Day 43, Cheat River Lodge, West Virginia

Photo..the view from the rear deck of my cozy log cabin in the Cheat River. I found this jewel of a resort more than three decades ago just after i got Grane, also known as NAS Defender 291.

The more time i drive through and spend in West Virginia, the more i am convinced it may be the most beautiful state overall in the USA. The entire State seems to be in the Appalachian Mountain Range, which runs through 13 eastern states, including my own back yard where I grew up on the Hudson River. Wow, is it pretty, especially in the fall when the hills are resplendent with brilliant fall colors. I spend the last days of my trips here to ease the transition back to city life, but also to remind me that i do not have to travel 9000 miles to surround myself with unsurpassed natural beauty. John Denver was almost right when he referred to West Virginia as "almost heaven." It IS heaven.

Ed and Donner, from off the road in West Virginia