Free Caching WV's Northern Panhandle

We had celebrated the birth of a nation by visiting three of the finest caches in the southwestern part of state that was the site of America’s formation (Pennsylvania!) and then dining with one of our many families. After a pleasant night at the DoubleTree near the Pittsburgh Airport (though surprisingly dirty: lots of other people’s hair all over the pool area and unknown substance on the toilet seat in the room), we regrouped and decided to change our caching strategy.

We had been seeking caches in the top 100 by favorite points within 200 miles of Morgantown, WV (caveat, our laziness put a hard, and very low limit, on the terrain we were willing to tolerate). We decided on the next day, July 5, to start with one of these caches but then “free cache” on the Northern Panhandle until, basically, we got hungry enough to head down to our favorite DiCarlo’s Pizza location (downtown Wheeling! …though I’ve been told it’s worth defecting to the Glen Dale location).

Our first stop of the day, a cache at the World's Largest Teapot

To us, free caching is when you don’t have a specific aim or theme in mind. For us, we merely applied our maximum desired terrain rating and bounced from cache to cache all over Brooke, Hancock, and Ohio counties. Because we don’t routinely cache there, there were many to choose from and selecting a specific terrain rating was helpful as to not completely overwhelm us. Plus, even when free caching, it can just get obnoxious to drive in half-mile increments.

For our efforts, we found 13 geocaches and discovered two things we found to be particularly interesting.

The Margaret Manson Weir Memorial Pool in Marland Heights Park was a pleasant surprise after picking up a seemingly average guardrail cache in a seemingly average neighborhood. It was recently listed on Preserve WV’s most endangered list for this year, which is how I knew about it. But the pool, opened in 1934, has a unique architectural charm lacking in so many structures today that are focused on function before form (which is a noble goal, but I can’t imagine my local pool in Morgantown being something I or anyone else will care about in 80 years). And, truthfully, West Virginia just doesn’t have a lot of art deco structures. This isn’t Miami Beach, where even the Burger King is authentically art deco.

The other interesting then we discovered are the old bridges over Buffalo Creek on the road to Bethany College (another gorgeous side trip!) from Wellsburg. While after finding only one of these caches we were frustrated over the placement of another (if I have to drive 6 feet into overgrowth on a day that feels very snaky, it’s not a terrain level 1!). We love looking at old infrastructure, even if it is of the old, worn out, and purely utilitarian sort (maybe I will still be interested in the Marilla Park pool in 80 years…).While heading back towards West Virginia State Route 2 we also discovered that when the road along Buffalo Creek, the Bethany Turnpike, was first cut through it actually had two tunnels, the first highway tunnels west of the Alleghenies, to get through the rough terrain, though my husband was crestfallen to discover that the tunnels are long gone (but their locations are identified on this old map).

So even seeking out the less exciting or highly rated caches in an area has rewards. Or maybe it is just our undying love of infrastructure.

Transportation Landmarks: Market Street Bridge

These days Steubenville, Ohio is better known as a city of people who do not have their priorities straight, one where football trumps justice. But Steubenville has a history as a working city nestled on the upper reaches of the Ohio River. Even today it is impossible to be anywhere in Steubenville without seeing steel mills or power plants somewhere along the skyline. Come to think of it, it’s recently been postulated that lead exposure is correlated with increased crime. But I’m not writing this post to crucify the folks of Steubenville, most of who are likely very kind, hardworking, and upstanding individuals. Rather, I’d like to talk about a bridge.

If you talk to me, you’d think all bridges are important. On one hand, a location has to be considered pretty special in order for the cost of constructing a bridge to be worth it. On the other hand, especially in the present day, most of the structures tend to be pretty cookie-cutter. This is an issue I will take up in a future post where, even though you can’t see it in a blog, you’ll realize I am actually a feisty, fiery redhead. The Market Street Bridge connecting Steubenville with West Virginia Route 2 between Weirton and Follansbee is a story of restoration after the bridge fell into extreme disrepair.

My first memory of the Market Street Bridge, a steel suspension bridge, was on a late-night spontaneous road trip from Pittsburgh, where I was a student at Chatham University. The bridge had an open-grate deck, numerous weight limit and other warning signs, and it generated a cacophony of sounds as my friend’s Honda Accord crossed over the bridge. In retrospect, it may have been a warning. Not 30 minutes later a deer t-boned the car. If anyone else has had a vehicle-deer encounter shortly after crossing the bridge, let me know if the bridge spoke to you. Anyhow, not long after this harrowing late night experience the bridge was temporarily closed for restoration.

