Weekend in Canaan - May 4-7
May 9, 2006
Just a quick update from Canaan. We spent this past weekend up in the Valley - first trip up since the last weekend in March. Spring is just getting started up there - about 4 weeks behind where it's at in NVA. A few leaves, lots of buds, but mostly greys and browns. Temps were a little warmer than I recall from the last several years - though we did hit the low 30s Sunday morning.
Mostly took it easy this weekend. Took my daughter bungee-jumping at Canaan Valley State Park, played some putt-putt, and enjoyed some Sirianis pizza. I got a decent 9 mile mountain bike ride over at CVSP, but managed to pull something in my knee, so I'm limping now.
We drove up to Pointy Knob to check out some lots 4 sale there, and saw the house that blew up. All I can say is WOW. It looks all normal from the front, but the entire back wall of the house is gone now, roof sagging, and debris all over the backyard. Some beautiful homes up there, but access could be a problem in the winter - there is a 400-500 foot climb on a switchbacked gravel road to get up to a high plateau at 3700' where the development is. Great views.
Back in Davis, there seems to be some fairly major construction going on both sides of the blue bridge over the Blackwater - any ideas what is going on there?
Also, on 93 a couple miles outside of town they broke ground on a new juvenile detention center. According to the Parsons Advocate the center is expected to bring in 100 new jobs to the county. Prisons and strip mines continue to be staples of the West VA economy.
Once we came down Allegheny Front at Scherr, Spring was in full swing. Certainly as green as things are back home. What a difference a couple thousand feet of elevation make.
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Prisons and strip mines continue to be staples of the West VA economy.
AMEN to that one!!!! It is a sad thing that it is where a good deal of our new jobs are coming from but.....what are ya going to do??
I was there the previous weekend and will be back on the 12th. It seems they are preparing to build a new bridge over the Blackwater although the person I spoke to was little vague. It would make sense in as much as the current bridge is very narrow.
Pointy Knob is quite a climb and I have been told not only difficult to reach in the winter but very cold and windy. It is very exposed with little by way of a wind break. But it certainly does have nice view.
I bought a lot at a new development called Canaan Heights Estates. It is on top of the mountain, just off 32, leading out the valley toward Davis. As with most things there, you pay a premium for the view and it does have quite a view. I have waited to buy this particular view for about 20 years and it finally came on the market. If anyone is in the market for land you might want to look at this property. Pricey but it should hold its value.
tgd,
Yes, the construction at the Blackwater is for replacement of the iron bridge.
And the new detention center is a replacement for the center currently located on the road to Blackwater State Park.
Dave
tgd, we owned a lot at pointy knob for several years...sold it for a variety of reasons, one of which was the road in winter. Those swithbacks on northfacing road stay ice all winter. It's not the trip up the hill but the slide down that'll get ya. Then there is the fog... I drove up there on a typical rainy/drizzle day and couldn't find my way to our lot. Talk about pea soup! And in winter there is the NW winds and drifting. This makes it an issue of if the road is open now, it won't be when I come back. So we sold, made some buckage and are looking again for what we really want. Will know that when we see it.
access, access, access.... That's what my b-in-law keeps telling me everytime he comes up to our place. We are mountainside at Tline - but bottom of the mountain. No views but front-wheel drive is never a problem getting to my house. Love the views up top of Tline on a clear day - trouble is there are more days of fog, wind, ice and snow than clear and sun. Had to shuttle folks up to upper ridge road during the t-giving blizzard this past FALL(!). Man, even with my V8 powered monster Chevy 4wd it was no bargain getting up that mountain (or sliding back down).
Have to be aware of what "typical" weather is when buying any mountain property. I'll never buy a place on a beautiful sunny day. Go when the wind's blowing, snow's flying, and plows should be plowing. I like to drive into the snow! What's worse than driving 4 hours to the mountains and not be able to get up to your house? Being at your house after a major powder dump and NOT being able to get to the ski slopes.
