.....Good morning! You ready to ride again! Ah come on youngen. Smile! Let that Greenbrier County sunshine light up your eyeballs! Left up your eyes unto the Hills! That’s it. Now I can see that blue sky reflected in your eyes. “Oh those Hills. Beautiful Hills. Oh those Beautiful West Virginia Hills!” Sing it! Can’t hear you! That's a betta!”
......You all have your cameras? How bout your binoculars? Well then, you had better run real quick and get it! You can miss your dinner but not your camera. Hey now son, I was only kiddin.
.....Ready? We could go up the holler and save a few miles, but I got a better idea. Were going on down to old busy route sixty and go on to White Sulphur. Won’t take but a few minutes. Hey, son. Do you see anything coming though that tunnel? Lousy old tunnels under the railroad should have been replaced a long time ago.. After coming down that holler and through that tunnel, It’s about like coming out into a different world ain’t it. There’s that frazzlin old interstate.
......Were turning east here on Route Sixty. This old place they call Harts Run has really built up since the interstate came though. Looks like a mess to me. Three service stations, and International Station that didn’t make as a gas station, Granny's Restaurant, Macdonalds, and Wendys. Trucks all over the road here with those rigs trying to park on that postage stamp parking lot. Gotta be might careful that you don’t plow into one of those things..
......On the right there at the top of the rise was what was once called the Pilot’s House. It was kind of a beer joint or club I guess. It was called that because that flat land over there was once the Old Greenbrier Airport. They shut the thing down not too after they built the airport up at Lewisburg. This old strip was a little dangerous because you had to come in over the shoulder of the mountain. More than one feller ended up on the side of the mountain up there. After the last crash, they shut it down.
Look way over there and you can see the railroad track. There where you see that big hollow was once a train stop called Dixon. Years and years ago, there was a big train wreck there. A feller wrote and sang a song about it that was once pretty popular. There used to be a lot of those little stops and towns along the line, but, now, most are all gone and forgotten except by history nuts like me. It used to be a wild old time during the heyday of the railroad around here.. If you look up on the side of the hill above there, you can just see a road. That’s where we’re going.
......Now that we crossed the bridge over Howard Creek, we’ve got those fancy cow pastures that they call golf courses. And there’s the old Greenbrier Hotel. As for me, I rather have that cabin you all stayed in last night. Now, we can get off of this old highway. Were turning there where it says Kate’s Mountain Lodge. And here we go, and up and over the railroad and now over the interstate. This road is just blacktop up to where you turn off to go to the lodge. After that, it is gravel or mostly dirt. What a beautiful day! Look at those puffy white clouds up there in that blue sky. This is one the best times of year with the dogwoods blooming along with the last of the redbuds. Look down over in those hollows. How many shades of green do you see? Look! there’s a bunch of buzzards floating on wind right over there. Those things are getting a little rare. It if wasn’t for the buzzards and the crows, a person couldn’t hardly stand to live with all the stink of the dead things. Probably would be pretty unhealthy too. That’s why I never shoot things like that. Everything has its place....even snakes and spiders.
......One of those hollows that you see down there to your right as we wind up this old hill, is called “Pest House Hollow.” Anybody know why it would be called that? Now young lady, that is not where they keep younger brothers. What? You ain’t no lady? What’s wrong with being a lady? What’s a pest house? Well, back years ago when folks came to the springs at White Sulphur to bathe in the waters to try to cure what ever sickness they had. Some would have sicknesses that were very contagious, and these folks would have to stay at the “Pest House” up in that hollow. They would have to the waters brought to them I guess. I don’t really know. Back before folks knew much about germs, the thing that caused illness was called a pest. Many folks, that came to the springs around this part of the country, never went back home alive. Some never went home at all but were buried at cemeteries at the different spas. What's a spa? That’s what folks called these springs. Fancy folks from all over the East would come here. There was just a whole bunch that would come form South Carolina. I guess it was because the swamps down there caused a lot of sickness. Also, these rich folks would come to the mountains to get away from those nasty places in the summer. Several of the spas that were in what was then Virginia were called “Little South Carolina.”
.........What are those little roads going down around the hill? Those are old logging roads where folks once cut timber. Just about all of these hills have had their timber cut at least once. When the railroad came though here int he latter part of the 1800s, a whole bunch of little steam saw mills spring into existence and cut and shipped a lot of lumber. Of course the Saint Lawrence Boom and Lumber Company shipped out the lion’s share of it. Now, this road that we are on didn’t exist back before the depression. It was built by the CCC boys. I was knew an old preacher who worked on the road when he was a young man.
Here we are on top. Now we will be driving through the peace and quiet of the woods. Even on the hottest day down in the valley, it will seem cool up here. It’s a good place to walk of ride your bikes. See that road turning off the to the right? That goes up on a high point. That Federal Aviation outfit has a station up there. Now, that road there can take you down into Tuckahoe either through White Hollow or through Bostic Hollow. You can get lost on this Mountain. What’s the name of this mountain? Mercy, I must be slippin! This is Kate’s Mountain. Legend says that a lady by the name of Kate Carpenter hid her children up here in a hollow log during an Indian raid. This country round about was settled three times. It was wipe out twice by the Indians. Folks had to go back east until thing cooled down. A lot of settlers died around here. There was two very difficult time to be living around here. That was during the Indian Wars and during the Civil War. Mercy! Don’t get me started on that.
.......Your right son, that’s one of those telephone towers. The equipment that’s on that thing has changed a lot over the years. When we get up around this little rise, I’ve got a treat for you.

