When we left Virginia almost two years ago, it was with the intent of homesteading in Colorado. However, as we traversed the country, we decided to put that plan on hold to do some exploring. After all, when might we have another opportunity to do so in the future?

We decided after a little over a year in Florida, it was time to pursue our original intent. We have altered our plans, deciding that West Virginia is a better fit for us than Colorado. So, in June, we packed up and headed to West Virginia. Our plan for this summer is to scope out potential properties and potential job opportunities.

Our great friends, Joe and Jenny, offered to let us stay with them while we looked for property. We timed our departure from Florida to coincide with their wedding. We made the trip to West Virginia in one shot, giving us a day to relax before heading to Pennsylvania for the wedding.

We had not been able to enjoy the view on the way to West Virginia, as it was dark before we reached the mountains. However, driving to Pennsylvania was an entirely different experience, with spectacular scenery most of the way.

After touching base with Joe and Jenny and exploring the wedding venue, we headed to our vacation rental only two miles away. “The Cabin” was a great place to spend the weekend. We found a local restaurant, Braddock’s Inn, and had a lovely dinner. The wild turkeys we saw on our way were delightful.

After dropping off our leftovers at the cabin, we headed back to the wedding venue to visit with Joe and Jenny for the evening. Backing out of the driveway, we ended up going in the wrong direction. The GPS re-routed us, so we didn’t bother to turn around. Instead, we wound our way down a little dirt road. As we drove, we saw more wild turkeys on the hillside. As we turned back on the main road, a fox ran in front of us. We enjoyed the benefits of our wrong turn.

The wedding festivities took up the next day. It was a beautiful ceremony, followed by a fantastic party, and we had a blast.

As I scanned the information available at our cabin, I discovered a state park nearby. When I realized there were waterfalls and an overlook not requiring a hike, I knew we had to check it out before heading back to West Virginia. We were not disappointed.

After only a ten-minute drive, we arrived at Ohiopyle State Park. We decided to start at the top of the mountain, at Baughman Rock Overlook. There was a short walk from the car to the vista with a huge payoff. The view of the Youghiogheny River Gorge was spectacular, even more so after spending the last 16 months in Florida with no mountains.

We went back down the mountain to Ohiopyle Falls. The Youghiogheny River runs along the edge of Ohiopyle, where the falls stretch across the width of the river. We enjoyed the view from three different vantage points. From the informative signage along the path, we learned that George Washington attempted to ride the river to what is now Pittsburgh but had to abandon the plan and continue on land when they found the 20-foot falls. I always feel a sense of awe when walking in the footsteps of our forefathers.

Our final stop before returning home was around the corner. Parking for Cucumber Falls was tricky, with a small and full parking lot beside the road. We managed to find a space, but I’m not sure if it was an actual parking spot.

We walked across the bridge and soon found ourselves face-to-face with the 30-foot bridal veil waterfall. It was gorgeous. A path led to the bottom of the falls, where we could see people rock hopping in the stream. Unfortunately, I did not have the right shoes on for that.  There was much more to explore at Ohiopyle State Park, but we didn’t have the time to spend this trip. I did appreciate that Pennsylvania does not charge an entrance fee to enjoy their parks, something I have not seen before.

We enjoyed the scenery as we drove up and over the mountain on a winding country road. After turning onto the highway towards home, traffic stopped in front of us. There was a spotted fawn standing in the middle of the road. He was precious. Everyone patiently waited for him to be on his way into the woods.

One of the most spectacular views we had on the trip came further down that road. As we crested the top of the mountain, the sky opened up to a gorgeous view of the valley below as we started the curvy, steep descent.

As we approached our home for the summer, Chris pulled into the visitor’s center for the New River Gorge National Park. The last time we visited the gorge was on our journey west before it became a national park.  While the visitor center was nice with a lovely view, I much prefer the winding mountain road that leads down into the gorge and then back out.

Once back home, we enjoyed watching the birds on the back porch. When the hawk flew in and landed on the porch rail, we knew we were in the right place.