other activities. Over time, I came to know the place quite well. [Not surprisingly, North Bend State Park was the subject of my very first column in “Two-Lane Livin’” magazine.]
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Later in my childhood, my family acquired a small camping trailer, and spent many weekends over the years exploring other state parks and attractions around West Virginia. I have many fond memories of those visits to other parts of our beautiful state. My memories are not just of the state parks themselves, but also of the small towns and rural scenes we would pass by as we traversed the two-lane highways to get to our destination. These trips gave me a good sense of our state.
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The enjoyment I got as a youngster exploring my native state never has left me. It is my state, and it always will be my state. I’m grateful that my parents passed along their love of West Virginia to me. I trust that I have helped to instill that same home state pride in my daughter (and perhaps even with some of my readers). I hope that many of you reading this story will cultivate a love for West Virginia with anyone you might influence. Indeed, West Virginia is a state worth loving.<BR>
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<i>Fireworks over the West Virginia State Capitol during the Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2013 (taken from the riverbank at my beloved alma mater, the University of Charleston).</i> <BR><b>[This story appears in the June 2015 issue of "Two-Lane Livin'" magazine.]
</b>WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-40971376563827491592015-05-01T15:23:00.000-04:002015-05-01T15:23:30.943-04:00Contentment along Route 60When I was a child (prior to the interstate era), our summer vacations often involved traveling east on U.S. Route 60 to visit relatives. Following the Kanawha River upstream, between the large hillsides on each side of the river, we passed through many small communities, such as Cedar Grove, Glasgow, Boomer, Smithers, Alloy, etc.
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The real excitement began once Kanawha Falls came into view (a small portion is shown above). The wide expanse of whitewater tumbling over the rocky cataract signaled the beginning of the ride out of the river bottom. First, we would pass the historic Glen Ferris Inn, sitting by the riverside as it had since the stagecoach days. Then we’d cross the Gauley River Bridge, while glancing over to the old bus situated on a large rock island at the confluence of the New and Gauley Rivers. After bouncing across the railroad tracks, we’d gaze quickly at the beautiful Cathedral Falls (pictured below), and then begin the climb up Gauley Mountain.
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The goal was to avoid becoming carsick as Dad weaved his way up the twists and turns, always hoping to catch the slow moving tractor-trailers at one of the few designated passing zones. Although it was best to try to focus out the front window to avoid carsickness, there were opportunities for incredible views overlooking the steep hillside into the canyon below—if you dared to look out the side windows.
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Eventually, we’d reach the plateau at the top of the mountain, which was first signaled by the iconic “Mystery Hole” (a West Virginia landmark which has to be visited to be fully understood), followed soon by Hawks Nest State Park. Finally, we’d enter Ansted, the first small town along the highlands of Route 60.
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Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to spend time at each of the aforementioned places along this scenic stretch of highway. This past summer, I added Ansted’s “Contentment Historical Complex” to my list. When I was young, this was just an old white house with a long front porch overlooking Rt. 60 on the western edge of Ansted. Built in 1830, the house was purchased by former Confederate Colonel George Imboden in 1872. His wife named it “Contentment” because of all the happy times they enjoyed there.
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Today, it serves as the Fayette County Historical Society’s museum. During the summer months, docents provide tours of the home, refurbished with household items from the 1800s. In the backyard, they have relocated a former one-room schoolhouse and filled it with ink-well desks, a pot-belly stove, etc. Another building was added in the backyard that houses lots of old antiques and memorabilia from Fayette County. For example, there are old pictures, tools, and other items related to coal mining and railroading in Fayette County.
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The day we visited the complex, our tour guide provided a fascinating explanation of the historic keepsakes at Contentment. The Fayette County Historical Society has done a wonderful job of preserving these important possessions and sharing them with visitors. If you are ever in this area during the summer months, add the Contentment Historical Complex (pictured below) to your list of sites to see along Route 60. <BR>
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[<i>This story was featured in the May issue of "Two-Lane Livin'" magazine.</i>]
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-76620410124995661222015-04-21T20:47:00.000-04:002015-04-21T20:47:42.047-04:00Earth DayTomorrow is the 45th anniversary of the first Earth Day celebration, which took place on April 22, 1970. I was a sixth grader at Park Elementary School at that time, which was a pivotal year for me. After five years at a small single-story school in a bucolic setting along a dirt road in Murphytown, the “country kids” were bussed into town to spend our sixth grade year in a big old two story (plus basement as well as a separate gymnasium) school at a major intersection in town.
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Life was different going to school in town. Whereas rural Murphytown had acres of green grass playground along Stillwell Creek, Park School had no grass on its small gravel playground in the back of the building. Also, the first few times a fire engine or ambulance screamed by on the busy street outside, it was the country kids who just couldn’t keep themselves from jumping up to look out the window. During my time at Murphytown from first to fifth grade, I don’t think we ever had an emergency vehicle pass by on the dirt road that ran in front of our school.
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Murphytown had one classroom for each grade, and so I had always been together with all my classmates—until we went to Park School. It was so large, there were three different sections of sixth grade! Many of my friends were assigned to the other two teachers instead of being in my class.
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However, I ended up enjoying my year at Park School. I made many new friends that year, some of whom I’m still friends with after all these years. My principal, Mr. Hasbargen, was still a principal with Wood County Schools when I served on the school board from 1992 to 2000. My homeroom teacher was Mrs. Kellow, who was a wonderful teacher (even if she did criticize me about the creative flourishes I added to my cursive writing—she wanted our cursive writing to be exactly as she taught it!). Our classroom was on the front left corner of the school’s top floor. All six classrooms on this upper floor were devoted to fifth and sixth graders.
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While most of our time was spent learning from our homeroom teachers, we also rotated to other classrooms for certain topics. Mrs. Prince taught us science in her room on the left side of the building’s back end. In between on the left side was Mrs. Armstrong (another sixth grade teacher), who ran the library that occupied the center of the upper floor. Miss Downey taught us art in the classroom on the right corner in the front of the building. Miss Barr (also a sixth grade teacher) taught us music in her classroom on the back right side. Mrs. Boso was the designated gym teacher, and had the classroom in the middle of the right side. [At least, this is how I remember things after all these years.]
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I am very grateful to the teachers at Park School who decided that we should join in this newfangled “Earth Day” holiday. Concerns about the environment were rapidly coming to the forefront at that time. The space program had provided incredible pictures of the planet earth, looking like a fragile blue marble against the dark black void of space (earlier that school year, I can remember watching the launch of Apollo 12 on TV in the auditorium at the center of the first floor at Park School). Air and water pollution were becoming accepted as major menaces. Even our national symbol, the bald eagle, was thought to be disappearing due to DDT pesticides.
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It is against that backdrop that our teachers decided to do something to observe Earth Day, and I’m glad that I took part in the very first one. Every Earth Day since then, I think back to that sunny spring day when our teachers sent us out to clean up the school grounds. I can still remember reaching my hands into the prickly shrubbery that formed a perimeter along Seventh Street and Park Avenue, separating the children from the sidewalks and the busy streets. I remember we were normally required to stay within the shrubbery on the school grounds, but for this special day we were allowed to pick up trash along the street sidewalks as well. We may have done other activities beyond litter clean-up, but my most vivid memory is tearing up my hands and arms reaching for trash in the hedges.
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We helped to beautify our school grounds that afternoon, just eight days before the big May Day celebration, when we would weave our way around the maypole in the school’s front yard (do any schoolchildren today even know what I’m talking about when I mention the maypole?).
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Sadly, just like maypoles, both Murphytown and Park Schools have died off, too. Both were closed in the wave of school consolidations shortly before I was elected to the Board of Education. Park School was torn down and replaced on that busy street corner with a CVS Pharmacy and a Wendy’s Restaurant.
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Park School may be gone, but I have one picture of it taken shortly before it was closed (<i>see below</i>). Plus, I have many good memories from my one year there! And each year when Earth Day is commemorated, I always think of reaching my hands into those prickly hedges to pick out discarded papers on the very first Earth Day.<BR>
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<i>My classroom was at the top left. If you look close, maybe you can see a country kid peering out the window at the passing fire engine.</i>
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-47063134611644640792015-04-08T21:06:00.000-04:002015-04-08T21:06:27.837-04:00My Take on TaxesAs the April 15 tax deadline day looms a week away, many people are grumbling about paying taxes. Maybe I’m weird, but I look at paying taxes in a similar fashion to the way I look at voting—it is one of the rites of citizenship, and I’m proud to support my country. There are things I’d like to change about the way our government (on all levels) spends money, but you won’t hear me grumbling about the need to pay taxes. It makes more sense to grumble at the elected decision-makers than at the tax collectors.
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When I was teaching Constitutional Law, I always made sure my students learned that Americans wanted an income tax. The 16th Amendment was approved over a century ago after the Supreme Court initially overturned a federal tax on incomes over $4,000 (about $110,000 in today’s dollars). The original idea was that those who were prospering in our country should help pay for our country.
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In today’s world, there are new problems related to paying taxes. A friend of mine in Ohio recently submitted his state income tax electronically, only to be informed that someone had already filed a tax return in his name and claimed the refund. The state tax department required him to answer a series of questions intended to confirm that he was the real person. Unfortunately, these personal knowledge questions—old addresses, mortgage payment amounts, previous cars, credit card accounts, and others—are not always easy to answer.
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Because of the rising number of tax returns submitted by identity thieves, tax departments are using the identity quiz questions developed by the major credit bureaus. If you have ever attempted to get your Congressionally-mandated free copy of your credit report (which I highly recommend, and which can be obtained by visiting <a href="https://www.annualcreditreport.com"><b>www.annualcreditreport.com</b></a>), then you’ve probably had to answer the same type of questions to confirm your identity. Sometimes they involve facts that many of us did not think we would need to retain. Failure to correctly answer those required by the tax department might result in the need for you to fill out additional forms, and perhaps even make a trip to the local tax office to verify your identity in person.
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My tax strategy in recent years has been to fill out my tax form myself on paper—the old fashioned way. Then I take the hard-copy forms (along with a photo ID) to the local IRS office, where a courteous employee reviews my return, confirms its accuracy, and (with a quick inquiry on her computer) assures me that no identity thief has yet tried to use my name to file for a tax refund. If by chance a tax thief had already done so, I would be able to immediately prove my identity and begin the process to correct the situation. Then I walk up the street to the West Virginia Tax Department office and go through the same process. I’ve never had to wait very long and my dealings with the tax employees have always been pleasant.
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I enjoy bucking the trend towards electronic tax submissions and instead dealing face-to-face with a real person! They even provide me with free photocopies of my submitted tax forms! Plus, I didn’t need to pay for postage stamps and worry about the delivery (or worry about hackers breaking into my home PC and perusing any tax software for identity theft purposes).
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Another identity theft precaution that people should take is to register with the IRS—as well as Social Security—for their personal online accounts, before any identity thieves try to establish themselves as you. I was able to establish my IRS account by going to <a href="http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript"><b>http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript</b></a> and following the directions. Similarly, I set up my free online Social Security account at <a href="http://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/"><b>http://www.ssa.gov/myaccoun</b>t/</a>. Note that it is essential to create very strong passwords for these important accounts!
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I learned about these precautionary actions because I pay attention to computer security issues. There are many good websites providing identity theft advice, but if I had to pick just one, I’d recommend the blog of former Washington Post reporter Brian Krebs. Check out this recent example related to this topic-- <a href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/03/sign-up-at-irs-gov-before-crooks-do-it-for-you/"><b>https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/03/sign-up-at-irs-gov-before-crooks-do-it-for-you/</b></a>.
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Of course, if I somehow became the U.S. President, I have a solution to this identity theft problem—which would also benefit one of our country’s other problems. I would wait until after April 15 before sending any tax refund checks. This would stop tax identity thieves because they always try to submit their fake returns early, before the real person submits their actual forms. If more than one return is filed for the same name, then the IRS could investigate prior to sending a check. It would also encourage everyone to submit their tax returns before the April 15 deadline. Plus, the U.S. budget deficit could be reduced slightly because of the additional interest that would be earned by not immediately sending back tax refunds (not to mention saving the money now lost to identity thieves).
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Some folks would grumble because they wouldn’t get their money back as quickly as they did before. However, one thing I have learned during my stint as an elected politician is that it is impossible to make everybody happy, and that sometimes you just have to get accustomed to the inevitable grumbling.
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I wish you a happy tax deadline day and many happy returns! <BR>
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<i>This is a picture of me riding a two-wheeled Segway in front of the U.S. Capitol a few years back. It is more interesting than a picture of me doing my taxes.</i>
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-8100510960679436362015-03-25T21:17:00.000-04:002015-03-25T21:17:48.903-04:00Lincoln Walks at MidnightThe statue “Lincoln Walks at Midnight” (sculpted by Fred Martin Torrey from Fairmont) prominently adorns the front of the West Virginia State Capitol, which I visited recently. However, many West Virginians don’t realize the historical significance of this eloquent work of art. It speaks to the quandary in which Lincoln found himself with regard to the creation of the new state of West Virginia. He had to deal with our complicated statehood issue on top of dealing with the Civil War. It’s no wonder he had trouble sleeping!
For many years, western Virginians were taken advantage of by their eastern counterparts. There were major cultural differences between the established planter society in the flatlands, versus those who had settled in the rugged mountains. We sent our taxes to Richmond, but saw very little in return (except for the lunatic asylum).
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The Civil War’s underlying issue was slavery, but it was also about whether the southern states should be allowed to secede from the United States. The western counties dissatisfaction with Richmond came to a head when the Virginia Legislature chose to join the Confederacy. Seizing their opportunity to split from Virginia, the western counties first established a “Restored Government of Virginia” with Wheeling as its capital. The federal government recognized this loyalist faction as the legitimate successor to Virginia, as opposed to the other government of Virginia, which now cast its lot with the rebels.
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Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution states "...no new states shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state...without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned as well as of the Congress." In order to form a separate new state, the “Restored Government of Virginia” voted to allow West Virginia to be formed from its northwestern counties. The wartime Congress was quick to grant its consent as well, sending a statehood bill for President Lincoln to sign in December 1862.
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So this meant that Lincoln, who (after the Confederates attacked and captured Fort Sumter) had authorized the military to put down the rebellion and refused to recognize a state’s ability to secede from the Union, was now faced with a request for statehood from a portion of an existing state. While those pushing for a new state of West Virginia claimed to have garnered the necessary Constitutional “consent” from the existing state’s legislature, the truth was that the “Restored Government of Virginia” controlled less than half the area bounded by the original Virginia state borders. Lincoln was put in the position of approving our “secession” from Virginia, while telling Virginia (and other southern states) that they weren’t allowed to secede from the Union.
