[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by Bosozoku

Fantastic travelogue!
Keep up the great work, Rick.

Bosozoku,

I'll do my best!

Seriously, I love taking these trips and writing them up, and I look forward to many more.

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by Romo

I`m so thankful to see al these beautiful pics, those wonderful stories.

Since I`m very interested in American history, I could read these threads all day long.

The landscapes, the houses, the people of those days, and see how time is catching up on them, on us, see how all things just fade away in time and become history, it makes me feel small and humble.

Just thank you again for this magnificent insight in US history, the main reason I`m on this forum is I love BMW, but ex equo are these treats from Rick F.

There will be a day I`m going to visit this beautiful country of yours, I want to see it through my own, European, eyes!

Romo,

I'm really glad that you enjoy the trip reports and the U.S. history that they include! It is humbling to think of all the people and places that have come before us, flourished, and then declined.

My wife Nancy has been to The Netherlands, but I haven't. One of these years! And best wishes for your own plans to visit the U.S.!

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by Ian_N54

Nice pics! I love wv but the accents are so thick. Spent a few nights in a hotel there not long ago.

Originally Posted by Ian_N54

There's some scenic route thru wv around Charleston I wanted to go hit up later after suspension work

Ian,

Thanks!

I'll confess that I haven't noticed the West Virginia accents all that much, perhaps because I lived in Morgantown during my formative ages of 1 1/2 to 5 1/2.

As for interesting and scenic routes in West Virginia, I'm tempted to say that every single road in the State qualifies. But some are even lots better than the WV average. Have a great time!

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by Versipellis

I LOVE your trip logs!

Versipellis,

And I LOVE positive feedback! Thanks much, and I'm glad you liked the report.

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by .BMW.

Great write up with beautiful photos.

Thanks for sharing!

.BMW.,

Du är välkommen!

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by johnson47376

Great photos! Some people don't even know West Virginia is its own state. I'm glad to see the recognition. lol. I'm a born and raised West Virginia boy. I just moved to Virginia and always enjoy my trips home to visit family for this very reason; the views and roads. You just missed my stomping grounds of Moundsville and Wheeling. Moundsville has a old penitentiary that can be toured which once held Charles Mason and the city itself is named for the native american burial mound; the Grave Creek Mound. Lots to find in WV! Keep them coming!

johnson47376,

Wait, what?? You're telling me that West Virginia is no longer part of Virginia?

Well, I never…!

Seriously, I'm glad you enjoyed the write-up. I've actually been to Moundsville before, and I thoroughly enjoyed looking around the area (see [url=http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1041689[The Castles and Palaces of West Virginia[/url]. But I haven't toured the penitentiary yet, so I need to go back.

All the best,

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by ando

Another great photo journal. Thanks for sharing.

ando,

Thanks, and you're quite welcome!

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by cracing

Thank you for sharing BMW road trip/history/pictures with us, definitely want to do this in the near future!

cracing,

BMWs are great fun to drive, of course, and we also spend a lot of time modifying and polishing the daylights out of them. But they're also extremely good at taking us to fascinating places. So, by all means, see what interesting and/or scenic places you can find in your car!

Rick

PS: When you do, be sure to share a picture or two with us. Or, if you get carried away like me, you can share 100-150 of them…

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by MSCD

Rick, I really enjoy the stories and photos, I grew up in the UK and live outside of Philadelphia now. Looking forward to taking our convertible on road trips like these. Thank you!

MSCD,

Thanks! One of the great things about a convertible is that you can see out of the car a lot better. I can't tell you how many times I've been driving along with the top down and spotted the ruins of some building or another up on the side of a hill. With the top up, I'd never have noticed these places.

Another time, I was driving alongside a stream at about 30 mph when a Great Blue Heron flew directly overtop of me, from behind my car to in front of it. It was a wonderful sight, and he was making remarkably good time.

So, definitely "See the U.S.A. in your cabriolet"!

Rick

[b1mmr]

Originally Posted by Rick F.

Ian,

Thanks!

I'll confess that I haven't noticed the West Virginia accents all that much, perhaps because I lived in Morgantown during my formative ages of 1 1/2 to 5 1/2.

