November 2, 2022 – The ExhaustNotes Blog

John Denver got it right: Almost Heaven, West Virginia. Hold that thought. Let the music play in your mind as you read this blog.

I think I found the best place in America for motorcycling. I could be wrong, but if you like twisties, if you like impressive views, if you like points of interest, and if you like good food, West Virginia (and in particular, the roads around Moundsville) is where you want to be.

A view from the top of the mound. That bridge spans the Ohio River, and that’s Ohio on the other side.

Moundsville is named after the huge mound that dominates the town (it’s what you see in the photo at the top of this blog). It was only in the 1800s when the person who owned the land surmised that it was an ancient burial mound (there were several in the area). The Native Americans who lived and then disappeared in this region were named (by us, not by themselves) as the Adena people, and it is now known that the mounds predate Christ. There’s an interesting museum next to the mound, and it is an easy place to spend an hour or two. The mound and the museum are free, and if you’re feeling up to it, there’s a circular stone stairway that takes you to the top of the mound (I made the climb, so if I can do it you probably can, too).

Susie on the way to the top of the mound.

The Grave Creek Mound Archeological Complex Museum. It’s a very nice museum.

Across the street from the mound is another treasure, and that’s the West Virginia State Penintentiary. It was used for well over a hundred years, but it closed in 1996. The West Virginia Supreme Court closed the place because it was inhumane. The good news is that there’s a modestly priced, 90-minute, guided walking tour. It’s a must-do sort of thing (in my opinion) and we thorougly enjoyed it. This is a place with a horrifying history (it was consistently one of the most violent prisons in America), and our guide (Tina) made it come alive for us.

The West Virginia State Penitentiary. Take the tour; it’s well worth the price of admission.

Yep. Nine people. Another 85 went via the gallows. The West Virginia Penintentiary used to hold public executions and charge admission. One condemned guy in one of these public executions had the trap spring open before the executioner slipped the noose around his neck. He dropped 25 feet straight down, breaking numerous bones. Undeterred, the staff strapped him to a stretcher, hauled him back up the gallows steps, and hung him while he was still on the stretcher. “Don’t worry ab0ut the pain,” they are reported to have told him. “In five minutes, you won’t feel a thing.”

A typical cell. It’s 5 feet by 7 feet. It housed three inmates.

A cell in the isolation wing that housed a gang leader. He didn’t have to share his cell, but he spent 23 hours a day here.

One of the most intriguing aspects of our prison visit was the woman who works in the gift shop. She lived in the prison for many years. No, she wasn’t an inmate. She was the warden’s wife. We had a very nice (and interesting) conversation with her.

One last stop on this most interesting West Virginia day was the Palace of Gold. If you’re old enough to remember the Hare Krishna crowd (the folks who used to hawk their books in airports), this West Virginia enclave is Command Central for them. The 30-minute tour was inexpensive and there were lots of photo ops. It’s not for everyone, but I enjoyed it.

The entrance. It’s hard to imagine this being founded in the 1960s in West Virginia, but there it is.

One of the hallways in the Palace of Gold.

What I enjoyed even more were the roads to and from the Palace of Gold. Think magnificent twisties and stunning views, and you’ll have a feel for this part of West Virginia. It truly is a stunning area.

US Highway 250 in West Virginia is incredible.

Twisties, twisties, and more twisties. If you designed a road specifically for motorcycles, it would look like this.

The best kept secret in Moundsville has to be Bob’s on 3rd Street. It’s in downtown Moundsville and it’s not fancy, but wow, the food is both spectacular and reasonably priced. We tried several different dishes, but the signature dish (named, of course, “the Mound”) is my favorite. It’s a gigantic thick pancake topped with scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, cheese and then another thick pancake. Put a little butter on top, pour on a little maple syrup, don’t tell the American Heart Association about it, and you can thank me later. And you will thank me. The open faced turkey sandwich and the open faced roast beef sandwich are great, too. And the pies…all I can say is wow. We tried a slice of the coconut creme and the blackberry pies, and they were awesome.