Saturday, June 4th, 2022 … Two Lane Adventures Continue!

Today our travel will take us from New York to Vermont. We departed Back Barn Brewing on US 20E. We passed the Tomhannock Reservoir. It is water source for the city of Troy. A man-made reservoir that is 6 miles long, and holds 12.3 billion gallons of water when full. I hope there is a purification plant, because the one end of it looked pretty green! We took I-87N to by-pass Albany. We got off at US 7E in Troy. I have blogged about Troy before, as I spent many years here with my military service in the 42^nd Infantry Division HQ.

Coming into Hoosick, the Old Hoosick Tavern certainly has a unique means of advertising! I guess unique advertising is not enough, the tavern is permanently closed. What a shame to let a beautiful bus go to waste!

Wow, what you see as you drive by! The Big Moose Deli and Country Store is one of those unique roadside stops! It is an interesting visit, there is a lot to see when wandering through the store.

Wow, they have a second building! They sell food, drinks, and a wide array of souvenirs. There is also a roadside marker noting that Chester A. Arthur, America's 21st President, lived in the Hoosick area around the 1850s.

This sign says it all. We certainly need more of this in our lives!

We crossed the NY / VT border. Vermont is known for its natural landscape, which is primarily forested. Part of the New England region, it's also known for being home to more than 100 19th-century covered wooden bridges, and as a major producer of maple syrup.

The Green Mountain National Forest is located in southwestern and central Vermont. This Forest is a four season recreation experience. The most popular season is autumn when the mountains are ablaze with color. The Forest's diverse landscapes range from the rugged, exposed heights of the Green Mountains to the quiet, secluded hollows in the Wilderness. The Forest is within a day’s drive of 70 million people. Today, the nearly 400,000-acre Green Mountain National Forest contains more than 2000 archaeological and historic sites spanning the history of Vermont. Of interest are Native American sites, the remains of colonial-era subsistence farmsteads, and evidence of the technologies of the industrial period. Other sites include the roads, structures and facilities built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's. And one of the most sought-after sights within the Green Mountain National Forest is the majestic moose.

I almost missed this picture, but I grabbed it out the drivers window. When I saw Yankee, I knew I had to get the shot! There are 2 barns on RT 7 formerly used as retail known as Yankee Vineyard and Danby Marble. It’s closed and for sale now. That was all I could find out about it!

In Wallingford Vermont, there are many historic places – the Paul P Harris building is just one of them. In this brick building, constructed by his great-grandfather in 1818, Paul P. Harris attended school as a youth and received his elementary education. Many years later, Mr. Harris expressed the conviction that it was during his boyhood in Wallingford that he learned the basic ideals which became the cornerstones of Rotary International; destined to become a World-wide service organization. This former schoolhouse is now maintained as a Memorial to Paul P. Harris by Wallingford Rotary.

Look, I found a purple house! Yeah, my favorite color! In this historic town a brave soul painted their homes this bright and beautiful color.

The first priest stationed in Rutland, Vermont, was Fr Charles Boylan, who took in hand the project of establishing and building our present church in Wallingford. In 1864, a building site was purchased from IB Munson, and the church was designed by architect PC Kieley, who also designed St Bridget's in West Rutland, St Peter's in Rutland, and the cathedral in Burlington. Stone to build the Wallingford church was quarried locally at a cost of $8,888. The cornerstone was laid in May 1865. On 2 September 1866, the church was blessed and named for its patron, St Patrick. 

The parish at that time included Wallingford, Danby and Dorset. Rev Thomas O’Donoghue became Wallingford’s first resident priest in 1910.  In 1954, the outdoor shrine to Our Lady of Knock, the first of its kind outside Ireland, was dedicated by Bishop Ryan. Sadly, on 30 December 2007, St Mary church in Mount Holly, which had been a mission of St Patrick's, burned down. The decision was made not to rebuild St. Mary's but to combine it with St. Patrick's. The same year, Holy Trinity church of Danby was also combined with St. Patrick’s, and St. Patrick’s was placed under Christ The King, Rutland. The sanctuary at St. Patrick’s was rearranged by installing the altar from Holy Trinity. St. Patrick’s is a vibrant, lively parish filled with the Holy Spirit, as it was when it first opened on 2 September 1866.