Photo by Okey L. King

.......There it is! Ain’t it beautiful! That’s the Kates Mountain Overlook! Let’s get out and enjoy it. That mountain on the left there is White Rock Ridge. That one on the right is Greenbrier Mountain. That gap is Sunrise Gap. I live just through the gap and around the left shoulder of the mountain. On a clear day, you can see beyond Lewisburg. Down in the Valley there is Hat’s Run where we came from. Way over to the right, you can see the Greenbrier Hotel. Don’t that breeze feel nice. You could lay down there, close your eyes, and just float away like one of those big ol clouds a skimming across the sky up there. You won’t smell air like that in some smelly old city. Hey! did you hear that? Listen! Maybe he will do it again. There! did you hear that old turkey gobble. That’s what it was son. Now you can go home and tell your buddies that you heard an old gobbler. There is more wildlife around here now than there has been for years. Things are coming back and I’m glad. Back before the logging and farming started, this was a wild place with a lot of wildlife. What worried me is that some many folks are cutting up the woods and old farms to build ugly old houses.
.......Ready to roll. We got some places to go. As we go down this road through the woods, you see that sometimes we can see to our left towards the east and sometimes we can see to our right towards the west. Down over the hill to our left, a family by the name of Holsappel used to have a farm. If you were to walk down that trail there, you could still find what is left of the old orchard. That’s the Holsopple Trail, but it’s not open all the way to the bottom of the mountain anymore. In German, Holsopple means “crabapple.” That’s spelled with an “s” but it is pronounced as with a “z.”
.......Here we are a the overlook to the East. Let’s park and get out for a minute. That off shoot from this mountain that you see is called Roaring Mountain. I’ve heard that it got its name from he wind blowing in the trees on top of its ridge. Look at the mountains ax they go off one after the other into the East. That big mountain there is “Big Ridge” which is part of Allegheny Mountain. I’ll tell you more about that mountain later. What? Oh, that's mountain laurel or little laurel. Some of the folks, that moved up here from places further to the south, call it red ivy. You can see that it is just beginning to open up. By Memorial Day, it will be in full bloom.

