Day 82 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Tuesday July 22nd, day 82 of our 2025 summer adventure. We departed the Appalachian Brewing Company in Mechanicsburg and had to make a pit-stop at Wegmans for some Zwigeles Red Hots and Wegman's Sparkling Water. 

We headed south on Route 11 into Carlisle, PA. Any Army officer is familiar with Carlisle Barracks. It is home to the US Army War College. It is the nation’s second-oldest active military base. It chiefly prepares selected officers for high command. Classes were suspended in 1940 during the preparedness mobilization for World War II, and not resumed until a decade later at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for the 1950–51 academic year. The new commandant relocated with the college to Pennsylvania in July 1951 and turned over command to his successor just in time for the arrival of the first Carlisle-based class. At Carlisle, the Army War College has grown steadily as it performs its mission of preparing officers for leadership at the highest levels. The college outgrew its main academic building and transferred to the newly constructed Root Hall in 1967. Two specialized agencies evolved into integral parts of the Army War College: the Strategic Studies Institute, first formed in 1954; and the Military History Institute, established in 1967. The Center for Strategic Leadership, a state-of-the-art war gaming complex that opened in 1994, contributed another dimension to the college and to Carlisle Barracks' history as a distinctive U.S. Army campus.

In Pennsylvania there are Amish and Mennonite homes and communities scattered through out the state. The portion we drove through today is no exception. I am just fascinated by their way of life, how they can remain so steadfast in their beliefs, traditions and way of life, while the lives around them are so different. We passed several horse and buggies on the road, from the open wagon with a father and son hauling goods, to a closed carriage with a family inside, plus a couple bicycles. I love the picture where I captured the "Amish present" road sign too!

On Route 11, it is a quick trip through Maryland and across the Potomac into West Virginia. It is interesting how Route 11 transforms itself the entire length! It is a winding two lane road, with no shoulders. At other times, it is a four lane divided highway with majestic trees in the median. Lastly, it is joined with Interstate 81 and takes on the “fast pace” that many of us live today. Personally, we prefer the slower pace of the two lane Route 11. I love to pass through the small towns that take you back to the slower pace and family atmosphere that surround these towns.

In Martinsburg, WV there was a unique intersection with the Westphal Hose Company No. 5, as the focal point. Your eyes went immediately to the wide neon letters and I imagined what that would look like all lit up! I am assuming that they would be in red! The Martinsburg Fire Department was established in 1870. In 1906, the city established five hose companies, one in each ward of the city. The station you see in this picture was built in 1912 at North Queen & 2nd Street. It was expanded in 1918. In 1937, Hose Company No. 5 was renamed to Westphal Hose Company No. 5.

In Winchester, Virginia I thought I was taking a picture of a college or public building. Turns out, it was John Hadley Highschool. Although he never lived in Winchester, Judge Handley’s love of the town and its people developed through friends and acquaintances living in the town.  Upon his death, Judge Handley bequeathed $250,000 to Winchester to be invested by its leaders.  When the investment reached a value of $500,000 it was to be used to build a library.  In addition, the remaining amount of the estate was to be accumulated for twenty years and was to be used to build schools for the education of the poor.  The trust was to be governed by the Handley Board of Trustees, created in 1896 by an act of the Virginia legislature.  John Handley High School was built by the use of funds from this trust. His concern for the less fortunate and charitable actions was evident throughout his life not just in his last requests. Upon his death, many, many tributes were paid to his practice of providing for the expenses of many students in various schools and colleges.  This continued through provisions in his will for all of the students attending school at the time of his death. Judge Handley’s bequest created a publicly endowed school but more importantly, it created an environment, a culture of support, and appreciation for public education.  The true value of John Handley’s gift can best be seen in the faces of the students who stand about his monument in the spring of each school year.  They are a testament to the fact that one person can make a difference. John Handley had a vision but more importantly, he acted upon that vision.  The lesson for us now and in the future is that the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care for others and act upon that sentiment.

