Arriving just before 3:00 p.m. at Finger Lakes RV Resort, we let the dogs run free in the dog park as soon as possible. A speedy check-in and quick setup let the fun begin fast.
Perched on the eastern hilltop beside Seneca Lake, a slight breeze brought cooling relief from the bright sun, breaking the silence with the noise of the traffic below. Tired after the whirlwind days in Lancaster, we opted for a relaxing afternoon at the camper, letting the dogs play as we enjoyed the weather.
After an early night, the dogs woke me at 6:00, needing a potty break, so I got up and took them out, then fed them. With low humidity, the morning chill surprised me, but it also refreshed me. The pups did their business, ate, and then settled down all around me as I spent time with the Lord.
Ruby loves to lie on us, wherever she can find a spot. Sophia always nestles under the covers, and Rocco moves around as he pleases, sometimes cuddling, other times not.
Taking the pups to the dog park, I took the bold step into vlogging and posted my first video:
Sophia decided to jump on the table, giving me the opportunity to snag a great picture.
After a leisurely morning, we attempted to play golf at Watkins Glen Golf Course. Not requiring tee times, on a NASCAR weekend, we quickly learned the naivety of our choice.
“I got all these guys comin’ in. I’m telling people an hour and a half wait. I’d come back tomorrow or Monday.”
The perky blonde, hair pulled in a ponytail, spoke with a northern accent and made our plans for us.
With golf out and neither of us wanting to do the karaoke boat cruise, we headed to Walmart for supplies before stopping at Elf in the Oak for lunch. A small cottage restaurant nestled in the hill below the campground afforded a view from the other side of Seneca Lake.
Two wineries on the 12-mile stretch sat on either side of the campground, both within walking or biking distance. After enjoying leisurely afternoon naps, we decided to ride our bikes to Hector Winery. Thankfully, they had extended hours on weekends, so I got to enjoy a glass of wine and Ron a beer while watching the sunset.
The First Presbyterian Church, located across from the campground, offered the best option for church. Ron found no others on our side of the lake when he researched, and with tickets to the NASCAR race, we needed to leave before noon to get to the track.
Happy Anniversary to Us!
“Do you want to use the flag?”
Seeing me trying to take a selfie, the attendant offered us his flag and took the picture.
Celebrating our 13th wedding anniversary by attending a NASCAR race, something we’ve never done before! Like our wedding day, neither of us had done that before either:-).
So far, we parked at the furthest gate from our seats and spent an hour trying to find them.
Other lessons learned:
Bring sunscreen and water, dress cooler
Let the race begin!
Ron found Jerlando’s Ristorante for our anniversary dinner. Delicious garlic knots, penne ala vodka, and veal parmesan filled our bellies. For dessert, we shared a piece of chocolate lava cake. Cheers to us!
Ron, one of the best drivers I know, must have received inspiration from the race. Driving 10 mph through the campground, the usual speed for most places, appeared too fast for someone in the park. After receiving the text below from the owner, we ensured that we obeyed the 5 mph limit for the rest of the week, and I had to bite my tongue at the many campers who did not.
Big Oaks Golf Course, in poor shape with overgrown fescue grass, did not help my golf game. Having a bad day on the course, the conditions made it worse for me, and inevitably, Ron. By the time we finished 18 holes, I had stopped keeping score, lost several balls, and felt full of anger and frustration.
“Worst course I’ve ever played,” I said to Ron as we left.
Thankfully, Twisted Rail Brewery tremendously improved my mood. Delicious food, a glass of wine in a unique atmosphere, took my mind off the crappy golf. The architecture hinted at a previous life as a theater, with tables lined up on the long-ago stage, and the brewery located in the auditorium.
Lamoureaux Landing Wine Cellars, in business since 1990, had a spectacular view of the Lake. Noticing the winery on our way to the golf course, we decided to stop for pictures on the way home. The establishment closes at 5:00, so we made it in time for a quick drink and photos.
Seneca Lake had a small beach that we passed when driving from Watkins Glen to the campground. Wanting to dip my toes in the water, we checked it out after dinner, the setting sun providing a beautiful backdrop to the serene water.
Glen Watkins Golf Course did not disappoint. We played 18 holes on Tuesday and enjoyed every moment of the picturesque course.
Ron’s favorite picture happened on the ninth hole when I tried to beat the timer on the camera, running with my putter into his outstretched arm. Moving forward helped me make the jaunt in time for a photo.
Seneca Spirit, a 115-passenger boat, carried us up the shores of Seneca Lake, the largest and deepest of the 11 Finger Lakes, stretching 37.9 miles long, with an average width of 2 miles, and a depth of 700 ft.
U.S. Salt Company, operating since 1893, utilizes hydraulics to mine below the lake from a salt vein that originates in West Virginia and extends north to Canada and west to Michigan, the largest in the country, which can produce enough salt to support the world for approximately 600 years.
Seneca Lake replenishes itself from underground springs at a rate of 328,000 gallons per minute. The lake doesn’t freeze because the springs keep the water circulating. In 1912, the last time the lake froze, the town had a carnival, and three adventurous young men skated the entire length of the lake.
