Turning Stone and Rome

The first night in Verona (where Turning Stone is located) we did some exploring. Our first discovery was the Recovery, a very large sports bar just across from the casino. We enjoyed happy hour and had some great calamari fries. Then it was back to the coach for dinner and a relaxing evening.

On Tuesday, we headed into Oneida and the Wal Mart for supplies and cash. I love the Wal Mart policy of allowing you to take up to $100 cash back on your debit card with any purchase. Saves lots of ATM charges! We then went to Denny's for lunch in the midst of a major rain storm. The food at Denny's is usually passable - not this time. Back at the coach, Suz took Dixie for her afternoon walk and I cleaned up some work, then it was back to the Recovery for happy hour.

Wednesday, Suz and I explored Oneida and found a great little restaurant - the Napoleon Cafe. It is only open for lunch Mon. - Fri. but the food is great and reasonably priced! In the afternoon, we drove to Rome (9 miles) to meet Virgil and Sue at Legends - one of Virgil's many watering holes. He knows everyone! After a drink, we headed to one of his long time spots - The Savoy - a great little bar/restaurant that is located just feet from Virgil's old business offices. Again, Virgil knows everybody! We ended up at another restaurant where we had a light dinner. Then it was back to Legends to pick up our car and then home. A full day.

Thursday, the rain came early and stayed all day. but it was mostly a light rain so we took the opportunity to go back to Rome to visit Fort Stanwix. To paraphrase Wikapedia, the current day Fort Stanwix is a fully restored colonial fort whose construction was started on August 26, 1758, by British General John Stanwix. The fort guarded a portage known as the Oneida Carrying Place during the French and Indian War. In 1768, Fort Stanwix was the site of an important treaty conference between the British and the Iroquois. The purpose of the conference was to renegotiate the boundary line between Indian lands and white settlements set forth in the Proclamation of 1763. The British government hoped a new boundary line might bring an end to the rampant frontier violence, which had become costly and troublesome. Indians hoped a new, permanent line might hold back white colonial expansion. Neither was realized unfortunately. The Fort played a small role in the American war of independence and was subsequently abandoned and allowed to fall to ruin.

While at the Fort, we talked to the workers, who are all dressed in period costumes, and learned about the lives of those who lived there. One stop in particular was of interest to me - the cooper's shop where barrels are made (think beer!)

We returned to Turning Stone and visited the casino - no gambling - and had lunch at a great little spot called Pino Blanco. The food was very nice and, surprisingly, the prices were reasonable. The casino is very large by any standard and, as usual, there are literally thousands of slot machines from 1 cent and up. I never fail to be amazed at how people can sit at these machines by the hour and push buttons. The noise level in the casino is quite high to say the least!

On Friday, we drove to Utica and found a Bed, Bath and Beyond where we could buy more Tassimo coffee discs. Then it was back to Oneida and a local hot dog spot that features Hoffman hot dogs - outstanding! We relaxed for the rest afternoon with the neighbors, then went to the Recovery for the evening happy hour.

Saturday found us at at Lowe's first to look at plants that might be nice for our new place in Galax, then it was to Wal Mart to pick up Suzanne's prescriptions, then back to the hot dog shop for a quick lunch. Later in the afternoon we headed back to Rome to join Virgil and Sue at their house for cocktails. They have a lovely home just outside Rome. From there we headed off to see Griffiss Air
Force base. The base is closed now, but it was where our friend Bob Meybohm was stationed as an Air Force pilot. Near the base is CPJs Restaurant, another of Virgil's watering holes, which is owned by two of his long time friends. After a couple of drinks and a nice dinner, we said our goodbyes to Virgil and Sue and headed back for Turning Stone.

Today I am doing the blog, then Suz and I will give the coach a good going over and do several loads of wash. By this evening, the coach will be spiffy and we will be all set to depart tomorrow morning for Lake George and our next adventure. Until then, Cheers!

