via The Atlantic Monthly
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an infrequent repository of mostly new stuff
via The Atlantic Monthly
requires Flash
Pricey snow, T photo
Before heading home we stop at White Grass, the cross country ski area we originally came for. They have a pile of snow out front, smaller than their sense of humor. But the cafe is nice, good food and friendly people.
The cafe at White Grass. T photo
Turns out Chip Chase, the guy who started the place, once spent a lot of time in Virginia, is good friends with good friends of ours from way back, and knows Scottsville.
At The Purple Fiddle, carved from a single log
The big loop is nearly complete at Thomas, less than 3 miles up the road from Davis. Senator Davis bought huge tracts of land here in the late 1800’s when it was still wilderness, then built towns and railroads to extract the resources. He named Davis for himself, and nearby Thomas and William for his brothers. Davis was the timber depot, Thomas was coal.
Swinging footbridge over the Cheat River
Otter Creek Wilderness
T photo
Leaving the falls, our route heads upstream through the water gap and across the valley. At the southern rim we leave the main road and zig-zag down into the next valley – through hollows, past small farms – on roads barely a lane and a half wide. It’s pretty country, old barns and orchards clinging to the steep hillsides. Down, down, down.