Last week, Larry and I got a wild hair that we should get out of town for Labor Day weekend for an impromptu getaway. The problem with these last minute plans is that our chances of finding a place to stay with availability were slim and we constantly have the problem as to finding someone to watch our dogs. Not only that, DC traffic before a holiday weekend (or actually on any given day) makes me suicidal, so we knew that we didn't want to head north/south/east towards the beaches where everyone else was going. (Also, many beaches along the east coast sustained some damage from Hurricane Irene.) That left one option: head West. Traffic and hurricane free, wild & wonderful, West By God, West Virginia to be exact!
Luckily, a quick Google search turned up some dog-friendly cabins near New River Gorge in Hico, West Virginia. Within 24 hours, I had e-mailed Hemlock Haven, learned that they had availability for the weekend, recruited a group of friends to tag along, and booked a three-night reservation.
New River Gorge is an area of West Virginia that I had been wanting to visit for quite some time. The terrifying New River Gorge Bridge - which towers 876 feet above the New River below - is the second tallest bridge in the United States and the fifth tallest bridge in the world. Once a year, BASE jumpers crazy people are allowed to parachute off of it. Looking at pictures of it makes my palms sweat, yet I still couldn't wait to see it. The New River (and the adjacent Gauley River) is also renowned for the best whitewater in the East.
Despite the area being a mecca for adrenaline junkies, we had a low-key and relaxing weekend with friends. Due to my jacked up joints and the fact that we had children with us, we opted out of a whitewater trip (though after seeing all the rafts on the river, I kind of wish we had done it). Instead we took a jet boat (and by jet boat, I mean "jet boat") ride from Hawksnest State Park to get a view of the gorge and bridge from the water.
Accessing the dock required a tram ride into the gorge:
The "jet boat":
This was not the scary bridge. Just an ordinary railroad bridge:
THIS was the scary bridge:
After the boat ride, we went to the New River Gorge National River Visitor Center to check out some views of the bridge from above:
And you may be wondering what it is actually like to drive across the bridge. We got up the nerve to try it, and I am proud to inform you that I did not pee pee in my pants. Success!
Actually, it wasn't scary at all. From atop the bridge, you had no idea that you were driving across something as tall as a 70 story skyscraper.
However, if you think about the fact that you're driving across something as tall as a 70 story skyscraper while you're crossing the bridge...well, that'll make your ass clench. Am I right?!
4 comments:
Beautiful! I bet that place looks glorious during the Fall.
Geez, I'd always known about that bridge but that one pictures taken from above where you can see the cars on the bridge as tiny as ants really puts its height into perspective. So you don't think you're going to add bungy jumping off of the bridge to your life list?
Shauna - we thought the same thing and were totally lamenting the fact that we visited about a month too early.
Sarah - My photos definitely do not do justice to the full terror of the bridge. Because the leaves were still on the trees and we had a partially obstructed view, you could not get the full effect of how freaking deep the gorge is...and how high the bridge is. Also, anything to do with heights is most definitely NOT on my Life List!
Wow! How beautiful! I am glad you were able to make the most of your weekend. :)
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