Lets_Play_Two Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 My wife and I are planning to leave 9/2 and take two days to get to West, by God, Virginia. Probably returning on Friday and Saturday. Any one else going from the sunshine state? Link to comment
Jake Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 We're trying to work El UnSeises into our schedule, but it's going to be a last minute call. I haven't noticed a Pied Piper run from the South, but putting one together could be a snap. While a long ride would do me some good, have you considered the AutoTrain? Might be an interesting option for the leg home, giving you an extra day in the mountains. Link to comment
rogera Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 Hey Bill, Leaving on 9/2 myself. Also planing 2 days to WV. Would like to take back roads. Send me a PM on your plans. Link to comment
RichEdwards Posted June 30, 2007 Share Posted June 30, 2007 Like Jake, I suggest the Autotrain. I was going to take it to the Unrally but now a friend and fellow board member's daughter is getting married at the same time and I want to attend, so I'll have to pass. Link to comment
jbr7t Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Don't know your projected route but if it brings you through virginia would love to meet up and ride in with you. Just PM me and let me know Link to comment
weeble Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 If y'all can make it to Charlotte on day 1, an interesting day 2 would be to take NC 16 north from Charlotte, which becomes VA 16 in VA, which becomes WV 16 in WV, which goes through Fayetteville. The twisties in the three counties of VA and the southernmost county of WV will give you a nice little workout! Link to comment
bobbybob Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 If y'all can make it to Charlotte on day 1, an interesting day 2 would be to take NC 16 north from Charlotte, which becomes VA 16 in VA, which becomes WV 16 in WV, which goes through Fayetteville. The twisties in the three counties of VA and the southernmost county of WV will give you a nice little workout! Wilber, just how twisty is 16 from Marion to Tazewell? And on the NC side back towards Volney? Thinking about a back-road route from Charlotte but don't want to get into "switchback hell"--I love the twisties but don't want to spend 4 hours going 60 miles. I know you know these roads--so give us benefit of your expertise! Look forward to meeting you in F-ville. Link to comment
weeble Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 If y'all can make it to Charlotte on day 1, an interesting day 2 would be to take NC 16 north from Charlotte, which becomes VA 16 in VA, which becomes WV 16 in WV, which goes through Fayetteville. The twisties in the three counties of VA and the southernmost county of WV will give you a nice little workout! Wilber, just how twisty is 16 from Marion to Tazewell? And on the NC side back towards Volney? Thinking about a back-road route from Charlotte but don't want to get into "switchback hell"--I love the twisties but don't want to spend 4 hours going 60 miles. I know you know these roads--so give us benefit of your expertise! Look forward to meeting you in F-ville. Between Marion and Tazewell, 16 is VERY twisty...you're going over 3 mountains in this short distance. A few mild switchbacks, but most of the thrills come in the form of a lot of blind 90 degree turns. I consider it the "Deal's Gap of Virginia". North of Tazewell there is one large hill with more gentle curves, but quite a few of them nonetheless. 16 in McDowell County WV is also quite twisty, but without the greater elevation changes you have in VA. (This section of the road is a real eye-opener if you've never seen any coal-mining "company" towns.) Once you reach Welch, WV, 16 is mostly gentle curves, similar to 16 in North Carolina and southern VA up to Marion. An alternate route with some fun climbs would be to take I-77 to exit 100 near Mt. Airy, then NC 89 into Mt. Airy where you catch US 52 north. You have a nice climb up Fancy Gap into VA. Stay on 52 until you intersect I-77/I-81, but continue straight ahead, going *over* I-77/I-81, onto VA 121. At Max Meadows take a left onto county road 610. You will then intersect I-77 north of Wytheville. Take I-77 north for 6 miles to exit 47, county route 717. Turn left, west, onto county route 717 until you intersect US 52. Turn right onto 52 for a nice high speed sweeper climb of Big Walker Mountain. At the top of the mountain is a nice viewpoint/snack bar. At Rocky Gap you can again join I-77 north to Beckley, then US 19 north to Fayetteville. This will give you a couple of fun mountain climbs, with wider roads, faster speeds, and no switchbacks. (If you want more mountains, VA 598/WV 598 from Rocky Gap, VA to Bluefield, WV is a nice ride over East River Mountain. Nice viewpoint/rest area at the top of the mountain....Slower ascent, faster descent. -- the first "15 mph" curve going up the mountain really *is* a 15, or 20, mph curve. At the bottom of the mountain, turn right onto US 460 and follow this until just before the traffic light at the first overpass. Bear right onto US 52 toward I-77. Rejoin I-77 north in a couple of miles.) Link to comment
