Every January something happens that is hard to believe, unless you have seen it!
More than a million and half million visitors, mostly in recreational vehicles, converge on the sleepy little desert town of Quartzsite, located just 20 miles east of the California state line on Interstate 10, for the rock, gem, and mineral shows, plus numerous flea markets and the annual Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show. Wherever you look, you see RVs of every type, size, and vintage. It’s the Woodstock of the Snowbird set!
The 37th Sports, Vacation & RV show in Quartzsite,
Arizona is scheduled for January 18-26, 2020.
Attendance for the 2019 show was estimated at well over
100,000 with over 350 exhibits inside and around the show’s 70,000-square-foot
and fully carpeted “Big Tent.”
Co-promoter Kenny King noted in a news release, “If you’re
looking for anything related to RVs, camping, and travel, you can usually find
it at the Sports, Vacation & RV show in Quartzsite.” King added that here
will be hundreds of new and used RVs on display and for sale and over a dozen
service bays will be offering immediate installation, repairs, and warranty
service.
In 2019, there were numerous tourism related exhibits from
the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe as well as representatives from dozens of
the nation’s finest RV resorts and campgrounds. In addition many “workamper”
recruiters from businesses, resorts, and private campgrounds were in
attendance. King related, “The number and diversity of exhibits that you’ll
find at the Quartzsite RV Show will not be found at any other show of this type
in the United States.”
This phenomenon started over 35 years ago and is now billed
as “The Largest Gathering Of RVers in the World”. The inaugural Quartzsite
RV Show opened January 28, 1984 at the corner of Highway 95 (now Central) and
Business 10 (now Main Street) in Quartzsite. With just 60 exhibitors and a
small tent, the “new show in town” was still very popular since the majority of
the people in Quartzsite were RVers.
In 1987 the show, now re-named the Quartzsite Sports,
Vacation & RV Show, moved up the street to the Quartzsite Trailer Park
which was situated directly across from the major attraction in town, the
Quartzsite Pow Wow (the first Pow Wow was held in 1967).
This new home for the Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV
Show lasted 10 years until the show grew to a point that the current 3.5-acre
show site could barely hold the number of exhibitors that were now vying for
exhibit space at this popular annual event.
In 1997 the “BIG TENT”, as the show had become known, moved across
the Interstate to its present home, a new 20-acre facility, ½-mile south of
I-10 on Highway 95 (now 700 South Central).
With the new Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show
grounds, the popular event was able to provide over 15 acres of public FREE
parking.
For 2020, several major players in the RV Industry have come
aboard as sponsors for the event. Co-promoter Kimmy King noted that Progressive
RV Insurance, who stepped up as the “Naming Sponsor” several years ago, would
continue to have a major presence at the 2020 event. Cummins Diesel, which has
participated as an exhibitor at the show since 2015, is a new “Platinum
Sponsor” and will be introducing a new line of portable generators during the
2020 show.
In addition, longtime exhibitor Dometic has added a Service
Bay in the service and repair area of the show grounds and Dish Network is one
the newest “Gold Sponsors” in support of its major trade show retailer CM
Wireless. King also reported that FMCA had recently stepped up as one of the
“Silver Sponsors” along with returning sponsors Redlands Truck & RV
Service, Plasticover and the show’s exclusive RV dealer RV Country.
During our last visit to the Quartzsite Sports, Vacation
& RV Show, we reminisced about how Quartzsite has changed over the last 16
years since our first visit and what future years might bring.
When we first attended the Quartzsite Sports, Vacation &
RV Show in ’99, the RV Pavilion was packed with big-ticket items like RV
satellites, tow hitches, and companies offering to install a solar array
on your vehicle.
Looking ahead to future years, the Quartzsite Sports,
Vacation & RV Show will continue to grow and attract a more general crowd.
Thanks to items like cheaper flat screen TVs, smart phones, and affordable
solar arrays with charge controllers to power all your gizmos, it is easy to
have all the comforts of home while you’re camping.
As Quartzsite continues to grow and evolve, it will still be
a wonderful place for RVers of all types to gather and relax with near perfect
temperatures during the day and clear starlit skies at night. Quartzsite is an
experience not to be missed—and we think you’ll like it too!
Nowhere on earth will you find such an assortment of “stuff”
as you will at Quartzsite from mid-December to mid-February. As the saying
goes, “If you can’t find it in Quartzsite, you won’t find it anywhere.”
