On October 26th, we left Ohio and headed to Wild and Wonderful West Virginia to visit our loved ones.
West Virginia is a beautiful state, especially in the fall. It is also known as the Mountain State and their state motto is, "Mountaineers Are Always Free". According to the West Virginia Department of Tourism, “The West Virginia State Parks system is home to 35 state parks, nine state forests, three rail trails and countless adventures”. It is also home to our country’s 63rd national park, the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve.
The two of us had been traveling for a little over a month at this point and were ready to visit our family. West Virginia was the 12th state we visited on this trip and we’ve traveled over 3200 miles so far. We decided our first stop would be to visit one of our brothers in Parkersburg, which is located near the Ohio/West Virginia border along the Ohio River.
Later that afternoon, we pulled up to the road that would lead us to our destination. It was a normal West Virginia country road, steep and narrow. Brian looked at the downhill incline on this dirt road and then looked at me. Did we want to attempt going down this hill, this vehicle was our home? We were on an adventure and had traveled this far to see our loved ones. So, down the hill into the holler we went.
The Big Tan Turtle did great and Brian got it parked without a problem. We gave hugs, notified the other family members we were safe, and hung out with our brother’s family. Another brother showed up a little later with his wife and we all sat around the table just catching up on life. It had been over five years since we had seen most of our family and over ten years since we’ve seen others. It was definitely time, life is short.
Over the next few days, we enjoyed some quality family and nature time. We went for a walk in the surrounding woods, looked at old photos, enjoyed delicious food, visited with all three brothers, had a bonfire, watched the playfulness of a grandchild, and met some amazing people. In fact, our family grew a little bigger during this visit. The two of us really enjoyed our time in Parkersburg, but we have a very important person to see.
The next morning, we woke up and prepared the motorhome for another travel day. Brian drove the Big Tan Turtle up the incline perfectly and soon we were on Interstate 50. After making a quick pit stop to dump our tanks, we arrived at our destination, mom’s house. This was one of the most important hugs we gave on this trip and what this trip was truly all about. We needed to see our family, especially our mothers.
We parked the Big Tan Turtle, set-up Sailor’s area, and the two of us went into the house to visit. After a delicious dinner and some family time, the two of us hugged mom goodnight and headed back to the motorhome. They insisted we stay in the guest bedroom, but we like our home. Plus, we have Sailor, he’s our buddy. The two of us spent the night celebrating, we were so grateful to have been able to make this journey.
When Brian and I planned this trip, we decided we would spend a month with each mother. This would allow us time to really visit everyone and explore nature in our home states. It wasn’t long before the rest of the family learned about our arrival and we were making plans to visit. We were excited to see everyone, but wanted to spend as much time with mom as possible.
The two of us went in and enjoyed a cup of coffee with them the next morning. We discussed dinner ideas and Brian made his request for mom’s pepperoni rolls. This trip was our opportunity to help others and we looked forward to cooking with mom. We spent the first several days relaxing and visiting family. Brian and I saw cousins we hadn’t seen in over a decade and spent quality time with a brother and his crew.
On Sunday morning, Brian and I got dressed and went to church with the two of them. The church was honoring our veterans and we wanted to honor mom’s wishes. One of our brothers and his wife joined us for the service. It felt really good to see the joy on mom’s face that day. The church did a wonderful job honoring our veterans and we were very impressed with the preacher.
A few days later, one of our other brothers and his wife decided to take us to Valley Falls State Park for some nature time. This was exactly what we needed and the fall colors were absolutely gorgeous this time of year. After enjoying the scenic beauty of the falls and learning about an old grist mill, we met one of the nicest forest rangers. He showed us around, gave us a brief history lesson, and took a picture of the four of us having fun in nature. Then, it was off for our hike.
The trails were lined with rhododendrons, which is West Virginia’s state flower. The peaceful atmosphere of the forest was healing to us all. At the end of the trail, we were surprised by a small waterfall. The four of us had a blast playing around the falls, taking pictures, and hanging out. Afterwards, we headed back to the vehicle and went out for dinner before going home and playing with Sailor.
The next day, we visited an aunt and uncle we hadn’t seen in quite some time. They were ready for their hugs and we were ready for ours. The four of us enjoyed delicious food, good conversations, and went on a nature walk in the area. It was good to catch up and get some exercise. We even captured the moment with a few photos.
Brian and I continued making our West Virginia rounds, visiting the rest of our family in the area. The two of us even got to meet the new generation and enjoyed watching the joy of children. It was so good to see everyone and give hugs. We all know life is short and who knows when we’ll make it back, so we used our time wisely.
A few days later, it was time for another nature trip. Our mom and step-dad knew that we enjoyed taking photos and learning the history of the areas we visit. It’s fascinating to us to see how the previous generation lived. The two of us appreciate the progress our country has made, but really cherish the days when things were simpler. We know those times weren’t easy, but life seemed to be a little less complicated back then.
Our first stop was Cool Springs Park in Rowlesburg. Wow, talk about a history lesson. It had old railroad equipment, animals, antique farm equipment, and a large water wheel. We walked around, explored all of the old equipment, and enjoyed the animals. Brian and I took photos of our visit and then went into the restaurant/general store.
Next they took us to the Virginia Iron Furnace in Albright. According to the Visit Mountaineer Country website, “the historic water-powered blast furnace that pre-dates the Civil War was built in 1854 and was used as a charcoal iron furnace used to smelt iron.” You may be wondering why it wasn’t called the West Virginia Iron Furnace. West Virginia wasn’t officially a U.S. state until 1863, after splitting from Virginia.
Then, they took us to see their cabin, the building where our step-dad went to school, and to an old buckwheat flour milling factory. It was amazing to see these buildings still standing after all these years and the signs still legible. We even saw a few farm animals on this trip. What a great way to spend the day. Brian and I learned so much, had fun taking photos, and really enjoyed the time with our parents.
The two of us spent the rest of the month working, changing the oil in the Big Tan Turtle, and helping mom prepare for Thanksgiving. We even helped her make candy, bread, and cookies. Brian and I will never forget this trip to West Virginia. We needed to see our loved ones and give hugs. Thank you to everyone for the love, dinners, and the good ole West Virginia hospitality.
The two of us will definitely be back soon.
