We wobbled and we wavered, but we finally decided to head ‘home’. As in, my original gangster home. The home where I grew up. The place I spent summers bridge jumping into creeks. The spot where I was sheltered from the larger, more diverse thinking and acting world.
Owego, NY
We’re talking Owego, and for a plethora of reasons, we’ve ended up spending at least a month here each summer for the past three summers. Needing to bring our niece Eden home to her father’s in Western NY after a few weeks of fun and stink, we decided to plop ourselves in Owego for a week or two while we delivered her and returned Dexter to his Owego based home.
Best form of birth control.
But then, we just stayed. Most of the decision to extend our stay by a month – and then two – revolved around COVID-19. Dexter was in need of some adult supervision. The virus had closed down or decreased accessibility of many of the joys we had hoped to partake during a trip up into the Northeast that was generally in our mind for the summer’s travels. Jake had heftier than normal work obligations. I generally enjoy being in proximity to family to assist with tasks and spend time. The COVID-19 numbers in the area were low, and masking and social distancing were being practiced by nearly everyone.
So, we stayed. From July 13th until September 28th, we sat in a spacious campsite at Hickories Park and worked, played, and enjoyed family and friends in ways that we felt were COVID safe. There were times where we had to weigh the ‘worth it’ versus ‘risk’ ratio, and for the most part, I think we did a decent job of that.
A site with a dual water nozzle and no draught restrictions. Apparently this is highly desired by 9 year olds. 
Owegans might not know it, but they have a pretty swell campground. 
It rained about 3x all summer. After one of these rare instances of weather, we were treated to this.
Being that I’ve written about the millions roughly five of things we like to do in the Owego area at least twice (2017, 2019), I won’t spend too much time doing it again.
But, in case you’ve forgotten, or we didn’t mention them thoroughly enough, or you forgot to read my previous blog posts – which, how dare you – here are our top few things we enjoy doing in the Owego, NY area:
- Eat at The Kitchen. The Kitchen is my favorite Owego restaurant. It’s only open until mid-afternoon, and during COVID it has been a bit less enjoyable than in memories past – it’s great. They have Jamaican Me Crazy iced and hot coffee. Their Apple Cake is mostly crumb topping so that’s clearly a win. They have outside seating – even if most of it is kind of in a parking lot.
- Enjoy a riverside beer outside on the balcony at The Cellar. We haven’t been comfortable eating inside at most places, but the option of a drink and appetizers out back along the Riverwalk in Owego is very pleasant.
- Sip a hot or cold caffeinated beverage at Carol’s Coffee Bar. They’re very nice there, and they bake a mean Amaretto Biscotti. Also, the seating out front on the sidewalk is great for watching idiots get angry at the daily BLM vigils out front of the courthouse.
- The beer at the Farmhouse Brewery is good. I’m a sucker for their Carrot Bucket Cream Ale. Their outdoor seating options are very limited, however.
- Ice Cream Works has pretty creative homemade flavors – and soft serve. It’s nothing to travel from out of the area for, but if you’re in the area – it’s worth a stop.
- Hang out with my nephew. He’s wickedly funny (and sometimes just wicked). He will also let you know if you’re developing wrinkles on your face, or if your lazy eye is acting up.
And now, I present a photographic montage of our two-ish months in Owego:
Made sure Eden got some Kitchen food in her before we deposited her back at her dad’s. 
Jake dropping some knowledge on Dexter 
Puppy park photography 
Freddy, Dexter’s cat, was very pleased to have him home. 
Front porch coffee with mom. 
Lucy, Cween of the campground.
Another day, another Kitchen trip. 
Ice Cream works. 
Aunt Kay visited. 
Visiting my dad at his senior apartment housing is… 
…an adventure. 
Andy finally invested in a new whip! (#byeHHR) 
One of many afternoons spent at the community pool. Reminding your nine-year-old nephew to remain socially distanced in a pool is a full-time activity.
