A Chilling ride through West Virginia on the US 250! | GTAMotorcycle.com

A Chilling ride through West Virginia on the US 250!

kurtrules

Well-known member
I wanted to go for a ride down south to the Smokey mountains, for many months now. There were a few roads that I wanted to check out down south, especially the Cherohala Skyway & the Blue Ridge Parkway. I'd like to narrate my experience:

This past week, I took Friday and Monday off, and left home on Thursday, 26th Sept, after lunch and headed straight to Bridgeport, WV for the night.

That evening, as I relaxed in my motel room, I was browsing through the Blue Ridge Parkway website when a warning caught my eye: the North Carolina section of the Parkway was closed. Hurricane Helene was wreaking havoc across the southeast, and the Carolinas were next in line. It had already slammed into Florida, and the storm was pushing its way north, aiming right at Asheville—my planned stop for Saturday night.

I did not know then just how deadly Helene would become, with over two hundred lives lost, half of those in North Carolina alone, the very area I was supposed to ride through. As I lay there in bed, staring at the storm warnings, I knew I could not risk it. Flood warnings, fallen trees, and dangerous winds were all on the horizon. It was not worth it. I needed a new plan. Instead of venturing south, I rerouted. I would ride through Highway 250 from Elkins to Waynesboro, take the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park, and head back home—all within three days, instead of the five I originally planned.

Friday morning, I left Bridgeport under a slight drizzle, nothing to worry about. I was Gore-Tex-covered head to toe and was ready for anything the weather could throw at me. But as I reached Elkins, the rain had become heavier. Still, I was not concerned. I had podcasts to keep me company—this time, an episode of Empire about the Bengal Famine.

Nothing to complain about, just another rain ride.

Or was it?

As I rode deeper into the Monongahela National Forest, the drizzle turned to something far more menacing. The wind began to howl through the trees, and the rain came down in sheets. Fallen leaves turned the road into a slippery obstacle course, and the gusts of wind were strong enough to make controlling the bike a struggle.

Then came the debris. At first, it was just leaves and twigs. But soon, I found myself dodging branches, and then entire trees. They were scattered across the road like some twisted game of chance. The further I went, the worse it got. Looking up, I could see trees swaying, their branches heavy with rain and poised to snap.

One forest gave way to another as I entered the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, but with it came new challenges. Road closures, marked by flashing lights and emergency vehicles. The authorities were trying to clear the roads, but the damage severe. Every so often, I had to stop in the rain and wind for what felt like an eternity, waiting for crews to remove fallen trees blocking the way.

Then it happened.

I had just inched forward after another long wait when, without warning, a tree snapped and crashed down right in front of me, splitting in half as it hit the ground. Part of it was tangled in a power line, the other half dangling precariously, ready to fall. Emergency braking, on wet surfaces, with leaves acting as banana peals for the tires - this is not something I look forward to.

I managed to stop and navigate around it. Fear had begun to creep in. This was no longer fun. I can do rain, I can do wind, I can do rain and wind and bad roads all together. What I cannot do is control what falls from the sky.

Anyhow, I continued.

It was dark when I entered Staunton. Made my way under a bridge for respite from the heavy rain. There was no sign of the rain mellowing down, even the next day. So, I decided to head back home.

I rode on the I81 for another 100 odd kms and found a motel outside a town called Winchester. I dropped my gear, exhausted but exhilarated, replaying the last few hours in my mind. It was not the ride I had planned, but it was the kind of ride that reminds you why you love this life..

The next day began with a heavy fog. It reminded me of the winters back in northern India when the fog would stubbornly refuse to lift until well into the afternoon. But here, it was fleeting.

Within an hour, the fog gave way to rain. Again. It seemed like I could not escape it. The rain followed me until just before Springville on the 219, where the clouds finally began to break. And then, almost as if to reward my persistence, the sun made a triumphant return. The clouds parted, and suddenly, everything changed. The world felt brighter, the road smoother, the ride... easier.

I was home just before 4pm, to a sunny day, in Burlington!

Posting some pictures I took, as and when I could. Not many, but here for you to enjoy, nonetheless.

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Like the skeleton. Great write up. Reminds of a ride with a buddy. We were heading to Vermont and rain and I think it was Sandy intruded on our plans so we high tailed it through the rain bands west and had an enjoyable couple days in PA.
Just as you described ....the change in the weather was astonishing a few hundred miles away.
Nothing anywhere near as dramatic as your run tho.
I'm an inveterate storm/disaster chaser but buddy you ARE lucky to have gotten away with that with bike and life intact.:eek: (y)

I've had a few very chilly days on top of the Blue Ridge...usually chasing spring south.
 
Oh man, your description reminds me of a coming home from up north one day through a really bad storm line, while it was getting dark (to make things even more interesting) headed down Highway 12. Similar thing, started with just plain rain, then turned into sheets, then the wind. Then the leaves and twigs and stuff on the road. And the RAIN and lightning. I rode through it for a bit longer than I'd have liked before getting into the McDonalds in Beaverton and waiting out the storm for a half hour before continuing home - I knew the storm was coming and had geared up quite some time before, but I didn't quite make it to where I wanted to ride it out, knowing it was coming.