Photo by Okey L. King

..... On this mountain, there are what's called the “Shale Barrens” where you will find plants that grow no where else. We can’t go there today, but, if you want, you might be able to talk the park superintendent into taking you for a visit. I won't publish the location because, if I did, too many folks would go there to visit and ruin the place.
........Did you get you photo back there? Good! What’s that parking area were coming to? That’s a shelter with picnic tables. It’s a nice place on hot day. Popular place with the hunters too. Huh? You thought there wasn’t any hunting in a park? Well, you lady, I know a lot of time we call it a park, but really its a state Forrest and you can hunt in a state Forrest. You can’t hunt around the picnic areas, but you can hunt in the other places. The state sells timber off the Forrest too. Sometimes I don’t like the way they clearcut, but I don’t have much of a say in it.
........There’s the upper end of Young’s Nature Trail. There also used to be a family of Youngs that lived up here and that trail was their only way off of the mountain. We will pass their cemetery just down the road here. While I think about it, there were other families here also including the Vances, the McDowells, and the Dowdys. They had their own roads off of the mountain. Some descendants of these families still maintain camps or cabins up here. Some still run a little livestock. If we stopped here and walked around through these woods, we would probably find a grave or two. What's that Cemetery? Sure we can stop.
......,,This is the main Young Family Cemetery. (I hope to have a photo soon) And, over there, we have a new Cemetery. The Vance Family has established their own cemetery because of their love for being on this mountain. There's two graves there now. Manuel Long and his daughter Wanda Baker lie over there. Manuel's daughter Donna married Pete Vance and they all love to come here to camp. No, the only we to get in the Young Cemetery is to climb over the fence. What's that youngan? Well, one of these days you might get old and probably will like to visit cemeteries too. Ok, we're going.
........Now we just passed out of the state Forrest. that road forking off to the left goes out to the places that I was talking about. It goes out on another offshoot of Kates Mountain that is called Brushy Mountain. There was once a fire tower out there, but it is gone now. Coming up here on the left is the what is called “Kates Mountain Farm.” Some doctor from the south came up here and bought it. I always thought that I would like to live here. Well, as you see, were curving down to the left and now were are at the junction with the road that goes back down in the State Forrest and to you cabin. We’re going left and you see the Monroe County sign. But, we were in Monroe county up there on the end of the Mountain. That county line ziig zags across these ridges like a snake.
.......The descent here is not as long on this side as it is going back down into Harts Run. We are going down into a high mountain valley. When were at the junction, the mountain on the right was Boggs’ High Top. The mountain on our right now is Rich Mountain. This little creek that we are getting ready to cross as we turn right here is Archer Fork. It runs on down this little valley and joins Laurel Creek. This hill that we are going up now is as high a the one at the top of the gap at the junction of Kate’s Mountain Road. There was once a nice farm here at the top of the hill years ago. I always thought that I might like to live here. As we go down, we are coming down on Laurel Creek where we were the other day.
.........If you go up that road to the left, you will come to Dowdy Cemetery where I have a lot of friends buried. I have had several funerals there. It’s a pretty place. From the cemetery, the road goes up to the Dowdy place up on Kate’s Mountain. now, in that house on the left, Mary Adwell lives. Her husband was a friend whose funeral I had up there on the hill. Mary still lives there and is a good mountain woman.. I always enjoyed visiting with them. Now this little church used to be a Primitive Baptist Church. My Deacon Woody Cox’s grandpa used to preach here. Now it is a community church and this is where Mary attends now. There used to be a school house just over there on the right by the creek, I have a photo of it. Also, they used to have baptizings along about there too. My deacon Woody Cox’s grandpa Joe Sparks preached at that church and had baptizings in the creek. Woody has an old photo of one of the Baptizings.

