Our New RV is Already Breaking (But the Finger Lakes Keep Getting Better)

Part 2: Naples Grape Festival, Taughannock Falls & Why We Didn’t Want to Leave

You know that moment when you’re living your best life, exploring an incredible place, and then reality smacks you in the face?

Yeah. That happened.

Our brand new RV—the one we’ve had for just a few months—is already experiencing damage from rough roads. The pantry door foot lever snapped off and scratched our flooring. Wood trim cracked apart from all the bouncing. It’s frustrating, annoying, and honestly? Just part of RV life.

But here’s the thing: even with these issues, our time in the Finger Lakes kept getting better and better. The fall colors deepened. We discovered local festivals and hidden gems. And we remembered exactly why we chose this lifestyle—the freedom to slow down and truly experience a place instead of just checking it off a list.

If you missed Part 1 of our Finger Lakes adventure, we explored Watkins Glen State Park, the charming village of Hammondsport, and discovered why everyone raves about this region. Part 2 picks up where we left off, with even more fall colors, local experiences, and yes—some RV reality checks.

The Reality of RV Life: Things Break

Let’s get the not-so-fun stuff out of the way first.

After driving through some seriously rough roads in New York and New Jersey (whoever maintains those highways, we need to talk), our RV took some hits:

What Broke:

The Pantry Door Foot Lever: This little mechanism is supposed to hold our massive pantry door in place. Instead, it fell off, hit the floor, and scratched about an inch and a half of our vinyl flooring. We slapped some tape over the scratch so it doesn’t snag, but it’s one of those cosmetic damages that just bugs you every time you see it.

Wood Trim Separation: The sheer weight of that bedroom door combined with the constant bouncing over terrible roads caused the wood trim to literally snap apart. Not a huge deal structurally, but definitely something we’ll need to address.

Strap Configuration Issues: Okay, this one’s on us. We had our stabilizer strap configured incorrectly (going up and down instead of sideways), and our wonderful viewers called us out on it in the comments. Thanks for keeping us honest, folks! We’ll fix it properly.

The Silver Lining

Here’s what we’ve learned after three and a half years of full-time RVing: stuff breaks. It just does. Especially in the first year with a new rig (what they call the “shakedown” period).

The key is not letting it sideline you. None of these issues prevented us from continuing our travels. They’re inconveniences, not show-stoppers. You open a ticket with your manufacturer, figure out what you can fix yourself (or find someone who can help), and you keep moving forward.

That’s RV life. And honestly? We wouldn’t trade it.

Timbren Suspension System: One Year Update

Since we had some RV issues to discuss, this seemed like the perfect time to share an update on our Timbren suspension enhancement system.

We installed this system about a year ago on our Ford F-350, and after putting thousands of hard miles on it while towing our fifth wheel, we can give you an honest assessment.

Why We Needed It

When you’re towing a heavy fifth wheel, all that weight sits directly over your rear axle. Over time, this can:

• Lift the front of your truck, reducing steering control
• Cause trailer sway
• Damage your truck’s suspension
• Affect your braking
• Create an overall unsafe towing experience

The cheap bump stops that come standard with the F-350? Not enough for serious, full-time towing.

After One Year of Use

The Good:

• Super easy to install (about an hour with basic tools)
• Maintenance-free with a lifetime warranty
• Our truck drives very stable and solid on the road
• A mechanic recently told us our truck is in “great condition” for the miles we’ve put on it
• We can confidently say it’s protecting both our truck and us

Our Recommendation: If you’re doing heavy-duty towing, especially full-time, a suspension enhancement system like Timbren makes total sense. The peace of mind alone is worth it, not to mention potentially saving thousands in truck repairs down the road.

Naples Grape Festival: A 60+ Year Tradition

After dealing with RV issues and maintenance talk, we were ready for some fun. And the Naples Grape Festival delivered.

This annual end-of-September festival has been a tradition for over 60 years, and it’s exactly the kind of local event we love discovering.

The Setting

The festival is held at the Naples Central School, which has this beautiful old-school building that’s immaculately maintained. It’s the kind of charming small-town setting that makes you want to slow down and soak it all in. The perfect autumn weather—crisp mornings and mild afternoons—made it even better.

The Grape Experience

Since this is a grape festival, we had to try the local specialty: grape pie.

