B & B in West Virginia - first hike

Sunday 21th
Getting ready to go away for a couple of days and give a little more attention to my plants. And yes, the flower opened before we left. I put the question out on Facebook and got several answers (THANK YOU!)
Porzellanblune oder auch Wachsblume! Porcelain flower or wax flower.
Or Hoya.

We went to the early service at 8 am, went home, packed, ate lunch and went on our way. We drove about 3 1/2 hours. Our B & B is called "Breath of Heaven" just outside of Petersburg West Virginia. First thing to do: beer into the fridge.

Our hosts Ed and Geri are very nice and welcomed us with cookies. They told us a little about the area and local restaurants. After we had settled we went to "Anthony's" (pizza and other Italian food).
Afterwards we went across the street for dessert.

Back to the B & B.

Chilling. Watching the rest of US Open Golf. I did a little stitching (determind to take it home done).

Monday morning. The second b in B & B : breakfast.

Geri was very proud of her Dutch Baby pancakes and rightly so. With fresh strawberries and homemade buttermilk syrup. Very filling too.

And then off we went. First to a ranger station for info.

We are in the Monongahela National Forest in the Allegheny Mountains. This part: Dolly Sods!

This is the trail we chose. A one way 3.4 miles up down up down etc etc
It was gorgeous. Lots to see like mountain laurel and rhododendron and yes, also two snakes which scurried away too fast to take a photo.

We had to cross several streams. Some you just stepped from rock to rock or balanced over a piece of a tree which had been laid across. This one: I lost my balance and stepped right into the water.

Refreshing ha-ha. Can you see the water I am squeezing out of the socks in the VIDEO?
I shouldn't have bothered. It didn't make any difference but in 10 minutes my feet/shoes felt just like before again. Love my shoes.

Ha-ha, how nice of the Rangers to cut a way through. At another spot we had quite a job to get over one.

Had to stop quite often to take pictures like the above one. James obviously took this one of me.

Suddenly almost to the end we came to a view!

And what a view it was!

And back on the trail the flora was the best because on top of the ridge there was more sun.

We didn't go quite to the end because we would have to come back anyway. Rather then going back the whole trail we went on Wildlife Trail 560.

After about 1 1/2 miles steadily going up we reached FR 19 (forest road = gravel). This was an easier straight way to complete the circle back to the car. (We had to take a lot of selfies trying to get a good one also showing the road)

Of course more to see and photograph.

James' gadget says we did 6.73 miles but with all those ups and downs this never-in-my-life-sporty person feels quite good.
Back at the B&B we had to take showers and also wash shoes and socks. Everything was reasonably dry when we went to bed.

Our hosts had told us (yesterday) that they had some friends which also had a B & B and sometimes cooked dinner for their guests. Geri asked whether we wanted her to check that. We had reservations for this evening and so did our hosts. Ed wanted to drive but then Geri decided to stay home because more guests had arrived.
It was quite a drive and up another mountain. I think I would call this B & B more a lodge with a lot of atmosphere. The owners Ed and Carol welcomed us. We joined two more couples who were staying there and we were 7 around the table and a lively conversation was going the whole time.

I took the above pictures before dinner and the following after.
Sarah, there would have been an alternative to caning! I wished I could have tried this idea with fabric for your dining room chairs. I liked it.

A full day. It didn't take us long to fall asleep.

 

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