West Virginia - Day 5

Fox Fire KOA
Friday, 5 April 2019

This was a catch-up day, spent in the campground.  Rain had been forecast, and rain we got.

I started work on yesterday's post, which ended up taking a long time because there was so much information I wanted to post so I wouldn't forget.

I did personal chores and walked the dogs.

Each morning we've been here, during our first walk we've been serenaded by an enthusiastic Robin.  Actually, I didn't know that's what it was but knew the song was familiar from Austin.  But at one point we passed by the picnic table where he was singing his heart out, so I could see clearly who he was.  I wondered if the people sleeping in the camper nearby enjoyed the song.  And I was hoping he could find a mate, as he was singing so earnestly and beautifully.

I spent time planning what I'd like to see next.  This took much longer than you might think.  Sorting through all the sights West Virginia has to offer and figuring out how much time it might take me to get places and whether there's anywhere to stay near there - these are complicated by my worry over driving the back roads - I've stayed on the major highways so far.

For instance, the Visitor Center gave me a detailed booklet about places related to coal mining, quite a few of which sounded interesting and most of which are outside major population centers (no surprise).  This meant driving long distances on roads that looked small and quite curvy on the map; the booklet even cautions people that some are road-accessibility-challenged. 

I finally decided on going back for several nights at Camp Creek State Park, where I'd spent the first night, because it's in the general vicinity of several of these places.  But I'd go there by taking some of the back roads, to get a feel for what I might be dealing with before planning to go further.  Then I reserved a couple of nights in a state park closer to the New River Gorge and Bridge, and also to The Greenbrier, a fancy resort in eastern WV.

Finally, I planned a route for tomorrow that would take me on state routes from Huntington down to Chapmanville, where I could pick up a larger road back to the interstate.  It would give me several hours of these smaller roads, and show me whether I could do them or whether they'd terrify me.

All in all, a productive day, though I don't have anything but reservations to show for it.