West Virginia’s mountain region is the last best place in the mid-Atlantic (Serial No. 110-59)

One Stateside habit we were happy to get back into was camping. So we decided to spin through the state and national forests of West Virginia on our way to our place in Virginia. But because the winter had been so untrustworthy with its high precipitation and low temperatures -- and because my blood had become so thin from half a year of 100-plus sunny and humid days -- we weren't ready to pitch tents (which were in transit or in storage, anyway).

So we settled for and into a "modern" cabin at Lost River State Park (left). "Modern" apparently means central heating, which I didn't mind, considering the misty cold that rolled in the same time as I did. Sage didn't seem to mind either. We went for a chilly hike, but afterward, he appeared more than content to keep watch through the window from the comfort of the couch (right). 

The area, in the eastern handle of the state, was designated as a park because of Lee Sulphur Springs, which smell exactly like what you would expect (left). Despite the odor, people used to flood into the area to soak in the springs at Howard's Lick retreat, which was owned by the family of Gen. "Light Horse" Harry Lee, father of Gen. Robert E. Lee (right).

TJ and I decided to bask in nature instead. As John Denver sang, West Virginia's "mountains, growin' as the breeze" are "almost heaven," as we saw while riding down some of its "country roads" (left). For the most part, we traveled along the Potomac River branches more than the Shenandoah River, but even the roadside "cricks" were spectacular (right).

With such pleasant weather, we got out of the car and onto our own two feet. Obviously, we hit up the trails at the state park (left). We also strolled along the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal to see the Paw Paw Tunnel, a 3,118-foot segment along the towpath (right). I don't really like dark and damp places (and neither does Sage), so I was happy to double-back to the car. 

Another place where we turned around early was at Seneca Rocks. There is a trail to an overlook all the way at the top, but we only hiked about a mile in to some stairs, at which point I claimed the dog couldn't make it any farther. In actuality, I was happy to view the astounding quarzite crags from the North Fork River valley (left), from the daffodil-filled grounds of the former Sites Homestead (right).

In our wandering back to our cabin, we passed through Oldtown, Maryland, a former Shawnee village that was founded as a trading post by Thomas Cresap, infamous for evicting settlers under the auspices of Lord Baltimore. A famous landmark south of Oldtown is the Historic Toll Bridge crossing the North Branch Potomac River into West Virginia (left). The toll taker was a little worried that the driver wouldn't be able to steer his cotton-candy camper across the bridge, but luckily, he made it (right).

There are definitely characters to be found in West Virginia. We met a very welcoming crew of them at Steve's Broken Spoke near Baker, where we stopped looking for some dinner. We left with a dozen wings and a half-pound of steamed shrimp -- after witnessing a great deal of good-natured, sarcasm-laced sniping. For another meal, down the highway corridor in Moorefield, we had French-dip brisket and pulled-pork sandwiches at Blues Smoke Pit (left). Perhaps our coziest dinner was a humble affair of meat, cheese, bread, and wine next to our cabin's fireplace (right).

We were in West Virginia during the week, so we didn't get to try out Lost River Brewing Company, which is open only on weekends. But we made up for that oversight when we headed back to the area for a Saturday-night camping trip. We set up our tent -- for free! -- at the Hawk Recreation Area campground (left). Then we headed into Wardensville to sample the brewing company's pale, amber, and black ales along with some lumpy crabcakes and glazed duck breast. The next morning, we drank in the view of late buds along the trails within George Washington National Forest (right). It was equally delicious.