ESTN 2008: West Virginia - exactly where and when?

[fjrSKI]

Thanks, Garry.  I was playing around with my GPS, and went to enter the exact coordinates.  A Google search found multiple spellings and multiple locations.  One location appears to be their business office, the second is probably the resort, and I'm guessing the third might be a campground or other property owned by the proprietor.  Not the first time I've gotten results like this on a Google search.  Amazing what you find on the internet.  As far as finding my way there, I figured I would just wait for some sport bike to go by that was carrying some luggage and headed in the right general direction and follow it.

[gforce]

Were these places far apart?

Because, with a population of around 1200, it's probably pretty hard to get lost in Marlinton.  

[Scratch33]

It'll be hard to miss the Marlinton Motor Inn.  It's north of town on Route 219; almost to Edray.

[fjrSKI]

It'll be hard to miss the Marlinton Motor Inn.  It's north of town on Route 219; almost to Edray.

Not a problem, Thanks.

[mjrfd99]

+1 on Canaan Valley- we camp and they have a real nice campground there. Just there in Aug. You woun't be disapointed.

[sprint_st]

Hey Frank,
Didn't you go through Marlinton at EOM 07?  I know on Saturday you were to the west of it, but I would have thought on Sunday you went right through it on 219.  If you sneezed you might have missed it

[fjrSKI]

I probably went by it a half-dozen times.  As a cartographer, you'll probably appreciate this.  When i saw the multiple spellings and various Google map locations, I just had to post up about it.  I don't think some folks understood what i was trying to say and they tried to help me out.  I apologize, because  I don't think there is a cure for what i got.  Being as anal as I am, I wanted to load the exact location in my GPS, so I could estimate the distance there.  Why, because it's cold, I'm bored, and this is as close to actually riding as I can get.  Truth of the matter is, once I get on the road, if I see something interesting, I'll probably change course and take off in that direction.  Did it last year on my way to ESTN, and had a heck of a good ride on the way down.  

PS I passed Marlinton on Friday, after about 4 hours in those drenching "scattered showers", and remember wishing that we were staying there instead of the Briar, which was still another 30 miles down the pike.   I got 46 mpg that afternoon, that's the highest mileage I've even seen on my FJR, probably because we never went over 50 mph, and I never want to see mileage that good ever again!;-)

[sprint_st]

If they run that Autumn Harvest Festival the same weekend, Saturday morning launches better be at OH Dark Thirty, cause the streets of Marlinton will be flat constipated by noon.  Kinda the opposite of ESTN07 when the races in Charlotte pulled the traffic away from Sparta.  I really don't care about other bike events, the ESTN will pull enough to have fun no matter what is going on elsewhere.  I do care about fighting traffic in the twisties.  I guess you can get out early against the tide and come back late, again, against the flow.

[hig4s]

Just a note,, I just got back from Canaan Valley (MTA touring group I belong to had their National there last week) and while it was still excellent overall, for those staying in the lodge they just bought all new mattresses and went with extra firm, my wife hated them. And also they have changed the chef or restaurant management since 06 as the food is not near as good as it was then.  

Also over at Seneca Caverns, they are now closed Monday and Tuesday, and the restaurant there (which got very good ratings) is closed permanently.

On the plus side, there is a new restaurant just a few miles toward Davis from the lodge called Big Jim's. good food, lots of variety and arcade.. If you stop, feed the fish.

Other than that is it pretty much as it was in 06.

[sprint_st]

Just a note,, I just got back from Canaan Valley (MTA touring group I belong to had their National there last week) and while it was still excellent overall, for those staying in the lodge they just bought all new mattresses and went with extra firm, my wife hated them. And also they have changed the chef or restaurant management since 06 as the food is not near as good as it was then.  

Also over at Seneca Caverns, they are now closed Monday and Tuesday, and the restaurant there (which got very good ratings) is closed permanently.

On the plus side, there is a new restaurant just a few miles toward Davis from the lodge called Big Jim's. good food, lots of variety and arcade.. If you stop, feed the fish.

Other than that is it pretty much as it was in 06.

Just spent three days at Canaan Valley.  Food was great, no problem with the mattresses, and I loved the hot tub after a long ride.  I guess a lot depends on the eye of the beholder.  Food hours are tricky and I'm more of a  pizza and burgers kinda guy rather than fancy stuff so I'd rather go up the road anyway.  The Sunday breakfast buffet was FANTASTIC at the resort.  At $58 a night it is one of the best bargains around. Roads are still great, rain still sucks, BUT the truck traffic on 93, 42, 32, US50, US219 and that whole general area surrounding has hit levels I have not seen in over 40 years of riding that area.

