Mountain Bound

Rain arrived in the late evening but as we head west the skies begin to clear. The scenic Hwy 33 provides a pastoral haven and we savor the serenity. Another world lurks out here. We search for a little cafe in Orange that we've read about and find a very laid back eatery that at first causes pause. But, oh, we have certainly made the right choice and Real Food proves worthy of our tiny detour. Foremost a catering establishment, they allow a sampling of their incredible goodies with a weekly changing menu of a spattering of soups, salads and sandwiches. Celeste chooses Tuscan bean soup and has that with a tarragon chicken salad on baguette - yum! I pick the potato leek soup to accompany my cucumber, fennel, and boursin cheese on focaccia - yeah!! Homemade iced tea and lemonade are the perfect choices to wash all of this deliciousness down! Sated, we are ready to continue our journey.

Closing in on the Shenandoah Valley, hairpin turns on mountain roads remind of the cautious driving needed here, but the beauty makes it all worthwhile. We are entering into pristine grounds, moments of solitude hard to imagine. With the sun peaking by now, a glorious panorama is displayed. Finding our little home away from home in Woodstock, we settle into our base camp for our adventure here these next few days. A brand new Hampton Inn and Suites provides just what we need, including an indoor heated pool! A very good restaurant option is shared by the friendly front desk and we are not disappointed here either.

Joe's Steakhouse is fairly new to the area and presents really good fare. A fillet melted (best had in a long while) and the service and very affordable wine choice make for quite a successful meal. Kaylon, our server, is adorable and really helpful. Her recommendation to finish with the bread pudding is the perfect ending! Located in the downtown historic district, it's a welcoming and cute spot, and just the right way to start our time in this area.

A full travel day behind, we are ready to settle in for a good night's rest. We have several big hiking days in this area ahead! And, we can't wait!!