Winchester, Virginia, is known as the "Apple Capital of the World" due to its significant apple production. The city boasts a large apple industry, harvesting around 12 million bushels annually. Every spring the city hosts the week-long, world famous Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival which comprises over forty events including parades, dances, a carnival, celebrity visitors, art shows, a wine festival, band competitions, and more. Crowds of 250,000 are drawn to the area to attend the festival annually.

To commemorate the importance of apples to the city of Winchester local artists were commissioned in 2005 to custom paint a series of 19 eight foot tall fiberglass apple sculptures. Designs reflect important local heritage, geography, and traditions. Originally the apples were placed around Winchester and surrounding Frederick County as part of the "Apples on Parade" display. 

The Staufferstadt Mural Project is an ongoing public-art initiative. They install murals in the downtown area of Strasburg VA, located at the northern most tip of Shenandoah County. They work with world-renowned muralists to produce work that is tailored to speak to the community. 

With the goal of creating a collection of contemporary public art of the highest quality, Staufferstadt Arts aims to create an atmosphere welcoming to visitors in the valley and locally serving as a cultural catalyst; engaging the community to imagine a vital future where anything is possible.

If you go through Woodstock Virginia, you must stop at a small garden in downtown. At first glance it looks like there is a stone hiker standing there. The garden is called “Jane's Garden” in honor of Jane Beasley, a former Enhancement Coordinator, for all of her hard work and dedication in the beautification and improvement of the Town. To increase its beauty, the Town of Woodstock has placed our first piece of public art in Jane's Garden. The theme of the piece at this location is meant to "Capture the Valley" and PAC-Man was chosen because he, or is it a she, represents people who long ago settled in our beautiful Shenandoah Valley. In the words of PAC-Man's talented sculptor, Craig Gray, "He is symbolic of the travelers who walked across our country to 'capture' better places to live, work, and raise families. He could be about life and our experiences... the sharp edges rounded as we make our journey."  

In Harrisonburg, VA there is the City Exchange. It was built in 1908 and was the largest produce production facility on the East Coast at the time. The City Produce Exchange operated until 1948. In 1949, the rapidly expanding Wetsel Seed Company purchased the building as a facility for cleaning seeds and for laboratory space, where it could test seeds and grains for purity, germination and moisture content. The majority of the City Produce Exchange building was converted into luxury condominiums in 2006. The Local Chop & Grill House occupies the remainder of the space and honors the history of the building with its connection to community and its commitment to offer locally produced fruits, vegetables and meat.

We spent the night in Elliston, VA at the Loves RV Stop. It was a full hook-up site. All paved and very level. The camping spots here are separated into 2 area. 4 spots back-up to the dog park and 2 spots are by themselves. We booked one of those spots. It was quiet and we got a good nights sleep. Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!

Day 81 (revisited) of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Monday July 21st, day 81 of our 2025 summer adventure. I walked by the cow every morning. It was not until today, that I realized this cow is the same cow that is on a mural in downtown Livonia! I did walk this morning and we did have some maintenance work done on the RV, but what I did not tell you was we left NY right after the work on the RV was done. We drove down Route 15A to 390 and picked up Route 15 or the future I-99. We have traveled this route many times before. Our ultimate destination today is Mechanicsburg PA on Route 11.

Heading south on 390 , we have always called the area near Cohocton. The place with the “windmills on the hills.” The Dutch Hill/Cohocton Wind Farm is a 125 Megawatt wind farm in Cohocton, NY. It uses 50 turbines of the Clipper "Liberty" type, which were the largest found in the United States when they were put up for sale. The wind farm provides power for about 50,000 Northeastern homes. It was installed in 2008 and was developed and operated by First Wind.

Route 15 is where we cross into Pennsylvania. This is very close to several corps of Engineer campgrounds that we enjoy. We did spend two nights at one of them on our way north this year.

