'Almost Heaven' Almost Says It A trip log taken between 9/25/93 & 10/8/93 To West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest ----------- When Chris and I started looking for a place to spend my mandated two week vacation we first thought of Scotland. It was a great idea. A foreign country where the people actually do speak my language and to which there is some common link. But with economies as they are today the costs became prohibitive. So to stay in the United States it was. Every other year or so I go out to see some truly great friends and wonderful people in Albuquerque about this time of year. The Balloon Fiesta would be going on and Chris could see that Southwestern city in it's very best light. But he stipulated that wherever we went we would have to drive and I knew that even discussion of a 4000 mile road trip would be moot, you could have bet on that. So where to go? During the mid to late 70's I lived in southern West Virginia, and knew this to be a beautiful place. Accessible by highway, less than a day's drive away. Besides, they spoke English, were within the borders of the United States and readily accepted American Dollars. The northeastern part of the Mountain State is covered by the Monongahela National Forest, almost 900,000 acres that encompass several wilderness areas, a backcountry area, and a National Recreation Area that is extremely well done. Chris and I like to camp and so everything was set. The Monongahela it would be. So on Saturday morning the 25th of September 1993 we set off an a trip that would combine several mini-adventures, a good scare or two, and some of the most beautiful things this weary world can produce. Equipment Used; 1993 Ford Ranger (the 'Suburban Ranger') 4x4 3.0 liter 1 Kelty Nautilus Tent 1 Coleman 2 burner Propane Stove 2 Caribou Warm Front Sleeping Bags 1 Igloo 94 gallon Cooler ...and various other implements that we'll mention later on, but these listed behaved more than admirably and so deserve special mention. Saturday September 25, 1993 Stamford, CT to Hopwood, PA A perfect day for a drive with the hint of rain much later on met us as we finally had the truck packed and the house locked up. 9:15 AM and we hit the road, hoping to miss a little Saturday morning rush hour traffic. We did miss the traffic and made some great time through the Cross Bronx Expressway (and you know what that can be like) and across the George Washington Bridge. We followed I80 to I287 South then to I78 which we would take far into Pennsylvania. The last time I came this way the interstate was still not completed through Easton, PA and you had to get off, drive downtown and across the Delaware River, then navigate your way back onto the interstate. Good to say that it's been done. Done well as a matter of fact, so well that the lady who took our dollar for the bridge toll there said "Thank You". A nice way to start, don't you think? Passing Allentown we saw our first and only steel mill, belching white steam into the mid morning sky. But was what really an 'eye opener' was Dorney Park. I remember that place as being a smallish amusement park. I wasn't prepared for the sight that unfolded along the north side of the road. Acres of parking lots, a water park and several roller coasters. Nice job folks. We toyed with stopping in at the Stroh's Brewery nearby and at Roadside America, our nation's largest Putz, in Shartelsville, PA. (for those of you from out of the area a 'putz' (pronounced 'puts') is the local name for the little miniature villages you all place around your Christmas Trees. At Roadside America they have gone the extra yard, or mile, by building one large enough to require it's own building!) If you've got the time it's only a few bucks and probably worth the experience as so much American 'kitsch' is. We passed our second State Police cruiser in Pennsylvania about 4 hours into the trip. This was also the second cruiser that had no one in, or near it. As least as far as we could tell. Traffic did certainly slow down though, and if that was the intention it certainly worked. There was something else we noticed about Pennsylvania and I78 and I81. It's the roadside billboards, literally taken to new heights. These signs are everywhere, and are large enough to be seen from the moon. Really. They are an ugly scar on an otherwise pastoral landscape and, well, I was going to say that something should be done about it, but free enterprise and all that... Crossing the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg was a delight. It is beautiful. Wide and shallow, and in a nice wide valley. Isn't that where Three Mile Island is? Didn't see it from the interstate but we did look! We finally saw our exit for the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but to get to it you've got to get off I81 and go through Carlisle's main drag, passing the regular fast food restaurants and budget motel chains along the way. There's obvious work on a fix for all this, but I can't see where the local economy will be happy with it. As soon as we got our ticket (from a machine) and entered the Turnpike we were greeted with the following series of small brown signs; You can beat - a mile - a minute - but there - is no - future - in it. The only thing missing was 'Burma Shave'. Chris and I laughed