Day 56, 57, 58, 59 & 60 of 166 Days of RV Adventures in the Summer of 2026

On Wednesday July 1st, we left Ives Run to head into NY. We will not return to Ives Run until September. Our destination for today is Darien Lakes State Park. We had many options to our route of travel today, but opted for going all two lanes to our next destination.

We started on PA 287 for a few miles and then turned onto PA 249. We are heading northwest on the two-lane undivided road. The route passes through a mix of farmland and forested hills, turning west and running through Kenneyville. 

The level of military appreciation we saw in this small town was amazing! I am not even sure if I would call it a town, no store, post office, church or bar!

At the NY border the route turns into NY 36. The origins of NY 36 date back to 1908 when most of modern NY 36 between Jasper and Mumford was assigned a legislative route designation by the New York State Legislature. 

Along this southern portion of this route there are many Amish farms. The Amish community in Jasper has approximately 200 traditional, conservative households that settled in the area during the early 1980s.

Drawn by the affordable, rural farmland in New York's Southern Tier, they sustain themselves through dairy farming, sawmills, woodworking, and small local businesses.




Jasper is where Charlie lived for a few years, after his grandma died. They moved from Livonia to Jasper to help his grandpa.

Speaking of Charlie's past,  just south of Canisteo is the Killbuck Inn. No Charlie did not drink at the Killbuck Inn, it was near there that he fell out of his mother's car, when he was 5 or 6. It is that accident where he got the scars on his face. Miraculously, that was all he got!

We continued on Route 36, it took us into downtown Dansville for a couple blocks, then back out toward I-390. The section of Route 36 between Dansville and Mount Morris closely parallels Interstate 390. Not sure what the two blocks of Main Street was all about!

I love murals, in any town we pass through and Mt Morris murals are no exception. There is a mural with the faces of prison guards, medical personnel, firefighters, police and military personnel. It was unveiled to the public on Saturday September 11th, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Underneath the pictures of first responders are the words, “We remember and we honor.” Ohhhh, so fitting. 

The first-ever county-wide mural festival hosted in New York State happened in Livingston County this July 2022. The LivCo Walls Mural Festival welcomed nine international artists to paint large-scale murals in each of the nine villages of Livingston County. The nine villages of Livingston County are: Avon, Caledonia, Dansville, Geneseo, Leicester, Lima, Livonia, Mount Morris and Nunda. The newest mural is the Flowers of Letchworth, painted by Louise Jones from Detroit, Michigan. It was painted on a business on Main Street in Mount Morris. 

This is not a mural, but an old painted advertising sign, still cool!

Turned off Route 36 onto US Route 20 and arrived at Darien Lakes State Park, our home for the next seven nights.

We arrived ahead of our friends, they all arrived this evening Thursday July 2nd. Charlie and I enjoyed a slow morning at the campground.

We had mail to mail, so a visit to the Alden USPS was on the list. After that we enjoyed lunch and craft beers at Black Water Tap and Tavern.

The establishment pays homage to the local history of Alden's world-renowned, mineral-rich "Black Water" baths from the late 1800s. Discovered in 1891 during a natural gas drilling project, Alden's sulfurous "Black Mineral Water" was a famed spa destination for treating rheumatism and skin diseases. The black water industry transformed Alden into a bustling resort town that attracted thousands of visitors from across the Northeast, peaking in the 1920s and 1930s. The bathhouses closed by the 1960s.

We enjoyed the Thursday lunch special, a slider of your choice, 5 wings and fries. Charlie had the Hayburner IPA and I had the Ellicottville Blueberry Wheat!

Last stop on today's outing was the grocery store. The sticker shock of grocery shopping is much easier after lunch & beer! I do have to admit, I enjoy being back where Wegmans is, but the "buy 2 get 4 free" deals at Tops Friendly Markets can't be beat!

Everyone arrived slowly and we enjoyed sitting out and visiting with them. It was way too hot for a campfire!

Friday July 3rd involved late morning Espresso Martinis, hand crafted by Karen with a little Guinness for extra flavor! It is just a great time to relax with friends!

Here is a picture from camping seven years ago and today. We all agree that we have aged gracefully!

It sure is hot, hot, hot... so, to quench my thirst I had my first Monticello American Peach Wheat Ale that I purchased on the 250th Anniversary of America Tour. I got it at Michie's Tavern, but it was from Jefferson's Monticello Estate. 

For dinner, we enjoyed individual pizzas, hand crafted by each of us, cooked by Karen in her pizza oven. Karen even made fresh dough for us. Sheila & I contributed items for the pizzas and our side dishes and dessert! It is still too hot for a campfire!