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The strife and division caused by the Civil War made it possible—indeed, preferable—to allow West Virginia to become its own state, but it was “a bit messy” from a legal viewpoint. Fortunately, we have survived for nearly 152 years now. West Virginians should all be grateful that while Lincoln contemplated our fate during the cold December evenings, he ended up approving our birth.<BR>
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[<i>This story appeared in the April issue of “Two-Lane Livin’” magazine</i>.]WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-61234857745982581982015-02-25T22:13:00.000-05:002015-02-26T21:48:34.580-05:00Beverly Heritage CenterI think everybody is familiar with Elkins (the county seat for Randolph County), but most folks don’t know much about Beverly, a smaller town a few miles down the highway. Beverly was the original county seat, but eventually lost that title to Elkins (formerly known as Leadville) in 1899, which had suddenly become a railroad hub just ten years earlier. How this happened (and how close it came to becoming a bloody intra-county war) is just one of the interesting stories explained in different display areas at the Beverly Heritage Center, which I had the pleasure of visiting recently.<BR>
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<center><i>An example of the nice signs inside the museum.</i></center>
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Another major component of this museum is Beverly’s involvement in the Civil War. Many people don’t realize how much western Virginia (prior to statehood in 1863) was in the national spotlight during 1861. One of the most significant early battles was fought near Beverly—the Union victory at the Battle of Rich Mountain. This key victory helped to drive the Confederates out of northwestern Virginia, protecting the vital B&O Railroad and setting the stage for West Virginia’s statehood. Later, the town was briefly raided by the Confederates four times over the course of the war. This museum has lots of artifacts and interesting displays about both the Civil War in the region as well as West Virginia’s statehood.
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Beverly got its start as an early community along a route that became the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike, an important road across the Appalachian Mountains from the Shenandoah Valley to the Ohio River. The history of transportation in the area is another focus at the Beverly Heritage Center. They cover the evolution from horses and stagecoaches, to the massive changes brought by the railroads, and finally to the automobile and how it changed American culture. The old Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike (which followed a path that is now covered by U.S. 250 from Staunton to Elkins, U.S. 33 from Elkins to the community Linn in Gilmer County, and Route 47 from Linn to Parkersburg) still runs through the heart of the town and in front of the museum.
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The Beverly Heritage Center also focuses on the town of Beverly itself. This museum is actually four adjacent buildings (the 1808 Courthouse, a bank built in 1902, a former store built in 1912, and a residence from 1850) that have been combined together, forming an intriguing interior space filled with high quality displays telling about life in a small town in the old days, along with the other topics previously described.
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While the Beverly Heritage Center provides a perfect place to capture the interesting history of this town and its surrounding, there is so much more to see there! After spending an hour and a half enjoying the displays, I didn’t have time to take the self-guided walking tour or to check out the Randolph County Museum diagonally across the street. Plus there are numerous antique shops and historical markers to read. I need to come back in warmer weather and check out the entire town as well as the nearby Rich Mountain battlefield.<P>
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<center><i>The front of the museum along the highway through town<BR>(the entrance and parking are around back).</i></center><P>
[This story appeared in the March issue of Two-Lane Livin' magazine.]
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-68292407661703778832015-02-23T21:56:00.000-05:002015-02-23T21:56:33.372-05:00The Perfect PrankIt was the spring semester of my senior year—the capstone of an enjoyable (as well as educational) four years at the University of Charleston. After spending the fall semester working as an intern on Capitol Hill in Washington, I was living those last collegiate months in the top floor of Benedum Hall, in a single room with a beautiful view of the West Virginia Capitol Dome.
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As winter relaxed its icy grip, many of us (especially those of us with “senioritus”) were eager for spring break—just to relax from our studies and have some fun. In that era, not everyone disappeared for spring break, either because of lack of money to go back home (much less somewhere exotic, as many students today seem to do), or due to athletic team commitments, or just because we enjoyed being at our school.
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There was a freshman who lived in our section of the dorm. He was basically a nice guy, but also someone who liked to kid around a lot (as well as talk a lot), and his nickname was “McChicken.” When he went home for spring break, some of us got together to pull off an epic prank that became a legend.
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For some reason (notice that I did not use the word “unknown”), the key to his dorm room was available. It was decided to do something special for McChicken—a group project in which those of us staying on-campus over the week could participate. We came up with the idea to fill his room with wadded-up newspaper pages. It would be hilarious but harmless.
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First, all electrical items such as lamps and the clock radio were unplugged—we certainly didn’t want to fill the room with tinder and then have a short circuit or some other calamity accidentally burn down the dorm! Then we started work gathering newspapers (e.g., some students were required to subscribe to the Wall Street Journal for business classes). We’d meet periodically in his dorm room and simply wad up the pages before tossing them towards the back of the room.
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It wasn’t long before we had expended what newspapers we could find on campus. At that point, one guy who had a huge, early-1970s Chrysler Imperial (with trunk space large enough for the Mafia to carry numerous bodies) took some of us through the residential areas of Charleston, going door-to-door claiming that we were doing a recycling project and asking if we could take their newspapers off their hands. It was amazing how many folks were eager to contribute to this worthy project as we filled that Chrysler’s trunk!
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With the supply of paper replenished, we were able to keep ahead of the wadding process. A party-like atmosphere soon grew around these nightly efforts (the attached picture shows a few of the participants about halfway into the process). It would surprise you how long it takes to fill a dorm room from wall-to-wall, from ceiling-to-floor, and from the window at the back to the final few inches next to the door. The last paper wads were forced through the narrow gap between the door and the door frame. We had succeeded in packing the entire room—all of the interior volume—with newspapers!
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McChicken (I think the nickname had to do with his love for fast food from McDonalds, because he was not a timid, fearful person) had not returned from spring break over the weekend, but instead had waited until Monday morning to arrive. Given the number of students who participated in this stunt, as well as its audacity, it was hard to keep it secret.
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Although I purposely tried to avoid seeing him that day, from what I heard he soon became suspicious because of the way people were reacting to his arrival. Despite his concerns, he had little idea what awaited him when he put the Schalge key into the knob of his dorm room door!
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He had to use some force just to get it open far enough to see the problem. Even then, at first he couldn’t fathom that the wads of newspapers extended throughout his entire room. I was over in Riggleman Hall, innocently attending class when this happened, so I wasn’t there to see the initial reaction, but I remember hearing that he was impressed with our efforts. He was a good sport about the whole thing!
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Eventually, with the help of push brooms, all those newspapers were swept down to the very end of the section hallway, beyond the side staircase. When I finally arrived at the dorm, the gigantic pile of newspapers had become a landing zone. Guys were running full-blast down the hallway, and hurling themselves into the forgiving newspapers, which were sloped at a 45 degree angle against the end of the hallway.
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The best part was that if you were careful when getting up—extricating yourself just right—you would leave an exact imprint of how your body landed in the paper pile. Fortunately, I got a few turns at jumping into the pile—it was awesome! No one had anticipated that extra benefit when we had concocted the crazy idea of filling his room. It was a good example of a serendipitous result.
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It seems to me that this was the perfect college prank. It involved lots of reading material, required community interaction, inspired our curiosity, and even provided some exercise activity—and yet this is just one of many treasured memories from my college days!
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[<i>If you have any connection to the University of Charleston, I would like to invite you to attend the “Close the King” celebration at UC’s Eddie King Gym this coming Saturday, February 28. Many of us will gather there that day to reminisce over beloved stories such as this one from our college years. It will be awesome, too!</i>] <P>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCWr4ZwLHTeJ-1s7pXJDRjEG8ecTL8SQCjBJpi9oe7DlkVbflcTO5b74Y64OFlM8ewOb5UIy7kARkhrWbyCZ5qyE6fMc-cJnpKlJ0T99mm8lANgPbn88Z2un193dau_uZXKP2QsQgTkw-/s1600/prank.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCWr4ZwLHTeJ-1s7pXJDRjEG8ecTL8SQCjBJpi9oe7DlkVbflcTO5b74Y64OFlM8ewOb5UIy7kARkhrWbyCZ5qyE6fMc-cJnpKlJ0T99mm8lANgPbn88Z2un193dau_uZXKP2QsQgTkw-/s320/prank.JPG" /></a></div>WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-38002071137048052462015-02-21T08:04:00.000-05:002015-02-21T08:04:39.594-05:00Memories of the King!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIv55_1zlnJXH1Jt_MeCzNPACh_lkAMGlcOFWHOJplFEvkdoe6L1D6qjPoIF1V7kCLHthnuixN80OUfY_5xDOzTzcyV_FDBwOAwrOttq2JoJpSryN0EBaGN56mGtiW2wUN-jbbqO0zVFBJ/s1600/IMG_5042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIv55_1zlnJXH1Jt_MeCzNPACh_lkAMGlcOFWHOJplFEvkdoe6L1D6qjPoIF1V7kCLHthnuixN80OUfY_5xDOzTzcyV_FDBwOAwrOttq2JoJpSryN0EBaGN56mGtiW2wUN-jbbqO0zVFBJ/s200/IMG_5042.JPG" /></a></div><BR>
Next Saturday, I will be returning to my undergraduate alma mater, the University of Charleston, for a very special alumni event. February 28 is “Close the King”—the last regular season basketball games (it is a double-header with the women at 2:00 and the men at 4:00) in UC’s Eddie King Gym. Later this year, the old gym will undergo a complete renovation and expansion. Among other changes, the basketball court will be reoriented 90 degrees (becoming perpendicular to the river rather than running parallel with the river). It will have a completely different “look and feel” after this season.
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The old gym is long overdue for replacement, but it will be important to see it one last time. I have lots of good memories in that place, and it has changed little over the decades since my student days. Heck, it even still smells the same—not a bad smell, but just that old wood and varnish smell that permeates many old gyms.
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I was never much of a basketball player, but I was a big fan in those days. UC didn’t have a football team at that time, and so basketball was clearly at the top of the athletic hierarchy. I loved going to the games and cheering loudly with all my friends. We’d go around to the student entrance on the river side of the gym, show our IDs to the old guys in green sport coats who controlled access, and scramble into the pull-out wooden bleachers close to the court.
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Often, the TKE fraternity would have their big old church bell there in the corner, and we’d take turns yanking on the cable to ring the bell for every point scored. It was great to see the guys (as well as the cheerleaders!) whom we knew from our classes, the dorms, the cafeteria, etc., take the court against other WVIAC foes.
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This was in the era before ESPN, when local communities would come out to support their hometown college teams. Even the students were more supportive of the teams than today’s students, who too often stay in their rooms playing video games (or whatever). This was in the good old days before three point shots, alternating possession jump balls, shot clocks, and long shorts that look more like pajamas. It was great entertainment!
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We cheered not just for our men’s team, but we also had pretty good crowds for the Golden Eagle women’s teams. In my era, UC was the dominant women’s team in the conference. During my year as student government president, the Student Government Association (SGA) promoted “Women’s Basketball Appreciation Night” when we had a big game against WVU (yes, WVU came to Charleston to play in the Eddie King Gym). I’ll never forget the large crowd we had that night. Best of all, it ended up as a thrilling victory, with Cathy Penczak hitting a last second game-winning shot from deep in the corner.
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Speaking of SGA, I will also remember the hassle of getting a large parachute hung inside the Eddie King Gym, along with the mirrored disco ball. Then, we spent many hours pinning to the parachute a hundred or so cardboard stars on strings that other volunteers had covered with glitter as decoration for the big Fall Festival dance—the only formal dance held in the gym during my days. It took a lot of volunteer effort to set up for that dance!
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Another even bigger SGA event in the Eddie King Gym was the concert by the rock group Pablo Cruise (their hits included “Love Will Find A Way,” “A Place In The Sun,” and “Whatcha Gonna Do?”). Their opening act was James Taylor’s younger brother Livingston Taylor. For years, students had wanted to host a concert in the gym, so we finally got the go-ahead to give it a try. A big time concert was not easy to set up in the Eddie King Gym (not to mention meeting all the contract requirements and other hassles). Their stage took nearly a third of the floor, and the acoustics were terrible. But we gave it the old college try and pulled it off (and almost broke even).
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Although I wasn’t a basketball star, I played various intramural sports in the gym, in addition to the physical education classes I took there. In my later years, the UC volleyball coach would invite guys who she thought were pretty good in her volleyball class to come scrimmage against her volleyball team. That was a lot of fun for me!
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One of my final memories of the gym from my college days was that we held graduation practice inside the gym, which was also the alternate graduation location if it rained. Fortunately, the weather cooperated and we were able to hold the traditional UC graduation ceremony on our beautiful riverbank, with the West Virginia Capitol in the background.
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As you can see, I may not have been a varsity basketball star, but I have a lot of good memories in that old gym. It is important for me to see it one last time in its current configuration. Best of all, there will be many of my fellow alums there, which is what really makes it special. As important as the building is to me, the people I knew in that era are even more important. We are getting older (one of our friends recently died unexpectedly) and so seeing each other again is very important. When we get together, we don’t see each other as being old—we see each other as the college students we once were we when first met each other. We talk until our throats hurt, we smile until our cheeks hurt, and laugh until our sides hurt. It may sound painful, but indeed, it is fantastic!
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Especially if you live close by, please support this event, because many alums are coming from far away to be there, and they want to see old friends. Come early to chat with fellow alums (I plan on hanging out in the student union beginning around 10 AM until they open the gym doors for the game), wear maroon if you can, and stay afterward for a free reception in the student union. It will be a wonderful day! Go Eagles!<BR>
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<center>[<i>A view from the home side seats taken with a fish-eye lens</i>.]</center>
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-25929816192693825652015-01-28T21:16:00.000-05:002015-01-28T21:16:21.489-05:00Fort New SalemFort New Salem is a collection of relocated log structures on a wooded hillside near Salem University above the junction of U.S. Route 50 and West Virginia Route 23. It began in the early 1970s as part of what was then known as Salem College. The original intent was for this to be an educational component of the college, but hard times befell Salem University, and by 2005 Fort New Salem no longer fit into their financial plans. However, community members from the area wanted to keep it going, so an independent 501(c)3 organization was formed. <BR>
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The good folks who run the independent Fort New Salem Foundation work very hard to maintain this outdoor living history museum. Most of them are history lovers who enjoy passing on their passion for the past to the younger generation. My daughter enjoyed the Christmas-time visit we made back in the ‘90s when she was young, and I’m glad that Fort New Salem has been able to continue as a tribute to the frontiersmen (and women) who settled West Virginia for new generations of youngsters.
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I recently attended their “Spirit of Christmas in the Mountains” which is held the last weekend in November and the first weekend in December. The cabins were open for visitors as docents explained various trades or other activities. Nearly all of these cabins had a warm fire in the hearth, and the fragrance of wood smoke surrounded the compound.<BR>
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There was a blacksmith shop, a tinsmith, a print shop, the apothecary, the tavern, and more. A few of the cabins were demonstrating fireplace cooking. A dulcimer band in one building provided a musical background that could be heard throughout this little village.
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Despite its name, Fort New Salem does not have the wooden stockade surrounding its perimeter that is often associated with the frontier forts. Aside from the lack of an exterior wall, Fort New Salem is somewhat similar to Prickett’s Fort State Park near Fairmont, WV. Both have numerous small cabins (14 at Prickett’s Fort, 18 at Fort New Salem) devoted to different activities where visitors get a first-hand experience with history. <BR>
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Unlike Prickett’s Fort State Park, the folks who banded together to save this “museum” don’t have the financial backing that comes with being part of the state park system. The volunteer board members work hard to get some grant money here and there, generate some funds from admission fees, and use a lot of donated labor. Fort New Salem is only open for the special events that are held there, usually one weekend a month from April through December.
