Several places supposedly defy explanation: cars rolling up hills, gravity on its side, and water falling up.
On our West Virginia trip a couple of years ago, we visited Mystery Hole. I figured it was a tourist trap, and we generally avoid those, but the description was interesting, and it was right along our path.
We would pay for the admission and wait for the next tour. I was expecting something cheesy, but we were thoroughly entertained when we got onto the tour. First, a black light shone on us, revealing that my shirt was filthy. Charlene quipped, “I can’t take you anywhere,” and I responded, “I can’t help that I am a messy eater!” The back and forth between me and my wife got the guide chuckling. It was an excellent start to the tour.
The guide would lead us down a narrow corridor that was not decorated even in the slightest. I remember bare plywood. It was like walking into a fun house with crooked steps and leaned walls. The guide entertained us with stories of paranormal gravitational activity in this area.
We were led into the main room. Everyone entered easily; I had a little problem when I found myself flying into the wall, making a loud thud. The guide snickered. We were asked to sit on this old couch and told more about the mystery of Mystery Hole. He had golf balls on strings that would go in directions that no one could explain.
Was this whole thing real?
I didn’t think so, but it was thoroughly entertaining, and I recommend going to Mystery Hole in West Virginia to see for yourself.
When planning our most recent trip, Marching Our Way to Bedford, PA., I learned of Gravity Hill in New Paris and had considered skipping it. I read that these gravity hills are just an optical illusion and quickly explained away. But we were ahead of schedule, and when we were touring the local town, someone mentioned it to us, and now I had to check it out.
I arrived on the road and put the car into neutral. Nothing.
Moved forward.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Finally, I read the directions. Moved ahead.
Again.
Nothing.
I was ready to give up and leave. This experience proved to me that it is all an illusion and that there are crazy people who would believe in anything.
Then, my wife grabbed the directions and read them properly.
“Go to the marking on the road,” she said. I didn’t recall reading anything about that in the exact directions we both read. I moved forward to the first marking.
I was comfortably ready to have this new attempt fail again.
I placed the car in neutral, took my foot off the brake, and expected failure.
No.
It worked.
I rolled in the opposite direction from what I was facing.
I rolled uphill.
We move forward again.
And again, it worked!
Wow!
Why?
Why is this working?
Clearly, the hill had a downward slope, and yet we rolled uphill.
Charlene gets out and tries it with a water bottle.
And even that worked!
We both were dumbfounded.
Despite several attempts in different spots between the markers showing the edge of Gravity Hill, we were mystified and unable to provide an explanation.
We drove off to return to our campground, profoundly aware that this world has unexplained places.
How cool is that!
The world is a great place to explore and find these hidden gems.
- Search Gravity Hill and Mystery Hole on my favourite map, All The Places We Have Been, and consider visiting these locations on your next trip.
- Gravity Hill, New Paris, has its own website.
- Gravity Hill is located on a low-trafficked road, but please be aware of other vehicles when exploring this local phenomenon.
- It is interesting that when I watch these videos back, the angle of the road is different. But when we were there, it appeared in the opposite direction.
