No doubt, some are tired of hearing me repeat it, but some things need repeating. Marlinton is the oldest continuous settlement, west of the Alleghenies. Where the city is older than the county, and the county is older than the state. Situated in one of the larger counties in the east and unique in every way. A county where is found the headwaters of more rivers than the number of traffic lights.
Because of the people who call our county and our town home, Marlinton is a community that has existed through fires and floods and still prevails after 275 years. While many things have changed during our lifetimes, opportunity is found in embracing those changes and allowing variations to propel us in new directions, with even more benefits. Challenges move us forward. More often, our work is defined by just getting up and doing what must be done.
Movement creates trails. Ironically, it is the trails in Pocahontas County that are moving our outdoor economy toward destination locations. Beginning with the Seneca Trail, Mountain Mu-sic Trail, Greenbrier River Trail and others, with connections to the Allegheny Trail, Monday Lick Trail, and literally hundreds of miles of other trails, one does not have to look far, to discover the best of our natural surroundings and all things country. Poca Trails has played a huge part in uniting us, in presence and cause. Marlinton and all of Pocahontas County is positioned to benefit from this cooperative effort.
About two months ago, I found out the Greenbrier River Trail is part of another trail. According to Scott at Greenbrier Bikes, an individual stopped by on his way to Key West, Florida. He was riding the roughly 5,950-mile Eastern Divide Trail. The EDT is the longest contiguous off-road bike-packing route in the world. It runs from Sydney, Nova Scotia, the easternmost point in North America, to Key West, Florida, the end of the road going south. I have been to Sydney and would never have imagined riding a bike from there to here.
According to a Google-search, the EDT follows as much of the St. Lawrence and Eastern Continental Divides as possible without compromising a focus on quality off-pavement riding and connecting the most incredible sights, landmarks, and landscapes in the eastern mountains. The route winds its way through dozens of national and state forests, numerous ecozones and countless places of Indigenous, geographical and historical significance.
The Eastern Divide Trail is made up of eight carefully designed segments that can be ridden sequentially or independently. Each segment starts and ends in a significant town or city where lodging, transport and other amenities are accessible. This provides backpackers with the option to set out on a single ambitious adventure or take the route over a lifetime by riding it in segments.
Inspired by the Appalachian Trail, the mission of the Eastern Divide Trail is to connect the two great Eastern Continental Divides and create a long-distance bikepacking route linking many of the well-preserved and beautiful forests, mountains, vistas and rivers on the East Coast. The route is composed of eight segments connected via a network of gravel byways, dirt roads, rail trails and singletrack using established and newly designed routes.
The vision for the EDT was to link the best of the Appalachian Mountains and other ranges, rivers and forests that define the Eastern Continental Divide landscapes. These include scenic vistas, waterfalls and other places of natural significance and beauty throughout the route.
The Mon-Forest Towns Partnership has discussed linking trails between the12 Gateway Towns that make up the partnership. The EDT vision makes the MFTP goal much more achievable.
It sounds like “if you build it – they will come!”
Sam
