Sunday Ride to Blackwater

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

It's been a while since I was last out to Blackwater Falls State Park and I'd been wanting to go for a while. I wasn't going to ride Sunday, the forecast looked like it could get dicey no matter which direction I went. Brilliant blue skies in the morning changed my mind, so I set course for Davis, WV. It wasn't until 11 am before I headed out. To make it to my destination before too late, I rode the "slab" most of the way. Fought a headwind almost the entire way west. No rain until I got there, then only a light shower that passed quickly. I put on my rain jacket and pants anyway, but really didn't need them except for warmth - the temperature had dropped to 65 in Davis. I followed the storm eastward nearly the whole way back - wet roads and few sprinkles was about all there was. Stayed nice and cool in the wake of the storm. Puttered along on Old 55 and never saw another vehicle until Wardensville. A good day of riding I would have missed. Home by 7. 306 miles.

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmPqKckc

[oldbike54]

 

 That type of terrain is made more striking by cloud cover .

 Dusty

[BillinPA]

Nice pictures, looks like a great ride.  Just the name alone reminds me of the Backwater 100 race that once was!!

[blu guzz]

lucky you.  i have been going there (canaan valley) for the past 15 years, but - cancelled the trip this year.

[john fish]

Nice.  I like these little photo essays.

[Wayne Orwig]

The last time I was there, it was for this race.

http://blog.wiseco.com/the-blackwater-100-americas-original-extreme-off-road-race

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

The last time I was there, it was for this race.

http://blog.wiseco.com/the-blackwater-100-americas-original-extreme-off-road-race

That's been quite a while. 

[ohiorider]

Beautiful area of my native state, Charlie.  Do you ever venture into Pocahontas County?  I really enjoy that area, too ...... coming from Cleveland into Elkins WV  ..........  then Durbin, Frank, Bartow, Boyer, Cass.  Need to get me some US 250 riding in that part of the state.  Damn this C19 stuff!

Bob

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Beautiful area of my native state, Charlie.  Do you ever venture into Pocahontas County?  I really enjoy that area, too ...... Frank, Durban, Cass.  Need to get me some US 250 riding in that part of the state.  Damn this C19 stuff!

Bob

Yes, Pocahontas is one of favorite WV counties and I've gone there at least once a year since '84. Cass Scenic RR is the main draw for me. Hope to wander down and stay for a weekend this Fall.

[ohiorider]

 

Bob

[Lannis]

Beautiful area of my native state, Charlie.  Do you ever venture into Pocahontas County?  I really enjoy that area, too ...... coming from Cleveland into Elkins WV  ..........  then Durbin, Frank, Bartow, Boyer, Cass.  Need to get me some US 250 riding in that part of the state.  Damn this C19 stuff!

Bob

Elkins, Beverly, Mill Creek, Huttonsville, THEN Durbin, Frank, Bartow .... !   I love that ride.   

Me and half-a-dozen other Guzzis were all over Charlie's route this past weekend, surprised we didn't cross paths somewhere.   We had beautiful weather.    Came back up "old 55" like Charlie did, I hate that "Corridor H" "Road to Nowhere" that they hacked out of the mountains for no reason but pork-barrelling ...

(".... They tortured the timber and stripped all the land ... They dug for their coal till the land was forsaken, and wrote it all down as the progress of man ...."   Change "coal" for "highway to nowhere" and John Prine wouldn't mind, I'm sure)

Did 500 miles on the Stelvio in that area and down the Shenandoah Valley ... Hey, what's all this stuff about germs keeping you from riding, anyhow?   Riding is one of the things you CAN do, no reason to slack off of putting miles on a bike in the fresh air and sunshine, no germ can survive that!

Lannis

[Wayne Orwig]

That's been quite a while. 

Yes it was.

This is one of the few photos that I saved and scan from back in the day. Lots of mud.

[maquette]

Nice Charlie. Thanks.

[BillinPA]

The last time I was there, it was for this race.

http://blog.wiseco.com/the-blackwater-100-americas-original-extreme-off-road-race

Did you spectate or race Wayne?  I always looked forward to the magazine coverage every year. I never went in person, but was an off road racer and loved the idea of Blackwater. It was legendary.

[cliffrod]

Looks like a great ride, Charlie- especially the alone part.  Thanks for posting.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Me and half-a-dozen other Guzzis were all over Charlie's route this past weekend, surprised we didn't cross paths somewhere.   We had beautiful weather.    Came back up "old 55" like Charlie did, I hate that "Corridor H" "Road to Nowhere" that they hacked out of the mountains for no reason but pork-barrelling ...

I'm glad they built US48! No more getting stuck behind loaded down turkey trucks or other slow moving traffic on 55. One pretty much has 55 all to themselves most of the time now. Takes a lot less time to "get Tuckered" (ride to Tucker Co.), and it will eventually make getting to Elkins quicker as well.

We "didn't cross paths somewhere" because y'all were riding out that way on Saturday and I rode Sunday. The weather wasn't exactly "beautiful" for me, but I made the best of it.

[Wayne Orwig]

Did you spectate or race Wayne?  I always looked forward to the magazine coverage every year. I never went in person, but was an off road racer and loved the idea of Blackwater. It was legendary.

I road around much of the course and watched. Needless to say the best part was at the river crossing. Filled with spectators, with a cooler floating beside them.