We parked our car on Rt 19 in a sea of cars about a 1/2 mile away from this point. Vehicles were parked end to end on both sides of the road and filling in the grass island in the middle.. As you can see by the amount of poople here--why this is so. We could of parked much closer had we arrived earlier. This scenario plays out on the opposide side of the bridge also.
There are vendors on both sides of the bridge, we are on the North side. The Bridge itself is 3030ft long, which is nearly 3/4 of a mile across. Very impressive views from the river indeed.
From the Bridge you can really get a beautiful glimpse of the fall colors (click the pic fora larger view) in the New River Gorge.
Down below you are seeing the Fayette Station Bridge and the Class IV rapid with the same name. One the left side of the river on the railroad tracks you can actually see one of the CSX trains.
A bit unnerving to be hanging over a bridge that is 876ft straight down!
I poked my head under the guard rail for this pic--to get a better view of the BASE jumpers "diving board" so to speak
Some of these guys waited til the very last second to pull open their Chutes, leaving the spectators to let out a loud gasps, there had been 3 deaths total in the history of bridge day. There was one last year when a chute failed to properly open
Click on this pic for a larger view. There are 2 guys jumping here
Fayette Station Rapid and a bunch of rafts enjoying the spectacle
One last pic on the Bridge--we got hungry and walked to Fayetteville and ate lunch at Dirty Ernies Ribpit. What better way to walk off your lunch?
The cold air clashing with the warm waters of whats left of Summersville Lake
You can see the small landing beach 876ft below. There were rescue boats in the eddy below--to rescue numerous jumpers who wound up landing in the river. There was one jumper who landed in the river above the rapid and wound up swimming the whole rapid with his chute dragging behind him. Thankfully he survived his ordeal
Fayette Station Rapid and a bunch of rafts enjoying the spectacle
I REALLY love the panoramic feature of my camera--its stitches the pictures seamlessly. Just wish it was a little less overcast. Click this pic to fully appreciate
Mark, Mark Jr and Jayson at the Fayetteville end of the Bridge
You can see a bit of the arch from this shot
You can see a bit of the arch from this shot
One last pic on the Bridge--we got hungry and walked to Fayetteville and ate lunch at Dirty Ernies Ribpit. What better way to walk off your lunch?
Back at our home for the weekend----hanging out with Aaron and Missy Thompson, Jo-Anne, Sue Paul, Lindsey and Ark in the Pines at the former Mountain River Tours/AMR. Bonfires rule!!
The aftermath of Mark Jr, eating one of Aarons hottest homegrown peppers. Markie inadvertantly picked the Habanero. Habaneros are describedas causing intense prolonged oral suffering. (Ya think??) He was told to just take a nibble, however when do teenagers listen. He ran for the spigot and nearly drowned himself trying to put out the fire in his mouth. Then when that didnt work, he stuffed his mouth full of crackers--which he is proudly displaying for your enjoyment.
You really can't call this firewood---more like stacks of tree trunks. It was supposed to drop down in the 30's tonite. BRRR---looks like we are going for a late morning launch on the Gauley
tomorrow.
The cold air clashing with the warm waters of whats left of Summersville Lake
Our boating buddies for the day, Ark and Jo-Anne in the cataraft
Ark and Jo-Anne surfing it up in a hole at Conestoga Rapid
Will post more pix later. I am buying pix from Whitewater Photography of Jayson and Mark Jr jumping off Class V+ Pillow Rock and will post them when i get them
Here are some awesome pix taken of us by Jo-Anne !
Thanks Jo-Anne!! You Rock!
The Adams clan merrily row, row, rowing the boat
I think this is the pool above Class IV Bud's Boner
Click on this pic for a close up---This is the top section of Class V+ Insignificant--we are the grey raft "STUCK" on the rock way upstream. The blue raft is about to get hammered in that nasty pourover.
Cori's going for the cool hit on the rock. Pillow Rock Class V+
What kind of mom takes thier kids down World Class whitewater anyway??
Hey! My kids LOVE THIS STUFF!
Great shot of Captain Ark
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