Monday, October 18, 2010

Weekend in West (by God) Virginia

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off


Well, between trips to the Czech Republic and Norway I do get time for domestic activity. A couple of weekends ago the Good Mrs Taylor and I ventured down to West (by God) Virginia to help move the Daughter from Marlington to Elkins. Her year with AmeriCorps doing work with the US Forest Service is over and she is doing a second year with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. It's good experience for her but they pay really sucks, but the tuition benefit really helps.

Anyway, after we filled the two cars with her "stuff" we attended the annual "Autumn Harvest Festival and Road Kill Cook-off". Now, Marlington is a quaint little town tucked up in the Black Mountain range at the heart of Pocahontas County in the Monongahela National Forest. It is beautiful country populated with friendly salt of the earth people. I am glad my Daughter got to spend a year in such a fine place, the experience of living in a small American village will make a huge difference in her life, she just does not know it yet.

On to the Pictures!!

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

This is downtown Marlington during the great festival itself. I read that there were more than 18,000 people here for the day including one of the candidates for Governor who showed up on a motorcycle and glad handed folks. I was in line for some road kill when he arrived, being in the opposite party as he I gave him no mind.

There were many vendors there hawking everything from pastries, taco's, paintings, antiques and even tie dyed shirts.

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

Also Quilts, lots of quilts. I am guessing this is what the women folk around these parts do in their spare time based on the huge variety of quilts that were for sale. They were all works of art and I am sure took a lot of time to produce.

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

Wood products a plenty too from bird houses with and without the NASCAR paint to slap wood furniture. Lots of wood stuff. I am guessing that while the women are Quilting the men are in the shops working with their Wood!!

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

And since we are in West (by God) Virginia you have to have something that shoots!! Here we have mashmallow shooters, just for the kids since the grownups here about are all carrying the kids should too!!

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

Now on to the food, the Road Kill. Now this stuff was given out in very small sample size cups. You paid on price (I think it was just $12.00 an adult) and you could visit and sample any of the stands that had Road Kill. You received tickets too that you used to "vote" for the best beast chow.

This place got into the theme they presented even the cooks and handy-men dishing the chow were dressed up for the part, very classy.

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off
From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off
From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

This place was offering a wild Boar Stew and the stock was prepared with sassafras root, here is proof!!

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off
From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

The pancake at this place was really good but the venison sausage was tasteless.

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

All in all the Road Kill was interesting. Besides the Venison and Boar there was some Bear, Frog Legs and some Pheasant (although by the time we got in line they had shifted over to handing out plain ole chicken). After the Eats were done we loaded up into the two cars and headed out
of town towards Elkins which lies less than 90 miles north of Marlington. Now, usually a ride that short would take no more than 2-hours but Amanda had other plans!!

Here you can see Amanda briefing the Ole Man on our route. She had a Fores Service map that was to die for. I had one of the free DOT maps handed out at the road side rest. Can you say Map Envy!!

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

Here are a couple of shots from on top of the Black Mountains. In the one picture I am pretty certain you can see Virginia way out there in the distance.

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off
From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

This is the Ranger Station that Amanda worked out of for most of her year down here.

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

While driving up Rte. 92 we happened upon this huge metal object out there in the woods.

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

Upon closer inspection, yeah its the very large radio telescope at Green Bank. More on this place in a future post. It is an immence structure all built on a wheeled track that allows them to not only aim the telescope in elevation but also in azmiuth as well. And when I say huge, the dish is 100 meters by 110 meters (that's 330 feet by 360 feet).

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

The Good Wife got a kick out of the little Alien sign, they do lease out time on this beast to SETI and that is what they are all about.

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

Windmills were all the rage as well. These were really close to the road which ran on the top of the ridge line in the mountian complex north of Elkins.

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off
We saw these on our drive north back to PA.

You can see another stand accross the valley.

From Autumn Harvest and Road Kill Cook-Off

All in all a nice weekend. I love the moto that they used for the state, "the Wild and Wonderful" and both are true.

BT: Jimmy T sends.

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