Day Odyssey Series: Ride to Cool Springs Park WV (May 14 2013)

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• published: 19 Jun 2013
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An incredible ride on US 50 into the wilds of wonderful West Virginia!! Check this out: Our destination here is a country store and parklike area known as Cool Springs Park (feel free to Google it), located on US 50 between Romney and Grafton WV. We've been visiting the store since the early 90s, but on this day, for the first time, we have a look around the park! All kinds of antique farm equipment and rusty classic cars-an American Picker's delight! Shame nothing runs-but that makes it more interesting. Also of some interest is the narrow gauge trackage in the park, holding some old rail equipment, including tank engines. Some furry and feathered creatures observe us as we look around! Then-a look around inside the store that carries both pipes and pantyhose, and everything in between...and I mean-EVERYTHING!! Some of the nicest folks work in the store, including a lady who recognized us from our last visit...in 1997!! Also, you'll see my lady breaking into someone's conversation...in sign language!! She's fluent in sign language due to learning as a child to communicate with her deaf mother (RIP Sept 2007). Absolutely amazing!! She saw these folks signing and thought she'd break in! And those folks claim to know her mom! A "must-see" for those with a big heart. But-getting there is half the fun! Beginning in Baltimore, our route takes us through Charles Town WV (where John Brown was tried and...), after which we get a glimpse of the former N&WRR station, Winchester and Gore VA (we look at trains), and back into WV where we pass thru Capon Bridge, Romney and a host of other places, not to mention numerous mountain crossings! We pass the birthplace of Nancy Hanks, who of course, was Abe Lincoln's mother! Then on to Saddle Mountain Overlook for a fantastic-albeit windy-view of the saddle! Anybody up for Walt Disney World? Watch the vid!! And, yeah, every place that has trains, we also hit! The return trip is equally interesting, over a different route. We visit Raccoon Valley and Tunnelton (preview vids already posted), see a CSX train (same one in preview), and check out the now-abandoned West Virginia Northern RR-now a sad site to see (yer' frog operated a train over this line in 1996-vid posted!). Another sad sight is the missing B&O; station in Terra Alta-long razed! Classic pic of it in the vid. Then back to MD where we pass through Oakland, Deep Creek Lake, Accident (YES-Accident!), Frostburg, Cumberland, Hancock and the like-before hitting I-70 back to the big city. Of interest here is passing over a continental divide (we also passed over it on US 50 but it wasn't marked). And...can't forget Negro Mountain! Can't make this stuff up-honest! Preview vids: CSX Hopper Train-Eastbound at Tunnelton: http://youtu.be/isGYS8LoCQM Raccoon Valley WV CSX Crossing & WS Tower: http://youtu.be/rNrNo4kJFxE Other Related Vids: TOO DARK! AAAH! (night at Raccoon Valley): http://youtu.be/BygYcfll3qM Tunnelton WV B&O; Station (Feb 9 1993): http://youtu.be/KHIsG85WE4U More West Virginia Northern RR (me running train!): http://youtu.be/pb4Sh7re8QA Chessie: Raccoon Valley, Tunnelton & Terra Alta (classic views): http://youtu.be/5x2xt_MyKSk Other Day Odyssey Series: Ride to Jim Thorpe PA (April 2013): http://youtu.be/SPW12RntOZ4