Day 61, 62, 63, 64 & 65 of 166 Days of RV Adventures in the Summer of 2026

On Monday July 6th, we slept in. I know you don't read that often in my blogs. But, it felt really good! The temperatures were a bit cooler and we had the windows open and no air on!

We had a few runs to make this morning. So, we had breakfast and headed to Walmart. Good thing I only had a few things to pick up! We are in New York now and plastic bags are "bad." New York State has a statewide Bag Waste Reduction Act that prohibits businesses that collect state sales tax from distributing single-use plastic carryout bags. But, interesting fact, if you have a roadside vegetable stand you can have single use plastic bags there! I was not going to pay for a paper bag. I just juggled my purchases in my arms and left. 

Back in NYS we have access to our credit union, Eastman Saving & Loan. So, we stopped and did some banking. We had an appointment at Mavis Tires to have a Tire Pressure Monitor replaced. While we were out, we stopped by Tony's house to see the grandkids and Donny & Donna. Donny & Donna were out, but we visited Natalee and Cameron for a bit. We had Natalee's graduation card and a little something for her. We cut our visit short when I realized that Charlie's ex-wife, Bobbie, was in the next room.

On Tuesday June 7th, we took a trip to scope out our music venue for our bluegrass show on Friday night. On Facebook Charlie found that the Travelin' McCourys were playing in the Rochester area. So, we headed out for a recon drive. "Lovin' Cup" most commonly refers to the classic rock song by The Rolling Stones from their landmark 1972 album Exile on Main Street album. It can refer to a traditional ceremonial drinking vessel, but for the purposes of this blog, it is a well-known bistro and music venue in upstate New York.

Lovin’ Cup Bistro and Brews is about dreams. It was the five owners, each of whom bring a different set of talents to the table, dream to build a place that celebrates the good things in life: Delicious, uncomplicated food choices, with a wide range of flavors to appease every palette. A rotating draft selection that is sure to please. A solid selection of bottled beers, to change with your mood. An ever-changing collection of local, national, and international wines. Thoughtful signature cocktails that any mixologist would be proud of. A comfortable environment that transforms from day to night. A deliberate attention to detail when it comes to the vibe: handcrafted tables, rotating local art, ambient lighting, and most prominently our beautiful wine rack. A wide-range of events and music every week! Their biggest driving force? They truly take pride in their conscious understanding of what a community-driven environment is.

Lovin’ Cup is a family business, a family of five friends: Erik Ward, Leslie Zinck-Ward, Clay Carpenter, Bob Zinck and Ric Carley. They are only the start of a cohesive family of staff who work to create an experience for you each and every time you walk through our doors. This place means different things to different people. It could be your favorite place to grab a bite and a beer. It could be your favorite spot to see original live music every week. Or the spot where you finally unveil a talent that no one knew you had at open mic. Most importantly, they want it to be a place where you feel like you can be yourself.

We enjoyed a beer each and a pretzel and cheese. Charlie had a Samuel Adams Summer Lager and I went for the Genesee Brewing Ruby Red Kolsch. We are going to Lovin’ Cup Concerts in the Square: The Travelin’ McCourys Grateful Ball with Folkfaces, Smilo & the Ghost and Ruckus Juice Jug Stompers.

Time is flying by! It's day 63, already! On Wednesday July 8th, I took a walk this morning. After that we enjoyed coffee on the patio. It was a leisurely morning! Then we took a road trip to Canandaigua around noon to scope out the venue for Saturday night's Bluegrass festival. It's at a 95-acre venue called Lincoln Hills Farm. It offers sweeping views, gardens, and open-air spaces designed for unforgettable gatherings. They are a venue for weddings, private events, with a few select ticketed experiences offered. The farm provides a unique setting that blends natural beauty with rustic charm and modern amenities. The name is a tribute to the original settlers of the property, the Dewey Family, who occupied their farm on Lincoln Hill for over 100 years. With roots in the past and their eyes toward the future, they are passionate about where they are from and they are deeply committed to providing everyone with access to the true spirit of the Finger Lakes.

While in Canandaigua we stopped into Runnings. Everyone from New York says it is like Charlie's favorite store in Florida, Rural King! The Runnings story began on December 5, 1947, when founder Norman “Red” Running opened the first store in Minnesota. Initially focused on automotive supplies, Runnings grew into a trusted source for farm and fleet goods through the late 1980s. Over time, the product offerings expanded, and the company’s legacy of quality and reliability only deepened. Runnings has grown to offer an extensive range of high-quality products, including clothing, footwear, automotive items, sporting goods, farm supplies, lawn and garden essentials, toys, housewares, tools, pet and animal supplies, and more. Additionally, some locations carry firearms. This one did and it was a large selection!

Heading back to Livonia, we went through Bloomfield. Elton Park, originally known as the Public Square, is the focal point of East Bloomfield and one of its most historic sites. The founding fathers, in October of 1798, provided a place to worship, a burying ground, and a meetinghouse green. In 1847, a group of public-minded citizens decided the square should be cleared and ornamented. Plans were set in motion and the square was plowed, graded, sowed and fenced. Following the Civil War, a meeting was held and a vote was passed to erect a monument to the 39 men from Bloomfield who lost their lives in the war. An artist and sculptor was commissioned to construct a monument. The granite and limestone monument is 45 feet high and bears the names of the 39 soldiers and the battles they fought in.  It is topped by a replica of a Union Soldier who is facing south as though ready to repel any invader.  In my picture, you can see him peeking through the trees!