Happy Independence Day, on this 250th Anniversary of America! It will only happen once in our lifetimes! Although I don't remember what we did, I do remember the bi-centennial in 1976. I was eleven years old. On Saturday July 4th I enjoyed a nice walk and the sunrise. Rob made us all breakfast in his Dutch oven and we contributed bacon.

It was an overcast day and it threatened rain all day. We were lucky, a few spits and sputters, but no downpours were occurring all around us and where our friends were camped.

 

Often when we camp, we share our sides and cook our choice of meats on the grill over the campfire. That is what we did tonight. Everything was delicious! We all enjoyed a visit from Joe, Casey, Parker and Magnolia. But, Rob and Sheila enjoyed Magnolia, their newest granddaughter, more than the rest of us! Parker spent the night with his grandparents and Joe & Casey took Maggie home after dinner. Even though it was hot, we needed a fire to cook dinner, so we enjoyed it for a while after the cooking and dinner was done!

Day 60 was Sunday July 5th. We were supposed to enjoy a few more days of peace and quiet at Darien Lakes State Park, but plans changed.

I have not talked much about the inconsiderate family group we had camping all around us. But, it was amazing how bolden they were to do what they wanted with no consideration for the rules or other campers' space. I mentioned that we pulled into our site. 

So, our door was close to our power pole and the majority of our open space in the campsite was on the drivers side, but we wanted it that way, so we had a large area to sit. But the hot weather kept us under the trees. The family group took it upon themselves to pitch a tent for their kids or grandkids to the right of their power pole on our site. Not once, did they ask if it was OK, or did they acknowledge that they were not on their site. Granted our site was a pie shape, so from the road the tent was a ways away from our camper, but as you moved into the site our space narrowed and it was close enough to hear the girls talking and giggling late into the night.

So, Sunday, after we enjoyed breakfast with our friends, they got packed up and headed home. As soon as the two campers were gone, the family group began to cross through the empty sites, again. Charlie and I sat under the tree and enjoyed the site. The family group was on one of their sites having a water balloon fight. All the running, laughing and having fun is part of camping, but when the kids run towards us and they continue to throw the balloons in our direction, that is not cool. The final straw was when one of the kids ran between our chairs and the tree we were sitting under literally right behind us. Obviously, this family group were not "real" campers and were never taught campground manners.  

So, we packed up all of our stuff and headed to Livonia. This will be our home base for the 60-days we will be here. We love our set up at Jimmy's. Hard surface for camper parking, shade from the big trees and privacy! Perfect!

After we got set up, we learned our friends Sheila & Randy were at No BS, a local brewery. Yes, you guessed it. We went a few miles to meet them. But, we were so busy catching up that there were no pictures taken! Not even of the beer!

Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!

Day 53, 54, & 55 of 166 Days of RV Adventures in the Summer of 2026

Sunday, June 28th was the last morning of the Remington Ryde Bluegrass Fest. It was a gospel open jam, a worship service, and then Billy Cox Gospel show. No pictures or videos, because all it did was rain, rain, rain! But the music was uplifting!

We packed up in the rain, never fun! We hugged our neighbor, and new friend Thelma and her 4-legged companion, Ginger. We headed north, again! To get out of Centre Hall, you either have to go way east to Lewisburg or up and over Mount Nittany. We chose the latter! 

Mount Nittany is a prominent geographic landmark in Centre County. It is a vital environmental and cultural symbol for Penn State University and the surrounding Nittany Valley. Standing at an elevation of 2,077 feet, it forms the inspiration behind Penn State’s famous "Nittany Lion" mascot. Nearly 1,000 acres of the mountain are preserved by the Mount Nittany Conservancy, offering over 8 miles of volunteer-maintained trails and multiple scenic overlooks that look down onto State College and Beaver Stadium. We got on PA 64 and took the 21 mile-long two lane state highway to avoid getting on I-80 before we get onto PA 287. You can still see the majestic mountain vistas from this route.

We also got to see the Amish coming from church in their buggies. The first one was all women and girls in an open wagon, as we were leaving our fuel stop. 

The second buggy, pulled over to let a long line of cars pass, on this two-lane roadway.

We had to get on 220, for a few miles. But, before we did we passed an old Texaco sign and a building with newer cars, but old gas pumps and signs.  I learned it is RC Bowman and Sons, a locally owned and operated used car dealership. 

Once we got on PA 287, we followed Larry's Creek for a long time. Larry's Creek is a 23-mile-long tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River. It is highly regarded for its trout fishing (including brown and rainbow trout), canoeing, and scenic hunting camps. State Route 287 follows the creek's watershed through townships like Cogan House, Mifflin, and Salladasburg.

