Tuesday, July 26, 2016

July 20-21 Greenbrier River Ride


Roughly, one month ago, a "thousand year rain" occurred in the area near Lewisburg WV. With 8-10 inches of rainfall in an 8 hour period, creeks and rivers quickly filled. The Greenbrier River and many of its tributaries flooded. It was the 3rd highest death toll due to flooding in WV history, with 23 deaths. I didn't know what to expect on the Greenbrier River Rail Trail which runs alongside its namesake river. The hardest hit area was the southern end of the trail as it approaches Lewisburg. After parking in Anthony near MP 14, I decided to ride north because there was a makeshift yellow tape barrier across the trail headed south.

Riding to Remick, the trail was in good shape with some obvious repairs. I'm certain those areas will require additional work, but for now, the trail is passable north of Anthony. I saw many freshly sawed trees which had uprooted. Usually the result was a pile of rubble. Once the tree uprooted, there was nothing to hold the surrounding soil and rocks in place. 


After returning to the trailhead, I bicycled past the yellow tape heading south. About a mile away, right at MP 13, the trail abruptly ends with a landslide. I read later the slide is 400 feet long and 150 feet deep. It is estimated it will cost over $2 million to repair with the biggest issue being, where to put the debris. The area is tightly situated here with almost vertical land on one side and the river on the other. Right now, it looks precarious, as if more will come down with the next rain. I was afriad to climb up on the slide but I have seen photos of others who have climbed up. 


If you had been staying at this campsite, the tentpad, picnic table and water pump all survived completely intact but only a few feet from the edges of this slide. The adjacent outhouse is underneath the rubble and a camp shelter got tossed around but might be salvageable. 

It was quite a sight to see!


The following day, I am riding north from Marlinton toward Cass and back. This little skunk didn't want to move out of the way. Whenever I started to move toward the critter, it raised its tail up. So I had to wait until this guy moved along before continuing to bicycle.


Near Cloverlick, there is a very pretty river scene. In the photo above you can see two buttresses from a former bridge, laying in the river. 


Some paid a good deal of money to restore this depot in Cloverlick. It looks great but doesn't seem to serve any purpose. Not far from here I decided to turn around. There was a hardtop road right next to the trail which I assumed would take me back to Cloverlick. I began riding on this road. It followed the river and trail for a bit but then climbed and I soon realized I was riding away from the river. Rather then turn back and retrace to the trail, I pushed on. At the first intersection, I turned back in the direction of the river and eventually ended up in Cloverlick. My short ride through the country passed several abandoned homes and a very interesting building which looked like a schoolhouse but was actually an Episcopal church. It was engulfed in weeds and bushes. Someone did care for the small cemetery adjacent to it. 


Although this looks somewhat like the inside of a cathedral, it is the Sharps Tunnel near MP 65.


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