West Virginia Ride
August 29th - September 1st, 2008
August 29th (270 miles) Meet on
I-40 in Knoxville, TN. at the McDonalds at Exit 407 for a 7:30 am departure. We
will ride I-40 and I-81 to Abingdon, Va. where we will leave the Interstate for
some enjoyable country roads. Lunch will be at the Burkes Garden General Store.
From there, we will go to Pocahontas Virginia where we will take a tour of the
exhibition coal mine. They have a museum there as well.
Reservation:
Microtel Inn, 1001 South
Eisenhower Drive, Beckley, W.Va.25801 (304)255-2200 (Note-Reserve
this hotel for the 29th AND the 31st)(Note-Rack
rate 84.95 - Tell them you are with Country Roads and get the room for $70 per
Robert, the manager)
August 30th (216miles) Today we will
visit the historic city of
Thurmond, West Virginia. Thurmond was a railroad town in it's heyday but has
now dwindled to a population of 7 according to the 2000 census. The old rail
station has been rebuilt and now contains a interactive museum. We will take a
few minutes to walk down the tracks to look at the old city where the movie "Matewan"
was filmed.The ride will go UNDER the New River Gorge Bridge, on Rt. 39 through
Richwood with stops at Hill Creek Falls and Cranberry Glades. We will ride dow
the newly paved "Williams River Rd." to Cowan and then on to our hotels in
Elkins, WV.
Reservation:
Days Inn 1200 Harrison Avenue, Elkins, WV 26241 (304)637-4667
August 31st (206miles)
We will ride east to
Seneca Rocks for
a quick stop at the Visitors Center. The on to Greenbank for a tour and look at
a gigantic radio telescope. On to Cass Railroad for a 2 hour round trip ride to
Whitaker Station. We will stop for dinner in Marlinton and then ride on to
Beckley to our hotel..
Reservation:
Microtel Inn, 1001 South
Eisenhower Drive, Beckley, W.Va.25801 (304)255-2200 (Note-Reserve
this hotel for the 29th AND the 31st)(Note-Rack
rate 84.95 - Tell them you are with Country Roads and get the room for $70)
Reservation: Cass Scenic
Railroad, P.O. Box 107, Cass, W.Va. 24927 (304)456-4300 - Reserve a ticket
for the 2:30 PM train to Whitaker Station
September 1st (233miles) Return ride to Knoxville.