Corridor H (Va., W.Va. and Md.) Meet - Late Spring/Early Summer 2016

[74/171FAN]

I'm looking forward to the maps and itinerary. There is a possibility that I may be able to make a good portion of this meet, if a couple of things fall into place between now and then. It's doubtful that I can make it to the I-81 corridor by Saturday morning, however. I will most likely have a work-related conference in Frankfort on the Friday preceding meet weekend, and the drive from Frankfort to the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia after the conference concludes is probably too long for me to have a shot to make it to my destination before dark. (I wouldn't dare drive in that area of West Virginia or Virginia at highway speeds after dark because of the possibility of hitting a deer). I may have to "JIP" on Saturday somewhere along the route.

If the agenda of the conference in Frankfort is not up to my liking, then I will not attend, and will instead use Friday as a travel day and be there for the start of the meet.

Maps still in process.  A lot of work because there is a lot of GPS log data to process. 

Regarding deer, there are plenty of them in the mountains (but you know that as well as anyone I know). 

It is my understanding that the bucks are not chasing after the does until rut season in the fall, so there is somewhat less risk of hitting one out on the highways.

My mom could not stand me making night trips back home during college for that same reason (though the possibility of hitting a deer on US 460 is a concern).  My personal thought eventually became that letting deer and other animals effect when I drive is just not worth the trouble especially when compared to dealing with the many trucks on I-81.

That being said, I am at best uncertain about coming to this meet.  Though I eventually plan to clinch Corridor H and I-68. (maybe if/when I finally head back to Blacksburg)

[hbelkins]

Regarding deer, there are plenty of them in the mountains (but you know that as well as anyone I know). 

It is my understanding that the bucks are not chasing after the does until rut season in the fall, so there is somewhat less risk of hitting one out on the highways.

Back several years ago, I did some exploring in eastern West Virginia, using Lewisburg as a base, in June. The second morning, when I was getting ready to leave, a young couple was working on the front bumper of their car in the parking lot of the hotel. They had driven in the previous night from Virginia and had hit a deer. Their car was not inoperable, but they were trying to knock some loose parts off and prevent a tire rub. They said there were so many deer on I-64 that night that traffic was only moving about 35 mph. And since my route to the I-81 corridor would take me across that segment of I-64, it makes me leery.

[Bitmapped]

I've driven Corridor H many many times, especially the Weston-Elkins part, and haven't ever had trouble with deer on the corridor itself. While the deer are around, they're generally not all that active around May. It's in the fall when they begin to become a problem.

[Dougtone]

Where is the recommended location of lodging for Saturday night?

I have stayed at the Microtel in Buckhannon, which is far and above what one would normally expect from that chain, and the Quality Inn (formerly Comfort Inn) in Weston. I have never spent a night in Elkins, so I can't recommend lodging there. JPI has stayed at a couple of other places in Weston and might have a suggestion.

Buckhannon also has a Hampton and a couple of highly-rated independent motels.

I do know there is a hotel in Elkins, formerly a Days Inn but possibly now an independent, that used to be a hospital.

I've stayed at the Days Inn in Elkins back in 2009. From what I can tell, it is now the Elkins Inn and Suites. I remember the hotel being pretty average.

[Mapmikey]

I've driven Corridor H many many times, especially the Weston-Elkins part, and haven't ever had trouble with deer on the corridor itself. While the deer are around, they're generally not all that active around May. It's in the fall when they begin to become a problem.

Deer can happen anytime...

Both deer I've hit were around 10:30 in the morning, once in early June and the other in mid Sept.  One was on VA 20 west of Orange and the other was I-64 in Lewisburg WV.

I have seen deer along the side of Corridor H many times in dusk/dawn times...

[hbelkins]

I've driven Corridor H many many times, especially the Weston-Elkins part, and haven't ever had trouble with deer on the corridor itself. While the deer are around, they're generally not all that active around May. It's in the fall when they begin to become a problem.

I'm still seeing gobs of them around my neck of the woods.

[jpi]

Steph and I just stayed at the Quality Inn in Weston the other night and it was nice.

[tckma]

Signed up on the Facebook event.  I might be able to make this one, if only for one of the two days.  Not sure if my wife would want to come along.  I shall stay tuned.

[ModernDayWarrior]

I'm really going to try to make it to this. I don't know if I'll be able to make the logistics work out or not, but I've never been to Virginia or Maryland. I've only been to West Virginia once, when I was a teenager, but I thought it was a gorgeous state and would love to make it back there. I've also never been to a road meet and would love to finally attend one.

