Travels with Family and Friends in RoadAbode 2.0, Our 2019 Class C Motorhome. Sharing destinations, travel tips, and recommendations as we pursue our version of the RV lifestyle.
As I sit chowing down on a brie-on-ciabatta sandwich here in Watkins Glen, I realize how RVing has changed in the over decade now we have been blessed to have travelled in RoadAbode. We still all enjoy exploring places, but actual "downtime" seems to be more of a priority. Reading, coloring (yes adult coloring books are a thing) or playing card games - and NOT being weighed by responsibility I've been discovering are just as much fun as developing "the plan" of how we are to spend every waking moment of our vacation. Just feeling blessed to spend time together as we all get older.
That's not to say we still don't have to deal with work issues. We spend at least a few minutes a day answering questions, even signing in to resolve an issue or two. But only when needed, and not the constant worry of years past.
Childhood pastimes are still fun
So for this trip, I had an inkling of where and what to do, but left plenty of time to either discover some new things, or just some down time. We had plans that would work in case of rainy days, and sunny days. That was about the extent of planning.
Things not to miss in Watkins Glen
The Gorge is beautiful. Even though the entrance in under a reconstruction, it's still a great hike. We like to find some free street parking down on tenth street, (near the Police station) then walk up to just outside the gift shop and catch the shuttle to the top entrance of the gorge. The shuttle is $5 each, but worth it to do the walk only one way - downhill. Just remember to turn around to see some of the incredible swirling waters in the gorge.
Yours truly, hamming it up on the start of our hike
One of many beautiful waterfalls on the Watkins Glen Gorge Trail
In the Village of Watkins Glen check out the eateries and shops. I was able to pickup a lightweight raincoat at a keen price. Take a stroll all the way to Seneca Harbor Station - and enjoy a dinner view of the lake - or better yet - ON the lake with a dinner cruise.
There is lots happening this year for the RoadAbode Crew.
New position for Amy coordinating "The Table", a food pantry located at Roxborough Church. Kimberly "graduated" her first class of preschoolers. Emily herself graduated from High School. I have a new position of Infrastructure Support - focusing on creating and maintaining the backups for hundreds of virtual servers - and tweaking a few "bare metal" ones. Add in other daily demands, volunteer opportunities, a few social engagements like weddings and we were MORE than ready for our annual June roadtrip. Even so, it was two days shorter than usual, just because of individual logistics and commitments.
Prom Time Fun!
Since this was Emily's graduation year, she got to pick where we were heading. Months ago we discussed and I "helpfully suggested" a few points we haven't visited. Lake Erie or Lake Michigan, perhaps the Outer Banks of the Carolina's. Emily had already a place in mind. Amherst Massachusetts. What's in Amherst? More than I expected!
Amherst MA is the home to the American Poetess Emily Dickinson, one of our Emily's favorite writers. Emily D was born and raised in this now college town, and is buried only a short walk from her family homestead.
Now that I'm a "father of adults", schedules become more crowded. Not only do I and my wife have work obligations to take care of, but so does our now teacher daughter. The day we hit the road, we ordinarily like to be at RoadAbode by 10 or 11am, earlier if possible. Because it was last day of classes (graduation day) for our daughter's preschool, we couldn't leave until 2pm. Drive time (without stops) was six hours.
As usual, there was plenty of road construction, and a short harrowing piece I thought we were ending up on one of New York's parkways. We called ahead and had the office of the campground leave our paperwork on the front door. Even though we rolled in around 9:15pm, at least it had not been raining, and had no mishaps.
Campground KOA
Setting up camp is always pretty easy with RoadAbode, a fact I especially appreciate in the dark. Setting up at Northampton/Springfield KOA was no different. We had a pull thru site, that we only needed two blocks under one front tire to level. Hooked up water, cable, electric, turned on gas - and we were set! The rest could wait till morning.
Molly our 7 year old Lhasa-poo pup loves to explore new places, and at first light was already poking and prodding me to take her out for new "sniffs." I got to stay in bed until 5:30a, and had to take her out. Who am I kidding - I wanted to get moving too!
A leisurely walk around the park let us discover a nice dog park with doggy exercise equipment, a newer playground for kids, and smallish pool (right across from RoadAbode). The roads were gravel, and in many places a new coating would be a good idea.
Back at RoadAbode, I began brewing a pot of coffee on the stove, and was able to relax. I sat outside to read more of the book by Ron Chernow that inspired the Tony award winning musical, Hamilton. The true history of the man is in some ways more incredible then what is dramatized in the play by Lin Manuel Miranda.
I was able to get in a few hours reading, then a shower. Shower house was disappointing at this KOA. Only one shower and in need of updating. At least it was clean.
The girls were soon up and getting hungry. We decided to do an all American diner - and we sure found one! Blue Bonnet Diner located in Northampton was exactly what we were looking for before touring Amherst. Great food, great service. A short drive from there we were in Amherst proper and found what we came for - the Emily Dickinson Museum.
There was plenty of metered parking out front, but a side street across from the museum had free spots available, so we took advantage of a spot - with shade to boot.
The homestead of Emily Dickinson has been wonderfully restored, and the grounds have homey small gardens, similar to what Emily would have had during her time there. The first floor of the home is a welcome center and gift store, with some photos and memorabilia to see before an official tour. The tour is the only way to see the other areas of the interior of Emily Dickinson's home. Many of the volunteers are college interns, and of course fans of the poetess. Our guide was a retired resident of the area who knew a few poems by heart. She was well versed in the history of the town of Amherst, the college, and the family tree of Emily. One special treat was near the end of the tour. We were sitting and looking at how variations of Emily Dickinson's poems came to be, when she asked for anyone who had a personal favorite. Our Emily, usually reserved in open forums, quickly raised her hand and discussed her favorite. Our guide pulled out a concordance of Dickinson poems, found the particular prose, and invited our Emily to read for the tour group. To my surprise - she did! One of the highlights of the visit for me.
