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| Four Special Friends along the Highland Scenic Highway 150 |
George and I had a fantastic trip last week with good friends, Neal and Patti from Indiana. This is about the 6th trip we have taken together over the past several years. The four of us have so much in common and always have a good time when we are together. This year was no exception.....
George and I have been to West Virginia several times ---and suggested this trip this year because we wanted to see the Autumn Colors in West Virginia since we had never been there in Fall; AND also because we wanted to take them on one of our favorite rides, a ride UP UP UP the mountain on an old steam train at Cass, WV (from Cass to Bald Knob)... Always a JOY for me/us!
All of us took lots and lots of pictures all week long---so I'll just show a few of my favorite places with you today. Be sure to click on the pictures for enlargements.
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| Honeycomb Rocks off of the Highland Scenic Highway 150; Don't you think those rocks look a little like a honeycomb???? Neat, huh. |
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| The Trail to Honeycomb Rocks: The Fall Colors in this area were SO pretty and I loved hiking along this trail. To me, there's just nothing better than hiking through the rustling leaves in Autumn.... I love the colors AND I love the 'smells' of Fall... SO NEAT! |
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| This is Grandview, part of the New River Gorge National River area. This was one of the first places we visited ---and all of us were disappointed that there weren't many Fall Colors all around the mountains. BUT--we did see Autumn Colors many other places we visited. |
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| You knew that George and I would just HAVE to take Neal and Patti to visit some waterfalls while there!!!! This was the day we did the most hiking (first at Grandview and then to see these 3 beautiful waterfalls).... This waterfall is Lower Falls of Hills Creek. We all enjoyed all of the steps down into that canyon, and then back UP. Needless to say, I finished the day with over 18,000 steps on my FITBIT!!!!!! I was VERY TIRED that night. |
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| This is Beartown State Park ---and it's definitely a place that one needs to visit in order to grasp the beauty. Pictures just don't show the real beauty there. Someone had built a wonderful boardwalk throughout the area ---and from that boardwalk, we saw some amazing rock formations, boulders, ferns, moss and more... This turned out to be one of my favorite places --and George and I had NEVER been here... |
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| We took two loop hikes at the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center. This was another favorite for me since again, I got to hike through the rustling leaves of Fall. SO SPECIAL. This picture was taken at the Stamping Creek Overlook along that trail. The trees were gorgeous in this area. |
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| We had some extra time one day so we checked out another beautiful state park, Watoga State Park. Here we are taking pictures of the Fall Colors and reflections at Lake Watoga. |
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| Neal took this picture of George and me at the T. M. Cheek Memorial Overlook at Watoga State Park. Again--as you can see, the colors there were awesome. |
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| Cass Scenic Railroad: Here's my FAVORITE part of the week (no surprise if you know me well)... I loved the ride WAY UP the mountain to Bald Knob from Cass, and back down, on an old steam train...George and I have taken this ride 3 different times --but this was the first trip in Autumn. LOVED it..... (My Dad worked for the railroad --and as a child, I got to ride on occasion in one of those engines. Such fantastic memories.) |
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| A View from the Train!!!!! Going up that mountain on the train and also our time at Bald Knob gave us many opportunities to check out the views...Since the colors were so pretty and since we had a very clear and beautiful day, we were able to get some great photos. |
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| Finally, on our way home (taking the back roads through West VA), we just had to stop and take some pictures of this beautiful Covered Bridge... This bridge's name is the Indian Creek Covered Bridge. Isn't it pretty? |
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| AND --along that same road while on the way home, we saw a little cemetery named BALLARD CEMETERY. Of course, we just had to stop and check it out. I took pictures and also made some notes about some of the Ballards in that cemetery. My mother was a Ballard and I have done quite a bit of Genealogy work on the Ballard side of my family. However, I'm not sure if any of my direct line of Ballards moved to West Virginia. I didn't recognize any of the names --but will definitely do some research... |
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Well---that is just a tiny bit of all of the wonderful things we did last week with our friends. It was a tremendous trip--and I highly recommend a trip to West Virginia during ANY season... We love it there --and I'm sure we will go back again --and again.
Have a wonderful week.
Hugs,
41 comments:
Hi Betsy, what a wonderful trip! Thanks for sharing all these beautiful photos. It's so good to catch up with friends again, too. Have a great day. Jo
Hi Betsy, those are again marvelous autumn colors. I always associate you and George with Autumn because the first time i saw your blogpost i asked permission to have your photo. From then on we visit each other's posts continuously, short of saying we are really longtime friends, lol. Unfortunately, years had passed and i still haven't yet walked on leaves barefoot, felt, smelled, touched autumn!
What a great trip you had and all the better with friends. The colours and scenery is awesome. I would love to walk those trails with the leaves crunching underfoot. Super photos as usual.
Gorgeous images of a lovely trip for the four of you!
What a wonderful trip you had with your friends Betsy. The colours views adnd reflections are fantastic.
Another wonderful trip. All your photos are beautiful. I love that covered bridge.
What a colorful trip! I love all the Fall colors and scenic views. Taking a trip with good friends always makes the trip that much more exciting. Glad you all had a wonderful time.