We went through Wellsboro and made it back to Ives Run. Wellsboro is the biggest town we have seen since we got on PA 287! We are back on site # 64. The same site 

The decal still looks great!

On Monday June 29th, I enjoyed a nice walk at Ives Run. The roads offer great spaces to walk and there is a portion of the lake to view at every turn. Two of my favorites spots to walk here are on the Railroad Grade Trail and the gravel roadway to the primitive camping sites. But, both have been wet, I don't enjoy walking on them in that state.

We enjoyed a leisurely morning after I got back from my walk. It was a day to catch up on cleaning the inside of the rig and catching the heat, from the sun, that we lacked in Centre Hall. It was the perfect "chill" day!

Tuesday June 30th is our last full day in PA until September.  and we headed to Mansfield. We did a Wal-Mart run, laundry and we hit a brewery for a beer and dinner.

Yorkholo Brewing Company opened at 4pm. We hung aound the 20-minutes and we stopped in. Yorkholo, pronounced "York Hollow", is a small artisan brewpub located in the north central region of Pennsylvania called the "Pennsylvania Wilds".  The brewery name comes from the York family dairy farm  established in 1861.  The farm had to shorten its name from York Hollow to Yorkholo due to the number of letters allowed when registering dairy cattle.

Ralph York ran the Yorkholo dairy farm his entire life until he retired and all the dairy cows were sold off.  The name of the brewery was chosen to continue the Yorkholo legacy.  When deciding on a logo that represented Yorkholo and quality, they couldn't think of anything better than the face of Ralph York. Funny, I thought the logo had FDR in it!

The list of beer selections were not as expansive as some other breweries. I loved the mug club mugs. They are made by a local potter in the area. 

Charlie was not sure what he wanted, because they did not have any of their own IPAs on tap. He tried an IPA from another brewery, but it was waaaaaay to hoppy. I suggested that Charlie get the Bungy Blonde Ale and I got the PA Grand Canyon Vanilla Porter. I am becoming quite the porter lover... LOL 

We ordered food. We wanted a pretzel, but it's a popular item and they were out. We settled on boneless chicken wings and fries. The vibe at this brewery was more of a college town. Our bartender and server, were one in the same. Brandon was great at both, he is a college student at Mansfield University.

Tomorrow, Wednesday July 1st, we head into NY for our 60-days there. Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!

Day 52 of 166 Days of RV Adventures in the Summer of 2026

Today is Saturday June 27th. Just as the weatherman had predicted it was a rainy, wet, damp and cold morning. Music was supposed to start at 11:00am, but they pushed everything back an hour. So, after the rain delay, RD started the Youth Showcase with the powerhouse group, Full Steam. 

I finally caught the  correct name for the guitar player of Full Steam, it is Easton Compton. He is the newest member,  but also the oldest at 16! He is known for his work in the youth acoustic duo The Boys From Bristol and now the traditional mountain bluegrass band Full Steam. His playing style is heavily influenced by bluegrass and Appalachian roots music, citing legends like The Stanley Brothers, Reno and Smiley, and the Johnson Mountain Boys. 

Leopold is also the fill-in mandolin player, WOW... he is very good for the "back-up" member! He is a rising young bluegrass mandolin player recognized as part of the "Next Generation" of bluegrass musicians. He comes from a highly musical family and performs alongside his siblings in their family group, the Cattywampus Quartet.

Next up on this dreary day was Caleb Bailey & Paine's Run. Caleb Bailey is a Virginia-based bluegrass singer, songwriter, and front man of the band Caleb Bailey & Paine's Run. Formed in 2021 following the success of his debut solo album Poplar & Pine. 

They are a high-energy traditional bluegrass group originating from Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Their 2022 follow-up album Camille. Camille includes a narrative track detailing historical storms and natural destruction in Nelson County, Virginia. Caleb has also put out popular singles under Turnberry Records, such as "Minneapolis Moline", a bluegrass story song about his Grandfather's old tractor! He teased a song for their second set about the Confederate White House in Richmond VA, "12th & Clay". That peeked my interest, as we just finished the 250th Anniversary of America (the Patriot Tour) with Yankee RV Tours.

As the rain picked up and then wind started to blow a bit, Remington Ryde came onto the stage. They were formed in 2005 in Hummelstown, Pennsylvania. Led by guitarist and lead vocalist Ryan Frankhouser. He is widely known for starting the popular annual Remington Ryde Bluegrass Festival, at the age of 22. 

