by Ren Miller

One thing about van life, you have to be spontaneous and willing to change your plans. This happened earlier this summer, when I threw my back out in June, and hiking was not going to be in my wheelhouse for a while. I was able to shlepp my way down a few short trails, but that was about it.

We left New England the end of June, after spending a month visiting family and friends, and headed to Niagara Falls. Since Troy’s birthday is in July, I told him I would buy him lunch at the iconic Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY, which was on the way. After a fine meal, we decided to camp for a couple of days at a Blueberry Patch Campground in Finger Lakes National Forest (the only national forest in New York, by the way), then visit Watkins Glen for a couple of easy hikes, then be on our way west. 

But something weird happened: we didn’t leave. Sure, we talked about it, looked at maps, trails, made lists of new gear we needed, Googled lots of possible upcoming adventures. But we never left the Finger Lakes area that month.

We found another campground called Backbone Horse Camp, that allows non-equestrian camping, and discovered it was completely empty. It was a beautiful locale, with numerous easy linear trails (some of which are shared with the 4600-mile North Country Trail) and loops that began right at the campground, so we didn’t have to drive to any trailheads. Since I was trying to get my back in shape, I did more yoga than hiking, but Rusty went on many solo hikes and trail runs. We ate well, slept well, and enjoyed our peace and solitude.

As I read more about the Finger Lakes, I realized this was a tourist-friendly area, with lots of lakes and waterways for swimming and fishing, great restaurants, thrift shops, and wineries. As we got to know the region, we began making more trips into town, and soon it began to feel like a vacation! We even upped our attire, wearing “nice” clothes instead of our usual jeans and tees.

The Finger Lakes region is probably best known for award-winning wines, and for good reason. Its natural setting and the growing experience of winemakers is making for extremely high quality red and white wines. Craft breweries, cideries, and distilleries have also been opening up throughout the Finger Lakes. We visited two wineries, and sampled 15 varieties. Also in the region we found several farm stands, where we were able buy home grown tomatoes, corn, and cukes.

Watkins Glen State Park is a must-see if you have the opportunity to visit. It’s home to the famous Gorge Trail, one of New York’s most iconic trails. There are 19 waterfalls, 800 stone steps, and lots of elevation changes. There are lots of visitors to the Park, so we hiked the trail very early in the morning to avoid the crowds. The North Country Trail also runs though the park, so we hiked some of that. And we also went for a couple of swims in the Park’s Olympic-size pool, where Rusty showed off his cannonball skills.

Before we knew it, July was coming to an end, and it was time to get on our way. This stint in New York made me realize not just the importance of spontaneity, but also the importance of rest when I needed it. And what a great vacation it was!