Watkins Glen/Corning KOA

Watkins Glen, NY
Oct. 5th-Oct. 7th 2018

We left early Friday to meet my friends at the Watkins Glen/Corning KOA. I was excited to use the RV one more time for the season and so ready for some time away.

Minus a few slow crawls through Geneva and the actual town of Watkins Glen we made it just as the KOA was allowing guests to enter for the long weekend. We have not been to a KOA since we started using the RV, but the price is much cheaper then renting a cabin as we had in the past. The park was as expected beautiful. Identified as a RV resort, it lead true to the title. Once we settled, charged, opened and cracked a wine cooler, we were officially ready for the Halloween themed weekend. (I even brought Jack Skellington for some of the fun.)

 Soon after settling in, we of course took the long walk around the park to give Riley the first of many walks. I should have known then that I was not up to my "normal" self after all the huffing and puffing it took for me to make my way around the several sites, but I pushed it to the side thinking I was and am simply out of shape.

 The season for water boats, water slides, and the zip line apparently were closed, but there was still several things to do. There appears to be some demo going on as well. This was a nice picture of a small pond up by the water fun park, and the fungus among us...

 We did the full park noticing several campers preparing for the weekend festivities. Some of these campers go all out. There apparently is/was a decorations contest. I cannot imagine the degree of work that went into some of these.

 (I missed getting a picture of my absolute favorites. a skeleton in a raft and a tri-skeleton crew roasting marshmellows over a campfire, I also do not know who won. As the Friday evening progress so did the decorations.)
We made our way to the K-9 park, were Riley did some smelling before we headed back to our own home away from home to await the arrival of my friend Gina.

 Their arrival was much later as was what seemed like thousands. Note to future self, arriving early is a very good thing. I understand RVs were park on the road for miles as the evening progressed. I would not want to set up in the dark.
Mark and I decided that tonight would be the best time to get into the indoor pool/spa before everyone else thought this was a good idea too. I pack my bag took the long walk to the pool only to realize I had left my suit back at the RV. This was definitely the beginning of the end. I walked back got my suit, walked to the pool and was so exhausted I welcomed the pool and hot tub. I sat in both for quite some time, chilled with Gina and her family by the fire and we hit the bed pretty early.

Saturdays plans included Aimee's arrival and perhaps a trip into Corning....Where I usually have a plan and generally we stick to it, I was not at all interested and actually was simply rolling with things. We did decide that early Sunday we should hit Watkins Glen state park and see the Gorge before everyone else decided this may be a good idea too. Well....we did wait for Aimee's arrival. Below Gina, Aimee and I. Instead of heading into town we went to make Arts and Crafts.....

 Here is everything we made....

 I should have KNOWN for sure by now, I was not just feeling the lazy of the Autumn breeze....I was starting to get sick.

I certainly was not going to let that deter me from having a good time and when our new friend (Gina's old) Sue suggested a wine tour, I decided that must be my problem....I need some wine. 

There are SEVERAL to choose from, we dabbled in the idea of stopping at those Big Named places, saw the crowds and decided we would simply create our own stops.

 Badleys was stop #1. I actually was pushing through, convinced that I simply have fall allergies...

 Then we hit Penguin Bay.

 Still smiling......and proud to purchase a bottle that the proceeds would go to save endangered Penguins

 Once we got to Rista Ranch, which generally is up my alley with it's hippy 1960's style, but one smell of the incense burning inside and I was done...…

 Sue was hilarious however and her humor kept me going. We did commit to what happens on the wine tour stays on the wine tour, but I will mention pre-wine tour waterslides and a comment directed to one burley biker dude had us in laughter for hours.


We did see some nice views....thank you Aimee for the pictures.

 That overcast was a predictor of much of the trick or treating time....RAIN

One of my own.....

 We scanned Hazlets winery (One of my favorites, as well as thousands of others making it much to crowded.) and found this quaint quiet place along the lake. I had stopped all wineing at this point.

I even declined ice cream on the way back. Another CLUE.....sickness was happening. Once back at the camp, we cruised around and took in all of the ghostly sites.

 We missed pictures of some of the best ones and I had made a decision I was going to walk around later and take pictures once it got dark, but I never made it away from the site the rest of the trip.

These trick or treaters were darling...…..

Around 6pm the skies opened up and it started pouring rain. The trick or treaters came anyways. While I juggled what was by now clearly a sickness, dinner and handing out candy....the three campsites had fun attempting to keep dry.

The little cuties kept on coming......Finally trick or treating done we had time to sit and enjoy. I was not capable of enjoying much of the wine we had pick up earlier in the day, as Riley got tangled and knocked my bottle off the pick' nic table. I didn't even care. I was definitely SICK!!!! I still stuck out the evening enjoying the company of Sue and Rod, Gina and Rick , Aimee and my husband.

It did not take me long to fall asleep. I don't think I moved all night. Sunday morning I felt terrible. Mark decided that I should learn how to close the RV and watched Rod show were all of the liquids go. Then we packed her up for the winter and headed home. I was so sick that Mark dropped me off at home and I pretty much slept for the following three days. I don't think I have ever been so bad. By Thursday I was able to go back to work.....

Soooooo…...despite being so sick we did have an awesome time at the RV park. So much fun we booked it again for the same weekend next year. This time I plan to be physically well and stay for the whole time. Sue and Gina will be there as well.  I accepted a new position today, and we leave for LA on Wednesday...TTFN