Roaming Free In An RV

The last time we were in  New York was in January before we were married so it’s been more than 10 years. I do not remember much from that trip other then it being cold and snowy so it’s nice to experience a new season with views of green trees, rolling hills, and sunshine. On our original trip, we drove from Illinois to New York and stopped quickly to see Niagara Falls on our way home. We didn’t get to experience the true beauty of the falls so on this trip seeing the falls again was top on the to-do list.

We pulled into the Sleepy Hollow campground and it was anything but sleepy. It was the day before Labor Day and the campground was busy with a parade, lake activities, and fireworks. We set up camp and were anxiously wanting to sit in the RV for a few minutes to cool off from the 90 degree day when the air-conditioning went out. We were told the campground was overcrowded and that the electricity had been on and off all day. Yuck!! Luckily, Brad and I were on the same page to find some cool air so we went to the local Cabela’s where we found the outdoor chairs we have been searching for the last couple months! Funny how life happens that way!

We were lucky it was a 3 day weekend. Brad didn’t have to work on Monday so we drove to Niagara Falls on Labor Day. It was a busy day with tourists on the American side so we decided to walk over the bridge to Canada. We just walked through a gate and were on the bridge to Canada. From the Canadian side, we could see both the American and Canadian Falls and got a more panoramic view of both falls. It was another hot day, and feeling the mist from the falls was very refreshing! The line of cars to get back into America was long so we were glad that we walked since it took us less than 1 minute to show our passports to the American customs officer.

While exploring upstate New York, we have found that there is not a quick way to get to the highway and some of the time we had to take an hour’s worth of back roads to get to our destination. We didn’t mind as the days were sunny and the scenery enjoyable. It was a busy sightseeing week for us and here are a few detours we took in New York.

Buffalo: Brad wanted to check out the birthplace of Buffalo wings so after visiting Niagara we drove to Anchor Bar. Unfortunately for him, they were closed for the next 4 hours so he had to pass.  I was just so sad about it . . . lol!

Lake Ontario: Since we started our trip in July, we had seen 4 out of the 5 Great Lakes so we made it a mission to see the last Great Lake, Lake Ontario. It was worth the hour drive to say that we saw all 5 Great Lakes in 5 weeks.

Letchworth State Park: Known as the “Grand Canyon of the East,” this large park features a gorge with massive cliffs, lush forest, and a river that runs through the middle producing three major waterfalls. We explored the upper gorge to see all three waterfalls and walked to the river. The canyon wall is unique as it is made from shale rock that becomes flakey and pointy after years of erosion. It is very cool to look at. It was a beautiful day and seeing this park was defiantly worth the trip.

Alfred University: Brad has family from southern New York and some of them went to Alfred University so we wanted to make sure we saw the campus. We were a few hours away to see the town that his family is from so seeing the university was a good compromise. We meet a professor that has been teaching there since the early 1980s and he was helpful in giving us directions to the buildings we wanted to see.

As I sit here typing this at Starbucks, Brad is fixing the table we are sitting at. It was a little wobbly so he just ran out to the tool box on the truck, got a screwdriver, and fixed the table in 5 seconds. The joys of living on the road! It is now raining and cool in New York and will be that way for the next couple days. While Brad was watching Saturday football, I was in the mood to put out our fall decorations and work on making the 5^th wheel feel more “homey.” We are off to Lake George to hike in the Adirondacks, explore natural springs, and if I can talk Brad into it, cave exploring.

Till then!