GUBITZ EAST COAST TRAVELS 2026!

We chose to stay for one extra day so we can help with clean up chores, enjoy the environs and have more time with their family.  The day kicked off with Scott, John Alexander and I having breakfast. Large portions, better than expected quality and low prices,  a good combination. Then Peggy and I went for a leisurely drive just around the outside of town to enjoy the pastoral calm while Scott and Cathy handled their Monday work chores.  Our first stop was St. Peter's village, a single street, century old town with creeks, hiking and a quaint "downtown".  Lunch in town was relaxing and pretty tasty.  And the table faced the creek below and the forest across.  Continuing our 20 mile loop, we came to Hopewell Furnace National Historical Site. A few hundred year old buildings where they manufactured iron and had a small school.  A few miles further and we arriv...

Beautiful weather for conversation, photo sharing, story telling and family bonding, and the bbq pit master, Scott Grzybek, outdid himself for us all.  Ken and Rita Razka were the most helpful filling in the upper levels of the chart, especially matching names to photos and legacy stories.  A beautiful backyard and floating deck made interaction smooth and joyful. A quick shout out to Scott Harvey for his excellent wines! We had a case shipped here for the reunion, with 4 Zins, 4 Barberas and 4 Rieslings. While the Virginia and Pennsylvania wine entries were surprisingly very solid, Scott's surpassed them all. (Not just my opinion)  All 3 of Marcia's sons and their families made the reunion and it was great integrating them all into the other 4/5ths of the Skieresz clan.  Scott wants to host this next Spring (unless we can find an excellent Buffalo location) and his heart is to see more members and families ...

Scott and I spent all morning together visiting his "meadery", learning the challenges and joys of building his business and shopping for all sorts of food for the various weekend celebrations. Scott's Mead is crafted with great honey and he knows his stuff. The Mead is delicious! Low calories and carbs, could be my new thing!  After lunch we checked in to our Holiday Inn. Hard to describe that after staying in 3 great friends' guest bedrooms, and loving the hospitality and continual conversations, it is really amazing to have a large room, with a king bed, many fresh pillows, a jacuzzi and pool to refresh in, and though it's a Holiday Inn, it feels like the Ritz and is only 5 minutes from Scott and Cathy's house.  Back at their house for pizza dinner, we got to meet Isiah and Heather Lavender with their son Frazier. Isiah is an English professor at Syracuse University and Scott's cousin and the story behind how they all found each ...

2 days before the large family reunion found us buying a lot of food, prepping side dishes, and preparing our hearts for the big reunion on Sunday. My day started early with the local coffee shop. And if it says pork belly on the sign, don't you have to order pork belly on your breakfast sandwich? Which I did, thankfully! It was delicious.  Peggy and I enjoyed driving through Amish country (again)  to an amazing supermarket, Shady Maple market and buffet (supposedly the largest buffet in the USA).  People come from all over to eat and shop here. And it's run by the Amish.  Consider Costco marrying a giant organic Amish farm and you've got it.  Pretzel hot dogs .99c, chocolate milk shakes .99c. Fresh squeezed lemonade .99c. And then she asked if I wanted my .99c soft pretzel dipped in melted butter and salt! I had to ask if that was even legal. So delicious.  After lunch it was all about prepping potato and mac...

Another lovely day as we drove from Wayne, NJ to Elverson,  PA. Howie and Ricki's hospitality and home were both beautiful and so breakfast had to be with the view! Leftover Meatsa Pizza (and we wonder why my pants are a bit tight) for breakfast,  out on the patio overlooking the lake.  Coffee and devotions and this view... sublime!  Peggy wanted me to take this photo below for Robert Jordan and Dave Lassiter. It'll be obvious upon close inspection.  We then purposefully meandered the back roads and found a different New Jersey than we expected; quiet, peaceful, rural and beautiful.  We came across an intersection smoking up a storm from a BBQ lunch spot. It was so good, we decided to buy dinner there and bring it to Scott's house for his family. Loved the Scripture references on their trucks, and like the Gideons,  they had Bibles available on each table for guests to ...

Leaving Sean and Sarah to their new home was encouraging, as the future appears bright, trusting the Lord for community, Church, project completion and visits from family and friends. It's a great home with great potential!  The surrounding neighborhood is quiet, quaint and lovely with rolling hills for leisurely walks and a nice cove as a beautiful water feature!  Our ride to the famous Sally's Apizza in Hartford was well worth the slight detour.  Coal fired pizza with great sauce, crust and toppings.  Wow!  Peggy had a white sauce and mozzarella with olive and onion.  She loved everything about this pizza.  Mine was an all meat called the Meatsa Pizza. Had to ask for extra coal love, which they more than delivered on!  Departing towards Wayne NJ, we enjoyed a break at a beautiful rest stop with our favorite friend! The day was bright and sunny and the route avoided much high...