Day 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 and 108 of 166 Days of RV Adventures in the Summer of 2026

Sometimes you just need a quiet day of doing nothing, for no reason. Monday August 18th, day 103 was just one of those days.

Tuesday August 18th, I got up for my walk. I walked into the Village of Livonia. The route I took was an L with a mile and a half each way. So I got a good 3-miles in. The sun was getting higher in the sky near the end of my walk and this dandelion was highlighted just right....

We had a date to meet two of my cousins, from my Mother's side, and my brother in Victor NY. Charlie & I took the scenic 2-lane adventure to get there and ended up going through Mendon. Mendon is the home to the Ye Mendon Tavern, which is a part of our family history.

The building housing Ye Mendon Tavern operated as an apple-drying facility and later as simple storage for a nearby turkey farm. My grand-father, Harold Folts, purchased the building and turned it into a local watering hole ("Harold's Place"). The antique mahogany bar came from the Rochester Elks Club. 

Local lore maintains that Harold Folts and other spirits continue to "haunt" the tavern premises. Following his death on the premises in 1956, patrons and staff began reporting unexplainable phenomena attributed directly to him. Despite the phantom footsteps, the legend of Harold is entirely benevolent. Locals view his spirit as a protective, friendly guardian keeping watch over his beloved establishment. Today, the cozy local staple remains deeply tied to the rural, historic charm of Mendon. It has been passed down through the generations to family. My mother owned half of the tavern, after my father died in 2001, until her passing in 2011. We sold our half to our Aunt Barbara. Harold's granddaughter, my cousin, and Aunt Barbara's daughter, Pat Freeman has operated the establishment since 1982.

Usually it is at funerals or weddings when cousins get together. I am very glad that we were able to get together with Lynda, her husband Dave, and Dawn, as well as my brother Bob and his wife, Ellen. We met at The New York Beer Project. The New York Beer Project is a massive, turn-of-the-century-inspired destination brewery and gastropub in Victor. It is modeled after NYC’s famous 1870s Atlantic Garden beer hall. It is a multi-level venue featuring  a hip, soaring indoor beer garden with 45-foot ceilings, three bars, a rooftop terrace, and a dedicated event space called The Cask Room.

 

Popular menu items include the Biergarten Bavarian Pretzel (which Charlie & Dawn got), East Village Nachos, Brooklyn Mozzarella Logs, and the Brewery BBQ Burger. I enjoyed the Bang Bang Shrimp Appetizer. 

We all enjoyed a few good craft beers! I had Walter's Jelly Donut, Charlie went for the Beer Project Light, Dawn had the Buffalo Billzner, Lynda went for the Hawaiian Destination IPA and Dave had Hazy Crush IPA.

We had a great time catching up on our lives, sharing pictures of kids, grandkids and great-grandkids. We swapped funny childhood stories and memories. The several hours we were there, flew by! Lynda mentioned that she and Dave enjoy a craft brewery in Bloomfield called Irish Mafia. Our friends go there, but Charlie and I have never been there. 

When we left The New York Beer Project, we decided to head to the Irish Mafia. The Irish Mafia Brewing Company is a local craft brewery and pub rather than any historical organized crime syndicate. Mark Mansfield, a Bloomfield native, opened the business in September 2017 to honor his Irish heritage. Mansfield chose the edgy name intentionally to spark curiosity and highlight his roots without intending real offense. 

They are known for flagship brews like Mighty Ego IPA (which Charlie enjoyed), Devoted Double IPA, Impetuous Irish Red Ale, and Irish Loyalty Stout. I went for the Irish Mafia Mafia Incider, which is a sweet cider of blackberries and raspberries, creating the classic Western NY Loganberry flavor. We tried to get Dana & Dawn Driscoll to join us, but they are getting ready to take their grandkids to Darien Lake Amusement Park. 

When we left the Irish Mafia, we were looking up what was open. Not much in between where we were leaving and "home." So, we settled for Birdhouse Brewing in Honeoye. 

Birdhouse Brewing Company in Honeoye, New York, was founded by childhood friends Greg Searles and Scott Gillen, who grew up together in the area. In 2018, they bought an 1850s-era commercial building—historically functioning as a grist mill—located along Honeoye Creek. 

What was initially planned as a minor update turned into an extensive 18-month renovation. As old plaster and lath were stripped away, the co-founders had to completely overhaul the electrical, plumbing, structural supports, raise ceilings, and add support beams. 

They also built a large 1,100-square-foot outdoor deck overlooking the backyard. They opened at the height of COVID and adapted well. They are known for their small-batch, seasonal craft beers, local ciders, and homemade food pairings. 

No food today, as their kitchen was closed because the Cousins Lobster food truck was there. Charlie had a Crikey! It's a Pale Ale and I went for a Honey Cream Ale. We truly enjoyed our Trifecta of breweries, today.

Day 105 was Wednesday August 19th and it was a cold and rainy day in Western NY. That makes it a great day for baking and keeping the RV warm! Baked goods in the freezer of our "camp host" is one of the ways we "pay" him for our spot. 

