[at-l] Re: [at-l]Mother Hen

[landis@epix.net (Steve Landis)]

Yup, RD got it right.  It was not a "hostel" it was  more like an open
house.  There were signs on the trail and elsewhere advertising
"Margaritas and a good time at Mother Hen's" which might have been
interpreted in the worst possible way by the community.  

There are three B&B's in BS which really aren't much help to hikers, but
as Sly said, Molly Garman (Garmanhaus) will let you tent in the yard for
a buck. 

Here are the B&B's:

The Garmanhaus Boiling Springs, PA  Phone #: (717) 258-3980

Gelinas Manor   http://www.travelguides.com/inns/full/PA/27416.html 

Highland House - 108 Bucher Hl Boiling Springs, PA (717) 258-3744 

THE YELLOW BREECHES HOUSE  http://www.pa.net/flyfish/

Also there is a convenience store across from the BS Tavern with a small
yard in the rear.  They let the Family '98 - Suches and the kids, I
don't recall all the trail names at the moment, sleep there for free. 
This is a noisy place to stay but there aren't many options in BS.

Steve

Arthur Gaudet wrote:
Snip..
> Last year many, many hikers stayed with Mother Hen. It sounded too
> hectic for me so I passed it by and slept in the woods. The
> arrangement was very flexible, she sometimes let hikers use her van
> to  shuttle other hiker's. I saw a nice long article about her on
> posted on the outside wall of the ATC office in Boiling Springs. She
> has a disabled child and liked having all the hikers coming and
> helping out with the kid (I think she has several). She made
> breakfast often for the hikers, and asked very little in return.
> 
> I also saw a reference to Mother Hen's place in 1999 so she was open
> then also. The house was described to me as being "in town, with a
> small yard". The washer/dryer was going constantly. Hikers sometimes
> making their own meals. Since it wasn't set up as a hostel I'm sure
> it was a bunch of hikers setting up whereever they could. I can
> easily see the neighbors complaining.... Too bad though. --RD