Questioning everything you're doing, but doing it anyway

It’s s trip I’ve taken many times over the years across the mountains of Virginia & West Virginia, usually with varying degrees of not wanting to go. Don't get me wrong, I love driving through the mountains, but it's a really long drive & I never had time to stop & explore. This time, I really, really didn't want to go. I had no desire to return to this mid-western town, I left in my early 20’s. But a family friend's mom had passed away. This family friend & his mom made that really long car trip less than a year ago to deliver the eulogy at my dad's funeral. It was time for me to show my appreciation for their continued support over the years. I passed all the Shenandoah National park signs, then all the New River Gorge National Park signs, promising myself that this time...this time I would stop & explore on the way back home.

It seemed like an easy enough promise to keep, except that it was January & I had gotten a little too comfortable in my warm coastal town. I wanted to stay & visit with old friends longer, but I saw the forecast. High temps in the teens is too cold for me. I wanted to be gone before that happened. So, I booked an overnight stay in West Virginia, near New River Gorge National Park. Weather said something about light snowfall, little to no accumulation, no problem, right? Yep, I believed that up until I saw the sign on I-64, "Snow Squall possible, Limited Visibility, Use Caution"

View from Tamarack Marketplace, a local artisan market in Beckley, WV

Near the hotel, I stayed in before visiting New River Gorge.

 I drove with much more caution than usual, watching for fast cars & slow semi's in limited visibility, then realized I had another problem. I was in the middle of the West Virginia mountains when my fuel light came on about 30 miles from my exit. I passed several exits with no advertised businesses of any kind & pulled off on the first one offering anything, exactly one gas station. At least half the pumps at the station were “out of order” covered in plastic, not a comforting sign. When I left the station, I followed my GPS in what felt like the wrong direction. Now I’m weaving through real West Virginia mountain roads seemingly going no particular direction with light snow falling for at least 20 minutes. It was both exciting & unnerving.

Since I was only 20 miles from my hotel when I left the turnpike, I assumed I was heading there in some backwoods way. Instead, I found myself at an EZ-pass only entrance to the turnpike. Since I don't have an EZ-Pass, I'm still waiting for that ticket to arrive. I did make it to the hotel, but it was eerie feeling like the only guest there & the lobby covered in signs like, "we don't rent to locals" and "no loitering in the lobby."

The next day it was not snowing, but much colder. The same temps I had left the mid-west to avoid. At least I had lived in the mid-west long enough to understand the importance of dressing in layers. Soooo wearing winter hiking boots, thick hiking socks, my thickest jeans with leggings underneath, t-shirt, henley, flannel, regular winter coat, with my BIG winter coat over it, a full-length wool coat with a hood, & scarf, I was ready to tackle New River Gorge National Park in January!

Picture from an overlook on my way to Sandstone Falls in the New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia. I love how you can see the buildings and every detail, how each tree stands out on the snow covered mountains.

 I'd love to brag here & tell you that I did some serious hiking in the snow & cold, but I did not. I picked a route with lots of driving and overlooks. I pissed off the locals by driving too slowly, looking at the magnificent scenery & stopping at all the overlooks. I jumped out, took picture of the signs to read later, snapped a few shots with my phone, then back in the car. I did spend some time at Sandstone Falls. Apparently, there are many waterfalls in the park, but this, the website says, is the largest & most impressive one. I was really impressed with the first waterfall I saw. But had no idea it wasn't the “most impressive.” It was the “Lower Falls.” This is what happens when you take pictures of the signs, but don’t read them. I was really surprised when I rounded the final corner on the boardwalk & saw the actual Sandstone falls.

Despite the cold, the snow, the driving challenges, I’m really glad I took the time to stop & explore. I loved seeing the snow on the ground in the mountains and all the things you can't see when there's leaves on the trees. It was also interesting to be basically the only person at a National Park. I was the only visitor in the visitor center & completely alone at Sandstone Falls, literally the only car in the parking lot. Some people might not have felt safe alone at the bottom of a gorge where you know absolutely no one in a place you’ve never been, but I felt free!

The lower falls at New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia in January.

Sandstone Falls at New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia in January.