Jul 20 West Fork Trail Ride

 

The West Fork Trail is the main focus of this trip to West Virginia. It has been on my radar for years. I'm concerned because it is not a well maintained and manicured trail. The trail follows the West Fork of the Greenbrier on its southern end and the West Fork of the Cheat on the northern end. Thus the West Fork name. Still, don't confuse with the West Fork River Trail also in this region of WV. 

The trailhead in the community of Glady is at a gate on a dirt road with sweeping views of farmland. The community is a series of cabins and travel trailers permanently parked on winding narrow gravel streets. There is no cell service but you can drive up to a car phone and make a call from your car.

It was a cool and humid morning to start my ride. The trail was slightly uphill for the first few miles. I passed a few farm homes. Then it was just me and the wildlife. Deer watched as I rode by. I spooked a black bear crossing a creek. Wildflowers were abundant. I began to see Turks Cap Lily. There was one spot so orange I thought it must be Daylilies escaped from a homesite. It was Turks Cap. Wow!

As I rode further, the trail became a two track surrounded by wet grass.

Signage was sparse and old. All the old lumber towns had interpretive signs. Obviously, the old railroad served the timbering industry. The largest of the lumber towns, Cass, now exists as a state park and tourist attraction. There is a gap between this trail and Cass which would connect to the Greenbrier trail. 

This bright green summer/hunting cabin looks to be a surviving lumber town building. It was the only structure I saw for miles. 

My Fuji sports brand new Continental tires.

The farther I rode, the more overgrown the trail became. The two track eventually transformed into just grass, wet grass at that. At about the 11 mile mark, I decided to turn back. I knew I would not be able to ride the 22 mile trail, and return for a 44 mile ride. So the 11 mile mark was halfway and would allow me to ride the same distance tomorrow from the Durbin end. 

My return ride was a very pleasant one and the final few miles which had been uphill in the morning, were now downhill. I was averaging about 15-16 mph here. Felt like I was on an e-bike. It was along here I passed the only other cyclist I saw all day.

Jul 19 Allegheny Highlands Ride

 

The Allegheny Highlands Trail began life as the West Virginia Central & Pittsburgh Railroad. In 2001 it started its tranformation into a rail trail. My expectations were high due to all the hype generated for this trail. After parking in downtown Elkins by the railroad station, now serving a tourist train, I could not find a discernable trail. Downtown was busy getting ready for the morning. Google maps suggested I go to another trailhead on the outskirts of town. Directions led me to the spot but I missed the turn and ended up in a maze of narrow roads through a cemetery which encompassed consideable acreage.

Finally, I ended up in the parking lot for the trailhead. 

The trail was paved here and for the first several miles. It was a pleasant ride through forest and rural countryside. The pavement came to an end and the ride continued on dirt/gravel two track. A road paralleled the trail for the rest of my ride. I reached the small town of Montrose where the trail crossed the road and appeared to be less maintained. I chose to turn around at this spot and head back. 

Road crossing at Montrose

After returning to the trailhead, I decided to continue riding into Elkins to see where the trail went. There was a pull up a steep hill and a pedestrian bridge over the main road. A considerable sum of money would have been needed to build this bridge, complete with a full wire mesh enclosure to prevent objects being tossed into the road below. Beyond the bridge, the trail descended steeply into Elkins and looked to disappear at a large road intersection. I chose not to go and returned to my car. In the parking lot a couple was unloading their e-bikes using a ramp. E-bikes are taking over.

July 18 Cranberry Glades and Honeycomb Rocks

 

My bicycle ride for the day was cancelled after a terrible weather forecast of heavy rain and hail. As an alternate activity, I'm off to an old standby and one of my favorite spots, the Cranberry Glades in the Monongahela National Forest. I'll be able to hike and head back to my car when weather begins to deteriorate. I picked a gorgeous trail which passes through the glades.

But, it was a bit wet

When the clouds began to threaten, I headed back. The boardwalk loop was just up the road, so off I went. I was prepared to get wet but knew I'd be able to walk on boardwalk, not wet grass and mud.

I spotted som Sundew in one spot.

Pitcher Plants post bloom

It began to rain and I wanted to stay dry. Slowly, I drove back along the Highland Skyway, stopping at several scenic overlooks to watch the rain. Arriving at the end of the road, I pulled up to the kiosk for the highway amd saw "Honeycomb Rocks" highlighted. It was a pulloff about 3 miles back. The rain had subsided, so that is where I headed.

There was about a quarter mile of trail and about 6 rocks which had this honeycomb-like structure to them. They occur in a few other places but are quite rare. 

Jun 19/20 New River & Pulaski Ride

 

When I first retired and took up bicycling, this was one of the early overnight rides I did. For this 2022 rendition, I started at Foster Falls midafternoon, I bicycled north on the New River Trail. As I was huffing and puffing up the hill to Draper, a couple cyclists whizzed past me. They were quite overweight and I marveled at how fast they rode up the hill. Then I realized they were on e-bikes. I passed them while they were stopped at Draper and they whizzed by me again. I guess they were going 20 mph. 

National Historic Register train station in Pulaski.

Just before the end of the New River Trail, I veered off on the Dora Spur into Pulaski. This trail is not maintained as well and had a tree across it at one point. 

Some of the highlights on the ride on the spur into Pulaski were these deer trailside, the Bee Balm and Milkweed below.

The spur circles back under the New River Trail where you get a great look at the underside of this railroad bridge.

Many rail trails have relics of the railroad era still in place. I enjoy seeing these. It is also a great excuse to stop and catch your breath.

If you thought I was spending the night in a tent along the trail, you're wrong. Right where the Dora Spur ends in downtown Pulaski at the old train station, is a boutique hotel and restaurant in a renovated brick building once a two story downtown store. I noticed several vehicles with bicycles aboard in the parking lot. All of them e-bikes.

A nearby Dollar General provided food and drink for the next day. Other than that, there was nothing else open downtown on a Sunday night. The hotel's restaurant was open and did a brisk business.

After a quick hotel breakfast, I was back on the trail fairly early. This odd house looks abandoned. There was an abandoned pick up nearby, shrouded in vegetation. A no trespassing sign greets you on the porch. Yet there is a light on inside.

This sculpture series along the trail may seem like a series of odd scluptures. However, if you look through a scope which lines them all up, you see a railroad engine. My photo didn't focus correctly so you'll have to use your imagination. 

Invasive Asian Pea looks very nice

Walking fern

Back across the Hiawasee Bridge