John, Suz and Dixie the Wonderdog

Mansfield to Turning Stone

We spent the last week at Corey Creek enjoying the area and the people. On Tuesday, I played golf with Jack, Andy and Brad (Andy and Brad beat us again). On Wednesday, Suz and I went to Corning, NY (30 minutes away) and visited the Corning Museum of Glass after having a great lunch at De Clemente's Deli in downtown Corning. The historic portion of Corning is quite beautiful and very well restored with shops and restaurants (of which De Clemente's is one). The Corning Museum of Glass is very interesting, with displays of glass art, glass artifacts from history, demonstrations of glassmaking and the like, explanations of the roles of glass in history and a most interesting display on the development and evolution of fiber optics. Both of us felt the afternoon was well spent.

On Thursday, I played golf again with the same group - with the same results. Enough said! On Friday, we took time off and did chores, went to Wellsboro for dinner and generally relaxed. We found a nice little pub in Wellsboro called "Your Moma's Mug" that we stopped at for a happy hour drink, then it was off to Timeless Destinations for dinner. Great food and good prices - ahhh, life is good!

Suz's foot is getting better, but still not good enough to play golf (with a golf shoe that is!). Saturday was the day to ready the coach for the next leg of our journey. We bought some DEF at the local AutoZone store and replenished the tank on the coach. DEF is an additive that is injected into the exhaust system the new generation of diesel engines. It virtually eliminates any pollutants in the exhaust - how I do not know since it is 38% purified urea and the rest distilled water!

On Sunday, Corey Creek held the women's invitational, so I went to Towanda with a group of guys to play golf. The trip was very enjoyable, the company was great - as usual - but the golf was not so good. The greens are very difficult and the pin placements were "challenging" shall we say. the course is quite short, but it is largely up and down the side of a minor mountain! Returning to Corey Creek, Suz and I finished readying the coach and then went to Gregory's for dinner. Good food and reasonable prices, a good combination!

This morning, Jack Alexander came to the coach at 7:30 am to help Suz and I extricate the ourselves from "The Grove." All was ready to go by 8:00 am and the process began. It is a bit more difficult getting out of The Grove than is is getting in. There are lots of trees that have to be avoided, and there is not a lot of room to maneuver the coach to get it back over the bridge across Corey Creek. But after 10 minutes or so of jockeying the coach back and forth, we finally got it lined up and over the bridge, all without adding any scratches from tree limbs or other obstructions! Success!

We then went into Mansfield to fuel up - at a price of $4.01 a gallon for diesel - but that is still better than the $4.19 a gallon that we would have paid in New York state! At 9:00 am we were on our way North and East. The trip was largely uneventful and we arrived at The Villages of Turning Stone RV Resort at 1:00 pm. the resort is nicely located near the Turning Stone Casino (and Rome, NY - home of our friends Virgil and Sue Sestito - today is Sue's birthday by the way). I found the price for the site a bit steep. We got "the weekly special rate" or $45 per night. That is high for what you get. We located our site and got situated, noting as we did that there were a large number of Canada Geese in the area. After getting set up, we also noticed that they had left myriad "presents" all around our site! Suz and I donned the rubber gloves and picked up what must have been 5 pounds of these "presents." Ah, the myriad uses for WalMart plastic bags - I hate Canada Geese!

Tonight we plan to go to see the casino and what the surrounding are has to offer. On Wednesday, we will get together with Virgil and Sue. The rest of the week is largely up in the air. Until the next post. Cheers!

John, Suz and Dixie the Wonderdog (who loves to chase geese!)

Mansfield, PA - golf and fishing

We left New Market, VA at 8:45 am on Sunday, July 10 and headed North to either Harrisburg or Mansfield, depending on how far we wanted to drive. We arrived in Harrisburg before noon so we decided to keep on driving the extra 10 or so miles to Mansfield. We arrived in Mansfield around 2:30 pm and, with some help from our friends, Ty Haubert, Jack Alexander and Morris Morgan, got down to "the grove" where we camp. The grove is on Corey Creek and is located in the heart of the golf course. What a wonderful spot for camping. We have 50 amp service and a well for water. The only inconvenience is having to have the "honey wagon" come by once a week to empty the waste water tanks.