HeARTS of Rutledge VT, was a street art project about celebrating our people and pride in everything the region has to offer.  The project had a series of talented local artists paint 4-foot fiberglass hearts that were on display in Rutland and the region through the fall.  After the public displays there was a live auction of the hearts at the Paramount Theatre in Downtown Rutland.  Profits benefited victims of disaster in the Rutland Region and children’s art education.  This project was a community partnership organized under the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Southern Vermont with support from Downtown Rutland Partnership, Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce, Rutland Economic Development Corp. This was the only remaining heart I could find, near the exit of McDonalds.

Killington is a town in the Green Mountains of central Vermont. It’s known for the Killington and Pico Mountain downhill ski resorts. The area’s many hiking paths include the Thundering Falls Trail, which leads to a tumbling cascade. The long-distance Appalachian and Long trails both cut through the town. West of Killington, old-growth hardwood trees, including sugar maples and beeches, fill Gifford Woods State Park.

Woodstock, Vermont was chartered in 1761, 15 years before the United States of America signed the Declaration of Independence. Later designated as the Shire Town of Windsor County in 1786, Woodstock became a hub for entrepreneurs, appealing to some of Vermont’s earliest manufacturers, craftsmen, and artisans, and quickly became one of the largest towns in the state. The advent of large mills and factories in the mid-1800s drove out small manufacturers, forcing Woodstock’s industry and residents to look elsewhere. Its population steadily declined, but as railway construction caught up with the competitive manufacturing industry, it enabled Woodstock to connect to larger, urban hubs and reinvent itself as a tourist destination. Today, Woodstock continues to honor its heritage in artisan culture and tourism, celebrating its historic American charm, outdoor recreation, boutique shopping, farm-fresh dining, and a thriving community of artists, makers, and local tradespeople with those who are inspired to discover the wonderful treasures of Woodstock, Vermont.

We saw two covered bridges, there are many in Vermont, just not on the route we took!

We arrived at Quechee Pine Valley KOA, our home for the night. On Gail’s suggestion, we are going to check out the Quechee River Gorge, after we get settled!

The land on which the Quechee State Park is located was originally owned by the AG Dewey Company, a major wool processor in the 19th century. Mr. Dewey settled in the Quechee area around 1869, establishing a woolen mill. The Dewey Company was a very successful processor of wool and employed as many as 500 people, many in the mill village.

Water from falls and the mill pond just above the gorge were used to power the facility. Numerous machinery and product inventions were created here, including Sheep’s Grey and Dewey’s Gray which was trademarked in 1875. Both types of wool were known for general excellence throughout the country and became the standard fabric for roller coverings in cotton mills. By 1936 this was the oldest mill in the country making shoddy. Some of the material was used to make baseball uniforms for the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, and blankets for the US Army and Navy. The mill was closed in 1952, and relocated to Enfield, New Hampshire. Over the next several years, nearly all of the mill houses and buildings were demolished. Remains of mill and dam can still be seen at the head of the gorge.

The park had its beginnings almost immediately after the mill closed. That same year the US Army Corps of Engineers began taking land in the area as part of a large flood control plan, which included the construction of the North Hartland Dam. Construction of the campground and picnic areas began later, in the spring of 1962. In 1965, the State of Vermont leased the park from the Army Corps and turned over the management and operations of the property to the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. Today, the park campground is located in what used to be the mill’s recreation area. The area that is now the park’s play field contained a skeet range, baseball diamond and picnic area. All that remains of this past activity are a few foundations of fireplaces and pieces of broken clay pigeons.

Quechee Gorge is known as "Vermont’s Little Grand Canyon.” This is the second “Grand Canyon” we have seen on this trip! We first stopped on the bridge to see the beautiful vistas above the Ottauquechee River.

We then took the walking trail to the base of the gorge along the mile-long chasm. The Ottauquechee River flows through the bottom of the gorge and is a popular swimming area. 

If we had known, we could venture in … Sheryl and I might have worn our suits and brought our water shoes! Gary walked with us, but Charlie waited on a bench near the bridge.

Then we walked back to Charlie and we all walked to the head of the falls. 

I don’t think any of us were prepared for the beauty that we saw! The gorge is 165 feet deep and is the deepest gorge in Vermont. The original trestle was replaced first by a wooden arch bridge, then in 1911 by one made of steel. At one time the 163-foot high structure may have been the highest railroad bridge in New England.

