Dutch Haus B&B, Montebello, VA

We didn't quite make it for the advertised free lunch at the Dutch Haus. Every shelter for the past 50 miles has had a little flyer with directions. With full intentions of making it far enough yesterday in order to get here by 11 am, we set off from the Route 60 crossing. Well, we actually set off with my parents, and my mother, despite it being Mother's Day, carried MY pack halfway up the first mountain. I think she would have gone even farther, but they had a long drive back to Pittsburgh. Please stay tuned for photos - I have full confidence that we can get her out on a bona fide backpacking experience, now that I have seen her scramble up switchbacks with a 30 pound pack. Anyway, we said goodbye to my parents and continued up Bald Knob (not a knob, nor bald), towards yet another Cold Mountain. As we approached a clearing, we saw a group of people camped - it looked like a family with small children, I thought at first, since I could see them playing wiffle ball. As we got closer, we realized it was Flick, Golden Boy, Bushwacker, CB, Eulah - whom we had met before, and Ninja and the Goats, who we had only read about in the shelter registers. It was a really glorious day, and the field was so picturesque, that they decided to hang out, instead of hike. Some of them were actually spending their second day in this field. There were even a couple of wooden swings hanging from the trees. We had only gone 7 miles, but it was too lovely to go any further. We spent a great night hanging out around a large fire, courtesy of Bushwacker, and camped under a starry sky. Unfortunately, this left about 12 miles to go before 11 am the next day, which is not exactly a pace we like. We took a leisurely morning up and over some balds and through the woods, finding, among other things some little pitcher plants (carniverous plants really blow my mind). By midafternoon, we decided that the Dutch Haus was a worthy stop, even if we missed the free lunch, so we walked down. Now we are getting ready to sit down with a VERY full house, full of hikers and other travelers, and I am in my glory looking out at the large bird population eating at the feeders. Life is good.

Many thanks to my parents for driving down this weekend, and my Aunt Mary, for hosting us.