Bridge Walk

As we made our way home from our New England trip, we decided to add New River Gorge National Park to our list. We had this trip scheduled during our Mid-Atlantic travel, but, due to a family emergency, we had to put it on pause. This is the 21st National Park we have visited, which means we are 1/3 of the way toward completing our goal. The name “New River” is deceiving as it is one of the oldest rivers in the world. Its age is estimated to be between 260 and 325 million years old. That means the river was here before the dinosaurs showed up on the scene. That is old! Tucked in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, the park’s 70,000 acres are a playground for many outdoor adventurists. It is packed with activities no matter what time of year you decide to visit. Since this would be a quick stop for us, we had to choose wisely and, so, we chose the bridge walk. (More on that it a second….) The New River Gorge bridge was constructed in 1977 and is the icon of the Gorge. At 876 feet high and 3,030 feet long, it’s the longest arch bridge in the country and one of the highest and longest bridges (regardless of type) in the western hemisphere. The bridge walk is a unique experience that allows you to walk the entire length of the bridge on a 24” wide catwalk that runs through the bridge’s substructure, 25’ below the road’s surface. That was an opportunity we couldn’t miss, and it was amazing. The morning was brisk, the air was crisp, and the views were incredible. Our guide was a fountain of information on the bridge itself, the gorge, the geography, and the history of the area. This is a must do for your list if you visit the park. After an hour long walk on the breezy underside of a bridge, we were cold and hungry. So, we went back to the rig and whipped up a pot of chili.

Then it hit us…

We were only three hours from Blake, and we could grab lunch, or dinner, or both with him before we set off for home. So, we made a quick phone call to see if he could squeeze us into his schedule. He rearranged a few things, and it was decided we would meet for dinner in Winston Salem. We ended up doing dinner AND lunch the next day and still managed to do some cleaning and light maintenance at Blake’s house.

What a great way to wrap up an amazing trip. We traveled over 4,100 miles, spent 2+ months on the road, visited over 30 cities, 10 states, and 2 countries! We drove 3 different trucks and one car, sailed in 2 different boats, rode e-bikes in two different countries, road 2 school buses (a big one and a little one), pedaled our way down 12 miles of rail lines in a pedal-powered train cart, and hiked more miles than we can remember! We saw more amazing, beautiful, and fascinating things than we could count. We got to spend time with family, and met some very lovely and interesting people along the way. We ate more delicious food than we probably should have, and discovered new and tasty craft beers and ciders. As we reached the end of the trip and reflected back to the beginning, we were continually amazed at everything we got to do and see!

While we loved almost every minute, (see earlier post on our car wreck and the Nor’easter for exclusions ) as the trip came to its conclusion, we were excited to get back home to see EVERYONE, with one, in particular, being at the top of the list!. Can’t wait to see you, baby girl!!

New River Gorge

Bridge Walk

Then it hit us…

Gettysburg, PA