The Corey Creek Invitational golf tournament didn't start until Friday with a practice round, and then two tournament rounds on Saturday and Sunday. But more about that later. Sunday afternoon, we found our way to the golf club for happy hour with our many old friends from years past. It is always good to see the folks in Mansfield, they are truly nice, down-to-earth people. We enjoy being with them when we are here and miss them when we are gone.

On Monday I played golf with Ty, Jack Alexander and Andy Lyman, and Suz joined Mickey Haubert and Sue Farrell, our friend from the golf club pro shop, for a round as well (surprising as that may seem to some). Ty and I took on Jack and Andy. The idea is to lose by as little as possible, since the winners pick up the bar bill after the round. Ty and I were too careful and we won the match - and the bar bill!

On Tuesday, I was lucky enough to be included in a "road trip" with the seven other guys to Binghamton, NY to play at the Conklin Players Club. The first stop was the Wellsberg Diner for breakfast. A sumptuous feast. The group included, from left-to-right, Me, Ty Haubert, Jack Alexander, Andy Lyman, Brad Finch, Tony Fiamingo, Roger Maisner, the athletic director at Mansfield University, and Bill Chabala. Tony Fiamingo, entrepreneur extraodinaire, is the greatest negotiator there is. He got us on for only $35 each, including cart. The course is very nice, well maintained and quite a challenge, with lots of major elevation changes.

After the round, and a 1 hour 45 minute return trip to Corey Creek, the Mickey, Ty, Suzanne and I headed over to the beautiful little town of Wellsboro, PA and the Wellsboro Steak House for dinner - and to celebrate my 70th birthday! That successfully accomplished, we returned to Mansfield (13 miles) and to our motorhomes for evening libations and relaxation. Life is soooo difficult in this neck of the woods!

Wednesday, Suzanne played golf again with Mickey and Sue (will wonders never cease). But in the process she either developed a blister on her left foot or was bitten by some evil insect. Either way, she experienced a large and growing blister on her heel. That same day, I again joined Ty, Jack and Andy for a round. This time, Ty and I failed to keep the round close (mostly my fault) and we wound up paying - significantly! Oh well, the bar bill was well covered.

Thursday, I took the day off and practiced my "short game." I have not been practicing much of late and it showed. Thursday night is the traditional visit to the world famous Colonial Inn for wings. The Colonial is a very old drinking establishment that also serves food. It is essentially a dump, but the wings are usually good and the beer is cheap! This time the beer was still cheap, but the wings were not so good.

Then Friday arrived and the practice round for the Corey Creek Invitational and associated "Skins Game." My partner Morris Morgan and I played with Ty and his partner and our friend from Martin Downs, Rocky Adinolfi. We had a great time and won a skin. Ty and Rock won two skins. On Saturday, Morris and I were paired with Joe Murphy and Mike Pembroke, also from Martin Downs CC in Palm City. Morris and I played well and at the end of the day, we were leading the Senior Category by one shot (we also won another skin!) On Saturday evening, each participant gets two dozen clams, a dozen or so large shrimp and a strip steak plus various sides for dinner. Of course, the complementary beer wagon is also well patronized! It is always too much food (and drink), so those of us who are camping, and many friends, save the steaks, or clams, or shrimp for a feast on Sunday night at the campground - more about that later.

Sunday, Morris and I went into the final round paired with our friends Jack Alexander and Andy Lyman, who were one shot behind us. We had a great match, but at the end of the day, Jack and Andy beat us by two shots. They are the Senior champions for 2011 and we are runners up for the second straight year (we were the champions two years ago in 2009). Ah, but there is always next year!

Sunday afternoon, we sat around the clubhouse watching the other groups finish their rounds and enjoying the lunch that is provided as part of the tournament. It is usually a quiet afternoon (as a result of Saturday night). Rock took advantage of the opportunity for a short snooze. Later, the campers and friends head for the grove for the Sunday evening feast. Our friend Kenny Fogleman is the perennial chef and the food is virtually limitless. A good time is had by all and it gives those who are leaving for home on Monday morning a chance to say goodbye to their Mansfield friends. A great tradition.

