October 9, 2009- GPS Trickery and Scenic Routes

I had checked out the route I wanted to drive south. The only problem was getting the GPS to take us on the route we wanted. I had chosen the scenic route, using US 219 south out of Thomas, through Elkins and into Lewisburg. This route would keep us on the west side of the Allegheny Front. Gigi wanted me to go south out of Davis on the 32 and intercept US 33 east to US 220 which would be quicker, but longer. We would pick up I-64 at Covington, VA to Lewisburg, WV. So I had to lie to the GPS to get the route I wanted. At first, I put in Elkins as a way point. This worked to get us to Elkins, but then Gigi took us west on US 33 to I-79 south and I-64 east. So I moved the way point south to Marlinton, WV. Gigi now took us the way we wanted to go and we were off.

I don’t know how we did it, but we rolled out of the campground by 9:40 in the morning. The route was indeed scenic. US 219 is a two lane road with some passing zones or truck lanes, but the most important aspect was the road was smooth. I can climb the hills, navigate the 15 MPH turns, ease over to let traffic pass and ease down the 9 degree declines all day long. But, put me on a road that is all chopped up and I’m toast in about 4 hours. The RV on a rough road is a rolling earthquake. Listening to every thing you have stored both in the coach and in the basements just batters you senseless after a while. Somewhere just north of Elkins, Carol asked me if we still needed it as a way point. Not thinking, I said no. I had forgotten that Gigi didn’t want us to take US 219. As soon as Carol removed Elkins, Gigi routed us west out of Elkins and neither of us caught it. As things happen, Jay, who is watching the house for us, called just about then and I was listening in to his conversation with Carol and not paying attention to the road signs. Ten miles later it dawns on me that we’re not on US 219 anymore. A quick consultation with the map and the GPS and we realized what had occurred. A quick U-turn and we were headed back toward Elkins and the road south.

The good part of getting lost was we now actually drove through the town of Elkins. Carol was intrigued with the town. It has a great location with numerous ski areas just north and lakes within a couple of hours. She actually acknowledged that she might be able to live there.

Forty miles south of Elkins, just south of Valley Head, we began to drop into the Greenbrier River valley. We follow this valley south into Lewisburg. I had told Carol that I had hoped to make Wytheville, VA., but didn’t think we could make it. She played with the GPS and said we would be in Wytheville by 4:30. This good news brought about a change in plans. I had considered a swing by the New River Gorge Bridge. It was just a little bit out of the way, but it looks farther on the map. So I took the detour.

The New River Gorge is impressive all by itself. It is one of the prime white water areas in the east. The geology associated with the formation of the gorge is interesting as the river made incisive cuts through the rock as opposed to just eroding the gorge. The bridge, on US 19, is constructed rim to rim and is the longest single span steel bridge in the western hemisphere. Before it was built, US 19 was a torturous descent with numerous switchbacks to a two lane bridge over the river, and then a torturous climb through switchbacks up the other side. Now, US 19 is a four lane highway south into Beckley where it intercepts I-77 southbound.

Leaving the Gorge, it should have been a pleasant drive to Wytheville. The distance wasn’t long. We had just taken a one hour break. So we should be in the camp by 6:30. We rolled down US 19 towards Beckley and all was well. At Beckley, we paid the toll and started down I-77. One would think that if you have to pay a toll to drive on a road, it should be drivable. This section of I-77 was originally the WV Turnpike, built while I was in Jr. HS and has been a toll road for the past fifty years. I believe we were driving on some of the original concrete and asphalt. Remember my comments about a rolling earthquake: it was easily an 8.0 magnitude. There were stretches of road that we couldn’t do the speed limit, not because it was uphill, but because it was just too rough. My patience was going to Hell in a hand basket and going there quickly. Thank goodness it all smoothed out when we reached Princeton. From there, it was the easy drive I expected into Wytheville and the KOA.