Category: Traveling Tips
AN ELEPHANT ON ROLLER SKATES – Taking care of E-Z Lube Wheel Bearings on Your Towable.
April 7, 2012 by Professor95 · 3 Comments
Can you imagine an Elephant on Roller Skates? Besides being able to actually stand-up and skate, the sheer weight of an elephant on the small axles, bearings, and wheels of roller skates brings images of frequently broken parts to my mind (Elephant on Roller Skates sketch by James Suhr) . Realistically, a large towable riding on a conventional spindle and bearing system isn’t much different than putting an elephant on roller skates. That is a lot of weight for such small parts to handle. Specially designed parts to handle the weight and suspension abuse our fast deteriorating highways inflict on our RV towables is a must. But, without proper maintenance, those parts will fail. Wheel bearings are constantly being exposed to water, dirt and heat – all enemies of even the best engineering designs. A ritual that is performed at least on an annual basis with our towable is inspecting and repacking the wheel bearings. Thankfully, two newer wheel-bearing styles used in the RV industry... [Read more...]
Cook Some Naan On Those Cast-Iron Skillets!
April 5, 2012 by Melissa A. Trainer · 4 Comments
A couple years ago, we took a family camping trip to Yellowstone National Park. While camping in the Madison Campground, we decided to do most of our cooking over the campfire. We didn’t have any hookups for our camper, so my little galley kitchen wasn’t working at full capacity. This didn’t bother me, because it was quite warm and sunny while we were there. Naturally, I wanted to be outside with everyone else. In order to crank out family-friendly meals after touring through the park each day, we relied on the campsite picnic table, the fire ring, and our wonderful cast-iron skillets. The picnic table was dressed with a basic plastic tablecloth and acted as a makeshift kitchen counter for slicing and prepping vegetables. The skillets were priceless for cranking out dinner. The pans are tough and can handle the heat of the open flame! During our stay at Madison, I decided to live on the edge by serving campfire-cooked naan. (Naan is an authentic Indian flatbread.)... [Read more...]
Natural Stone Architecture: Natural Bridges National Monument
April 3, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 1 Comment
Natural Bridges National Monument covers a relatively small area in southeastern Utah. It is rather remote and not close to other parks, and as a result is not heavily visited. A trail into the canyon underneath Owachomu Natural Bridge is a short distance from the overlook. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved Since natural bridges are formed by running water, they are much rarer than arches, which result from a variety of other erosion forces. Natural bridges tend to be found within canyons, sometimes quite hidden, whereas arches are usually high and exposed, as they are often the last remnants of rock cliffs and ridges. Unlike Arches National Park, with over 2,000 classified arches, there are only three bridges here. The area also has some scattered Indian cliff dwellings, pictographs, and scenic white sandstone canyons. The pinyon and juniper covered mesa is bisected by deep canyons, exposing the Permian Age Cedar Mesa Sandstone. Where meandering streams cut through sandstone walls, three... [Read more...]
WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN – IT IS GOOD TO HAVE FRIENDS AROUND
March 30, 2012 by Professor95 · 4 Comments
Somewhere between Little Rock, AR and Carrabelle, FL two cross members that support the frame rails on our fifth wheel broke. Initially, I could not tell there was something wrong because the plastic belly panels covered the problem area making it impossible to notice the broken welds. Our first indication that there was a problem occurred when we attempted to open the curbside living room slide and it would not extend. My inspection of the problem resulted in a major shock – the axles under the camper had moved at least 3” toward the left side and the drive rod for the slide-out had been bent by the tire. The tire was ruined and all six spring hangers had bent to approximately a 75 degree angle – they should be 90 degrees to the frame rails. In case you haven’t caught on yet, this is a MAJOR problem that could easily result in many thousands of dollars for repairs and the loss of use of the camper for “who knows how long”. One thing for sure – we were not going to be... [Read more...]
Steep Cliffs and Towering Spires: Dead Horse Point State Park
March 30, 2012 by Rex Vogel · Leave a Comment
Dead Horse Point State Park is perhaps Utah’s most spectacular state park. The park lies on the same broad mesa as The Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. The meandering Colorado River 2,000 feet below Dead Horse Point. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved Dead Horse Point is a peninsula of rock atop sheer sandstone cliffs about 6,000 feet above sea level. Two thousand feet below, the Colorado River winds its way from the continental divide in Colorado to the Gulf of California, a distance of 1,400 miles. The peninsula is connected to the mesa by a narrow strip of land called the neck. From the overlook, canyon erosion may be viewed on a grand scale. This erosion process has taken approximately 150 million years. Much of it is caused by the river slicing down into the earth’s crust as land is forced upward. These powerful forces are still sculpting the fantastic shapes of the precipitous bluffs and towering spires. Vegetation and wildlife in this desert environment... [Read more...]