On Monday, Ty and Mickey broke camp around 6:15 am to return to Stuart. They would have stayed for another week, but Ty took a job earlier in the Summer and had to get back. Suz and I headed for breakfast art 7:45 am, then to the clinic to have her foot looked at. The diagnosis was probably an insect bite, but the doctor sent a fluid sample to the lab for testing. Suz now has a nicely bandaged foot. Hopefully the healing process will be swift.

After seeing the doctor, we went to the laundromat and did a major load of wash, hit Walmart for supplies and some needed cash (I love Walmart' cash back policy), then returned to Corey Creek. By the time we arrived, all the campers had departed for their respective homes, and Suz and I were alone in the grove. We will be staying here for another week, during which time, we will golf, if Suz is able, and I will do some fly fishing in Corey Creek and the surrounding ponds. I have the trout spotted in the creek and am ready to try my skills.

I should add that the weather has been spectacular for the entire week, but the coming week does not look as promising. There is a threat of major thunder storms, but we'll see. In any event, we intend to relax and enjoy one of our favorite spots - and Dixie's favorite spots too I might add! Until the next time, Cheers!

John, Suz and Dixie the Wonderdog

Deer Creek to Endless Caverns

We left our new Summer home at Deer Creek at 10:00 am, thanks to difficulty "airing up" the coach. Problem finally solved (at least for now), we headed over to I77, then North to I81 and on to New Market, VA and the Nascar RV Resort at Endless Caverns. We arrived around 2:00 pm and checked in. The resort is different from most we have seen in that it is built on the side of a very large hill. Each RV site is tiered into the hill and is well separated from adjoining sites. The only complaint - gnats, lots of tiny, pesky gnats!

Once set up, we headed into New Market for a look around. Our first stop was the Shenvalee Golf Resort to see if we could reserve a tee time. The course has 27 holes and is very nice from all appearances. We made a tee time for Friday, but later had to cancel due to the threat of inclement weather (which materialized!).

Wednesday, we took care of laundry and I cleaned up some matters on the computer, then it was off to the golf course lounge for happy hour. Returning home, we bought some firewood and had a campfire on our site. Very pleasant, and the smoke kept the gnats away!

Thursday, we did some chores then headed to Harrisonburg (about 20 miles away) to the Super Walmart, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Home Depot and Staples. Then it was off to Applebees for happy hour - another bad Applebees. However, we learned that Barbara, the bartender, had, until that morning, been staying at the same RV resort as were we. In fact, she and her friend had been parked about five sites away from us. What a coincidence! Here we are in Harrisonburg, in an Applebees 20 odd miles away from the RV park, and run into a person I had seen sitting outside he RV the day before. While taking, she mentioned that there were wild raspberries in the ravine behind our coach.

Friday, I went down in the ravine and sure enough - wild raspberries and a few wild blackberries too. I picked away for an hour or so and got enough for 8 or nine ziplock bags for freezing. Unbeknownst to me, I also picked up a tick in my clothing - which I only found later that day. Luckily it had not yet embedded itself in me or that could have been trouble.

Around noon, we headed over the mountain to Luray for lunch and a visit to the Luray Cavern. I was expecting a tourist trap, but it turned out to be quite nice and the tour of the cavern was well worth the time and cost ($21 for seniors including admission to the auto museum, the Luray Valley Museum and the Garden Maze). The cavern is very beautiful and has a constant temperature of 54 degrees year round. The tour covers about a 1.25 miles underground with loads of stalactites (attached to the ceiling), stalagmites (attached to the floor) and reflecting pools of all shapes and sizes. There is one pool that is designated the wishing well. Last year they pulled out $144,000 - all of it donated to a local charity. Since its start, the pool has generated over $1 million. After the tour, we bought some small gifts and mementoes and toured the adjoining auto museum. One of the beautifully restored vehicles was a 1931 Rolls Royce. There were many other rare cars dating from the 1890s.

