Adventures in West Virginia
For spring break we rented a cabin in rural West Virginia so that we could kick back, enjoy nature and do some hiking, biking, etc.
Day 1:
Drive 3.5 hrs to the cabin, Jonathan and the girls take a spin with Sierra's bike while I get our stuff put away in the cabin.
Day 2:
WINDY!!! We hike up to the top of the spectacular rocks which we can see out the front windows of our cabin. We don't stay long because we are afraid we will blow off! After Evi's nap we head off in the car to a hike listed in the "helpful book" in our cabin. After realizing that several of the directions in the book are wrong, we end up in a cool (different) place anyway and take a short hike along a creek by a primitive campground. Luckily in this next valley over from where out cabin is, it's not windy, and much warmer.
Day 3:
We hike first thing in the morning on a different trail from our cabin. It's pretty steep up to an overlook and Sierra hikes the whole way on her own (3/4 mi.?) She's tired so rides in the backpack on the way down. Evi takes her nap and then we head off in yet a different direction to find another cool hike to a waterfall. Once again our trusty book leads us in the wrong direction, but we don't figure out that we are in the wrong place until after Sierra and I have already crashed into the stream. (I'm "helping" Sierra cross on the stepping stones when my foot slips and in we both go! I'm wet up to my knees, Sierra is pretty much soaked from head to toe) At that point, shortly after getting the wet clothes off and something else reasonably dry on (at least for Sierra--I didn't have any dry clothes along for myself), we realize the trailhead we parked at is for a hike up to the top of a mountain, not along a stream. After you tell a 4 yr old that you're taking a hike along a stream to a waterfall, it's a little bit difficult to convince them that they want to climb a mountain, especially when they already climbed a mountain that morning. Sooo.... we climb back in the car and end up driving a full 40-45 minutes to the place where we should have gone in the first place. Luckily along the way Jonathan is able to hold Sierra's wet jeans out of the window and they are completely dry by the time we arrive at the correct trailhead. After all of that trauma, Sierra proceeds to hike the entire time, never asking once to get into the backpack. We calculate it as about 6 miles total. Evi hikes probably 2 of those miles on her own two feet as well, and the only reason she doesn't hike more is that at the end it's starting to get dark and we needed to hoof it a bit to get out of there, so we scoop her up (she lets us know in no uncertain terms that this is against her will) and I cart her on my back. Both girls fall asleep in the car on the way home and don't even stir when we arrive at the cabin, so we put them both straight to bed hoping that they are ok without dinner--fortunately they've had a substantial snack on the hike so we're sure they won't starve. Our stress is highly raised by the fact that we have traveled approximately 50 miles more than we intended to, and the van is running on fumes. We discover that you can't count on gas stations in rural WV to be open after 7pm (or perhaps after 5pm--we don't really know), not that it matters if you forget to bring your wallet along on the hike anyway....
Day 4:
In the morning we throw rocks in the stream by our cabin. In the afternoon we GET GAS(!!!) and head to the Smoke Hole Caverns near our cabin, since the forecast is for rain. (In the end, it never rains and that afternoon turns out to be the warmest afternoon of our whole stay! Oh well....) The caverns are spectacular, and both girls enjoy the tour--we're the only ones there, so we get the guide all to ourselves. This is convenient for creating a "custom tour" tailored for very tiny visitors! In the evening Sierra isn't feeling very well, but we manage to pull the forces together and make a bonfire in one of the fire pits near our cabin and we roast marshmallows and hot dogs.
Day 5:
Our idea is to bike up in the Dolly Sods Wilderness area, but it is too cold up there, and we chicken out. Then we attempt to hike at Seneca Rocks, but after a rather extensive ordeal trying to mobilize the girls (isn't this supposed to be fun??) we make it about 100 yds from the van, stop to eat our picnic lunch (originally envisioned for eating at the top of Seneca Rocks)and then we go back to the van and return to the cabin. It turns out to be a good decision, as later that afternoon Sierra spikes a temperature of 103. We have a low key afternoon at the cabin, reading books and hanging out. The heat in the main part of the cabin is a gas fireplace, run by a light switch. Evi's favorite thing to do is stand below the switch shouting "Fire, ON!!!"