Hello betsy, what a wonderful trip! The train ride sounds like fun! The fall colors and covered bridge are beautiful. Great collection of images. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week!
Looks like you had a great time taking in the sites and tromping around in the woods of Almost Heaven.
Sounds like you had a busy week! And a wonderful time! Great fall colour pictures.
I love seeing your photos of trips - as that is how I will probably get to see these things! lol.. Great you found friends to go with. There are some great shots there. I know you and George had a wonderful time. I love fall.
Betsy, Sounds like you all had a great trip! Nice photos of the fall foliage, waterfalls and scenery... You know that I love trains! That train ride is right up my alley! West Virginia has been on our radar for some time now. We just have to make time to get it done! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Oh, a wonderful trip indeed, Betsy!! Beautiful colors, wonderful time of year and great friends to share it all with!! Doesn't get any better!! I hope you both have a wonderful new week!! Enjoy!!
What a nice trip to take with Neal and Patti, Betsy and Geirge! The east has so many trees and they look magnificent wearing their autumn coloras. I would have also wanted to take that train ride up the mountain and back down again. It looks like you had nice sunny days together. Enjoy more of this lovely fall!
This is why I've always planned my Virginia trip for October. The mountains of West Virginia are ablaze with color and it only gets better when one crosses the border into Virginia. Love your photos!
Best,
Bonnie
My goodness those are some beautiful autumn colors. Most of our mountain trees up here are evergreen so we don't see those brilliant layers upon layers of color. Your trip sounds so wonderful and fun. Even a train! You do have a lot of adventures.
Blessings,
"The other Betsy"
Betsy,the scenery is spectacular.I can almost hear the leaves rustling as you walk. I love that sound and the smells as well. I'm glad you were able to share this trip with Neal and Patti.
What beautiful scenery...and your enthusiasm is contagious!
It all looks and sounds fantastic. I love all the photos buy I think my favorite is the covered bridge.
(I've begun blogging again.)
What a wonderful trip!! The fall photos are gorgeous.
What fun!
Beautiful photos, Betsy! It sounds like you had a wonderful time visiting with your friends.
Looks like you all had fun and the autumn colors are beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with us.
You did a great job of showing the highlights of our visit to West Virginia with Patti and Neal. It was a great vacation, even if I did come home very tired!
Autumn in all it's splendor and you caught it.
You nailed it. The mountains, the silky water, a covered bridge.
All of my favorite things. Thanks for sharing. Loved it. I lived
in Virginia once. I've lived so many places, I forgot. LOL
what a nice trip. 18,000 steps...that is a lot of steps. I would be exhausted too.
What a wonderful trip, Betsy, and even better because it was shared with good friends! I love the fall colors and the rolling hills of West Virginia. I spent two weeks there at a fitness/wellness place in October, 1987, and just loved it -- the hikes through woods ablaze with color, the crisp mountain air...an exquisite, lingering memory reawakened by your lovely post!!
Amazing photos of some beautiful places and some wonderful people.... So neat!!!
Great scenes! I've been to Beartown and Watoga and Grandview. I love West Virginia!
Fantastic captures with your trails along the fall colors and of course the sound of rustling leaves is sure to make fun. Glad you enjoyed on the company of your friends, and taking them to your favorite places and explaining things must be a pleasure. I love covered bridges and this is a pretty one!
Betsy
You and your friends are always together in beautiful scenery!
I loved your photos, specially that wonderful covered bridge (we don't have this kind in Brazil!)
Have a nice week <°(((<
Bia
Betsy, this was an awesome trip! I have got to get down to the South sometime. I had hoped it would be this year, but it didn't happen.
I was interested in all the places because I have family roots in West Virginia. I will have to read up on where these places are. Thanks for sharing.
Looks like you all had a wonderful wonderful time. colors are beautiful and the train ride would be so much fun.
B
Oh Wow, what beauty. I can tell ya'll had a great trip and it's such a beautiful place. I'm so glad you got to share it together and thanks for sharing with us as well. Hugs and Blessings, xo
Hi Betsy, Lovely pictures. I certainly recommend that you do a bit of research on the folks who's graves you saw in that particular Ballard Cemetery. You never know but those people may really be your ancestral relatives (Kinfolk as they say in your area of TN). Have a tremendous Thursday tomorrow. Enjoy the leaves, the deer, and beautiful FFG!
I have never seen this state. It's beautiful. Love the rock!
thanks for this lovely pictorial tour dear betsy! sounds like you all had a wonderful time.
happy halloween!
xoxo
Hi Betsy, Until I started reading and ogling your pictures I didn't realise just how much I've missed you and your glorious posts! I've been missing for an age (5 months) and boy do I have a lot to catch up on! That'll teach me to go AWOL! Stay happy you and George are looking fabulous! xx
Oh no I've lost my comment again! Betsy I've really missed you and your glorious blog during m long absence... and I've much to catch up on... you and George are looking fbulous and I'm thrilled you are both continuing your wonderful travels about and enjoying life to the max! xx
As always you have some wonderful pictures and trips to share...Have fun
OH Wow! That is really impressive. Nothing like seeing such gorgeous scenery with good friends!
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