By Charlotte Byus
I almost hate to write this but it is part of our trip. Southwest Virginia (coal country) is dying. It is one of the most beautiful states I have ever seen. There are NO rolling hills, it is all mountains and trees. So many of the towns are closed up. The downtown areas have beautiful old buildings that are boarded up. There are signs in the windows about what was there but no longer. In the small quaint town we stayed in, St Paul is trying to bring life back to the town, a great Chamber of Commerce. RR went to the barber shop in town and learned about the death of the southwest. In 2008, there were over 400 coal mines in the area with 200-300 employees. Now there are two coal mines open. St Paul has come along with the 20th century by building a Hybrid electric plant. Really Big! It uses coal and there isn’t any air pollution. The skies are so clear and clean.
I am starting to enjoy the mountains and forest except when we are pulling our home around roads a corvette would love. I made this statement to RR, his comment was, “Well that is because the trees are not pine.” So far everywhere we have stayed since we left the coast line has been around the mountains and through the trees.
The people of Virginia are very strong, quiet and kind – as hard as it is to keep life going, they carry on. Of course, Virginia is one of our oldest states and I have faith they will come through this with shinning colors.
We are now in Burnt Cabins, Grist Mill, Pa. Guess how we got here? Exit interstate 81 and start doing switch backs. Now that we are here, I must say the country side is beyond beautiful, fields filled with grasses taller that our truck. There are very few sub-divisions, mostly a few houses or farms within a mile of each other, and every yard and field looks like the gardener has just finished mowing. The barns are big, old, and something you would want to paint.
Stay tuned.
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