The rain had started by the time we finished the tour of the auto museum and was threatening to get heavier, which it did, so we headed for home. The rain got progressively heavier as we crossed the mountain back to New Market and we decided to stop off at the golf course for happy hour and join the golfers who were in the lounge waiting to get back on the course after the rain stopped. After an hour os so, it did, and they did, so we headed home, had dinner and relaxed.

Today is a lazy day (like so many others when you're retired!). I will go into New Market to see if I can get a haircut - I know I may regret this decision, but it is the lesser of two evils I guess. We will do all the laundry, clean up the coach, and get ready to depart tomorrow for either Harrisburg, PA or Mansfield, PA, depending on where our friends Ty and Mickey Haubert get to on their journey North. Either way, we will be in Mansfield for the next week or so to renew old acquaintances and to participate in the Corey Creek Invitational Golf Tournament - our annual rite of Summer! Until then, Cheers!

John, Suz and Dixie the Wonderdog

Deer Creek - Our New Summer Home

Well, we participated in the golf tournament on July 4, and wouldn't you know it, Suzanne's team won! It was a drop-out scramble and we had a great time.
After golf, I sat down with Barry Poole to discuss Deer Creek - with no intention of buying a lot. So much for good intentions! After a time, we agreed that Suz and I would stay an extra day and have a closer look at what was available. Later, we enjoyed a potluck dinner with the golf tournament participants. Once again, we had a great time. Of the 28 site owners that we met, not one was anything but enthusiastic and friendly.

So, Tuesday morning early, I was out on the grounds closely examining the available lots. Ones I had thought would be great, upon close examination of where the sun rose and set and what the views would be from various places on the site, were found to be wanting. I finally found what I thought would be a great lot and set out to lay out the coach pad and location of a cabin. This lasted most of the day with the help of Barry and his concrete crew. By 2:30 pm we had painted lines on the ground and figured out the location and height of retaining walls, etc. Suz had a look and gave her "thumbs up," which made it a go. The prices were definitely right, the location of the resort and the site were great, and the people were wonderful, what else could we ask for? So came the decision - and we bought!

the plan is to have the site completed during the summer and to close on September 30. We will alter our plans and be back in Galax to christen our new home on September 27. After signing the papers, Suz and I headed for our new favourite watering hole in Galax, Macadoos, to celebrate. A couple of beers and a good meal and we headed back "home" to get ready to depart tomorrow morning for New Market, VA. We will follow the progress on our site by cell phone, email and photos over the summer. Until our next post, Cheers!

John, Suz and Dixie the Wonderdog

Fly fishing and on to Deer Creek Motorcoach Resort

Well, Friday arrived and I was off to the Waynesville Fly Shop at 7:15 am to meet with Gary Mann and my guide. I arrived early, but Gary was there to outfit me with waders and wading boots. My guide, Jason Van Dyke arrived right on time and we departed in his truck for the fishing grounds. as it turns out, we were going to the Cherokee Indian Reservation to fish the trophy section of the Oconalufttee River, or more specifically, Raven Fork. To fish this river, one needs a permit from the reserve ($10 per day) and to fish the "catch and release" trophy section (about 2.5 miles long), one needs another permit ($25 for three days). I paid with pleasure imagining the joys to come.

We arrived at the river found an unoccupied drift. We got suited up and headed down to the river, which is not large, but quite scenic. I was told that fishers had caught and released trout up to 13 pounds in this section of water. Jason gave me some fundamental pointers and hooked up the flies and the first cast was made with great anticipation. A STRIKE, but it got off. After a few more casts and strikes, I figured out the technique and brought one to the waiting net. It was quite a nice fish. Picture taken, the fish was released unharmed, but probably wiser, back into the river to thrill some other fisher.

