Wayne came home from a sale in Pennsylvania late one Saturday evening a couple weeks ago; one they'd worked hard on for months. He'd been gone since Thursday morning so we were anxious to see each other. He was tired but had so much to share! So we pulled out folding chairs and set them in the garage to watch the big drops of rain fall in the night sky. It was the weekend that we got 5-1/4" of rain in two days and it was still going. He told me all about the sale and we got caught up. Between his busy season, being newly married, and traveling home to Ohio, we felt like we needed to catch our breath a bit. So he said, "Let's get away next weekend. Find something and book it!"
So we did! After considering the New River Gorge and looking for accommodations available for the same week we settled a cabin in Seneca Rocks! [[ Seneca Rocks is a peak over the Potomac River in the northern region of the Allegheny Mountains and just a 2-1/2 hour drive from us. ]]
It rained all day Friday. But you know that feeling when you're getting ready to go away... there's nothing better. So I got ready to go, packed our bags and we left late Friday afternoon when Wayne got home for a beautiful rainy summer drive.
If you'd like to take the trip along with me, here's a mountainesque playlist I've been enjoying: Summer Acoustic Playlist
DAY 1 - FRIDAY
The was an absolutely beautiful trip - lush, tree covered mountains, clouds like smoke resting around the horizons and fresh mountain air.
When we arrived to our reservation: The North Fork Mountain Inn - 7-1/2 miles into a lonesome road, we stepped out of the truck to look up at a beautiful lodge nestled quite aways up the mountain. Just what we bargained for. The inn keepers of the cabin are the sweetest couple who made our trip feel like we were at Grandma's place. There was a jar of cookies on the counter and such a sweet, personal touch. We stayed in the North Fork Mountain Room with a fireplace and front porch that had a breathtaking view of the mountainscape.
Carol made us a delicious dinner served around the dining room table as we got to know other guests including a couple from Singapore and a young man from Kenya. It rained all night and morning.
DAY 2 - SATURDAY
After a delicious breakfast, we put on our boots and ball caps, coffee in hand, and headed out to the Caverns. [[ Smoke Hole Caverns, just a short drive down the road, is a landmark cave in West Virginia famous for housing Seneca Indians who used it to smoke wild game and early settlers after the Civil War who found it suitable for making moonshine. ;) ]] It was quite an amazing scene!
We were out of gas so afterwards, we went on a search for the nearest gas station and stumbled upon Harpers Old Country Store, where we had lunch on the second floor porch with a view of Seneca Rocks. The weather was clearing up and the cool mountain air was such a treat - I had a hot apple dumpling for dessert! When we told our waitress we were hoping the take a horseback ride up the mountain Sunday, she offered to book it for us. We filled up in front of the store at some rustic, old fashioned pumps we didn't realize were in service until we asked where we could get gas nearby! Such a sweet little place.
The sun came out and we decided to take the 2 miles hike from our cabin to see a view of the valley and oh, was it breathtaking!
DAY 3- SUNDAY
Sunday turned out to be beautiful and sunny, we spent a long morning relaxing at the cabin and then made the trip up to Seneca Rocks on horseback. It was absolutely stunning and filled both of our hearts.
I fall in love with West Virginia a little more everyday. We are constantly driving through beautiful hill country with rivers running through it and on this trip I felt so lucky that such beautiful mountains are so close to us. The scenery and fresh air are one of my favorite landscapes. It really is Wild and Wonderful.