After the tour, the girls did some shopping in the museum shop, then we wandered thru the gardens. I checked my smartphone, and found we were a short walk from Emily Dickinson's grave. We exited the gardens on an opposite corner, and walked past some of the beautiful homes of Amherst to the gates of West Cemetery. We were not sure of the exact location of the grave, but since the graveyard was small, it was easily found. Gated along with her family in almost the center of the cemetery was her tombstone, adorned with gifts from her admirers. Pens and pencils, scrawl
ed notes, even jewelery were placed upon her final resting place.
We left the West cemetery and walked along North Pleasant Street to Judie's Restaurant to have some drinks and pop overs with apple butter. Pop overs are a great mid-afternoon snack. If you have never tried one, pop overs are similar to very eggy, overgrown muffins. We first encountered them on our 2012 trip to Maine. Slather them with locally grown jam or apple butter and they are even better.
After touring town a bit (should have checked out this part of the college town even more) We headed back to RoadAbode to relax. On the way we stopped by what appeared to be a family run farm stand near the campground. Outlook Farms had lots more going on! Set next to to an orchard of heirloom apples and other fruits, Outlook Farms also holds a bakery, small cafe, butcher and produce stand. They also have an in-house cidery, which I picked up a bottle to try. Great stop if you visit the area.
The Three "R"s ~ Relaxing, Reading and Recreational Games
Rest of our day was spent reading and playing games. That relaxation part of a vacation that we sometimes forget to do. I was continuing to read Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow and Amy was reading something on the problems and solutions for food security in our neighborhood. We also got to play some great games the girls had along. Kimberly had Game of Phones, where each player participates in a scavenger hunt using their smartphone. The "judge" for the round picks a card, and the others need to scour either their smartphone folders or internet and find the best answer on their phones and show the judge, who gets to choose a winner for that round. Emily brought out Rory's Story Cubes, a set of dice with different symbols on them. Create a story using the symbols you roll. pass on the story or shift it around from player to player. Great game to dust off the cobwebs in your brain and use your imagination.
The next morning we opted to grab breakfast at the Outlook farm and head to the Eric Carle Museum. For the uninitiated, Eric Carle is a children's book author, who is known for his colorful art work. The pictures in his books are created using a collage technique with hand-painted papers. The author/artist then cuts and layers these to form bright and colorful images. His most famous and award winning book - The Very Hungry Caterpillar - has been translated into over 40 languages.
The museum itself showcases the artists and artwork found in children's books. According to WikipediaThe museum includes three rotating galleries, each housing picture book art. The West Gallery is devoted to the work of Eric Carle, the East and Central galleries present the work of numerous picture book artists. Though we did not stay long, we enjoyed learning about the creation process. I especially thought learning about story development and seeing preliminary sketches for the books were intriguing. Such great detail and imagination!
After our time at the museum, the girls thought some shopping was in order. They love perusing thrift stores, so with the help of Google Maps, we found some great stops to check out. One in particular The Cancer Connection thrift shop in Northampton MA, had some great buys at low prices. Kimberly even found some items to use in her classroom. We stopped into one of our favorite grocery stores - Aldi - for some provisions, and a look around at a Salvation Army Thrift (I stayed in the car and took a nap)
Since Friday is pizza night, we got a recommendation from the KOA office for a local pizza joint. Pisano's Pizza was pretty good, though pickup was a bit away in the town of Hadley.
We closed up our evening with more games, and watching the farmer next door cut, bale and cart off his hay.
On our last full day in the area, we wanted to check out the Amherst Trail system Some are maintained by the University, or the Township of Amherst, with the help of volunteers. Many are converted "rails to trails" .The girls decided to check out the shortest trail because it was named for Emily Dickinson. The trail formerly known as the Misty Bottom Trail, is one of Amherst's "Literary Trails." It starts in Groff Park and follows Amherst College land, meandering along the Fort River.
Along the way we passed a small community garden, and found what we first thought was a bird house, but turned out to be an interesting home for some wee little rabbits! The Trail connects with some larger paved biking and hiking routes. We opted to reverse and head back to Groff Park rather than investigate these. Some of the bikes going past on the larger trails were moving at a good clip, and Molly our pup is not too keen on sharing space with bicycles.
As we headed back to RoadAbode, we noticed an interesting sign that we had past a few times in our travels in the area. "Grey Matter Books 2/10 ->"
We decided to stop in - though half our crew stayed in the car "to keep Molly company" Grey Matter Books Was what a used bookstore looks like in the movies. Off the beaten path, with just a little disarray, but a helpful clerk that can probably find just about anything. Kimberly again found plenty to share with her preschool class.
After a bit of literary shopping, we headed back to RoadAbode. Emily cooked some hamburgers over the fire - she's a pretty good cook - and we settled back for another evening of reading and games. Except - we had the excitement of some police activity right in the campground!
Seems that a domestic dispute of some sort broke out, and the KOA staff became involved, as did Massachusetts state troopers. A few conversations and walks around the pool, and a family was packed up and escorted off the property.
After the evening's live action soap opera, we settled in, watched some TV, and prepared for coming home.
Our trip home was easier navigation-wise than travelling to the area. We only ran into heavy traffic as we approached the Tappan Zee bridge, and that was partially due to all the construction going on. What we gaged as being five and a half hours only stretched into six and a half.
Yes, I Think RoadAbode's Captain did it! Co-pilot saves the day!
While on our June Trip, just as we were about to depart from Jonestown KOA and head for Delaware Seashore State Park, Amy noticed the floor in RoadAbode's restroom was wet. Really wet. She checked around and could not see a leak point and I surmised (without actually looking) that the seal or flooring at the base of the toilet had failed. Amy started the process of putting down towels to dry the area while we got RoadAbode into "Travel configuration" for our trip southward. We talked how we could remedy the situation, either stopping somewhere along the way, or down in Delaware. Amy went back and after toweling some more, decided the water was not "used" - thankfully - but clean water! So where was it coming from? We could not see any drips from the inlet in the back of the toilet, and the pressure (we always use a regulator) was not abnormally high. Holding the handle and letting the water run while flushing, Amy discovered the issue. A seam that connects the bottom pedestal to the area right under the seat had small droplets of water leaking out. Behind the seam is where the water flows to get the "swirling" action to flush down the toilets contents. After over ten years (and probably my big butt) of use, it no longer was a water tight seam. We might be able to fix this!