Woodall’s FEATURED article–Top Travel Destinations for Easter
March 29, 2012 by Woodalls Editorial Staff · 2 Comments
Wondering where to travel this Easter? Let us help by pointing out the best spots for an Easter Parade, Egg Hunt, or to see where Easter treats come from. Hershey, Pennsylvania Where do those chocolate bunnies come from? More than likely, those delicious Easter treats come from the sweetest place in America — Hershey, Pennsylvania! This spring why not bask in chocolately goodness with a complimentary tour of Hershey’s Chocolate World, the source of the all things delectable? The sweet-smelling factory qualifies as the biggest chocolate-making operation on the face of the earth. After the factory tour and a 3-D show, you’ll be on your way with a tasty candy sample in hand. After ruining your appetite, explore the non-stop amusements at Hersheypark, where ten thrilling roller coasters, refreshing water rides, live entertainment, and appetizing food options await you. Date: April 6th-8th 10 am – 9 pm Washington, District Columbia This year, take the kids on an Easter Egg Hunt... [Read more...]
Carnivore Heaven…
March 27, 2012 by Dana Ticknor · 1 Comment
While we were near Houston recently, we abandon our trailer park kids (let the kids stay home and watch movies) while we went out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary and my hubby passing a course he took in Houston. We had heard from the campground manager that the little BBQ joint just a few miles down the road was a great place to eat, so we decided to venture out for their Friday Night All You Can Eat Shrimp, Catfish, FROG LEGS, and BBQ. 2 buffets for $17 sounded like a good deal, so we left the kids to their ramen noodles (their preferred meal when we are gone since I won’t let them eat it when I’m home ), and wondered what we were in for at this little back country eatery. Pulling up, we glanced at each other – Peter’s isn’t the fanciest of joints – but apparently it’s because they are too busy smoking the most fabulous brisket and ribs! We probably would not have chosen to stop and eat here if it were not for the rave reviews by our... [Read more...]
Silver Dollar City–the Food!
March 25, 2012 by Diane Berry · Leave a Comment
We have been discussing our family’s favorite theme park, Silver Dollar City, in Branson, MO, in my last several posts. Today I want to focus on the sustenance available in the park. While most of the dining venues are casual and cater to families with children, the food is plentiful and satisfying. I want to highlight just a few of these establishments in this post to give you an idea of what is available. Aunt Polly’s provides a good old southern mix of golden fried chicken, catfish fillets, red beans and rice, corn bread and chicken with noodles. This was one of our children’s favorite places to eat, for obvious reasons. Buckshot Annie’s wins the award for most colorful name. Annie’s offers grilled barbequed half chickens, giant turkey legs, corn grilled in the husk and two five-foot skillets of hearty succotash and harvest potatoes. This was my husband’s favorite. He just couldn’t get enough of those giant skillets! Another kids’ favorite is the Lumber Camp, providing... [Read more...]
IS YOUR HEAD IN THE CLOUDS?
March 24, 2012 by Professor95 · 3 Comments
I slept in this morning. The past two days had been rough on my aging body while fixing a problem with an ABS brake sensor on the Volvo HDT and replacing the blown A/C compressor on the GMC pickup. I was successful with both projects but they left me with sore muscles, painful hands and stiff joints that needed time to recover. Anyway, as I was sitting in the kitchen eating my Pop Tarts and drinking my morning coffee, the fourth hour of NBC’s Today show was on the TV. It really caught my attention when I noticed that Kellie Pickler was the cohost with Hoda. Now, if you don’t know who Kellie Pickler is you might as well quit reading. But, just in case you are interested, Kellie is a popular Country Music singer and former “American Idol” contestant. She is an extremely talented young woman that is apparently pretty doggone smart as well. OK – I’m getting a little off track so let me get back to my rant. Hoda and Kellie were introducing a segment on what may... [Read more...]
Reduce the Risk of Fire in Your RV/Mobile Home
March 22, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 3 Comments
The BC Coroners Service and Office of the Fire Commissioner are urging owners of mobile homes and recreational vehicles and operators of mobile home and RV parks to take special care to prevent fires in the wake of a calamitous New Year’s weekend for fire deaths in British Columbia. Fire safety in a recreational vehicle and mobile home is important. (Credit: klinesrvwisdom.com) From December 29, 2011 to January 2, 2012, seven lost their lives in five separate fires. Three of those fires and five of the deaths occurred in mobile homes or travel trailers being used as living accommodation. The BC Coroners Service and the Office of the Fire Commissioner are continuing to investigate these fires. Studies show that fires in mobile homes and recreational vehicles, especially older units, tend to be more devastating than those in other forms of residence. Mobile home and RV fires claim the lives of 345 Americans each year and injure 765 more according to a fact sheet prepared by United States... [Read more...]