Tioga Hammond Reservoir is part of the Upper Tioga River Watershed, which encompasses 280 square miles in northcentral Pennsylvania, is part of the Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds. The Tioga River Watershed makes up the greater portion of the county. The Tioga River proper begins in Bradford County and flows westward, near Blossburg it turns northward and flows that direction until it reached the Chemung River in New York State. The Cowanesque River Starts in Potter County, flowing eastward and joining the Tioga River near Lawrenceville. 

If you take Route 15 after Williamsport and before Harrisburg, you’ll pass by the Susquehanna River a stretch called Dauphin Narrows. Out there in the river stands a brilliant white replica of the Statue of Liberty, proudly standing in all her scaled-down glory on an old stone bridge piling. Distance plays havoc with your sense of scale in this area: Although Dauphin’s Lady Liberty looks tiny, but she is actually 25 feet tall and quite sturdy. She’s also the second replica of the Statue of Liberty to stand in the fast-moving waters. A local lawyer and activist-artist named Gene Stilp put together the first statue with some friends for a bit of a lark to celebrate the original Statue of Liberty’s centennial in the 1980s. When the ersatz replica was finished, they displayed it the closest thing they could find to the plinth on Liberty Island—an old railway bridge piling in the middle of the river. There it stood for years, raising a smile from motorists, until wind and weather finally carried it off in the 1990s. People missed it so much that Stilp and his team built a more durable replacement of wood, metal, and fiberglass, moved it onto the piling by helicopter, and lashed it securely to the plinth with cables. This patriotic example of folk art is always a passing pleasure, however, since it’s almost impossible to see from the nearest town, Dauphin. The best you can manage is a few seconds glimpse as you drive on Route 15 or 322—unless you’re good enough at kayaking to navigate the treacherous waters in that stretch of the river.

We overnighted at Appalachian Brewing Company, a Harvest Host location. This brewpub opened in the Summer of 2014. It features plenty of parking and a 26,000 square foot building. This huge building  features a bright and modern brewpub and grill, with more than 20 Appalachian Brewing Company craft beers on tap, and a full menu of innovative brewpub cuisine! 

Their 15-barrel brewing system is second in size only to their main Harrisburg brewery, and regularly turns out two to three seasonal specialty beers each month! 

We enjoyed our beers and meals in their spacious main dining room with regular and high top tables. They offer another ‘family dining’ section featuring comfortable booths. Who would not love to have a meeting here! They have a semi-private second floor mezzanine seating section overlooking the main dining area, and a private Brewery Dining section, which is separated from the main dining room. Additionally, they have a Conference Room which is perfect for any private gatherings.

We started out with a Bavarian oversized pretzel served with brew Haus mustard and warm cheddar dip. Neither of us were very hungry after that, so it was a second beer instead! I had the Orange Creamsicle Sour and Charlie had an IPA. 

Mother Nature gave us a beautiful sky over our RV when we headed back to the rig. 

Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!

Day 81 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Monday July 21st, day 81 of our 2025 summer adventure. I had a great walk around the 4-mile square. We dropped the RV off at Smitty's for some maintenance work, did some banking in Geneseo, had breakfast at Leisure's and took my computer to the Geek Squad for some issues. No long posts until I can use the computer... the phone is not conducive to writing and posting pictures! Enjoy the next few days of peace and quiet! #TwoLaneAdventures

Day 80 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Sunday July 20th, Day 80 of our 2025 summer adventure. I walked early in the morning and captured the glow of a beautiful sunrise. 

We met Tony, Margo, Natalee and Conner for Breakfast at Wanda's this morning. It's hard to believe that Natalee will be a senior and Conner is going into the 8th grade in the fall! 

We drove down to Cohocton to see Donny & Donna. Donny has a bunch of Nascar items that he wants to sell and he does not want to use Facebook marketplace. I set him up on eBay and he can see if that will work for him.

We ran a few errands in Geneseo and then relaxed a bit at the camper. The weather was perfect today.

