West Virginia, Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland via Route 50
Wafts of cool, mountain air swirl over the Victory Cross Country's short windshield in a near perfect dose. It's not enough to be buffeting, yet just enough to be invigorating. For Kathy, this is our journey's last leg. But for me, well, I'm already home.
Almost Heaven, West Virginia. John Denver immortalized that phrase in his 1971 hit and we couldn't agree more. The spaghetti-like line of Route 50 stretching across the map of West Virginia looks almost as tasty as our coffee and fresh pepperoni rolls from Marty's Bakery. Once freed from Clarksburg's morning traffic the Victory settles perfectly into the rhythm of the highway. We sway to and fro, dancing with the deliciously crooked tarmac. Many of the sights along this stretch of road are familiar. The distinctive old barns are still there. And while the Mail Pouch chewing tobacco paint jobs are peeling to near oblivion, their crooked, weathered boards have managed to withstand the test of time.
These are the roads of my childhood. Dad's folks lived in Clarksburg, Mom's in Keyser. Countless steep and rugged ranges separate these Appalachian cities, but somehow the road builders managed to connect the two. The asphalt hugs the hollows, dodges massive boulders, crosses all sizes of rivers and streams, and is very often carved directly into the mountainsides. On the hills not shrouded in deep green canopy, small pastures terraced by well-worn trails give rise to the old fable that West Virginia cows can only walk around the mountain in one direction. It's said that their legs are shorter on one side to make up for the slope.
Motorcycle & Gear
2010 Victory Cross Country
Helmets: Nolan N-Com
Jacket: Tourmaster Epic
Pants: Diamond Gusset Defender Jeans
Boots: Shift Fuel Street Shoe
Gloves: REV' IT! R-59
As a youngster it was always a challenge to not get carsick through here. Dad wasn't afraid to bend the Plymouth Fury III into the corners, and the boat-like feel of the big sedan's back seat inspired countless bouts of queasiness. Still, I loved those trips; it felt like an adventure waited around every hillside. On the Victory these blacktop knots are hard on the floorboards. It's probably a good thing that we're playing catch up to yet another rain system. The sheer volume of sparks tumbling across the asphalt would surely be a fire hazard in drier conditions.
Then, just as it seems that the hairpin curves are becoming too overwhelming, an oasis appears. Cool Springs Park, a surviving relic of the Mountain State's pre-interstate days, practically demands that all passers-by stop and sit a spell. This restaurant, general store, and all-around top-notch tourist trap has been a favorite wayside for travelers since 1929. Inside a diner shares floor space with rows of shelves that stock everything from hunting and fishing supplies to outhouse-themed salt and pepper shakers. Outside, all sorts of ancient tractors, farm implements, and railroad cars dot the shaded grounds. All are there for exploration and, of course, photo-ops.
Well, it was bound to happen. Our last few days of rain-free riding come to an end as droplets begin plinking off the visors. As the drizzle increases we experience one of the highway's odder studies in geography. A sign welcomes us into Maryland, then, less than 10 miles away, another sign welcomes us back into West Virginia.
As we approach the crest of the Allegheny Front, markedly lower temperatures join the fog and light rain. On a clear day the views are absolutely stunning, especially the appropriately named and shaped Saddle Mountain along the New Creek range to the east. Unfortunately that's one we'll be missing today as a blanket of fog and mist has descended, obscuring everything beyond a few hundred feet. Route 50's plunge from the Front is a truly inspiring two-wheeled experience, except for this afternoon.
Near the bottom of the mountain the pea soup begins transitioning into a lighter haze. Instead of bearing east on Route 50 we continue north toward Keyser. Mom's youngest sister Vicki still lives in town. The rain we just punched through overtakes us again just as we sit down for a visit in Aunt Vicki's living room.
As much as we'd like to stay the road beckons and any break in the clouds is certainly welcome. Before we leave I have to show Kathy where it all began. We stop in the parking lot of a vacant building on the outskirts of Keyser. It's the old location of Skip's Honda. Back in 1978 I wheeled my first motorcycle, a brand new XR75, out of the front door. The rest, as they say, is history.
We head out of town and wind our way up Knobley Mountain, where I used to go deer hunting. As Route 50 descends the eastern side of the hill the curves become more sweeping and the valleys broaden. On through Burlington and Romney, we close in on our day's destination. A few miles east of Capon Bridge we cross into Virginia, and not long after that the road splits into four lanes. As the sun drops behind the Appalachian Range to our west we bid adieu to the serious twists. The historic city of Winchester and our stop for the evening are just ahead.