Saturday, September 11, 2021
Ralph S. Larue West Fork River Trail
The Ralph S. Larue West Fork River Trail runs for 14.5 miles between Fairmont and Shinnston. There are, confusingly, TWO West Fork River Trails in West Virginia, hence the extra long name for this one. We rode between Norway and Shinnston, for an out-and-back total of 27.5 miles. A connector trail is planned to link this trail with the nearby Mon River Rail-Trail System, but it's yet to be accomplished.
The real West Fork River Trail
We parked in Monongah and first rode approximately three miles northeast to a cool old railroad bridge in Norway. Then we turned around and biked southwest to the trail's end in Shinnston, where we had lunch before retracing our ride back to Old Yeller.
Bridge over the West Fork River, Norway
The weather and scenery were beautiful. We rode next to the river through forests, over bridges, and alongside cliffs, passing by tiny towns and cute parks on the way.
The ten miles or so of trail in Marion County is nicely paved, ending at the Harrison County line, where several inches of thick, coarse gravel make the trail barely bikable for about half a mile before transitioning to a much better crushed limestone surface for the final three and a half miles.
Worthington Park waterfall
Worthington VFD
Scenic street
Weeping wall
The West Fork River Trail ends in Shinnston, where we got some steak subs at East of Chicago Pizza to refuel for the return trip. After lunch, we rode a loop through Shinnston's small downtown before retracing our ride to the Monongah trailhead.
Trail terminus
Oopsie daisy
Cliffside ride
Jana the snake handler
After cleaning up at our hotel, we headed back out to get some dinner and check out Fairmont's downtown. I was surprised at the number of large, multistory buildings in a town of only 18,000.
Marion County Courthouse, Fairmont
We found a cool hole-in-the-wall diner to eat dinner: JAG Burger Beer Bowery, located in the walk-out basement of a coin-op laundromat - I kid you not. The burgers were outstanding, and they had several craft beers on tap. We chose Bat Boy black lager and Mothman black IPA, each named after mythical creatures from West Virginia folklore. This place was great!
JAG Burger Beer Bowery, underneath JAG Laundry
They got beer!
Tiny diner
Tom
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