We also stopped at Pete's Stock Works, owned by our friends Pete & Kristi. Another friend is retired, but works there on occasion. We got to see all three of them! We have heard all about Pete's shop, but we have never been. Pretty impressive and well stocked for any hunter or shooter in the area!

Today, Thursday July 9th, was just one of those days... I was not into doing much! I cleaned up the inside of the camper, yes... there are still domestic chores while you are on the road! Charlie worked on the tires and a few other outdoor things. But, we never left the property today. We did have a morning visitor while we enjoyed our coffee in the late morning. We saw him the other afternoon, but he had two ladies chasing him. Today, he was all alone!

Friday July 10th, we had a breakfast date with Jane, Dick & Deb Vallone at Leisure's. Before that we took a run to a couple local farm stands. One to grab tomatoes, the other to get some fresh NY corn! Ohhhh, the tomatoes look sooo good! Breakfast was delicious! We used to go to breakfast almost every weekday morning with Deb, Fay, Bud, Jim and Jackie. Slowly, they have passed away, moved, or just gotten older. It was great to see them! Oooppps, no pictures!

We arrived early at the Lovin' Cup to get a patio table under the shade cloth. We enjoyed a few beers and dinner with our great server, Sam

We were able to watch some set-up and others arrive, as the doors opened at 5 PM for the Lovin’ Cup Concerts in the Square series.

The first band on the main stage were The Ruckus Juice Jug Stompers. They played for an hour, starting at 6:00 PM. They are Rochester’s premiere jug band, they may be Rochester's only jug band! 

They performed a wide variety of jug band songs. Their instruments are unique, to say the least. A banjolin (a hybrid banjo/mandolin), a jug and a kazoo. Their standard instruments include guitar, fiddle, banjo, upright bass, and/or washboard. They share a bit of history of this music & instruments. Their song selection allowed for some audience interaction in singing along and doing some call-and-response tunes. To say they were entertaining, would be an understatement!

RAED (Raedwald Howland-Bolton) played for two 30-minute sets on a side stage as the bands changed on the main stage. His first set was between the jug band and the Folkfaces. 

People in attendance quickly took notice of his talents and connected effortlessly with his soulful vocals and the foot-stomping, and syncopated rhythms. His rendition of country blues portrays the vastness and beauty of a cultural gem. He performs both delta and piedmont blues intertwined with other folk styles. He is an excellent finger-picker that explodes with the sounds of acoustic folk music. 

Folkfaces came on the main stage at 7:30PM. They are a Buffalo-based quartet with an infectious blend of bluegrass, folk, blues, and hot jazz. They do play a mix of original and traditional music. The group takes its influence from weird old American music. An energetic variety show and traveling music review. Exploring a wide range of genres including country blues, traditional jazz, rock and roll, honky tonk, western swing, bluegrass and old-time, jug-band music and more.  The music is driven by songwriter and front man, Tyler Westcott (Vocals, Guitar, Banjo, Harmonica, Kazoo) who founded the band in 2011. 

This venue is very near the student housing for Rochester Institute of Technology. RIT serves about 1,500 deaf and hard-of-hearing students annually through the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). These students make up about 5% of the total 19,000+ student body on campus, and socialize, live, and learn alongside more than 16,000 hearing students. So, the sight of ASL Interpreters is not uncommon. I can honestly say, this is the first time I have seen them at a music venue. But, it makes sense, they facilitate communication by translating spoken words into visual sign language, ensuring equal access to information and entertainment for Deaf and hard-of-hearing attendees.

The Travelin' McCourys took the stage at 9 PM. The McCoury brothers—Ronnie (mandolin) and Rob (banjo)—were born into the bluegrass tradition. Their father, Del, is among the most influential and successful musicians in the history of bluegrass. Years on the road with Dad in the Del McCoury Band honed their knife-edge chops and encouraged the duo to imagine how traditional bluegrass could cut innovative pathways into 21st century music.

The band played an initial set of traditional bluegrass, followed by a collaborative set completely dedicated to "bluegrassified" Grateful Dead tracks. Yes, you heard that right... a rock band, renowned as the pioneering godfathers of the jam band world. 

They regularly pay tribute to the Grateful Dead through a high-energy touring project called "The Grateful Ball." This ongoing musical crossover honors the deep bluegrass roots of Jerry Garcia, blending traditional acoustic instrumentation with psychedelic jam-band arrangements. The bluegrassified tribute to the Grateful Dead is called Grateful Ball. It has its roots in a one-off performance in the summer of 2016 with the Travelin’ McCourys and the Jeff Austin Band at Urban Chestnut Brewing in St. Louis. The show was so popular that a tour was scheduled with both bands where each played a set on their own, followed by a joint set of modern bluegrass arrangements of Grateful Dead material. Since then the Travelin’s McCourys have combined with a variety of artists on a number of Grateful Ball tours reinterpreting the music of the Grateful Dead.

          

Tonight's Grateful Ball set, rocked the Deadheads songs! Good thing, because the pot smoking group in front of us were not too happy with the first set! I know recreational weed is legal in New York State, but when men in their 50's, maybe 60's pass a joint around like they are teenagers is just insane! Not to mention there are kids running around near them!

Smoking weed is one of those, in my opinion, "never do this" at a concert behavior. Especially a family friendly environment concert! 

Here are a few more!

Never bring a baby to a concert without ear protection!

Never lay on the ground, in a dress, and swing your legs in the air.

Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures

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!