Day 6:
Sierra's feeling a bit better and we pack up and head for home. A good time has been had by all!
Day 1:
Drive 3.5 hrs to the cabin, Jonathan and the girls take a spin with Sierra's bike while I get our stuff put away in the cabin.
Day 2:
WINDY!!! We hike up to the top of the spectacular rocks which we can see out the front windows of our cabin. We don't stay long because we are afraid we will blow off! After Evi's nap we head off in the car to a hike listed in the "helpful book" in our cabin. After realizing that several of the directions in the book are wrong, we end up in a cool (different) place anyway and take a short hike along a creek by a primitive campground. Luckily in this next valley over from where out cabin is, it's not windy, and much warmer.
Day 3:
We hike first thing in the morning on a different trail from our cabin. It's pretty steep up to an overlook and Sierra hikes the whole way on her own (3/4 mi.?) She's tired so rides in the backpack on the way down. Evi takes her nap and then we head off in yet a different direction to find another cool hike to a waterfall. Once again our trusty book leads us in the wrong direction, but we don't figure out that we are in the wrong place until after Sierra and I have already crashed into the stream. (I'm "helping" Sierra cross on the stepping stones when my foot slips and in we both go! I'm wet up to my knees, Sierra is pretty much soaked from head to toe) At that point, shortly after getting the wet clothes off and something else reasonably dry on (at least for Sierra--I didn't have any dry clothes along for myself), we realize the trailhead we parked at is for a hike up to the top of a mountain, not along a stream. After you tell a 4 yr old that you're taking a hike along a stream to a waterfall, it's a little bit difficult to convince them that they want to climb a mountain, especially when they already climbed a mountain that morning. Sooo.... we climb back in the car and end up driving a full 40-45 minutes to the place where we should have gone in the first place. Luckily along the way Jonathan is able to hold Sierra's wet jeans out of the window and they are completely dry by the time we arrive at the correct trailhead. After all of that trauma, Sierra proceeds to hike the entire time, never asking once to get into the backpack. We calculate it as about 6 miles total. Evi hikes probably 2 of those miles on her own two feet as well, and the only reason she doesn't hike more is that at the end it's starting to get dark and we needed to hoof it a bit to get out of there, so we scoop her up (she lets us know in no uncertain terms that this is against her will) and I cart her on my back. Both girls fall asleep in the car on the way home and don't even stir when we arrive at the cabin, so we put them both straight to bed hoping that they are ok without dinner--fortunately they've had a substantial snack on the hike so we're sure they won't starve. Our stress is highly raised by the fact that we have traveled approximately 50 miles more than we intended to, and the van is running on fumes. We discover that you can't count on gas stations in rural WV to be open after 7pm (or perhaps after 5pm--we don't really know), not that it matters if you forget to bring your wallet along on the hike anyway....
Day 4:
In the morning we throw rocks in the stream by our cabin. In the afternoon we GET GAS(!!!) and head to the Smoke Hole Caverns near our cabin, since the forecast is for rain. (In the end, it never rains and that afternoon turns out to be the warmest afternoon of our whole stay! Oh well....) The caverns are spectacular, and both girls enjoy the tour--we're the only ones there, so we get the guide all to ourselves. This is convenient for creating a "custom tour" tailored for very tiny visitors! In the evening Sierra isn't feeling very well, but we manage to pull the forces together and make a bonfire in one of the fire pits near our cabin and we roast marshmallows and hot dogs.
Day 5:
Our idea is to bike up in the Dolly Sods Wilderness area, but it is too cold up there, and we chicken out. Then we attempt to hike at Seneca Rocks, but after a rather extensive ordeal trying to mobilize the girls (isn't this supposed to be fun??) we make it about 100 yds from the van, stop to eat our picnic lunch (originally envisioned for eating at the top of Seneca Rocks)and then we go back to the van and return to the cabin. It turns out to be a good decision, as later that afternoon Sierra spikes a temperature of 103. We have a low key afternoon at the cabin, reading books and hanging out. The heat in the main part of the cabin is a gas fireplace, run by a light switch. Evi's favorite thing to do is stand below the switch shouting "Fire, ON!!!"
Day 6:
Sierra's feeling a bit better and we pack up and head for home. A good time has been had by all!
posted by BB at 4:04 AM
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