The “Wild & Wonderful West Virginia Tour” was a three-day (August 8, 9, and 10) joint event organized by the Shenandoah and Blue Ridge Regions. Day one (Saturday) included a drive to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, a tour of the facilities and of the Green Bank Telescope, and a dinner at the BrazenHead Inn in Mingo. We rode the Cass Scenic Railroad to Whittaker Station on Sunday morning, ran a driving tour in the afternoon, and ate dinner at The Junction restaurant on Snowshoe Mountain. On Monday we drove to the Greenbrier resort in White Sulpher Springs for a tour of their cold-war bunker and lunch at Sam Snead’s.

Here is a tour report from Aniano Arau:

The Wild and Wonderful Tour of West Virginia was a complete and satisfying package. The whole thing was superbly planned and organized. I enjoyed the spirited drives on terrific roads, with many twists and turns through gorgeous scenery. The camaraderie of the attendees was a welcome bonus.

My wife, Myrna, and I attended only the first day of the three-day tour. The visit to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank was interesting. Jim Condon served as an excellent guide. His presentations were fascinating and illuminating.

Everything we learned, experienced and enjoyed that day made the long drive from the Baltimore area worthwhile. After resting overnight at the Snowshoe Resort’s Rimfire Lodge, Myrna and I relished the drive home on more of West Virginia’s wonderful back roads.

–– Aniano Arao, Chesapeake Region, PCA