(04-14-2014 08:18 PM)Otacon Wrote: What surprises me.... The number of "educated" people who do not know that West Virginia is a state.
Met a girl once who went to Brown who was convinced that West Virginia was actually just the western part of Virginia...The worst part of it? She had moved to and been working in Virginia (Arlington, right outside DC) for two years! B*tch lived a stones throw away from the border and still didn't know!
yo bit. for my upcoming birthday the lady's gonna take me hiking for the weekend. all i want is some meadows and rolling hills and being able to put my tent anywhere. i've been in dolly sods before and it is indeed pretty. i initially wanted a prairie hike, but i can't seem to locate one within a couple hours away.
In the east, West Virginia is the only state that is completely encompassed by mountains. And these aren't your ordinary mountains. The Appalachian Mountains are the oldest mountains on the face of the Earth, and West Virginia has some of the oldest rocks on this continent. Likewise, the oldest river in the world is the New River, and New River Gorge is the eastern version of the Grand Canyon. The Appalachian Mountains are particularly rugged in West Virginia, and it costs more per mile to construct roads there than anywhere in the world. The New River Gorge Bridge wasn't cheap, but it was constructed in such a way that it could conceivably last forever, with proper maintenance. It's anchored in very old, very hard rock, that's been around for every ice age. So saying there are mountains all over the country is just a bit naive. It ain't the same at all.
(05-03-2014 09:18 AM)bitcruncher Wrote: In the east, West Virginia is the only state that is completely encompassed by mountains. And these aren't your ordinary mountains. The Appalachian Mountains are the oldest mountains on the face of the Earth, and West Virginia has some of the oldest rocks on this continent. Likewise, the oldest river in the world is the New River, and New River Gorge is the eastern version of the Grand Canyon. The Appalachian Mountains are particularly rugged in West Virginia, and it costs more per mile to construct roads there than anywhere in the world. The New River Gorge Bridge wasn't cheap, but it was constructed in such a way that it could conceivably last forever, with proper maintenance. It's anchored in very old, very hard rock, that's been around for every ice age. So saying there are mountains all over the country is just a bit naive. It ain't the same at all.
Actually the Ouachitas are the oldest range in the southern US.
(05-03-2014 09:18 AM)bitcruncher Wrote: In the east, West Virginia is the only state that is completely encompassed by mountains. And these aren't your ordinary mountains. The Appalachian Mountains are the oldest mountains on the face of the Earth, and West Virginia has some of the oldest rocks on this continent. Likewise, the oldest river in the world is the New River, and New River Gorge is the eastern version of the Grand Canyon. The Appalachian Mountains are particularly rugged in West Virginia, and it costs more per mile to construct roads there than anywhere in the world. The New River Gorge Bridge wasn't cheap, but it was constructed in such a way that it could conceivably last forever, with proper maintenance. It's anchored in very old, very hard rock, that's been around for every ice age. So saying there are mountains all over the country is just a bit naive. It ain't the same at all.
Actually the Ouachitas are the oldest range in the southern US.
That range is merely part of the extended Appalachian chain, but was orphaned during the last ice age, as were the Ozarks. But New River Gorge was already old when those mountains were young.
(05-03-2014 09:18 AM)bitcruncher Wrote: In the east, West Virginia is the only state that is completely encompassed by mountains. And these aren't your ordinary mountains. The Appalachian Mountains are the oldest mountains on the face of the Earth, and West Virginia has some of the oldest rocks on this continent. Likewise, the oldest river in the world is the New River, and New River Gorge is the eastern version of the Grand Canyon. The Appalachian Mountains are particularly rugged in West Virginia, and it costs more per mile to construct roads there than anywhere in the world. The New River Gorge Bridge wasn't cheap, but it was constructed in such a way that it could conceivably last forever, with proper maintenance. It's anchored in very old, very hard rock, that's been around for every ice age. So saying there are mountains all over the country is just a bit naive. It ain't the same at all.
Actually the Ouachitas are the oldest range in the southern US.
That range is merely part of the extended Appalachian chain, but was orphaned during the last ice age, as were the Ozarks. But New River Gorge was already old when those mountains were young.
The Ouachitas are part of the Ozarks. The Ozarks are part of the interior highlands(the range between the Rockies and Appalachia.
But I do think you are right that they were formed from the same uplift millions of years ago. And the outer Appalachia region goes west into Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Here is a nice drive through the Oklahoma side. I think they will remind you of the Virginians. Sorry about the music.
(This post was last modified: 05-04-2014 11:04 AM by oklalittledixie.)
The rim trail will give you one hell of a view. But after living out of state for over 20 years, I'd hesitate to recommend any trail. I haven't seen 'em for a long time. Enjoy.
I love West Virginia. When I first started Marshall back in the day I hated it and thought it was full of rednecks. I came from Northern Virginia in one of the wealthiest counties in America so I had a pretty close minded world view. As I grew older I have came to appreciate the state more and more.
Other than parts of Huntington I love to take trips out to Green Bank, where there is a giant telescope and a "quiet zone".
Fun fact I live just outside the Northeastern portion of it in Virginia.
![[Image: 338px-Ouachita_Mountains_topographic_v1_locator.svg.png]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Ouachita_Mountains_topographic_v1_locator.svg/338px-Ouachita_Mountains_topographic_v1_locator.svg.png)
