![]() Buck Birthplace outside the town of Hillsboro, an hour’s drive southwest of Cass. Signed books on my office shelf speak volumes about our visit to the Pearl S. Check out the various excursion packages available (some, diesel), ranging from $31 to $151 per person, including two-hour trips and themes of fall foliage, dinner trains and the Polar Express for the holidays. Tom was among the travelers impressed by Cass’ carefully restored Shay locomotives, some of which used to haul lumber to the town mill. Our 4.5-hour round-trip rail excursion up to Bald Knob - in an open car to get the full feel and smell of the “carbon” - is one of our favorite travel memories, along with visiting the 1900 lumber mill town of Cass, which became part of the railroad boon sweeping America in the second half of the 19th century. Riding the rails is more than nostalgia it’s the romance of travel itself, the romance of feeling the journey as we slow down and experience each moment before we arrive at our destination. Staying in the state park facilities overnight was not only economical but also ensured that we didn’t have far to travel before boarding our train. Lobby seating offered a beautiful view of the telescope and surrounding mountains while enjoying a scoop of moose-tracks ice cream.Ī traveler who had visited previously recommended we not use a GPS device if we had one: “You might get routed over some interesting secondary roads.” On the other hand, West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest, next to the Green Bank Observatory, could be a great place to get lost enjoying rugged mountain scenery with gently flowing streams and glimpses of the many flora and fauna that inhabit the area.Īfter learning so much about the basic element of carbon - “foundation of the complex molecules that make up life” - at Green Bank, it seemed apropos that we were headed to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, about a 15-minute drive west, for a railroad trip the next day that would send a bit of carbon from coal - soot - down on us. Admission is free unless you want a telescope tour ($6 for adults) regrettably, we hadn’t allowed time - but everyone has to eat, and the Starlight Cafe here made a good lunch stop. National Radio Quiet Zone designation means no cell-phone service. This attraction devoted to radio astronomy is truly off the grid: its U.S. Imagine a telescope in which you can walk inside. Our three-and-a-half-hour drive west took us first to a place we hadn’t intended to stop, Green Bank Observatory, the world’s largest, fully steerable telescope. That pointed to an anniversary trip to Pocahontas County, West Virginia. It is being used to perform research into the Big Bang Theory, the origins of life, extraterrestrial life, and universe expansion.I'm a fan of author Pearl Buck, and my husband, Tom, is a steam-railroad aficionado. A variety of projects and research utilize the Green Bank Telescope including ones that look at black holes, stellar birth and pulars. ![]() It contains 2,209 actuators, which adjust and move 2,004 surface panels. The structure weights 7,600 metric tons, and is about 485 feet tall. The science and research discoveries provided are invaluable. The Green Bank Telescope uses the power of radio waves to explore our universe. The NRQT is a unique place where all radio transmissions are heavily restricted by law. Nestled in Green Bank, West Virginia, in the National Radio Quiet Zone. It is truly a site to see! You will not believe how large it is! It rises above the rolling countryside below in a majestic way. The total surface collecting area is 2.3 acres wide, and 100 meters in diameter. Byrd Green Bank Telescope is the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope.
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