WHY WE’RE NEVER BORED

By Monique & Barry Zander, the Never-Bored RVers What a trip … and we haven’t been on the road for two months.  We bought a cabin in February, which has caused us to spend the past eight weeks making it livable.  That’s about to change, but before I climb up top to reseal around the Fantastic Fan and then hitch up for the first of two planned springtime jaunts, I’m going to fulfill an RV.net bucket list item – I need to share some thought about where you might want to go in your RV in the coming months … … realizing, of course, that gas prices, particularly in the West, may keep you closer to home than you want. Monique reads. She reads RV magazines, online travel items I print out for her (she prides herself on totally avoiding the computer) and travel brochures, particularly those we pick up at tourist stops as we cross the line into states. When we arrive in a town, she picks up one or two of the little free newspapers and travel brochures.  Add to that, I make notes when other RVers recommend places to see and things to do. To put it briefly, her efforts have been very rewarding. If you drove to Bannack State Park in Montana today, you would think you’d driven a long way to see a dead, gloomy ghost town.  We were up there to visit Glacier National Park and had the luxury of no pressing needs elsewhere.  Monique saw that Bannack Days were approaching, and since we hadn’t been to a ghost town in a while, we turned the truck southwest. We pulled into... Read more

The Zen of Boondocking Part XI – Additional public lands camping options

By Bob Difley Now that we’ve looked at the responsibilities of a boondocker toward his campsite, as stated in last weeks Part X, let’s look at some often missed public lands and their boondocking possibilities. And in previous posts in this series I wrote mostly about boondocking on the public lands managed by the BLM, that manages the most land, and the forest service also with a large amount of land available for boondocking. But there are other public lands that are also open for boondocking, though with varying restrictions from one to the other. NATIONAL GRASSLANDS (NG) The 20 National Grasslands administered by the Forest Service cover nearly four million acres of waving fields and rolling hills of prairie grasses in thirteen states, with more than 82% of the total land area in nine of the NG located in the Great Plains states of Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The largest is the sprawling one million plus acres of the Little Missouri NG in North Dakota and the smallest the 1,449-acre McClellan Creek in Texas. Camping and boondocking is limited on NG, though some do have primitive camping. If you are passing near a NG, check it out for recreational and camping possibilities. US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS (USACE) The Corps manages and conserve the land and waters of several water resource projects and provides public recreation opportunities in all states. Recreation at Corps locations can include fishing, boating and water sports, and camping... Read more

The Alamo Celebrates Landmark Anniversary

Remember the Alamo! We joined an exceptionally large crown of thousands to “Remember the Alamo,” and the battle there on a similar morning 175 years earlier. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved For 175 years, those words have inspired passions and politics. The 13-day siege resulting in a battle to the death for its defenders is truly the stuff of legend. Each March, one weekend is set aside as “Remembering the Alamo Weekend.” The date was March 6, 2011. While it was not our first visit to the Alamo, historically it was the most significant! On this Sunday morning we joined an exceptionally large crown of thousands to “Remember the Alamo,” and the battle there on a similar morning 175 years earlier. Texans recalled the 189 known defenders who died and the 400 to 600 Mexican troops killed or wounded. The place was packed, full of tourists. They came from all over, to participate in the battle reenactment and other activities. Grabbing their muskets, straightening their hats, and pulling on jackets ranging from ratty leather to officer uniforms, they readied themselves for the various activities. The event included cannon demonstrations and educational programs, marching armies, arrival of the Gonzales 32, and more to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the fall of the Alamo. The dramatization was put on by The San Antonio Living History Association. Among the Alamo's garrison were Colonel Travis, Jim Bowie, and David Crockett. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved Dressed... Read more