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Life on the frontier of western Virginia two centuries ago was not easy. Although the challenges are vastly different, trying to maintain an outdoor history museum on a financial shoestring isn’t easy either. I’m grateful that folks in the Salem area stepped up to save this valuable resource. I hope they are able to keep it going for many future generations. <BR>
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[<i>This story appeared in the February 2015 <BR>
issue of Two-Lane Livin' magazine</i>.]</center>WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-20679305627132612912015-01-12T20:15:00.000-05:002015-01-12T20:15:30.132-05:00Selma and my CongressmanThe movie “Selma” covers a number of individuals who were involved in the civil rights movement, but not every thread could be woven into the story. I’m glad they included Unitarian Universalist minister James Reeb (killed by white thugs after traveling from Boston to support the march) and Viola Luiza (a white woman from Detroit who was shot by the KKK shortly after the march).
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One of the many story threads that didn’t make the movie was the only member of Congress who marched in Selma with Dr. King. This Congressman had been invited on a junket to watch a Gemini spaceflight launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but decided instead that he should go participate in the march.
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This resolute Congressman was not from a state known for its progressivism. It is doubtful that any of his constituents were at the march. However, his conscience led him to take a stand against the discrimination that prevented American citizens from being able to exercise their right to vote. He knew he had to be there that day—not for any publicity, but because it was the right thing to do.
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His name was Ken Hechler from West Virginia.
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Ken Hechler was the first congressman I knew about as I grew up. His district originally ran up the Ohio Valley from Huntington to Parkersburg. I can remember my grandmother went on a trip to Washington and came back with some very neat publications for me about the Constitution, the American Flag, etc., all stamped as coming from his office.
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I was still very young during the ‘60s, but Ken Hechler helped form my expectations for Congressional service. One of the practices he had was when Congress was on break, he would come back to the district and work various jobs to get a better sense about the lives of his constituents. One week he might be working at a bakery, and the next he might be mowing lawns. He was a bit like today’s TV star Mike “Dirty Jobs” Rowe. I may not have understood complex policy decisions at that point in my young life, but I could appreciate a Congressman who “worked” during his vacation.
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Ken Hechler set a high bar for me, because I grew up thinking that was what all members of Congress did. Nowadays Congressmen seem to spend all their free time raising money from the “fat cats.” Few (if any) of them would agree to get their hands dirty or break a sweat while working among “commoners” during their vacation. Indeed, it was his desire to see “what things were really like” that inspired me to visit all of the county schools, the bus garages, and other locations during my tenure as an elected member of the Wood County School Board (some of you know the story about how my desire to see the schools and the controversy that ensued).
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Although not a native West Virginian, Ken Hechler had landed at Marshall University as a professor in the 1950s. He had served in WWII (and later wrote the book that became the Hollywood movie “The Bridge at Remagen”) and then worked for President Truman in the White House. A popular professor once he arrived at Marshall, his students urged him to run for Congress in 1958 and he won.
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The Democratic Party power brokers in West Virginia were never very high on this “egghead” professor who was originally from New York. When the decline in population after the 1970 census meant that West Virginia had to cut down from five to four congressional districts, Hechler’s district was the one that got chopped up. Parkersburg got moved in with the northern panhandle’s district, but Huntington was added to the southernmost district. This meant that this Marshall professor would have to run against the established incumbent (James Kee) from Bluefield. Despite the party bosses’ efforts to gerrymander him out of his position, Hechler was able to pull off an upset. He continued in Congress until 1976, when he decided to run for governor and lost to Jay Rockefeller in the primary. In 1984, Hechler was elected Secretary of State, and served in that position for 16 years.
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Another interesting tidbit about Hechler was that he didn’t ride around in big cars like many politicians. Instead, he drove a small red 4-wheel drive Jeep (similar in design to what he drove in WWII) which enabled to get just about anywhere in rural West Virginia.
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In 1999, a 90 year old woman from New Hampshire set out to walk across the country to call attention to the need for campaign finance reform (which ultimately was passed as the McCain-Feingold Act). Doris Haddock (known as Granny D) had made it across Ohio by December 1999. As she approached Belpre, she was joined by Ohio’s Secretary of State (Ken Blackwell, a Republican). West Virginia’s Secretary of State Ken Hechler met them in Belpre and, along with nearly a hundred others, they all crossed the bridge and into West Virginia. Granny D was a wonderful woman and I had the honor of walking with her from Belpre that day. I also walked with her the next day from the Wood County Courthouse as far as the Route 50/Interstate 77 interchange as she headed east to Washington, DC.
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Ken Hechler was good friends with Dr. Evelyn Harris, my mentor at the University of Charleston <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2015/01/selma-and-dr-harris.html">whom I wrote about yesterday</a>. They were both academicians who had migrated from New York to West Virginia. During my time as a political science student at UC, Ken Hechler came to campus a couple of times, and was always a fascinating speaker.
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When I started teaching American Government and Constitutional Law as an adjunct faculty member at WVU-Parkersburg, I liked bringing in a guest speaker for my students. On two different occasions, I was honored to be able to bring Ken Hechler to speak with my students, just as he had done when I was a sitting at a desk as a student. He had so many experiences to tell my students, and they enjoyed hearing them.
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I can’t say that I knew Ken Hechler all that well, or that I necessarily agreed with him on all his political positions, but I definitely admired him. He turned 100 years old last September, and is currently the oldest living former member of Congress. I was fortunate enough to get my picture taken with him several years ago (shown below) when he came to speak where I work at the U.S. Bureau of the Public Debt in Parkersburg for a Martin Luther King Day presentation.
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I’m glad that he was my first view of what a Congressman is supposed to be. I’m very proud that he was the only congressman to have marched in Selma—even if it didn’t make it into the movie. If you haven’t seen it yet, I strongly encourage you to watch “Selma” and witness this important chapter of American history.
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I only wish there were more inspiring politicians for youngsters to emulate today! <br>
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WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-23562911107536001072015-01-11T20:25:00.000-05:002015-01-11T20:25:51.198-05:00“Selma” and Dr. HarrisAnna and I went to see “Selma” today—it is a very powerful movie. One of the initial scenes involves the character played by Oprah Winfrey attempting to register to vote at the county courthouse. Whites would get a few easy questions for their voting test, but blacks were given ridiculously difficult questions. Oprah’s first question was to recite the Constitution’s Preamble (which she nailed), the second was an obscure question that she got right, but the final question was impossibly hard—and thus she was denied again.
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This scene reminded of my American Government and Constitutional Law classes. I always expected my ConLaw students to stand before the class and recite the Preamble—and despite their initial grumbling each semester, all of them did it. I hope my former students (many of whom have friended me on Facebook) will see this movie, and will remember the night that they—just like Oprah—had to recite the Preamble written by our Founding Fathers.
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This “voting test” used by southern states to keep blacks from voting was another part of ConLaw classes, and it was a direct result of the most inspiring teacher I had in college. Her name was Dr. Evelyn Harris, and she had come to Charleston after WWII when her scientist husband (who had worked on the Manhattan Project) landed a job at the Union Carbide. She taught at the University of Charleston for about 60 years with great success, influencing many students along the way. In fact, the late Senator Robert Byrd (who took classes at UC while in the state legislature) always referred to her as his favorite teacher of all.
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I had kept in touch with Dr. Harris after graduation, and she was very supportive of my adjunct teaching experience at WVU-Parkersburg. One of my “tricks” was to give AmGov students a “quiz” their first night, composed of questions from the U.S. Citizenship Test. I wanted them to realize how hard those who want to become students must study, and I wanted my students to realize how lucky they were to have been born in the U.S.A.
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While on a visit to Charleston, I told Dr. Harris that I was now teaching ConLaw as well, but hated it that I could not give the citizenship test, since many students signing up for ConLaw had already taken my AmGov course, so it would not have the same impact. It was her idea for me to research voting test questions that had been given by southern county clerks to prevent blacks from registering. Luckily, I found some of those questions that had been given in Alabama, and used it as an “extra credit” quiz for my ConLaw classes. Seeing the difficulty of naming the current FBI director or the head of the state’s National Guard (just 2 of the 15 questions on my quiz) gave my students a better idea of what segregation was like in the south.
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Thus after seeing this thought-provoking movie today, I’ve been thinking a lot about my favorite teacher. I found a photograph recently of the two of us talking together while on a cruise up the Kanawha River on the sternwheeler P.A.Denny. It may be the only picture I have of the two of us, and I had forgotten all about it. Here we are seeking shade next to the pilot house on the upper deck, as she “talks with her hands” making some sort of point to me. <BR>
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If any of my former students enjoyed my class, this is the woman they should thank (although she passed away a couple of years ago). I was merely trying to pass along the inspired teaching style that she used to teach me. The noblest way for me to really thank her was to “pay it forward” to future generations. I tried my best to do so, but I still think she was a better teacher than I was.
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Although the travels required by my current job preclude me from teaching, I still like to see people become enlightened (just as Dr. Harris did). That is why I’d like to encourage everyone to see the movie “Selma”—it will make you realize just how things were during the 1960s. And Dr. Harris would have loved this movie!
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-69339925638331351092015-01-01T18:46:00.000-05:002015-01-01T18:46:47.330-05:00My Fortunate '142014 was a big year for me! It was the last of the traditional working years for me, as I plan to retire in 2015 (if all goes well). Knowing it might be my last year with my largest career income, we took several major trips and did lots of activities. Here are some of the highlights that I will treasure for a long time. [<i>The links in the rest of this story provide additional information about these activities, in case you'd be interested in reading more</i>.]
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This was a big year for my interest in auto racing. The pinnacle was <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/06/my-first-indy-500.html">my first trip to the Indy 500</a>. However, I was able to hit a trifecta of racing landmarks by stopping at Daytona Speedway the day after the Daytona 500 (on our way back from our cruise) and driving on the beach. Plus, during our trip out west, we stopped at the incredible Bonneville Salt Flats. Indy, Daytona, and Bonneville--all in the same year!
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I also made a nostalgic return (after an absence of over 35 years) to <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/10/martinsville-memories.html">Martinsville Speedway</a>, visited the Wood Brothers museum, <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/06/racing-school-repeat.html">drove at racing school again</a>, attended the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour at their stop in Charleston, and made another visit to the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix.
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I alluded to <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-mid-winter-caribbean-cruise.html">our Caribbean cruise</a> when I mentioned Daytona in the paragraph above. We had a fabulous time during February on a cruise that included a trip into the Panama Canal. We also had <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/02/my-journey-in-poetry.html">an interesting journey to get to the cruiseport</a> when Amtrak cancelled our train due to weather conditions.
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I also mentioned <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/09/my-western-swing.html">our western trip</a> with regard to the visually stunning Bonneville Salt Flats. I got to add two more new states (Idaho and New Mexico) to the list of those I’ve visited in my life, but this trip also included Utah, Colorado, Nevada, and a few feet’s worth of Arizona.
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Another state I was able to cross off my list this year was Maine (the final state that I needed to visit in the eastern half of the U.S.). I wrote a separate story about <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/08/my-tale-from-riding-rails.html">riding the train from Washington to Boston</a>, from where we rented a car to <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/08/made-it-to-maine.html">explore the fascinating state of Maine</a> (plus a quick trip across the border into Quebec). We really loved Maine and I highly recommend it as an interesting vacation destination.
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One of the early major trips in 2014 was going to Nashville for Anna’s doctoral graduation, which included <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/03/from-state-of-art-to-appalachian-arts.html">some interesting stops in Kentucky along the way</a>. We also took another one of Lisa Starcher Collins’ <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/07/taking-teen-und-brodvay.html">bus trips to New York City</a>, and brought Anna’s teenage niece along for her first visit to the Big Apple. Finally, even though it wasn’t an out-of-state trip, our first ever <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/05/my-rusticregal-weekend.html">visit to the luxurious Greenbrier Resort</a> is worth noting as a major event for us.
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Traveling around our home state of West Virginia is one of our favorite activities, and we did a lot of it in 2014. Although I did some bicycling, <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/04/a-two-jug-trip.html">motorcycling</a>, and kayaking, this year turned out to be a major year for ziplining. With my daughter and with Anna’s niece, I did two separate trips on our <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/06/fayette-county-flying.html">state’s longest zipline</a>. I also got to check out <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/09/a-grand-vue-indeed.html">the unusual zipline at Moundsville</a>. Although it isn’t exactly ziplining, I did another trip attached to the safety cable <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/08/bridgewalking.html">under the New River Gorge Bridge</a>.
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On July 4, I returned to Nelson Rocks for the first time since writing my <a href="http://www.wonderfulwv.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Archive/Nov2013.pdf">story about their “Via Ferrata”</a>. This time I was there to try out their zipline adventure, but the bigger adventure might have been <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/07/nelson-rocks.html">the “climbing downhill” hike</a> that Anna joined me for that day. That July 4 weekend also included camping at Sherwood Lake, the Greenbrier Classic golf tournament, exploring historic downtown Lewisburg, enjoying the Jimmy Buffett concert with close friends, and checking out <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/09/beartown-and-battlefield.html">a pair of nearby state parks</a>.
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2014 was also an interesting year for honoring coal miners. We visited <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/04/a-memorable-detour-to-visit-memorial.html">the memorial for the UBB victims</a> and attended a ceremony <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/05/everettville-miners-memorial.html">remembering the Everettville disaster</a>. I also made yet another visit (via the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine) to <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/11/coalwood-then-and-now.html">Homer Hickam’s hometown of Coalwood</a>.
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Of course, 2014 had plenty of special memories related to my two alma maters—UC and WVU. I was fortunate to see the UC basketball team win the state championship game, plus I watched a couple of football games including the big homecoming weekend. I also wrote about <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/04/run-river-run.html">Governor’s Cup alumni reunion weekend</a> and had a great time with friends at the Blues, Brews, and BBQ concert on the riverbank—which was the night before the <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-biggest-loser-winner.html">half-marathon</a> (the highlight of my diet and exercising efforts this year).
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I went to many WVU sporting events this past year, including <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/09/a-tale-of-two-road-trips.html">two road trips to Mountaineer football games</a>. Perhaps the most memorable event for me this past year was that the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences honored me with one of their alumni awards—a beautiful cobalt blue Blenko glass vase—given at a dinner that my family was able to attend.<br>
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Finally, the year 2014 got off to a great start when Anna and I attended the New Year’s Eve party put on by our friends at <a href="http://www.shadowboxlive.org/">ShadowboxLive</a> in Columbus. We also convinced two other couples (dear friends from my college years) to join us for an overnight trip to Columbus to see their first “sketch comedy and rock ’n’ roll” Shadowbox show. Although we had to drive through a blizzard to get there (something we will remember for a long time), we all had a great time. I was also able to make it back to Columbus after the Indianapolis 500 to join Anna and another UC friend at Shadowbox’s annual outdoor tribute to Woodstock. In addition to these special events, we were able to attend most of Shadowbox’s shows this year, including our trip last weekend to see the Christmas show (with Anna’s sister-in-law).
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These are just a select few of the many wonderful times I enjoyed during 2014. I am grateful for my relationship with Anna, my parents, my sister, and my daughter. The coming year will see many MAJOR changes for me (anybody want to buy my house or motorcycle?). It will be interesting to see what my life will be like this time next year.