Barry’s Verdict: “It’s… alright?”

Look, grapes aren’t Barry’s favorite fruit (unless they’re in wine form, of course). The pie wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet, but it wasn’t bowling him over with flavor either. The crust was a bit doughy. To be fair, we grabbed one from what seemed like a popular stand, but there was actually a grape pie contest at the festival—we probably should have sought out the winning entry.

They also had grape donuts, grape ice cream, and grape popcorn balls. We tried the grape ice cream, and honestly? It tasted like a grape Jolly Rancher. A little too artificial for our taste. But hey, we had to give it a shot!

What We Loved

Beyond the grape-specific items, the festival had everything:

• Live music throughout the day
• Tons of food vendors (we split an amazing pork, beans, plantains, and rice dish from a kebab booth)
• Art and antique vendors
• Local craftspeople
• That small-town festival vibe we absolutely love

Pro tip: Festival prices are steep (our one plate was $23), so split meals and try multiple things rather than buying individual portions for everyone.

How We Find Local Events and Hidden Gems

People ask us all the time: “How do you discover these local festivals and events that tourists never hear about?”

It’s actually pretty simple, and it’s become one of our favorite parts of slow travel.

Our Research Strategy

Google is Your Friend: I start with basic searches like:

• “Events in [location] this week”
• “Festivals in [area name]”
• “[City name] things to do this weekend”

You can even search for future dates if you’re planning ahead: “Events in Finger Lakes October 2024”

Let Social Media Help: Once you start Googling events in a specific area, Facebook and Instagram will pick up on your location and start feeding you local event suggestions. It’s like having a free personal event curator!

Go Old School: Check bulletin boards at:

• Grocery stores (especially near the entrance)
• Laundromats
• Coffee shops
• Local libraries
• Campground offices
• Visitor centers

You’ll find flyers for everything from farmers markets to live music to community festivals.

The Power of Asking Locals

This is where the real magic happens. Strike up conversations and ask for recommendations:

Who to ask:

• Campground hosts (they’re goldmines of local knowledge)
• Restaurant servers
• Grocery store cashiers
• People at coffee shops
• Your Harvest Hosts hosts
• Other RVers you meet

What to ask:

• “What do locals do for fun around here?”
• “Any good restaurants that tourists don’t know about?”
• “What’s happening this weekend in the area?”
• “Where do you go when you want a great view?”

Why Local Events Beat Tourist Traps

The Naples Grape Festival is a perfect example. It’s not advertised nationally. It’s not in guidebooks. But it gave us a genuine experience of the community, the culture, and the region’s agricultural heritage.

These local events and hidden spots are what make slow travel so rewarding. You’re not just seeing a place—you’re experiencing it the way people who live there experience it.

Taughannock Falls: The Tallest Waterfall East of the Rockies

If Watkins Glen was impressive (and it absolutely was), Taughannock Falls State Park offered something completely different.

The Stats

Taughannock Falls is the tallest single-drop waterfall east of the Rockies, plunging 215 feet into a gorge. For comparison, it’s 33 feet taller than Niagara Falls.

The best part? You don’t even have to hike to see it.

Two Ways to Experience It

The Easy Way: Drive right up to the visitor center and walk to the overlook. There’s free parking (one hour limit), and you can see the falls from above. It’s completely accessible and perfect if you’re short on time or not up for a hike.

The Hiking Way: We took the gorge trail, which winds through the canyon and takes you right to the base of the falls. The hike itself is relatively moderate—nowhere near as strenuous as Watkins Glen’s 800 stone steps.

Our Experience

The overlook at the visitor center is impressive, but it’s behind a fence (thanks, New York nanny state regulations). We get it—they’re trying to keep people from falling to their deaths—but it does detract from the view compared to places like Zion National Park where you can get right up to the edge.

That said, the falls are absolutely spectacular. The gorge is dramatic. And we got to watch peregrine falcons circling at eye level, which was almost as cool as the waterfall itself.

Peregrine Falcon Fun Fact

The falcons we saw are actually a conservation success story. These birds were native to the area but almost went extinct due to DDT in the 1960s. Thanks to conservation efforts, they’ve been successfully reintroduced to the region. Being up on the rim of the gorge, we were at the same altitude as these massive birds—watching them soar and dive was incredible.