Exciting News From the Good Sam Club

The Good Sam Club is serious about growing the club and bringing together more friends, more fun and, of course, lots of great savings.  We would like to show our sincerity with the announcement of some great new club benefits and the opportunity for great savings on RV accessories at Camping World. Here are some of the new and expanded benefits available to Good Sam Club Members: Good Sam Club members will enjoy EXTRA savings at GoodSamClub.com with a NEW feature called “Golden Halo” savings.   Each day the website will showcase a unique savings opportunity on RV products and services exclusively for members!  Look for this great new savings benefit starting Monday, April 18th. Beginning in June, long-standing Good Sam Club members will gain access to a whole new way of saving at Good Sam Parks.  Members who have been active continuously for one year or more can go on-line to GoodSamClub.com and register for Good Sam Park rebate coupons.  These coupons are good for extra savings on future stays at any Good Sam Park.  As a long-standing member, you can also take advantage of seasonal or last minute camping offers available through participating parks.  Visit the site as often as you like. Good Sam members will receive the new and improved HIGHWAYS magazine.  Starting in June, the newly expanded book will include MORE of what you love like tech tips, how-to, chapter news, new product information, games, recipes and special offers for members! Join... Read more

Google Maps–More Than Just Directions

It’s been a while since I’ve focused on Google Maps in this blog, and they’ve made so many improvements.  If you’ve never visited Google Maps, you’re in for a treat.  It’s completely web-based, ‘in the clouds’ according to the current lingo, so just head on over to www.maps.google.com.  What you see depends on whether the little icon in the upper right is set to Map or Satellite. Getting Directions We’re traveling cross country this summer starting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and going to San Luis Obispo, California.  I just click on ‘Get Directions’ in the upper left, enter Fort Lauderdale, FL in the first box and San Luis in the second, then click the button ‘Get Directions.’ Ooops, I forgot we need to stop in Bowling Green, Kentucky first.  I click ‘Add Destination’ and type Bowling Green, KY into the third box.  Then I drag that third box to the second position before clicking on Get Directions again. Pictures Once we get to San Luis Obispo, I want to visit one of my favorite places, Hearst Castle.  Still using Google Maps, I can zoom in to the area north of San Luis Obispo by double-clicking on it or, better yet, just type Hearst Castle in the Search box, and go straight there.  To see photos that other people have taken in the area, just click on the drop-down arrow below Map/Satellite button in the upper right and you see a list of options, including Photos.  When you check that, you will see thumbnails for every photo... Read more

Recharge Your EV at Campgrounds

It is not a stretch to see campgrounds with charging stations, in addition to national parks, state parks, Camping World, and other places where RVers travel. And of course, the bottom line is, that if charging does become ubiquitous then an Electric Vehicle (EV) as a dinghy becomes a viable decision, wrote Bob Difley in dinghytowing.rvtravel.com. A sign of the times. Image courtesy pluginrecharge.com “Costs of charging would be passed on to the driver, as are regular fuel costs, but if utility companies continue with reduced rates for overnight use, then charging your EV toad in your campground while you sleep would be not only efficient but cheaper. Meters on the charging stations would calculate costs and add to your campground charges,” added Difley. Two short months later it’s a reality! EV Owners Getting a Charge at Campgrounds Across the country, campground operators are reporting a gradual uptick in inquiries from EV owners who are considering using campgrounds as refueling stops on long-haul trips. Travelers who do this typically have adapters that enable them to plug into 50-amp, 240-volt electric pedestals that campgrounds often provide with their RV sites, reports Edmunds.com. “We’ve been getting quite a few calls from people wanting to charge their vehicles at our park,” said Russ Yates, owner of Holiday Park Campground in Greensboro, Maryland, adding that he’s installed a separate 50-amp/240 volt plug on the side of the campground office... Read more

The Zen of Boondocking Part X – Campsite responsibilities

By Bob Difley In last week’s blog, Part IX How to find boondocking campsites, I offered some tips on how to find campsites on public lands. Once you find a suitable campsite, it becomes your responsibility to follow certain unwritten rules of boondocking. I’m sure you’ve seen some trashy campers in your travels, practicing behavior that gives a bad name to RVers, boondocking, and the RV lifestyle. Most rules are just plain commonsense, which you wonder sometimes whether that gene was left out of some people’s gene pool. But anyway, here they are, and feel free to add your own in the comments section. Pick a campsite away from others. Many boondockers value their solitude and privacy, and prefer not to have neighbors close enough to hear their generator, TV, and conversations, or to be lit up by unwanted porch lights. That is why they are not in campgrounds. Upon arrival, walk the site with a bag and pick up any man-made trash left behind by previous campers. It won’t take you long, will infuriate you, but will bring the point home–anything that will not burn to ashes, carry it out.  And it will make your campsite that much more enjoyable. Find ways to hang things other than driving nails into trees. There are plenty of ideas for clothes drying hangers or racks or poles that clamp onto your picnic table to hang a lamp. Slide in hooks for your awning rail can be used to hang lights, a bird feeder, trash bag, etc. Keep your campsite neat. Put... Read more

