Heading to West Virginia from the Lynchburg, Virginia area on Wednesday, February 24th, 2021 was really great. The weather was finally nice after a week or more of snow and ice!
Stopping in Covington my dog Jake and I stood by the Jackson River as the sun was starting to rise before we headed over the mountains into West Virginia.
Stopping again at Young’s Monument pull over along US 19 North, the views were incredible.
Then we headed up Normantown Road from Gassaway to Panther Primitives in Normantown. My canvas tent and poles etc. I ordered in January to be custom hand made were ready to be picked up.
Arriving at Panther Primitives I met with the office staff to complete my order’s paperwork. The customer service staff is very good! They know the many details of the products they make and helped me figure out all the poles for the new tent & fly, and poles for an older tent! They were very very helpful throughout the whole process! I brought gifts consisting of several copies of the Virginia Canal’s & Navigations Society’s 2020 Tiller magazine, a copy of Amazing Virginia Canals (hardbound book), and a DVD of the Marshall Expediton.
It was very nice to meet with the Owner of Panther Primitives. He came down the hall proudly wearing his shirt that had large hand sewn red letters with “PANTHER” on it! I told him how much the James River Batteau Festival participants have enjoyed using his companies tents for years and how much I enjoyed my old med. Wedge Tent from back in 1993.
The shipping staff were all very friendly and helpful, putting extra tape on and load my boxes and then helping me with my poles to put on the racks on the truck. A very nice lady in the sewing room gave me some extra scrap pieces of material for the small wedge tent that I have needing two mouse chewed holes to be patched.
Panther Primitives makes many different historical styles of hand-made-authentic canvas tents. They also make the special wooden poles and have many other accessories you need for camping. Panther Primitives is an outstanding company and their quality and craftsmanship is the very best. Visit the Panther Primitives website: www.pantherprimitives.com
Departing Normantown I drove back down Normantown Road, a very beautiful crooked road, and arrived at my pet-friendly motel in Gassaway, beside Sutton, WV. My dog Jake and I were tired from a great day!
Holt Messerly for Holt Messerly.com, February, 28, 2021.