Sunday, January 27, 2008

A Trip Down the Turnpike

This weekend I traveled a couple of hours to see my brother and his family in Beckley, West Virginia. My route included the West Virginia Turnpike. A pleasurable and scenic hour drive. "The Turnpike" as locals call it was once a treacherous two lane road with many curves and a tunnel through the mountain. Built in 1952 it has only been since 1986 that it was upgraded to Interstate standards. I have traveled it more times in my life than probably any other roadway. It was the gateway between my family home in West Virginia and my then home in Virginia. Fifteen years were traveled when it was that treacherous two lane. The old saying, "I survived the West Virginia Turnpike" was around for years. I guess you could say I survived it many times. I marvel at the construction that had to be done to make this roadway. The cutting through the mountains and rock must have been difficult to say the least. I marvel at the rock landscape beside the highway - the texture and roughness and beauty as well. It always tugs at my heart that these West Virginia mountains are "mine. " This weekend's travels reminded me how good it is indeed to be "home.



It has still been very cold here as is evidenced by the ice on the rock cliffs along the highway. This particular shot reminded me of flowing milk over barren ground and look at that blue sky - a beautiful day!

2 comments:

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

I traveled The WV Turnpike last year in a pouring rain when going to VA. Thankfully it was nice and sunny on the trip back. The picture do show how cold it has been.

Anna said...

I have been on that stretch! I am from Louisville originally then lived in Richmond VA for awhile...I traveled through Beckley A LOT going to see family!

Have a good week!