September 20, 2013

September 20, 2013

When the dam was built on the Gauley River, it flooded the town of Gad, West Virginia. By normal practice, it should have been named Gad Dam. That is also kind of how I am feeling. It rained all night, and our little home is not so water tight anymore. I think all the joints have expanded and loosened under the Tucson sun and heat. I need to caulk all the windows and corners when we get home.

The high humidity combined with the cold water off the dam is causing the whole area to be dark and enclosed in fog. Atop the dam we don’t see any evidence of a river below. I am glad we aren’t rafting today. We leave the Gauley and travel south back to the New River stopping at the Grandview Overlook. Here we have a great vista of a large bend in the New River. We can easily see the rail line that still runs along the bottom of the gorge. It opened up travel and industry to West Virginia in 1873. We continue on to the Sandstone Visitor Center where we learn more about the history of the gorge.

We follow the New River south to its junction with the Bluestone. The Bluestone is another National Scenic River. Two State Parks lie at either end. At Pipestem State Park we take a gondola ride down to the river. The Bluestone, while scenic, is a tiny river, more of an overgrown stream.
Since rain is still in the forecast we continue following the New River south as it cuts across the Appalachians, crossing into Virginia.