We planned to meet a variety of people at Solitudes, in Lakeland this afternoon. Charlie and I got there early and enjoyed the "upper deck" which sits above the brewery overlooking Conesus Lake. It's nice up there, but after a few beers I am not sure how those stairs would work! 

It was great to see my brother, his wife and my two nephews. Plus friends from camping and the fair. It's funny how people from some of your different social circles know each other from different avenues. Like, Jane, the treasurer for the Fair Association, knows Royce (who we know from camping.) Jane knows him, because he used to work at St John's where Jane has worked for almost 50 years! I took pictures of their outside area, but I never took any pictures of the people that were there!

We could hear bits and pieces of the concert series at Vitale Park. The band was Sticks and Stones, a country band. This same band played in the Festival Building on opening night of the Hemlock Fair. When the wind blew just right, we could hear them belting out the country ballads.

We ended the evening eating cookies with Jimmy. It's becoming an evening ritual on this trip! Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!

Day 79 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Saturday July 19th, day 79 of our 2025 summer adventure. I enjoyed my morning walk, even though it was cooler,  there was no wind and warm sunshine. The roads were quieter this morning, since it was a Saturday morning. It was still chilly enough for my bright windbreaker, in addition to my bright sneakers!

We visited with Jimmy over coffee and banana bread this morning.  He headed to the fairgrounds and we ran a few errands before we headed over to the fair. Jimmy won't take any money for us staying here, so we got him a couple bottles of Old Smuggler Scotched Whiskey. Plus I have baked 12 loaves of sweet bread for him. They are vacuum sealed in his freezer! 

We made our daily delivery to the fairgrounds. The corn Hole Boards stay at the Horseshoe Bar until the time for the raffle, each night. So, today Charlie had a cheeseburger (from the Rotary stand) and a few beers while we were there today. I had Peanut Butter Cup ice cream from the Farm Bureau stand! It's a fair tradition!

We visited with Lynn and Swifty. We normally camp with them while we are in New York, but our schedules did not align this summer. They volunteer to run the Horseshoe Bar at the fair!

We ran into a young man that grew up with our sons, Paul Teed. Charlie has a real soft spot for this young man now. Paul reminded us that it was 15 years ago, to the day and date, of his accident. The short story is there was a serious water main leak on the fairgrounds. The "grounds crew" were working hard to get it fixed. Paul took a 4-wheeler out to the parking lot to get something. Charlie and his brother in-law Mike, were standing outside the office and heard the 4-wheeler and saw the headlight pointing in a strange direction. They went to investigate and found Paul underneath the 4-wheeler and he was not breathing. Charlie did some EMS work on Paul and got him breathing while they waited for the ambulance, which are always on the fairgrounds. Paul has made a full recovery and is now a grandfather! As a good friend often says... "there is no such thing as a coincidences." There was a reason that Mike and Charlie where there that night. 

Jimmy came home right after the derby ended. He needed to be near people that love him. He was visited by "the haters" today after the Demolition Derby... some people are not happy if they don't "get their way." It takes a great deal out of his always happy demeanor. He is better now. I am grateful, that we can be here for him. Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!

Day 78 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Friday July 18th, day 78 of our 2025 summer adventure. Each morning when I walk, I pass this historical marker. So, I did some research about Solomon Woodruff. Solomon and other Woodruffs came from Litchfield, South Farms, Connecticut. Solomon, Orange, Oliver and Andrew Woodruff were brothers who came at different times. Oliver was among the early settlers in 1804. He lived in Livonia until ninety years old and died in 1845. Solomon Woodruff has the distinction of being the first settler in the Livonia - Hemlock Lake area. He arrived, alone, in 1789 with a rifle and knapsack on his back. Next he proceeded to purchase lot number 32 (a total of one hundred fifty acres for $.50 per acre). Solomon wisely planted potatoes with the seed he brought from Connecticut. In the fall and with his potato harvest, Solomon trekked to Canandaigua and sold his crop. With the proceeds from the sale, he paid for the farm. During the growing season Solomon had constructed a log house for shelter. 

