A LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN

Our initial visit to Seneca Rocks, West Virginia, was absolutely breathtaking. Despite having traversed this state numerous times before, I had never truly immersed myself in its wonders until now. The “mountain state” exceeded all expectations, and the photos I captured fail to do justice to its stunning beauty. Without a doubt, we are already planning to make a return trip to this extraordinary state in the near future. It’s clear that we only just began to uncover the plethora of experiences that West Virginia has to offer.

We broke the trip up because we prefer driving for no more than 3 hours at a time to give the animals a break. We found a place to stay halfway using Harvest Hosts/Boondocker’s Welcome, just outside of Parkersburg, WV. The spot was nice, but there was some confusion with the host, which seems to be the norm. We’ve used Harvest Host 3 times in total, with good experiences, but I’m not sure if I will renew it in October. Both times, the owner asked us to text 30 minutes before we arrived, which was challenging due to sketchy cell service in dead zones. Although it saved us when we got evacuated from our camping spot in Florida, we may not use it enough to justify the $150 subscription fee. We may have to learn to overnight in parking lots or Love’s, whether the dogs like it or not.

As we drove through the winding roads climbing the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, every turn revealed a more beautiful view. The final leg, following part of the Seneca Skyway, offered spectacular views at every turn. Then, as we turned, Seneca Rocks came into view and I literally got goosebumps. We were staying at the Seneca Shadows Campground, where the Rocks were clearly visible. There was absolutely no internet or cell service, but more on that later.

When you enter the Seneca Rocks / Spruce Knob recreation area, get ready to embrace your inner explorer, because you’re smack dab in the middle of nowhere, at the crossroads of US-33 and US-55, with Seneca Rocks looming ahead. On the left, there’s the Climbing School, and on the right, you’ve got Harper’s Old Country Store, run by the friendliest family in the business since 1902. Keith managed to charm the owner, who gave him the grand tour, sharing tales of the store’s history (he’s quite the charmer, that one). At 90 years old, she didn’t look or act her age, making us all wonder what her secret was. Sharing the same corner is Yokum’s Store and Grill, where, if you’re into sweet chili, you absolutely have to try their chili dogs – seriously tasty stuff. Now, here’s the big secret we only found out on our last night at the campground: you don’t have to endure a 20 or 30-minute drive to hunt down cell service for checking in at home or checking the weather. If you’re staying at Seneca Shadows Campground (which, by the way, is a gem), just take a leisurely 5-10-minute stroll to the tent camping area (loop F), and behold, there’s a path leading right down to Yokum’s – and they’ve got free WiFi, no less! I mean, seriously, why didn’t anyone tell us this on day one? It’s actually quicker to walk there than to drive, what with all the hills and twists and turns.

If you’re in a hurry, you might as well pack a picnic and treat it like a leisurely Sunday drive, because reaching anywhere quickly in the mountains is about as likely as finding a unicorn with a GPS. The map might say it’s just 15 miles away, but go ahead and schedule a 30 to 45-minute detour, considering the twisty, steep, unpaved roads where getting lost is practically a given. And if you’re lucky, you might discover the secret shortcut – or at least avoid the wrath of the local toll troll. Our grand plan to fish at Spruce Knob Lake took a hilarious turn when the road turned out to be a pothole obstacle course, and we realized that a one-day fishing license could cost more than a fancy dinner. So, we settled for admiring the views of Spruce Knob and took a stroll along the lake trail, charming anglers with our well-behaved pets – to our disbelief. Despite the slow and bumpy ride, this quirky little excursion is definitely worth the trip – just make sure to pack your sense of humor along with your snacks.

Not hiking to Seneca Rocks was not at all in the plan, but once we got there, we looked up at the climb and unanimously decided that our dogs were not aspiring mountaineers. We were pretty sure that the ascent would either kill us or crank up our grumpiness to maximum levels, so we wisely chose to give it a pass. In hindsight, four miles of steep terrain doesn’t sound too bad, but at the time it felt like scaling Everest. I even had grand plans of taking a horse ride up instead, only to find out that the stables were closed. Of course, they were only open Thursday through Sunday, and we were there Sunday through Thursday. I briefly entertained the idea of trying on Thursday, but stormy weather had other ideas. So, we packed up and made a dash for home, hoping to dodge both Memorial Day traffic and impending thunderstorms. Next time, though, mark my words: I’m getting to the top, even if I have to ride in on a unicorn. Keith, bless his heart, is determined to find a way to spare his poor back from the torture of steep hills. We’ve got a cunning plan involving trekking poles in our local hilly areas. Watch out, Seneca Rocks, we’ll be back, and this time we mean business!

All was not lost at Seneca Rocks, despite our best efforts to visit the closed Discovery Center, the mystical “Thursday through Sunday” phenomenon. Undeterred, we embarked on a grand hiking adventure, discovering hidden paths and stumbling upon the fabled swimming hole. As fate would have it, our canine companions regarded it as paradise on earth, while TT the cat deemed it the height of absurdity. The sheer delight of the dogs only served to fuel TT’s irritation, her irritation subsided at the campground once she got to kill a few butterflies and chase a chipmunk.

We had a wonderful trip and would like to return there in the future, maybe a longer West Virginia trip next time starting in the Seneca Rocks region and ending up at New River Gorge. We did change up a few things this time around and it did make the trip more enjoyable. They were all so simple changes but every little thing you do that makes it easier when you are away from home is a plus.

Here were are our winning changes this time around:

Taking the car can be a hassle, but the payoff is worth it, so it will become the new norm.

I used the Instapot this time and it was great. I made Beef Stew, which we had for dinner two nights. It worked better than the propane burner, which we didn’t use at all.

The CampChef Deluxe outdoor oven is a game changer. I made frozen pizzas and cornbread to go with the stew, and it’s now our go-to cooking method. With this and the Instapot, we should be able to eat well on the road.

Downloaded all the GPS maps we needed – we would have been lost without them. After learning about the lack of cell service, I realized it was a necessity.

Then there is everything we need to improve, we gotta move the bed because climbing over Keith in the middle of the night almost proved fatal when I slipped and whacked my hip on the kitchen counter, my ninja moves need to improve or we have gotta move the bed. The bifold doors, they really need to be addressed.

On to the next adventure – we have canceled our Michigan UP trip and have scheduled an Ohio fishing trip instead to an area we have not explored yet. Pymantunig State Park in Ohio, we will see you soon, I am excited because there are tons of things I want to do in this area or on the way so it should be a fun trip.