Yes, this is a thing.  Thankfully this was a one day event but it did involve a five hour drive down to Pennsylvania again and a hotel stay.  I am going to push Ron to find more events that are close enough for us to drive there and back in the same day.  New York needs to step up its game.  Ron decided it would be better for us to head down Friday after work, spend the night and then go to the festival on Saturday morning.  A good plan in my mind as this meant we didn’t have to get up at crack of dawn and drive down in order to get there for opening time at 11 am.  Actually Ron would want us to be at the gate about 10 am so we can be first in line.  He really likes doing that. Besides it gives him time to chat with the other early birds.

The Friday night drive started out with scrambling to get out of the house.  Ron, of course was home with a cold.  Rotten timing on his part.  I had arranged to work from home so I did not have to lose time on the drive home before we headed out.  It was a slap dash run out the door.  This time I did remember my toothbrush and the glass measuring cup I use in a microwave for my tea water.  As it was only one night, we didn’t bring a cooler or any food.  Snacks is what we forgot.  I try to bring something to eat on every trip, just in case.  Zombie apocalypse could happen any time, and we really should be prepared.

We ran in some of that annoying mist, serious fog and traffic on our drive to York, PA.  But it wasn’t too bad.  We stopped to grab a quick bite for dinner and arrived at the hotel just before 9 pm.  Car was unloaded and I, for one, tried to fall asleep.  That is when I realized what I had forgotten.  My ear plugs and sleep mask.  That made for a long night.  Ron always has to unwind with TV before he goes to sleep.   But it was the traffic outside the hotel that made the night so hard.  We were on the second floor and the noise was constant and loud.  I don’t think my ear plugs would have made much of a difference.

Anyway, I was up early (think well before dawn) and restless.  As Ron was still sleeping, I didn’t want to turn on the TV, so I got some clothes on and went walking.  There were 4 floors in the hotel so I went up and down, back and forth and chatted with the few staff members who were also up and about.   I don’t remember the last time Ron slept past 6 am before, but it was 7:30 before he finally woke up.  The cold really did a number on him.  Thank goodness we had separate beds.   I simply refuse to catch his cold.

The folks behind the festival were on top of things and sent out an email telling those who were on their FB page about road closures in the area.  The remnants of Hurricane Florence had hit this area too.

We could still see the after effects along our way.  The amount of water that came through here had to have been very scary.

As usual we were early to the Paw Paw Fest, but were not the first people there.  There were a few vendors already set up and Ron headed over to talk with Lori Shellenberger from Nurturing Nature Nursery about the paw paw plants she had for sale.

The plan this weekend was to come home with some paw paws and a dozen or so saplings to plant.  The ones we planted two years ago did not do as well as we hoped.  It does take 5 years of patience before you have the chance of fruit being picked, but we lost quite a few plants.  It was very sad when I gave a gentle tug on the stems we planted and more than I liked pulled out in my hand.  The others either have leaves or resisted my tug.  Fingers crossed that we will see life in them next year.  Personally I think we are going to have to expand our paw paw area.  I have 18 pots ready to go at home with my attempt at growing from seed.  That of course will take years, but I can be patient.

I was amazed at the number of people who came to try paw paws.  Most of them had never had one before.  They had stations set up with slices of different varieties of paw paw for every one to try.  Just like apples, there are serious differences in the varieties.  Some are creamer, others taste more of melon.  When I had people at work try the ones we came home with, some told me they tasted apple or pear. There were muffins, popsicles, salsa and ice cream for us to try too.  The ice cream was hands down, the best thing.  I am really looking forward to trying out some recipes with our own paw paws.

We spent a few hours at the festival and learned a few more helpful things about growing paw paws.  And I found a possible secondary use for the seeds.  Earrings.  Fair warning.  A set just might be in your future.

Our ride home was a simply a nice drive with great weather and very little traffic.    Even though we were only gone for one night, it was so good to be home.  I think I am done with trips for awhile.  But I have to say, for a spur of the moment idea,  this was a good one.  After 30 years, Ron’s Adventure Tours is still going strong.