The group has spent more than two decades touring extensively throughout the US and Canada. They perform over 100 dates a year and are known for their hard-driving, authentic mountain sound and engaging audience chemistry. They have earned 10 SPBGMA Award nominations, including a nod for Entertainers of the Year. The band includes Mathew Songmaker on fiddle, Richard Egolf on Bass, and father Steve Davy on mandolin and his son, Chance Davy on banjo.

With the rain still coming down, Larry Efaw & the Bluegrass Mountaineers took the stage for their third set of the weekend. I learned today , that they gave up one of their times on the stage for the young musicians that make up the band, Full Steam. 

The leader, Larry Efaw, is a fixture in the bluegrass world. However, his band is made up of several young players. Very good players, but young.

With the rain coming down a bit harder, the Junior Sisk Band took the stage. 

Junior Sisk and his band, Red Camel Collective, are one of my favorites. He is widely recognized as one of today's top bluegrass vocalists and is a constant reminder that traditional bluegrass is still alive and well. His bluegrass pedigree runs deep, influenced by a father who wrote songs and played guitar and a mother who sang. Sisk first learned to play around age 14. 

His early influences included The Stanley Brothers, Larry Sparks, and Dave Evans, but he often credits the Johnson Mountain Boys with inspiring him to pursue bluegrass professionally. Junior Sisk’s band is Heather Berry Mabe on guitar, Tony Mabe on banjo, Jonathan Dillon on mandolin, and Curt Love on bass. The band pays tribute to the man who brought them together with their name, taken from Junior’s song, The Man in Red Camels. It was a great set!

Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, should be up now, before our dinner break, but her bus broke down. They are on their way, but will be late. Their bus is the third bus to breakdown this weekend for entertainers coming to the Remington Ryde Bluegrass Festival. Yesterday, Fast Track and Ralph Stanley II both had bus issues. I am not sure who caught a ride with who after the shows yesterday, but there were a couple of bands that needed rides too!

After dinner break, at 6:00pm, Caleb Bailey & Paine's Run came on stage for their second set. They sang some traditional bluegrass numbers and gospel standards. They mixed in a few new tunes. Included in this set was an original song about United Flight 93, titled "United Flight 93". 

Caleb wrote this song that was released in 2021. He constructed the lyrics directly from witness statements and the inflight communications of the fourth plane hijacked on September 11, 2001 that crashed in Shankesville, PA. 

Right on time at 7:00pm, Remington Ryde took the stage for their second set. 

They did "This Little Light of Mine" and Rhonda Vincent's granddaughter, Faye, came on stage and stole the show!

As it got a bit warmer and the rain has stayed away at 8:00pm Larry Efaw & the Bluegrass Mountaineers came on stage.

There was no rain for Junior Sisk's Band for their second set. 

Heather Berry Mabe is an award-winning bluegrass, country, and gospel singer. Her exceptionally pure, "mountain-clear" vocals, she is the lead vocalist and co-founder of the breakout bluegrass band Red Camel Collective. She was the top female vocalist at the 2026 SPBGMA Awards in Nashville.

At 10:00pm Rhonda Vincent and The Rage took the stage at the Remington Ryde Bluegrass Fest! Since they came here is a rental van, everyone in her band is playing on borrowed instruments! Rhonda Vincent and The Rage is one of the most decorated and celebrated groups in bluegrass music history. Fronted by multi-instrumentalist Rhonda Vincent—frequently referred to as the "Queen of Bluegrass". The band of musical brothers, not literally, but figuratively, is world-renowned for its blistering instrumentals, tight vocal harmonies, and relentless touring schedule (they will be in Vermont tomorrow.)

The thing I find amazing... is in 2021, Rhonda asked Zach Arnold to join the band at just 21! He has been a star on the rise in bluegrass since he first appeared as a member of ClayBank in 2016, when they won the RenoFest Band Competition when he was 16 years of age. He had been working as mandolinist with Sideline since the summer of 2019. Guitar is his first instrument so he should be right at home playing it with The Rage. With a strong and clear tenor voice and a firm grip on many musical instruments, even as a teen, it seems that big things are in the future for Zack in bluegrass. He quickly became her "right hand man". 

All the boys in the Rage left the stage and Heather Berry Mabe came back on stage with her guitar. 

Last year they sang this duet and this year Rhonda and Heather sang it again – unrehearsed, not done since 2025, WOW, just WOW!

Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures, bluegrass festivals are done for a while. We have a couple shows planned to see over the rest of the summer, but next festival will be Headin' Home Fest in Hazelhurst GA in October.