Though we had a tube of window caulk on-board, We decided to stop somewhere along the way and pickup some Silicone sealant - like what they use to seal aquariums. I've used this in the past for sealing cracks and such - that are not under pressure. Fortunately, the way the toilet is built the channel that the water is traveling through behind the cracked seal is not under pressure. The channel just directs the water around the upper edge of the bowl. Using the silicone should work.
While underway, we instructed the girls that they could use the toilet, but we would keep the water pump off. To flush, they would just use a filled water bottle rather than the flush valve. on the toilet. Amy scouted out a Walmart that was not too far off our travels in Delaware. Once there, the girls found the exact silicone sealant we were looking for in a nice, small tube - perfect for the job. Amy made sure the seam was dry, and liberally applied the sealant to the toilet. According to instructions, it had to cure for 24 hours. So we let it do it's thing until the next day. (probably a little less that 24 hours) It was no longer tacky and the seam was completely covered and enclosed in the silicone. We put on the water and tested with the valve. It worked! For the rest of our stay we had no water issues from the toilet. Will be using for our upcoming guys trip to Gettysburg. We'll see how it holds up. So glad and blessed that I have a wife who is a quick thinker and can handle a little stress while out in RoadAbode.
silicone applied
We are looking at newer toilets, and may purchase one in the near future. If you have any experience with a toilet you like of don't like, we'd love to learn from you. Write in the comments section below!
Happy travels!
This June for our annual "Afterschool RoadTrip" we ventured to parts familiar to us, and beautiful interesting new territory. The landscapes and surrounding areas of each were relaxing as we would like, but still offered more activities to take part in that we could possibly do in our week away. Since part of the fun of having a motorhome is travelling, we stayed part of our time in the woodlands of South-Central PA, then moved on to our first stay in the First state - Delaware.
Panorama of our Jonestown KOA Campsite next to the Swatara Creek
First Leg of RoadAbode's June Trip
We need to store RoadAbode outside the city. This slightly limits what the girls can pack - which I believe is a good thing. We pack up our tiny Honda Fit coupe with the possessions needed for the week, and head to RoadAbode's home at the storage yard. Once there, we all pitch in to more the load. We also prep the Honda Fit with tow lights, as we use it as our "toad" - pulled behind RoadAbode with a tow bar. The Fit is the second car we've had a tow bar setup installed on, and makes as a perfect little car to explore wherever we are.. We pull RoadAbode out of her spot, pull the Honda Fit behind, and connect the car to the tow bar. Our eldest daugher has been helping connect up for years now, and knows the process. Amy does the drivetrain process - each car that is towable has a specific way to shift gears and get ready for towing. Finally we check each other and are on our way!
It helps that we have four android phones with us. We have some favorite Apps we use. My smartphone is used as our GPS using Google Maps. (we still consult a printed map as well from time to time, or utilize campground directions) Amy's is used to scout out eateries, grocery stores or gas stations along our route. Hers is also used as our main phone if we want to contact the campground or anyone else during our drive. The other two switch off between listening to music, or consulting the Internet for interesting things to do at our destination or sights as we travel. And yes, sometimes the girls will ignore us up in the cab for a while and just use their smartphone to read or play a game, especially on longer trips.
I forgot to mention Molly, our Lhasa Poo pup. She can be found either sitting on Moms lap, on the couch with one of the girls, or way in the back snoozing on our bed. She really enjoys the RVing life!
On this trip our first destination was only two and a half hours away. We arrived at Jonestown KOA about an hour before check in, but they were gracious enough to check that our site was ready, and one of the young ladies escorted us to our site. There was a car parked not in our site, but close in front of it, making it difficult to pull in. The KOA staff right away checked with campers in the area, and quickly figured out it was a guest of someone staying at a Kabin close by. (They were having a birthday celebration for a child there) What some would have found aggravating turned out pretty nice, because it gave us a chance to meet the neighbors and find out how the weather's been, and where they were from.
Our site was perfectly level, so we connected the essentials of water, electric and cable, then set out to get Barbeque! Within a 15 or 20 minute drive of the KOA sits a building that looks more like a feed store than a place to get good eats Shakedown Barbeque. is located on firehouse lane, which is a small winding farmers road off the beaten track in the middle of cornfields. Inside this establishment you find some of the best pork, brisket and chicken barbque you can have. Sit inside, outside, or take with - you will not be disappointed. Large portions of flavorful meat - with delicious sides. They also occasionally have live music to enjoy outside.
Reconnecting at waters edge
After getting our fill of pork and brisket, we headed back to RoadAbode. Normally we'd wade the creek looking for crawdads, fish or other creatures but because of recent storms, the waters of the Swatara were too deep and swift. Our plans for tubing or canoeing right from our site would have to happen another time. We sat a bit outside watch the waters, relaxing, reading and reconnecting. It's one of the joys of RVing together as a family.. As the day turned to twilight, we decided to play a game of monopoly. It's fun to be a little competitive, and maybe even chat a bit how just life - like monopoly - isn't always fair, but we can still help one another out. After an enjoyable competitive game, we watched a little cable, did a little reading, and headed off to bed.
Dogs are probably more excited about camping than we realize. Monday - At the crack of dawn, Molly was waking me up to go out and explore. New sights and especially new smells were waiting for her to check out. And there are chipmunks and squirrels to chase after! I enjoy our walks as well. There are usually a few other early rising dog owners to say hello to, and sometimes we get surprised by seeing a doe or groundhog along the way. Additionally, since we are on vacation, I really dont want to waste too many moments laying in bed! Once Molly had sniffed and marked new territory, we headed back to RoadAbode for her breakfast, and my first coffee of the day. Remoting into work to check server processes was next on the agenda.
