This ride was the latest ride we have ever planned for Hatfield. Someone had the idea last year that we should go when the leaves are changing colors. Fast Forward we went to make reservations at our favorite place the Matewan House Bed and Breakfast. Unfortunately, we learned that the only availability where all rooms were available was Halloween holiday weekend. With that some people that have been riding with us couldn’t come, but it was a very awesome experience. Not just for the off-road riding but because of the group ride on 11/1 after getting back as well.
Everyone was able to get into Matewan West Virginia Thursday night and get all situated and parked out front. We were able to be in this awesome town where it takes you back in time where trains are still hauling coal and other items all the time right behind the bed and breakfast lightly shaking your bed and screeches coming from the tracks and horn whistles blowing. Its definitely an experience and something I look forward to when coming back.
The group ride for today we had planned to go from Matewan by road through Red Jacket, then on King Coal Highway to just west of Gilbert on the outskirts of the Rockhouse system. This would lead us to the Almost Heaven swing overlooking Man. Cutting across the Rockhouse system dropping out on the other side of the mountain into Man, getting to go across the ATV bridge like I have went a crossed many times. This time though to cut over to the new system we have never road on called Braveheart.
We were off heading down the road to the Rockhouse system west of Gilbert looking at the beautiful mountain views. The sun only shined bits and pieces but there was no rain, and everything was perfect. I thought for sure when we planned this and going so late in October that the leaves would be off but to my surprise everything was at peak colors, perfect! You saw the mountains sides in every variation of colors from yellow to purple.
We get into the outskirts of Rockhouse with no intention to go into the heart of the system as we have done it many times before, but not on the Almost Heaven area since they put up the new swing. We have been to the other one in the Buffalo system. There are to my knowledge 6 or 7 of them total. Its definitely a place to take photos around the swing and the overlooks to see colorful mountain tops as far as the eye can see.
We finally get to drop down on the other side of Man, take a quick break in town and then off to the Braveheart system. It didn’t disappoint. Next thing you know we discover a new bridge they put up to get into the system that was very cool, check out the onboard video below. The unique thing for me on this system, I am used to the different trail systems connecting towns in West Virginia together which is such an awesome idea for the local economy in each town. This system though unlike the other ones is just a ton of trails together in a huge area that had everything you wanted to see from waterfalls, hill climbs, creeks. It’s an amazing system we were able to experience every trail.
We finish Braveheart with everyone deciding what town we want to stop and eat in on the way back to Matewan. We ended up going to Gilbert and having a great meal together. As it always happens, the adventure must end. We head back to Matewan but i always like to if I can plan different ways back, this time by a different windy backroad through the beautiful mountain of West Virginia way off the beaten paths of normal civilization.
PICTURES
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