Hey Beerguy:
Glad to have you with us - thanks for posting a hello!!!
We have a slew (Piney term of measuring prolific members in a geographical region) of WVers. And a Bee-Gas (you figure it out
) bunch of Easterners too :)
It's not always easy, often frustrating, but always educational and fascinating to start. I believe the most rewarding part is Wintering-over a hive(s) successfully, extracting honey is nice too, but emotionally and mentally not as rewarding as seeing your bees fly in the Spring!
It's a few pegs above sea-monkeys and a few pegs below brain-surgury, so learn and read all you can, and try to be your bee's best buddy with a well fueled smoker in your hands. I hope you get the chance to have some hands-on experience - I started at 14 when a friend introduced me to his 11 hives: from that day on, I was hooked, even though it was more than 2 years after then before I got my first hive.
Anyways.... Welcome and have fun, lots of great people here with a few million collective man-hours of beekeeping experience, so I know it will be a great resource as you prepare for the hobby that often lasts a life time.
Best wishes and again, welcome.