Category: Family Weekend Trips
RV Insurance Claims: Driver Inexperience & Forgetfulness
September 30, 2012 by Rex Vogel · Leave a Comment
First party insurance claims involving recreational vehicles can often be traced to driver inexperience and forgetfulness. (Source: claimsjournal.com) The majority of claims occur within the first 90 days of ownership or at the beginning of the season, according to International Insurance Group, Inc., an independent Arizona RV insurance agency. “This is due to the nuances and size of RVs. Most drivers aren’t accustomed to the wide angles, required clearance and space required to maneuver their rig.” Gradually, as RV drivers gain experience, the claims associated with RVs change, reports claimsjournal.com. Lenny Richileau, director of the specialty vehicle claims unit for Allied and Nationwide Insurance Companies calls them the “I forgot” claims. “Experience does not eliminate claims, but it seems to change the nature of the claim. With experience, claims are less about hitting the post at the gas station, taking out the top of the rig, trying to fit under an underpass with low... [Read more...]
Top Fall Color Hotspots in National Forests
September 26, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 2 Comments
Fall colors are about to burst all over the country and the U.S. Forest Service wants you to get outdoors and enjoy one of nature’s most spectacular seasons in your national forests. “Autumn is a wonderful time of the year to plan a trip to see the beauty of your national forests,” said Tom Tidwell, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service in an agency news release. “As tree experts, we have incredible resources on our website to help you plan a great adventure this fall season.” From coast to coast, state and local economies are boosted because of the fall season and for many rural communities, fall color tourism is a major source of revenue. Hotels, restaurants, and local shops rely on the influx of dollars generated by fall visitors. For example, the New England area receives an estimated $8 billion in local revenues annually due to fall activities. Throughout the Midwest, millions of visitors hit the road to enjoy the sights. In the West, the mountains provide destinations filled... [Read more...]
Pine Mountain RV Resort to Host Rally Benefiting Our Fallen Soldier
September 11, 2012 by Rex Vogel · Leave a Comment
Pine Mountain RV Resort, an RVC Outdoor Destination vacation property, will host its second annual motorcycle rally called “Rollin’ Rumble Motorcycle Rally” from September 14-16. The event is open to the public, and a portion of all proceeds will go to Our Fallen Soldiers, a charity that aids families of soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty, according to a news release. “We’re dedicated to helping the troops who have so bravely sacrificed for our country,” said Jim Anderson, general manager at Pine Mountain. “This fundraiser is very important to us because the money raised will help family members of those men and women who have given their lives for our country, and we encourage everyone to come out and support this worthwhile cause.” Currently the event has 30-50 vendors, including leather food accessories, soap, jewelry, and motorcycle accessories. Guests will also enjoy live music, great food, hot dogs, and drinks from local vendors, a raffle, poker run,... [Read more...]
Guadalupe Mountains National Park Celebrates Anniversary
September 6, 2012 by Rex Vogel · Leave a Comment
This year commemorates the 40th anniversary of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, a desert mountain environment with more than half of its 86,000-plus acres designated as wilderness. El Capitan Guadalupe Mountains National Park (Photo credit: Dustin Nelson/NPS) Authorized on 1966 and established by Congress September 30, 1972, the national park lies along the northern limits of the state’s “boot heel” and shares a border with New Mexico. The park originated with a 1959 land gift from petroleum geologist Wallace Pratt, and was supplemented by the purchase of J.C. Hunter Jr.’s Guadalupe Mountain Ranch a decade later. Pratt loved the country’s rugged beauty enough to build a summer home on his McKittrick Canyon property, a riparian waterway in the northeast corner of the park where bigtooth maples attract hikers in the fall. Hunter’s ranch holdings comprise the lion’s share of the national park, forged from several smaller ranches in the surrounding sierras and foothills. Guadalupe... [Read more...]
Birding Hotspot: Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, NM
September 1, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 2 Comments
UFO sightings may have put Roswell, New Mexico, on the map, but at nearby Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, strange creatures are more than visitors. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge offers a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities. Visitor Center can be seen in the distance. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved They inhabit odd sinkholes, playa lakes, seeps, and gypsum springs fed by an underground river. Straddling the Pecos River the Refuge consists of an assortment of water habitats. Numerous seeps and free-flowing springs, oxbow lakes, marshes and shallow water impoundments, water-filled sinkholes, and the refuge namesake, Bitter Lake, make up these unique environments. Scattered across the land are over 70 natural sinkholes of different shapes and sizes. Created by groundwater erosion these water habitats form isolated communities of fish, invertebrate, amphibians, and other wildlife. Located where the Chihuahuan Desert meets the Southern Plains, Bitter Lake National Wildlife... [Read more...]
