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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Agree 100%. West Virginia is motorcycle heaven. Route 219 through the whole state is a destination ride all by itself. All that pork barrell spending by Senator Byrd paid off for motorcyclists. And every store has Yoo-Hoo.
Yep, I was surprised at just how good it was. Thank you, Senator Byrd, and thank you for commenting, Congressman Yoo-Hoo!
LOL, I never saw such a beautiful virtually unused road, Robert Byrd’s ‘Road to Nowhere’
Originally the road, according to plans, would take 66 years to complete. As of 2015 it’s been 40 years and $1.5 billion, and it’s supposed to be another 26 years and another $125 billion.
That’s one for your Great Great Grand kids to pay for 😉
What’s a measly $1.5 billion these days?
Great Blog! What a fabulous trip!
It was a lot of fun. Thanks for commenting, Eileen.
West Virginia is under appreciated for motorcycle riding. I’m particularly fond of the area around Marlinton and use that as a base for day trips. We stay at the Old Clark Inn (https://www.oldclarkinn.com/), a motorcycle friendly business. Pocahontas County is one of the largest in the state but has one of the lowest populations. Thus, the roads are never crowded. They also tend to be well maintained. Combine those attributes and you get a fun and safe ride. The county is also home to a few day trip destinations…National Radio Telescope Array in Green Bank, Cass Scenic Railway in Cass, Snowshoe Resort, and Bear Den state park. You can also ride over to Seneca Rocks and watch the dare devil rock climbers. Great fun.
Good to hear from you, Peter, and good to know. Sue and I were just saying we need to schedule another trip to West Virginia as there is a lot more to see and do. I had no idea West Virginia was such a great moto destination.
Thanks for commenting.
I forgot to mention Rt. 150, the Highland Scenic Highway. Picture 22 miles of perfectly maintained highway with all the brush cut back about 100 ft, running along the mountain tops and through a National Forest. That means it’s federal land and you probably won’t see the WV highway patrol. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia_Route_150
On a motorcycle…almost heaven!
Next time you’re in Marlinton try the Jerico B&B….great cabins, nice rooms in the main house, & walking distance to downtown. And on Route 219, the best route ever.
Who knew West Virginia was going to get this kind of response?
https://www.jericobb.com/
Thanks, Fred.
Wow, what an incredible journey. I wish we could still have prisons like these. I am sure there would be a lot less crime. Prisons are not supposed to be like Hyatts. They are there for punishment, whether people like it or not.
Not working in the industry, I don’t know if punishment works or if rehabilitation is possible. I view prisons as places where the bad guys are taken out of circulation, and for good reason. I once heard a guy speak at college many years ago who had spent most of his life in prison. He said the only thing that really works is the passage of time. When you let old men out of prison, age makes them less likely to offend. That seems logical to me.
Amen Brother!
very cool blog.WV seems like a great place . i may get there yet!
Thanks. I want to return, too.
Weird thing that was pointed out about Bob Denver’s tune. If you look at a map ALL the topological features are in Virginia NOT West Virginia…. However they are on the west side of the State of Virginia….