Scenic Drive

It was a beautiful fall day-the sky shone bright blue, clouds dotted the horizon, the sun was brilliantly shining off of amber trees-it was a sight to behold.  As we drove, the view improved. The trees were covered in golden, red, orange and some yet unchanged leaves. There were rolling hills offset with fields, quaint farm houses nestled in valleys and horses roaming open plains. Miles and miles passed and still, the sight continued. Where was this picturesque paradise? The farmlands of Wisconsin? Northern England? Somewhere out East? No. It was West Virginia.

Now West Virginia receives a lot of flak for being, well, West Virginia. I’ve driven through parts of West Virginia before, but not on this road. We were on Hwy 35 driving from OH through Charleston when we beheld this marvelous stretch of American Road. When the scenic view ended, we were also surprised to see how picturesque Charleston, WV was. The capital was built along the Kanawha River and cut into the Appalachians. There are dozens of bridges spanning the river, guiding traffic to opposite banks of the city. The freeway wound through the city giving drivers and passengers gorgeous views of both sides of the town. As we were leaving the city, the capitol building greeted us, a beautiful dome rising above the river. I really wanted to stop and walk around the city. I have to admit, I can’t wait to drive back this way in a week. I don’t know if I’ve ever been so surprised going someplace (sorry if there are any West Virginians reading this; I mean no offense). It was seriously one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever taken.

What I learned: Despite it's reputation, West Virginia is at least a beautiful state to drive through.