Photo property of Woodson P. Cox

You wouldn’t find those folks using one of those fancy baptismal pools in a church. No sir! they believe in immersining in the creek even if you had to break the ice to do it. I think tha that is the way that it ought to be done.
.........You remember this intersection and this hill that were are getting ready to cross from the other day. Laurel Creek goes off to the left there and heads up on the side of the mountain. Nice and cool up here in the woods on this ol Cove Mountain ain’t it. You can go either to the left here on old logging roads and go for miles along the top of these mountains, Off to the left there is a high place called Fletcher Knob. On top of that knob, Greenbrier County, Monroe County, and Allegheny County, Virginia meet at a corner. From the knob to the North, run Fletcher Ridge and Frletcher Hollow. Fletcher Hollow uns into Tuckahoe where my friend Buck Cox used to live. I had Buck’s funeral too. Fine feller Buck was.
.......Well, with all of that talkin I’ve been doing, were already down at the bottom of this mountain again. But this time, we’re going to go left. Hey Younin! Do you remember what I said the name of this place was. Yep! Pedro it is. And what over ther there? Your right young lady. And were did I say that the waters of Cove Creek eventually went into? Right again...the James Rivers. You were payen attentiion after all. You see that the alley is still fairly broad, but, right down the road a piece, you see that the valley is getting narrow. Now, here the road turns to the left, but let us stop a minute. If the trees wasn;t so thick, you could see that, if we went straight ahead, we would be going into a gorge. The road’s not open through there anymnore. You could walk, ride a horse, or take a motercycle through there, but that is about all.
..........This is a pretty long old hill were going up, but it is in pretty good shape. Somewhere up here we will be going into Virginia. I just not sure just where. These boundaries don’t run in a straight line too much. It was all Virginia until June of 1863. We are almost at the top of the mountain, but look up there to the right. Do you see that old cemetery. There’s a tragic story in that cemetery that didn’t happen too awful long ago. There’s a man resting there that used to work for United Parcel. Seems that he was on a run one day on which another man was usually on. Seems this other man was having an affair. Well, the husband of the woman that was fooling around with this other “UPs” driver was waitin. He shot and killed the driver, but he shot the wrong man and that wrong man is up there in that cemetery resting forever lonely on that ol mountain top. Maybe there ought to have been a song written about that.

photo by Okey L, King

.......There something about these old mountain cemeteries. This one doesn't even have any grass growing. You can see how poor the soil is. Folks came through here when this country was first opened. The rich folks and land companies took up all the good land down in the valleys while the poor folks were left to try to scratch out a living on these mountain tops and ridges. Not only did they have to try to survive nature on these hardscrabble places, they also had to keep an eye open for the Indians. You can walk along these ridges through the woods and trip over a rock that was meant for a tombstone. In even some of the larger cemeteries, a big percentage of the stones are just old fieldstones that cannot tell the passerby who it is that lies beneath the rock. Folks settled here, built a cabin, lost and buried loved ones, and, then, decided to move on to see if they might find a better place further west. It would be interesting if some of these old burygrounds could tell their tale. For the most part, we have no idea who lived at these old homesteads. The old steep cornfields have long since returned to woodland and the old cabins have croumbled into dust. I have seen someplaces where the easter lilys still grow where there was once a home.
.....Come and let's see if I can get this thing backed up so we can go on down around the hill and back to the road. We made it. Just up around the bend, that old cross-country gas line will cross the road. There it is and that means we are up on the hill. If you go out the gas line to the left, you will come aross Tuckahoe Road where we topped the hill the other day. That high point up there on the line is called John Carr Mountain. I wrote a novel once and that mountain played a big part in it. Never did get it published. Who knows, might get it published yet. With what folks want to read today, it is hard to get good stuff published.
.....When we wre coming up the hill back there, we crossed over into Allegheny County, Virginia. I usually try to stay in West Virignia on these tours, but, these folks up on this mountain were so tied into the Tuckahoe Area of West Virginia that I thought that it would be interesting to come this way. Anyway, this whole area was Virginia until June 20, 1963 when West Virignia became a state during the Civil War. The road that you see going off to the left there, as we turn right to go back down hill, is Broad Hollow Road. It runs up the road a short distance before beginning to wind its way down into Broad Hollow and out to Tuckahoe Road. That used to be a state maintained road and the way that folks went off of the mountain to White Sulphur Springs. Folks would take there produce to the store by that road and bring back what they were able to barter for.
.......When we get down the road a little pience, you will see an old road angling up the hill to the left. Ther it is. That leads to the old Midkiff Place. Brother Noah and Sister Lottie Midkiff would walk off this mountain and back by way of Broad Hollow and go to church. Sometimes they would even walk out the gas line and go to churhc at Glace. Those were two dedicated Christians. They both died the same week, and are buried beside a daughter up behind the house in an old graveyard. When the old folks died, the children sold the place and moved away. The old cemetery is neglected and has a large pine growing right between the three graves. The old house is now just a shell. I also used that old house in my novel.
.......Were coming down into what was once the community of Big Ridge. I'll think of the name of that creek in a minute. I can't seem to bring it up for some reason. I think that it is Big Branch. We will come to a forks in the road in a minute. Now, if we go straight ahead we will go back up on and out aross the ridge and then go down the mountain into the old railroad town of Allegheny which is on the east end of Allegheny Tunnel. On the ridge, you would be in the Natioal Forest. But, we're not going that way today.
........Let's get out and stretch our legs some. See that space across the road to our left? That's where the old Sparks Place used to stand