big-t Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 just how twisty is 16 from Marion to Tazewell? And on the NC side back towards Volney? Thinking about a back-road route from Charlotte but don't want to get into "switchback hell"--I love the twisties but don't want to spend 4 hours going 60 miles. Rt 16 from Marion to Tazewell is a smoking ride as well as Rt 52 over Big Walker mountain and they will be included into one of the UN Routes. Rt 16 north of Tazewell is very twisty but is also very slow going due to all the little towns and its very easy to get stuck behind slow moving traffic for miles Link to comment
bobbybob Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 <<(This section of the road is a real eye-opener if you've never seen any coal-mining "company" towns.)>> Wilber--just what would we need to keep our eyes open for when traversing these "company towns"? Link to comment
big-t Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 This section of the road is a real eye-opener if you've never seen any coal-mining "company" towns.)>> Wilber--just what would we need to keep our eyes open for when traversing these "company towns"? These areas are some of the poorest parts of america.Most towns are very narrow and have one narrow road that snakes thru the middle and follows the mountain contours.Most of the buildings along the road have been standing there for the last 50 to 100 years and show their age. Little houses with junk and old cars litter the sides of the roads between the towns.Trash is a nonstop feature along the sides of the roads and when passing coal mine entrances everything for a hundred yards and 50 foot up the bank is solid black...... I sometimes wonder if the residents have ever been to the outside world. Link to comment
weeble Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 This section of the road is a real eye-opener if you've never seen any coal-mining "company" towns.)>> Wilber--just what would we need to keep our eyes open for when traversing these "company towns"? These areas are some of the poorest parts of america.Most towns are very narrow and have one narrow road that snakes thru the middle and follows the mountain contours.Most of the buildings along the road have been standing there for the last 50 to 100 years and show their age. Little houses with junk and old cars litter the sides of the roads between the towns.Trash is a nonstop feature along the sides of the roads and when passing coal mine entrances everything for a hundred yards and 50 foot up the bank is solid black...... I sometimes wonder if the residents have ever been to the outside world. Sure they have! Let me mention just a few from these "coal towns" -- Curt Warner, professional football, Wyoming Tom Beasley, professional football, Northfork *Lionel Taylor, professional football, Accoville Mike D'Antoni, professional basketball, Mullens Jerry West, professional basketball, Chelyan Christy Salters Martin, professional boxing, Mullens Bill Withers, singer, Slab Fork *Holly Dunn, singer/painter, Havaco Jean Battlo, playright, Welch Rosemary Carrucci Goss, multi-family housing specialist, Cucumber (* denotes not born in WV, but some of their raisin' was in WV) If you widen the list to include "railroad towns" (which arise in support of coal transport), you can now include such people as a Nobel Laureate in Economics, a software mogul/major league baseball owner,and a specialist in international diplomacy. In my former life as a chemistry educator, I had students who later became physicians, from such coal-company towns as Raysal, Matheny, Bud, and Kopperston. However, sometimes it *does" seem that the majority of their exposure to the outside world comes through trips to Myrtle Beach and Pigeon Forge! Link to comment
bobbybob Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 <"Wilber--just what would we need to keep our eyes open for when traversing these "company towns"?> Wilber, glad you cleared that up. From your earlier statement I was starting to hear the dueling banjo's and pigs squealing for a second or two there. Link to comment
daveinatlanta Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 IF you are planning on coming thru Atlanta, I might go along with you. Link to comment
weeble Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 <"Wilber--just what would we need to keep our eyes open for when traversing these "company towns"?> Wilber, glad you cleared that up. From your earlier statement I was starting to hear the dueling banjo's and pigs squealing for a second or two there. All I meant was that Caretta ain't like Lake Norman! Link to comment
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