Once everyone was up we start planning the day. Since playing on the rain swollen Swatara was off the menu of activities, the girls decided to do one of their favorite past-times - thrifting. I enjoy hunting out a good bargain too, so finding some places to stop was as easy as asking "OK Google, show me thrift shops" We found a line of them on Route 422 in the nearby county of Lebanon. First thing is breakfast - and as a treat we head first to The Farmer's Wife Family restaurant in Ono, down the road from the KOA on Route 72 about 20 minutes. Great meal, quick service and not expensive. Having some plate-size pancakes with farm fresh sausage and eggs was perfect for a vacation treat! The girls thrifting finds included dresses with hoop underskirt (different stores) they will use as costumes for our church's Vacation Bible School, and Amy found a new Vera Bradley purse for $12 (apparently that's good)
PA National Guard Museum Exhibits
Back at RoadAbode, lunch was a healthy salad since we were still pretty full from breakfast. In the afternoon, we took a short ride over to Fort Indiantown Gap. Though the National Guard Museum was already closed, we still enjoyed looking at the aircraft, tanks and memorials relating military history. Back at RoadAbode, our day progressed with lots of lounging, reading, or relaxing watching TV at our campsite till evening. A few games of cards were in order to close out the night.
On Tuesday, since the creek was still relatively high and murky, we decided if we wanted to do any boating, Memorial Lake State Park in the middle of the Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard training area was our best bet. We took the the short ride over, only to find out that boat rentals are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. We still enjoyed a short hike around the lake, but no boating this RVing trip out! We had some brats grilled over the fire for our evening meal, and enjoyed a game of clue for our the night's entertainment.
Memorial Lake State Park Boat Launch
Second Leg of RoadAbode's June Trip
After a relaxing few days at Jonestown KOA, it was time for a change of venue! Wednesday was our pack up and travel day. We've never stayed in the state of Delaware before, so we let Google map our drive down to our next stop - Delaware Seashore State Park. We stayed in the new North Inlet Campground Here is a Photosphere of our Campsite. You can drag the photo around with your cursor for a 360 view of our campsite.
Most people call the bridge by the campground the Indian River Inlet Bridge. It's given name is the Charles Cullen Bridge, after a state highway commissioner of the 1930s . This beautiful cable bridge was built in 2012 and replaced a string of wooden and girder steel beam bridges. Check this link to learn the history of the bridges that spanned the inlet in this location over the years.
After setting up RoadAbode in our campsite facing the bay, we jumped in the car and took a ride to check out the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk. Parking in Rehoboth is all metered, and open parking was hard to come by. We lucked out and found a spot only a block away from the southern end of the boardwalk. The boardwalk is one mile long, quite short compared to the Atlantic City (4 miles) and Wildwood (2 miles) boardwalks we grew up on. It still has all the excitement of "Jersey Shore" boardwalk, just in a more family friendly "fun size". Being a bit hungry, one thing we had to try were the famous Thrashers Boardwalk fries. Hot authentic boardwalk French fries were a great treat as we wandered up the boardwalk and poked our head in a few of the shops. Amy saw a funnel cake stand and decided to partake of one of her favorite desserts. If you've never had this concoction, it's simply a cake batter drizzled by a funnel (hence the name) in a rotating pattern onto boiling oil, and flash fried. The crispy yet doughy mess is then lifted, drained and placed on a paper plate and liberally coated with powder sugar. There are versions that include chocolate, whipped cream and fruits - but my wife is a woman with simple tastes :-)
While waiting for us to pickup Amy's order, the girls sat and people watched from a nearby bench. They also looked onto the dunes, and found a tiny bunny nibbling on the sandy. Never though of rabbits living on the beach! After the bunny sighting, we headed back to our Honda Fit, (meter almost out) and out of Rehoboth beach, back to our North Inlet Campsite.
The sky as the sun was setting looked like it was on fire from our campsite, and the bridge light in blue gave this spot an almost patriotic feel. Great end to the day.
Sun Setting over the North Inlet Campground of Delaware Seashore State Park
Indian River Inlet Bridge at Night
The sun is up early here! Guess it should be, since we are right by the Atlantic Ocean. For a June trip, this probably was the most drastic environment change we've experienced. From stream and woodlands to a ocean beach spot with no mature trees at all in one day.
Molly was ready to walk before 6am, and with the sun already up, so was I . This new campground is aligned between the bridge and the US Coast Guard station. There is also a public access parking lot directly next to the bridge. All the roadways are black macadam, and the walkways white cement. As we walked around the campground, there were only one or two campsites that those residing there felt needed leveling blocks or jacks. When we set up, we basically pulled in, checked the level, and then setup. Besides being well laid out, this campground also has very nice shower facilities, and even a great laundry room with large washers and dryers. Include that we have full electric, water and sewer hookups, and this is probably the nicest and well equipped state park we have enjoyed camping.
Down past the campground if you continue walking the inlet road is the marina and Hammerheads Restaurant. Plenty for Molly to sniff on her morning walk!
Today we stayed mostly close to camp. The girls headed to the beach, while I stayed back with Molly and enjoyed just watching the people and boats on the Inlet, and some light reading.
Claire and Sophie of "ComedySportz World Tour"
On one of Molly's walks we noticed a Class C motorhome with "Comedy Sportz World Tour" emblazoned on the side and back. A quick Google search and we found the story of Claire and her pup Sophie. So Amy and I wandered over, and interrupted Clair relaxing and reading a book outside her RV. Seems Claire had a great idea as an office dweller for Comedy Sportz - which is an improv group with locations in major cities through North America. She pitched a travel and marketing campaign - via a motorhome. She got the go ahead! You can follow Claire, Sophie and their travelling comic companions as they criss-cross the country to visit and work with other comedians. Check out ComedySportz here.
Back at RoadAbode, though we all did snack as the day went on, we decided to head out for an early dinner. Using a Google Maps search for restaurants close to us, we found the highly rated Nalu in Dewey Beach. We piled in the car and headed over.
