* * Back from the far Southwest Corner

Y'all,

Last week, I rode my aged Honda CBX motorcycle to Yukon, McDowell County, West Virginia, to meet with my friend Benton Ward, who offered to guide me to the far Southwest corner of The Spine of the Virginias, where Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky come together.  The write-up for this trip was to be the final chapter for the book.  Benton rode his Honda Gold Wing.  We were joined by four of his friends, also on Hondas.

In contrast to the Northeast corner of the Spine, which is on Cacapon Mountain and relatively easily found, the Southwest corner is in the middle of the Tug Fork River. The Tug forms in the tight hollows of McDowell County and flows generally northwest towards its rendezvous with the Big Sandy River and eventually the Ohio.  The Tug is infamous for dividing the families of the Hatfields and McCoys, in addition to being in the proximity of the Coal Mine Wars in Matewan.  It forms the border between Virginia and West Virginia for only four miles before forming the border between West Virginia and Kentucky for most of its length.

This area is stereotyped as being the depth of Appalachia.  In much of the area we explored, the word “poor” is impotent in describing the wrenching, abject poverty.  I saw many listless, disheveled people sitting on front porches, staring into space, surrounded by yards of rubbish and abandoned car parts and children’s toys.  Part of the area had been hit by flooding in the spring and there was still much rubbish in the stream courses. 

As always, McDowell County provides interesting viewpoints on the American experience.

Meanwhile, editing continues on The Spine of the Virginias.

This week, I’m traveling for three days to White Sulphur Springs, Sweet Springs, and Union to do research on the new novel, Union, WV. 

Thanks always for your interest in my books!

Michael