In a few recent posts here, I've heard the name "Ohio River", and, therefore, been wishing for some time to visit this river via a (virtual) flight. This is a river I'm rather familiar with from my past associations with it. I've crossed the bridges over Ohio River at many cities, multiple times, with few of the cities that readily comes to my mind being Pittsburgh (PA), Cincinnati (OH), Wheeling (WV), Louisville (KY). If one likes rivers and bridges, these sites are always interesting (a delightful combo of made-made and nature-made attractions...🙂...). On one of my many (annual) eastward roadway trips, from Columbus (OH) to Washington, D.C., I singularly recall, once, driving over the Ohio River (I-70 East) bridge at Wheeling, West Virginia; late night, on Christmas Eve...🙂...with a fantastic view of the city of Wheeling lit up (and sparkling) with (decorative) holiday lights, a most memorable sight...(Note: Wheeling, WV, is famous for its Winter Festival of Lights, which is one of the nation's largest and most acclaimed holiday light shows). 

West Virginia map exhibits a peculiarly shaped top portion (if not a native...🙂..., examine, if you wish). It's the Northern Panhandle, a long, narrow strip of land created by a historical border dispute between Virginia and Pennsylvania. The conflict arose from overlapping claims along the Ohio River, and the panhandle was the result of a compromise in the 1780s that gave West Virginia its unique shape. Because of it, when you travel east by road from Ohio to Washington, D.C.; you could cross the state of West Virginia twice; bit of a strange feeling, especially travelling at night, tired and drowsy...🙂..., to have WV welcome you, then quickly bid you farewell; only to welcome you again, and then bid you farewell again...🙂...

The ~1,000 miles long Ohio River originates in Pittsburgh, PA, from a confluence of two rivers, flows (generally) southwesterly, passing through Wheeling (WV), the starting point of my today's flight; then, 300 miles down (exactly same as my flown segment today), merges with the smaller Muskingum River at Marietta (OH), see images of this confluence; near the end point of this flight.

Next, it flows on to finally merge with the Mississippi River, at Cairo (IL), at the southernmost tip of my state of Illinois. There, Ohio River is deprived of its identity, somewhat unfairly...🙂...I might add. Mississippi River may be regarded as the "Mighty" one, but at the confluence with Ohio River, it's the latter which is (visibly and geographically) significantly larger than the former. Yet, for one or more reasons, more political than natural...🙂..., it's Mississippi's name that survives the confluence, which then marches on by itself under its own identity, with a sense of outsmarting the Ohio River...🙂..., southward to the Gulf of Mexico.

Whenever I've had occasions to pass near the confluence of Ohio and Mississippi Rivers at Cairo (IL), I feel a bit of sadness for the Ohio River (and end of its journey) because, from a hydrological perspective, it's the "true" river that should have survived the confluence, eventually reaching the city of New Orleans...🙂...Oh well...However, Mississippi had been so well-known to the European explorers...for centuries...so, fame (not nature) wins the name here...🙂...though Ohio River was also (once) the bone of contention between Great Britain and France, leading to the (escalated) Seven Years' War that was fought in the 1750s for control of this same Ohio River Valley that I'm overflying today.

I fly from Wheeling (WV), KHLG, Wheeling Ohio County Airport, to Marietta (OH), KPKB, Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport, tracking the Ohio River, that forms part of the natural border between these two states of Ohio and West Virginia. There is an Ohio River Museum, at Marietta, OH, which I've visited, with a chance to see the functioning of the dams, dikes, and locks and such over this river.

The segment of land I passed over in this flight is part of the old Ohio River valley, a fertile region, looking pretty, in my images below, in (early) fall-colors. It's devoid of high mountains but located at the western edge of the foothills of the Great Appalachians; so, I witnessed abundance of hills, elevated meadows and plateaus. Very scenic indeed...just as I recall...🙂...

The (iniBuilds) twin-turboprop F406 CARAVAN II, in the Maritime (Fisheries) Patrol livery, appropriate for my cause...🙂...proved the ideal companion of re-discovery (helping me effortlessly GPS-navigate along my chosen custom waypoints, never losing sight of the river, see EFB Map) ...from liftoff to touchdown...finally ending in a smooth landing into ILS Runway 03 of KPKB/Marietta Airport.

Hope you enjoy this collection of images. 

Thanks for viewing...!

Interesting section of the country for a flyover. Especially with fall foliage beginning to show. Accompanied by real-life recollections (which also makes it even better 🙂).

Fine set, thanks for sharing !

cheers 😉

7 hours ago, John F said:

Interesting section of the country for a flyover. Especially with fall foliage beginning to show. Accompanied by real-life recollections (which also makes it even better 🙂).

Thank you, John.

Some pleasant memories of long-haul...🙂...on Interstate I-70 to Washington, D.C., across Ohio River and West Virginia, either dipping down on I-79 towards Morgantown, WV, or straight through on I-70/I-76 towards Breezewood, PA...

Yes, the fall foliage, around here, is just about beginning to show too...

 

6 hours ago, pmplayer said:

Fine set, thanks for sharing !

cheers 😉

Appreciated the comment, pmplayer...

Cheers...!