Top 10 Scenic Drives in the Northern Rockies
August 28, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 2 Comments
If you are looking for an exciting vacation with beautiful views then consider exploring Forest Service lands in the Northern Rockies for beautiful landscapes, scenic byways, historic trails, and diverse wildlife. For sheer beauty and allure, few regions match the Northern Rockies. Discover a convenient new way to research and plan absolutely incredible Rocky Mountain travel adventures—the Top 10 Scenic Drives in the Northern Rockies. Beartooth All-American Road The Beartooth Scenic Road has 10,000 mountain lakes, 20 peaks reaching more than 12,000 feet in elevation, and 12 national forest campgrounds. Witness the rare transition of lush forest ecosystem to alpine tundra in just a few miles on the highest elevation road in the Northern Rockies. International Selkirk Loop All-American Road The public lands along the loop are home to the largest diversity of wildlife in the lower 48 states. Travel the Selkirk Range of the British Columbia, Idaho, and Washington Rocky Mountains to see... [Read more...]
Hello Helena (that’d be in Montana ;)…
August 22, 2012 by Dana Ticknor · 1 Comment
Growing up in an area, one often takes for granted the unusual and interesting destinations and activities of the locale. We often don’t take advantage of and enjoy the sites and sounds that are right in our backyard, but reserve such tourist-y behavior for when we are on the road. Such was the case with us. Until this summer. We have been on the road for 3 years, and while we spend our winters playing tourist in some much warmer states than our beloved Montana, we come home for the summers and find we fall right back into the everyday routine, forgetting that there were/are fabulous things to do right here at home too! Recently, I vowed to take a day each week and DO something. It didn’t have to be big, but it did have to be something special – something that ‘visitors’ do – something that my kidlets would think was fun and unusual. At first, we would find ourselves traveling out of town for our Tribe Trips as we call them, but then it hit me that there... [Read more...]
50 Things To See or Do See in Your RV Before You Die
August 20, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 1 Comment
You might have read it or flipped through it or seen it on a shelf and thought, “I should pick that up.” The first thing many visitors notice about the Alamo is its small size, especially when compared with the buildings of the surrounding city. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved It’s the national bestseller, “1,000 Places to See Before You Die.” The list, which includes everything from Asian sailing excursions to African horseback riding sites, might be mouthwatering to the wannabe world traveler. For most, however, the financial ability to travel the world simply isn’t there. But have no fear. Sometimes the best adventures are those in your own backyard. Here, in alphabetical order, are 50 things to do or see in your RV before you die: Acadia National Park, Maine People have been drawn to the rugged coast of Maine throughout history. Thanks to the robber barons that used the park as a private playground in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the... [Read more...]
Top 10 National Parks: Is Your List Better Than Mine?
August 14, 2012 by Rex Vogel · Leave a Comment
People like lists. No, check that, they love them. Particularly when they disagree with them and think they have a better list. So, here’s my personal Top 10 list of national parks. How does it match up with yours? 10. Canyon de Chelly National Monument (Arizona) Spider Rock, the unofficial symbol of Canyon de Chelly, is a sandstone obelisk that rises more than 800 feet from the canyon floor at the junction of Canyon de Chelly and Monument Canyon. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved A comparatively little-known canyon, Canyon de Chelly has sheer sandstone walls rising up to 1,000 feet, scenic overlooks, well-preserved Anasazi ruins, and an insight into the present day life of the Navajo, who still inhabit and cultivate the valley floor. The northernmost and southernmost edges are accessible from paved roads—the North and South Rim drives. The South Rim Drive offers the most dramatic vistas, ending at the most spectacular viewpoint, the overlook of Spider Rocks—twin 800 foot towers... [Read more...]
Family Fun in the Sun!
August 5, 2012 by Diane Berry · Leave a Comment
An event worth planning an entire summer camping trip around, the Taos Solar Music Festival is not to be missed. The final weekend in June every summer, the small town of Taos, NM (population just over 7,000) puts together an amazing combination of talent and the cutting edge information on solar power and makes a celebration out of it. Whether you come for the music or the technology, you will not be disappointed. This year’s festival, celebrating its 14th anniversary, was held June 30 and July 1. Highlights were the incredible talent and a Solar Forest that blended art and renewable energy. Three solar energy companies gathered forces to power the five trees; four of which represented the elements and directions: Earth, wind, fire and water. As we are in Taos, the fifth tree was a chile tree. Groups such as the New Mexico Solar Energy Association (NMSEA) are offered space to demonstrate solar panels, solar ovens and other innovative products designed to heat or power your home, camper... [Read more...]
