The coal mining industry is well established in West Virginia and south-west Pennsylvania. My fondness of caves, and the bears that occupy them, is well known, so I wanted to see what a coal mine looks like. Hence, I went to the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine.

• Inside a coal mine (June 2001).
• The boss (June 2001). Our tour guide had been a coal miner for 17 years before he shifted from production to entertainment.
• Leaving the coal mine (June 2001).

Wanting to get a glimpse of the scenery, and possibly a bit of hiking, I went to New River Gorge National River. They claim that their whitewater is the best on the East coast, and parallels the Western states, but I didn't see too much bubbly water. I was more pleased with the walk to the peak of the mountain :-)

• A short hike to the peak revealed this view (June 2001).
• Sometimes in between the rocks you'll find something interesting (June 2001).
• The cliffs on the way to the peak (June 2001).

My need for caves overcame everything, so I went to the Lost World Caverns. Unfortunately, these require two miles on a dirt road, after already being in a relatively remote location.

• Some formations (June 2001). Don't they remind you of snow?
• More formations (June 2001).
• A chandelier (June 2001). Not many people have this kind of thing hanging in their living room.

On my way back from the conference, I went to see the waterfalls at Blackwater Falls State Park.

• A view of the river (June 2001).
• The falls (June 2001). There must be a reason why they're called Blackwater Falls, right?
• Overview of the falls (June 2001).