We shopped at the Quechee Gorge Gifts and Sportswear, one of Vermont’s oldest premier, family-owned, and operated gift shop. I had to get a sticker for the RV and Charlie found a warm vest to wear, as we move further north! And we took some fun pictures!

A great day with great friends! Looking forward to our next stop, at Larry & Gail’s in New Hampshire!

Stay tuned for the next leg of our Two Lane Adventures!

Friday, June 3rd, 2022 … Two Lane Adventures Continue!

Today, we departed Ives Run Corps of Engineer Campground in Tioga PA and are heading to the Albany area of NY. We departed the campground on Route 287 and crossed over onto PA 328. PA 328 begins at an intersection in Tioga Junction with PA 287. The route progresses eastward as a two-lane through woodlands, our favorite kind of road! As we drove, the route parallels the former right-of-way of the Erie Railroad's Tioga Division, serving as a residential highway. Soon after, the route enters Millerton and gains the name of Main Street. PA 328 passes a mix of commercial businesses and residential homes until leaving Millerton. There, PA 328 takes the right-of-way from PA 549 and progresses northeast to the New York state line, where the road continues northward as NY 328.

NY 328 picks up where PA 328 leaves off at the Pennsylvania state line in the southwestern Chemung County town of Southport. The route heads northeast, roughly paralleling Seeley Creek as it runs along the base of a large valley surrounding the waterway. The route continues along the western base of the valley, bypassing both Webb Mills and Pine City as it continues to parallel both CR 69 and Seeley Creek. Here, NY 328 transitions from a two-lane roadway to a four-lane divided highway, a configuration that remains in place for the final 3 miles of the route, where it terminates at NY 14 in Elmira.

Eldridge Park, located in Elmira, New York, was a famous amusement park around the turn of the 20th century. Covering roughly 15 acres, it was dedicated to the memory of a local physician and was in common usage late into the 20th century. Elmira’s premier family-friendly, open-air space where, thanks to Elmira Infinite Canvas and the Wallin Insurance Agency, the park has received a beautiful new welcome. As you turn into the park from College Ave, you’ll notice local artist Chris Eldred’s work which features a pair of ducks and a fish resident of Eldridge pond, a carousel horse, and a dragon. A dragon? Yes, a dragon. The dragon paddle boats at Eldridge Park deserve some time to shine along with their carousel animal partners, right? As the mural suggests with its large, multi-colored heart, the park’s commitment to being a source of love and comfort within the community deserves to be felt by all members of the park’s culture. Alongside the mural’s colorful characters is a sunny backdrop of the gentle slope of the area’s valley and the placid waters of Eldridge Lake. Eldridge Park has been a staple of the community throughout the past three centuries.

We left Elmira and headed to Horseheads on Route 13. Horseheads, how would a town get a name like that? Here is your answer. On September 1 1779, General George Washington ordered the forces of General John Sullivan to march north on a 450-mile journey through a wooded wilderness from Easton, Pennsylvania, over to Wyoming, Pennsylvania, and on up the Susquehanna River to Elmira to mount a raid on Iroquois. They continued north through what is now known as Horseheads to the Finger Lakes region and west to Geneseo. The journey had been particularly severe and wearing upon the animals, and their food supply was found insufficient. Arriving about 6 miles north of Fort Reid on September 24, 1779, they were obliged to dispose of a large number of sick and disabled horses. The number of horses was so great that they were quite noticeable, and the native Iroquois collected the skulls and arranged them in a line along the trail. From that time forward, that spot was referred to as the "valley of the horses' heads" and is still known by the name given to it by the Iroquois.

Ithaca has a public art project organized by Ithaca’s Public Art Commission. It involves 21 different artists who painted their images onto 21 of the city’s electrical boxes. The city of Ithaca is no stranger to public art, with many of the town’s walls bedecked with colorful murals and the streets surrounding The Commons lined with sculptures. The creators believe public art is a relatively cheap way to spread art throughout cities and increase tourism, and it can also increase the quality of life in a city. Public art opens up the forum for all artists, especially graffiti artists, to share their art with the community in a more mainstream way.

Also in Ithaca is the Sciencenter. It is a place that inspires excitement for science through interactive exhibits and programs that engage, educate and empower. The hands-on museum offers visitors of all ages more than 250 exhibits, educational programs, a gift shop, an outdoor science park and a seasonal miniature golf course.