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-77482633083745568212014-12-26T09:10:00.000-05:002014-12-26T09:10:48.113-05:00Riding the Durbin RocketI caught one of the last runs of the year on the Durbin Rocket recently. The Durbin Rocket is a steam powered excursion train operated by the <a href="http://mountainrailwv.com/">Mountain Rail Adventures</a>, which also runs the Cheat Mountain Salamander diesel train that I rode last year out of Elkins (and wrote about in an <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-railway-getaway-in-wva.html">earlier article for Two-Lane Livin’</a>). The old town of Durbin sits astride U.S. 250 (part of the old Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike, which is the name still used in their mailing address) less than an hour south of Elkins. <br>
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This coal-fired locomotive was built in 1910 and designed for the steep grades servicing logging operations, featuring driveshafts and beveled gears powering all of the wheels for maximum traction. It sat puffing smoke and hissing steam as it calmly idled prior to our trip—its rhythmic pulsing made it seem as if it were breathing. Whenever the throaty steam whistle was blown, it reverberated off the nearby mountainsides. <BR>
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Unlike its glory days hauling timber off the mountains, this remnant from the past merely takes a few antique passenger cars and a caboose down the narrow valley of the upper Greenbrier River. The roundtrip journey only covers about twenty miles, but it is very scenic. The clear waters of the Greenbrier River allow one to see the scattered flat rocks along the river bottom, in a variety of irregular polygon shapes. Whitewater rapids interrupt the river’s flow at various points. A beaver dam was visible on one side-section of the river. I also saw deer raise their heads, perk their ears, and stare at the “iron horse” that noisily rolled down the tracks. A kingfisher on a branch overlooking the river opted to fly further downstream to escape our commotion.<BR>
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There were four passenger cars this day—a completely open car directly behind the locomotive; an old enclosed railway post office car with some seats and windows; an open car with conventional seating plus a roof; and a traditional red caboose. Both the caboose and the enclosed car had coal-fired stoves to provide some heat on this cold day. I chose to ride in the caboose, where I could climb up the ladder and into the cupola to see in all directions. It was a unique spot in which to sit.<br>
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The train stops for about 15 minutes on the far end of the line to allow passengers to get off and take pictures and/or explore the river. It also made a brief stop on the way back at a creek bridge to lower a siphon hose and take on water from a pure mountain stream. This was apparently a common method in the old days, but I was more familiar with the elevated water towers that once provided steam engines with refills.<BR>
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Eventually, our slow and steady pace brought us back to the station in the heart of Durbin (just because it is nicknamed the “Rocket” doesn’t mean it runs fast). I had a great time going back in time and riding the rails that day! There is just something exciting about the sights, the sounds, and even the smells of an old coal-powered steam engine. It truly is a living fossil from a bygone era.<BR>
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[<i>This story was published in the January issue of Two-Lane Livin' magazine</i>.]
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-84938804280720997942014-11-28T09:00:00.001-05:002014-12-01T21:37:55.829-05:00Coalwood: Then and NowI grew up during the “space race” of the 1960s, and was always interested in the space program—even building and flying my own model rockets. I was even fortunate enough to work for NASA for a few years during the 1980s, before moving back to my hometown in West Virginia.
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Given my love for my native state, and my interest in the space, it should come as no surprise that I was captivated when Homer Hickam’s book “Rocket Boys” first came out in 1998. Everyone should read this book! I enjoyed the entire Coalwood Trilogy (“Rocket Boys,” “The Coalwood Way,” and “Sky of Stone”) as well as the movie version entitled “October Sky” (plus I saw the new musical version performed onstage at Fairmont State). Although I wasn’t born until after Sputnik, I could readily identify with the Rocket Boys and their adventures (see <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2013/11/rocket-boys.html">http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2013/11/rocket-boys.html</a> for more on this topic). <BR>
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<i><center>One of the historical markers in Coalwood.</center></i>
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We had driven to Coalwood about ten years ago to attend the Rocket Boys Festival when it was still being held there. In recent years, the festival location has moved to Beckley’s Exhibition Coal Mine. This year, they offered a bus ride from Beckley to Coalwood with one of the original Rocket Boys. Roy Lee Cooke is now in his 70s, and was the “ladies’ man” of the Rocket Boys. He is still quite a character! <BR>
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<i><center>Roy Lee telling us all about the launch site.</center></i>
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We loaded onto the bus and he regaled us with his stories all the way from Beckley to Coalwood, through the beautiful mountain scenery on a glorious fall day. For example, there is a long, winding hill crossing a ridge that separates Coalwood from the county seat of Welch. He told us about being so familiar with this curvy stretch of West Virginia Route 16 that he would drive it at night with his headlights off just for the challenge. [That is not the smartest thing to do, but that is what they did for fun back in the late ‘50s.]
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When we arrived in Coalwood, Roy Lee gave us an entertaining guided tour, pointing out all the highlights of the town as it was nearly 60 years ago, including the launch site outside of the town. He also told us about acquiring the moonshine that was a critical ingredient in their homemade rocket fuel. <BR>
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<i><center>The company's clubhouse with the church just beyond.</center></i>
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Unfortunately, what had been a proud and booming coal town has been on the decline since the mine shut down. Nature is reclaiming much of land that is no longer being used. Unfortunately, hoodlums are destroying some of the vacant buildings as well. It seemed even more run-down than when I had been there a decade ago. I wish I could have experienced it in its glory days!
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Some of the local residents provided lunch for the bus tour group in the basement hall of the Coalwood Community Church. Not only was the food good, but it was interesting to talk with them about the problems they face today. Life isn’t easy in Coalwood without good paying jobs nearby—a dilemma faced by too much of West Virginia. It makes one wish we could go back to the “good old days”—or does that make me sound like a grouchy old man?<BR>
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<i>A picture of our tour group, with Roy Lee on the right (hugging the young newspaper reporter). That's me with my University of Charleston shirt. Notice that this was taken under Roy Lee's street sign. By the way, this story appeared in the December issue of "Two-Lane Livin'" magazine.</i>
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-68240303209725644472014-11-24T19:47:00.000-05:002014-11-24T19:47:07.931-05:00"Flat Stanley" visits Morgantown[<i>I went to the University of Charleston with a woman who now teaches school in Connecticut. Her students are doing a “Flat Stanley” project, where they color a paper cut-out of a boy and send him through the mail to another state (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flat_Stanley_Project). By hearing about their Flat Stanley’s adventure, they learn about different states. I took the Flat Stanley that was sent to me for a weekend in Morgantown, WV, where I attended grad school and law school at WVU. Here is the report I’m sending back to the STEM Academy in Connecticut.</i>]<P>
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Stanley accompanied me over the weekend to Morgantown, West Virginia. Anna and I had a great time showing him around town. Morgantown is best known as the home of West Virginia University.
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The original part of campus is known as Woodburn Circle, where Woodburn Hall and two other nearby buildings on either side formed the original college when it was founded in 1867. This is a picture of Stanley at the circle with old Woodburn Hall in the background (when I was a WVU student, I had classes in there).<BR>
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Near Woodburn Circle (which can be seen in the background) is the silver mast that was removed from the battleship U.S.S. West Virginia (look close to see the "crow's nest" just to the left of Woodburn Hall's center tower). This ship was sunk by the Japanese in World War II, but was able to be repaired and later fought during the war.<BR>
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The building on the left in the picture above is the “Mountainlair”—the student union building at WVU, where students can eat, attend events, see movies, go bowling, etc. Here is a picture of Stanley on the sidewalk between Woodburn Circle and the Mountainlair, showing the front of the Mountainlair with old Stewart Hall in the background. Stewart Hall is where the president’s office and other administrative functions are located.<BR>
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A famous statue is located adjacent to the Mountainlair. Here is Stanley with the larger-than-life West Virginia Mountaineer.<BR>
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I took Stanley to the top of Law School Hill, which overlooks the football field where the WVU Mountaineers play their home games. Here is a view looking down into the stadium. The press box is located above Stanley’s arm.<BR>
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The other major sports venue is the WVU Coliseum, where the basketball, volleyball, wrestling, and gymnastics team perform (plus numerous major concerts, etc.). This picture of the Coliseum was taken from the parking lot of the WVU Creative Arts Center (CAC), where students learn theater, music, art, etc. Big name acts often perform at the CAC—Sesame Street Live was there over this weekend.<BR>
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In front of the Coliseum is a statue of WVU’s most famous athlete. West Virginia native Jerry West graduated in 1960, and became a star player for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. He was such a big star that they used a picture of him to form the red/white/blue logo of the National Basketball Association which is still used today.<BR>
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The WVU volleyball team had a home game against Baylor University on Saturday evening. The Mountaineers ended up winning the match in three straight games. Here is Stanley on the far left watching the pre-game warm-up (which is why there are more than six players on the court). The Mountaineers wore their white jerseys with gold trim around the blue numbers, plus their blue shorts, for this game. Notice the bottom of the large hanging scoreboard, the big WV symbol on the court, and the crowd that was already there before the game started. Stanley got to sing John Denver’s “Country Roads” along with the team and the crowd after the victory, which is a tradition among all major sports at WVU.<BR>
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One of the most unique things about WVU is the PRT, which stands for Personal Rapid Transit. It is a transportation system built in the early ‘70s to take students around the campuses (the main downtown campus was running out of room, so they expanded on a nearby hilltop area that now comprises about as many buildings as the old downtown campus). The PRT uses small robotic cars that run on elevated trackways to various stations. Here is a picture of Stanley as the door opens up on one of the cars that just arrived at a station (if you look close, there are a few students sitting inside this car, waiting to get off at a different station). <BR><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3V75Q4GD_XxKrxr_ipOp-6BZDP-QrsW_-cPMsBFbjOy73CeU_rLA_6c7tnLXrf1c4rNoDps-f-ttbmmD5Wq3htt2Ai-C8_HP0EHloXa5uHICVDEwj6aI11WpkU3RiIk7SeOPtlqrHDfQF/s1600/IMG_5449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3V75Q4GD_XxKrxr_ipOp-6BZDP-QrsW_-cPMsBFbjOy73CeU_rLA_6c7tnLXrf1c4rNoDps-f-ttbmmD5Wq3htt2Ai-C8_HP0EHloXa5uHICVDEwj6aI11WpkU3RiIk7SeOPtlqrHDfQF/s200/IMG_5449.JPG" /></a></div>
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This picture is taken from Stansberry Hall, the old fieldhouse where Jerry West played basketball for the Mountaineers. This photo lets you see an outside view of a PRT station, along with the elevated concrete roadway that these futuristic cars run on. In the upper right corner is the old observatory where astronomy students used to look through telescopes at the night sky (WVU recently got a brand new observatory atop a different building). <BR>
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There is more to Morgantown than just the university. We took Stanley to see the Civil War Memorial, because the Civil War is what allowed West Virginia to become a state. Originally, this mountainous area was part of the state of Virginia. However, the rugged landscape here was very different than the flat lands in most of the rest of Virginia. They had big plantations and owned slaves. The western portion of Virginia always felt like the rest of Virginia didn’t like us, because they had been settled first, and they controlled the state government. Most of our state tax money seemed to be spent on better roads in the east and harbor improvements along the waterways. About the only major government expenditure made by the old state of Virginia was to build the state’s insane asylum in the western counties. <BR>
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When the Civil War broke out in 1861, the Virginia government in Richmond decided to secede from the United States and join the Confederate States of America. This was primarily because of they wanted to keep their slaves. However, the mountainous counties of western Virginia had few slaves and wanted to stay in the Union. At first, we broke away and declared ourselves to be the loyalist state of Virginia. Then, we asked Congress to consider us as a new state—the state of West Virginia. It was somewhat controversial as to whether it was legal to carve us out from the state of Virginia, but since Virginia had opted to join the Confederacy, the Congress passed our statehood act and President Lincoln (after much deliberation) signed it. We officially became the 35th state on June 20, 1863.
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The Civil War is very important to West Virginia, because it was also similar to a war of independence for us. Had the Confederates won the war, not only would slavery have continued, but the new state of West Virginia would surely have been declared invalid and absorbed back into Virginia. Our state’s early leaders would have been persecuted as traitors, and Virginia would really have looked down on us from that point onward (even worse than when they looked down on us before).
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So West Virginian’s had a vested interest to win the war, and my forefathers fought hard for the Union. That is why this large statue is here—to remember those who fought to defend the Union. However, this is not the only war that West Virginian’s fought hard in—West Virginia has always sent among the highest percentages of its population into the military. There is a strong sense of patriotism here.
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Another spot we took Stanley was near the locks on the Monongahela River. Morgantown grew up along the banks of this river, which flows northward into Pennsylvania where it joins the Allegheny River at Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River. Locks along this river were built primarily to enable barges of West Virginia coal to be sent downstream to the steel mills in the Pittsburgh region. Coal mining is a big business in this state.<BR>
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There is a high peak of exposed rock in Morgantown known as “Sky Rock.” We hiked to the top of this pinnacle to let Stanley get a 360 degree view of the area. Here are some pictures from that adventure. <BR>
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Notice the Monongahela River hundreds of feet below (look close and you might notice the bridge carrying Interstate 79) in this view towards the west. <BR>
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If you look real close in this easterly view, you might notice a baseball diamond down below. There is a federal prison located near Morgantown, and this baseball diamond is inside the fences surrounding the prison. Interstate 68 is also visible in this picture. Although they don’t show up in this picture, there are about a dozen large wind turbines generating electricity along the mountain ridgeline to the northeast.<BR>
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West Virginia is quite hilly. We would have taken Stanley to beautiful Coopers Rock to look down into the Cheat River Canyon, but the access road is closed from November through March. However, we did take Stanley to see some of the rapids and waterfalls while hiking along Cobun Creek in Morgantown. West Virginia is known for its scenic beauty.<BR>
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Stanley also got to eat some local delicacies while visiting West Virginia. One food that West Virginia is known for is pepperoni rolls. Many immigrants from Italy came to work in our little coal towns when the coal mines were booming in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. It was easy for the coal miners’ wives to take pepperoni, wrap it in bread dough, and bake it, to make a tasty snack for the miners to take underground with them. It became a traditional food in West Virginia. Pepperoni rolls are found in just about every gas station and supermarket around the state, as well as on some restaurant menus. Here is Stanley with a partially eaten pepperoni roll.<BR>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYnVr-SQcxunqs5KTAvYXzMg-6HiubO76TEKVEkVhnCHda7ynoFdd4NjsFfKUCqZNwVyJ-7IZK2FKpJHEX5Uyb0zZg8ze1kxfixZtuv63ZImNENQhg_oLg6tqqgECck2jZxZyASw7puCs/s1600/IMG_5471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYnVr-SQcxunqs5KTAvYXzMg-6HiubO76TEKVEkVhnCHda7ynoFdd4NjsFfKUCqZNwVyJ-7IZK2FKpJHEX5Uyb0zZg8ze1kxfixZtuv63ZImNENQhg_oLg6tqqgECck2jZxZyASw7puCs/s320/IMG_5471.JPG" /></a></div>
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Another food item that is prevalent in West Virginia is to order a hot dog with sauce (sometimes called chili, but not chili with beans) and cole slaw on it. Here is Stanley with a couple of West Virginia style hot dogs.<BR>
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Because November 22 was the anniversary of President Kennedy’s assassination, we took Stanley to a local park along the riverside bike trail that has a nice memorial to JFK. West Virginian’s had a strong affinity for President Kennedy, and his victory in the 1960 West Virginia primary helped to propel him to his party’s nomination. This memorial shows him (a “flat JFK”?) on a granite wall, with a statue of his little son John facing the wall as he was seen at the funeral saluting his father’s casket. Here are front and rear pictures of Stanley consoling John-John.<BR>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00Gj8o-OVeEZT6N5GSPH3eabxOJw8pHWEuMsIlTeazXLMdhNHY7lo_napq3AI8ttBK0G1KWE_o-4-XT_W102sCeleyoTJ8TfMpkxSxnU-VGpSRRjUlLBKyrOKkinorwJSpomD0AMHg_6C/s1600/IMG_5468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh00Gj8o-OVeEZT6N5GSPH3eabxOJw8pHWEuMsIlTeazXLMdhNHY7lo_napq3AI8ttBK0G1KWE_o-4-XT_W102sCeleyoTJ8TfMpkxSxnU-VGpSRRjUlLBKyrOKkinorwJSpomD0AMHg_6C/s200/IMG_5468.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhQunN2RKMp9Kntks9jZ98ubh4tDiJiOBQ8g16hiLIHjrVBJeiEA6qzD6FL_cE5Qcwg2pB4EdPoGcoxz9_Kwoezb8PHdL5pQpO6jkhJEesK7GNy2D7NNWvlYqW4rqBrwtYGDtbFWplV-H/s1600/IMG_5469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhQunN2RKMp9Kntks9jZ98ubh4tDiJiOBQ8g16hiLIHjrVBJeiEA6qzD6FL_cE5Qcwg2pB4EdPoGcoxz9_Kwoezb8PHdL5pQpO6jkhJEesK7GNy2D7NNWvlYqW4rqBrwtYGDtbFWplV-H/s200/IMG_5469.JPG" /></a></div>
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Finally, on Sunday evening, Stanley got to experience the WVU Mountaineer basketball team defeating the NCAA defending national champion UConn Huskies in an ESPN tournament championship game held in Puerto Rico. It was a nice way to finish off a fun WVU weekend. Even if Stanley might be a Connecticut Huskies fan, he sat silently and politely refused to cheer for them while his host cheered on the Mountaineers!