Tiger Shark hanging from the ceiling of Nalu
Only a 10 minute drive from the campground, Nalu is a Hawaiian surfer themed bar and grille. With open swing-out windows, palm trees, totem poles, tiki bar, and huge Tiger Shark hanging from the ceiling, we had the feeling we were sitting at an outdoor luau. The decor, may be over the top, but really put us in an island frame of mind. If you ever get the chance to head there, make sure to try the HUGH Nachos, and a plate of bacon wrapped pineapple. Plenty of tasty choices on the menu, many with a Hawaiian twist!
After being thrilled with our dining find and filled with a tasty mix of seafood, pork and more, we headed back to camp. There were a few excited people pointing and taking pictures as we were about to enter RoadAbode. A pod of dolphins were swimming up into the bay! It was so cool to see dolphins - right from our picnic bench! Did not get good pictures, but you can see the dolphins a bit in this video.
To end the day on a literal high note, the Park staff had scheduled a musician to play in the pavilion leading to the beach. As the sun set, a mix of laid back beach and old rock ballads drifted through the campground. After the music, everyone was invited for a beach campfire featuring toasted marshmallows. Great way to bring a close to the evening!
Since Friday was predicted to be wet, we planned a few inside activities in Rehoboth Beach. Traffic was crawling through Dewey and Rehoboth. Looked like day trippers and weekenders were clogging the roads. We stopped at the Fractured Prune for a breakfast of doughnuts. Their specialty is made to order hot donuts. Unique flavor creations abound, with combinations of sprinkles, toppings and glazes to make your own taste sensation. I went with a staff favorite - Maple glaze with cinnamon sugar named a French Toast doughnut. The girls went with a mint chocolate chip concoction, and a berry mix of some sort. We all enjoyed our sweet treats!
Our main stop was to the Nassau Valley Vineyards. Beautiful grounds with well kept colonial buildings, the Winery was quite busy readying for an afternoon wedding and serving other tastings. We opted for a self guided tour, showcasing the history of wine-making more than the winery itself. Once we were able to get a tasting (requiring an additional wait after our tour) we tried a few wines on the sweet end of the spectrum. We did end up with a bottle of True Blue Blueberry and Peach Ambrosia - more for the novelty than because of the taste. The True Blue is produced from 100% locally grown blueberries. Still was fun to try some different vintages, and enjoy a short walk through the art gallery and grounds. The girls day seemed to be made more by meeting the vintner, who was a surprisingly young muscular surfer type that seemed to catch all the female eyes in the room. The young man being just a bit shy when introduced by the ladies who led our tastings seemed to make him even more interesting.
We decided to stop for some "touristy shopping" as we headed back to RoadAbode. One place that caught the girl's eyes was The Sea Shell Shop. Connected to a mini golf course and ice cream parlor, the store seemed to have the trifecta of tourist traps rolled into one. Filled with all things nautically inspired, the girls found some trinkets to keep for themselves and for a few friends back home. I did well with my new motto "simplify." I don't need more clutter, though some of the items available were pretty.
For our last full day enjoying the North Inlet at Delaware Seashore State Park, Amy baked a light breakfast of homemade buttery croissant rolls, which we devoured while watching the boats entering and leaving the Inlet. After cleaning up, we headed out to find out what the Mid Atlantic Sea Glass & Coastal Arts Festival was about. We learned that collecting sea glass, much like collecting gemstones, is become a "thing." People look for certain colors, shapes and love the jewelry and mosaics created with the glass. If the glass can be authenticated as from a certain age bottle, or from a period type of glass - it has more value. The items we saw were beautiful, even while walking among the booths in a slight drizzle. There were plenty of other artisans there with paintings, carvings and various interesting artwork - all ocean and beach themed. Add that they had some food and a live steel drum musician, and it was a downright good time., The girls picked up some seaglass to remember the trip, and a few other items. After, we walked and perused some of the stores on nearby 2nd street.
Some Island sounds during the Sea Glass Festival
The rest of our day we just enjoyed lounging at RoadAbode reading and enjoying our campsite by the sea.
Sunday was our reluctant pack-up day, and we left at 11:55 am - right before our Noon checkout. We were not in a hurry to leave! I was surprised the traffic was not heavier on the way through Dewey and Rehoboth Beach. In face, we kept moving pretty well until we were at the Pennsylvania border. If this had been coming from the New Jersey Shore, we would have been in bumper to bumper traffic for over four hours all the way home! We made the trip back to storage in a little over 2 and half hours.
We really enjoyed this year's trip, even though we were no more than 3 hours away from our home in Philadelphia. We had a nice mix of things we'd enjoyed before, and some new places to discover. We definitely recommend both Jonestown KOA and The North Inlet Campground at Delaware Seashore State Park. If you've been to these places, we'd love to hear what you enjoyed - or didn't - in these places. Hope to see you down the road! Happy Travels!
Our Campsite along the Swatara Creek at Jonestown KOA
We've stayed a few times at this campground, before it was even a part of the KOA network. At our first visit it was still named Lickdale Campground. We discovered the park by talking to the owner at an RV show in Oaks, PA - outside of Philadelphia. The conversation was friendly, and the park sounded like our type of campground. Plus, we had not camped in the area before so soon after arriving back home we booked a stay. We're glad we did!
Jonestown KOA is near the juncture of I-78 and I-81 in Southern-Central Pennsylvania. Being within a mile or so of the interstate seems to make the campground a great stop-over point for travelers heading toward northern or southern destinations. From the brief conversations we've had with other RVers - and the license plates on the motorhomes, trailers and fifth-wheels we see - there are plenty that make this a regular stopping point while passing through Pennsylvania. There are even special, easy access & pull-through campsites for these come-n-go RVers.
The camp store is what you want a camp store to be! in fact, the locals use it as their "go to" convenience stores. The store, which is also the camp office, has frontage on Lickdale Road where it intersects with State route 72, making it truly convenient in and out. The store does not stock just your essential camping items, but has a full deli, Ice cream shop and even tasty broasted chicken - that can be delivered right to your campsite!
To top off the activities at Jonestown KOA, they also sell tickets for, and will shuttle your family to, Hersheypark.
