We decided to go deep into the wilds of West Virginia again, where every day meant swimming in the Middle Fork River. The locals swore it was “rejuvenating,” though it mostly just meant we smelled faintly of wet rocks. We made a pilgrimage to the West Virginia Wildlife Center, where we locked eyes with bobcats, watched owls plot our murder, discussed freedoms with some bald eagles, and said “aww” at a baby bear cub, right before realizing it would eventually grow up to kill us.
Our cultural enrichment continued in Philippi, home of the world’s only two-way covered bridge (allegedly) and a small-town museum featuring mummies (yes, actual mummies), plus the proud hometown of Lurch from The Munsters. Between hiking trails, nightly campfires, and the occasional feeling that we might get turned into Appalachian cryptids ourselves, the trip was everything we wanted: a mix of history, mystery, and just enough weirdness to make us wonder if we were truly “rejuvenated”… or just slightly hexed.
Moto-Misel 