Hiking Tips

• The trail is well-maintained and clearly marked
• Fall leaves were crunching underfoot—absolutely perfect autumn vibes
• Less crowded than Watkins Glen
• Free parking at the trailhead
• Allow 1-2 hours for the hike

Honestly, if you’re choosing between Watkins Glen and Taughannock Falls, do both if you can. They each offer unique experiences. But if you only have time for one and want something less strenuous, Taughannock might be your pick.

RV Life: Downsizing Our Storage

Back at the RV, Barry tackled a project we’ve been putting off: downsizing our storage bay.

The Challenge

Our previous RV (a Valor toy hauler) had tons of storage in the garage. Our current Alliance fifth wheel has one large storage bay, which forces you to be more strategic about what you carry.

What We’re Learning to Let Go

After three and a half years on the road, we’re finally figuring out what we actually need versus what we think we might need someday:

Straps and Tie-Downs: Do you really need 50 straps? Probably not. Keep 5-10 and ditch the rest.

Tools You Rarely Use: If you’ve used it once in three years, just buy it again when you need it and throw it away after. Yes, it’s counterintuitive if you’re used to sticks-and-bricks living, but space and weight matter in an RV.

Specialty Cleaners: Once opened, most sealants and specialty products don’t last from one use to the next anyway. Buy fresh when you need them.

Multiple Chargers: We have so many 12-volt chargers. Barry’s solution? Label them all so we know which device they go with. Genius.

What You DO Need

• Adapters: Tons of propane adapters, electrical adapters, water adapters. You’ll use these constantly.
• Basic tools: Socket sets, screwdrivers, wrenches—but not an entire workshop.
• RV-specific items: Leveling blocks, wheel chocks, water pressure regulators, surge protectors.
• Electrical adapters: We have a 50-amp RV, so we need a 50-to-30-amp adapter (many state parks only have 30-amp hookups) and a 30-to-20-amp for our generator and moochdocking situations.
• Repair essentials: Industrial-strength tape for underbelly repairs, T9 lubricant for metal-on-metal applications, bearing grease if you repack your own bearings.

Bottom line: You’ll accumulate stuff on the road. Every few months, do a ruthless purge and ask yourself: “Have I used this in the last six months? Will I definitely use it in the next six months?” If the answer to both is no, it’s time to let it go.

Evening Adventures: Breweries and Hidden Gems

As the sun started setting (earlier and earlier as fall progressed), we headed out for what has become one of our favorite RV life activities: finding local breweries and restaurants with incredible views.

Steuben Brewing Company

Steuben Brewing Company has hands-down one of the best brewery views we’ve ever experienced. Situated on a hill overlooking the Finger Lakes, you can sit outside with your drink and just soak in the scenery.

What We Loved:

• Stunning panoramic views of the lakes and rolling hills
• They serve Finger Lakes Cider House ciders, not just beer (huge win for non-beer drinkers like Darlene)
• Spacious outdoor area perfect for fall weather
• Casual, welcoming atmosphere

Important note for breweries: Not everyone drinks beer! Steuben Brewing gets major points for having wine and cider options. If you’re a brewery owner reading this, take note—you’re missing out on customers if you only serve beer.

We had hoped to catch live music (we thought there was music on Saturdays), but Darlene didn’t do her research thoroughly. No music that night, but the views more than made up for it.

Y Not Country Store

After the brewery, we headed to a place our local friend had recommended: Y Not Country Store.

This place is the definition of a hidden gem.

From the outside, it looks like… well, a country store. Nothing fancy. You’d drive right past it if you didn’t know better.

But inside? They’re serving some seriously good food.

It’s located up on what we’d call a mountain (though locals might say it’s just a big hill), and it has stunning views down toward the lake. Of course, we arrived after dark both times we visited, so we missed the sunset views. That’s what we get for poor planning!

What Makes It Special:

The Y Not is everything we love about discovering local places. It’s unassuming, genuinely local (not trying to be trendy or touristy), and the food is outstanding. They have a full country store with groceries and fresh produce alongside made-to-order meals that rival any restaurant in the area.

The atmosphere is charming and welcoming. The people are friendly. The prices are reasonable. And the food—seriously delicious.

Barry got pizza and loved it. Darlene had fish that was beautifully prepared. We both grabbed local beer and wine. Everything was excellent.