The amenities and location of Jonestown KOA are all great, but what draws us to this campground are its camping spots directly next to the Swatara creek.
Swatara Creek & the Lickdale Bridge
Each camp pad along the creek has a concrete patio, with steps leading down the bank to the the water's edge. There are plenty of Sweetgum, Oak and Maples to shade your site. Depending on the height of the creek from current rainfall, you can sometimes wade in, or just fish from your campsite. The campground also rents tubes, kayaks and canoes. They will shuttle you to a entry point upstream to start your journey. Nothing like floating on the water and being able to beach your craft at your own campsite!
If you want to go check out local cuisine, there are plenty of great small restaurants to partake within a twenty minute drive or less. We have two favorites: Shakedown Barbeque is located on a little windy farmers path called Firehouse Road and may look like a feed store from the outside. But inside you'll find the awesome mouthwatering goodness that only excellent Barbeque can provide. The portions are big enough to share, or take home some to enjoy later at your campsite. Whether Pork, Brisket or Chicken, don't forget to get a side of crispy, seasoned fries with your order. If you are wondering what to wear, go comfortable. We've seen everything from biker leathers to dads in polo shirts. Everybody seems happy because they are eating tasty BBQ and enjoying the eclectic mix of blues music and the Shakedown's cordial staff..\
Menu Board from Shakedown Barbeque
Farmer's Wife Family Restaurant (no website) in Ono,PA is a no nonsense eatery. We've enjoyed great breakfasts, lunches and dinners there. The menu is stuffed with variety, and the prices are very reasonable.
Things to do in the area besides HersheyPark include Indian Echo Caverns, Linda's Speedway (Where Jonestown KOA sponsors a driver) Swatara and Memorial Lake State Parks, and the National Guard Museum Aircraft and tank displays. You may even see the National Guard doing practice maneuvers.
We highly recommend Jonestown KOA as a great base for checking out Central Pennsylvania!
An Aerial View of Knoebels Amusement Park, Elysburg, PA
For the past ten years, the RoadAbode Crew has taken a family trip in June. For our family it's a great way to celebrate the end of the school year and really get's us into our "summer groove". This year's trip we wanted to stay closer to home and do a tour of Central Pennsylvania. There are plenty of great spots to hit, but we only have ten days to fit the trip into.After a few discussions (and concessions by me to cut back how many places to visit) the RoadAbode Crew finally decided on our destinations for this year. We've never been to Gettysburg Battlefield, so we wanted to check out the history and what else the area had to offer. We decided to check in on an old family favorite, Knoebel's Amusement Park, with a short visit into the abandoned town of Centralia, and finally head to a campground outside Fort Indiantown Gap Pennsylvania and spend a few days relaxing creek side at Jonestown KOA.
Town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Regiment Cannon on Battlefield at Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg took three days in the heat of July 1863. Thinking you can experience and learn about this pivotal battle or tour the area in the same time just can't be done.
There are plenty of options to camp in the Gettysburg area. When we learned that we could stay next to a creek at Gettysburg Campground we decided to stay there. The girls love searching for crawdads fish and other creatures when we relax at our campsite. The campground has over 260 sites, including those for tent campers. Some of the sites do back up to Marsh Creek, Our site number was 52, and though we did back up to Marsh Creek, the bank at our particular campsite was steep and overgrown with underbrush, no easy access to the stream bank at all. If staying and you want creek access, we would suggest sites 54 through 58 and 235 thru 238. The campsites are all gravel, and all seem quite level. The amenities at the park are great, including a fully stocked store, clean restroom/shower facilities, and landscaping that was well kept. Though we didn't use the pool on this trip, looks like plenty of people were enjoying a dip. Another plus of this park is JR's RV repair shop right on the property. We could see that as being handy if you needed something repaired while vacationing in the area. Molly enjoyed the large dog walking area near the entrance to the campground. The campground is on the outskirts of the town of Gettysburg, but close to drive to the fields where the Northern and Southern armies engaged, and see historic farmhouses where the injured were taken to be treated.
State of Pennsylvania Monument
The Battle of Gettysburg lasted for three days in the heat of July in 1863, and has become known as the turning point of the American Civil War, and inspired Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The fierce battle and loss of life changed how future wars the United States would be involved in were fought.
On this trip, I'd be correct in saying we discovered our girls are not civil war buffs. As we toured, places I would have stayed and learned more about the reason and story behind monuments, they were ready to run to the next item on our list. I had downloaded some really well done podcast audio tours and maps of the various important battle areas. Though really interesting to me, the podcasts did not hold the girls interest. Nothing wrong with the podcasts, they are informative and interesting stories, just not something that 20something and teen girls wanted to sit still for. We did stop at the Pennsylvania Monument. The State of Pennsylvania Monument is the largest monument on the Gettysburg battlefield. On top is a statue of Winged Victory which stand on top of the dome; its metal came from a melted down Civil War cannon. Just thestatue is over 7000 pounds. The girls climbed up the stairway to the roof to glimpse beautiful views of the battlefield and surrounding land.
Another area the girls did find interesting was the Cyclorama found in the Gettysburg Museum and Visitors Center, which is administered and run by the National Park Service. I don't want to give away spoilers, but I felt intrigued by both the portrayal of the battle, and the background history of the Gettysburg Cyclorama. Talking back at our campsite, we felt the Museum and Visitors Center were the highlights for our Gettysburg portion of our RoadTrip. Take the time, and wander through the museum. Learn more about the individual stories of the young men on both sides of this conflict that gave their lives fighting for what they believed was right.
Devil's Den as seen from Little Round Top
Interest of individual locations of engagement will vary by what state you are from, or what story catches you. One storied battle area that I personally found interesting was Devil's Den. The stage for this battle was set by an outcropping of large boulders located in a valley facing Little Round Top. Confederate sharpshooters took cover among the crevices and in between the large rocks. Though only a few men, they succeeded in holding their ground while picking off Union artillerymen and officers. Having read about this particular battle, I was interested to see and walk the topography of the site. To understand how this Confederate standoff occurred, it really helped to visit this particular site. We saw that kds love to climb the boulders of Devil's Den and of Little Round Top, but make sure if your do, they are supervised and make good choices. Even though run by the National Park Service, you need to be cautious as terrain can be uneven with steep slopes and drop-offs. It's worth the trip - even if you are not into the history of the civil war, to understand what these men went through can be stirring. For some visitors, perhaps the spectacular views of the countryside from Little Round Top are worth the visit.
