I was polanning to visit Mortons, but another friend told me about a nice route close to Petersurg, WV. I was hoping to see it on the way to Mortons..
After some back and forth with myself (enough said that I already had car packed with photo gear, and was on the road - but decided to switch to bike), I went to visit Smoke Hole Rd. Good choice ....
All the maps are displaying Smoke Hole Rd as 2 separate parts, northern which continues to became Public Rd 79, and southern, going to camping. In reality it is this same road...
I went southbound, but decided to visit above mentioned Rd 79. It slowly converts from paved to formerly paved, then to hones gravel, then to ruts and stones... when I passed a Grand Cherooke on one of the switchbacks because it was crawling at 9 mph, I knew I am in for adventure. The main question was when and how to turn . Luckily, at the end of the road is a cell phone tower - with a nice drive around for gravel-handicapped like me. I talked for a while to a nice canuck hiking through the mountains, and decided to head back. On a lighter bike it might be possible to find a way alongside one of the pipelines to reach Seneca Rocks, but on my brute I gave up.
Finished Smoke Hole Rd on 220, and seeing that I will end up in Mortons around 16:00 I asked Gnom (GPS) how to get back home. After 1/2 mile south on 220, I was directed to Schmucker Rd (CR-11), then onto Kiser Gap Rd (CR -1), which after crossing county line became South Mill Rd (CR-9), crosses Dorcas, and then via Durgon Rd to 220. THat road is a hoot - mostly 4th gear, brake & clutch covered. No signage wrt speed; you better be good reading road - quite a few turns required significant scrubbing of the speed. No marking, centerline nothing... pure fun and enjoyment.
Total about 260 miles of sun, fun and bliss.
Pictures from Smoke Hole Rd:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jowoc1/SmokeHoleRd
Kleks