As for interesting and scenic routes in West Virginia, I'm tempted to say that every single road in the State qualifies. But some are even lots better than the WV average. Have a great time!

Rick

Hehe you may have that accent then lol

It was this https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti..._Virginia.html

[Efthreeoh]

Rick, just to show we travel some of the same roads... here's a pic I grabbed while passing through Hundred, WV a few years ago on my way back from Wheeling...

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by Blipit_

Excellent work, very much enjoyed it.

Blipit,

Great, I'm very glad!

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by kdbryce

Long time, Rick. Great to see another one now that it's starting to get nice out!

Denton,

Greetings—it's good to hear from you!

In case you missed the prior one, be sure to check out Mansions in the Snow, and the Darker Side of History.

All the best,

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by spuntyb

Another gem. Thank you for this!

spuntyb,

Thanks much—I'm very glad that you enjoyed it!

The question is, should I have hung around inside the Flinderation Tunnel until midnight, to see whether the oft-reported strange noises and lights appeared??

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by BEMR

Epic post!

BEMR,

"Epic" seems like the right word, as in "long"! I couldn't bring myself to leave anything out. But then, I don't charge anything to people who use these reports as a sleep aid…

Seriously, I'm glad you liked it.

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by marcva

Your early shots of the farmland remind me of the drive out to Summit Point for DE days. On a drive out from the DC area, you hit scenic rolling farmland with wisps of fog in the valleys just as the sun is coming up. Definitely a great sensation that I'll always love as a part of the local DE ritual.

Marc,

Back in my Solo I and SCCA racing days, I made that drive myself many, many times--and it is quite scenic. There are also a lot of interesting places in the Summit Point vicinity: check out West Virginia and the Legend of Wizard Clip, for example.

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by Built My Way

Thank you. These are always a good read. Interesting how Washington fought against the French as a loyal British subject and then 20+ years later he's fighting with the French against the Brits.

Built My Way,

You're very welcome! Your comment about George Washington is right on.

Prior to his military days, Washington was a surveyor, and a great many of the places I've visited in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia were originally surveyed by him in the 1700s. He also bought quite a lot of land back then, some of which is still owned by Washington descendants.

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by raysspl

Undeniably one of the best road trip journals to date

raysspl,

Aw shucks! Seriously, I'm glad you found it interesting.

I recently read The Frontiersmen, by Allan Eckert. I knew there was a lot of strife between settlers and Native Americans west of the Allegheny Mountains and on both sides of the Ohio River, but I had no idea how absolutely vicious it was--by both groups. Later, the development of towns and industry in West Virginia was rapid, followed by an equally rapid economic decline that has largely continued to this day.

It all makes for a fascinating area to visit, and then there's the spectacular scenery…

Rick

[Needbmwpartzz]

Wow....fantastic read as always Rick.
Thanks for taking us on the journey with you,hopefully the BMW can handle all the abuse you throw its way for many more trips.

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by Ian_N54

Hehe you may have that accent then lol

It was this https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti..._Virginia.html

Ian,

Thanks for the link. That site looks like a great source for WV driving routes.

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Rick, just to show we travel some of the same roads... here's a pic I grabbed while passing through Hundred, WV a few years ago on my way back from Wheeling...

Efthreeoh,

When I take a trip through Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, or Delaware, I see other BMWs all the time. In West Virginia, not so much. Thus, I'm glad to hear that at least one other BMW has traveled along some of these remote roads!

Rick

[Rick F.]

Originally Posted by Needbmwpartzz

Wow....fantastic read as always Rick.
Thanks for taking us on the journey with you,hopefully the BMW can handle all the abuse you throw its way for many more trips.

Needbmwpartzz,

Thanks! I'm hopeful, too, that the 335i will last for many years to come. It seems to take every adventure in stride and without breaking a sweat (or any components).

That does remind me, however, that Spring Cleaning time is here. Time for a thorough wash (above and beneath), wax, interior cleaning and leather treatment, and top mechanism lube and seal treatment. I'd best get busy!

Rick