Crazy Busy Memorial Day Weekend As Workampers

Watkins Glen KOA, NY (95 degrees, hot and humid)

Part of campground before Memorial Day Weekend

We went from having about 10-15 campers arrive each day at the campground to over 200 in one day.  Whew, it was a crazy and wild weekend.  By 9pm on Friday we were completely sold out except for a few primitive tent sites.  There were campers, tents, kids, and dogs everywhere. The indoor pool was a zoo. 

Same area during Memorial Day Weekend

The time just flew by on Friday as we registered the arriving campers  Many of the campers have been here before and  make their reservations for next Memorial Day before leaving.  All forms and campground maps had been made up in advance which cut down on registration time.  There were three of us at the desk and the owners and guys were out in the campground assisting campers and controlling traffic. It was nerve wracking and exhilarating all at the same time.  I’ve never been involved in anything quite like this before. 

Fun at the jumping pillow

The SummerShiners had lots of activities planned for the families.  They are the college students who live at the campground all summer and organize activities for the campers. We handed out a sheet detailing the  activities such as tie dying t-shirts, flashlight  candy hunts, laser tag, mini golf tournaments, movies in the woods, and much more.  A breakfast was also served on Saturday and Sunday morning which is cooked by two local ladies. They also clean all our cabins and cottages.

I spent Saturday and Sunday in the office mostly ringing up store sales, ice, and firewood.  Plus, I helped dip a whole lot of ice cream cones.  I’m still not very good at it but no one seems to notice. It was non stop action.  John picked up and hauled a whole lot of trash and helped lots of campers with minor issues and  repairs. 

John

There were a few glitches.  One girl had a severe sprain playing laser tag and an ambulance was called.  Another young man needed stitches after cutting his foot in the pool area.  There were a few electrical problems and our phone and computers went out for awhile. Oh, and the sewer backed up which required a back hoe.  I’m not sure the campers were aware of many of these challenges.  We just kept on smiling and then collapsed in our recliner chairs after getting back to the rig each evening. 

Running a big campground like this is a huge undertaking.  Until we worked for a campground we really thought owners only had to cut grass occasionally and collect fees.  Not!  There is much more involved with maintenance, crowd control, and problem solving then we ever were aware of prior to being workampers.  And, it takes a whole lot of cash outlay by the owners to keep everything  in good shape. 

Monday afternoon the campers were gone except for their trash.  Suddenly it was quiet again and sort of surreal. 

We are off today and decided to take it easy.  We tried a local restaurant for breakfast and  later we saw the fun movie– Men in Black 3.  It is hilarious. 

It’s going to be a very busy summer!



Visiting Another Finger Lake–Cayuga Lake

Ithaca, NY (68 degrees, rain on and off)

Cornell University Campus

Weather did not cooperate on our day off with our plans to go kayaking.  We have plans to attend the Ithaca Festival on June 2nd with John’s sister.  It’s a cool event held each year featuring 150 performing groups, crafts, and great food.  It’s sure to be crowded so we decided to drive to Ithaca and check out the city ahead of time. 

Herbert J. Johnson Museum of Art

Ithaca is a very hilly city on the south shore of Cayuga Lake and Cornell University is the centerpiece.  I could not get very many pictures due to the rainy weather.  On our next trip we plan to explore the campus more. 

John & Jimmy

We dropped our bikes off at the Bike Shop for a tune up.  They have certainly taken a beating spending most of their time on a bike rake at the rear of our motorcoach.  We also stopped at the visitor center and picked up some information and a map for the area.  Due to the hilly terrain navigating this city is not very easy and a map comes in very handy.  Plus, my Droid navigation is priceless.

The weather improved in the afternoon and we were able to check out two pretty waterfalls near the campus.  Across the street from the museum is a  suspension bridge overlooking Fall Creek Gorge.

Fall Creek Gorge

Overlooking south end of Cayuga Lake

This is the tributary which feeds the spectacular Ithaca Falls. We then drove down to the base of the falls to see it in all it’s splendor  It cascades over 100 feet and is 175 feet wide.

Ithaca Falls

Later in the afternoon we found The Commons, a  shopping area where the Ithaca Festival is going to be held.  Two days ago our manager of the KOA delivered a baby boy named Wesley.  We found some baby toys at a cute shop called Alphabet Soup  for the new arrival. 