I'm curious if you use weather radar at all to see the bigger picture of what's coming, and what you're headed into? It's a huge tool in a riders toolbox. So many times I have avoided storm cells in the convective summer weather by riding around them instead, or in the case of storm lines like we also often get in the summer (and are going to be experiencing here in a few hours, one is coming), to simply stop ahead of time somewhere safe and wait it out. In the case of hurricane like weather, I'd just completely avoid the area personally - a planned trip to the Tail a few years ago turned into a NY/PA adventure for this very reason for that matter, and we all had a blast. Went to the dragon again the following year instead.

Anyhow, some of your photos bring back great memories from our trip down there a month or so ago now. Amazing roads. Our campground where we setup base camp for the week outside Elkins was actually only a short hop from the Monongahela state forest picture you posted. We are already planning a return trip for next year, so many great roads to explore.

Anyhow, here's todays impending weather on the radar. If I was going anywhere today tempted by the current beautiful sunny conditions, I'd be very aware that things will be changing dramatically in the hours ahead based on my religions use of radar while riding.

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That radar is incredibly useful. I recall coming down the long slab in Michigan and seeing the storm on radar and right ahead of me and no shelter.
Pulled off, hunkered down and got wet. Vstrom was tough to ride in the normal cross winds ...didn't care to try with a Tcell.
It blew over and I was dry again by the time I turned east to the border.

I also used National Mosaic as it gives me a big picture but you can tunnel in.
nasty front - tornado maybe
Screen Shot 2024-10-06 at Oct, 6    2024    11.50.38 PM.jpg
 
This was a screencap of the radar on our way to West Virginia a month back. There was waves of rain coming across Erie all day and I was literally changing course as we were cannonballing through there to avoid the rain cells. It was worse earlier in the morning with formed storm lines that looked really unpleasant (black and visible rainfall in the distance) as we were skirting them.

We managed to get south of the weather getting only about 30 seconds of any meaningful rain, so...great success lol.

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I have family in Alexandria. Virginia and have always dreamed of riding there all the way from Toronto and it never materialized, I have done the 10-hour trip in a car like a dozen times. When I retire at 55 I have plans on doing it, in the summer in the hottest month!
 
I have family in Alexandria. Virginia and have always dreamed of riding there all the way from Toronto and it never materialized, I have done the 10-hour trip in a car like a dozen times. When I retire at 55 I have plans on doing it, in the summer in the hottest month!

Make a 2 day trip of it and take all the nice scenic roads to and from.

You only live once. Tomorrow is never a guarantee.

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Oh man, your description reminds me of a coming home from up north one day through a really bad storm line, while it was getting dark (to make things even more interesting) headed down Highway 12. Similar thing, started with just plain rain, then turned into sheets, then the wind. Then the leaves and twigs and stuff on the road. And the RAIN and lightning. I rode through it for a bit longer than I'd have liked before getting into the McDonalds in Beaverton and waiting out the storm for a half hour before continuing home - I knew the storm was coming and had geared up quite some time before, but I didn't quite make it to where I wanted to ride it out, knowing it was coming.

I'm curious if you use weather radar at all to see the bigger picture of what's coming, and what you're headed into? It's a huge tool in a riders toolbox. So many times I have avoided storm cells in the convective summer weather by riding around them instead, or in the case of storm lines like we also often get in the summer (and are going to be experiencing here in a few hours, one is coming), to simply stop ahead of time somewhere safe and wait it out. In the case of hurricane like weather, I'd just completely avoid the area personally - a planned trip to the Tail a few years ago turned into a NY/PA adventure for this very reason for that matter, and we all had a blast. Went to the dragon again the following year instead.

Anyhow, some of your photos bring back great memories from our trip down there a month or so ago now. Amazing roads. Our campground where we setup base camp for the week outside Elkins was actually only a short hop from the Monongahela state forest picture you posted. We are already planning a return trip for next year, so many great roads to explore.

Anyhow, here's todays impending weather on the radar. If I was going anywhere today tempted by the current beautiful sunny conditions, I'd be very aware that things will be changing dramatically in the hours ahead based on my religions use of radar while riding.

View attachment 70185

Thank you. Yes, I do use radar maps, but on that particular day the weather map showed rain all around me. So I knew that regardless of where I go, I will be hit with rain. What I did not account for, beforehand, was the possibility of falling trees and blocked roads, which, in hindsight, I should have.
 
Great write up and pictures. Glad you managed to stay safe and come home with a story to tell.
 
I have family in Alexandria. Virginia and have always dreamed of riding there all the way from Toronto and it never materialized, I have done the 10-hour trip in a car like a dozen times. When I retire at 55 I have plans on doing it, in the summer in the hottest month!
 

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