West Virginia

[The_Ginger]

Yeah, I checked out CR 27 east of I-77. It would be faster to drop south on I-77 and then take I-79 north.

I've driven US 33 a couple of times, and I've done both WV 2 and OH 7 along the river multiple times.

My understanding was that the bridge crossing the Kanawha there where US 119 comes into I-64 was under construction and was a major bottleneck. My patience for sitting in traffic is less than zero. I'd rather drive 10 miles out of the way and keep moving vs. sitting still and not moving, or just creeping along.

Like Bitmapped has said, I don't think construction has fully began on that crossing yet.

[SP Cook]

The Fort Hill bridge project will not start until January 27.  If on schedule it will be finished in 11 months.

In any event, there are plenty of ways to avoid the bridge without going  more than a mile or two out of your way, no reason to go to other counties or states.

[Dirt Roads]

Shoutout to <TheGinger> for flying the West Virginia state flag on West Virginia Day (a celebration of our independence from East Virginia:  June 20, 1863).  Historically, the term East Virginia is considered a nasty pejorative on both sides of the border (but not hearedt very much nowadays).

Go git two West Virginia-style hotdogs from the git-go.

[The_Ginger]

Shoutout to <TheGinger> for flying the West Virginia state flag on West Virginia Day (a celebration of our independence from East Virginia:  June 20, 1863).  Historically, the term East Virginia is considered a nasty pejorative on both sides of the border (but not hearedt very much nowadays).

Go git two West Virginia-style hotdogs from the git-go.

It was my pleasure, but what, pray tell, is a West Virginia-style hotdog?

[Rothman]

Shoutout to <TheGinger> for flying the West Virginia state flag on West Virginia Day (a celebration of our independence from East Virginia:  June 20, 1863).  Historically, the term East Virginia is considered a nasty pejorative on both sides of the border (but not hearedt very much nowadays).

Go git two West Virginia-style hotdogs from the git-go.

It was my pleasure, but what, pray tell, is a West Virginia-style hotdog?

Something they've been trying to make happen and have been as successful as fetch (i.e., just a chili dog with mustard and slaw with some variation).  Not as bad as Wheeling'a cold cheese pizza, though.  Just not as special as they sell it out to be.

[Bitmapped]

Shoutout to <TheGinger> for flying the West Virginia state flag on West Virginia Day (a celebration of our independence from East Virginia:  June 20, 1863).  Historically, the term East Virginia is considered a nasty pejorative on both sides of the border (but not hearedt very much nowadays).

Go git two West Virginia-style hotdogs from the git-go.

It was my pleasure, but what, pray tell, is a West Virginia-style hotdog?

Something served primarily south of the slaw line, and never ever in Marion County. https://wvhotdogblog.blogspot.com/

[Mapmikey]

Go git two West Virginia-style hotdogs from the git-go.

A Pepperoni Rolls over in its grave...

[Dirt Roads]

Go git two West Virginia-style hotdogs from the git-go.

Go git two West Virginia-style hotdogs from the git-go.[/quote]

It was my pleasure, but what, pray tell, is a West Virginia-style hotdog?

Something they've been trying to make happen and have been as successful as fetch (i.e., just a chili dog with mustard and slaw with some variation).

Actually, you just described what is known as a "hot dog all the way" in North Carolina.  But the cole slaw in North Carolina tends to be vinegary whereas in West Virginia it is sweet.  Also, most restaurants in North Carolina are already selling the slaw as a side dish whereas in West Virginia there the hot dog stands only have cole slaw as a topping.

The tradition of West Virginia style goes back at least to the early 1940s.  But what is strange to me is that both sides of my family (from different counties and unrelated to each other) had family get-together traditions that required one hamburger and three hot dogs on the plate.  One dog was West Virginia style; one dog was relish, mustard and onions; and the third dog was sauerkraut and what we called "German mustard".  Then you went back to get another plate for all of the side dishes.  When hamburgers were involved there would be ketchup available.  I have no idea how we could eat so much.

For most folks, it was untrue that a West Virginia-style hotdog included mustard.  For everyday meals, most folks could only afford to put out one condiment, either ketchup or mustard.  But I certainly grew up in family that preferred mustard on hotdogs.  As a plus, when we set out mustard we could always dig out a jar of pickle relish to make the second dog.  Either type of relish (sweet or dilly) was perfectly fine.

[SP Cook]

The tradition of West Virginia style goes back at least to the early 1940s.  But what is strange to me is that both sides of my family (from different counties and unrelated to each other) had family get-together traditions that required one hamburger and three hot dogs on the plate.

That, and not just in food is the key to understanding WV.  The different parts are much more like the places they border than they are like one another. 