On the way to our campground, Hector Falls stands as the third-tallest waterfall in New York after Taughannock Falls on Cayuga Lake and Niagara Falls.
Watkins Glen Golf Course from the lake.
The Painted Rocks
The history of these rocks begins in the years immediately following the American Revolution. The painted rocks, located at the southern end of Seneca Lake on the eastern cliff face, depict an American Flag, Tee-pee, and several Iroquois. In the late 1700s when General John Sullivan was avenging the Wyoming and Cherry-Valley Massacres, he chased a group of renegade Iroquois, up from present day Athens, Pennsylvania, then known as Tioga Point, through the Seneca valley to a point somewhere along the cliffs. The Indians escaped down a narrow footpath to canoes that they had hidden earlier in the underbrush. They used these canoes to paddle across the lake to safety. The remains of the footpath are seen in that diagonal line across the flaking limestone above the paintings. Later the Iroquois returned and painted the precipice in commemoration of their escape. The paintings found along the bottom of the cliff are the originals while the American Flag and the Tee-pee were added in 1929 during the Sullivan Sesquicentennial. (Taken from the website)
During the Italian American Festival weekend in Watkins Glen, the village celebrates the 80% of the population that immigrated from Italy. The owner of our cruises used wood from the floor of the train station in NYC, where they walked when entering the U.S., for the floor of their restaurant.
“I just put Ithaca Falls in as a destination; we can stop wherever.”
Raining Wednesday, we decided to do a driving tour of Ithaca. Ron went as a child, but I’ve never visited the hillside city, home to Cornell University.
Pot-holed, narrow roads led to Cornell, the outer houses decrepit and depressing, the campus itself clean and well-kept. Ron couldn’t wait to get out of the maze of deteriorating roads; driving proved difficult.
Ithaca reflected its philosophy in signs like these, covering the packed area.
Taughannock Falls is a stunning waterfall and state park located in Ulysses, New York, within the Finger Lakes region. It’s known for being the tallest free-falling waterfall east of the Mississippi River, with a drop of 215 feet (66 meters). The falls are a popular attraction, offering hiking trails with scenic views and access to the impressive waterfall (From the Park Website).
Lunch at O’Malley’s Lakeside Tavern filled our bellies. Fish tacos made with fried haddock and topped with mango salsa tasted delicious. Ron enjoyed a burger. A quiet day spent tooling around the Finger Lakes with my love seemed like the perfect way to spend our last day in NY.
A restaurant called Here made me laugh with its sign. We tried to stop, but unfortunately, they only open on the weekends.
“We haven’t had any rain in August. Supposed to rain Wednesday, but I’m not hopeful.”
The lady at Watkins Glen Golf Course explained that the cracked greens came from the lack of rain. Thankfully, Wednesday brought plenty of it, the afternoon rain storm giving us the perfect excuse to watch movies. Hopefully, the golf courses and waterfalls will show the results of the rain.
One of my favorite activities, a new one for both of us, came when I took Ruby bike riding to pick up the laundry. Uncertain at first, it didn’t take her long to figure things out and lead the way.
When the rain stopped, it created a beautiful sunset which we watched from the dog park as we let the dogs have one last jaunt around. A sweet couple joined us for the experience.
An interaction with our neighbors prompted me to post on social media Thursday morning as we left NY:
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲.
“It’s rude to let your dog bark in the morning. People are sleeping.”
My morning started with a reprimand from our neighbor because Ruby barked when I let her out to potty in the campground. As soon as she started barking, I quieted her with a technique our trainer had taught us, then returned her to the camper.
She’s a puppy, still learning. And so am I.
Apologizing immediately to the neighbor, he appreciated my words and moved on with his day. Unfortunately, the embarrassment of the situation started me stewing, and I had to work through the emotions that began to flare.
Recognizing I felt embarrassed by Ruby’s behavior, I thought of my book, 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘋𝘢𝘺 𝘓𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨, and decided to look up the prayer for embarrassment. As soon as I read, “Human, not Perfect,” the anger started to dissipate, and I gained a new perspective on the situation as I began to pray and accept God’s grace.
Ruby’s going to bark. I did my best to avoid letting it affect our neighbors. I apologized for her behavior. I’m human, not perfect. Thank You, Lord, for the lesson.
#threewordprayersforeverydayliving#stilllearning #humannotperfect#honestreflections
With two strikes against us, I couldn’t wait to leave the campground. Over the past ten years, we’ve never received a single complaint. Sad that people can act so petty and entitled. And makes this one campground we won’t visit again. The hypocrisy overwhelmed me.
Just before 9:00 a.m., we pulled out of our site, heading towards Gettysburg, not a minute too soon, in my opinion. Fog covered the lake as we left, the clouds looking like cotton from the top of the hill, barely visible from lake level.
We thoroughly enjoyed our week in the Finger Lakes, appreciating God’s creation, and strengthened our love muscles by dealing with some of the people. Unfortunately, a couple of entitled individuals tried to dampen our vacation, but we did our best to let it go.