pretty hard over this as the speedometer crept above the fated 'mile-a-minute' line. We did slow down though and set the cruise control at about 60. We felt this should be safe enough for our out-of-state plates. We finally did see a real Pennsylvania State Trooper. He was driving a late model, black Ford Mustang, and writing a ticket as we sped by at 55 mph. No chances anymore. The reputation for handing out speeding tickets in Pennsylvania, whether real or perceived got on us a bit. A little while later we sped through the first of three mile long tunnels on the Turnpike. The first two were pretty dramatic for as you come out of one, you almost immediately enter another. Very cool. There were three in all before we began to head down towards our first exit, Donegal. The scenery along this stretch of highway was either very boring or very, very nice. Most if it very nice. When we got off the Turnpike, the lady who took our money, handed us a card that gave directions to two dozen local attractions (very nice touch) and gave us pretty good directions to where we wanted to go. For Sunday we were going to Falling Water, the Frank Lloyd Wright house that was nearby, and thought we would stay in Donegal. But all the hotels were right on the interstate and we had wanted something a little quieter. So we drove off down PA 381 towards Falling Water and US 40 at the bottom, where we turned west toward Uniontown. We figured that a town that size on the map would have something for us. But we were wrong. It had been raining pretty hard by this time and Uniontown did not look an inviting place to be lost in on an afternoon like this. So we headed back to the small town of Hopwood (pop. 2021) and stayed at a little place called the Blue Mountain Motel. We paid US$ 38.00 for a tiny room. And I mean tiny! But it was clean and neat and a bed after all. Once we got settled in it was time for food. We had seen a place up the road a piece across from the Howard Johnson's called the Sun Porch Restaurant and decided to give it a try. Meals at the Sun Porch can be ordered off a menu, but they are more commonly taken from a buffet that is laid out as you enter the door. I can't begin to tell you how much we ate. Let's just say that for dessert Chris had two slices of pie with fresh ice cream. I couldn't budge. The buffet ran US$ 9.95 for each of us and the table service was excellent, the people friendly and the food very good. Waddling back to the truck and the Blue Mountain Motel we prepared for an early start the next morning, but the Motel had turned on the heat (works for the whole building so there's no way to turn it off). We sat around with the windows and door open until the room became cool enough to sleep in, and even at that I slept fitfully. Mileage today - 396 Sunday September 26, 1993 Hopwood, PA Falling Water Dolly Sods Red Creek Campground (Monongahela National Forest) Awoke this morning after a night of roaring trucks and cars on US Route 40. The sky was clearing and the sun broke through at about 8:00 AM. We went to the Howard Johnson's for breakfast, up the road and across from the Sun Porch where we had dinner the night before. Chris had two boxes of Raisin Bran, and I had a 'Croissant Deluxe' which was eggs and ham covered with cheese whiz on a fair sized croissant, hash browns on the side. Adequate, but I knew I would have some trouble with the cheese whiz later on. After breakfast we headed back to PA 381 and turned north through Ohiopyle towards Falling Water. Ohiopyle is a center for white watering on the Youghiogheny River. There is a Youth Hostel there, several outfitters and a few small restaurants for snacks. The rain from yesterday would fill this place up today as folks came in from Pittsburgh a couple of hours away. Reaching Falling Water we paid our US$ 8.00 each at the entrance gate and then drove up the road to the parking area. The entrance road goes through a Mountain Laurel thicket and must be amazing in late June. Once you reach the parking area you walk into a visitors center that is of amazing architectural design. You look at it and say to yourself that this is all that is needed for something like this, and that moreover it would make a fine home design. It was very nice. We had made a reservation for the 11:00 AM tour, but got there an hour early and were willing to try our luck. We were told this would not be a problem, and were set to go off with the 10:00 AM tour group. We hung around the gift shop waiting for our group to be announced. when it is, you walk along a gravel road for about 1/4 mile. Soon you can hear the creek that this remarkable home is built over, and after yesterday's heavy rain it was roaring! You first catch a glimpse of Falling Water through the trees. I am pretty certain that you have all seen pictures of this, the most famous and accessible Frank Lloyd Wright Home. If you have not, let it suffice to say that the home is built over a waterfall and into the side of a hill. Its cantilevered concrete levels anchored into a stone structure that acts as a central pivot for the design, and as a fireplace for the interior. What is most amazing about Falling Water is that it is the only Wright home that still has its original furnishings, many designed by the architect himself. This gives you the complete