Day 42, 43, 44, and 45 of 166 Days of RV Adventures in the Summer of 2026

Today is day 42, Wednesday 6/17 today Charlie and I drove from Gettysburg to Ives Run in Tioga, PA. We decided to take Route 15 all the way to Tioga. It is a route we have been on many times over the years. 

Dillsburg is a historic borough located in northern York County, Pennsylvania, nestled in the foothills of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. It is south of Harrisburg. Settled around 1740 by Matthew Dill, an immigrant from County Monaghan, Ireland, and officially incorporated as a borough on April 9, 1833. The town is home to the historic Dill's Tavern and Plantation, which showcases preserved 18th-century living and local distilling history. In a humorous nod to its name and local culture, Dillsburg famously celebrates New Year's Eve by dropping a giant, lit papier-mâché pickle at midnight.

Built in 1952 by Vance Haar, Haar’s Drive-In in Dillsburg, is one of the oldest operating drive-ins in the state. Originally accessed from a dirt road, it has remained a family-owned, community staple for three generations by adapting to the digital era while preserving classic mid-century entertainment.  Vance Haar, a local showman and entertainer, initially toured the region showing movies out of his truck. In 1952, he built the open-air big screen in a meadow. It operated as an affordable novelty surrounded by countryside. As the movie industry shifted toward digital and away from 35-mm film, Haar's faced an existential threat. The owners heavily invested in a new digital projection system and screen to keep the theater alive, proving their commitment to the local community.

Harrisburg is the first "big" town we come to, but it is not what is in Harrisburg that interests me, it is what is just north of there! The trees have grown up and I kept looking through the breaks in the trees, snapping pictures along the way. The Miniature Statue of Liberty on the Susquehanna River is a beloved, quirky local landmark located in the Dauphin Narrows section of the river, just a few miles north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The 25-foot-tall replica sits atop an abandoned stone pier that originally belonged to the mid-19th-century Marysville Bridge. The original statue was built in secret by local activist Gene Stilp and a dozen friends to celebrate the centennial of the real Statue of Liberty. Standing 18 feet tall, it was crafted out of plywood, fiberglass, and Venetian blinds. On July 1, 1986, the group smuggled the statue out on a Jon Boat, canoes, and inner tubes to erect it under the cover of night. The next morning, it caused massive traffic jams on the adjacent highways as stunned drivers tried to process what they were seeing. Though meant to be temporary, the community grew attached to it. After a severe storm destroyed the fragile original in 1992, Dauphin Township residents successfully raised funds to build a permanent version. In 1997, the current 25-foot, 4-ton steel and fiberglass monument was airlifted by helicopter and lashed to the pier.

Bucknell University is a highly selective, private liberal arts institution located on a scenic 450-acre residential campus in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1846, it stands out nationally by combining traditional liberal arts studies with top-tier undergraduate engineering and business programs. Bucknell maintains a small, focused community with roughly 3,928 undergraduate students and about 47 graduate students. The school features a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an average class size of 20, ensuring direct mentorship from professors rather than teaching assistants.

Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is the historic birthplace and global headquarters of Little League Baseball. Every August, the eyes of the sporting world turn to the region as it hosts the iconic Little League Baseball World Series. While the administrative offices are technically across the Susquehanna River in South Williamsport, the entire area transforms annually into a vibrant international youth sports festival. The tournament brings together 20 teams of 10-to-12-year-olds—10 regional champions from the United States and 10 from international regions.

Journey Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, PA, is celebrating its 100th anniversary, marking a century as the 9th-oldest active minor league stadium in America. Originally opened in 1926 as Memorial Field, it was renamed to honor Jay Bowman and is currently sponsored by Journey Bank. Built in 1926 for $75,000, it originally featured a rollercoaster in the outfield. The park's 100th anniversary, celebrated with special throwback jersey nights, historical exhibits, and commemorative merchandise.

Since 2017, the stadium has hosted the annual MLB Little League Classic, a regular-season Major League game designed to celebrate the nearby Little League World Series in South Williamsport. Recent matchups brought teams like the Seattle Mariners and New York Mets to the historic grounds.

Heading up to Steam Valley mountain you can see the "Turkey Ranch." The Fry Brothers Turkey Ranch is a legendary, family-owned restaurant located atop Steam Valley Mountain along Route 15 in Trout Run, Pennsylvania. Famous for serving "Thanksgiving dinner every day," the restaurant has been operated by the Fry family for three generations since opening on Mother's Day in 1939.

Heading into Ives Run, is kind of like heading home, as we camp here a few times a year when we are in the area. Ives Run Recreation Area is a highly rated federal campground and park located on the eastern shore of Hammond Lake in Tioga, Pennsylvania. Maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers, it sits within the pristine Endless Mountains region.

Thursday June 18th is day 43 of our RV travel adventures. I enjoyed a morning walk here ate Ives run. Most of our friends are arriving later this afternoon and evening. Karen & Royce were the first to arrive. Followed by Dana and Dawn. 

We enjoyed time alone with each of the couples getting caught up on the past winter's events. Rob had to work late, so Sheila and Rob were the last to arrive. We enjoyed a nice fire with friends, with tons of laughter and reminiscing.

Day 44 was Friday June 19th. We all had a leisurely morning enjoying coffee and fellowship. Early afternoon, we headed to the Rusted Nut. The Rusted Nut's automobile themed Gastropub. A gastropub is a hybrid establishment that combines the casual, relaxed atmosphere of a traditional drinking pub with the high-quality, chef-driven culinary offerings of a gourmet restaurant. The word itself is a blending of "gastronomy" (the art of good eating) and "pub" (public house).

After operating a body shop for 25 years, the idea started as a fun way for owner Bryan Smith, to showcase his love of cars and antiques. All of their decor is sourced from repurposed and salvaged local items, with real local history. Each item has a story. We enjoyed good company, appetizers, craft beers and specialty drinks. 

Once we got back to the campground, there were a few naps taken, dinners made and fires started. We always cook our own choice of meats and share our sides for a true family style dinner. Naturally, we had another fire. This "cooler" weather has really made having a fire enjoyable. Royce always does a great job finding us a "chimney" log for the fire!

Saturday June 20th is day 45. Again, it was a leisurely morning, except some of the campers enjoyed Mimosas with or instead of their coffee! We all enjoyed some delicious donuts that Rob and Sheila scored from a local bakery in Elkland. The one in the picture is a Reese's Peanut Butter. Yum, yum, yum!

Charlie and I headed to Shutter Homestead. It's a tradition. It is a 200-year old barn that houses wine tasting, wine sales and events. You can enjoy a wine slushie, or a tasting. 

 

You can walk a trail on their 100-acre property or sit by the water and just relax. Rhonda used to be a harvest host, that is how we first met her. Now, we go to enjoy a wine slushie, sometimes inside the barn and sometimes outside in the comfortable chairs. 

We enjoyed our last "family" dinner for this camping trip and another great fire!

Tomorrow we all head in different directions, but all of this group will be camping together in mid-July. We will camp with a couple of them for the 4th of July holiday.

Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!