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I hope Stanley enjoyed a safe trip home to East Hartford, Connecticut. More importantly, I really hope Stanley had a good time visiting and learning about my home state of West Virginia! WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-36507436565340270512014-11-12T20:43:00.000-05:002014-11-12T20:43:45.147-05:00Turnpike Turmoil? The West Virginia Turnpike has been an important part of my life. This important route was the golden pathway to Myrtle Beach and other southern vacation spots, even back in my youth when much of it was still just a two-lane highway (with an occasional third lane for passing trucks lumbering up the hills). I can also remember the paper ticket given to drivers when you entered the turnpike, which determined how much you would pay, based on where you exited.
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Even though it has been upgraded to Interstate highway standards over the years, it still follows the same basic path, from the upper Kanawha Valley to the Cabin Creek hollow first, and then crossing over (formerly through the Memorial Tunnel) into the Paint Creek watershed to get up to Beckley (check out <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/05/paint-creekfinally.html">my story about Paint Creek</a>). From there, it goes past Flat Top Mountain and on to Princeton. [Did you know you can see Pipestem Resort (if you know where to look) in the distance from along that section of the Turnpike?]
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This hilly, twisty highway goes through some of the most impressive surroundings in the state. I’ve always enjoyed the rugged scenery of this mostly undeveloped area. However, in recent years, I’ve been noticing more encroachment by nearby surface mining. If you look closely along the ridgelines adjacent to the turnpike, you can often tell that they are actually the edge of an active surface mine on the other side. For example, just north of the Pax exit (on the western side) one can see the edge of the mining operation that I stumbled onto when driving to Whitesville (<a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/04/a-memorable-detour-to-visit-memorial.html">read that story here</a>). Thankfully, there seems to be an effort on the part of the mining companies to avoid infringing too much on the “viewshed” of the turnpike, but these obvious man-made activities along the ridge tops still take away from the “wild and wonderful” aspects of this amazing territory.
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This juxtaposition of scenic beauty/surface mining was hammered home to me yesterday during a brief stop at the Morton travel plaza on the northbound side of the Turnpike, in the southeastern part of Kanawha County. On that warm November afternoon, I decided to hop the fence bordering the parking lot (there is an obvious low spot in the fence that people use to get over it) and follow the path to explore nearby Paint Creek.
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After crossing the fence, I noticed one of the travel plaza employees enjoying his “smoke break” looking at the creek. He told me about the turtles that are often sunning themselves on the downed tree along the opposite bank, and about the big trout that he often sees there (he also cautioned me about the copperhead he claimed to have killed there recently).
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I carefully roamed around the water’s edge and took a few pictures, while marveling at nature’s splendor that is so close to a busy roadside rest area. Most travelers are totally unaware of this paradise beside the parking lot. In addition to offering all those slick travel brochures inside the travel plaza touting West Virginia’s scenic beauty, perhaps the Turnpike Commission should develop a simple walking trail out back along Paint Creek to let visitors see the real thing! <BR><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtT02ex0VuJnnKsKlgOv7JtcPk6wyiKRmuM_hqwYwcncAyiClwvudGTgpCqOZu3kf_my2qvn3c_TDnFdQEQaJSt1-JumsOMtNsm06Npd8fq9ltEORATrhE_AdCotwE2LFepTCUrsdvuZeI/s1600/downstream.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtT02ex0VuJnnKsKlgOv7JtcPk6wyiKRmuM_hqwYwcncAyiClwvudGTgpCqOZu3kf_my2qvn3c_TDnFdQEQaJSt1-JumsOMtNsm06Npd8fq9ltEORATrhE_AdCotwE2LFepTCUrsdvuZeI/s320/downstream.JPG" /></a></div>
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As I got back to the car, I was startled by a huge explosion that reverberated across the hillsides, followed closely by a second similar explosion. This was definitely not a hunter’s rifle, or merely a backfiring truck! <BR>
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At first I was unsure what had occurred, but then I saw the smoke rising from the top of the ridgeline. I had not previously noticed it, but apparently there is yet another surface mine just across the Turnpike from this travel plaza. A major chunk of the mountain had just been destroyed. The black smoke from the explosive charges and the white rock dust (at least that's my best explanation for the two colors) mingled together as they slowly rose into the air. Soon the wind picked up the smoke plus the ensuing dust, draping it across the narrow valley used by the Turnpike (I was already in the car and getting ready to leave, so I didn’t take a third picture showing the maximum coverage of the smoke and dust). I’m sure many drivers wondered what had caused this unexpected blanket of smoke to temporarily darken the area.<BR>
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Thus, just a few minutes removed from enjoying West Virginia’s autumn splendor along the edge of Paint Creek, listening to the melody of the water flowing over the rocks, I had been starkly confronted with the ongoing destruction of the nearby mountain.<BR>
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At some point, will the mining interests start removing the majestic mountainsides that border the Turnpike? It also makes me worry about the unseen countryside just beyond the edges of the Turnpike. Plus, if strip mining is so prevalent along the edge of the busy Turnpike, how bad might the destruction be getting in the less visible areas of our state?
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Friends from Ohio who traveled the Turnpike recently posted on Facebook on how much they enjoyed their drive back through West Virginia’s fall colors. Others have shared similar comments about their love of the Turnpike terrain over the years (and not just in the fall). I can only hope that all of us will continue to be able to enjoy the Turnpike viewshed for many years to come, and that our temporary need for coal today does not leave West Virginia with a devastated lunar landscape in the future.
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I’d like to think that most folks feel this way, and that such a simple desire for West Virginia's future does not automatically label a person as a “tree hugger” or some other pejorative political term.
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-10187870231759250242014-10-29T21:34:00.000-04:002014-11-01T21:42:42.394-04:00The Marx Toy MuseumMost of us have fond memories of our childhood, and many of those memories center around our favorite toys. West Virginia’s northern panhandle is fortunate to have two museums which focus on toys. One reason why the northern panhandle is associated with toys is because the Marx Toy Company had a large factory in Glen Dale, West Virginia (between Wheeling and Moundsville).
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When I was young, there were a number of well-known competitors in the toy market such as Marx, Mattel, Kenner, and Hasbro—but only Marx had a plant in West Virginia. It operated from 1934 to 1980, and employed 2000 workers at its peak.
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I wrote about <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/01/pucks-toys-and-growing-old.html">Wheeling’s Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum in the December 2013 issue of Two-Lane Livin’</a>. It was opened in 1998 and is located in a large, two-story former elementary school not far from the Elm Grove exit of Interstate 70.
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I recently had the opportunity to visit the smaller Marx Toy Museum in Moundsville. It opened in 2000 and occupies a former grocery store along Second Street in downtown Moundsville. The sole focus of this museum is on former Marx Toys. This single-story building is packed with tricycles, doll houses, trains, toy soldiers, etc.
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The museum contains a wide variety of items from all the decades that Marx was in business. It is easy to see that this place is a labor of love for former employees of the company who want the memory of the local plant to live on. It provides a nostalgic look at how American children played over the decades of the 20th century. The museum also has a corner devoted to country music star Brad Paisley and the toys he played with while growing up in Glen Dale.
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Although I found an electric train caboose as well as a farm tractor that I remembered owning, apparently I didn’t have a lot of Marx toys myself. However, I was able to find several toys that had been familiar with through others. I never owned “Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots” but I had played it at friends’ homes. “Johnny West” was a western version of GI Joe, but I was never much interested in these male action figures. The “Big Wheel” (and its subsequent variations) was one of the most popular Marx toys, but I had already graduated to bicycles by the time it had come out. I did find one of my sister’s favorite toys—a purple “Dino the Dinosaur” from the old Flintstones cartoon show.
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For a small town, Moundsville has several interesting attractions. I’ve toured the old state penitentiary, and it was fascinating during the daytime—but I’m not sure I want to sign up for their night tours at Halloween! The Grave Creek Mound (and its adjacent museum) does an excellent job of telling the story of the Adena Indian moundbuilders. Grand Vue Park (a county park) overlooks Moundsville and has lots to do, including ziplining (<a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/09/a-grand-vue-indeed.html">I previously wrote about my adventure there</a>). Now I can add the <a href="http://www.marxtoymuseum.com/">Marx Toy Museum</a> to my list of Moundsville attractions I have visited.<BR>
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[<i>I wrote this story for the November issue of "Two-Lane Livin'" magazine</i>.]
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-1797426681225629322014-10-27T20:43:00.000-04:002014-10-27T20:43:28.171-04:00Martinsville MemoriesA “sense of place” is important to me. I’m much more interested in a place after I have visited there, and have an understanding of the overall surroundings. I need to know what is beyond the borders of a picture (or the television screen). My mind likes to have its own panoramic mental picture.
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Sometimes it is good to “recalibrate” your sense of place by revisiting spots that have changed over the years. Such was the case with my recent trip to southern Virginia, through the beautiful autumn colors, to reunite with Martinsville Speedway.
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My first NASCAR race was the 1965 Daytona 500—my next NASCAR races were at Martinsville, beginning in 1967. Our annual spring pilgrimage to the Virginia 500 continued into the mid-‘70s, and originally involved taking numerous two-lane highways to arrive at our destination. Dad took me to lots of local racetracks in the tri-state area, but as a youngster, my one trip a year to see the big stars of NASCAR compete was to Martinsville—the closest track to our home. We would generally park in the infield along the fence leading into the third turn, with a good view of the big “human powered” scoreboard above the landscaped boxwood shrubbery lining the outer walls. Martinsville was a beautiful track, and even included a small lake just outside the track which contributed to its impeccable park-like environment.<BR>
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<i><center>I took this picture at the Dogwood 500 in the late '70s. <BR>Notice the shrubbery and the scoreboard.</center></i>
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During my youth in the ‘60s and ‘70s, racing was a cult sport and mostly ignored by the mainstream newsmedia. Often we would not know who won Sunday’s big race until our beloved Speed Sport newspaper would arrive by mail every Thursday. Only the biggest races might merit tape-delayed, partial coverage the following Saturday on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. I often wished that someday my sport of auto racing would become as big as football/baseball/basketball sports that interested my peers as well as the general public. However, from that naïve childhood desire, I learned to be careful what you wish for!
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With the advent of ESPN (as well as improved camera technology), television coverage of auto racing began to take off in the 1980s. By the 1990s, the Tom Cruise movie “Days of Thunder” seemed to bring in tons of new race fans—many of whom had little appreciation for the history of the sport, and often seemed most interested in the crashes. Plus, big money really moved into the sport, making sponsorships more important than driver talent or managerial ethics. Ticket prices and traffic headaches were other discouraging effects. Somehow, my beloved NASCAR seemed to edge closer to evolving into a combination of daytime soap operas and WWE wrestling.
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The big business aspect has taken some of the fun out of my sport. I still follow it, and watch it on TV occasionally, but haven’t been to an actual Sunday NASCAR race for over twenty years. However, last Friday I had the opportunity to stop by Martinsville for their practice and qualifying day. Tickets are only $15, with free parking and no traffic hassles. The weather looked great so I decided to check it out again to revitalize my sense of place and create some new mental pictures.
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Since my last visit to Martinsville about 35 years ago, I knew from television coverage that the track had changed. The old concrete seats crammed between the backstretch and the railroad tracks (where I sat one race weekend) are now covered with huge billboard signs angling down towards the track itself. Massive grandstands arc around the turns at both ends of the track (no more human powered scoreboard or immaculately trimmed shrubbery). The stands on the front stretch are several times higher than the old covered grandstand used to be. No one gets to drive their car into the infield to watch these days because the massive car haulers now used by every team are intricately parked adjacent to each other, filling up most of the space (along with the new covered garage area). <BR>
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<i><center>The new look of the track from high up in the stands near Turn One.</center></i>
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I drove to the track via a new route, coming across Route 58 from I-77 at Hillsville. Although there is still some stretches of two-lane road on Route 58 (including the beautiful “Lovers Leap” overlook), the vast majority of my trip was on four-lane highways—a big improvement over the old days! <br>
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<i><center>Fall colors from the roadside pull-off at Lovers Leap.</center></i>
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I came into the track entrance from the south on U.S. 220, and discovered that the old entrance street had been replaced by a new multi-lane entrance road. The lake had been drained and converted into “fan zone” filled with souvenir trailers, show cars, food concessions, etc. The track’s business office behind the grandstand was at least in the same spot, although expanded. It all looked different to me—except that the old TraveLodge motel (now under a different name) still stands on the southbound side of 220 just outside the track (although we stayed there a few times when I was a kid, it doesn’t look near as nice as I remembered it—I guess we are both getting old and showing our age).
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An interesting surprise for me was that the late Wendell Scott from nearby Danville, Virginia was being honored this weekend. Wendell had been the only black driver on the NASCAR circuit (the Richard Pryor movie “Greased Lightning” was based on Wendell), and he endured a lot of crap in a southern sport during the ‘60s, but still competed on a shoestring budget because he loved to race. Wendell was recently voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame this year, even though he only won one race in his entire career. As a tribute to him this weekend, one of the cars, as well as one of the race trucks, were running as #34 with a special “old school” Wendell Scott paint scheme. I can remember seeing Wendell run during my childhood visits to Martinsville, and it was nice to see “his car” running on the same track again. [As it turned out, the #34 truck won the race on Saturday, and the #34 car had a top ten finish on Sunday.]<BR>
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<i><center>Darrell Wallace in his Wendell Scott tribute truck--his victory last year in this race made him the first black to win a NASCAR race since Wendell.</center></i>
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During my visit on Friday, I made a point to eat a hot dog from the concession stand at the race track. Martinsville has always prided itself on the quality of its hotdogs, even back when I was a kid. I was glad to see that the $2 price tag was within reason in this day and age (I don’t remember—and I don’t think I want to know—how cheap they were in 1967).
