Any place to stay near FLLS? It’s a long run, but in range for a quick road trip. The casino by I-90 perhaps?? Camper has been issued slow/short range orders as the tires have aged out and showing some sidewall cracks. Planning on replacing and re-packing bearings when it gets cooler, or in the spring.
Edit to sat that at over $500/night I don’t think a casino stay is in our future (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-money-mouth.gif)
Junius Ponds and Cheerful Valley are located near Thruway exit 42, reasonably close to FLLS. My wife would drop me off to play trains and head for the Waterloo Outlet Mall. There is also lots of history in the area, some beautiful state parks and all that the Finger Lakes have to offer. It could be a lot more than a quick road trip.
Interesting change for you, Rick and Jan. We (mostly me) are considering going from a trailer to a motorized vehicle to lessen the workload of setting up and breaking camp.
Thanks Tom. I grew up just East of Buffalo, so I’m pretty familiar with the Finger Lakes area. When I was young, Marilyn and I were Paddock Marshals at Watkins Glen for the Grand Prix. She has a great story about refusing to let Jackie Stewart into the Paddock area on a morning that he was driving! The only reason for this one to be a quick trip is limited time off from work!
I too have been considering a motorized RV for the same reason, but climbing around a big unit wouldn’t be easy for me, even at 4 years younger than what Ric admits to! We discussed it a bit at Kens first session last spring. It’s been years since I have seriously shopped, but maybe advances in TT design have added some of the quick set-up features like automatic leveling. Need to go to an RV show this coming winter.
BTW, I know The Villages is a big place, but one of my best friends has a spot there too!
Ric Golding said:
15 September, 2021 - Carlock, Illinois (just west of Bloomington/Normal on I-74)
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6 years ago this October, Jan and I purchased a Super C Class RV built by Jayco on a Freightliner Frame, called a Seneca. Our idea was to travel the Country, seeing the sites and railroad history, plus “Operate” on any Model Railroads that would tolerate us. Its been great fun. As time passed and interest changed or expanded, we found ourselves spending November through March in Florida, about an hour south of Orlando at the Ridge Live Steamers Track. We joined this Club and want to continue spending our winters in Florida, as long as we can. We found the Ridge Live Steamers after many visits to the Finger Lakes Live Steamers each summer on our way to the American Invasion in Canada. We had already joined the Finger Lakes Live Steamers because of their great garden railroad and tremendous “Passenger Operating Sessions”. We now spend more and more of our summertime in the Marengo area north of Seneca Lake. We also want to continue to do this.
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This fall, I will turn 73 and I have been finding that keeping the Seneca clean at over 13 feet tall and all the other maintenance was absolutely wearing me out. So long live the Seneca, but after 6 years and 92,000 miles, someone else has to do the maintenance and polishing.
Today we are coming back from Grand Rapids, after making a deal on a 30 foot travel trailer. We have purchased a different pickup truck, that can still haul the 1.5 inch equipment, and pull the travel trailer down the road. We really do enjoy this ongoing adventure called “Life”, but it will be at a little slower pace and maybe with a little less polishing 13 feet in the air.
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Yes, the adventure continues. We are just turning the page. In 2 weekends is AndyC’s “September Ops”. This year it conflicted with the Finger Lakes Live Steamers Open House. This is FLLS’s major annual fundraiser, and it didn’t happen last year, and all the members are getting older. So we are headed there to help. We hope to be back for Andy and Jane’s big event in October. So, if you are near upstate New York between Syracuse and Rochester come on out to the Finger Lakes Live Steamers Open House. If you are near Nashville, Illinois, contact AndyC. and see if he will let you come over and run on the Bluestone Southern. Both are great events.
Best of luck, Ric. We sold our camper a couple years ago because we weren’t using it as much as we should, and as I’m getting ready to retire, we’re looking around for what we’ll be getting next. Its always an adventure.
5 November, 2021 - Low Key Hideaway, Cedar Key, Florida
WOW! Take a few days off and the World changes. We have moved south for the Winter and taking our week vacation in Cedar Key, before heading for the Ridge Live Steamers.
Slowly getting things back to normal and the new camper set up like the old camper.
Personal layouts are on hold and the only railroading is on the Bluestone Southern and the HO layout AndyC and I operate on and is owned by Mark Godwin who is always at the Bluestone Southern Ops sessions.
Hoping this improves when we head for Thanksgivng. All is well.
Now to explore the new format.
Cedar Key is a lovely place to be, Ric. Maybe I’ll make a trip to Ridge this season. The Dreyfuss Hudson didn’t get a run last year.
We’re doing the same. Sold the 20-year-old Down-East cruiser (maintenance $$ was eating us alive,) and ordered a new replacement - same size, but outboards (Beneteau Antares 11m/34ft if you want to look it up.) But although we ordered it a year ago, we’re still waiting. . .
29 December, 2021 - Ridge Live Steamers, Dundee, Florida
Made it back from our trip home for Christmas. Plus an earlier trip home for Thanksgiving. The trailer has stayed in Florida since the first part of November. We’ll hopefully close out the year here and enjoy working on the 1.5 inch railroad. Got some OPs in on our friends HO layout while home and besides a Christmas Party with the regulars, got to see the work being done at the Bluestone Southern, plus the pond filling. So when does it no longer get classified a pond and officially becomes a lake? Ken’s passing certainly put a damper on our celebrations and dominated the conversation with some sadness, but great stories and memories. He will be missed. Tried the 2 day trip home, instead of “hotseating” it in one looonnnnnggggg day. But hotels that let Bo stay in the room with us can be “interesting”. Had minor concern when the guy in the room next to us, let the air out of his tires, so it wasn’t so easy to steal his car. Really gives you that warm fuzzy, when some one says - Hey, nice truck, is that new?" May have to come up with a “Plan B”. Or is it “C”? “D”?
Whatever.
The “Adventure” continues. 
