For over 30 years Glen and Donna Miller of Mount Nebo, West Virginia drove shuttles for Cheat and Big Sandy River paddlers in their big stake-bed truck. Thousands of us have looked forward to their friendly greeting, a beer from the cooler, and a memorable ride home. Glen, a logger by trade, is known as one of the hardest-working men in the area. What other kind of man would decide to run boater shuttles in his spare time?
Glen began offering the shuttle back in the 80’s when the Valley Point Road to Jenkinsburg on the Cheat River was a full-on 4 wheel-drive adventure. His wife Donna fielded calls, organized pickups, and drove when things got busy. Although the road improved, his service prospered. The drive from Albright to Jenkinsburg takes 45 minutes each way, so paddlers who used his shuttle got on the water sooner. The Miller’s reliability was legendary; several paddlers remember Glen driving the treacherous road into the Cheat Canyon during sudden spring snowstorms to meet grateful paddlers. He never left anyone behind.
Donna died in February, 2008. Glen has been ill for some time and is at the Heartland Nursing Home, 300 Miller Road, Kingwood, WV 26537. To say "thanks" for decades of help to river runners this year’s Cheat Festival will be dedicated to Glen and Donna Miller. There will be a giant greeting card there for friends to sign. I’m seeking remembrances of Glen’s work,especially unique or funny stories and times when he went above and beyond the call of duty. I will collect these and present them to Glen at the festival. Please send them to ccwalbridge@cs.com.