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I had a wonderful day at the track! I’m so glad I made the effort to check out Martinsville again and recalibrate my memories. During the day, I moved around to sit from various vantage points, including some particular seating areas that I could remember from times in the past when I sat in the grandstands. It was fun to put myself back in the same geographical spot where I sat all those many years ago.<BR>
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<i><center>The view towards Turn One, without the roof<BR> that used to be over the main grandstand.</center></i>
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Sometimes change can be beneficial. Even though I miss the old-fashioned human powered scoreboard, I must admit the new-fangled huge video screen towering above the center of the infield does provide excellent information as well as replays. The electronic telemetry made it easy to keep up with which cars were turning the fastest laps in real time.
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Despite all the changes, I still got to see a reminder of the old scoreboard, the shrubbery, and one of my childhood heroes. Fortunately, I discovered (underneath the back of the main grandstand) there are about half a dozen billboard-sized signs displaying black-and-white pictures of classic Martinsville action, featuring Junior Johnson, Darrell Waltrip, and others. Best of all, though, was a nostalgic picture of Richard Petty, in his 1967 Plymouth, entering the fourth turn with the shrubbery and old scoreboard behind him. It was likely taken at the exact Virginia 500 that was my first race at Martinsville (which Petty won), and I loved seeing it again! I certainly haven’t forgotten that day, and I’m glad that the Martinsville Speedway hasn’t totally forgotten it either. Hopefully it won’t be another 35 years before I come back to Martinsville again.<BR>
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<i><center>My favorite billboard under the bleachers. <BR>Notice the men who manually kept the scoreboard correct.</center></i>
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-28617907989922658292014-09-30T20:41:00.000-04:002014-10-01T22:47:59.328-04:00Beartown and a BattlefieldBeartown State Park is a unique place not far off of U.S. 219, less than 25 miles north of Lewisburg. It is just a small, day-use only park, with only a few picnic tables and minimal facilities. However, it is well worth an hour of your time (or less if you are in a hurry) to check out this special park.
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Beartown is actually a jumble of large boulders, crevasses, and overhangs that seem like they would make a great place for bears (or some type of magical forest creatures?) to live. Much of the sandstone surface is pitted from erosion, adding to the mystique. We were there on a beautiful summer day, with dapples of sunlight forcing its way through the verdant leaves and dancing on the ground around us. <BR>
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A trail leads from the parking area down a short distance to where the boardwalk starts. The boardwalk provides an easy way to explore Beartown, with views from up above as well as down inside the rock formations. Just be careful on the steps that take you up and down—especially since your eyes will be busy staring at the incredible combination of rocks, trees, moss, ferns, etc.
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There are several signs along the way, conveying educational information. The boardwalk itself actually forms a circle, but you can choose to start in either direction. There are a few places where short extensions (spurs) off the main boardwalk provide unique perspectives, but the main pathway will take you back to where you started. Once you arrive back at the beginning, I would recommend reversing course and retracing your route around the boardwalk again. It may surprise you to see things from a different vantage point on your way back. <BR>
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While you are in the area, you might want to also check out Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park—their respective entrances are only three miles apart on opposite sides of Rt. 219. These two nearby state parks share a common superintendent as well as other resources. In November 1863, Droop Mountain was the scene of the last major battle for the control of West Virginia during the Civil War. The Confederates held the high ground, but determined Union troops fought their way up this hillside to force the rebels into retreat. A log cabin near the park offices houses a small museum, plus there are a number of educational signs around the park providing insights into the battle.
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There is a really nice observation tower that provides an awesome view of the small town of Hillsboro and rest of the valley below, as well as the ridges beyond. It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression years. I climbed it as a youngster when my family visited years ago, and felt like a youngster climbing the steps again during our recent visit. There are also a number of intriguing hiking trails that I hope to explore on a future visit. <BR>
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If you find yourself in the area, these two state parks provide a nice respite from everyday life, while teaching visitors about nature as well as our history. They make for a wild and wonderful combination!
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[<i>I wrote this story for the October issue of "Two-Lane Livin'" magazine.</i>]WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-34320745218619075332014-09-25T20:15:00.000-04:002014-09-25T20:15:02.084-04:00A Grand Vue, Indeed!I recently added another ziplining experience to my list. I’ve had the good fortune and fun to have flown through the air a dozen different times at half a dozen locations in West Virginia, as well as a couple of more in Ohio. I’ve before at Hocking Hills (twice), the Treetops Canopy Tour at the New River Gorge (twice), the <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2013/05/ziplining-at-wvu.html">WVU zipline near Coopers Rocks</a> (twice), the <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/03/sight-seeing-vs-flight-seeing.html">Wild Safari zipline above "The Wilds"</a> in eastern Ohio, the long double <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2013/06/twin-falls.html">zipline at Burning Rock</a>, the <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/06/fayette-county-flying.html">Gravity zipline in Fayette County</a> (twice), and the <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/07/nelson-rocks.html">canopy tour at Nelson Rocks</a>.
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My latest attempt at flying through the air on a wire was in Moundsville, WV. Marshall County established a recreational park in 1974 on top of a hill, with scenic views overlooking the town of Moundsville as well as the Ohio River. Although it was indeed a “grand view,” they apparently found out that there is already a “Grandview Park” in West Virginia (formerly a state park, it became part of the New River Gorge National River under the auspices of the National Park Service in 1990). Grandview Park overlooks the New River Gorge near Beckley and has long served as home for the “Honey in the Rock” and “The Hatfields and McCoys” outdoor dramas. So with some creative spelling, I assume those in Marshall County who were in charge at the time came up with the name “Grand Vue Park.” None of the workers I met that day could verify this chain of events, but I’m willing to speculate that is how the park’s unusual name occurred.
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[I want to make a couple of quick points if you drive there to go ziplining. Just because there are signs within the park directing you up the hill to the “Zipline Basecamp,” be aware that they want you to park your car at the golf course club house parking area (it is mentioned on the website and in your reservation notice). After signing paperwork there, they bus you up to the basecamp. You finish the course near where you parked. Also, be aware that Google Maps on my phone did not seem to have a clear idea where Grand Vue Park is really located, based on the inaccurate driving advice the voice on the phone was trying to give to me when I reached Moundsville. Luckily, I had a good idea of where it was plus they are some signs directing you there.]<BR>
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<i>This is the main tower from which three of the zips start.</i>
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About three years ago, Grand Vue Park added a ziplining course. It includes a seven zip canopy tour, with three swinging bridges, and a long, grand finale zip (that can also be done as a single zip ride). The entire tour of eight zips takes about three hours usually, but our trip took three and a half hours—you’ll see why later in this story.
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The Grand Vue Zipline turned out to be different than any of the other ziplining courses I have tried. This was apparent when we gathered to get our gear before starting. For the first time ever, they brought out a scale and required everyone to step on it individually to ensure we were below the 270 pound weight limit. [The guides were able to make some jokes about some participants who had been “overly optimistic” when estimating their weight on the forms we filled out prior to starting.]
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But that was just the first difference—I immediately noticed that the “trolley” which runs on the wire had metal plates on both sides covering the wheels. I supposed this was a safety consideration, but noticed that it made it heavier and a bit more cumbersome to carry around—not a major problem, but different than my previous experiences. They claim that all the gear weighs about ten pounds.
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The harness that we wore was also different than I had used before. Rather than belts at various points of your body, it was more of a sling. This made it a bit heavier as well, but it did make it easier to lay flat when flying through the air. Another difference I noticed was that there were no gloves to wear.
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Finally, the apparatus hanging from the trolley was different. It was a bit similar to a circus trapeze, providing a bar for you to grasp with your hands. However, when lying flat, you couldn’t reach the bar, and instead were instructed to grasp the belts (not the carabineers!) below it. Thus, simply getting “geared up” showed me that this was not the same as my other ziplining experiences.
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After a quick “ground school” on a short zipline, we climbed the main tower for the first run. This wooden tower would be scaled three times during the day, plus there was another tower on the course with a spiral staircase. When you add in the uphill hiking we did a few times, this was the most physically demanding zipline course I’ve ever tried. Although I enjoyed getting a little workout while ziplining, I’m sure there are some folks who might be surprised at the amount of physical exertion required here compared to other courses. This isn’t an activity for those who are out of shape—there are no elevators or escalators, so uphill walking and stair climbing are necessary.<BR>
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<i>I love flying through the air! Notice the "trapeze bar" and how the sling lets you lay flat if you want.</i>
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It became apparent at the ground school that there was no need to worry about putting your hand up on the wire for braking purposes. The trapeze bar resulted in the rider hanging too far down to reach the wire (which was probably a good thing, since we didn’t have any gloves). All the braking would be done automatically by a stopper block and cable as we approached the end of the line (similar to what is used at Burning Rock and on the Gravity ziplines). During the ground school, they also stressed aerodynamic braking by sitting upright and putting out your arms and legs out to catch as much air as possible—this maneuver was called the “starfish.” The guides would signal you if they thought you were coming in so fast that you needed to “starfish.”
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The guides had also pointed out that on a few of the zips, there was the possibility that you might not have enough momentum to make it all the way to the platform (especially those who weighed less). In order to avoid requiring a rescue, they encouraged folks on some of the runs to lay back and stretch out to make their bodies as aerodynamic as possible. This was called the “torpedo” and was the opposite of the “starfish.”
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As our group began ziplining, everything went well, despite the fact that none of the other eight customers that day had ever ziplined before. We started from the tower and went for about four zips before finding ourselves back on the main hill. We hiked to the top of the hill and took a short break at the basecamp (a covered picnic area with open walls on three sides) where we had started. Then we climbed the main tower for the second time to continue the course.
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This first zip of the second segment was one where the lightweights ran the risk of not making it to the platform. Thus the guides had the heavier men go first, so that there would be some assistance at the far platform if needed. Obviously, I didn’t have any problem torpedoing to the other end of the zip. However, one of the women didn’t make it to the platform, and was unable to catch the throw-bag with the rope that could have pulled her in. With no ability to reach the wire to brake herself, she rolled back to a point of equilibrium and had to be rescued by the guide. This caused a substantial delay, but she was soon back on the platform and the remainder of the group began zipping down the wire again.
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However, another woman just missed making it to the platform. This time, she was able to grab the rope as the throw-bag went by her. As the guide began pulling her in, she lost her grip on the rope—but she didn’t want to let go entirely. So she tried to grasp the rope that was sliding through her hands as the guide pulled, not realizing that she was getting a rope burn. By the time she made it to the platform, both of her hands were injured. They were able to bandage her up and she completed the rest of the course, but it was the first time in all my zipling that I’ve ever seen someone get hurt in any fashion. It was a very unfortunate incident, that somewhat ruined what otherwise would have been a fun day for her, her boyfriend, and even the rest of the group.
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In hindsight, perhaps the guides could have given better rescue instructions, or perhaps ensured the rope was secured to her body or the sling so that her hands could have been better protected. Of course, on every other ziplining course, she would have been wearing gloves, and this would not have happened. Personally, I wish they would go ahead and provide gloves to everyone on this course. It felt weird to me to be ziplining without them. Even if you aren’t using your hands to brake on the wire, there are still a lot of advantages to wearing gloves, whether to protect from potential rope burn during a rescue or perhaps merely to protect from potential splinters on the wooden bannisters.
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After the rescue incident, we did one more zip that dropped us to ground level partway down a hillside. Then we hiked up and over to another tower—this one with a narrow spiral stairway of about 70-some steps. Once at the top, there was a long zip back to the bottom of the hill where the basecamp is located. On most of their zips, there are two separate lines, so potential you could “drag race” your friends from platform to platform. However, the guides had only used one line on each run until we reached this one. Those who wanted to were now able to pair up and fly parallel to each other.
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Upon reaching the opposite slope, there was a steep hike up the hill to the picnic shelter/basecamp, where we took another short break. Then we climbed the 90-some steps of the main tower for the third time for the final and longest zip—a 2100 foot dual line providing a nice view of the town below. Apparently, customers can also choose to only zip on this line, rather than pay to do the entire canopy tour. As with the previous zip, couples were able to race each other on this last opportunity of the day. I definitely got some speed up by torpedoing down this zip—it was a nice way to end a pretty good day.
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I’m glad I went to Grand Vue Park to zipline. It was nice to get a bit of a workout while ziplining, so all the hiking and stairclimbing didn’t bother me—but I would want folks to be aware of it. However, I will be bringing my own gloves with me the next time I zip there, and would encourage others to do the same. I also want to mention that I appreciate the photo package they offer here. For just $7, all the pictures the guides take can be sent to you via email. Usually, I consider the optional photo packages to be overpriced, especially with the ease of today’s digital cameras. However, the $7 price seemed reasonable, and they sent the pictures a few hours after our trip had been completed. Finally, although I didn’t take advantage of it, I understand they sometimes offer two-for-one deals on Groupon and Living Social, plus they have an All-Day package deal if you want to do other activities at the park.
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All in all, I’d recommend the Grand Vue zipline tour, and I hope to try it again someday.
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<i>I'm "torpedoing" down the final zip, with the town of Moundsville visible in the valley below. I inserted an arrow to show where this zipline ends on the opposite hillside.</i>
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-79927551707671868692014-09-15T22:17:00.000-04:002014-09-15T22:17:50.861-04:00A Tale of Two Road TripsI grew up as a Mountaineer fan, and am proud to cheer on our state’s flagship school at numerous sporting events. I’ve been lucky enough to attend quite a few bowl games, as well as some nearby regular football season away games such as Maryland, Pitt, and Virginia Tech. Until this year, I’ve never had a season where I attended more than one away game—but in just the past two weeks, I was able watch the Mountaineers play twice away from home. It is fun to be part of “Mountaineer Nation” and go into a different stadium to cheer for your team. The fact that WVU has fans who are willing to travel has always put us in a good light (and helped us escape the Big East to land in one of the “power conferences”).
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The first game occurred on August 30 this year. We (my daughter, Anna, and myself) had a mostly enjoyable trip to Atlanta to watch WVU play #2 Alabama in the Georgia Dome for the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic. Even though the final outcome of the game was a defeat for the Mountaineers, we still played pretty well against one of the best teams in the country. Although the Alabama fans outnumbered us (considering they didn’t have to come as far), I think they were surprised by how many of our fans made the trip from West Virginia. The blue-and-gold contingent represented our state well.
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The three of us arrived late Friday afternoon (after purchasing $2.99 gas in Wytheville, VA—I’ve not seen a below $3 price at the gas pumps for a long time!), and checked into our hotel in the Buckhead section of Atlanta. By the way, our hotel was charging nearly $300 a night for rooms because of numerous events bringing folks to Atlanta (including the big NASCAR race just south of town), but I had immediately made a reservation last year when this game was first announced, which locked us into a $76 rate. It pays to reserve early!