Gr8LakesCamper: Michigan DNR looks to close 23 state forest campgrounds

In a press release issued the same day as a meeting to determine their fate, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has announced that the department wants to close 23 under-performing state forest campgrounds in the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula. There are 145 state forest campgrounds in Michigan. The proposed closures are due to — what else — budget cuts. The state’s Forest Recreation Program has seen a 63-percent decrease in funding in the last three years. According to the release, the order to close the 23 campgrounds will be submitted as a proposal at today’s Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting in Lansing, and will be eligible for action by DNR Director Rodney Stokes at the NRC’s May 12 meeting in Flint. If approved at the May meeting, the closures would be effective on May 19, 2011. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. today; the State Forest Campground closures is scheduled to be presented at 3 p.m. today. Mary Dettloff, a spokswoman for the Michigan DNR, told me that state officials were very judicious when selecting which state forest campgrounds should close. Only the ones which were least used were targeted, and she said another criteria was whether other state forest campgrounds were nearby, thus offering campers a viable option. These parks were so under-used, Dettloff said there’s no chance the state forest campgrounds which are to remain open, as well as the state park campgrounds, would be over-used. The 23 state... Read more

RV Fire Safety

One of the more common calls the Yuma Rural/Metro Fire Department responds to this time of year is for fires in recreational vehicles, according to fire marshal Curt Foster. According to Foster, two such calls happened last week, The Yuma Sun reports. RV fires are one of the largest causes of recreational vehicle loss. Photo courtesy Mac the Fire Guy RV owners need to be just as a careful, if not more so, than homeowners in guarding against fires, and the best way to do that is through prevention. “They need to be thought of as homes, because for some people they are,” Foster said. “Owners need to be taking the same precautions for their RVs that they do for in homes.” While it may seem obvious, Foster said one of the most important things that RV owners need to do is make sure the smoke, LP gas, and carbon monoxide detectors are all located properly and in good working condition. Foster recommends replacing the batteries in those detectors every couple of years and to clean and test them monthly. He added that Norcold and Dometic have issued recall notices for their refrigerators due to fire danger and that if you receive one, you should take care of it right away. Something else that may seem obvious but worth mentioning, according to Foster, is that recreational vehicles, like homes, have appliances such as ovens and heaters, and that owners need to make sure they are turned off before they leave. Driving with propane on can add to the danger if you are involved in... Read more

RVing and Training Your Dog? Here’s Why Timing Is Important

I wrote in my first book, “Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!” (available exclusively at DogProblems.com) about the Three Keys to Successful Behavior Modification: Timing, Consistency and Motivation.  These are three concepts that are especially important to the RVer who travels with their dog, because we’re consistently putting our dogs in new and tempting situations where it’s important to be a good ambassador to the general public, as both an RVer and a dog  owner. Understanding how these Three Keys work together is probably the single most important concept you must learn, if you wish to get inside your dog’s head and understand how the dog’s mind works. Even if your technique is not perfect, you can use the Three Keys to analyze and figure out how to fix pretty much any dog behavior problem… especially important if you travel with your dog. Timing The first key is Timing: Timing is your dog’s ability to associate either a positive or a negative outcome with any behavior. (Or, as the result of any behavior).  Since dogs have a very limited use of logic and reason, they are unable to associate cause and effect beyond what happens in the immediate present. That is, whatever happens as a result of their behavior (good or bad) must happen pretty much instantly. For example: If your dog smells the pan fried steak you’re cooking and jumps up and puts his front paws on the hot stove: your dog’s association... Read more

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