Riding WV to/from '09 rally

[129654]

I will be coming from the north to the MOA rally thru West Virginia & would like to spend some time in the state on twisty scenic roads. Paved or gravel works for me.

I have checked out the following websites in order to get some ideas:

http://www.motorcycleroads.us/wv.html

http://www.motorcycleroads.com/route...V/WV_index.htm

Anyone able to offer up other opinions on good roads or other sources of info? I'm also interested in good camping locations.

Thanks!

Bill

[deilenberger]

Bill,

I've spent a few weeks every summer the past few summers trying to find a bad road in West Virginia. Or a straight one.

I have to admit to failing miserably.. but I'm not letting that discourage me - I'm going to continue looking in 2009. It's sort of a golden opportunity - the MOA and RA rallies are seperated by my favorite riding state. I'll also duck into Kentucky since I've never ridden there, and when going through via 4 wheels - it seemed a place I have to ride in.

Good roads? 33/28/66 and most any other small WV state road. There is a lot of info available on motorcycling in WV 'cause they actually welcome motorcycles there (we bring money and leave it there.. go figure!)

A quick Google should turn up lots of WV related moto sites.. including ones run by the people and government of WV welcoming you to their state.

If you want some specifics - I have a few pages on WV trips on my website:

www.eilenberger.net - check out: http://www.eilenberger.net/Trip_Reports/Trips.htm

HTH!

[bobs98]

Hi Bill,

My little group spent 6 nights at Smoke Hole Cabins, just north of Seneca Rocks, in July 2007. We rode about 2000 miles of West Virginia roads, and like Don, couldn't find a bad one, and very few straight sections.

Some road suggestions: US Highways 50, 33, 60, 19, 220, 219, 250, mostly 2 lane and twitilicious. Definitely not your typical US highways. WV 9, 29, 28, 55, 92, 66, 39, 20, 32, 72, 150. You can't go wrong with any of them. East - West are up and down and over the mountains. North - South have lots of sweepers and run along the mountains. All of them combine with other roads and run the other direction at times.

Look for some of the smaller roads, some county or state roads, not necessarily state highways. Have a great time!

[sherpamayberry]

Hi Bill,

My little group spent 6 nights at Smoke Hole Cabins, just north of Seneca Rocks, in July 2007. We rode about 2000 miles of West Virginia roads, and like Don, couldn't find a bad one, and very few straight sections.

Some road suggestions: US Highways 50, 33, 60, 19, 220, 219, 250, mostly 2 lane and twitilicious. Definitely not your typical US highways. WV 9, 29, 28, 55, 92, 66, 39, 20, 32, 72, 150. You can't go wrong with any of them. East - West are up and down and over the mountains. North - South have lots of sweepers and run along the mountains. All of them combine with other roads and run the other direction at times.

Look for some of the smaller roads, some county or state roads, not necessarily state highways. Have a great time!

I've been on more than half of these, they are rather nice.

You definitely want to run through Seneca Rocks area (Rt 28 south of Petersburg). Keep heading south on rt 28 to the Cass Rally site (Boyer) , they have great camping and small motels if you don't feel like tenting it that night.

Boyer isn't far from the Cass Railroad, Snowshoe mtn, etc.

[NavyDad]

We ride WV and Kentucky every chance we get. Rt. 16 in WV is a great ride. As the folks here say, it is hard to find a bad road in WV. A little bit about caution though. WV is coal mine country also a lot of timber. You will encounter a lot of BIG trucks especially on the backroads and state routes. These trucks will take their side of the road AND yours in the curves. Weekends aren't bad, but week days are work days. The folks who live in the area and know the roads tend to move along rather briskly too. Great roads and great scenery just keep an eye open and ears tuned. A lot of these roads go through some remote areas and cell phone coverage is iffy at best. We live in southern Ohio and have logged more miles in WV and Ky than in Ohio. Enjoy.

[sherpamayberry]

cell phone coverage is iffy at best.

Very true.

Especially near Greenbank (local to Cass Rally location). That whole area is a quiet zone for transmitting electronics (radio telescope). If you do camp there, don't bother trying to use a cell phone.

[deilenberger]

And the lack of brainless drivers using their cell-phones is one of the real joys of riding in WV.. I don't think I saw one being used by a driver the entire time I've ridden in WV. Nice..

[129654]

Thanks everyone. I've only ridden the north-south routes a few times and slabbed it on I-77, U.S. 19 and I-79 going home after riding the BRP and Deals Gap. I'm looking forward to riding your route suggestions.

Don - I previously read your ride reports and just re-read them. Thanks for sharing. It is one of the reasons I want to spend time exploring the state.

Cheers.

[statdawg]

Try WV Rt 19 to 16 all the way into North Carolina. I will be headed down Pa Rt 219 to Rt 50 west then on 19 to 16.

[rocketman]

Try WV Rt 19 to 16 all the way into North Carolina. I will be headed down Pa Rt 219 to Rt 50 west then on 19 to 16.

If you're coming down 219 here's a few stops/detours to try...

You'll be only 2 miles away from Fairfax Stone site of the headwaters of the Northern Branch of the Potomac River, and also marks the point where WV and MD meet at the lowest point of the MD panhandle. Right off 219 directions are in the link above. Only place where you can jump across the Potomac River, now how many people can say they've done that?

Also further along the same road (32) to Davis WV to 93 and past Mount Storm Lake and Power Plant the lake is known for the fact is always 20 some degrees warmer than normal cause its used to cool the turbines in the plant, water is recycled in 2 and half days ahttp://www.abramscreek.com/Mt-Storm.htmlnd it a huge lake. The roads across the Allegheny Plateau are usually pretty deserted and the Plateau it self is noted for the fact much of the plant life up there (averages 3000 FT in the MS area) is not found anywhere else so far south due to the elevation keeping the area much cooler than the surrounding low lands. Great place to find some relief from the Mid summer mid-day heat. Just past Mount Storm take 42 it passes thru some nice wetlands flat and mostly deserted as well. The eastern front of the Plateau is much steeper and the ridge along there tends to hold the water forming the wetlands, very kool to ride thru. Then take 42 down the eastern front fun road and drops elevation quickly, then head south thru Seneca Rocks and Greenbank and on down. Well worth the extra time.

Or reverse this route and do it on your way back, climbing the eastern front on 42 is even more fun! Gravity is your friend on twisty roads, then when you crest the top, instead of seeing more mountains like you normally would all you see is the flat expanse of wet lands, first time I rode up there (in search of the Fairfax Sotne marker) I was totally taken by surprise, very kool.
Gap looking east from Rt. 50 at the edge of the Allegheny Plateau at around 3200 Ft.


Fairfax Stone



The Potomac Ribber



and to think Geo. Wash. rowed across the Potomac, how the hell he got boat (or felt he needed one) to cross the Potomac river is beyond me!

RM