Thursday August 13th is day 99, Charlie and I took the RV from Livonia to Webster Park. Charlie decided to take 390 and 590 to get to Webster on the shores of Lake Ontario. An "I Love NY" tourism display, featuring the iconic logo on the grass berm, was installed along Interstate 390 in the Rochester area as part of a statewide tourism campaign. Milton Glaser originally created the famous "I 
NY" design in 1977 to boost state and city tourism. The New York State Department of Commerce hired the advertising agency Wells Rich Greene to launch a marketing campaign to revitalize tourism. The agency commissioned legendary graphic designer Milton Glaser to create a visual symbol for the campaign. Glaser expected the campaign to only last a couple of months and initially agreed to do the work pro bono. While riding in the back of a yellow New York City taxi, Glaser was struck by an idea and scribbled a rough sketch using a red crayon on a torn envelope. That original scrap of paper survived the campaign and is now part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. Instead of lasting a few months, the logo became an overnight sensation and generated billions of dollars in tourism revenue for the state. The design pioneered the modern branding of cities and regions, inspiring thousands of imitations worldwide and cementing its place as a universal symbol of civic pride.We enjoyed a quiet afternoon relaxing with our friends. Before we headed out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant with Bob, Ellen, Jake, Bobby & Janice. Monte Alban Mexican Grill traces its roots to 1997 with a mission to share authentic flavors.
Named after Monte Albán, the famous ancient archaeological site in Oaxaca, Mexico. Started by Joaquin Becerra to blend pre-Hispanic and Spanish flavors into vibrant, traditional dishes. The regional family of restaurants expanded to Webster in July 2009 at the former Blue Marlin site.) The local restaurant brought scratch-made Mexican cuisine, a family-friendly environment, and local community gathering space to the area. It was great to see Janice and the boys together at one time. It is always good to get together with my brother Bob and Ellen. It's sad that Ellen's sister Janice is up from NC for their Mom's celebration of life. But usually it is a marriage or death that brings families together!
Day 100 is Friday August 14th and Rob is working and Swifty and Lynn are not here yet, so the Driscoll's, Shelia, Charlie and I decided to head to the Rising Storm Brewery at Daisy Flour Mill. It is located near Ellison Park, close to where I grew up. Daisy Flour Mill was built in 1846 by Samuel Rich and began production in 1848. As the last remaining historic mill on Irondequoit Creek, it packaged flour shipped via the Erie Canal. It operated until 1972. Operating continuously under different owners, supplying grain and flour products to regional markets.
In June of 1972, the weatherboard building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The property transitions into a long-running local restaurant and later a catering assembly hall before closing. In 2023, Rising Storm Brewing Company purchased and restored the historic site, preserving 19th-century gear and adding a taproom. It is a multi-level, open-concept taproom that preserves original historical mill remnants, storage bins, and wood beams.
It offers a rotating menu of house-brewed craft beers (IPAs, sours, stouts, and lagers) alongside casual dining options like Detroit-style pan pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, pretzels and chicken wings. But.... they have no table service! No big deal, we usually always order our beers from the bar.
Charlie was talking to the lady at the food counter, at first she said "no pretzels" then she came over to the table and she told Charlie "in 30-minutes we will have pretzels." Charlie assumed that talking to her was him placing an order. So, we enjoyed the company and the beers. Sheila went up and ordered a pretzel. When Sheila's came out... Charlie said "Where is my pretzel?" The nice lady said" We don't have table service, you have to order it at the food counter...." Dana started busting a gut, he was laughing so hard! Oh, it was funny! Finally Charlie got his pretzels! They certainly were delicious! I think they were homemade!
We missed the outdoor patio deck overlooking Irondequoit Creek. We did not discover it until we were leaving.
We headed back to the camp and checked on Swifty's arrival. Dawn & Dana stayed back to see if Swift's wanted to join us for our 2nd brewery of the day. Sheila, Charlie and I headed out to meet Bob & Ellen at Irondequoit Beer Company. This women-owned craft brewery, opened in October 2019. It is historic for being the very first brewery in the town of Irondequoit. It was developed by Mike and Wendy Nolan as part of the third phase of the local I-Square community project. The I-Square development project is an ambitious, multi-phase mixed-use urban renewal initiative located in the heart of Irondequoit, New York. Spanning a multi-block stretch along Titus Avenue, Cooper Road, and Bakers Park, the project was launched in 2011 by local residents Mike and Wendy Nolan. Their goal was to create a pedestrian-friendly, community-oriented "Town Center" where the town's 52,000 residents could shop, eat, live, and gather.