But more than the specific dishes, it was the whole experience. Sitting in this little country store that doubles as an amazing eatery, chatting with locals, feeling like we’d discovered something special that most tourists will never find.

This is what slow travel is all about.

How We Found It

Remember that section about asking locals? This is exactly what we’re talking about. Our friend who lives in the area told us about Y Not. We never would have found it on our own.

Ask your campground hosts. Ask servers at restaurants. Strike up conversations at grocery stores. Local people know the hidden gems that never make it onto tourist maps or travel blogs.

Some of our best experiences—like Y Not Country Store—have come from these random conversations with people who actually live in the area.

Why Slow Travel Changes Everything

Here’s what we keep coming back to: if we had rushed through the Finger Lakes in a weekend, we would have missed so much.

We wouldn’t have:

• Discovered the Naples Grape Festival by Googling local events
• Found Y Not Country Store through a local recommendation
• Watched the fall colors deepen day by day
• Explored Taughannock Falls in addition to Watkins Glen
• Had time to just sit at a brewery and watch the sunset

This is what makes the RV life so special.

The ability to slow down. To stay longer. To truly experience a place instead of just checking it off a list.

Yes, our RV is having issues. Yes, we’ll need to get repairs done. Yes, there are frustrations and inconveniences.

But would we trade this lifestyle? Not a chance.

The freedom to explore at our own pace, to discover hidden gems, to fall in love with places like the Finger Lakes—that’s what this is all about.

Planning Your Own Finger Lakes Adventure

If our two-part Finger Lakes series has you adding this region to your travel list (and it should!), here’s what you need to know:

Best Time to Visit

• Late September through mid-October: Peak fall foliage (when we visited). Expect mild days in the 70s and crisp mornings in the 40s.
• June through September: Warm weather and full festival/winery event schedules
• Spring (April-May): Fewer crowds, waterfalls at their fullest from snowmelt
• Winter: Skip it unless you have serious cold-weather RV experience

RV Camping Options

State Parks: Watkins Glen, Sampson State Park, and Taughannock Falls State Park all have full hookup sites. Camping runs $25-45/night. Book early for fall.

Harvest Hosts: The region is packed with wineries and farms that welcome RVers. Get 20% off with code LIKETHERES20.

Private RV Parks: $40-70/night with good amenities.

Must-Do Experiences

Watkins Glen State Park (19 waterfalls, 800 stone steps) Taughannock Falls State Park (tallest waterfall east of the Rockies)

Naples Grape Festival (end of September, annual event)

Wine tasting along any of the lake wine trails

Explore villages: Hammondsport, Naples, Skaneateles, Penn Yan

Glenn Curtiss Museum (aviation history)

Local breweries and hidden restaurants

Navigation Tips

Roads are winding and hilly. If towing a big rig, add extra time to your routes. Consider unhitching and exploring in your tow vehicle or on e-bikes.

Use RV Life Trip Wizard to plan RV-safe routes (automatically saves you 25%).

Budget Expectations

• State park camping: $25-45/night
• Private RV parks: $40-70/night
• Harvest Hosts: Free (membership required)
• Festival food: $20-30 per person
• Wine tastings: $5-15 per person
• State park entrance: Free to $10 per vehicle
• Gas: Budget extra—those hills are no joke

Ready to Start Your RV Journey?

Places like the Finger Lakes are exactly why we chose this lifestyle. If you’ve been dreaming of full-time RV living but don’t know where to start, we’ve created a comprehensive course to help.

Your Path to Full-Time Freedom includes:

• Step-by-step planning tools and checklists
• Our complete RV selection framework
• Reality-based budgeting tools
• Access to our private Facebook community
• Monthly live Q&A sessions with us

We made all the mistakes (like configuring straps wrong and buying things we didn’t need) so you don’t have to.

Watch the Full Adventure

Check out the video at the top of this page to see all the fall colors, the Naples Grape Festival, our hike to Taughannock Falls, our RV damage, Barry’s Timbren review, and all the hidden gems we discovered.

And if you haven’t watched Part 1, you’re missing Watkins Glen State Park and the charming village of Hammondsport!

Have you been to the Finger Lakes? What was your favorite experience? Any hidden gems we should know about for next time? Let us know in the comments!

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