Day 2: June 30, 2017 Kinda Hilly Comment via blog

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I found US-60 in the middle of Charleston and left town on it. I really liked the idea that it is called Midland Trail but I hadn't gone too far before I exited to WV-60 which has its own Midland Trail signs. I haven't checked but think it's a safe bet the WV-60 was once US-60 and has even stronger claims to the name. WV-60 led back into the US route after a few miles and I happy to start seeing these little blue mile markers along the way.

There's a town called Kanawha Falls on the other side of the river so I assume these are the falls for which it's named. On this side there is a town called Glen Ferris where I stopped to snap some pictures. The Glen Ferris Inn looks like a good place to stay and eat. I'd have verified the latter (They were serving lunch.) if breakfast hadn't been so recent. I thought of company housing when I saw the row of identical house across the street from the inn but I know absolutely nothing about them. The water above the falls was decidedly calmer than that below.

Just around the bend, about where the New River is getting ready to become, with the aid of the Gauley, the Kanawha, Cathedral Falls can be seen on the left side of the road.

I've driven US-60 through these parts but have no record or recollection of the Mystery Hole. The hole was doing a pretty decent business today. Though I just took some pictures and drove on, it looked like quite a few were opting for the full mystifying experience.

I walked out to an overlook at Hawks Nest State Park taking a shot through an opening in the trees on the way. I hung back at the overlook while a group of teenagers enjoyed the view and most of them really did seem to enjoy and appreciate it.

All that these things have in common is that I saw them on the same day. The Midland Trail Motel is on US-60 and has mostly positive reviews. The other pictures were taken on US-219. Driving a load of logs along these roads is definitely on the list of jobs I don't want. I'm guessing there's a door on the other side of the dormered tepee but I don't know that.

This is Elk River Inn where I'm staying. All photographs were taken after I arrived which means I've already crossed those bridges in the first one. The next picture is the reatautant and office and the third is the where my room is. There are multiple buildings with the typical private bath arrangement. The "Farmhouse" has five bedrooms and three baths. This is ski country so this is the off season. The restaurant won't be open, other than for the included breakfast, while I'm here and I'm the only occupant of the "Farmhouse". My room and the closest bathroom are here. The other two pictures in the panel are the common areas.

I knew there was a big radio telescope in the area and when my GPS showed that it was just fifteen miles away I decided to drive over. This is, however, West Virginia and I did stay on the road as I drove so it was about twenty-five later that I reached the gates of the Green Bank Observatory. Those gates were closed but a pretty good view of the big dish is possible from the road. This is the reasons cell phones simply do not function here. Surrounding the telescope is a 13,000 square mile radio quiet zone.

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