[hbelkins]

Steph and I just stayed at the Quality Inn in Weston the other night and it was nice.

I've stayed there twice and concur. It's a decent place, and cheaper than the Microtel at Buckhannon.

[hbelkins]

Worth noting -- I've long since said that Corridor H should become the preferred route from Kentucky and other points in the midwest to DC once it's done, despite claims to the contrary by one rabble-rouser in particular. Checking mileage and travel times on Google Maps, I find that from my hometown to Front Royal, taking Corridor H with its current unfinished portion is already 30 miles shorter than using I-64 and I-81, and only one minute longer without traffic (five minutes longer with traffic.) When Corridor H is completed, that will only cut the time and distance down even more. (Plus there won't be the need to deal with WV Turnpike tolls and the far-too-low 50 mph speed limit between Cabin Creek and Mossy, and Virginia's ban on radar detectors that slows travel on I-81).

[froggie]

Virginia's ban on radar detectors that slows travel on I-81

Unless you're one of those who chooses to go too fast to begin with, this should not be a problem.  It never was for me.  Traffic does far more to slow travel on I-81 than the ban on radar detectors.

[cpzilliacus]

Worth noting -- I've long since said that Corridor H should become the preferred route from Kentucky and other points in the midwest to DC once it's done, despite claims to the contrary by one rabble-rouser in particular. Checking mileage and travel times on Google Maps, I find that from my hometown to Front Royal, taking Corridor H with its current unfinished portion is already 30 miles shorter than using I-64 and I-81, and only one minute longer without traffic (five minutes longer with traffic.) When Corridor H is completed, that will only cut the time and distance down even more. (Plus there won't be the need to deal with WV Turnpike tolls and the far-too-low 50 mph speed limit between Cabin Creek and Mossy, and Virginia's ban on radar detectors that slows travel on I-81).

According to Google Maps, the trip from Kerens to Davis, across the "missing" central part of Corridor H, is just over 31 miles.  The only part of the trip that is "difficult" (in bad weather and to a lesser extent at night) is U.S. 219 between Parsons and Thomas, and it's really only about the twisty grade from the northern intersection of 219 and W.Va. 72 near Hambleton to the Tucker County High School.  The rest is not that terrible, and taking it slow on that twisty part is probably a good idea anyway.

At the east end, from the eastern end of eastern Corridor H to I-81 just outside Strasburg, Va. is about 21 miles.  The grade on U.S. 48/W.Va. 55 from Wardensville to the state line at the crest of Great North Mountain is also pretty steep and curvy (less so on the Virginia side), but not all that terrible (unless you have the misfortune of getting behind a truck hauling a load of wood products, in which case it becomes very slow and very miserable, since there are no climbing lanes and no truck turnouts to the top of the mountain).

[1995hoo]

As I think I mentioned somewhere else, we found the trip between Dayton and Fairfax County was faster using the Corridor H route than via the Interstate route–and that's even with a scenic detour from Elkins to Seneca Rocks and then up to Moorefield to put gas in the car and pick up Corridor H there, as well as a backup on I-66 near Delaplane due to a wreck that had traffic squeezing by on the shoulder.

Afraid I won't make it to the meet. It'd be nice to get to meet some of you in person, but due to work commitments at the present time my weekends are all tied up for the foreseeable future.

[hbelkins]

Virginia's ban on radar detectors that slows travel on I-81

Unless you're one of those who chooses to go too fast to begin with, this should not be a problem.  It never was for me.  Traffic does far more to slow travel on I-81 than the ban on radar detectors.

The segments of I-81 I've been on the most are from Abingdon to the I-77 south exit, between Lexington and Staunton, and between Strasburg and the state line. Most every time I've been on the route, traffic was moving very well and quite a few vehicles were traveling faster than the 5-over I tend to drive. I'm too paranoid about getting a ticket to drive any faster than 5 mph over the limit, especially in Virginia. I've always felt I could comfortably drive at 80 in Virginia, like a lot of other, braver drivers do. Or maybe they're running radar detectors in spite of the ban. I used to be quite good at pulling mine down climbing the mountain at Pound Gap on US 23 on the Kentucky side.