picture of how Mr. Wright wanted this home to look. It was built for Edgar J. Kaufmann, a Pittsburgh merchant, in 1936 and given to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in 1963 by his son as a museum and testament to the architects work. Tours are geared towards adults and so children under 9 must remain at the Day Care Center in the visitor's center. There is a small charge for this. Our tour group consisted of about 12 people, and were the third in for the day, so the home was not crowded when we began. As the tour progressed however it became increasingly crowded in this home, with several groups, each about 15 minutes apart. You are escorted through the home by a guide (docent) who will explain to you what you see, and answer any questions you may have. With the river swollen with last night's rain, it was at times difficult to hear our guide over the roaring of the falls that sit almost directly under the house. Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned to build this home on a small bluff that overlooked the waterfall, but he desired that the waterfall become as much a part of the home, as it had become a part of the family. There was certainly some discussion, and a bit of reluctance, but Mr. Wright got his way, as he almost always did. This place is stunning. And more so for its use of cantilevered concrete and stone, careful placement of windows, and doors. Mind you, if you are taller than 6'4" you will certainly bang your head often in this home! The people who lived there averaged 5'7" and to them the lowish ceilings were fine. For more modern day man however, duck! Chris, who stands 6'4" spent a lot of time hunched over. The tour of the home takes about 45 minutes. You are also shown the guest quarters which is connected to the main home by a covered outdoor walkway. The covering for the walkway is of concrete, pressed into a semi-circle, and only supported on its outside edge by thin decorative metal columns. This portico was poured all on a single day during construction and being curved, actually uses both the main house and the guest house for support, and it in turn offers support for their outer walls. An amazing feat for the time. After leaving Falling Water we drove south on PA 381 to the West Virginia state line. The route numbers are that well marked on the WV side of the border, but I believe we ere on County Route 3, possibly State Route 3, but the state roads are usually pretty good. This was a winding two lane that was an excellent introduction to the 'country roads' feel of this beautiful state. The scenery was terrific. Through Brandonville, Terra Alta and Aurora. Through the quintessential northern Appalachian town of Davis. Davis' main street fronts a long removed railroad. The town is neat and clean as the highway climbs down pass small stores and shops, then climbs up the ridge on the other side and out of this little town. We would see many like this during the next two weeks. From Davis we headed south on State Route 32 through the growing Canaan Valley, and the ski resorts and State Park this area is famous, and most known for. Just after the Canaan Valley Sate park entrance we hung a left onto County Route 45 which would take us down a steep precipitous road and into, then pass the village of Laneville, following the ample signs for Dolly Sods, our home that night. Just pass Laneville you pick up Forest Service (FS) 19, pass the Dolly Sods picnic area and an informational display about the area you will be climbing to. Near the top of the ridge you pick up FS 75 which straightens itself out on the top of the Allegheny Front, and brings you many miles along the top of this high and remote ridge. Well before the Red Creek Campground there is an overlook with parking on the right (east) side of the road. The view looks down into the town of Petersburg, and over the parallel ridges that make this area of the nation unique in its geography. You are at about 4000' and the valley below is more than a thousand feet lower. It was our first wide view in West Virginia and is highly recommended. The day was windy and cool at lower elevations, but up here it was windy and cold. But we had packed clothes for snow and were not the least bit concerned about the weather. Further along the road, and right before the Red Creek Campground is the Northland Interpretive Loop Trial. It's a short hike, but one that will give you an easy feel for this foreboding landscape. We took site #4 of the 12 site Red Creek Campgrounds. There is a small maple tree we knew would offer some protection from the increasing winds and promised rain of that evening. There is a water pump and several 'Porta-Potties' there while the outhouses are being rebuilt. There were several other campers in the grounds with us, but they were all in tag-along's, or motorhomes, something we would find time and time again during our travels. We were often the only people tenting. Since wood is scarce at the campground Chris and I headed up the road towards Bear Rocks Overlook to scour the roadside for down and dead material for a fire that night. As you drive up FS 75 you come over a high point in the road and the world opens up for you in a landscape that is straight out of the Yukon. It is tundra like, with 'flag' spruce growing out of