#daviswv

This weekend was the first (semi) large trip of the year! Inspired by the 52 hike challenge I found on Instagram, I felt that Mac and I needed to go do something new! So on Saturday, we packed some snacks, put the dog in the car and headed to West Virginia to visit the Black Water Falls State Park. 

Davis, WV is roughly 2 hours from where I live in Harrisonburg, Va with my son and dog. The trip was easy and there was literally no traffic. (We were the only ones on the highway for several minute stretches of time.) The scenery of the mountains and mountain homes kept us alert for the majority of the ride. Our devices didn’t work so it was easy to suck up the WV radio media, which was a lot more diverse and fun than we thought it would be. 

Arrival at the state park was cake! The walk down to the Falls was quick and beautiful. The boardwalk was so nice and while there were a lot of people, it didn’t seem crowded. (The bathrooms were also really nice and well kept, which is important after driving 2 hours). After walking to the Falls, we got back in the car and headed to the lodge, which is where the trailhead for our larger hike was located. This trail simple to follow for a novice like myself.  Even so, there were some large rocks, fallen branches and roots that made the trek just a little spicy. The hike was said to be over 4 miles long, and we didn’t make it fully around the loop. (The lack of people and service on the trail made Mac more anxious than I would have hoped.) It was easy to find a short cut to get us back to the car. 

As a new solo(ish) hiker, I need to do a lot better in preparing to do new things. I was prepared for the 30 degree weather, but I was not prepared for snow or mud.  We DID NOT have the right footwear. I didn’t look at the place prior to hopping in the car, so I was unaware of how close everyone would be while walking on the boardwalk, which was not the best choice for my 2 year old, vocal dog, Stewie. I hope to make the trip again once its warmer outside and maybe I will be lucky enough to talk Mac into an overnight stay at the lodge. 

After the hike, we got pizza to go from Sirianni’s. Their pizza was delicious, their service was amazing and I give them bonus points for the Black Lives Matter sticker in their window. We also visited the Wandering Caravan, which was too friggin lovely and I had to stop myself from buying one of everything. Before leaving, I ordered a matcha from Trailhead coffee. The space was small and intimate and the baristas were really nice.  While I only bought the matcha and some benets(which were fudgin’ amazing) they sell different flavored hot chocolate bombs-- They even have boozy bombs for the adults. I will DEFINITELY go back catch a show, eat and spend more money.  I think I might’ve even met a friend. :D

https://www.facebook.com/TheSiriannisPizzaCafe/

http://www.thewanderingcaravan.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Trailheadcoffeeshop/