February is a cold month, and a wretched month to travel by sleigh. Solomon was determined to relocate at his newly purchased farm in Pittstown overlooking Hemlock Lake. After twenty-six days of bitter weather on a crude sled drawn by a pair of two year old oxen, an infant son died. The son was buried near a bleak hillside in Bristol. Finally, upon reaching the cabin, they were shocked to discover the cabin had been burned by Indians. They had no recourse but to go to the nearest neighbor, Peter Pitts, seven miles away at the foot of Honeoye Lake. Mrs. Woodruff and her son remained there until their own cabin could be erected. On February 19, 1794 the first child was born to the Solomon Woodruff family, a son named Philip. This was to be a good year for the Woodruffs, for they enlarged their home into a tavern to accommodate the stream of travelers coming into the region. Frank Woodruff later farmed his great-grandfather’s (Sol’s) land. Many Woodruffs held political office as supervisors, or school commissioner, and helped form the Town of Livonia as we know it. There are still Woodruff descendants in the Livonia area.

We went to the auto parts store and West Shurfine in Livonia. Charlie needed to return some parts for the motorhome and I was looking for ripe bananas. When you want ripe bananas, you can't find them! But, when you don't want them... it is all you can find! So, we needed to go to ESL (our credit union in NY) in Geneseo, so I went into Walmart to see if I could find ripe bananas. I found some that were close... but I will have to use the "oven method" to ripen them up. I am starting to make my payment to Jimmy for staying here. I fill his freezer with sweet bread! 

Only one trip to the fairgrounds today. We delivered the Corn Hole boards and the water. Today's boards were donated by an anonymous donor for Catholic Charities Steuben/Livingston. They build communities that care for all people. They serve all people seeking help in a safe, welcoming and comforting environment that feels like being home. Their services empower people to enrich their quality of life from the foundations of: access to resources and opportunities; healthy family functioning; healthy child development, and freedom from substance dependency. A member of the fair board, Mary Jo, works for Catholic Charities.

I treated Charlie to 2 cheeseburgers and salt potatoes from the Rotary Stand. "Service Above Self" is the Rotary motto nationwide. No where is that statement more appropriate than here with the Livonia club. They run two food stands during the fair and offer many community programs throughout the year.

We had a quiet evening at the camper. We could hear the roar of the Truck and Tractor Pulls at the fairgrounds. We used to love to be there, but now there are just too many people there for me! Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures.

Day 77 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Thursday July 17th, day 77 of our 2025 summer adventure. My morning walk was peaceful and a beautiful way to start the day.

Today was filled with a few runs to the fairgrounds and domestic chores. Even on the road, you have to do laundry and clean! 

One of our runs to the fairgrounds was.... "can you grab the cornhole boards and more water" and bring them over?" There is a free nightly raffle for a set of cornhole boards. Jimmy got various local businesses to sponsor the boards. They are built by a local company and the sponsor even gets their logo on them. Here are the boards and the winners from Tuesday night. Rise & Grind is a local gym and so much more. Rise and Grind Fitness is more than just a gym in Lakeville. They are a beacon of fitness excellence. They are a welcoming gym, dedicated to helping their members achieve their peak physical potential. They are committed to empowering individuals through personalized training programs tailored to their unique fitness goals. They have a passionate team of trainers and coaches that form the heartbeat of Rise and Grind Fitness, providing unwavering support and guidance on every step of your fitness journey. They have a deep-rooted commitment to promoting holistic health and wellness. They believe in fostering connections, creating a positive impact, and empowering individuals to lead healthier, happier lives.

I talk about our friend and "camp host" while we are in NY. Since he is not on social media, you can not "look him up." So, here is a picture of him at the fair. He is the smiling guy in the print shirt! He is the Operations Manager for the Fair. He used to split that duty with Charlie, when we worked the fair every year. Charlie took care of the "upper side" and Jimmy took care of the "lower side." Which includes all the Grandstand events and fire and EMS coverage. His "big" event is the two nights of Demolition Derby. He is a very special friend to us and so many.