Main Street in the Village of Dryden is a little bit brighter with a brand-new mural paid for by the Community Arts Partnership (CAP). The blank space just above the Dryden Community Center Café is the location. The village contacted Kayla Lane, the property manager for the building that hosts the café, who thought it was a great idea. Around 15 applications were submitted, but one artist, Joanne Murphy, specifically asked to submit for the space above the café. After the design was approved Murphy was put in contact with Lane to work out the details of getting the mural on the building. The applications were also judged on the strength of the artist’s concept, even if it was just a mockup. Murphy’s submission was just a drawing that evolved as it was made into reality. While creating the Dryden mural she added in elements that she had found within the community. Dryden Dairy Day took over downtown while Murphy was working on the mural and the festivities made their way into the art in the form of a young woman Murphy saw playing in one of the bands that performed at the annual community celebration. The barn pictured in the mural is based on a real structure that she spotted while driving around the area. While the mural is in Dryden, Dryden can also be found in the mural.

In the days before GPS and asking Siri for help, people actually talked on the phone to guide people to their homes. “Turn left at the cows,” they might say, though depending on how lost you were it wouldn’t help since Dryden has scores of them. In June, turn left is at the cows means staying on Route 13 on the way from Ithaca to Cortland. These aren’t the cows you see down on Fall Creek or farther on Rt. 13, though. These are cardboard, colorful and easy to get lost in while driving through. Every spring the Dryden Dairy Day committee brings the cows home to the town square where they stay and celebrate the festival’s theme and watch the parade roll through – though that doesn’t turn left. The cut out cows, which sold out this year to businesses who are asked to stick to the theme or promote agriculture.

The architecture is stunning in Cortland! The Lawrence J. Fitzgerald House which is a good example of the Queen Anne style of architecture. It was erected in 1885, at the peak of Fitzgerald's career as owner of the world-renowned Cortland Wagon Company. He was also the former president of the village and state treasurer for two terms. Fittzgerald is credited with casting the deciding ballot giving Grover Cleveland the state's delegation, which in turn gave Cleveland the nomination for president in 1884.

It was built in 1890 for industrialist Chester F. Wickwire (1843–1910), and was designed by architect Samuel B. Reed. Chester Wickwire lived in the home from 1890 until his death in 1910. He made his fortune by founding and managing the Wickwire Brothers Company in Cortland, NY, which produced wire products such as horse muzzles, seed spreaders, insect screens, and similar products for rural Americans. In 1974, the 1890 House Museum formed a part of the Tompkins Street District's listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 1975, the 1890 House became a museum after campaigning from Cortland County leaders. The museum offers guided and self-guided tours for visitors, who can view 14 rooms on three floors, as well as a cupola. The 1890 House offers monthly educational programs and special events, and film a monthly YouTube series called WickWired, focusing on the Victorian age and the lives of the Wickwire Family.

The 9-11 Memorial in Cortland was created by Tino Ferro, an artist from Little York. He was assisted with the creation of the monument by Mike McKinney, a local mason. The memorial uses pieces of the NYC iconic buildings salvaged from the wreckage.

We took 26 to 80 to US 20. We had seen signs along the way, but when we arrived in Bouckville I was impressed with the Ye Olde Landmark Tavern. The history of the beautiful and historic Landmark Tavern building begins with the efforts to procure a canal route from Binghamton to Utica.  This route would join the coal fields of Northern Pennsylvania with the recently-opened Erie Canal.  The farms, hamlets and villages of the Chenango and Oriskany river valleys, through which the proposed canal was to be constructed, had the potential for great prosperity if this new transportation route were built. The construction of a canal offered the chance to drain the swamps and create lowland farms that could use the rich alluvial soil of the Bouckville area. When news of the pending passage of the canal bill became known many people began to plan new business ventures along the canal route.  Local farms were producing an abundance of grain and the grain could be sent to market by wagon, but that was a slow and laborious process.  A better way to transport the grain was to process it into whiskey and then send it to market in barrels on the new Chenango Canal.  As a result, a fine cobblestone building was erected around 1837 on the west side of the canal and a distillery was born. The building was purchased and converted into a vinegar manufacturer. Another story tells that the Cobblestone Store had a way to hide runaway slaves during the Civil War time period.  The slaves were supposedly hidden on the Chenango Canal boats by the boat captains.  When the boats docked at Bouckville, the runaways were secreted to the Cobblestone Store and hidden in a cavity just to the right of the fireplace, which is located in the second dining room of the Landmark Tavern.

