As we talked with more and more people about our travel plan to drive through the Finger Lakes, nearly everyone who had visited the area told us not to miss Watkins Glen. We weren’t originally planning to stop in the Glen because our planned route took us around rather than through the southern end of Seneca Lake. Earlier in the summer we booked five nights at Sampson State Park, which is roughly 25 miles north of Watkins Glen. Because we…
Driving into the Finger Lakes region for the first time was an oddly familiar experience for two people raised in and around Pennsylvania farm towns. If not for the road signs proving that we were indeed in the state of New York, the area could easily be mistaken for Cross Roads, Fawn Grove, Sidman, or any other area with a strong farming backbone. That is, until you see the first winery, followed quickly by a second, then a third, maybe…
Boaters on Raystown Lake speak of a legend with the nickname “Raystown”, a man seemingly capable of repairing anything with an engine. The legend stems from his ability on the water and the origin of his houseboat, a vessel he acquired and then completely overhauled and repaired to once again make it lakeworthy (you can read the whole story here). On one weekend in July, we were lucky enough to spend a couple of days on the lake with the…
Nestled in a deep valley at the confluence of the Little Conemaugh and Stonycreek River, Johnstown PA stands as a testament to the tenacity and resilience of early settlers and the American industrial complex. Settled in 1770 by German immigrants, Johnstown was originally named “Schantzstadt” in 1800 but the name quickly became anglicized to the modern version. Over the first half of the 19th century, the city grew into a thriving port and transfer point along the Pennsylvania Main Line…
Thanks for joining us today – we’d like to start by inviting you along for a virtual stroll down the winding country lane into the small town of Sidman PA. Don’t worry about packing a snack, we’ll have a couple of treats along the way. Just stay on the left side of the road and be careful around the corners. Ready to go? Our first stop will be a short hiking trail along Laurel Run on the east side of…
Probably best known as a skiing destination, Blue Knob State Park is home to the second tallest mountain in Pennsylvania. While the elevation of 3,146 feet pales in comparison to the mountain ranges in the west of the country, the trip into the park was an adequate warm-up for Cecil’s first drive into the “mountains”. Ashley grew up close to Blue Knob and spent many snowy days on the slopes learning to ski and snowboard as a wee youngster. She…
Ashley and I first met in Chambersburg PA, where we both started (and finished) our office careers after graduating college. We were lucky enough to meet many friendly people there, both in and out of the office, and we’ve tried to stay in touch – to varying degrees of success – over the years since we left. As we headed to the western part of Pennsylvania, we knew we wanted to stop in Chambersburg and the surrounding area to catch…
While researching and planning our transition to the RV lifestyle, we stumbled across a variety of camping clubs and travel organizations. Most of these clubs offer discounts on a specific network of private campgrounds throughout the country, or in campgrounds within a designated region. Often these clubs have restrictions on the time of year you can use your membership, or limit your length of stay. While we might end up using one of these memberships in the future, we currently…
Located outside of Hanover PA, Codorus State Park is a haven for boaters, anglers, and hopeful eagle-spotters alike. The park surrounds and includes Lake Marburg, which features a marina with various boat rentals, as well as docking slips. The lake is man-made, and you can read about the history of Codorus and Lake Marburg here if you’re interested. The park is also known for being the location of the popular Hanover bald eagle nest, which can be viewed on various digital…
For our first official outing to a private campground, we chose a site within easy driving distance from our current location. Indian Rock Campground is nestled between West York and Leaders Heights, conveniently located near Lake Redman, the Codorus Creek, and the York County Heritage Rail Trail. After de-winterizing our water lines and sanitizing our fresh water tank, we fired up Cecil the RV and embarked on a short 15-mile drive along winding country roads on a sunny Wednesday afternoon….