The bridge was originally built in 1905 for the primary purpose of moving pedestrian and streetcar traffic across from Steubenville to, what was then, the Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel Coke Works. The placement of the coke works is actually somewhat funny in that the site across from Steubenville was selected because there was no alternative place available that was more convenient to already-populated areas. In a way, it spurred early sprawl.

By the 1940s the bridge had been purchased by the State of West Virginia. During this decade the bridge was retrofitted to be more suitable to passenger cars. As in much of the United States, the street car business was breathing its final breaths. To reduce the weight of the bridge the deck was replaced with an open grate in the 1950s, which has been replaced once since. Swapping from a paved to open grate is considered one of the easier and less expensive ways to reduce the weight of the bridge so, hopefully, severe vehicle weight limits can be avoided (or the bridge can simply bear enough weight it is permitted to remain open).

The Market Street Bridge was closed to traffic in 2009 after inspections found it was just not safe enough anymore. It reopened in December 2011. Visiting the bridge again in July 2011 and October 2011 it was found that much of the work done to the bridge was for the purpose of stabilization. There are some beams that are rusted through, for example, but have been treated to avoid continued rusting. It is unclear how long these repairs will last. But the blue towers and cable coupled with the gold trusses is eye catching. If you visit at night you’re also in for a treat, the bridge has very well done decorative lighting that shines beautifully.

The Market Street Bridge in July 2011, one of the towers was still being painted and sandblasted

The Market Street Bridge is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places because it was the first non-rail bridge to cross the Ohio in this region and helped develop the communities on both sides of the river. It is not currently listed. While the near future of this bridge is quite secure, it would not be unreasonable for WVDOT to consider demolition in the coming few decades because of the population decline on both sides of the river. Demolition of the bridge would certainly remove part of the identity of the region, as the main crossing in the area, the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge, which opened in 1990, just lacks the character of the older span. Part of what likely spared the Market Street Bridge was the condition of the Fort Steuben Bridge a few miles upriver. That bridge was demolished in 2012, reducing the number of public Steubenville/Weirton area river crossings to two from three.

For a more detailed history of the bridge, I strongly encourage you to read this wonderful .pdf put together by contributors to Historic Bridges. This document also includes several citations that not only are chock full of information on this bridge, but other bridges with identity and character.

For more detailed photos of the bridge in July and October 2011, Brian Powell has a flickr set that can be found here.

Transportation Landmarks: Dents Run Covered Bridge

Covered bridges are ubiquitous in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. These bridges tend to span small creeks and rivers on back roads serving picturesque farms. At the time, wood was the natural choice for construction an affordable and easy to obtain material. But, wood is susceptible to rot. By covering wooden bridges the structure had protection from the elements.

Dents Run Covered Bridge

Dents Run Covered Bridge is one of only 17 remaining covered bridges in WV. It was built in 1889 for a mere $443. The kingpost truss designed bridge is 13’-wide by 40’-long. The bridge spans Dents Run near Laurel Point, which is about 15-minutes west of Morgantown. The bridge was restored in 1984 and remained open to vehicular traffic through 2004.

In the time the bridge has existed, the environment around it has both changed dramatically and remained impressively unchanged. In the not too recent past, Dents Run ran orange with acid mine run-off and was entirely devoid of life. It is difficult to imagine this when the creek runs green between two grassy banks. This transformation was a concerted effort by Consol Energy. Not far from the bridge is Morgantown, which has exploded with growth over the past few decades, but looking out from either end of the bridge there is little evidence of this boisterous neighbor.

It was added, along with over half of the other covered bridges in West Virginia, to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. The specific application for Dents Run is available for review. It is the last covered bridge in Monongalia County, but with recent restoration and closure to vehicular traffic, it will likely last a very long time.

If you are interested in visiting, there is room for a few vehicles to park on the far side of the bridge. There is also a geocache located here.

Conquering the Pacific Northwest: Roads Bending to the Wilderness

Making tracks for Golden, where we had hotel reservations, we backtracked toward British Columbia. Along the Trans-Canada Highway in the Banff National Park area immense efforts have been made to ensure the safety of the wildlife in the areas around the highway as well as to expedite human movement. This has been accomplished in many ways, but impossible to miss are the 50-meter wide wildlife overpasses crossing above the highway. While some may argue it is charming to come face to face with a moose or goats on the side of the highway, it poses risks to both animal and human safety. If you’re interested in how interactions between wildlife and vehicles have been mitigated in the region, check out this report on the twinning of the TCH in Banff.