When roadtripping in RoadAbode , I always enjoy sampling some local fare. Since this trip was closer to home, we already are familiar with Philadelphia scrapple and cheese steaks, or shoo-fly pie and sweet & sour chow-chow of Lancaster. Though I had read about the historical staples for both the North and South, I didn't see any hardtack or salt pork for sale, which were the two most common foods provided to Civil War soldiers on both sides of the battle. Probably not something I'd want to eat a lot of, but I'm always up for a new taste! Instead we enjoyed some regular fare. Tommy's Pizza, was our favorite! I've caught conversations of the girls still talking about the hand-formed dough - crisp yet still soft on the interior; and the fresh toppings we had on our vegetable pizza. It was the first pizzeria we've been too that the wanted to revisit the next day for more of the same. If the girls come back to Gettysburg, part of the reason will be fror Tommy's Pizza. General Pickett’s Buffetin the "all you can eat" style of dining was great after a day touring out in the battlefields, This eatery offers a variety of standard buffet fare, with plenty of choices so everyone can find something they like. It's not fine dining, but sure was tasty and filling. General Pickett's also has a gift shop and "Battle Theater". Though we did not take time to visit this attraction, it sounded interesting, featuring a miniature diorama, which depicts scenes from the famous battle. The main attraction is a 30-minute sound and color presentation that describes battle times and places, army advance and retreat paths and a complete animation of the three days of battle. Both Tommy's Pizza and General Pickett's Buffet are on Steinwehr Avenue (Business Route 15).
After dinner, we strolled along Steinwehr Avenue past quite an array of touristy shops, bed and breakfasts, and various fooderies. There are plenty of tours of the battlefield and surround area to chose here, from tours by dressed re-enactors to nighttime ghost tours, and tours by horse-drawn carriage or air conditioned coach. One unique aspect of the tours of Gettysburg is the "Association of Licensed Battle Guides" The battle guides association is close to 100 years old. Guides need to pass a certification process sanctioned by the US Government. Today, more than one hundred Association guides conduct thousands of tours for visitors around Gettysburg and other battlefields of the Civil War each year. For the RoadAbode Crew, all this would have been lost money on our uninterested girls. Next Time I'll maybe go without them! I really enjoyed learning about the history of Gettysburg.
Perhaps when I visit Gettysburg again, I'll make it an awesome "Guys Trip". Besides the over 1300 monuments to the soldier on both sides of the conflict, there are plenty of attractions to take part in. Museums, Soldiers National Cemetery, theaters, wineries, a Cidery, brew pubs, and more. Looking forward to going back!
To research more and make a trip to Gettysburg of your own, check these links:
Knoebels has been America's largest free admission park for over 85 years of operation. Sandwiched between mountains in a wooded grove straddling Columbia and Northumberland Counties, the award winning amusement park has been highly rated for it's rides and food. The park originally started as a place to picnic and swim in the waters of Roaring Creek which run through the grove. In those first years the Knoebels family added a carousel and a pool of filtered water - Crystal Pool - and the amusement park was born from there.
Knoebels Tilt-a-Whirl
The RoadAbode Crew love Knoebels for it's family friendly layout and the no entry fee policy. Parking is even free. It's great to bring along grandparents who don't "DO" the rides anymore, but still want to enjoy watching the kids have fun. Also, it's wonderful that Knoebels has great rides for all, from toddlers to teenagers. There are size and age appropriate versions of older kids rides for wee ones to get thrilled on. Some of the rides have been here for decades, yet are well maintained and lovingly cared for. The Main Carousel (one of two traditional carousels in the park) is a "I gotta do that" ride. With moving and stationary horses, and even comfortabe benches, the ride is appropriate for everyone. Sit on the outer horses for a chance to grasp the brass ring! If you missed it, don't worry, you can buy an engraved keepsake at the Carousel Museum.Our girls love coming back year after year for old favorites, from bumper cars, Italian Trapeze, two miniature steam engines, to the motorboat ride they can steer through part of the park. Not all the rides are "old school" and Knoebels is known by Roller Coaster enthusiasts for the Twister, Phoenix, and Flying Turns Coasters. Also announce is the building of another massive coaster to be called Impulse. Other favorites for youngsters and oldsters alike are the shows featuring bands, singing groups, or other talent. You can even learn something in museums of carousel horses, Knoebels history, and of coal mining. There are plenty of places to sit on a bench in the shade and take in some people watching and the menagerie passing by.
Enjoying the Parachute Ride at Knoebels
What's great about Knoebels for RVers are their two campgrounds; one right next to the amusement park and one a short shuttle or car ride away . The campground next to the park offers limited electrical connections and water fill connections in each loop or section. For those really into roller coasters, there are even campsites right next to the Twister. Lake Glory Campground offers full hookups for each site. Both Campgrounds offer well stocked camp stores and cabins for those friends you invited without a tent or RV. We have stayed at both campgrounds, and though we like having the ability to walk right into the amusement park from our campsite, we prefer the full hookups at Lake Glory. The Lake Glory campsites are more of a wooded setting, and feel more spacious. It's nice after being at the park all day and coming back to a quieter setting.
Our girls & friends riding one of the antique cars at Knoebels
If you leave Knobels without trying the food in the amusement park, you've missed half the experience. Local birch beer, and favorites like pierogies, tri-taters and the fresh hot waffle ice-cream sandwich are just a small sampling of the home-cooked goodness that awaits at the amusement park. There are choices to grab wherever you are throughout the park, and even a sit down full service diner. The International Food Court near the Phoenix roller coaster features tastes from around the world. Knoebels has been the Golden Ticket winner for food quality and value for over the past 10 years They were just edged out in 2014 by Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The food at Knoebels is one reason I'm always up for a trip there!