But a week ago, I put 4 dozen mini-muffins in his freezer and they all are gone! So, I am leaving these last few days of baking in our freezer until we leave! Today, I baked Cranberry and Banana muffins.

On Thursday August 20th I was back to my normal walking loop of 4-miles. I love to watch the sun rise behind the wispy clouds, especially near a red barn and silo!

Today we planned to see one of Charlie's childhood friends with Charlie's brother Donny and his wife, Donna. These guys used to meet at a roller rink when they were teenagers. We enjoy their company in Florida too!

After our visit we stopped and had lunch at the South End Diner, a cozy country diner at the south-end of Springwater. It's roots started in the North End Diner in Cohocton. It is known for its warm, welcoming atmosphere, attentive service, and classic American homestyle comfort food. Charlie had hot Roast Beef Sandwich, Donna had a wrap, Donny went with a classic burger and I had the salad and soup. My soup was a creamy cheeseburger soup. Outside the restaurant were beautiful sunflowers!

Friday August 21st was our move day. We packed up the RV and headed south to drive to Camp Elmbois in Plattsburgh, NY. We drove down along the west side of Honeoye Lake. We passed our Legion, Post 1278, the Honeoye-Hemlock American Legion. We have been members of this Legion since we returned from Desert Storm. Honeoye Lake is one of the smaller, shallowest, and warmest of New York's 11 Finger Lakes. Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area sits high on Canadice Hill, the 1,550-acre park has the highest elevation in the region, peaking over 2,200 feet. This perch provides panoramic hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing views of the lake valley below. Many streams flow into Honeoye Lake and many have small pools that sit on the other side of West Lake Road.

As we passed through Prattsburgh, they were setting up for their annual Prattsburgh Summer Festival. Scheduled from Friday, August 21 through Sunday, August 23. The festival is a community celebration held in the town square and features a patriotic theme honoring America's upcoming 250th anniversary. The festival's scheduled entertainment lineup includes: Stereo Dave, on Friday evening; Mark Rust presenting an Americana roots program on Saturday afternoon; Spare Parts Band on Saturday afternoon; and rounding out the musical selections is Poke the Bear rock band on Saturday night. The central highlight of the weekend is the parade that kicks off on Saturday at 2:00pm. 

 

After the village of Prattsburgh, we turned onto Bean Station Road, but no beans! We did see the sign for Hillview Blueberry Farm and on the other side of the road was a tree farm. There was no name on the sign, so when I looked it up on Google maps, and it marked it as Georgia's Tree Farm. I did not know that Georgia Westra owned a tree farm!? 

Further investigation listed it as Bean Station Road Tree Farm. The current owners, Brian and Nicole Wagner, have been making memories at Bean Station Tree Farm since they started coming there to get their Christmas Tree in 2000 - before their son was even born! After taking the reigns in 2014, their mission is to provide people with the same warm, welcoming environment to make Christmas memories we used to love as customers. The old river basin is perfect for growing Fraser Firs - the Cadillac of Christmas Trees. They've planted over 35,000 trees in an effort to keep up with demand.

We have "buddy sites" at Camp Elmbois. For our Non-camping friends, that is when two sites are set up so your doors face each other and you have a common area between the sites to enjoy each other's company more! We have site 1A and Sheila and Rob have site 1. They will pull their fith wheel onto that gravel and our awning will create the perfect cover for our camping area! We are all set up at Camp Elmbois. I wondered about the name? Where did the Elmbois come from? It is not the owner's name. I learned that Elmbois is a small neighborhood and rural area located in the town of Pulteney. So Camp Elmbois is actually located in the rural area of Elmbois, just has a Prattsburgh mailing address!

It would be more than a few hours for Sheila and Rob to arrive, so we went to check out Keuka Brewing. It is the closest brewery to the campground! There is a distillery closer, but I am not a hard liquor drinker!

Keuka Brewing Company, established in 2008,  is an award-winning, small-batch craft brewery located overlooking beautiful Keuka Lake. It's a family-run business led by owner, Rich Musso and his son, head brewer, Mark Musso. KBC was the first micro-brewery on Keuka Lake and one of the first in the western Finger Lakes region. The brewery creates some of the most unique and forward-thinking brews in the region, like Local Mocha Stout, Afterburner Habañero Ale and Ghost of Rita Gose. 

As an entrepreneur and artist founder, Rich Musso, opened the brewery at a time when only wineries dominated the landscape and the shift toward craft beer had not yet made its appearance in the Finger Lakes. Rich was a home brewer for years before getting serious about his craft. After living in Washington D.C. and making a career switch, head brewer, Mark Musso, joined his father in 2010 determined to make outstanding beers of the highest quality and integrity.

 

Charlie went for a Dock Beer, an American light lager. I went for the Key Lime Pie Mexican style lager. It is brewed with lime and graham cracker crumbs. Then it is aged with fresh lime peel and juice giving it a refreshing citrus touch. It is a small world, we met a couple from Troy PA, where our friends Paul & Linda Everett's are from! He corrected us, they actually live in Happy Valley! LOL... small world!

We made it back to camp before Sheila and Rob arrived and I started the lasagna dinner I was making for us! We enjoyed a quiet evening around the fire!

