Seneca Lake Wine Tasting / Allegany State Park

Wednesday, July 27

All those bottles from yesterday are intact.  J

After a quick breakfast, I made my first call to the closer RV dealership. I told her what my problem was. She told me that the first appointment she had open was for August 14.

Are you kidding me?

I told her that I was traveling and that the middle of August was not going to be possible. She told me she’d check and see if she could squeeze me in and would call me back. Fast-forward a few hours … yes, they are really booked till August 14 and cannot fit me in before then.

Deciding that I was going to let the Universe help take care of this one and that it was not going to ruin my day, I packed up and left cute little Keuka Lake State Park and headed over to Seneca Lake to the Hermann J. Wiemer vineyard (another of the wine judge’s recommendations from 2006). 

Herr Wiemer is German and we actually met him back in 2006 (and I had a good conversation with him in German then). Well, no sightings of him today (I was told that he retired back in 2007), but the dry Riesling was still excellent. Tasted three reds, too, and it was apparent that the reds are just not as good in this part of New York state. (Note to self: look forward to Washington state, Oregon and California!!!)

OK, wine tasting is done. Now … back to the wastewater problem. Barbara from the hotline last night had also given me a number for a local CampingWorld. I ended up driving to that store, which told me that they could not fit me in until August 12.

Are you kidding me?

So now I’m left to wonder what good this warranty really is. Perhaps if I am stranded on the side of the road and having a major problem with the van, they will send a tech team to come and get/fix me. But having a minor problem that does not impinge on my ability to drive means I have to wait for minimum two weeks to get fixed? How does that fit with a mobile traveling vehicle that is supposed to be mobile and traveling? (i.e., not sitting around for two weeks waiting to be fixed …) Hmmmmmmm.

I told the CampingWorld lady I was heading west to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and asked if there was another CampingWorld along the way that could fix me. Nothing in PA or OH that’s close. Ann Arbor/Detroit area seems to be the place. CampingWorld lady called ahead to CampingWorld guy in Michigan, and he can take me any day but Sunday.

Well, OK, then. It seems I’m off toward Michigan!

I said a happy good-bye and thanks to the Finger Lakes for another spectacular visit. Then I headed west and found a campsite in Allegany State Park in western New York.

And now I have to share this success with you: I poked this afternoon!

For those of you whom I have not told this dilemma, here is my true confession: I don’t know how to poke. In my vocabulary, “poking” is taking the time to drive down a little country lane and see what’s along the way. Or “poke” your nose into a store, just to see if there’s anything interesting.  Well, in my “old” life, I was always so intent on getting from Point A to Point B in the car, usually running late, that the fastest, most efficient way from A to B was always the route I chose.

However, today I reached a milestone – I poked.

I got off the exit before the state park because I needed some fruit and vegetables. But … I drove past the grocery store … and kept going down the road … just to see what was there. And I found that Allegany State Park is smack dab in the middle of Seneca Indian territory. (Oooooh, that’s why there was a casino right along the side of the highway when I took the exit. And signs of the names of rivers that I could not pronounce.) I drove past the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum, the offices of the Seneca National Advocate … and a broken down little town that seems to have lost all life at least thirty years ago. Empty store fronts, abandoned buildings, really just a dusty, shadow of a town. 

It made me wonder why everything in this country that has to do with Native Americans today is outwardly in need of a huge influx of cash and enthusiasm. And then I thought that many, many people smarter than me have written dissertations and spend their lives discussing the state of Native American relations with the U.S. Government. And so I humbly paid for my zucchini, tomato and my peach and I drove off. Still pondering the question, but certain there is no simple answer to be found.

Different from the town of Salamanca before it, the Allegany State Park is a lovely place. 

Gorgeous lakes, beautiful mountains, some deer (Auggie was on leash), historic natural-made ski jumps from the early 1930s and unfortunately … not-so-lovely campsites. Too many sites cramped one on top of the other. As I type this, I can hear kids whispering two sites down (and it’s after quiet hours!). When I checked in, I thought I might stay two nights. Having seen my campsite, we’ll check out tomorrow morning for sure. 

Long, rolling and eventful day. I will close now to read some more Harry Potter as I fall asleep. He’s just made it to Hogwarts on the train that left from Platform 9¾ in London. What a fun story – J.K. Rowling, you deserve to be a billionaire!  J