Another highlight of this stretch of the TCH is Castle Mountain, also known as Mount Eisenhower. Castle Mountain was named because its castle-like appearance, though from 1946 through 1979 the mountain was known as Mount Eisenhower in honor of his contributions as a general in World War II. Political pressure is ultimately what led to the restoration of the original name, even though mountains had been named for British generals. However, one of the towers on the mountain still retains the Eisenhower name.

Castle Mountain from the Trans Canada Highway

Into British Columbia we challenged the notorious Kicking Horse Pass. This pass will likely never see twinning, as the section through Banff has, due to the extreme geometry of the pass and the laws of physics. Despite the treacherousness of the pass it was determined the best route for the Canadian Pacific Railway to span the Continental Divide in the 1880s. The grades of the railroad through the pass were as great as 4.5-percent, the steepest in North America. A set of spiral tunnels (link to a YouTube video) was constructed and then opened in 1909 to help mitigate the severity of the pass and a viewpoint is accessible from the highway where we were wowed by a long freight train doing gymnastics in and out of the tunnels. Naturally, it was on one of the hairpin curves of a most treacherous section of the highway we had our closest encounter with wildlife. An entire family of mountain goats had found a place of their fancy on a steep hillside on a narrow shoulder of the highway. They literally stopped traffic!

A family of goats, even a little baby up in the left-hand side chowing down on some brush

Despite the efforts to improve safety on the pass, as my dad could attest to the state of the road over several decades before, there are still opportunities to test the constitution of even the best drivers. While on a downgrade we were unable to see signage indicating the end of a passing lane due to the density of semi-trucks. The lane ending caught us by surprise and we briefly traveled in the opposing lane in order to safely pass a truck, acknowledging that with such a steep grade on the road cutting off a semi is a potentially deadly decision.

Yet we made it into Golden in one piece. The highway passed high above the valley, surrounded by newer businesses and chains, but true Golden was in the valley of the swift-moving Kicking Horse River. Electing to stay at another local motel we found ourselves in the valley. We explored the town and found their park, which featured an impressive covered pedestrian bridge. The Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge is the longest free-standing timber frame bridge in Canada and was built by volunteers from around the world!

After a hearty dinner at the Pantry, a family dining chain, we turned toward the hotel where we attempted to catch our breath and relax after taking in some of the most impressive sights in the world along with excellent examples of how our will to build roads must bend to nature. Despite being halfway through the intense road trip, there were still two more days to go. Although by the end of the next day, we would be back in familiar territory—if I didn’t injure myself too badly.

Conquering the Pacific Northwest: Where Transportation meets Water

Despite the early hour and cool air, we left Grand Coulee in style—top down! State Route 174 took us through winding prairie and we returned to U.S. Route 2 in the sleepy town of Wilbur. The prairies out here have one abnormality compared to those in Iowa, there are volcanic rock formations all over the place. The farmers here have simply adjusted to these geographical differences. Soon the farm fields were replaced with small strip malls which were growing in frequency. The sun was heating up our heads and the timing was right to come across a Wal-Mart.

Across from Fairchild AFB we stopped for a geocache. This was a clever cache in a typical location. It was a tape measure. Dad held one end of the tape measure and I pulled the other, we measured about 6 feet when I signed the log. We crossed the shopping center to Wal-Mart where Chris and I picked up baseball caps. I got a Washington State University and he got a Gonzaga University cap. A generic cap simply wouldn’t do.

Spokane passed in a flash. To those new to Spokane I think the size of the city is surprising. Many seem to believe Seattle is the only big city and Spokane merely an outpost on the frontier. Winding through downtown on the freeway you could as easily be in Richmond, Virginia or Madison, Wisconsin. Before we knew it, we were in Idaho. We grabbed lunch quickly just north of Coeur d’Alene at a Wendy’s and make tracks for Sandpoint.

Sandpoint is famous for its breathtaking location on Lake Pend Oreille. U.S. Route 95 crosses the lake. When an upgraded bridge was needed it was built parallel to the old one. Thankfully, the old bridge was not removed. Rather, the old bridge lives on as a pedestrian and bicycle facility. While time did not permit us to enjoy the entire bridge, Chris and I walked out about half a mile. It was a beautiful opportunity to stretch our legs. In the distance we saw a BNSF freight train cross the lake while boats passed next to and below us. I also enjoyed seeing the aged mile marker signs next to the new ones. Then right before returning to the car we saw a group of kids playing on an old pier in the water. It looked absolutely heavenly on such a hot, hot day.