Anyway,

- Back around the time of the Bicentennial, Armour came out with a magazine ad that was "hot dogs of the 50 states".  They didn't really have hot dogs that were really in a real style from a state such as Chicago style for Illinois, etc. but just made each with a stereotypical product, such as cheese for Wisconsin, pineapple for Hawaii, etc.  49 were edible, the West Virginia one was a plain hot dog that had been held by a coal stained hand and thus had black fingerprints on the bun.  The typical people complained, and Armour ended up apologizing and donating a lot of meat to state food pantries. 

- Since we are on a food tangent, the pepperoni roll was a 100% north central WV thing, unknown elsewhere.  Until the USDA decided that they were subject to the meat product food inspection and not the bakery product one, which would have made them unaffordable.  The WV congressional delegation got involved and the USDA backed down.  The rule got published in the Federal Register, which, I suppose, some people read just to get business ideas.  This made the product roll (no pun intended) out in other parts of WV and beyond.

- WV's real contribution to cuisine is Tudor's Biscuit World, which, if true, invented the breakfast biscuit sandwich.  They certainly predated such an item being at McDonald's etc.  but the claim to having invented it is probably apocryphal. 

[Dirt Roads]

Go git two West Virginia-style hotdogs from the git-go.

A Pepperoni Rolls over in its grave...

- Since we are on a food tangent, the pepperoni roll was a 100% north central WV thing, unknown elsewhere. 

Although the pepperoni roll started with the Italians working in coalmines in Harrison and Marion counties, it quickly spread to the coalmines in Southwestern Pennsylvania.  From what I can tell, the folks up there wanted to give the proper credit and endearingly called them "West Virginia Pepperoni Rolls".  The best ones I ever had were homemade out of the old original Sheetz in Meyersdale.  It was a tiny convenience store that fixed sausage biscuits on a little griddle on a back shelf right behind the cash register.

It seems inconceivable that you can now get West Virginia Pepperoni Rolls right across the border in, of all places, Bluefield.  (Trying really hard to ignore the cravings).

[GCrites]

Shoutout to <TheGinger> for flying the West Virginia state flag on West Virginia Day (a celebration of our independence from East Virginia:  June 20, 1863).  Historically, the term East Virginia is considered a nasty pejorative on both sides of the border (but not hearedt very much nowadays).

I used to say "Regular Virginia" when I lived in WV to avoid the pejorative.

[Rothman]

Go git two West Virginia-style hotdogs from the git-go.

Go git two West Virginia-style hotdogs from the git-go.

It was my pleasure, but what, pray tell, is a West Virginia-style hotdog?

Something they've been trying to make happen and have been as successful as fetch (i.e., just a chili dog with mustard and slaw with some variation).

Actually, you just described what is known as a "hot dog all the way" in North Carolina.  But the cole slaw in North Carolina tends to be vinegary whereas in West Virginia it is sweet.  Also, most restaurants in North Carolina are already selling the slaw as a side dish whereas in West Virginia there the hot dog stands only have cole slaw as a topping.

The tradition of West Virginia style goes back at least to the early 1940s.  But what is strange to me is that both sides of my family (from different counties and unrelated to each other) had family get-together traditions that required one hamburger and three hot dogs on the plate.  One dog was West Virginia style; one dog was relish, mustard and onions; and the third dog was sauerkraut and what we called "German mustard".  Then you went back to get another plate for all of the side dishes.  When hamburgers were involved there would be ketchup available.  I have no idea how we could eat so much.

For most folks, it was untrue that a West Virginia-style hotdog included mustard.  For everyday meals, most folks could only afford to put out one condiment, either ketchup or mustard.  But I certainly grew up in family that preferred mustard on hotdogs.  As a plus, when we set out mustard we could always dig out a jar of pickle relish to make the second dog.  Either type of relish (sweet or dilly) was perfectly fine.

[/quote]

Not even West Virginians can agree on what it is... ;D

[74/171FAN]

I just sent an email to WVDOT's general contact email asking about the signing of WV 115 (east of US 340, most specifically at WV 9) and WV 243 (outside of I-81 Exit 8).

Good luck, I've been waiting for years for a response to my email about why the Big Chimney exit on I-79 is now signed for US 119 instead of WV 114.

I just got a response stating that signs will be posted within the next three months.

Well in good and surprising news, WV 115 is finally posted to and at WV 9 by the VA state line.

Also I did clarify that US 340 is on the new alignment in Rippon (AKA two lanes in the future northbound lanes).

[Beltway]

Shoutout to <TheGinger> for flying the West Virginia state flag on West Virginia Day (a celebration of our independence from East Virginia:  June 20, 1863).  Historically, the term East Virginia is considered a nasty pejorative on both sides of the border (but not hearedt very much nowadays).

I used to say "Regular Virginia" when I lived in WV to avoid the pejorative.

I don't see a problem there. The only real pejorative I am aware of is the term North Virginia.