Waterway leading to Cayuga Lake

We are also planning a kayaking trip in Ithaca and checked out a local livery called Puddledockers.   We made reservations for a kayak for next Sunday.  It looks like  a great place to paddle.  You can see  a lighthouse, bird sanctuary and  it’s possible to even pull up to some outdoor restaurants for lunch or “refreshments”.  The livery is located on a waterway which feeds into Cayuga Lake.

Maxie's Supper Club

We had dinner at Maxie’s Supper Club and Oyster Bar, a fun New Orleans style restaurant. Our meals were great and the prices were reasonable.  It was nice to eat out on their patio and there is live music on the weekends. 

On our way home we traveled along the west side of Cayuga Lake.  It is difficult to see much of the lake from the road.  There are houses all along the shore but it is heavily wooded.  We did get a brief look at the lake from one pull out. 

We are looking forward to next weekend and spending some time with Martha.  We’ll be busy at the campground the rest of this week.  It’s completely sold out for the weekend. 

On this Memorial Day weekend we wish to extend a specail tribute to all who have served, suffered, or died to protect us and our freedom. 

Nineteen Waterfalls In One Day–Watkins Glen State Park

Watkins Glen State Park, NY (62 degrees, cloudy skies)

We spent a wonderful afternoon hiking the Gorge Trail at Watkins Glen State Park.  The park is located on the edge of the Watkins Glen and is just a few minutes from our campground.  Yes, there are 19 waterfalls on one trail and it is spectacular.  The hiking trail climbs up and up through the gorge, passing over and under waterfalls, through tunnels, and over bridges.  Within two miles, the glen's stream descends 400 feet creating the waterfalls along the way. 

There are over 800 steps but they are broken up frequently with level areas and beautiful views.  It was not very busy today and we could take our time.  In the summertime a shuttle will take you down the gorge for $3.  Parking is $8 per car load (free with Golden Age or Access Pass).  You can also park down the street from the park for free and walk into the park without a charge. 

The shale gorge is 400 feet deep and was cut over time by the stream.  The  one and half mile path is paved and fairly easy to climb.  It was slippery in places and it’s a good idea to wear hiking boots. The layers and layers of rock were intriguing.   

It is very lush, humid, and oh so green.  There were ferns everywhere and a few wild columbine. 

There are two places where you can walk behind the waterfall.  Very cool!  The roar of the water was intense.

Going down was more difficult due to negotiating all the steps.  You go back down the same trail but it’s interesting to see the falls from a different direction and perspective. 

John gave me two matching hiking sticks as an anniversary present.  I used them for the first time on this trail.  I have some peripheral and depth perception challenges and the two hiking sticks helped tremendously.  They gave me a lot of confidence in negotiation the the stairs going down. I've used one in the past for hiking but much prefer having two. 

We plan to return again soon.  There are several more trails to hike in the park and seeing the waterfalls again will be a treat. 

We also drove around the campground next to the gorge.  It is very shady campground with electric only.  It would be very difficult to camp there in a big rig. There is a nice Olympic size swimming pool on site. 

Tomorrow if the weather cooperates we are going kayaking. Stop back soon!

Checking Out The Coolest Small Town in America (Hammondsport, NY)

 Hammondsport, NY (68 degrees, clear blue skies)

Budget Travel readers rated Hammondsport New York the coolest small time in America.  Sounded like a perfect excuse for a road trip.  So on our day off we decided to check it out. 

It is a very pretty drive about an hour from Watkins Glen.  The countryside and surrounding mountains are lovely.  The town square has a band gazebo, small shops and a few small restaurants.  The houses are all well kept with gardens and flying American flags (population 1000).  It is located along the southern border of a Finger Lake called Keuka Lake.  We both thought it was cool too! Keuka Lake is also listed as one of the 1000 places to see before you die.  That's also very cool!

Keuka Lake (Hammondsport is located on the south end of the lake)

Jimmy loved the lake side park and all the new smells and grass. Have I mentioned how much he missed grass this winter while hanging out in Arizona?

Lakeside park

After visiting Hammondsport we drove around the lake.  The road comes much closer to the lake than it did at Seneca.  There are small cottages built along the lake edge.  Some houses are built below the road.  You have to park on the street side and walk down a flight of stairs to your house. 

The lake is forked and  19.6 miles long and 1.9 miles wide and it's depth is 183 feet.  This lake is much warmer than Seneca and very popular for swimming and fishing... and yes wineries.  

