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It was while growing up in the mountains of West Virginia, that
I felt the first stirrings of wanderlust. The sound of a distant train whistle,
or the drone of an infrequent DC-3 crossing high above our sleeping village,
would set me off.
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 A misty summer morning on the blue bridge crossing
the Tygart River in the village of Arden, where I live. |
 The mighty Tygart at low water |
And Like Daniel Boone, I yearned to know what
lay beyond the mountains that surrounded our home on the banks of the wild,
free-flowing Tygart river. Years later, my work in aviation let me realize my
childhood dream, far beyond any expectations that I had. Now I know what lies
beyond, not only my home mountains, but beyond the far distant peaks. |
| The activities of aircraft sales and my time on
the airshow circuit with Bodacious, have let me visit every state in our nation
and many foreign lands. I have, as someone once said, "seen the camel"
and satisfied my old itch. |
 "Bodacious and I, looking up at the crowd."
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 Seneca Rocks, in the eastern panhandle. Thats me
wandering around in the parking lot. |
My point here is, that all of this travel, to so
many places for so many years, has given me the chance to compare my life and my
home to other lives and other lands. |
| In doing this, I have been given the gift of
appreciation. I can now see my home state for what it is and what it has been
all along. The mountains and rivers of my youth are still here, but I no longer
try to look past them. I now absorb them, and I know that I am blessed to live
in one of the most beautiful places on earth.
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 A "secret place", not far from where I
live. Probably not more then a few dozen people know this is here. |
 How do you trap a deer in West Virginia? Lock the
screen door after they follow you into the house. |
I would like to invite you to come and see my
West Virginia. You will find that there are more things here, to see and to do,
than you will have time to accomplish. |
| But the best of our land comes to those who slow
down. To the explorers who stop to watch a West Virginia sunset and let the
mountains whisper their ancient secrets to them. To the travelers who linger and
let the sweet people who live here win their hearts. |
 First Assistant Dude. He is in charge of positive
outlooks and outdoor activities at my house. |
 "Best Buddies" |
So come on down and visit
West Virginia. Give our mountains a chance to work their restorative magic in
your life. You will, I promise, never be sorry.
 West Virginian |
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