Williamsburg VA

[jmodge]

Thinking of going to Williamsburg from Michigan in late November and returning early December. Will be driving the K5 and was curious what kind of weather we would run into driving through the Appalachian Mountains. Also curious if we might run into difficulties due to recent storm damage.

 

[adjat84th]

I think most of VA's roads and highways were spared from Helene. The Blue Ridge Parkway in most of NC is closed, but from the direction you're coming from I doubt you'd venture that far south. Can luck out with warmish weather still in November, and less likely though still possible in December..more so closer to the coast.

 

[pedroYUL]

I've done that drive actually. I would try to pick a route that avoids WV, as some of those roads are narrow and hard to pass trucks around there.

 

[jmodge]

I think most of VA's roads and highways were spared from Helene. The Blue Ridge Parkway in most of NC is closed, but from the direction you're coming from I doubt you'd venture that far south. Can luck out with warmish weather still in November, and less likely though still possible in December..more so closer to the coast.

good to know, thank you

 

[jmodge]

I've done that drive actually. I would try to pick a route that avoids WV, as some of those roads are narrow and hard to pass trucks around there.

We haven't figured our exact route yet, though we're giving ourselves 4 days to get there. So I'm more likely to be the truck you're swearing at than the guy passing one.

 

[Ton]

You should be fine. I believe the storm damage was in far western tip of Virginia. Williamsburg is the opposite end of the state. But if you do happen to see storm damage please post some pictures!

 

[Ton]

West Virginia does have a lot of narrow roads. I-64 was open 2-3 weeks ago. You don’t need to travel south of I-64 to get to Williamsburg.

 

[jmodge]

West Virginia does have a lot of narrow roads. I-64 was open 2-3 weeks ago. You don’t need to travel south of I-64 to get to Williamsburg.

I’ll look into that

 

[jmodge]

I’m glad I put the snow tires on, didn’t need them on the way down but I’ll use them on the way back. We stayed the night in a service area near Lorain Ohio on I80 Monday night then got off the interstate and visited Oberlin where I found an Ohio gazetteer at a Ben Franklin 5 and 10. Then to Wooster and took backroads through Amish country where the roads were barely wide enough for two vehicles to pass if one wasn’t a buggy. If I went off the road I could always call Yoder towing and recovery. I didn’t get a picture of their horse, but two of them would have been larger than my K5.
So we got on the interstate before Marrietta and stayed at a rest stop Tuesday night before entering West Virginia and taking back roads through the state. Cars don’t rust there, they die of mold poisoning and brake failure. I’m also glad I did brakes before coming out here.
Couldn’t find a Gazatteer and GPS took me to places like this as “quickest route”

Road trip

forums.tdiclub.com

 

[jmodge]

Road trip

forums.tdiclub.com

 

[jmodge]

We did get on 50 for awhile then took small highways out of Clarksburg to Elkins, where we just got through before winter weather hit. Then mostly 250 through the mountains down to Staunton VA. Really cool ride with John Denver singing in my head

 

[Ton]

We did get on 50 for awhile then took small highways out of Clarksburg to Elkins, where we just got through before winter weather hit. Then mostly 250 through the mountains down to Staunton VA. Really cool ride with John Denver singing in my head

Sounds like an interesting ride! I guess I will have to try it sometime myself.

 

[jmodge]

Sounds like an interesting ride! I guess I will have to try it sometime myself.

Start early, it’s a long winding cruise. We might take 33 out of Williamsburg on the way home

 

[Bradm]

Looks like a awesome trip! I was heading through the mountains of TN to NC in the middle of the night a few years back on roads like that that the GPS took me on in my mk6 cjaa, then it started downpouring and the roads turned greasy. But Deliverance was playing in my head, not john denver

looking forward to more photos

 

[jmodge]

I didn’t get a whole lot of pictures, pretty much two fisted driving, but I’ll dig a few up. It poured for stretches and the roads were narrow, but the pavement was good. I can say West Virginia did an excellent job of putting suggested speed signs and arrows on curves. As soon as we crossed into Virginia that stopped for awhile. Then after awhile there were reflectors down the centerline.

 

[jmodge]

Start early, it’s a long winding cruise. We might take 33 out of Williamsburg on the way home

Harrisonburg I meant to say

 

[Ton]

I believe Rt. 33 goes to Richmond. I drive a short stretch of 33 almost everyday.