improbable places. These 'flag' spruce are called such because they grow only on one side due to the constant winds at this location. There are several other areas in the state at which we will see them, most notably Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia at 4863'. We were awe struck by the desolation of this landscape. Just hours before we were driving through thick forest, and now we were in northern Canada. Amazing. Barren, arctic-like tundra of low scrub and scrub oak, spruce and rock, for as far as one can see across this high plateau of some 4000' in elevation above sea level. It was of stark and rare beauty, and to this flatlander totally alien. It would take a while for us to see the remarkable beauty inherent in a place like this. We did eventually continue on with our hunt for dead wood, and found plenty of it on the roadsides away from the campground. We took our time filling up the truck, listening to the wind howl around us, then headed back for camp. After a dinner of Tofu-Pups, Chris and I sat in our chairs and watched the interplay of the 3/4 moon and the fast moving, low clouds that scattered the evening sky. We never did get a fire going that night, for it never got as cold as we though it might. Chris and I have never burned a campfire unless we felt we needed it for heat, and this night would be no different. There was a promise of rain in the sky as we settled off to sleep, rain that never came. Mileage today - 110 Monday September 27, 1993 Dolly Sods We woke this morning to a breezy and gray day. We had just staked the tarp when we heard the roar of not too distant thunder. The wind picked up and lightening flashed near overhead. For the next 45 minutes we were treated to a thunderstorm that kept us huddled beneath the tarp hoping that the stakes would hold as the rains began. Being up at 4000' in the type of landscape that is Dolly Sods, you learn a fast appreciation for the forces that make up Mother Nature. It started raining at 7:30 AM and at 1:00 PM as I write this, it is still raining. We were not uncomfortable however. The tarp is certainly large enough to cover our chairs, the picnic table and to a pretty good extent, our tent, which has an excellent rain fly on it. So we sat back and watched the storms go by, amazed at their speed and violence. Early in the afternoon we got in the truck for a short drive up to Bear Rocks overlook. we wanted to see what we could see, in completely different surroundings than the day before. On this afternoon we could see rain clouds deep in the valleys, rain clouds far away and moving in fast, but deep in the south east some patches of blue sky we hoped would make it our way. With the promise of a sunnier afternoon we headed back to the campsite to dry out our gear. Looming before us however was a dark and threatening line of fast moving, and very dark clouds! It is raining again. It rained on and off, mostly on, for the remainder of the afternoon until about 4:00 PM. The wind kept getting stronger as the day wore on. We met two guys who were ready to hike into the Dolly Sods Wilderness area that abuts the campground. We gave them directions to the trailhead as best we could, but didn't suggest that they call it off for another day. As the wind picked up the temperature dropped and the rains came again. It was not a day to be out in wilderness country. It got windier as the evening wore on, and was too windy to even attempt a fire. After another fine dinner we headed back out in the truck to Bear Rocks to watch the sunset over this fantastic country. There was a rainbow in the sky as we left, and the video we've got of the sun setting is amazing. Orange streaked dark gray clouds, rushing by at an ever faster speed. The whooshing sound of the ever increasing wind rocking the truck back and forth. I got out with the palmcorder for a better scan and could barley stand up against the wind. When we got back to the campsite we decided to take the tarp down so that we wouldn't lose it during the night. Our tent is certainly up to the task of this weather, but the aluminum poles for the tarp are not. We packed everything away as best we could then settled into our tent to spend the night. As it got darker the wind got stronger and stronger. We pulled the stove near the tent and boiled up some water for tea. Our Coleman 2 burner propane stove worked just fine in all the wind. The wind continued to pick up in velocity and force. All night long it sounded as though speeding freight trains were careening by outside our tent door. In the middle of the night I woke up and looked out to see thirty foot trees bent in half under the weight of the oncoming west wind, very glad for the small maple that sat behind us and blocked the majority of it from coming into our campsite. Windy it was though for a couple of times our tent roof sagged dangerously under the weight. Makes you appreciate the modernity of fiberglass tent poles. We got very little sleep this night as it was difficult to take your mind away from impending doom. To tell you the truth we were scared, and considered heading for the truck several times. We stayed, mostly because we didn't want to go out, even for the 30 foot run, and because it might have been our body weight that was keeping the tent in place. Mileage Today - 10