Bully Hill Vineyard

Restaurant

One of our customers had recommended Bully Hill Winery for lunch.  It is a very large, modern winery on the west side of the lake.  The restaurant was very nice and the tables were hammered copper.  They are known for the smoked beef and the brisket was delicious.  Probably the best I've ever tasted.  The grounds were beautifully landscaped and their is a wine museum, gift shop. and tasting bar in separate buildings.  It's a very large complex.

We walked around the winery and enjoyed the very pretty views of the lake and fields. This is the perfect time to visit. The weather is wonderful and not very crowded.  I liked their new Chardonnay very much.

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We then traveled a little further and stopped at the first European winery in the Finger Lake area called Dr. Constantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars.  The certainly have the best views of the lake. It was a smaller, less elaborate place than Bully Hill but I liked the country feel. 

I decided to try a wine tasting.  It is free at this winery and a lovely British woman told me about five different types of wine.  I mostly like dry wines and really enjoyed one called Dry Riesling.  It was delicious and decided to buy a bottle for a special occasion. It was fun and who knows I might try another tasting again in the future.  John does not like wine but he enjoyed listening to what the lady told me about their winery. 

We drove by several other vineyards but did not stop.  The drive was very picturesque and the state park had a very nice beach and boat launch.  It was definitely be a great place for a picnic.

Wild phlox

Heron Hill Winery

North end of lake

It was another great day exploring one of the Finger Lakes. and we enjoyed our days off to the fullest.  Next week we are planning a canoe trip.  Check back soon. This is such a beautiful area.  

Celebrating Our Anniversary – Beautiful Drive Around Seneca Lake

Watkins Glen, NY (62 degrees, cloudy skies, rainy)

Finger Lakes (eleven)

There are eleven lakes making up the Finger Lake Area.  Our 14th wedding anniversary was today and we decided to drive around the one closest to our campground.  It is called Seneca Lake and is the largest  and deepest one. It is almost 40 miles from end to end. 3 1/2 miles wide, and 618 feet deep.  It is one of the deepest lakes in the U.S. and we have heard it’s usually too cold to swim in. 

Seneca Lake

We started at Watkins Glen and headed north in a counter clock wise direction.  The lake is really beautiful with lots of vineyards and farms along the banks. 

Seneca Lake

Our first stop was a beautiful water fall right along Route 414.  It was flowing really nicely due to a recent rain storm.  It has three sections  cascading down to the lake.  One can be seen from the road.

Hector Falls

Below is my first You Tube video.   It's a short, rather shaky video of the upper falls.  I was able to shorten the original video in Picassa and then upload it to You Tube.  Pretty cool! My brother will be proud of me. 

The other two cascades are seen along the lakeside of the road.  It was really pretty.  There are private cottages below which look amazing.  What a view they must have from their deck. 

Private cottages below the falls

Our next stop for a look at one of the vineyards was Atwater Estates.  There are 32 wineries around Seneca Lake and over 100 in the region.  Because of the depth of the lake the vineyards flank the shore. We’ve been told the lake effect protects the grapes from disastrous spring frost during shoot growth, and early frost before the harvest. 

Atwater Estates Vineyard

We stopped for lunch Ginny Lee restaurant located at the Wagner Vineyard.  The owners of the KOA recommended it to us.  They only serve lunch and in the summer have live bands on Friday evenings.  I had a bowl of the best French onion soup.  It was delicious and made with wine from the vineyard.  They make a wide variety of wines and beers and I triend their Chardonnay.  It was very nice.

Ginny Lee Restaurant

John has a really bad cold, so we decided not to tour the vineyard today.  We’ll come back soon for a tour and wine tasting.  It’s a beautiful place. 

Wagner Vineyard

There are wine trails, cheese trails, farm trails, beer trails, and even a chocolate trail around Seneca Lake. The visitor center gave us a great map showing all the stops. We are going to have a fun time checking out some of these places this summer. I even found a app for my Droid phone called the Finger Lake Wine Map. It's pretty cool. 

We also stopped in Geneva, the northern most point of the lake.  It is a very pretty town with beautiful homes along the lake.  The Hobart and William Smith College is located here. 

Lakeside home

We saw these trees blooming everywhere. Do you know what these are called? Most of the trees had white blooms but we found several pink blooming trees. 


Sailboats out on the lake (sailing school?)

We enjoyed our day driving around Seneca Lake. It was a very special wedding anniversary spent with my favorite guy. We saw a beautiful lake, gorgeous waterfall, pretty parks, several charming villages and tried a great wine. It was a perfect day. Jimmy had a good time too with new smells and lots of green grass. Life is good!