West Virginia Recommendations?

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TheRunyan

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My uncle and I are planning a West Virginia run for our annual bike trip next month. We are leaving Cincinnati on a Friday (we are planning on taking 52 along the Ohio into WV), and intend to return on Sunday evening. We usually do about 1000 miles. I have read positive things about US 33 and US 250 (which intersect), but am hoping that someone can confirm those recommendations and/or provide some first-hand suggestions for other roads. Also, any recommendations on decent places to stay and eat will be quite welcome.

Thanks!!

Brian

 
Route 33, route 219, route 250; I used to go to College in Elkins, WV and some of those roads are something else. I was driving a car back then, and when you came to an arrow in the road pointing either left or right and it said, "10 MPH", then that was how fast you went. Between the twisties and the scenery it should be a fantastic trip.

 
make sure to ride smoke hole road ,
+1 on Smoke Hole rd.

Lots of great roads to ride.

219, 250, 28, 33, 220, 50 are all great roads in that area.

Rt. 60 between Charleston & White Sulfur Springs is good then north on 219 to get to the really good stuff.

 
I'll 3rd that Smolehole Rd. That's a good, good road! Riding it fr/ SE to NW it runs right thru Smokehole Canyon & it's beautiful. it ascends out of the canyon and has some newly paved very twisty road.

Expect the opposite if run in reverse.

I'd also like to suggest Howards Lick Rd. No map in front of me right now so it's hard to pinpoint it exactly. I can tell you that it runs directly threw Lost River State Park. This route is highly recommended... one switchback after another in certain places. Also, very desolate & scenic. If you're interested I'll do a little more research.

33 & 250 are excellent choices also. They don't actually intersect but there are several roads that will join it up. & there is a certain area of 250 that completely sucks. Riding it east, It's good from around Durbin, WV to past Monterey, VA. Do not... I repeat.... do not take 250 west of Durbin & expect twisties. Think more along the lines of small towns & traffic & general suckness.

If you're planning to run WV south of that I highly recommend Rte 39 around Marlinton, WV into VA. There is a road right near Marlinton... got to get a map handy to recall it, though.

All in all... you really can't go very wrong in WV. There's some great roads there.

I highly recommend that you buy a Delorme Atlas & Gazeteer of WV. The scale of the map is 2.4" = 1 mile. You can see the twisty roads & plot a route just by looking at the mapbook.

Heidi

 
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I rode 219 when I was coming home from Alabama and thought it was great. I nice variety of riding. Watch some of the corners because they are so tight that truck may bring some gravel back onto the riding surface...

 
Missed this thread for a while. I live in WV. Rt 33 and 250 offer some nice options. But, there is one road that no one has mentioned that is among the finest anywhere in the East. Rt 15 from Webster Springs to Valley Head is a don't miss this or you will kick yourself hands down choice. If I understand correctly, you are coming into WV near Huntington. Suggest taking I64 slab to Charleston, then Rt 60 E (Midland Trail - read historic, scenic and mtn twisty to Charmco - w/ possible tourist stop detour South 19 15 miles to New River Gorge Bridge). Rt 20 north to Webster Springs (via Fenwick and Craigsville) and then Rt 15 N out of Wesbster Springs. It dumps out onto 219 at Valley Head, about midways of the state, so you can go either N or S in the mountains. To the north is 250 and the smoke hole country (Parsons, Davis, Canaan Valley ain't to shabby either). To the south, are Snowshoe mtn, Rt 150 - not so much twisty, but fantastic mtn scenery - and Rt 39 or the rest of 219 S. If you choose north, Elkins has several places to stay and eat. To the south, Lewisburg is among the best kept secrets around for generally smoosing about - from which 219 S to Bluefield and 52 N back to Huntington area is good ride. It's WV follow your nose, you can't go wrong.

Happy trails,

Jim

 
Concur, WVA has some GREAT riding, but be careful. Some parts of 250 (and I'm sure other routes) will eat you up. I don't even know how they paved roads at such sharp angles without the paving machines tipping over. It's pretty wild. I've said "holy ****" to myself more than once, there.

All in all, WVA is an absolutely beautiful state and one of the country's best kept secrets.

 
Concur, WVA has some GREAT riding, but be careful. Some parts of 250 (and I'm sure other routes) will eat you up. I don't even know how they paved roads at such sharp angles without the paving machines tipping over. It's pretty wild. I've said "holy ****" to myself more than once, there.
All in all, WVA is an absolutely beautiful state and one of the [SIZE=12pt]country's best kept secrets[/SIZE].

Oh sure...spill the beans now will ya? :D

 
Spklbuk: Thanks!!!!! I won't miss it!!

Mogambo: Thanks!!! I've been surfing a bit and quite a few have offered the same advice...fortunately (unfortunately??) I'll be riding a bit more conservatively given that my uncle rides a big ol' HD. It's not like he's going to be doing any knee-dragging. This trip (like the Blue Ridge Parkway last year) is mostly about the scenery (though I may break away and shoot up the road a few times without him...).

Man, I can not wait for this trip.

Thanks again, brothers!!

Brian

 
I'm going to be riding W.V. this coming weekend and I need some help finding Smoke Hole RD.Can someone help me locate it on a Rand Mcnally map?

 
Smoke Hole Rd. is also listed as County Route 28-11. It lies between State Rt. 28 and Rt. 220.

The road starts on the North end at Rt. 28 South of Petersburg near Cabins, and on the South end at Rt. 220 near

Upper Track.

WestVa-1.jpg


WestVa.jpg


There are some other routes on these maps that other people have talked about.

One that "luvtoride" talks about Howards Lick Rd. is not shown but the road lies bewteen

Rt. 259 South of Baker at Lost River State Park, and South Fork Rd. listed on the map above

North of Fort Seybert towards Moorefield.

Hope this helps ride safe.

Chuck

 
US Route 50 between Morgantown and the Virginia/Maryland border is a must.
I was just on US 50 and it was a bit of a bugger on the first pass going east, east of Fellowsville/Isreal (patched the road and its is really lame) but after that its is of course awesome until you get past Cathedral State park (anyone eaten at that resturant there??). I would also avoid SR 250 near Fairmont (I-79) particularly during buisness time (M-F 9-5) its is pretty lame.

I'm going to be riding W.V. this coming weekend and I need some help finding Smoke Hole RD.Can someone help me locate it on a Rand Mcnally map?
If my new tires show up and get mounted, I can help you find it. you might also ask WVFJR (Bill). Its a day long for either of us to get from morgantown to there but it is a great road (or so i hear). Hopin the tires show by Wednesday, i just dont have enough tread left to make that ride otherwise :angry: By the way put away those old paper maps Slowride, you can just google map "smoke hole Road" or Seneca Rocks National Reccreation Area :)

Here i didi it for ya...clicky clicky

 
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Thanks Guys,I've heard a lot about that road and I sure wanted to ride it since I'm going to be in the area.

BTW,I'll be coming from the South.I'm gonna ride between the three deepest Gorges in the Eastern U.S.;The Breaks Interstate Park,New River and the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania.28 was on my route so I'll be in the area.Thanks again.

 
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