One final word on Onteora, the mountain house B&B wedding site: By age fifty, Richard Hellmann commanded a mayonnaise empire that stretched from New York to Florida, from Chicago to San Francisco. But his doctor’s news was blunt: “You have six months to live. However, there is a chance you could live longer, if you retire now and move to the country.” So that is exactly what he did!

For his summer home, Mr. Hellmann chose a pine-studded promontory high in the Catskills (not far from the arts colony of Woodstock), where his Park Avenue architect took full advantage of the site to create a little gem with an unimpeded view of the Esopus Valley and the surrounding peaks. Having some experience with views of peaks over the last 95 days, we’d say if we ran into this view on the AT, we’d immediately stop and camp for the night!

The centerpiece of the house is a 20 by 40 foot great room with a cathedral ceiling, massive stone fireplace, and a picture window to capture the view down the valley. Around the great room wraps the 60 foot dining porch. The downstairs features a grotto-like game room with a championship pool table. A koi pond and meandering trails around the grounds are surrounded by 250 acres of forest preserve.

The Hellmanns took occupancy in 1930, and life in the mountains must have agreed with Richard Hellmann. He lived to be 94! We hope another nine weeks living on the AT will do us at least half as much good…