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We then headed to the MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Regional Transit Authority) station, and learned how their light rail/subway works. We purchased a round-trip card and rode downtown, to test out what we would be doing on game day. Once downtown, we explored Underground Atlanta and other parts of downtown. I had seen most of the major sites during my previous visit to Atlanta (http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2011/06/hotlanta-trip.html).
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During this same weekend, a large convention of science fiction/fantasy fans were in town, and there were lots of interesting costumes roaming Peachtree, the main street downtown. For example, characters from Star Trek, Star Wars, Harry Potter, assorted superheroes, and even Waldo could be found around town throughout the weekend. We ended the evening with dinner at the salad bar of a Jason’s Deli, which proved both delicious and healthy.
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The next morning, we again rode MARTA downtown dressed in our blue and gold game gear. There were hoards of people from both schools gathered near the Georgia Dome for the game. It had the same feel as a bowl game, with fans from both teams at a neutral site. Eventually we went inside and found our seats. Prior to the kickoff, I was also able to meet with a long lost friend whom I had not seen in about 30 years. It was the first time I’ve watched a game in a domed stadium—which came in handy when a thunderstorm rolled through about halfway through the game.
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Speaking of halfway, the WVU Band did a fantastic job with their halftime performance. Even the few ‘Bama fans scattered on the WVU side of the field were impressed. We may have lost the football game, but our band (the “Pride of West Virginia”) won the halftime competition with their salute to the branches of the military.<BR>
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<center><i>The "Pride of West Virginia" forms the outline<BR> of our state at the Georgia Dome.</i></center>
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After the game, we found a decent place for dinner. Then we drove to “The Varsity” near Georgia Tech for dessert—their Frosted Orange drinks. This overgrown drive-in has been featured on numerous food-related television shows. It is quite a large operation that has become an institution in Atlanta (http://www.thevarsity.com/history.php).
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On Sunday, my daughter wanted to visit an Art Museum downtown. Fortunately, there was a display featuring old concept cars from car shows of the past. It provided me with an interesting place to spend my time.
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We made it back to West Virginia, and I got to introduce my daughter to Little Buddy Radio (http://www.bobdenver.com/radio/) as we passed through the Princeton area. We stayed overnight on Sunday at Hawks Nest State Park Lodge. This was primarily because I was taking my daughter ziplining the next morning, but it also provided us with the opportunity to stay at two different Hawks Nests, following our previous visit to the Hawks Nest Lodge during our trip to Maine (http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/08/made-it-to-maine.html).
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We had a great time riding the Gravity Ziplines through Adventures on the Gorge—the first visit for my daughter, but my second visit there (read about my first visit at http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/06/fayette-county-flying.html). I was lucky enough to have the same guide from my trip back in June, and she remembered me.
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After our aerial adventure, we picked up Anna, ate some lunch, and headed for home. It was a fun road trip even if we came up a bit short on the scoreboard.
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Two weeks later (after watching a home game victory on the Saturday in between), we loaded up the Prius for another Mountaineer football game road trip, this time with my daughter’s boyfriend joining us. I was off this past Friday, so I was able to cheer on the WVU Volleyball team to victory over Kent State in the Coliseum that afternoon, but had to wait until the others got off work before we could leave. On our way east on Friday night, the four of us stopped in Frederick, MD, and enjoyed a nice dinner with a couple of old friends from Parkersburg who moved there years ago. Eventually, we checked into our hotel at College Park, Maryland.
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The next morning we coordinated with Anna’s friends from her WVU days, and the ten of us eventually made it to our seats in the visiting team area of the stands at Maryland’s Stadium. Fortunately for us, the top rows of the lower section where we were seated were underneath the front part of the upper deck, so we were protected from the intermittent rain showers during the game. It was much more enjoyable to be dry, especially compared to sitting in the monsoon rains during last year’s miserable shutout defeat at the Ravens Stadium in Baltimore last year.
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Speaking of last year’s game, one of the many things that went wrong that day was that Maryland had decided that the WVU Marching Band would not be allowed to perform that day. Despite a long history of joint band performances between WVU and Maryland at both home fields, a new athletic director decreed that only Maryland’s band would perform. Needless to say, WVU fans (many of whom consider the “Pride of West Virginia” to be nearly as important as the football team) were not pleased by this new policy, and rebelled against it in social media and elsewhere. The Baltimore Sun published several letters, including one that I wrote (http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2013-09-19/news/bs-ed-wvu-band-letter-20130919_1_west-virginia-university-maryland-wvu-band). I pointed out that this new “No Visiting Bands Allowed” policy would not be permissible in the Big Ten Conference that Maryland was joining.
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Sure enough, this year the WVU Band was allowed to perform, and both schools worked together on a fantastic halftime show. With the Bicentennial of the Battle of Baltimore this past weekend, there were lots of events going on in the area to commemorate the Star Spangled Banner, which was written that day. The Terps football team wore special uniforms based on the Star Spangled Banner and Fort McHenry. Both bands performed a patriotic medley that told the story of the battle, and concluded with a humongous flag being unfurled which covered the entire playing surface of the football field. It was impressive—and demonstrated how much more entertaining halftime band performances can be when Maryland leaders show some respect for their visitors.
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The game itself started off great! As the first half neared its end, we were ahead 28-6. However, I knew there was still a lot of time left. I remember telling my daughter that I wish we could just end the game right now, but she replied stating that she wanted to run the score up even higher after last year’s game. I told her not be overconfident, because momentum can turn around quickly in football games (and I’m old enough to have seen this happen numerous times to the Mountaineers). Sure enough, in the last few minutes of the half, Maryland scored two quick touchdowns to go into the locker room down just 28-20. Then, their quarterback ran 75 yards on the first play of the second half to make it just a one-point game, 28-27.
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What had been the makings of a blowout in the first half turned into a nail-biter in the second half. Maryland never got the lead, but had been able to tie the game with only a little more than two minutes left in regulation. In the stands, the large contingent of WVU fans had been making lots of noise cheering on their team throughout the game. Emotionally, the game was very intense, and it all came down to a long field goal attempt at the end. Fortunately, the ball made it through the uprights and over the crossbar. The fans in the stands went ecstatic, with much jumping and hugging and high-fiving! It was an incredible roller-coaster game, and we all felt like we played a small part in helping the team to victory.
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That evening and the next day, we explored downtown Washington, DC. My daughter is very familiar with DC, and I lived there for three years early in my career, but her boyfriend had never been there. Although we were only able to scratch the surface in the limited time we had available, I think he really enjoyed seeing the major sites (see http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2013/07/dc-destinations.html for my tips on sightseeing in DC). I am especially glad that I took him over to see the Marine Memorial of the flag being planted on Iwo Jima, because it turned out that his late grandfather had been there for that battle.
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We had a great time over this past weekend (especially since the football team didn’t lose the game), but eventually it had to come to an end. We made the long drive back into our Mountain State yesterday afternoon and evening because all four of us had to go to work on Monday morning. Even though the football team didn’t win both these games, we feel that we went 2-0 when it comes to having a good time going on the road to follow the Mountaineers!
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<i><center>After the initial excitement of winning the Maryland game, I finally remembered to take a picture as the players left the field.</i></center>
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-78296808617453787082014-09-10T20:13:00.000-04:002014-09-10T20:13:51.017-04:00My Western SwingI recently had the opportunity to accompany Anna on a business trip to Grand Junction, Colorado. However, rather than going directly to her destination, we flew into and out of Salt Lake City, where a friend of hers lives (he had served as our guide on our only previous trip to the west back in 2007). This gave us the opportunity to see a lot of the amazing territory in that part of the American West.
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We arrived late Friday afternoon, and her friend suggested we check out Antelope Island State Park. This is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake, and its residents include not just pronghorn antelope, but also mule deer (with their large ears) and a herd of bison. A long causeway connects the island to the coast, and then a park roadway allows exploration of much of the island. We checked out the visitor center/museum that helped to explain a lot about the Great Salt Lake. The island was an interesting place to kick off our western week, and we enjoyed watching the evening sun reflecting off the water of this inland sea.<BR>
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The next morning, we went on a roadtrip to cross another state off of our list of those we have visited (you might recall that earlier this summer <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/08/made-it-to-maine.html">we were able to cross Maine off our list</a>). Anna’s friend is dating a girl from Idaho, so we drove north from Salt Lake City to visit her hometown of Pocatello. It was interesting to see this old railroad town, and to explore the campus of Idaho State University. We also drove through lands designated as an Indian reservation just north of Pocatello. I enjoyed seeing a crop duster airplane spraying a field—something I’ve never seen back home. The geology of the west is just so different than what we are accustomed to in the east. We returned to Salt Lake City in time to enjoy a nice dinner in downtown Salt Lake City.
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On Sunday, we started on our trek to Colorado. Rather than stay on interstate highways, we wanted to explore the back country on two lane roads. We chose to cut across U.S. Route 6 from Provo through the town of Price and on to I-70 near Green River. It was a fascinating drive through sparsely populated areas which first had us driving through mountains but eventually through flat desert.
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We were only on I-70 for a short distance before exiting on a two-lane highway that took us southeastward to Arches National Park. The unusual red rock formations were incredible! We enjoyed taking a few hikes to see the recommended sites in this park, including several of the natural stone arches for which the park is named. <BR>
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Afterwards, we drove into the nearby tourist town of Moab for a nice dinner. Moab makes me think of what a much larger version of Fayetteville, WV, might look like, because it serves as the base for many visitors exploring the unusual landscapes in Southeastern Utah. There are a number of outfitters there, providing opportunities for whitewater rafting, rock climbing, ziplining, etc.
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Rather than backtrack on the highway we had come in on from I-70, we opted to take a twisty two-lane that follows the Colorado River and joins I-70 closer to the Colorado border. The views we enjoyed in this red rock canyon were indescribable! There was only the road and the river, with majestic multi-layered walls on either side of us. The pictures we tried to take simply can’t convey how “wowed” we were on this drive. As this seldom used road left the canyon and the river, but before it joined I-70, we were treated to two different unexpected encounters with wild antelopes along the highway. Not long after getting onto I-70 again, we crossed into Colorado and were soon checking into our hotel in Grand Junction.<BR>
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After driving Anna to work on Monday morning (using U.S. Route 50, which also runs through West Virginia less than a mile from my house), I was free to roam about during the day. My morning was spent at Colorado National Monument, which is a 26 mile road that is part of the National Park Service. It is a bit like Skyline Drive or the Blue Ridge Parkway, except it is along the edge of a mesa. There are numerous pull-offs with breathtaking views of the canyons. It is a stunning way to see the beauty of this area.<BR>
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That afternoon, I arranged to take a solo kayak trip on the Colorado River. The outfitter provided me with an inflatable kayak (also known as a ducky) and drove me upstream towards Grand Junction from their headquarters at Fruita, Colorado. For the next few hours, it was just me alone drifting down the upper Colorado River. I enjoyed seeing familiar Great Blue Herons (like we have back home) as well as the black and white long-tailed Magpie birds that are only found in the western states. I had noticed a beaver dam and was lucky enough to later see a beaver swimming in the water. Once he realized I was there, he dove under the water, while a companion on the bank was slapping its tail on the ground as a warning call. I really enjoyed the solitude of this trip, not knowing what was around each bend of the river, and knowing that this water would eventually flow through the Grand Canyon and into the Gulf of California.<BR>
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On Monday evening, Anna and I attended a local minor league baseball game to support a former WVU graduate (and Bridgeport native) who pitches for the Grand Junction Rockies. Although he didn’t pitch that night, it was an interesting evening at the ballpark (home of the U.S. Junior College World Series), with a good view of Mount Garfield (a high peak) in the distance beyond the outfield. Their concession stand even sells local peaches from nearby Palisades, Colorado, which are renowned for their flavor. I tried one (served in a cardboard basket similar to the way French fries might be served) and I must say it was the best peach I’ve ever tasted.
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My Tuesday was spent primarily indoors to avoid some intermittent showers. I first toured the Museum of the West in downtown Grand Junction, before traveling to Fruita to check out the Dinosaur Museum there. This area is known for dinosaur discoveries, including the large dinosaur in the Field Museum at Chicago—I also hiked the interpretive trail on the nearby hillside where that huge dinosaur was recovered. I finished the afternoon at Allen Unique Autos, a car collector’s warehouse turned into a museum of sorts.BR>
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Wednesday was a big day for me. I had decided to make the long drive (more than four hours) over more two-lane roads to visit the Four Corners (where Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico meet). It was a beautiful drive through mostly desolate areas. I started off by taking U.S. 50 east of Grand Junction before turning south. As I crossed the first ridge, I saw Big Horn Sheep along the roadway. They were more like deer with strange horns than the sheep we have back home. Later, I saw a large black bear amble into the highway ahead of me, and disappear into the brush, followed quickly by a small cub. I had slowed down but just as I started to speed up, a second cub crossed the road in front of me! Other sights I’ll remember from my trip south to Four Corners include the resort built at Gateway by the owner of the Discovery Channel, a huge field of tall sunflowers, and a large Indian Casino in the desert south of Cortez, Colorado.
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The Four Corners monument is located in the middle of nowhere—folks just like to see the exact point where four different states meet. I was able to practice my skills from the old “Twister” game by placing my left hand in Colorado, my left foot in Utah, my right foot in Arizona, and my right hand in New Mexico (thus allowing me to cross off the last state I needed to visit in the southern half of the United States). Surrounding the plaza are shopping booths where Indians sell a variety of items such as jewelry, knives, t-shirts, food, etc. I purchased some “fry bread” and a few souvenirs and then headed back to the rental car.<BR>
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Rather than retrace my route through southwestern Colorado, my plan was to take other small roads north through southeastern Utah to see more territory. This enabled me to make a stop at the Hovenweep National Monument. Hovenweep was a village that once housed as many as 2500 of the same early Native Americans who also inhabitated the better known Mesa Verde cliff dwellings. Numerous stone buildings, including multi-story towers, are still standing even though the Indians left this area in the 1300s. After checking out the visitor center, I took the two-mile trail around the small canyon where most of these stone buildings were located. It was fascinating to see what a large and vibrant community had lived here for hundreds of years, but who had mysteriously disappeared long before the Europeans arrived.<BR>
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After my hike at Hovenweep, I drove north (past beautiful mountains, mesas, arches, and other scenery) to Moab, where once again I took the roadway that follows the Colorado River through the canyon it cuts on my way back to Grand Junction. It was definitely worth taking that road twice! <BR>
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Some folks might wonder why I spent the day driving more than eight hours to spend only about half an hour at my primary destination (the geographical oddity of Four Corners)? The driving time can be justified because the entire drive was an experience—not just the time spent at the destination. I saw so many incredible sights that day that will long reside in my mind. Now, whenever I look at a map of the USA and see the only spot where four states converge, I will have a treasured memory of the awe-inspiring landscapes I witnessed during my day spent driving there.
