2026 EVENTS CALENDAR

It’s been a while since we last visited the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum—too long, in fact. The club has only been there twice before, in 1997 and 2018. So yes… we’re fixing that. And this time, we’re doing it right, with a guided tour led by the Museum Educator.

Join us Saturday, June 20, at Peppermint's Restaurant (west parking lot), 244 E Main St, Avon. We’ll meet at 10:00 AM on the east side of the parking lot, hold a brief drivers’ meeting, and roll out about 15 minutes later.

Long before wind tunnels, CAD models, and traction control, a young guy named Glenn H. Curtiss was tearing around the countryside—first on bicycles, then motorcycles, and eventually in aircraft that helped win World War I. At one point, he held the title of “fastest man on earth.” Not in a car. Not in an airplane. On a V-8 motorcycle he built himself. And much of that happened right here in Hammondsport.

The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum isn’t just about airplanes. You’ll see the bicycles, the record-setting motorcycles, early engines, and—most interestingly—the thinking that connected two wheels to wings. Curtiss and the Wright brothers were rivals, innovators, and relentless tinkerers, cut from the same cloth. They all started with bicycles. They all chased speed. And they all changed the world.

Sound familiar?

This is the kind of museum where mechanically curious people lose track of time. The kind where you lean in closer, read every placard, and suddenly realize you’ve been smiling for ten minutes straight.

The drive there is half the fun. We’ll head south along Conesus Lake, then cut southwest through rolling hills and valleys—climbing a total of 1,384 feet, from 729 feet at Peppermint’s to 2,113 feet on the way to the museum. Maybe bring oxygen. Just in case.

At the museum, we’ll be treated to a guided tour by a museum staff member. Guided tours always reveal the stories you didn’t even know to ask about—and this place has plenty of them. Afterward, we’ll enjoy a beautiful drive along the east shore of Keuka Lake to lunch at The Switzerland Inn. Fingers crossed for good weather so we can eat out on the deck, overlooking the lake. From there,

it’s north, west, south, and north again—passing the south end of Canandaigua Lake—before finishing the day at Shark's Ice Cream for some well-earned, homemade ice cream.

Total distance: about 130 miles (~7.5 hours including stops) of great roads, great scenery, great history, and even better company. If you like machines, motion, and stories about people who refused to leave well enough alone—this one’s for you. Admission to the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum and tour is $11.

Contact the Event Coordinator and your Area Rep by Thursday, June 16 if you can join us.