U.S. Route 95, mile 472: old and new

While not directly on the route, our next stop would be Montana. Dad nor Chris had ever been to Montana and we would just be passing too close to miss the opportunity. We took U.S. Route 2 toward Troy and decided to find at least one geocache. It took only a few miles and we didn’t see a whisper of Troy. Chris and I took a souvenir rock and left some “Friends of Coal” pins we had picked up at the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine the month before back in West Virginia.

On our way back to our route at the border crossing into Canada at the end of U.S. Route 95 we stopped to visit a rest area. To our surprise, the area was an overlook for the Moyie River Bridge and Falls. The bridge reminded me so much of the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia. When on the Moyie River Bridge on our way into Montana we had no idea we were over 400 feet above the river below. On the New River Gorge Bridge you haven’t the faintest idea you are nearly 900 feet above the river below, nor do you know the beauty of the structure holding you up. Just beyond the bridge, the falls used to generate power for the municipally owned Moyie River Dam are also visible.  Infrastructure never fails to take my breath away!

Moyie River Bridge, Idaho's second highest bridge

From this breathtaking rest area, we make tracks to Canada! One of the most entertaining things to happen on the trip occurs at the border, and one member of our party did not even know until several days later! Chris discovers a unique solution to a problem in the Canadian mountains. And we all discover a relic from North American motoring history. Stay tuned!

Three Stops in Western Maryland

When someone talks about Maryland, odds are it’s not about western Maryland. Western Maryland is home to some of the harshest geography and least populated areas in the eastern United States. Most who do experience this area try to push through it as quickly as possible on I-68, some not even realizing their proximity to the National Road, which winds carefully through and over the mountains, visiting some of the most charming and beautiful towns in the mid-Atlantic. On this day, the goal was Baltimore from Morgantown. Traveling in tandem with Chris, it was time for a history lesson on America's first Mother Road in Garrett and Allegany counties.

Our first stop was at the Little Crossings, now called the Casselman Bridge. This bridge was originally built in 1813 for use on the National Road. It carried traffic for over 100 years before being replaced by a through truss bridge in the 1930s on an alignment of US-40 only a few hundred feet from the old bridge. The bridge from 1813 was the largest of its type when it was built. When you approach the bridge what is most apparent is its imposing size, then you realize it was built by hand. The bridge had fallen into disrepair and was restored in the 1970s and is now a small state park along the current alignment of Alt US-40 a few miles east of Grantsville, MD. Though if you do visit this bridge, start signaling your turn early, it’s a steep hill and other drivers appreciate getting as much warning as possible.

The original crossing over the Casselman River

We continued the trek eastward, traveling up and down the mountains nowhere near as efficiently as the cars on I-68. Though I was wondering how many people on I-68 saw us going up and down those hills, wishing on such a beautiful day they weren’t on the interstate. Our next stop was at the LaVale Tollhouse, just outside of Cumberland, MD. Funding for roads has always been a highly contentious issue. When the National Road was built the federal government passed the responsibility of paying for the roads onto the states, which led to elaborate tolling schemes. In Maryland the National Road had two tollhouses, the one in LaVale being one of them. Sitting along present Alt US-40 is this relatively non-descript beige building was the source of some highway drama! Folks in the 1830s didn’t like tolls any more than we do today, and pikers found new and exciting ways to aggravate the toll collectors.

The Lavale Tollhouse, on the National Road a few miles west of Cumberland, Maryland.

After a delicious lunch at D’Atri Restaurant in LaVale we continued along the National Road toward Hancock. There are many hills and mountains between where the National Road enters Maryland from Pennsylvania to Hancock, but Town Hill not only presents a beautiful view of the valley below and Sideling Hill to the east, but is home to the Town Hill Tavern. The Town Hill Tavern is the last 1920s-era lodging and dining establishment along the old National Road. Traffic is pretty light, and looking down from the overlook explains it. We quietly watched the traffic rush pass below on I-68, while only acknowledging one motorcycle passing us up at the summit of Town Hill.

Town Hill Tavern on the National Road, a few miles west of Sideling Hill.

View of I-68 and, in the distance, Sideling Hill, from the Town Hill Tavern.