Here is where my heart finds peace...

It must be the mountains in our genes. We both have ancestors born and bred in the Appalachians, and there is no place on Earth that makes us feel more at home. We even live less than 10 miles from the Appalachian Trail here in Pennsylvania. Give us the mountains, keep the beach (well maybe the beach once in a while!). The most wonderful spot of all is southeastern West Virginia—the Potomac Highlands and Pocahontas County. Click here to view our West Virginia photo album.

The drive is a great part of the journey. The further down the road you get, the more beautiful the surroundings. Once you leave the Interstate, the roads get smaller and start winding around the mountains. Our first stop is usually Seneca Rocks.

Seneca Rocks is one of the best mountain climbing spots on the east coast. We try to blend in with the climbers when we're there, but we just love to look at the rocks! We've tackled the foot path once, but it's quite a hike and you literally end up running back down it's so steep!

From here, the next stop is Green Bank. We love the Old Country Store here, and it's full of wondrous items from days gone by. Last trip it was closed, but hopefully it's still in operation You can find everything from Porter's Salve (smells awful, but it works!) to jams & jellies to antiques to those chalky peppermint sticks that we just have to get when we're there.

Down the road from the store is the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. Green Bank is in the middle of what's called a Quiet Zone (13,000 acres!) and there are no cell phone towers or broadcast stations so the astronomers can listen to the stars. Unlike optical telescopes that "see" light waves, radio telescopes "listen" for radio waves given off by distant stars and galaxies. It's also located in the darkest spot on the east coast. If you've never looked at the stars away from the inevitable light pollution all around us, you don't know what you're missing! You can see a million stars....

From Green Bank, it's south to Watoga State Park. Watoga was built during the Depression as part of work of the Civilian Conservation Corps. We camp in the Riverside Campground by the river, and of course within site of the Greenbriar River Trail. The Cardinal Lodge has biscuits just like Daena's grandma's and it's a special treat whenever we go. The park has lots of hiking trails, and we've conquered the Arrowhead Trail leading to the Ann Bailey Lookout. It's a long, hard hike uphill, but the view is definitely worth it.

The lake is like a mirror. One of the most peaceful places is the middle of it. We took a paddle boat out the the middle and were the only ones there! We just stopped pedaling and listened to the breeze. Amazing compared to the hustle and bustle of home.

October is one of the best times to go. The photo at left is from one of those Octobers in the 90's. The place is nearly deserted, and the trees by the river are full of color. The Riverside Campground is still open, and if you snuggle in it's still possible to tent next to the river. Our Fiesta made lots of tent trips there, and if you've never seen our West Virginia Weekend videos, you're in for a treat. We filmed the journey from Petersburg southward from the passenger's seat of the Fiesta, complete with squealing wheels and a stop to clean the windshield. The fire at the Riverside Campground includes wienies. Ask us about it next time you stop by.