Elmira NY to North Tonawanda NY and “Camping” in a Parking Lot

July 30 – August 03, 2013 

Our time in Elmira was way too short.  We have vowed to slow down and spend more time in each of our destinations in the future.  There were more people and things we could have done if we were in Elmira longer.  Now it will be next year before we are here again.

During the American Revolution this area was the home of the Iroquois Indians in what they called New Town.  The Indians sided with the British against the American colonist as they believed that king George would look favorably on them and limit the colonist grab for their land. The battlefield is on a large hill overlooking the Chemung River valley below.  

We hiked about 6 miles of trails in the Newtown Battlefield while we were here.  The trails took us on some of the paths that the American army took to capture the area from the British and Indians during the battle. When you see the slope of the hill and the dense thicket it is amazing to think that soldiers climbed this and won against well-fortified soldiers on top.

Rosy is really blooming now.  She has a record 8 blooms!

The monument at Newtown Battle Field in Elmira NY.

One of the trails we took.

More trail

Replicas of the houses the Iroquois indians used.  I was surprised they had houses that looked like this.  I was thinking tents.

A large spider web in the fog one morning.

View of Elmira from near where our site is.

We visited primarily with friends Jim and Sandy Scott while we were there.  We had dinner at their house one night and then one other night we when out to the Elbow Room for wings.  If anyone is ever in Elmira, the wings are the best (in our opinion) at the Elbow Room of any place we have had them.  I have been eating here since 1988 when I first visited the area as part of a work assignment.  As a side note, I met my wife Patty in Elmira in 1994 during my 7 years of on and off traveling here for work.

We would like to have had a fish fry at The Shingle but it is only open Wednesday through Friday.  We left on Wednesday morning.  This will be something we will do next time.   This area also has a couple of great golf courses that we will play next time we are here.

Wednesday the 31st we packed up and made the very easy 170 mile drive to Colton RV in North Tonawanda NY.  We made prior arrangements with them to stay in their small on-site campground while we had some warranty work done.  We planned to stay just 2 nights with hope that we would only need one night.  But that turned into 3 nights. 

Forest River (Manufacturer of our RV) didn't ship the steps as they had promised they would.  So, to Colton RVs’ credit, they repaired the steps.  Their repair is what I would have had done if not under warranty.  They welded in a larger piece of angle iron in place of the original thin piece that was there.  They also added more weld.  The only difference I would have done would have been to use a welding shop instead of using RV mechanics to do the work. 

Anyway, since Forest River didn’t send the new steps they agreed (according to our Colton RV rep) to overnight other parts we needed.  We need a new sink faucet and new drawer guides under the fridge.  So, day 2 at Colton, Friday the 2nd, the overnighted parts didn't show up either.  Now we are still sitting here on Saturday the 3rd in the parking lot campground waiting for the parts.  The good thing is that the site fee is $0.

Where we had warranty work done on Niagara Falls Boulevard in North Tonawanda.

Our site for 3 nights in the parking lot of Colton RV.

Taking our rig in for the last visit to the service bay.

So far in the Buffalo area we have just eaten at local favorites.  Buffalo is known for several food items like Ted's Hot Dogs and for Fish Fry’s.  Just a couple of miles up the road from Colton RV is a Ted's Hot Dogs so we made a dinner of it Thursday evening the 1st.  Then last night, Friday the 2nd we did some research and went to the Polish Villa in Cheektowaga for a Fish Fry.  We were there with Patty’s parents, Tom and Shirley.

The fish fry was good but not great.  To qualify, “good” is better than most other places we have been to outside the Buffalo area for a fish fry.  We are going to try a different place next Friday.  

Ok, now for today, Saturday the 3rd.  Colton finally got our RV in to do the last of the work.   They couldn't fix the shower door with the excuse that the entire shroud needed to be replaced and they could not get one here soon enough.  I told them when we came in that we would be here in the area for 2 weeks so go ahead and start the warranty claim with Forest River.  Well they didn't start the warranty claim but will now. I believe that the shower door just needs an adjustment and not the entire shroud replaced, but what do I know.  So, we picked it up around 3pm and headed to the Cinderella Campground 11 miles away on Grand Island. We stayed here last year at almost the same time of year.

Our site for the next 12 days in Grand Island NY.

 

This mural is in front of our site on the side of the motel.

Tomorrow the 4th of August will mark our 1st year anniversary as full time RVers.  We are still finding our rhythm between travel and staying put in one place.  We were told that it usually takes a couple of years to get into your own unique rhythm and now I believe it.  The end of this year is pretty much planned out, but starting after our winter break in Texas we are going to make longer stays with fewer travel days.  I think we have the experience now to plan better.

Stay tuned!