photo by Okey L. King

.......It doesn't look like much does it. But, that patch of ground represents a lot. Joe Sparks and his wife raised a huge family there. Joe was the Primitive Baptist Preacher featured in the photo above. Some of the old folks used to call them "Hardshell Baptists." They didn't call their preachers ministers. They called them deacons. And, they do not believe in istrumental mucic in church. But, Joe Sparks would ride for miles to preach, and he scratched out a living farming up here on the mountain. Two of his children were my deacon Woody Cox's mother Elizabeth "Lizzy" Sparks Cox and Lottie Sparks Midkiff. I also knew Aunt Patty and Aunt Sara, but they have all gone to their reward now. What's that house up on the hill there? Young lady, that's the old Big Ridge School. I'll tell you something about that too.
.......You have probably heard that farm kids grow up healthy and strong on fresh eggs and milk. That wasn't so for these folks that live back on these mountains. The eggs and the best milk was sold or were saved to take to the store to barter for the things that were needed like salt, coffee, and other things that could not be grown or manufactured at home. Many times, all there was to eat for supper would be buttermilk with cornbread crumbled up in it. Life was hard, but they didn't expect any better and so were mostly not discontented. You didn't miss what you didn't know existed. Most of the clothes were made at home...especially the girls dresses. Many a nice housedress was made from "red rose" feed sacks. Sometimes, shoes were even made. Many of the feed sacks had pretty flowers on them. There usually wasn't a whole lot that had to be "store boughten."

........
photo by Okey L. King

Now, that old shcool house has heard the laughter of many a child. But it wasn't always children's laughter. The school house was the center of the community after the church. Pie socials, homemade icecream suppers, and spelling bees were held that involved the adults. Sometimes the girls would prepare a box lunch and the boys and young men would bid on them. The "fellers" would be counting that the one that they bid on on would be the lunch that had been prepared by their favorite girl. And, of course there would be the fall and spring carnivals. One of the ladys that taught at Big Ridge School, wrote a small book about the community telling about the old mill, the church, and some of the things that she observed about the people. She says that Big Ridge was settled by deserters from the Confederate Army. After the school closed, the building became a private residence and now I believe that it is used as a camp.