What our family loves about Knoebels are the rides, the food and the overall relaxing fun. It's a family-friendly place, and a good value. It's a unique piece of Americana that we recommend you visit!
Other attractions near Elysburg include the Knoebels Golf Course, a beautiful natural area called Weiser State Forest, and the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mining Tour.
Our Side Trip ~ Centralia, Pennsylvania
Not a far drive from Knoebels is the town of Centralia. Not officially an attraction, it is infamous as the town that is burning underground since 1962. This is "coal country" and the hills here have a rich history of miining. I had previously visited Centralia by myself a few years back, and now that the girls are a bit older, wanted them to see this town that has become equal parts legend, truth, and folklore. I drove the girls around the grid pattern of streets with no homes, just plots with overgrown trees, sidewalks, street signs, and fire hydrants. We walked together and I showed them fissures in the ground near the dump where the underground fire started. Wisps of smoke and gases still rose up and you could feel heat coming from deep within the ground, still 50 years later. There are far less warning signs than I remember. What are left still remind of the hazards of noxious gases and possibilities of cave ins.. We also hiked down the closed section of Route 61, with it's deep cracks from the underground fire and surface covered heavily with graffiti . Must be a right of passage when graduating high school to tag the road with your name or other symbol. There are fewer then ten residents living in the area, and we continually saw the curious stop, get out, take a few selfies with smartphones, and move on. It's curiously sad and eerie at the same time. If driving to the Centralia area with your motorhome or trailer in tow, know that the area is mountainous and there are some steep and long inclines to travel up AND down.
For more information on Knoebels, and other area attractions, Check out:
Jonestown is not a mecca for tourists. It doesn't have tons of award winning restaurants, or must do attractions by the handful. Even the State Park is not on a list of biggest or best. For the RoadAbode Crew, that is fine by us. This small town community may be a little off everyone's radar - and is exactly what we are looking for to just put up our feet and relax toward the end of our week. Jonestown KOA, formerly named Lickdale Campground, is a medium-sized campground with great amenities. The campstore also operates as a local Ice Creamery and convenience store. Want a broasted chicken, or sandwich along with that pack of firewood? They've got you covered. (and they can deliver too!) Whenever we go, we book one of the "pull up" stream-side campsites. Not exactly a pull-thru, as you are parallel between the road and the Swatara Creek. Swatara is also the name of the State Park that Jonestown KOA is linked to via the local trail system. The campsites along the "Swattie", as the creek is called locally, have a concrete pad, and steps leading down to the water. The waters of the creek by these campsites can move pretty well, but unless rain swollen, are easily waded in. The girls have a blast (and me too!) trying to catch crawdads, fish, and other creatures found there. Jonestown KOA also acts as a local water-sports outfitter, so you can rent canoes, kayaks and tubes to go for a float. The campground will even transport you a mile or two upstream, and you can float back to your campsite.
Helicopters on display at Fort Indian Town Gap
If you don't want to just relax at your campsite or float the Swattie, there are great things to do close by, or within a 30 minute drive. The Indian Town Gap Military base and the VA National Cemetery are just up Fisher Avenue from the Campground. Though we haven't figured out how to tour any of the facility, there's plenty of military hardware on display. Helicopters, transport planes, jets, and tanks are on display to check out. Most have signage relating to their history or what engagements they were a part of.
If you are into motorsports, then check out the Friday night excitement happening at Linda's Speedway. Every Friday night this small dirt oval track turns local drivers and wrench turners into heroes going for the honor of hoisting the checkered flag on the victory lap. There's loud noise, a few spills, and plenty of sights to entertain as they race around in specialized vehicles. Jonestown KOA is even a driver sponsor. Most of the racing is with Sprinter and Slingshots classes, which to the untrained eye (which would be me) look like radically souped up Go-Carts with wings. Check the schedule on Linda's website, because though the Sprinters are exciting, the Legends and Charger classes take the adventure up a notch. Legends remind me of 1940's coupes, while the chargers give off a distinctly mustang stock-car look. Whatever race you go to it's great fun, and the pricing won't break the budget.
Close to the Jonestown KOA there are plenty to chose from to relieve your hunger pangs, but for true country cooking, I have two places in mind. First, the Farmers Wife's Restaurant in Ono, PA is a great homey diner experience.The interior has exposed beams for an old barn style look, but all the food inside is fresh. We love hitting this eatery for breakfast. Huge piles of hotcakes, Belgian waffles, and eggs any way you want them. They's got plenty on the menu for lunch and dinner - one day we will eat those options as well. I'm pretty sure it will be just as tasty. Our other favorite looks like a Feed store in the middle of a corn field. But as their tag line says "Follow the Smoke" for some of the best barbecue I've ever had. Shakedown BBQ in Grantville, PA is THE place for pulled pork, beef brisket, baby back ribs and even turkey and sausage. The sauce is tangy, the meat tender, and the sides are just as tasty. The whole feel of the place is laid back and friendly. When waiting for your order it's interesting to see the mix of clientele. Burly guys on gleaming Harleys, sweatered dads pulling up in Beemers or Land Rovers, and college guys in whatever junker makes it up the driveway are all in line - and even talking together. Want world peace? Get everyone talking round some good food! Check Shakedowns website to see if a local blues or country rock band will be playing to double up on a great experience.
View from our Campsite at Jonestown KOA
Jonestown KOA is pretty close to other attractions. In season they even have a shuttle to Hershey Park. Indian Echo Caverns is also a cool (literally) place to visit. But for us, they are just a bit far at 30 minutes or so away. If you are not from Pennsylvania and staying for a while, it's a good location to use as a "home base" to visit the Hershey area as a side trip.
Check out these links to plan your visit to Jonestown KOA and the surrounding area to make your own adventure:
We love visiting and exploring the Central Pennsylvania area. We know there's still more to experience, and we don't want to miss out! If you have a favorite place to visit, explore, or to grab some good food - we'd love to hear about it in the comments section below. Happy RVing!