The brewery sits on land that was once part of the historic Vercruysse family farm property. The taproom and brewhouse were built by restoring and reviving an empty, long-abandoned early 20th-century farm barn and stable. Renovations kept the rustic framework alive, turning old horse stalls into spaces for storing whiskey barrels from local partners like Iron Smoke Distillery, while adding polished wood and exposed brick. Led by head brewer Nate Kester, the venue opened with a 5-barrel brewhouse system and 10 house-crafted beers on tap. We thought it was cool for people to live so close to the brewery. We discovered that the houses right behind the brewery are the Brookside Cottages, a 55+ independent adult living development. It features 14 modern, one-bedroom cottage-style apartments situated on a private road within walking distance of the main square and the brewery. After a few beers and snack food, we headed back to the campground to enjoy a late dinner with friends and of course a campfire.
We started the weekend enjoying breweries, so why not continue it on Saturday August 15th in the morning. My brother suggested Knucklehead Craft Brewing. It is located in Webster. It was founded in December 2014 by Len and Kathy Dummer alongside George and Amy Cline. The brewery began with a shared passion that grew out of garage homebrewing. The family-run microbrewery transformed a former grocery store building on Ridge Road into a cozy neighborhood staple.
By 2016, the brewery quickly embedded itself in the local community, expanding its kitchen offerings, hosting live music, and celebrating milestone anniversary brews like "Nuff Said." In 2018, the Dummer family bought out the Clines' share, taking full control of the enterprise. The Co-founders Len and Kathy Dummer initiated a generational leadership handoff, passing the day-to-day operations and reins of the business to their sons, head brewer Jake Dummer and Josh Dummer.
Because it is named after the iconic Harley-Davidson engine type, Knucklehead Brewing Company, frequently serves as a popular destination and scheduled stop for local motorcycle charity rides, poker runs, and bike meets. When we got there we learned that at 1pm there was the 10th and Final Annual Lee Lucas Memorial Poker Run coming there. Robert Lee Lucas was born in 1989 and lost his battle with substance abuse in 2016, at just 27 years old. HIs parents and friends started this motorcycle run in his honor and to raise awareness of his story and his fight. This sadly is a story like a lot of families. This doesn’t have to be the story for others. This is the reason they fight this horrible epidemic.
Charlie and I left the brewery as the poker run started to show up. We drove into Brighton to go to Beth's (my sister-in-law's mother) Celebration of Life. Her service was held at the First Unitarian Church of Rochester on Winton Road. This progressive, non-creedal congregation belongs to the Unitarian Universalist Association and focuses on individual spiritual growth, community connection, and social justice. Historically, the congregation counts famous women's suffrage leader Susan B. Anthony among its past members. In 1848, the church hosted the landmark Rochester Women's Rights Convention. This fact explains some of the signs we saw.
The physical building is a renowned masterpiece of Modernist and Brutalist architecture designed by the famous architect Louis Kahn. Completed in 1962 with an addition in 1969, the building is celebrated for its unique use of natural light, simple materials, and spatial design. The outside walls use a rich red brick arranged in deeply folded patterns. Broken wall surfaces protect interior windows from harsh, direct sunlight while creating dramatic shadows throughout the day.
The interior shifts from brick to raw, exposed concrete blocks, giving the inside rooms a strong and solid feel. The brick-and-concrete structure is celebrated internationally for its unique spatial geometry and innovative use of natural light. Kahn placed the central sanctuary inside a ring of other rooms. Hallways and an ambulatory separate the main worship space from classrooms and offices, it is kind of a box in a box. The members of the church told us that architecture students from all over the world come to see this structure.
On the way home from the service, we were so close, I had Charlie drive by Cloverland Drive. It is the home I grew up in. It has not been our family home since our mother passed away in 2011. But, funny.... the three birdhouses on the front of the garage are still there! Different colors, but still there! They have been there for at least 50 years!
On Sunday morning August 16th, I enjoyed my walk around Webster Park this morning. Webster sits along the scenic southern shore of Lake Ontario just east of Rochester and Irondequoit Bay. The waterfront area offers beautiful views for those living on the lake!
Webster Park is a 550-acre county park featuring rolling evergreen slopes, a fishing pier jutting into Lake Ontario, hiking trails, and a seasonal campground. The word "Ontario" stems from the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) language, translating to "beautiful great lake."
Driving home from Webster Park we cross over Irondequoit Bay. Irondequoit Bay is a major 1,660-acre inlet of Lake Ontario located just northeast of Rochester. Measuring roughly 4 miles long and 1/2 mile wide, its waters serve as a natural geographic boundary separating the town of Irondequoit on the west from the towns of Webster and Penfield on the east. Historically governed by the Seneca Nation, the area boomed in the late 19th century when trolley and rail lines connected Rochester residents to the shoreline. Dubbed the "Coney Island of Western New York" during this era, the bay's northern sandbar evolved into the famous Sea Breeze resort destination, crowded with seasonal hotels, ferry boats, and amusement rides. Today, the bay is overseen by the Irondequoit Bay Coordinating Committee to balance high-density recreational use with strict environmental conservation.
We arrived back at our "home" in Livonia and David Gillespie's "herd" made an appearance on the hillside near our camping spot! It was near dusk, so not a great shot! But, I know he sent them!
Stay tuned for more Two Lane Adventures!
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