While we were at the fairgrounds, the kids were getting ready to show their calves and cows. I love to watch the little kids tug at the reins to get the animals to move. They are just too cute! The 4-H youth in Livingston County share and showcase the projects they've been working on at the Hemlock Fair. You can enjoy animal shows, the 4-H Livestock Auction, plant science projects, photography displays, public presentations, and more!

Later it was... "In my shop at the farm, near the fork lift are 2 buckets of bolts and nuts." They needed them to do some bleacher repairs at the fairgrounds. It is amazing to me that Jimmy knows where all this stuff is in his farm shop and shop at the house.

Our final run was... "Go into the shop at the house. There are some buckets with electrical stuff in them. We need a 50-amp female outlet." Sorry, Jimmy... not here. "OK, go to the shop at the farm...." We looked in several places he suggested and had no luck. I believe this is the first time that he thought he knew where something was and it wasn't... amazing!

The wind was wicked all day today and we had some rain off and on today. This evening the wind is still blowing, but that will make it some great sleeping weather with the windows open! Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!

Day 76 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Wednesday July 16th, day 76 of our 2025 summer adventure. My morning walk was a perfect time to reflect on how hard the farmers work. I walk by several big farms on my 4-mile square. The Cadyville Farm is closest to our RV. The equipment storage field is next to us. The hay barn and grain storage is kitty-corner to our camping site and one of their thousands of acres of fields are across from us. Chris Cicero owns and operates Cadyville Farm, established in 1950. He also has run the Farm Bureau ice cream booth at the Hemlock fair for many years.  In 2019, Chris was awarded the Gene “Father” Huff Agricultural Achievement Award by the Hemlock Fair. The Gene Huff Award is presented annually to a volunteer for his/her commitment to promoting agriculture through his/her volunteer work at the fair. Chris helped the local 4-H group by opening his barn doors to 15 children without agricultural backgrounds to allow them to raise show heifers for their 4-H fair projects.

We had a meeting with Sam, our financial guy, at Brighton Securities today. That is a 45-minute drive from where we are staying. On this drive we passed through Lima again, but going north instead of east. So, we are on Route 15A and I see vegetables, really large vegetables. These bright fruits and vegetables make up a mural painted in 2022 by Abigail Lee Penfold on the wall of The Normal in downtown Lima. Her creation is one of nine murals spread across nine villages in Livingston County as part of the LivCoWalls Mural Festival, an extraordinary effort on behalf of public art. The mural, which is titled The Farmers’ Spectrum, was painted as a way of honoring Lima’s deep connection to agriculture.

After Lima, we turn off Route 15A into Honeoye Falls, heading toward NY 65. Near the center of town, you come to the Vest Pocket Park. It is a small park located on W. Main Street. It is the home of the famous Honeoye Falls Totem Pole. A Totem Pole? Yes, in honor of the memory of the Village of Totiakton, David Maloney, a former Honeoye Falls Historian, built and presented to the Village of Honeoye Falls, this totem pole. The Seneca Village of Totiakton was founded in this area. The inhabitants were housed in longhouses, fashioned of logs held together by willow branches and twigs. The estimated population of the village was roughly 1,000. The Seneca of this area, members of the Iroquois Confederacy, were known as the "Keepers of the Western Door" and as such a most important segment of the Iroquois Six Nation League.

The Village of Honeoye Falls is rich with history. The Village was founded in 1791 by Zebulon Norton who purchased 1,820 acres of land for 12 1/2 cents per acre. Norton established the mode of life for the community by building a grist mill and later a saw mill to encourage settlers to this decidedly scenic and fruitful section of New York State. In 1827, Hiram Finch built a second mill which would come to be called the Lower Mill. The 3 to 4 1/2 story stone structure was built about 1829. The mill operated into the 1930s, and the structure was later used by a creamery, oil company, and for community use.