[hbelkins]

At the east end, from the eastern end of eastern Corridor H to I-81 just outside Strasburg, Va. is about 21 miles.  The grade on U.S. 48/W.Va. 55 from Wardensville to the state line at the crest of Great North Mountain is also pretty steep and curvy (less so on the Virginia side), but not all that terrible (unless you have the misfortune of getting behind a truck hauling a load of wood products, in which case it becomes very slow and very miserable, since there are no climbing lanes and no truck turnouts to the top of the mountain).

I've done every major east-west state line crossing between I-64 and US 50, except WV/VA 84, and I've been right up to the state line on the West Virginia side there. The US 48 crossing is by far the easiest of all of them. Much easier than US 33, US 250 or WV/VA 39. (I'm obviously not counting the north-south crossings like both of WV/VA 259's or US 220's, since they don't involve a mountain crossing.)

[tckma]

Any further information on schedules and routes determined?  My non-roadgeek wife will be overseas due to a very recent death in her family, so I won't have to convince her to come with or give me up for a weekend.

[hbelkins]

This is looking more and more likely for me. I'd be leaving from Frankfort, Ky. mid-afternoon on Friday so I will have to figure out if I can make it all the way to Front Royal Saturday morning in time for things to start, or if I'll have to JIP along the route on Saturday morning.

[noelbotevera]

I have a shot at this meet. I can only do one of these days, since my dad does not feel like doing both days. I'm not sure when the meet ends on the days, so I might have to drive three hours to home. I'll need to be sure that things don't suddenly shift, unlike at Central PA.

[hbelkins]

According to TripAdvisor, rooms in Elkins are filling up fast for Saturday night. The Hampton in Buckhannon is also full for that night. Folks might want to get rooms pretty quickly, or else you may end up having to stay in Weston or perhaps Clarksburg.

[LM117]

I've always felt I could comfortably drive at 80 in Virginia, like a lot of other, braver drivers do.

I wouldn't recommend exceeding 80mph in Virginia. If you get nailed doing 80mph or more, even in a 70mph zone, you can get charged with Reckless Driving, which is a Class 1 criminal misdemeanor in Virginia. It's at the cop's discretion whether it's a simple speeding charge or Reckless Driving, but they'll usually go for Reckless Driving (more $$$).

[hbelkins]

I wouldn't recommend exceeding 80mph in Virginia. If you get nailed doing 80mph or more, even in a 70mph zone, you can get charged with Reckless Driving, which is a Class 1 criminal misdemeanor in Virginia. It's at the cop's discretion whether it's a simple speeding charge or Reckless Driving, but they'll usually go for Reckless Driving (more $$$).

I'm aware of that, which is why I'm amazed that every time I drive on an interstate in Virginia, vehicles are whizzing by me obviously driving faster than 80.

[codyg1985]

I wouldn't recommend exceeding 80mph in Virginia. If you get nailed doing 80mph or more, even in a 70mph zone, you can get charged with Reckless Driving, which is a Class 1 criminal misdemeanor in Virginia. It's at the cop's discretion whether it's a simple speeding charge or Reckless Driving, but they'll usually go for Reckless Driving (more $$$).

I'm aware of that, which is why I'm amazed that every time I drive on an interstate in Virginia, vehicles are whizzing by me obviously driving faster than 80.

How many were out of state?

[LM117]

I wouldn't recommend exceeding 80mph in Virginia. If you get nailed doing 80mph or more, even in a 70mph zone, you can get charged with Reckless Driving, which is a Class 1 criminal misdemeanor in Virginia. It's at the cop's discretion whether it's a simple speeding charge or Reckless Driving, but they'll usually go for Reckless Driving (more $$$).

I'm aware of that, which is why I'm amazed that every time I drive on an interstate in Virginia, vehicles are whizzing by me obviously driving faster than 80.

My bad, I didn't know you knew. And yeah, it amazes me too. I guess many of them are unaware of the RD law. I noticed most of the fastest vehicles had out of state plates...or at least that's been my observation anyway. I usually try to stay with the traffic in other states, but in VA, I usually keep it no higher 75-77mph. I ain't brave enough to risk an RD charge. One of the politicians from SW Virginia introduced a bill in the General Assembly a few months ago to raise the Reckless Driving to 85mph, but it got shot down in flames by one of the law subcommittees.

[vdeane]

In all honestly, most of us here probably only know about the reckless driving law because we're roadgeeks.  I doubt most of the general public is aware.  It's not something that comes up if you don't live in Virginia.