Our generator began exhibiting symptoms four states back.

I assumed, when I started writing about our journey, that sooner or later I would be relating a tragicomic account of mechanical misadventure. This will not be that story.

Since my last post we’ve visited with friends and family in Virginia; hiked a short stretch of the Appalachian Trail near Lickdale Pennsylvania; bathed in one of Ithaca’s many waterfall pools; camped at Buttonwood Grove Winery on the shores of Cayuga Lake; and spent a rainy day crafting souvenirs at the Corning Museum of Glass—a stellar recommendation from a Facebook friend.

New York’s Finger Lakes region was something of a compromise in our itinerary. I have, for years, been wanting to visit the Adirondacks, having seen a Ken Burns-esque feature on PBS at some point that filled me with visions of lakes, loons and canoes. Unfortunately, it represented a bit of a detour when plotting our course toward New Brunswick and Nova Scotia with stops in Boston and Maine. So we headed toward Ithaca instead.

Ithaca is home to more than 100 waterfalls and gorges, many with designated swimming areas. It’s a college town with a progressive vibe, located at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake.

Anchoring the south end of Seneca Lake, just to the west, is Watkins Glen—home to an eponymous historic state park and race track. The area has more recently become popular with agritourists who cruise the Seneca Lake Wine Trail.

That trend has given rise to compatible businesses like Climbing Bines Craft Ale and Hop Farm, founded by buddies Chris and Brian—who welcomed us into their tribe for two unforgettable days. We talked late into the night, fueled by common philosophies and really fine beverages. They introduced us to their friends, bought us breakfast and solved our generator problem by hooking us up with their Mennonite mechanic.

The repair took less than 30 minutes. End of story.

Stay: It’s located 5 miles from Ithaca’s downtown Commons, you can swim in a waterfall pool and you get to drive through a flowing stream to get to your campsite. Robert H. Treman State Park campground isn’t fancy, but it’s got fabulous location.

Play: We were able to sign up online for our “Make It Take It” activities at Corning Museum of Glass, which made it easy to plan our day. Galleries cover contemporary and historical glass and the live demonstrations are mesmerizing. When waterfall fatigue hits, this is a good antidote.