Our meeting went fine with Sam and we headed back to Livonia. We had the "farm truck" loaded with give-away items that were donated by Livonia Napa owner Matt Garzinski. This was trip #1 over to the fairgrounds. While we were there, I got Charlie a cheeseburger from the Rotary Stand and got to see Bethany, one of the owners of Leisures in Lakeville. We visited with Swifty and Lynn at the Horseshoe Bar and then headed back to the RV. We had a few requests from Jimmy to take care of back at the shop. We got all of them done and we enjoyed watching the wildlife across the drive! 

After the chores were done, we headed back to the fairgrounds with the package, trip #2. Charlie and I stopped at the Horseshoe Bar and he had a beer this time!

We came back to the RV and the rain finally chased us in for the night. No sunsets. Just another great day to be alive! Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!

Day 75 of our 2025 RVing Adventure with Historical & Musical Interludes

It's Tuesday July 15th, day 75 of our 2025 summer adventure. My morning walk included some eerie fog. My pictures show a hazy or misty atmosphere with the sun breaking through the fog, casting a golden glow over the landscape. It was very beautiful.

After my walk, our day began with a phone call from Jimmy (our host) to head to the local hotel and show a friendly face to an act that is coming to the fair that had a difficult night. Our "job" was also to see if we could figure out what happened and provide him the info. So, off to Leisure's we headed. I did change my stinky walking shirt, but not my shorts or sneakers. While we were there we had breakfast, since we love the restaurant attached to the hotel, while waiting for the entertainers to get settled in their room. They decided they needed to rest a bit, since they slept in their truck the night before. So, we left them there and had more running to do.

We picked up Jimmy's "work truck" and picked up tables and chairs for the announcer's stand at the fairgrounds. We already had an assignment to deliver the "branded water" and corn hole boards that are being given away each night. So, Charlie in the Chevy (yes, Charlie drove a Chevy) and me in the car headed to the fairgrounds with our loads.

At the fairgrounds we hooked up with Jimmy and got everything delivered. We did all that work on the lower part of the fairgrounds, so we only saw a few people, Michelle Shero was the most important one we saw this trip! The New York State Sire Stake Races were just starting while we were there.

They even have a real bugler to call the start of the races! We headed back to our RV, returned the work truck to the farm. We rested a bit, then Charlie had a service appointment for the car. So he headed to Geneseo for that. I stayed at the camper doing some work for Gary. Good thing I did! Jimmy called and one of his volunteers was coming over to change out a work shirt for a different size. Jimmy called back later and said he left in such a hurry for the TV crews at the fairgrounds that he forgot to grab some tools.

So, I am in his shop as he is describing to me what tools he wants. I found most of them and gathered them up. I told him I could bring them over in the work truck, or we could run them over when Charlie got back. He did not need them right away, so I waited for Charlie. We took the bucket of tools over and met Jimmy. We decided to each "fair food" while we were there. We also got to see Mrs. Pease, Dawn Woodburn, Debbie Vallone, Jane Barnett and Dave Peck. While we were ordering food, we ran into his sister Molly, her 2 grandsons and her husband Mike. After our late lunch on the fairgrounds, I snapped a quick picture of the midway. The rides are not yet open, so it should fill in soon.

We came back to our base camp and got our chairs set up in the shade, when Jimmy called again. There were new banners for a sponsor in his house. Charlie grabbed them and took them over to Jimmy at the fairgrounds. It's a good thing our temporary homestead is only 3 miles from the fairgrounds.

We did enjoy a leisurely evening after our running ended at 5pm. As I type this the sun is just starting to go down, should be a beautiful picture in a bit!

The best part of staying at Jimmy's is when he gets home from the fair, whether it is 9pm or midnight, we sit outside and let him decompress with friends and without judgement. Living alone with no significant other to bounce stuff off of or just to listen when you need to talk. That is why I am grateful that we can be here for him, even if it is only for a few weeks a year. But, being here for him during this tough week is especially rewarding for us. 

Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!