The first two hours were a repeat, cast after cast, strike after strike. We netted 8 or 9 lovely rainbow trout, hooked and lost several others, and missed a number of strikes. Jason remained on the beach providing valuable instruction and untangling the inevitable tangles of lines. He was a magician at untangling what looked like a hopeless web of leader. After around a couple of hours the fishing slowed so we tried a number of different flies - no luck. We then moved to another stretch of the river, but once again, a few strikes, but no luck hooking up. After nearly four hours of what I considered a great time, we packed it up and headed off to Paul's Family Restaurant in Cherokee (where Suz and I had lunch a couple of days earlier). Jason and I had lunch and exchanged stories. Then it was back to Waynesville Fly Shop to return the gear and settle up with Gary.

I had a wonderful time! I learned a great deal about fly fishing from Jason, caught some of the largest trout I have ever caught on a fly, saw a number of Palomino trout (bright yellow crosses between Rainbows and Golden trout) which are really hard to catch, and met two great guys - Gary Mann and Jason Van Dyke. If you are ever in Waynesville and need advice on, or equipment for fly fishing, go to Gary's Waynesville Fly Shop and take a guided fishing trip with Jason Van Dyke.

After a great day fishing, Suz and I decided to try a new restaurant for dinner our last night in Maggie Valley. Hurley's is on hwy. 19 just a mile or so from the RV park and specializes in steak, pasta and the like. To our surprise, it was great. Not only was the food excellent, but the drinks were inexpensive and the location, right on Jonathan Creek, was a delight. Suz and I sat outside at a table on the grass right next to the creek.

What a great site for our last night in Maggie Valley!

Saturday morning, we departed Maggie Valley at 9:00 am on our way to Galax, VA and Deer Creek Motorcoach Resort. We traveled across I 40 to Stateville, NC. There we stopped at the Cracker Barrel for lunch (one of the only spots where we can park a motorhome towing a car). After lunch we fueled up at the local BP for $3.77 a gallon for diesel! When you take 70 to 80 gallons, you get excited when the price drops from $3.89 to $3.77 - that's a couple of beers at happy hour!

From Statesville, we headed North on I 77 to exit 100 where we took NC 89 North to Galax. The road is narrow, but well maintained. We reached the NC/VA border and it was only a few more miles to Deer Creek. the Resort is owned and operated by Barry Poole, who I met at the RV Supershow in Tampa last January. He offered a three night stay to have a look at the sites he has for sale to large RV owners. The resort is very nice with large concrete pads, room for a small cabin and excellent other amenities. There is even a small 9 home par three golf course adjacent to the resort that is free for owners and guests. Best of all, Barry is a wonderful host. We are enjoying ourselves and meeting some very nice people.

Sunday morning, I got out all the gear and washed the coach. First the roof, which the birds in Maggie Valley had used for a "poddy post", then the rest of the coach and the car. Three-and-a-half hours later, the vehicles look great and now we are just waiting for it to rain! Hopefully not this time.

This afternoon, Suz and I went off with Barry Poole and looked at the lots he has for sale and gave some thought to how this might fit into our long term plans. The sites are attractive and reasonably priced, and the people owners seem very nice. I like the layout and the infrastructure. It is friendly, somewhat posh, but not overly ostentatious. All the owned lots have very nice, newer well maintained coaches on them.

Later today we headed head back into Galax to see what other amenities are available. We found an Applebees last evening, but it is the strangest Applebees I have ever seen and not one we plan to return to. They do have a Super WalMart though, and Mt. Airy is only 21 miles away! Barry told us about a restaurant called Macadoos in the old Post Office in Galax. We found it and it was wonderful. It is a sandwich and pasta restaurant, with a great bar. The theme is 50's and 60's with a Mayberry RFD overtone. Note the statue of Don Knotts as the deputy sheriff above the entrance. Knott all is lost in Galax!


On Monday, we have been invited to participate in the owners golf tournament and then join them for a Potluck dinner. Sounds like a good time and a chance to meet some of the owners. Until the next time, Cheers.

John, Suz and Dixie the Wonderdog