photo by Woodson P. Cox

.......Yes mamn! That is the Big Ridge Church Building. It is still maintained fairly well, and they still have a homecoming here at least once a year. This old building was also a center of the community. The revival serivices held here were the main source of entertainment for most folks. Of course they were more than just entertainment. Many a life was changed here. When that life belonged to a father or a mother, the whole familie's life changed. What I mean by the revival being the manin source of entertainment is that there were very little other sources of amusement other than the church and the school. I don't think these folks went for things like corn shucking bees. Even the "sinner" men and boys would come to these revivals at the country churches. They would sit or stand around in the yard and listen to the singing or the preaching, or they would just talk. Sometimes there would be some terrible fist-fights. Every once in awhile though, one of these men or boys would be drawn to the door of the church, then to the back pew, and sometimes right on down to the alter where they would repent, be "saved," and begin a brand new life. Then everyone one would rejoice and people would say that "Brother John's boy Ted' come to the Lord last night!" I am not making light of these things. These were very serious things, and I remember these happenings with gratitude and thankfulness that I was able to take part persoally in this kind of service at an old country church.

................
.................photo by Woodson P. Cox

.....Let's get back in the vehicle and drive up this road a piece. Then we will come back up and go up the road by the church. There used to be several old house of different shapes and sizes un here on the mountain, and most would not fit your picture of an old mountain log house. This old house is one of the few that is left. It is used as a camp also. Someone has built a new brick house further up the road and up on the ridge, but it is not your typical mountain house and really wouldn't fit in with the history of the mountain.
......Ummm! Smell that? That can only be one thing. There it is. See that big bush covered with white flowers? Know what it is No? Well, I can't find it in any book, but we call it autumn olive. It has about the spiceyest smell of any wild thing that I know of. I love it!

photo by Okey L. King

.....Well, let's go back and ride up that other road. Now were really headed up the mountain. This is wild country. Hey! look there! There is something that is becoming rare. See that pretty pink bush? That's a pinkster azalea. Now many of us country folk call them honeysuckle, but the're really azaleas. You want toi ake a picture. Ok. We will get out. What? What's that orange flower? Oh, I just about missed that. That's a flame azalea. Those are not quite as rare, but they are beautiful too. They are hard to grow unless you have the right soil like this old poor mountain dirt.

photos by Okey L. King

.....Let's get going. Any Bears up here? You better believe ot. There's more bears and other wildlife than there have been for ages. West Virginia especially has done a darn good job on their wildlife programs. We're trying to protect non game species too...even rattlesnakes. What? Well any one that has "half sense" is going to watch where they put their feet and hands.
.....How far to the top? This is a long ride up isn't it, but were almost there. Were just topping out now. You're on the top of Allegheny Mountain! Like I said, it's wild country. I'm glad that you are getting to see it.
.....We're not far from the southern end of Allegneny Mountain here. This ol mountains runs north from here all the way past Covington in Virginia. It's a big mountain with mountain valleys, hight knobs, and wild mountain streams. When you came aross I-64, you crossed Jerry's Run on top of the mountain. This stream makes a secluded valley from near the rest area down the mountain toward Dunlap Creek. It makes for both a wilderness walk and a trout fishing excursion.
.....Look up there! Do you know what those big birds are? Your're right as rain Bub. Buzzards! Up here, and even sometimes down in Tuckahoe, you will get close to them as they are feeding along the road, Ugly looking things, but they're beautiful up there in the sky. It gives me a good feeling to see those big birds. When we are up here, we are in the domain of God's creatures. There used to be a lot of hardy folks living up here, but, now, it has gone back to the wild.
.....Well, here I am beating my gums too much again. Let's head this old bus down this old mountain road. It gets a little steep in places...and rocky. Hey Look? Running down tht eroad in front of us. What do you think that is? Pheasnt? No, that's a big ol male grouse. Now the folks around here to call them pheasant, but they are really grouse. They don't seem to be too afraid of automobiles, but, if you were on foot, he would have took off and would have most likely have made so much knoise that he would have most likley scared you half to death. Some years they seem to be a lot of them, but this year they are kind of scarse. Sometimes, down at the house, you can hear them drumming in mating season. That's a wonderful sound and sure beats the noise of the city.

to be continued