Saturday morning, August 22nd, began with beautiful views of one of the ponds in the campground. The cooler weather gave us the perfect picture pictures!

We even saw two birds at the pond. Rob & Sheila think they are Green Herons. They prefer calm, shallow water habitats like swamps, marshes, ponds, mangroves, and wooded streams. So, it makes sense... But, we could not get close enough to tell! But, they did put on a show and I captured a great shot of one flying over the other one! 

Rod & Sheila love to explore, so after the biscuit & gravy breakfast Rob made for us, we started driving down seasonal roads, back roads, really back roads! On one of the roads, we had a motorbike come up and wanted to pass us. These roads are not big enough for that. Rob found a bit wider space, slowed down and allowed the bike to pass.

We were driving through the Pigtail Hollow State Forest. It is an almost 1,0008-acre public conservation area located in Steuben County, NY. It is managed by the NYS DEC. It offers a rustic, undeveloped outdoor experience directly adjacent to the larger Urbana State Forest. The main draw to the forest is the Bristol Hills Trail, a 10-mile branch of the larger Finger Lakes Trail System. It passes directly through the heart of the forest, navigating rolling upland terrain.

On the east side of Keuka Lake, we passed countless wineries and vineyards. We stopped and I captured this beautiful picture of Keuka Lakes unique shape.

After many turns and different styles of roads, we ended up in Hammondsport. On the way into town, we passed under a sign for the Great Western Winery, Pleasant Valley Wine Company. It officially operated as the Pleasant Valley Wine Company. Established in 1860, it holds the legendary distinction of being US Bonded Winery No 1, making it the oldest winery in the Finger Lakes region and the very first federally bonded winery in the US. 

Photo Credit: John Kuchko

The winery is currently temporarily closed to the public as it transitions through a massive revitalization. After announcing its closure and a $4.9 million property listing earlier in 2026, the historic site was acquired in July 2026 by Vine Enterprises, LLC. 

Photo Credit: John Kuchko

Backed by $12 million in New York State funding, a $47 million modernization project is underway to restore production operations, bring back its iconic brands, and create 69 new jobs. 

Photo Credit: John Kuchko

  When this announcement was made this summer John Kuchko shared some pictures he took before the sale was completed, when the Doyle family allowed him access inside. He is an amazing local news personality and photographer. He is also currently battling brain cancer.  

There is a bakery there called Vern's. Vern's Bakery is a charming local bakery. It is a popular, one-man operation run by retired pastry chef Vern. It is infamous for serving massive, scratch-made breakfast pastries. The giant cinnamon rolls with icing, caught Charlie's eye. I prefered the fresh fruit danish, strawberry cream cheese. He closes at 11am, we got there at 12:10pm... so we got his... I want to close special, buy 2 get 1 free! The free one was his choice!

I found a few of the Palettes of Keuka, which are a self-guided public art tour and interactive word jumble. There are over two dozen oversized, hand-painted wooden artist palettes displayed at local businesses and scenic spots around Hammondsport and Keuka Lake. 

I took a picture of the one at Vern's and another one at Timber Stone Grill, although we did see others on our walk around. The pieces will be auctioned off on September 5, 2026. Proceeds support local artists and an art scholarship fund for Hammondsport High School students.

I saw this interesting Finger Lakes palette in the window the Wine Barrel Furniture Company. There was a detailed description about the reason for the creation and the person that the mosaic was created for. The unique, custom glass mosaic made predominantly with mirrors is a special charitable art submission for the Palettes of Keuka public art event, created to raise money for the Ami Miller Corell Foundation (Ami’s Army.) Ami was a very popular teacher at Hammondsport High who devoted her life to developing student interest in the arts and theater. Her mantra was to spread a little glitter every day. She lost a cancer battle in 2025 and her longtime friend - Rachel McCloud - founded Ami's Army with the express focus of helping students. The palette represents the broken pieces of her heart. The grout shows that even shattered pieces can be put back together.

We drove up the east side of the lake and found ourselves in Penn Yan. None of us knew that Penn Yan was home to the World's Largest Pancake Griddle. It measures 27 feet across and weighs 10 tons. It was used on September 27, 1987, to cook the world's largest pancake. It is now hung on the side of a building, can you imagine the hangers they used to hold it up?! 

 

We stopped at Blue Heron Bakery, then we enjoyed lunch at Parker's Grille & Tap House, a laid-back bar and grill. 

   

We all had something different. Beef on Wick, classic burger, Shrimp and Grits, Zucchini Soup and Salad! Everything was delicious! 

I wanted a picture of the wood fired pizza guy working, but I got Rob instead! 

The flowers on the Main Street of Penn Yan are HUUUUGGGEEEE! Oh, they are so full and beautiful! This picture is taken from underneath it looking up!

We made another stop at Keuka Brewing Company. This time we took Rob & Shelia with us! Rob even found a cider on tap he liked!

On our way back to the campground we saw QKA View Campsites. During the day, we had seen make things with QKA in the name... I learned that QKA is the official three-letter location identifier for Keuka Lake Airport (specifically Penn Yan Airport), which serves the Keuka Lake region.

This never happens.... look who is the last man at the campfire!

Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!