Romney, WV – The most beautiful place in the world?

Sittin on the south branch of the Potomac, watchin a couple deers ford the river…

“I never imagined it would be this beautiful.”

Those are the words of Austin Hall, who is currently walking with Ed Wiley, as they camped near Romney, West Virginia along Mechanicsburg Gap – the mouth way of the Shenandoah Valley.
Austin says that it’s the most beautiful part of West Virginia they’ve seen so far.
Romney, WV is an ancient city (by American standards). It changed hands an astonishing 56 times between Union troops and the Confederacy. The surrounding long ridges and big valleys made it the natural invasion route from the Potomac in those days.
Ed is at 290 miles, and Austin said that they are starting to see signs of Washington D.C. The Washington Post is showing up at gas stations, a Reuters’ reporter is coming from D.C. to meet them on Thursday, and the crew is currently camping on the South Fork of the Potomac River, which runs right through D.C.Austin has also apparently set a world rock skipping record with 23. Someone contact the Guiness people! (The world book people, or the beer people, I’m sure the crew wouldn’t mind either one.  )
Please throw Ed some coin. Learn what’s going on at Marsh Fork, and join us in this historic fight for the kids.

About JW Randolph

Raised on the banks of the Tennessee River, JW's work to create progress in his home state and throughout Appalachia has been featured on the Rachel Maddow Show, The Daily Kos and Grist. He served first as Appalachian Voices’ Legislative Associate and then Tennessee director until leaving to pursue a career in medicine in 2012.