The World’s First National Parks Turn 100

What was the first country in the world to establish a national parks system? If you guessed the United States or a European country such as Austria, Switzerland, Norway, or Sweden you would be wrong. Jasper National Park, Alberta. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved This year, Parks Canada, the first national parks service in the world, celebrates its 100th anniversary. Banff was discovered accidentally in 1883, when explorers fell through the roof of a cave into a warm, sulphur-water spring below. Sixteen miles around Sulphur Mountain and the Cave and Basin, were set aside as a National Park in 1885, predating Parks Canada by 26 years. Other sites were added until 1911, when the Dominion Parks Branch of government was formed. In 1911, when J.B. (Bunny) Harkin was appointed Canada’s first commissioner of national parks, he thought “the word park seemed a very small name for so great a thing.” The number of visitors to the Canadian Rockies at mountain parks now known as Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Glacier, and Waterton Lakes was increasing and the federal government felt it needed to protect the magnificence of the region. “Wonder, reverence, the feeling that one is nearer the mystery of things—that is what one feels in places of such sublime beauty,” wrote Harkin. Today, Parks Canada administers 42 national parks, 167 national historic sites, including nine canals, and four national marine conservation areas. More than 4,500 wardens, guides, scientists,... Read more

Gr8LakesCamper: Michigan Campgrounds with Available Sites this Holiday Weekend

Wanna hear a good one? FYI: This is not me nor my wife; pretty sure not my kids either. I’m trying to get a campsite for this coming Fourth of July weekend. I know, I know … why wait till the last minute? To make a long story short, we thought we’d be ferrying my sons to some baseball tournaments this weekend. But too late we were told they only have one game on Friday night, so now it’s a scramble to find a campground with an available campsite. And I’m hoping beyond all hope that these campsites are mostly level, somewhat shaded and not at all close to anyone with a case of firecrackers. That, and clean facilities. I know, I know … you get what you deserve. Fortunately, the Michigan Chapter of the Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds just issued a list of their member campgrounds who have available campsites this weekend. I’m saved, although now all my lectures to my kids about not waiting till the last minute to do their homework/chores/ etc. have been shot to you know where! Campgrounds reporting availability for the holiday weekend include: Beaver Trail Campground, West Branch (989-345-7745) http://beavertrailcampground.com Cedarville RV Park, Cedarville (906-484-3351) www.cedarvillervpark.com Clementz’s Northcountry Campground, Newberry (906-293-8562) www.northcountrycampground.com Coolwater on the Pine, Wellston (231-862-3481) www.coolwatercampground.com We have stayed at this campground and it is okay. It is heavily used by... Read more

Mark’s RV Garage Episode #11 Internet Show Released

RV Education 101 releases Episode #11 of the new Internet based RV How-To series titled “Mark’s RV Garage.” The new episode is available for viewing at www.rvconsumer.com and on You Tube             On this episode of Mark’s RV Garage:  * Mark installs a new EPDM rubber roof by Dicor and finishes wiring the power center in the Yellowstone restoration project.   * Learn how to rid your RV of holding tank odors by installing a simple 360 siphon odor extractor.  * Discover a neat product that will protect your valuables when you are home or traveling in your RV.    * All of this and more on this episode of Mark’s RV Garage.  If you missed previous episodes of Mark’s RV Garage they are archived at www.rvconsumer.com for easy retreival and viewing Episode # 12 will be available for viewing on 11 July 2011. Happy RV Learning, Mark Polk www.rvconsumer.com www.rveducation101.com  Read More →

What’s to Love About Pickleball?

“It’s the fastest-growing game in the country,” said Robert Hayes, a devout pickleball player and president of the Venture Out Condo Association. “I love the game.” Robert Hayes, 69, serves during a pickleball game at the Venture Out RV Resort in Mesa. Norman Cudney, 78, is at right. (Credit: Tom Tingle/The Arizona Republic) For player Don Bogle, a Mesa resident and one of the game’s 350 ambassadors for the USA Pickleball Association, the sport is “addictive,” The Arizona Republic reported. “You get such an adrenaline rush that it’s like a runner’s high,” he said. Many people unfamiliar with the game marvel at the recent growth of a sport that was created 46 years ago. The game’s biggest surge has evolved over the past five years since the Pickleball Association, an all-volunteer group, was founded, said David Johnson, the association’s spokesman. “They’ve put a lot of effort into building the sport and promoting its growth throughout America and Canada,” said the Seattle-area resident who turned his part-time pickleball equipment-sales business into a full-time enterprise two years ago. “And when snowbirds are introduced to the sport in places like Arizona they go back home to states like Michigan and introduce it to their friends. Michigan is now one of the more popular states to play pickleball,” he said. “We hear a lot from recreation departments interested... Read more