[hig4s]

Just spent three days at Canaan Valley.  Food was great, no problem with the mattresses, and I loved the hot tub after a long ride.  I guess a lot depends on the eye of the beholder.  Food hours are tricky and I'm more of a  pizza and burgers kinda guy rather than fancy stuff so I'd rather go up the road anyway.  The Sunday breakfast buffet was FANTASTIC at the resort.  At $58 a night it is one of the best bargains around. Roads are still great, rain still sucks, BUT the truck traffic on 93, 42, 32, US50, US219 and that whole general area surrounding has hit levels I have not seen in over 40 years of riding that area.

The mattresses didn't bother me either, but you know, if the passenger is not happy, no one is happy.. I thought the pizza/burger snack bar was actually better than the fancy restaurant this time.   The hot tub was great as always.. Also I saw a lot more deer this year then in 06, but unlike 06, none of them actually ran in front of me.  In 06 I had to slow several times for deer, and had to brake hard once.

[sprint_st]

The mattresses didn't bother me either, but you know, if the passenger is not happy, no one is happy.. I thought the pizza/burger snack bar was actually better than the fancy restaurant this time.   The hot tub was great as always.. Also I saw a lot more deer this year then in 06, but unlike 06, none of them actually ran in front of me.  In 06 I had to slow several times for deer, and had to brake hard once.

I like the burger place too but it closes at 5 pm during the week and that sucks.  You are right on the money about the deer.  I saw more fawn's on this trip than anytime in my life, and I used to live in PA.  I had a run in with one on the way up down near Hungry Mother in VA.  This has to be hear say because I didn't see it.  Apparently a deer tried to hitch a ride on the FJR.  The person behind me said it jumped from an embankment and looked like it was going to land on my rear seat but I rode out from under it because it landed just behind me.  I didn't see anything because I was dodging gravel and hauled over in a turn.  If I had I would have filled my depends.

[guinzomoto]

Marlinton is a great hub for the event.  Old Clark Inn is ideal but small and Marlinton Inn is OK but not that great.  Blackwater Falls State Park on the other hand is much prettier than Canaan, socked in forested mountains and has good camping, cabins and a lodge with a magnificent view of the falls and an overlook that drops down, down down.  Nelson and Andrea also sell a book called the West Virginia Rider's Guide that details all the best sport riding in the area plus camping eating etc.  Also available at RidersGuides.com

[R Doug]

Marlinton is a great hub for the event.  Old Clark Inn is ideal but small and Marlinton Inn is OK but not that great.  Blackwater Falls State Park on the other hand is much prettier than Canaan, socked in forested mountains and has good camping, cabins and a lodge with a magnificent view of the falls and an overlook that drops down, down down.  Nelson and Andrea also sell a book called the West Virginia Rider's Guide that details all the best sport riding in the area plus camping eating etc.  Also available at RidersGuides.com

While I agree there are better places to stay around Canaan and Blackwater Falls, we've pretty much exhausted those areas in past meets and are looking for something further south to pick up the good roads south, west, and east of Marlinton.  The rationalization of staying in Marlinton has been discussed thoroughly in the history of this thread.  Granted, I realize how time consuming it would be to catch up on this one.  

With so may great roads, who cares where we sleep?  

I see this is your first post.  Welcome to STN.  

[photomd]

Woohoo...I'm in.

But I don't know where I'm staying: Ross, where we stayin'?

 

[guinzomoto]

Six pages of posts, yes I scanned them and read many.  How about Beckley? If sleeping is not an issue (who cares really) then there are lots of choices in Beckley.  Downtown is pretty cool, there are a couple of bike shops, camping right downtown in a nice little city park, decent restaurants and a zillion hotels.  Riding in the New River Gorge area if you know where to go is a blast.

[R Doug]

Marlinton is already set in stone and a lot of people have reservations already.  

http://www.sport-touring.net/forums/index.php/topic,19324.0.html

Get a room and join us.  Besides, the weekend we're there is the same weekend as the famous Road Kill Cookoff contest!  

[rfulcher]

Woohoo...I'm in.

But I don't know where I'm staying: Ross, where we stayin'?

 

I resemble that remark

Where else but----Marlinton Motor Inn----

Ross

[JamminJere]

I spoke with the Marlinton Motor Inn this Morning, 08.09.08 to confirm my reservation for ESTN. The nice lady said they still have 16 rooms available for Friday the 26th and 15 rooms available for the 27th.

I told her I"d post that, and we'd try to "fill her up"....

I hope she didn't take it the wrong way..