At one time, it was the friendly neighborhood dinosaur museum. And now it's extinct. If you grew up in Richfield Springs, Petrified Creatures was a place you were proud of. It was cheesy, but charming. Not many towns in Central New York can claim to have their very own dinosaur museum. Well, "museum" might be somewhat of an overstatement. Not sure how informative it really was. It was a kitschy roadside attraction from a bygone era, akin to something you might see along the deserted Route 66. Only this was along Route 20, and just a short drive from town. Petrified Creatures closed some time in 2016. For years after, you used to be able to see those bright-colored lumps beyond the fence when you drove past. But at some point, you couldn't see those colors anymore. And so all the town has left is the memories and the remnants of the Petrified Creatures sign.

We arrived at Back Barn Brewery, our Harvest Host home for the night. Back Barn Brewing is a renovated old barn located off historic Route 20 in Duanesburg, NY. A Duanesburg native returned to town and opened the county’s newest and oldest brewery. Back Barn Brewing occupies barns from 1700s and 1800s. Back Barn Brewing makes its beer in a reclaimed 1700s barn and serves it in an adjacent 1800s barn along Route 20, one of New York state’s earliest through routes.

Owner Brenda Schworm opened the tap room Feb. 23, 2019 after more than three years of preparation. Brew master Klaus Kuhland put the first batch in kegs Feb. 15, after more than a quarter century with brewing as either a hobby or a job. Schworm, 64, is a fourth-generation Duanesburg native who left her hometown decades ago but returned recently with hopes of building a brewery after two other careers. She served 23 years in the US Air Force, retiring as an LTC. In late 2015, she bought the two barns. In 2016, she moved back to town and began working on them. Rough-hewn elements of the past remain visible in the barns, which are thoroughly modernized for sanitary production (and comfortable consumption) of beer. 

Along with being one of the few craft breweries based in a 200-year-old barn, Back Barn is one of the few wholly owned by a woman. Schworm and Kuhland have the same fairly straightforward goals: make good beer, serve it in a pleasant setting and have fun in the process. We have to agree with all three of their goals, we had good beer and a great time there!

It was a relaxing night, after a tiring driving day with awesome friends!

Stay tuned for our next leg of our Two Lane Adventure!

Monday, May 30th – Thursday, June 2nd, 2022 … Two Lane Adventures Continue!

After our friends left, to go back to work on Tuesday, Gary & Sheryl, Charlie & myself moved to new full hook-up sites in another loop in the campground. We were going to move on, but figured we could spend a few more days here. Good thing we did.

We learned some of our friends and caravanners were only 30 miles away. Gary arranged with Jack to meet them (Jack & Ann Sapp and their friend Donna) for lunch at The Roost on Wednesday. Our friends, Dana, Dawn & Dan, went to The Roost over the weekend, they said it was excellent!

We waited for just a few minutes while they set up the biggest table they had. If fit 6, but we made it fit 7 just fine. The service was great. Our food was delicious and was served quickly despite how busy they were. We had a variety of meals, I don’t think anyone got the same thing. I had shrimp tacos, others had bacon chicken sandwiches, salads, and Charlie had the mac n cheese. I loved their BBQ sauce, sweet with a kick at the end. Everything was hot and tasty.

It is a modern pub with full bar, 10 beers on tap along with a craft beer bottle and can selection. They offer craft cocktails and a wine selections too.  Their seasonal food menu features local ingredients used to create our pub staples, as well as several unique salads. They also roast their own coffee for the espresso and coffee drinks including their very popular Pub Coffee.

They are located in a fully renovated building in the historic town of Wellsboro in Pennsylvania. Much of the materials used to create their space was refurbished and repurposed, including their employee lockers, machine parts and pipes from the now closed glass factory that was the industrial heart of Wellsboro for generations.

You never know where you might see Yankee RV Tours!

During the week, we enjoyed bantering with a couple that we always met while we were walking. Gary started asking her for cake, every time we saw them. The day before we left, they stopped by the rig and we gave them some hot coffee cake we made. They repaid the favor with bring us a cake the night before we left. You meet the nicest people while you are camping. Thanks Mike & Annette, aka the cake lady! We hope all your travels are safe and our paths cross again!

Gary, Sheryl and I enjoyed many walks this week and the scenery was just beautiful! 

Here are just a few pics.

Stay tuned for our next leg of our Two Lane Adventures!