RV Cooking Show Interviews Two Oil Barons, Creates Two Delicious RV Recipes

Baked Goat Cheese Salad and a Walnut Honey Sauced Brownie featured in this Local and Luscious Food, Fun & Friends at Flying Flags episode Perhaps you’re like me…perfectly paired with my love to travel and my love to eat is my curiosity and love of learning. I suppose that’s why folks like us travel, vacation and explore like we do. Not too long ago I was fortunate enough to be able to visit with two dynamic women that play a major part in the Santa Ynez Valley culinary scene – I call them the ‘oil barons’. For this Food, Fun & Friends at Flying Flags episode called Local and Luscious I was searching for a premier olive oil maker and came across Theo Stephan, founder of Global Gardens, and her amazing gourmet collection of oils, vinegars and more. Long story short, that lead me to the Solvang Farmers Market and Mary Jane Edalatpour of La Nogalera Walnut Oil. Both ladies are a foodie-force to be reckoned with and create some spectacular oils! In this RV Cooking Show episode we’ll learn a bit about their groves and their oils and make two show-stopping dishes…one to start the meal and one to finish it. After visiting with Theo we’ll prepare an easy and elegant Baked Goat Cheese Salad with a simple vinaigrette. We’ll take Mary Jane’s walnut oil for a spin with our Walnut Honey Sauced Brownie after stopping by her organic walnut grove. Watch the Local and Luscious episode and visit my website to print the... Read more

How to keep on-the-road RV expenses under control

By Bob Difley If you don’t want the current lousy economy to keep you from following the blue highways this summer, try some of the following cost-cutting measures to reduce your overhead while not constricting your lifestyle. Most are just changing your old habits for new, more efficient ones. Drive 55. Lower speeds means more miles-per-gallon, and you will enjoy the scenery more and have less stress at lower speeds. Avoid jack-rabbit starts and quick stops. It’s all about torque and kinetic energy. Keep tires properly inflated. It can save up to 3% on fuel mileage. Stay longer at campgrounds or boondocking sites. Check out campground weekly rates, sometimes significantly less expensive than the daily rate. Install CFL or LED interior lights. These bulbs not only last much longer but use less energy. Boondock more often. Save campground fees, and losses at the weekly rec. room poker games. Install a solar or wind turbine system. Provides renewable free power to enable camping longer off the power grid. If traveling and staying only one night in a campground, pay less by choosing a non-hook-up site (sometimes called a tent site) or stay at lower-priced regional or state parks, or at stores that welcome over-nighters like Walmart, Kmart, and Cracker Barrel Restaurants. Eat out less. Save on food costs by preparing your own meals in your RV kitchen. You don’t really have to send the waiter’s daughter to college. Reduce food costs by bypassing the middle man.... Read more

Eat local, eat fresh for a Healthy RV Lifestyle

By Bob Difley Good nutrition and tasty food are part of a Healthy RV Lifestyle. And fortunately, the two fit together like campfires and potlucks. Tests and studies show that the purer the food source, the more nutrients there are, the  healthier the food is, and the better it tastes. So why do we not buy more fresh vegetables and fruits, fewer processed foods, and foods containing little or no added ingredients–food dyes, preservatives, and other chemicals that we can’t pronounce and which string down under the ingredients section on food labels? One reason is convenience. We will shop at the local supermarket and buy food that is the simplest to obtain and fastest to prepare. Another is that the giant food companies have added sugar and salt to almost all processed foods, diverting our taste buds off of natural foods and addicting us to the added ingredients. But I defy anyone to claim that fresh foods don’t have more nutrients and are better tasting than those that are canned, frozen, or have spent their best days in a truck being shipped across country and sitting on supermarket shelves for days. Is convenience worth it? But as RVers we have a built in remedy for tasteless, low quality food.  We travel a lot, and on a lot of back roads (I assume you don’t always drive on Interstates) and therefore pass roadside stands, pick-your-own orchards, and farmers markets where you can pick up the freshest and tastiest regional natural foods and eat them within... Read more

VIDEO: Tornadoes? Floods? You need a WEATHER RADIO!