Carol’s Coffee Bar afternoon fuel up. 
Lucy reminding us to keep the RV clean and disinfected. 
An afternoon walk with my mom – and her bunny carriage and penis dog. 
Lucy, reigning supreme. 
Sweet Freddy! 
Dexter gardening with Dave, my mom’s husband. 
The crew being audience to Dexter’s downhill bike escapades.
The school of Aunt Liz was in session. 
Aunt Kay visits again! 
Outdoor Kitchen lunch date with my mom & dad (Pop-Pop & Bee) 
A rare rainstorm provided a fun new accent to COVID activities which are mostly just playgrounds and bike rides. 
School of Aunt Liz. 
A day trip to Green Lakes to meet with Aunt Kay 
Post Green Lakes hang at Heritage Hill Brewhouse.
Another day, another lunch outside at the Kitchen. 
Dexter was inspired to bake a 3 layer chocolate cake and I did not argue. 
Early evening campfire 
Happy hour beers on the Riverwalk at the Cellar.
Celebrating my mom’s birthday on a (rare) rainy evening. 
Dexter 
A quick trip to hang with Tricia and Scott 
A quick trip to hang with Tricia and Scott 
Owego backroads are highly runnable 
Evening Jake time; Dexter’s favorite part of the day.
The Binghamton Zoo is pretty shitty, but it has really friendly tortoises. 
There is a Wegmans within 20 minutes, so you know where I spent some time. 
Dexter wished to make a hotdog pizza. So we made a hotdog pizza. Reportedly, it was good. 
Back hill Owego run views.
Lucy love. 
When the pool closed for the season, Dexter decided to transition to skate/bike parks. 
Spent a day whitewashing the interior of my mom’s bunny barn. 
Aunt Liz school continued, everyday. 
Owego skateparking. 
We decided to wetvac the our horrible ‘mousefur’ ceiling. This was Jake’s wetvac carrying solution. 
Binghamton skatepark biking.
Scott visited Owego for a weekend. 
Lucy discovered grasshoppers. 
The grasshoppers were exhausting. 
Cricking. 
Showing Scott the ‘best of’ Owego. 
Popped up to Ithaca for brunch at La Luna (we love Luna)
Non-Aunt Liz school started 
So we had to start eating after school cookies 
And participate in after school Aunt Liz activities 
Happy hour with mom at the Cellar 
Putting the after school apples to good use. 
Visiting my dad… who promptly dropped his homemade apple sauce gift, and had to be placed in a corner so I could safely clean it up. Very 2020.
Dex learned to change his bike tube. 
My mom’s evil cat, Monster likes Dex. 
Riding in Binghamton, the butthole of NYS.
A final ‘fling’ at the end of our Owego stay: The Pumpkin Farm! 
Iron Kettle Farm, where the pumpkin people hav remained the same since the early 90s 
Iron Kettle Farm 
Iron Kettle Farm 
Iron Kettle Farm
A final fall flavored run through the back hills 
Owego topped off our stay with some great foliage 
Dex topped off our stay with an afternoon of new tricks 
A summer well spent in Owego NY. This is his favorite photo pose and I think he will regret that when he is older than 10 years.
Owego is a small, quiet town. Its streets are frequented by scrap metal semi trucks and clunkers. It’s a town where the majority refuses to honk for the daily BLM vigil, but beeps excessively when the church crowd holds up Jesus signs in the same location. Reading the local Pennysaver’s Reader’s Column is my weekly mental mush splurge when we’re in town – it’s a real car wreck that column.
I no longer feel drawn to living in the area, but I am drawn to the family ties that reside there, and the convenience of three pizza places and two chinese take-out shops serving the area of roughly 19,000 people.
And let’s be honest here: there is a likelihood we’ll be back another summer. And we won’t hate that. The city campground is nice. The running is decent. And Dexter is nearby for entertainment and hotdog pizza baking purposes.
But for now, it’s off to the Lake George area. And a Dyna sized oil change in Albany.