 

[Ton]

Avoid taking 33 through downtown Harrisonburg currently. They’re doing road work on the interchange of 33 and I-81. I highly recommend taking side streets if you are able to.

 

[jmodge]

I believe Rt. 33 goes to Richmond. I drive a short stretch of 33 almost everyday.

Both 64 and 250 go to Richmond, via Staunton and Charlottesville anyway. We spent the afternoon in Richmond on Sunday watching the Detroit Lions game at a bar called City Beach. Thanks for the heads up about construction on 33. We’re thinking of going into waynesboro or Staunton for breakfast

 

[jmodge]

I see 33 does run from Richmond to Harrisonburg. We will most likely be going up 81 or 11 from Staunton

 

[jmodge]

https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?media/img_6568-jpeg.162072/full

Sun beginning to set over Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Parks Lewis Mountain Campground

 

[jmodge]

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• jmodge
• Nov 27, 2024

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• jmodge
• Nov 27, 2024

Here are a couple sunset photos at Jamestown Island. They don't do the actual scene justice. I left my camera at home due to the convenience of using my phone. I'm not doing that again.

 

[jmodge]

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• jmodge
• Nov 25, 2024

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• jmodge
• Nov 25, 2024

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• jmodge
• Nov 25, 2024

A few from the Skyline Drive, a nice buck surprised us on top of a plateau, but I couldn't catch him on camera.

 

[Ton]

I have never been to Jamestown Island.

 

[jmodge]

I have never been to Jamestown Island.

It was kinda cool to stand out there and think it was where the first white settlement was formed. A couple hundred years older than anything we see left in Michigan. What a rough spot to live back then

 

[jmodge]

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• jmodge
• Dec 1, 2024

I80

Our trip started by blasting through Michigan and jumping on I80 because we started late. We stayed the night at a service area and exited by Lorain Oh. I neglected to grab my entry ticket and was charged $10.50 at the booth. Might have been worse with a ticket, I'm not sure, but sometimes ignorance can be a blessing.

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• jmodge
• Dec 1, 2024

OB2

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• jmodge
• Dec 1, 2024

OB1

So into Oberlin we went. Cool architecture in this old college town. Also a Ben Franklin 5&10 where I purchased an Ohio gazetteer. Which are rarely found in stock anywhere nowadays. The place was full of books and well organized.

 

[jmodge]

So after Oberlin was the Historic downtown district in Wooster Ohio, really cool. There was a two story Ace Hardware in an old building complete with an elevator. I had some extra house keys made while Donna went to the Eyeglass gallery across the street to see if she could have her frames adjusted. The gal there obviously knew her stuff by the questions she asked. Donna's glasses were successfully adjusted, no more aches!
Next door was a BBQ, on the corner the courthouse, and down the street was an antique shop that had an unbelievable amount of stock in a range of size, quality, uniqueness, and price.

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• jmodge
• Dec 1, 2024

Woo3

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• jmodge
• Dec 1, 2024

Woo2

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• jmodge
• Dec 1, 2024

Woo1

Anyone with the opportunity to check out Wooster, do it, it's pretty cool.

 

[jmodge]

After leaving Wooster we set off on backroads working towards Parkersburg WV

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• jmodge
• Dec 2, 2024

A2

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• jmodge
• Dec 2, 2024

A1

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• jmodge
• Dec 1, 2024

AC2

We hit a lot of scenery like this in Amish or Mennonite territory. A lot of short, steep, winding roads shared with horse and buggy, as well as children returning home from school. Really enjoyable ride.

We also came across a little town called Winesburg. Much of it, as little as there was, had been rebuilt. One structure, badly deteriorated, was in the midst of being rebuilt. Obviously a lot of effort was put into this little burg. A deli with local made cheeses, along with an antique hardware were housed in one building.

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• jmodge
• Dec 1, 2024

Wine3

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• jmodge
• Dec 1, 2024

Wine2

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• jmodge
• Dec 1, 2024

Wine1

 

[jmodge]

At some point we jumped on 77 to stay the night at a rest stop just short of Marietta, where we saw this badass Peterbuilt

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• jmodge
• Dec 1, 2024

Plc

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• jmodge
• Dec 2, 2024

 

[Ton]

Thank you for the pictures!