Severe weather and camping go together like ice cream and motor oil. Okay, that’s a pretty horrible analogy, but I’m trying to emphasize that RVs and emergency weather are not a good combination. It’s obvious but it bears repeating. After a while, we tend to treat our “homes on wheels” as homes, and technically they are homes – but that doesn’t make them safe. I have yet to encounter an RV with a basement. We’ve experienced a few harrowing storms while camping in our Airstream. Sure, a little rain is nice. Even a powerful rainstorm with heavy rain can be pleasant. But a windstorm? That’s a different ball of wax. Suppose a tree gets blown into your RV? (Check out our video for the likely result.) What about floods? It may sound bizarre, but many campers have encountered flash flooding. As you might imagine, RVs don’t fare too well when pitted against torrential waves of water. I have somewhat fond memories of the lightning storm we experienced on the Gulf coast of Florida, when a gust of wind snapped our ceiling fan cover COMPLETELY OFF the camper in a torrential downpour. We taped a plastic bowl to the ceiling to keep our interior dry. I have much LESS fond memories of the storm we survived in Michigan. The two words no camper ever wants to hear: tornado warning. For the remainder of this article, and ANOTHER VIDEO that shows this radio in action, check out our website: LongLongHoneymoon.com. Also, now you can BUY SEAN’S BOOK ABOUT RV CAMPING ON KINDLE... Read more

Next-Gen Dodge Viper Motorhome Revealed

Have you ever wondered what a motorhome would look like if it was based on a more glamorous prototype? DriveSRT(Street & Racing Technology) recently released the world’s first supercar motorhome—a possible reincarnation of the Dodge SRT-10—on its Facebook fan page. Automakers and RV manufacturers frequently reveal future products online, sometimes on purpose while other times supposedly by accident. Next-gen Viper camper van. (Credit: DriveSRT) But what do you do when your Facebook fans clamor for insider information on the upcoming 2013 Dodge Viper? You give the people what they want. Yet, sometimes stupid questions beget stupid answers. In response to numerous requests for early looks at the next-generation of the Dodge Viper, the DriveSRT Facebook page gives us…a Dodge Viper motorhome. Yes, it’s a Viper SRT 10 three-axle camper van, and yes, it’s still sporting the old Viper front-end. No, it’s not a great photo. DriveSRT’s statement: “Like many of you, Twitter user @DaveOrrSales asked for a taste of what’s to come at SRT. We dodged death to sneak you this top-secret photo. That’s all you get, crew,” said the team revealing the Viper SRT-10 with more than a hint of tongue-in-cheek. Whilst the Viper SRT-10 may do a top speed of 202 mph, the Viper was always renowned for its erratic handling, although the Chrysler team appears to have fixed that by adding an extra axle and two extra wheels. We’ll all have... Read more

Change your Time Zone!

Most computers do not have GPS built in, so, although they physically travel with us, their clock is still set to the previous time zone.  It’s very easy to change! I haven’t worn a watch in years.  I really like using my cell phone to tell me the time because it automatically adjusts to new time zones.  Since it is connected to a local cell tower, it knows the correct time – coming from that cell tower. I also depend on my computer’s clock.  I’m almost always sitting at my computer.  Any time I want to know what time of day it is, I simply glance at the lower right corner.  So, I want it to be correct. Windows Time and Date Settings   Just click right on the time in the very lower right corner of your screen and choose ‘Change Date and Time Settings.’  Then click on ‘Change Time Zone.’    Once you’ve chosen the correct time zone and clicked OK, your clock will be correct.  Why not Just Change the Time Yourself? Many people choose the ‘Change date and time …’ and just set the clock themselves.  I think they just don’t realize how much easier it is to set the time zone and let the computer set the time.  You can even use the Internet Time feature (see the 3d tab on the date and time dialog box)  which will synchronize your computer’s clock with an Internet clock that is guaranteed to be accurate.  However, it will only be accurate for you if your time zone is set correctly. ... Read more

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