Category: Roads & Routes
Bits and Pieces – On the Road Again
October 15, 2012 by Professor95 · 2 Comments
While I love to write, our recent adventures have left little time for sitting down at the computer and keying up a blog. I have more ideas than hair on my head (BTW – I am not bald) but by the time the opportunity to write gets here I am too doggone tired from all of the day’s exciting activities and end up going to bed! Just to give readers an idea of what is going on, we left the zip code address in Virginia right after Labor Day. Since then we have traversed across North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and into Kansas. Our plans are to leave our current spot in Hutchinson and head south to Branson, MO, for a few days taking in many of the shows, exhibits, tours and having some just plain old fun. From there we may swing north again to Elkhart, IN, to see Amish Country and the birthplace of our RV. Since we are expected in North Myrtle Beach, SC, by November 1st for a two week stay with friends in our Cedar Creek RV Owners... [Read more...]
2013 Quartzsite RV Show Dates Announced
October 13, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 1 Comment
Every January something happens that is hard to believe, unless you have seen it! Major gem and mineral shows as well as vendors of raw and handcrafted merchandise peddle their wares to snowbirds, collectors, and enthusiasts, making Quartzsite the place to be the first two months of each year. Numerous food choices ensure you’ll never go hungry! © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved According to the Arizona Highway Department, as many as 750,000 to 1,000,000 people, mostly in recreational vehicles, converge on the sleepy little desert town of Quartzsite, located just 20 miles east of the California border on Interstate 10, for the rock, gem, and mineral shows, plus numerous flea markets and the Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show. “If you’re looking for anything related to RVs, you’ll find it at the RV show in Quartzsite,” says Kenny King, show promoter. There will be several hundred new and used RVs on display in 2013 and over a dozen service bays will be offering immediate... [Read more...]
2012 National Parks Fall Foliage Guide
October 8, 2012 by Rex Vogel · Leave a Comment
As summer comes to a close, the bright blues and greens that characterize the sunshiny season are replaced by a deeper, more vibrant palette. But there are so many destinations to choose from, each with their own unique rainbow of fall colors. The National Park Foundation (NPF) wants you to get outdoors and enjoy one of nature’s most spectacular seasons in your national parks. In announcing the 2012 National Parks Fall Foliage Guide the NPF says, “These parks boast exceptional fall colors, however they represent only a few of the national park sites where foliage lovers can enjoy the spectacular spectrum of the season’s palette.” The list below includes information on region-specific flora as well as estimated timing on the peak of their colors: Nez Perce National Historical Park (Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington) Peak foliage times range across the rivers, canyons, prairies, and mountains of this park which overlaps four states. The short-grass prairies of White Bird Battlefield... [Read more...]
Best Kept Secret in Camping: Maricopa County Parks & BOGO
October 4, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 1 Comment
One of the best kept secrets in the World of RVing is campgrounds located in county parks! But where are they, and how do you find them? A delightful end to another day in paradise at Usery Mountain Regional Park. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved Sometimes they’re located in Woodall’s and Trailer Life Campground Directory. Often times they’re not. County parks are often relatively small and off the beaten path. But if you’re looking for a quiet place to relax, do some bird watching, hike a near-by trail, or do some great sightseeing, it might be well worth seeking out some of these neat spots. A county park system worth checking out is Maricopa County Regional Parks in Arizona. The parks circle the Phoenix metropolitan area and all are within a 45-minute drive from central Phoenix. And unlike Arizona State Parks, no Maricopa County park has been closed or has suffered cutback in services. With 10 regional parks totaling more than 120,000 acres, Maricopa County Regional Parks... [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...]
SUMMER TOMATOES AND GASOLINE
September 8, 2012 by Professor95 · 1 Comment
We’ve stuck pretty close to the brick and mortar dwelling this summer. Now that both of us are retired, we are not locked into summer travels when it is often too hot, expensive, and crowded. Knowing we were going to be here during the summer months of July and August, I once again got out the old ’55 Ferguson tractor and rototiller to prepare a planting bed for tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and beans. We generally transplant our tomato plants outdoors sometime after the middle of April when the chance of frost is minimal. If the weather is good, we can expect succulent, vine ripened tomatoes beginning in late June. A fresh tomato and mayonnaise sandwich is always a summer favorite. When the crop comes in, we have tomatoes running out the kazoo. There are so many tomatoes we become wasteful, cutting sandwich size slices out of the center of the ripe fruit and throwing away the rest. We give tomatoes to all our children, neighbors and friends that have none – they often... [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...]
Savor those Campgrounds in September…
August 24, 2012 by Melissa A. Trainer · Leave a Comment
Pacific Rim National Park, Vancovuer Island, British Columbia September has always been one of my favorite months for vacation. Alas, now that my children are in school, I don’t get to vacation during the last official month of the summer, but when my children were very little, we always took a week out on the beach. The beaches and campgrounds are blissfully quiet, and the summer sun has started to shift towards that autumn light. Birds are migrating, and the leaves are starting to turn. Campsites are easier to find, so the travel itinerary can be a little looser and more subject to whim and spontaneity at this time of year. It’s also easier to nail a prime campsite (at a reduced price!) at the last minute. Furthermore, the nights aren’t too cold, but they are noticeably chillier and even more amenable to a warm cozy campfire. Homemade chili and hot cocoa are brought front and center on the menus again. Do you have any favorite last summer destinations? Photo by Melissa... [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...]