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During my last full day while Anna was at work, I decided to drive east into the Rocky Mountains. I took I-70 for two hours from Grand Junction to Glenwood Springs, Colorado. There are lots of things to do there, but I chose to check out the Glenwood Adventure Park. A tramway takes you up a 7000 foot mountain above the town, where a series of caves were discovered, and then an amusement park was added. I took both of the cave tours and watched some of the thrill rides (including a giant swing powered by compressed air that swings you out over the edge of the cliff). I only chose to make my way through a maze (more of a mental challenge than a thrill ride) and to ride the alpine coaster (which was much longer and faster than the one I had previously ridden at Maryland’s Wisp Resort near Morgantown). <BR>
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Before leaving Glenwood Springs, I drove into the downtown area to eat a late lunch at Doc Holliday’s Tavern. The famed dentist/gunfighter had left the OK Corral to move to Glenwood Springs, where it was hoped the mineral springs might help his tuberculosis (although he eventually died there). It was interesting to sit at a bar (which shares its name with Marshall’s football coach, who is also a West Virginia native and WVU alum) eating a buffalo burger in Colorado when I happen to overhear two guys down the bar talking about fracking in West Virginia. I introduced myself and discovered they were from Morgantown and Wellsburg—what a small world! <BR>
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I made it back in time to pick up Anna after work and drive her through the Colorado National Monument from Grand Junction to Fruita. Even though I had seen it on Monday morning, it was much different to see the same exotic rock formations in the late afternoon/early evening sunlight. We enjoyed a late dinner in Fruita before heading back for our last night in Grand Junction. <BR>
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Friday morning I made time to visit the Colorado National Monument Visitor Center and Museum at the western end of the road (it had already closed last night by the time we got there). This allowed me to drive this scenic roadway one more time—but this time in the opposite direction, which afforded a number of unique viewpoints. Anna was able to leave work early, so we headed back to Utah, taking I-70 to Green River before turning north on U.S. 6 towards Price, Utah. This time, we veered off U.S. 6 onto another small highway (Route 191), which took us northeast (across a couple of nearly 10,00 foot tall ridges) to U.S. 40. We then made a left turn and followed U.S. 40 (which is the same road that passes through West Virginia at Wheeling) past Starvation State Park and beyond to Park City, where we caught I-80 down the mountains to Salt Lake City. We met with Anna’s friend again, who took us to the University of Utah campus area for a delicious dinner that evening.
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On Saturday, we drove about two hours west from Salt Lake City, past the southern edge of the Great Salt Lake, and on to the Bonneville Salt Flats near the Utah-Nevada border. I’ve always been fascinated by the high speeds attained by land speed racers there. We were able to walk out onto the salt flats, which stretch for miles and miles in the distance. It is truly an alien landscape! I count myself very lucky this year to have visited perhaps the three most famous racing venue names in the USA—Daytona (after our cruise in February), Indianapolis (for <a href="http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/06/my-first-indy-500.html">my first Indy 500</a>), and now Bonneville.<BR>
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We drove into the nearby town of Wendover, which straddles the state border. The Nevada side of town has about half a dozen large casinos. It also features a huge neon sign of a cowboy welcoming you to town. We saw the site of the future “Land Speed Record Hall of Fame and Museum” but unfortunately it hasn’t been built yet. I guess that gives me a reason to come back someday! We enjoyed a nice meal in one of the biggest casinos, but neither of us chose to play—we just never picked up the gambling bug. <BR>
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We had a great week traveling out west, but had to catch our flight home on Sunday. I was able to visit six states (Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada), two of which were for the first time (Idaho and New Mexico). We saw a wide range of scenery over the week, from salt flats to red rock canyons to mesas to arches to Rocky Mountains to southwestern deserts. The American West is truly an incredible place to visit! Plus, I must admit how much easier it is to travel like this these days, using the apps on our smartphones. From driving directions to restaurant recommendations, modern technology makes grand sightseeing tours so much easier! I’m grateful to have had this opportunity.<P>
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WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-76806105352422576712014-08-27T20:39:00.001-04:002014-08-27T20:39:53.115-04:00West Virginia’s LighthouseWith the demand for clean energy, wind turbines are becoming more prevalent along mountain ridges in West Virginia. I remember my surprise the first time I rounded a curve of U.S. Rt. 219 on the way to Blackwater Falls and came seemingly face-to-face with a huge wind turbine. They can also be seen near four-lane U.S. Rt. 33 entering Elkins and north of I-68 above Cheat Lake, as well as several other spots around our state. I find them to be fascinating!
<P>
During the construction of a large wind farm in Greenbrier County, one of the base units to support the turbine was slightly damaged at the construction site before it was erected. Although the damage was minor, this tubular tower could no longer be used for its intended purpose. Rather than send it to the scrap yard, someone joked that perhaps it could be repurposed as a lighthouse for Summersville Lake (West Virginia’s largest lake) in neighboring Nicholas County.
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What started as a joke has become a reality. Just off U.S. Route 19 at Mt. Nebo is the Summersville Lake Lighthouse, which opened to the public on West Virginia’s sesquicentennial last summer. We were in the area recently and paid the $7 admission fee to climb the 122 spiral steps to the top of this tapered tower. The 360 degree view from the deck encircling the top is beautiful! One can see a portion of the lake in the distance (the lighthouse was placed in the Summersville Lake Retreat campground closer to Rt. 19 than to the lake itself). A number of larger green forested mountains dot the distant horizon (as well as the brown dirt and rocks from a mountaintop removal project beyond the lake).
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While the views are impressive, I think the most interesting aspect is how this project came together. It is a good lesson in how a creative idea can come to fruition—even without major funding—when a community pulls together behind it. Plus, it shows that even a green energy initiative can be recycled by resourceful West Virginians.
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Once the slightly damaged base was acquired, it was arranged for the Nicholas County Vo-Tech students to create and assemble the spiral staircase (donors to the project are recognized with a plaque on the step risers that can be easily read when walking up the twisting stairway). The top for the lighthouse (including the roof, the lantern room, and the exterior catwalk with its safety railing) was built by students from the Fayette County Vo-Tech center.
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The Summersville airport just happened to have an old navigational beacon light stored away which dated back to the 1940s, complete with a rotating Fresnel lens. This was carefully restored to working condition, placed inside the top of the tower, and can now be seen from more than 30 miles away! The Federal Aviation Administration has recognized the Summersville Lighthouse as an official navigational aid for air traffic.
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As an added bonus, since the lighthouse was erected no ocean-going vessels have ran aground in Summersville Lake (ha ha). If you’d like more information, check out
http://www.summersvillelakeretreat.com/lighthouse-project.html. <BR>
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<center><i>[This story appeared in the September issue of Two-Lane Livin' magazine.]</i></center>
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4226965238232474050.post-15785719654838095692014-08-25T21:22:00.000-04:002014-09-03T19:52:42.879-04:00Made it to Maine!Geography was always an interest of mine. I remember the roll-up canvas maps above the blackboards in my grade school—if they were pulled down during class, I would often daydream of faraway places while examining the intricacies of the map while my teacher droned on.
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Maine always was interesting because of its location at the far northeastern corner of the United States. It was an easy piece to fill in when putting together a U.S.A. map puzzle. So Maine always had a special allure, yet I had never visited there. It was the last state in the eastern half of the United States that Anna and I had not visited, so we knew we needed to cross it off our list. We decided to do it in style by making it a summer vacation destination.
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We wanted to hit three primary areas while we were there—Kennebunkport, Acadia National Park, and the highlands near the Canadian border. Secondary targets included the state capitol in Augusta as well as the L.L.Bean outlet store in Freeport. We decided to take Amtrak to Boston (another train adventure for us) and then rent a car to explore the state.
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Our first few nights were spent in Kennebunkport. The first day we took old Route 1 up through Portland (and its interesting wharf district) and on to Freeport—the home of the L.L.Bean Company. Their store has become a hub for other factory outlet stores, making Freeport a shopping mecca. We aren’t big shoppers (although I did luck into a discounted pair of sandals), but the drive up to Freeport gave us our first taste of Maine’s picturesque small towns.
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The second day was spent with a friend of Anna’s who is from Kennebunkport. She showed us all around the area, including the small peninsula where former President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara spend their summers. We also explored the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, as well as the beaches and the quaint downtown area of Kennebunkport.<BR>
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<center><i>Barbara & George H.W. Bush's compound</i></center><BR>
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<center><i>The tranquility of the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge</i></center>
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After two days exploring Kennebunkport (as well as Portland and Freeport), we headed away from the coastline and into the interior of the state. During our travels, we tried to avoid the interstates and instead take the two-lane highways. We stopped at the Maine State Capitol to check it out. I was able to make my connection with one of my heroes, Joshua Chamberlain. He was a professor at a college in Maine who volunteered for the Union army, led his regiment to a key victory on the second day at Gettysburg, and eventually became a General who Grant invited to Appomattox for the surrender. Then he went back to Maine where he served in their Legislature and eventually became governor.
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We also stopped in Skonomish, the birthplace of another Maine politician I admired—Margaret Chase Smith. The New Balance Shoe Company has a plant there, as well as a factory outlet store where we stopped. We also enjoyed a nice lunch at an old building along the riverfront in town before heading further north.
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While planning this trip, Anna had discovered a place in the interior mountains called Hawks Nest Lodge along one of their whitewater rivers and on a highway leading to Canada. The name itself was intriguing to us because she grew up near West Virginia’s Hawks Nest State Park (and Lodge). When we checked in, they told us that sometimes they get phone calls intended for the Hawks Nest Lodge in West Virginia!
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After getting our room, we headed up the highway to cross the border into Quebec. We drove to a small French Canadian town and ate dinner. The town was at 46 degrees north latitude, meaning that we were closer to the North Pole than to the Equator. On the way back, we were fortunate enough to see a wild moose and her calf.<BR>
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The next morning we enjoyed a nice breakfast (I had Maine Blueberry Pancakes with Maine Maple Syrup). We then went on a hiking trip to Moxie Falls, the largest waterfall in the state. It was a beautiful place! We went on to visit Lake Moxie, from where we could see a few of Maine’s highest peaks.<BR>
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<center><i>The tallest waterfall in Maine.</i></center><BR>
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<center><i>I'm exploring some of the rapids prior to the big drop-off.</i></center>
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Then we were back on the two lane highways, heading out of the highlands. Our destination for Tuesday night was in Bangor—Maine’s third largest city. I first learned about Bangor in Roger Miller’s song “King of the Road” (…Third boxcar, midnight train; Destination: Bangor, Maine…). We enjoyed a meal of creative dinner salads at a nice restaurant along the Penobscot River that evening.
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We arrived in Bar Harbor on Wednesday and caught one of the L.L. Bean sponsored, natural gas powered, free buses into the national park. We had heard about the congestion from all the cars that come to Acadia, and wanted to do our part by not taking our own car in. However, the traffic was still very bad, and I do not think I would enjoy visiting Acadia on the weekends when it would be even worse.
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Getting off at the Sand Beach stop, we walked down to the beach. We then hiked to the eastern side and up the hillside to see some nice overlooks of the beach area. The trail, known as the Great Head trail, wraps around to the other side and back to beach area. <BR>
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<center><i>A view of Sand Beach from the hiking path up the hillside.</i></center>
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From there we hiked on the Ocean Trail southward along the rocky coastline. There were numerous opportunities to venture off the established trail and onto the massive boulders facing the ocean. I enjoyed picking my path among the cracks and drop-offs that comprise this rocky coast. It was a bit like playing chess—you have to make your decisions based on several moves ahead. We went by a crevice in the rocks where the ocean rolls in that is called “Thunder Hole.” Unfortunately, you have to be there at the right time to really hear the thunder, and the tide was not right when we were in the vicinity. <BR>
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<center><i>Rocks and pines instead of sand and palms.</i></center>
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At the conclusion of our hiking that day, we hopped on the free bus and rode back to Bar Harbor. We enjoyed an excellent meal at Geddy’s, which has been in operation there since 1974. Their Maine Special was a steamed lobster, clam chowder, corn on the cob, and wild blueberry pie for $18.95. This was our first experience with a full-size cooked lobster, and it was good. We strolled around the town of Bar Harbor after dinner. It reminds me a bit of Key West, with all its tourist shops and restaurants. <BR>
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<center><i>Yum!</i></center>
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Due to the fogginess, I gave up on my idea of going to the top of Mount Cadillac to watch the sunrise on our only morning in Acadia. Instead, I chose to hike across to Bar Island, which is only accessible for an hour or two at low tide. I climbed to the pinnacle of the island and should have been rewarded with a nice view across the bay to the town of Bar Harbor, but it was shrouded in fog. However, it was still fun exploring the small uninhabited island.
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Later that day, we did more hiking around Bar Harbor before catching a Nature Cruise. It was still foggy, but we were able to see harbor seals, bald eagles, and other interesting sights. The local high school science teacher who provided a running narration over the ship’s sound system did an excellent job! Plus, we were able to use our cruise tickets to get a discount at a nice restaurant on the wharf. I enjoyed a delicious lobster roll for my late lunch/early dinner.
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We left Bar Harbor at around 4:30 on Thursday, with a desire to get back to Kennebunkport by dark. We decided not to take the shortest route (return to Bangor and go back via interstate), but instead to take two lane U.S. Route 1 along the coast. This allowed us to see lots of small coastal towns along the way, as well as some interesting sights such as the shipworks at Bath, the old Fort Knox, and Camden Hills State Park. In hindsight, I wish we would have driven to the top of Mount Battie in Camden Hills State Park for a similar view as one gets at Mount Cadillac in Acadia.
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On Friday, we spent the day at Old Orchard Beach just north of Kennebunkport. This is a wide sandy beach, with a long wooden pier, and a small amusement park. There were no hi-rise hotels—this was an old-school beach town. We walked along the beach for a long distance to the south before turning around and returning. Then we ate a great meal at a beachside restaurant, watching and listening to the waves. After lunch, we walked a similar distance to the north, and then sat there for a while enjoying the ocean. Eventually, we headed back to the car and returned to our motel. That night we enjoyed our last lobster dinner at Nunan’s Lobster Hut (two lobsters and corn on the cob for $25). The next morning, we check out, drove to Boston, and hopped the train (see http://inquisineer.blogspot.com/2014/08/my-tale-from-riding-rails.html). <BR>
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<center><i>Maine has a big variance from high tide to low tide,<BR>leading to wide beaches at low tide.</i></center>
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I must admit that I enjoyed Maine even more than I thought I would. It is a beautiful state. In some respects, it looked similar in the rural areas to West Virginia, and the whitewater rivers we saw could have just as easily been in our mountains. [However, based on all the highway driving we did, their mountains don’t seem to get in the way quite as much as ours do.] Of course, West Virginia doesn’t have a seashore, so that is a big difference. Plus, I had never really experienced a rocky seashore before. The coastal areas, old mill towns, and seaports were all very interesting. The bottom line is that I’m glad I got to visit during the peak of the summer, and not during the winter. I hope I get the chance to return for further exploration someday.<BR>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUe0Yqsm0XFyeXDVmtVCiME1gHiFRbVPg8aUYJede_C_OGfqkp7hhYE1EulHOHEQdmNcouWWa-MYfV4aGgvVk-F40WwUqiHfW81BIEWMmGk2pxOxXwno91nCLrdSTKuDCM_b6H5_KGyyr/s1600/foggyme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUe0Yqsm0XFyeXDVmtVCiME1gHiFRbVPg8aUYJede_C_OGfqkp7hhYE1EulHOHEQdmNcouWWa-MYfV4aGgvVk-F40WwUqiHfW81BIEWMmGk2pxOxXwno91nCLrdSTKuDCM_b6H5_KGyyr/s320/foggyme.jpg" /></a></div><BR>
<center><i>That's me enjoying the nature cruise past a small island.</i></center>
WVramblerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04725938160516615577noreply@blogger.com0