Idiotic question about West Virginia

I am a dumb Californian visiting friends in Chapel Hill this week and then driving up to climb at Seneca Rocks for the weekend.

Here's the scenario I have in my head: Shitty rental car breaks down, possibly in the snow. No cell reception. I knock on the door of the shack from Deliverance. I forget that I look a) vaguely like an immigrant and b) vaguely like a lesbian. Out-of-work coal miners and/or meth-heads set their dogs after me while screaming, "THANKS, OBAMA." My body is fed to the pigs.

I totally realize this is hysterical BS, but as climbers hopefully we can agree that fear is not always rational or entirely within our control. So! Can anyone recommend some good spots along the way ( goo.gl/maps/WYootLB71xC2) for food/gas stops? Or mention places I legitimately should avoid?

Zero offense meant -- this is about my dose of crazy, not WV's. -_-

Luckily, the law of double negatives applies in WV, so your vaguely immigrant and vaguely lesbian countenances will cancel each other out and no one will notice.

Or alternatively, West Virginians feed off liberal tears, so don't show any fear or you'll wind up in someone's cellar.

Or just, you know.... be friendly and people will be friendly in return.

I've driven through some time forgotten towns in WV that gave me pause. Though it was more due to culture shock and stereo type. The likes of which you alluded to.

The drives through the WV mountains are beautiful. It will prove to be more enjoyable and less Deliverance like. I promise. There is some decent sport climbing in Franklin as well, if you have time and desire.

Seriously, get out more.

What a ridiculous question. Treat people there with the same respect you'd give someone from your own narrow circle, and they'll do the same to you in wv. Hell, folks will probably treat you kindly there even if you act as prejudiced and ignorant as you post suggests.

You'd be surprised at the diversity of people, viewpoints, and ideas in rural wv. Sounds like you could learn a thing or two from your trip.

Absolutely nothing to worry about. Everybody is friendly.

Just remember your "Sirs" and "Mams" and don't get in peoples face about wacky religion or politics. Get out and enjoy the culture.

No Joke... AVOID YOCUMS!

Read:

tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Revie…

While jokeums is a disaster, the climbing is excellent. There is a good campground up on the mountain called Seneca Shadows.

Hire a bodyguard. West Virginia isn't really part of the United States. They have different customs and you have to take your shoes off before entering the house. They don't have shoes, so it works well for them. Most people there are moonshiners and are leery of strangers. AAA won't even go there to rate the motels. Dentistry is considered voodoo and not practiced there. Good luck and God bless.

Go to the New.

Don't go to West Va prejudiced with pre-conceived notions.

Be kind, and people will be kind in return.

Please forget what you think you know or fear about the South, or West VA. The South is not a scary, back woods, inbred, toothless orgy of brothers and sisters clinging to guns and religion.

We're nice people, as long as you're a nice person.

Shit, West Virginia? You got two other states (NC, VA) to travel through to get there in the first place, and I wouldn't even step foot outside of that godless liberal safehaven called Chapel Hill if I were you.

Stereotyping and bigotry goes both ways.

Jake Jones wrote: Good point. Don't bother with Virginia though. Compared to your destination (WV) or NC, the climbing is just sub par and the stuff that's good isn't fun to get to- with few exceptions. If you're in Chapel Hill and you plug gear, why leave the state? Unless you just have your heart set on visiting the choss monster that is Seneca Rocks, there's tons of quality multi in NC.

I was insinuating that she shouldn't even leave CH, but yeah true. Alia I suggest you hit up Pilot Mountain or, even better, Crowders Mountain for a good taste of southern climbing. I haven't been to Seneca, but I can without a doubt tell you that the New is a total chosspile.

Just openly carry a bible everywhere and it will be fine.

Alia S wrote:I am a dumb Californian visiting friends in Chapel Hill this week and then driving up to climb at Seneca Rocks for the weekend. Here's the scenario I have in my head: Shitty rental car breaks down, possibly in the snow. No cell reception. I knock on the door of the shack from Deliverance. I forget that I look a) vaguely like an immigrant and b) vaguely like a lesbian. Out-of-work coal miners and/or meth-heads set their dogs after me while screaming, "THANKS, OBAMA." My body is fed to the pigs. I totally realize this is hysterical BS, but as climbers hopefully we can agree that fear is not always rational or entirely within our control. So! Can anyone recommend some good spots along the way ( goo.gl/maps/WYootLB71xC2) for food/gas stops? Or mention places I legitimately should avoid? Zero offense meant -- this is about my dose of crazy, not WV's. -_-

Have you seen the wheather report? I was planning a Seneca trip this weekend too.. except its going to snow Friday and Saturday :/

This is funny. I didn't want to travel to SoCal for exactly the opposite reason. I figured it would be full of wacky liberal weirdos pushing their brand of tolerance around. It wasn't. Yes, people were different (and some were quite strange) but everyone was very nice. You will probably have a similar experience in WV.

All of that being said, climb in Linville Gorge. The drive is much shorter, it's less crowded and the climbing is better. It sounds like you will get quite the cultural experience no matter where you go.

I think it was probably in the early 90s when a group of us from New England went down to New River Gorge. We were hiking out at dusk from the Kaymore area when an Asian friend from Boston lagged behind, somehow missed a turn in the trail and got lost in the thick rhododendron. When he didn't show up at the cars we went out looking for him. Finally we figured he must have slipped off the wet top of a ledge so we went back to the car thinking to get gear to rap in and see if he was at the base where we finally heard that after hours he stumbled out of the woods in his bright yellow tights into somebody's back yard where luckily he ran into two neighbor women chatting. We figured he was a gonner, but he made it out alive.

In my experience as a guy, the women tended to be very friendly, their boyfriends who looked like the guys above, not so much. I don't think the locals are any freakier or dangerous than in California, just different accents and more religion. Last time I was at the New things seemed much less freaky than the early trips and there were even a couple restaurants in Fayetteville with great food. By the way, don't miss the New. There is fantastic climbing. I would go there rather than Seneca personally, even for just trad.

I ride the extremely remote back roads of WV with a large group of motorcyclists. The twisty roads up in the mountains are extremely fun. As a result we pass through some very small "towns" where the vibe is definitely less than welcoming. That being said we never have had a real issue and the roads/area you will be in to get to Seneca do not take you into those type of areas.

Alia S wrote:I am a dumb Californian visiting friends in Chapel Hill this week and then driving up to climb at Seneca Rocks for the weekend. Here's the scenario I have in my head: Shitty rental car breaks down, possibly in the snow. No cell reception. I knock on the door of the shack from Deliverance. I forget that I look a) vaguely like an immigrant and b) vaguely like a lesbian. Out-of-work coal miners and/or meth-heads set their dogs after me while screaming, "THANKS, OBAMA." My body is fed to the pigs. I totally realize this is hysterical BS, but as climbers hopefully we can agree that fear is not always rational or entirely within our control. So! Can anyone recommend some good spots along the way ( goo.gl/maps/WYootLB71xC2) for food/gas stops? Or mention places I legitimately should avoid? Zero offense meant -- this is about my dose of crazy, not WV's. -_-

I would expect more hospitality in WV than in California...

Like most wildlife, the nice blue collar, salt of the earth folk of WV are just as afraid of you as you are of them. After all, to them you're a dirty free-lovin California hippie hell bent on takin' away their guns and they haven't seen yer kind since Woodstock.

youtu.be/1tqxzWdKKu8

Alia S wrote:Zero offense meant

This phrase, or one like it, guarantees that something offensive has been said or is about to be said, and that the person blithely believes this qualifier excuses them being a jerk.

JL