To Charleston and Back for IJDC
I left the house very early this morning, bound for Charleston and the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council (IJDC) meeting. On the agenda for funding approval were many projects across the state, but I was there to represent the county commission's positions on the two Pocahontas County items: the Snowshoe/Slaty Fork regional sewer project, and the upgrade to the Durbin water system.
The easiest way from Green Bank is to go through Elkins over to I-79. But I don't usually go that way. I took the Williams River way. Saves about 20-30 minutes, and is an extraordinarily scenic drive.
Cass is first along the way, and is still asleep it looks. The parking lot is empty, nobody afoot on the store steps. The Greenbrier River is a good bit misty up and down from the bridge, flowing intently on its morning run towards Stony Bottom.
The road up the mountain is all mine this morning. And all the way down into Linwood as well. I stop at the sign, nobody coming. Nobody around. As I turn left towards Slaty Fork, I think upon last week when Maddy and I walked Rt. 219 as we helped with the roadside cleanup that took place. Good time, and good work. Maddy made the 3 miles no problem. Got a lot of trash picked up. A beautiful day. Seeing things along the road from foot is a much more absorbed perspective than from my usual car. Beautiful places. Big Spring Fork, the fields and houses...beautiful stuff.
Pleasant Valley up to the Highland Scenic Highway is always gorgeous. A touch of mist upon it this morning. When I turn right onto the Highway, the treats get sweeter. Near the top at the first rest stop, the view back over towards Woodrow and Edray is thickly blanketed by quilted clouds, above which and up towards me is just as clear and blue as can be. Gazing out farther across the Greenbrier valley and the horizon, I realize how expansive this silver white cover is. It rolls and tufts on and on until I don't know quite where. Marlinton and all are still asleep.
On out across the high straight stretch I can see the silhouette of Snowshoe against the early eastern light. But the sun is right there, and burns the eyes.
As I descend to the Williams River, the hollow is still in shadow. I feel alone, but comfortably so, and when I make the left turn onto Williams River Road, my thoughts bounce back and forth between whatever will transpire at the IJDC meeting and the anticipation of following and seeing the river just around the corner.
And there it is. The sun has found its way into the river bends and has ablazened the countless facets silver and white, a march of waters around deep brown stones. Less a river, more an angel.
Along this some 20 miles of river and road, my thoughts twist, roll, and diverge just like the waters. But I'm not worried, I know they'll converge when it's time. Such a beautiful, welcomed distraction from the business at hand.
In Cowen, things and people awake. The right turn onto Birch River Road finds me behind an impressive truckload of logs. As we round Big Ditch Lake, the driver honks and from the lake's edge two fishermen wave up and smile. I think the driver would rather be fishing, as he pulls over to let us cars behind him go around.
It's a twisty hilly drive into Birch River, but there are many memorable scenes and this drive is always worth while. When I arrive at Rt. 19, I take my right and head on towards I-79. Cruise control on and the rest of the trip relatively automated, my thoughts on the meeting begin to converge.
The IJDC meeting began at 9:30am, and the agenda included some 22 projects state-wide for which to consider funding. When the Snowshoe/Slaty Fork regional sewer project came up for consideration, I was given the opportunity to speak and reiterated the commission's position and efforts to date. I thanked the council for their time, and then they voted to further fund the Pocahontas County PSD at around $25M. Later on, the Durbin water project came up, and I reiterated the commission's support for this project. I again thanked the council, and they voted to fund this as well.
The meeting was concluded shortly before 11am. Although I was disappointed at the council's decision to further fund the sewer project, I was glad that they decided to fund the Durbin water renovation. And I was glad to shake hands and talk with folks and council members afterwards.
I began the drive back to home the same way I had come. Nearly 2pm now, I write this as I sit beside the Williams River, somewhere between the new bridge and Tea Creek. The river here is dropping in steps of lively, sounding white rolls. The sun has moved, the facets are gone, the deep brown stones now a light sandy color. Petals are flowing around the stones in the pools. A pair of finches finds a worm on the bank as a swallowtail butterfly glides past just over their heads. The wind blows through the whole scene, bringing the ensconcing shrubs to life and movement as the finches hold their ground underneath.
It seems amazing to me that so much can transpire in one morning.
As I pulled away from the river, I thought ahead to the view I would see on my final descent of the Highland Scenic Highway - the surely-now unblanketed Greenbrier valley towards and beyond Marlinton. Indeed it was, and what a sight.