Some Roads You Might (Should!) Ride

[TED]

Rt. 39 from Lexington, VA to Marlinton, WV


and


Rt. 72 from Red Creek at Rt. 219 to Kingwood
(Note - NOT for the feint of heart!)



More to come

[TED]

And how could I forget Rt. 33 from Harrisonburg, VA to Buckhannon, WV?


and


Don't forget the amazing smaller roads, like Rt. 678 south of Waterlick, VA

or Rt. 678 south from McDowell, VA (at Rt. 250)

[HankPfister]

Nice pictures, Ted!

Here is a route into Charleston to consider, especially if you have a couple of days, and are coming through the Roanoke Virginia area.
From Roanoke, take route 311 N. (exit # 141 on I-81) This is one of our favorite local roads, light traffic, 3 great mountains to cross, beautiful scenery all the way to West Virginia line on Peters Mountain. (The General Store [Texaco] at Paint Bank is a good break stop). Once over Peters Mtn., at Sweet Springs take a left on W.VA 3. Follow W.VA. 3 through Gap Mills, to Union where it joins US 219 North. A few miles out of Union take a left on W.VA 3 at Pickaway. At Alderson 3 goes left with W.VA 12. You'll follow the Greenbriar River to Hinton where it joins the New River (the oldest river in North America and one of the few major rivers that flow North). Cross the New and take a right on W.VA 20 through Hinton, cross I-64, through Green Sulphur Springs, Elton, and at Meadow Bridge take a left on CR 31 to Danese, and a left on W.VA 41. Now if you are adventurous (like on a GS or other dual sport) there is an interesting old road that goes into the New River Gorge and passes some old almost abandoned mining towns. You would take a right just past Prince and just before the New River Bridge on CR 25. Its not well maintained, but is passable. It'l take you about 1 1/2 hrs to get through to National Park Visitor center at Thurmond. Thurmond is an interesting stop, it was once a thriving coal mining community wedged between the mountain, railroad and river. Then follow CR 25 (its paved now) on to US 19 North to Fayetteville where you cross the New River on the famous New River Gorge Bridge. Be sure to stop at the Bridge welcome center on the North side, and find the old road that will take you down to the river and back up to US 19 the way you had to do it before the big new bridge.
For those not so adventurous, back at Prince, continue on 41 to W.VA 61 at New Hope to US 19 north. You can still take a side trip to Thurmond. Watch for a sign for Thurmond in the Redstar area where you will take CR 25 to Thurmond. There will be lots of camping and motel opportunities in this area, and some good eateries to. Lots of river rats flock to the area to tube, raft, and Kyak the New and Gauley Rivers. Depending on how you travel, it is an easy day from Roanoke to this point. From here you can take US 119 on to Hico, and left on US 64 which will take you on to Charleston. Sorry I don't have milages and times, but so what, its a vacation! If you want to take in a raft trip you won't have any problems finding an outfit, just follow one of the many buses that toil through the New River Gorge area hauling paddlers to and from the river.

[TED]

Ahhh I know those roads well!

[I]The General Store [Texaco] at Paint Bank is a good break stop/I]

Isn't there a cool fish hatchery in Paint Bank?

I love 311, what a fantastic rollercoaster of a road. In New Castle



You gotta stop at the best, worst HotDog joint around



Here is a pic on Rt. 12 up from 219 from last fall



on the way to



I've never done 41 or 25 - they look GREAT so I guess I'll have to add them to my journey to Charleston!

[JohnM]

I've started plotting how I might get to Charleston from NJ for the Nat'l (my 1st!), and Rt 39 looks like the it'll me my last leg.

JohnM

[HankPfister]

Here is a pic of downtown Thurmond W. VA. It is right on the New River down in the Gorge on county road 25. Some folks still live there, but the town is esentially a ghost town, except for the Nationl Park Service visitor center in the old train depot. Worth a looksee.

[BRADFORDBENN]

Any suggestions for those coming from the North and West? South Bend to be precise.

[legion]

Some roads you might should ride? My Kansan wife talks like that (...but none of my other wives do ).

[eljeffe]

Take US 191 north out of Vernal, UT. Have some fun on the series of 8 switchbacks. Then take UT 43 and 44 around the west side of the Flaming Gorge (make sure to stop at the first turnout that overlooks the gorge and look for the big horn sheep)

[jdiaz]

Originally posted by BradfordBenn
Any suggestions for those coming from the North and West? South Bend to be precise.

I like US250. Take the turnpike into Ohio and pick up US250 at Exit 7. Head south and east. There's excellent Chinese food at the mall in Uhrichsville when you break east toward Tappan Dam.

Stay on US250 until you hit I-79, then ride south and west to the rally site.

[TED]

I like US250

OR ... if you are not in too much of a rush you could keep on 250 (I agree, it is a wonderful road!) until Fairmont - hop on 19 south (or I-79 right to the rally) and take 19 to Flatwoods where you can hop on I-79 for a quick highway hop to Charleston.

If you have the time, a quick sidetrack and truly enjoyable road is Rt. 16 south from I-79 to Gauley Bridge. Rt. 16 is, like many roads in West Virginia, a real winder and follows a path used for hundreds of years - by ealry 1700's settlers and even earlier by Native Americans:


Gauley Bridge was site to a huge Civil War Camp (commanded by two future US Presidents no less):


and is home to one of my favorite places to stay in WV - the Glenn Ferris Inn. From Gauley Bridge it is a quick hop up Rt. 60 to Charleston.

[HankPfister]

Originally posted by eljeffe
Take US 191 north out of Vernal, UT. Have some fun on the series of 8 switchbacks. Then take UT 43 and 44 around the west side of the Flaming Gorge (make sure to stop at the first turnout that overlooks the gorge and look for the big horn sheep)

Beautiful, but will it get you to Charleston West Virginia, and the BMW-MOA rally?

[kbasa]

Originally posted by Hank Pfister
Beautiful, but will it get you to Charleston West Virginia, and the BMW-MOA rally?

I think if you have enough time, roads in Washington state will get you to the rally.

[56216]

[beemerron]

Sandusky to Wheeling

Beware the Police. This is a favorite truck route and very heavily patrolled. Watch your speed!