XS East 2006 West Virginia Rally – preview       Marty and Gary (Sixtysix) 


ON April 9-10, Gary (Sixtysix) and I spent some time in southern WV checking out the roads and routes.  This area of WV is mostly steep hills with mostly narrow creek and river valleys. There are many small towns with small or closed businesses and many of these towns have no rest stops, gas stations, or convenience stores. It is also very much coal county. That means some dusty places and a few “Trucks Entering Highway” signs. However the roads are in very good shape and since our rally is on holiday weekend I expect only infrequent encounters with coal trucks – many of which are driven like sports cars and surprisingly are faster than you would expect even on mountain switchbacks.  

This area also caters to the 4-wheelers in a big way.  It might be the biggest business after coal mining.  They are allowed on the roadways, even 10 year old kids can ride their little 4-wheelers on the roads.  They are usually on the way to or coming back from the woods and trails so they are not seen much on the roads, and should not be a problem for us.  

The Cow Shed motel has decent rooms – doors lock, cleaned every day, beds not uncomfortable.  We didn’t go into the Mountain Motel but we were assured it has the same look as the Cow Shed.  We will be eating breakfast and supper at the Cow Shed Saturday and Sunday, but you are welcome to try out the other local establishments.  They have a pizza menu and several regular dinner items on the menu.  There are several other small places to eat if that is your choice. The Cow Shed has their breakfast menu on their website, and it is open for supper Fri and Sat till 12 PM and Sun till 11 PM.
Whistlestop Café
At the Pinnacle Creek Country Store (take Rt 16 S) mostly a sandwich shop with some hot platters.

There are several convenience stores in Pineville, beer is sold at convenience stores and “Rite-Aid” type pharmacy store.  Liquor is also sold at liquor stores and the “Rite-Aid” store in town. Prices are in with most places in the US – cheaper than Canada. :) You cannot purchase beer on Sunday until 2 PM (no liquor sales on Sunday).

Pineville also has a Subway restaurant, a couple auto parts stores and even a ‘Gentlemen’s Club’ (the Sugar Shack) right in town. 

Saturday we are riding in 3 states, heading west from Pineville to KY and lunch in Pikeville, at Gatti’s.  They have a Salad bar – Pasta  - Pizza – Dessert buffet $8.00 including tax all you can eat. Gatti’s is in a mall-like area with a Wal-Mart and Applebee’s and Burger King, and several gas stations.  This lunch stop is 98 miles from Pineville so if anyone cannot make it that far on one tank of gas let me know the morning of the rally and we will stop early.  There will be a brief rest stop abut ½ way to Pikeville and then again on the way back.  The Saturday ride is a little longer than it should be, but we had to go as far as Pikeville to find a place large enough to feed all of us.  This means eat breakfast and gas up as we must leave at 8:30 and not tarry at rest stops and gas stops.  Briefly, west on 97, west on 52, south on 119 (some parts are 4 lane but not for long) to Pikeville, then 460 south or east to 83 east to 16 north to Pineville.  Total mileage 212 miles.

Saturday is award and door prize night. We have some awards for longest and shiniest and all that, and some door prizes.

Sunday we are riding to the New River Gorge, then having lunch at Hawks Nest State Park lodge at Anstead. This is a somewhat upscale buffet with plenty of room for us according to Tonto our scout. Then we take a quick run down Rt 60 to Rt 41 to Beckley and wend our way back to Pineville.  This is 190 miles, some of the first part will be on Rt 19 which is a 4 lane from Beckley to the Gorge. We will leave at 9 AM Sunday and anyone leaving the rally on Sunday and heading north might want to pack and ride with us at least to the gorge.

Marty