Vogel State Park is one of Georgia’s most beloved state parks and one visit there will show you why
Sharing the same name I knew that fate would one day find us
within driving distance of Vogel State Park and when that day arrived, the park
did not disappoint.
As we entered Vogel State Park from US Highways 19/129,
22-acre Lake Trahlyta opened to the right, a fitting memorial to the Civilian
Conservation Corps (CCC) that both dammed the lake and built the park.
Georgia’s poet laureate, Bryon Herbert Reece, was born in a cabin on the land
where Lake Trahlyta now sits.
In 1929, Augustus Vogel and Fred Vogel Jr. donated nearly
259 acres to the state, much of it still encompassed within the 233-acres
within Vogel State Park. At the start of the 20th century the Vogels set
up a lumber mill on the site of present-day state park to harvest oak trees, a
major source of tannic acid for their leather company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Operated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources,
Vogel State Park is in the heart of north Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains, 11
miles south of Blairsville.
One of Georgia’s oldest and most beloved state parks, Vogel
is located at the base of Blood Mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest.
Driving from the south, visitors pass through Neel Gap, a beautiful mountain
pass near Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia.
Vogel State Park has been an escape of families for
generations. Returning soldiers following World War II found Vogel an ideal
vacation spot to renew family relationships. Grandchildren of these early
visitors have continued the tradition. Vogel offers a slower pace in these
fast-paced times.
At 2,500 feet elevation Vogel State Park maintains a cool
evening temperature even in the dog days of summer, making this a great stop
for camping. The park provide a range of overnight accommodations including 56
campsites with electric service suitable for RVs up to 40 feet in length, 22
tent/pop-up campsites, 14 tent-only walk-in campsites, and 34 cottages. All
accommodations are available for reservation.
A lake for swimming and boating, and miles of hiking trails
adjacent to the famous Appalachian Trail offer something for everyone. The
park’s 22-acre lake is open to non-motorized boats, and during summer, visitors
can cool off at the mountain-view beach.
The park offers 17 miles of hiking trails from easy to
strenuous. Hikers can choose from a variety of trails, including the popular
4-mile Bear Hair Gap loop, an easy lake loop that leads to Trahlyta Falls, and
the challenging 13-mile Coosa Backcountry Trail.
An annual wildflower pilgrimage is a favorite time for those
who want to see a variety of spring wildflowers. This mid-April event provides
an ideal opportunity for wildflower lovers to enjoy a casual walk with a
naturalist and search for the hidden beauty of the forest floor.
Constructed by the CCC during the depression years of the
1930s, Vogel’s park rustic architecture harkens back to a simpler time. The CCC
history runs deep through the park. A museum recognizing the efforts of the
greatest generation of natural resource workers.
The park hosts an annual CCC reunion of men who actually
worked as President Roosevelt’s Tree Army soldiers. They have tales to tell of
planting trees, fighting fire, building dams and parks, and other experiences
that some say were the best days of their lives. This program is held in May.
Everyone is welcome to attend this fascinating event.
Wildlife viewing at Vogel is a favorite pastime. There are
deer, black bear, birds, and smaller creatures, but fishing is one of the more
popular activities. The park hosts an annual Kids Fishing Rodeo the second
Saturday of June. Youngsters 12 and under have the opportunity to fish for
rainbow trout in Wolf Creek. Wildlife Resources Fisheries stock Wolf Creek with
hundreds of trout which pretty much guarantees a catch for each child present.
Every Saturday evening during the summer, musicians and
groups play on the theater over the lake. What better way to experience a
summer evening than with a cool breeze on your face and beautiful music.
The Appalachian Mountains wouldn’t have the character they
do, were it not for the music that has emanated from the hollows. September 12
(2015) is when Vogel hosts its 12th annual Mountain Music Festival. This
all-day event has bluegrass, country, gospel, and mountain musicians playing on
the lake shore. Crafters will also display their handmade wares in much the
same way they would have done in an earlier time. Concessions will be provided
by Vogel volunteers.
Vogel is fun year round but particularly popular during the
fall when the Blue Ridge Mountains transform into a rolling blanket of red,
yellow, and gold leaves.
Route 66. The Will Rogers Highway. Mother Road. Main Street of America. The quintessential American Road Trip.
Route 66 served travelers for some 50 years, before the advent of the interstate highway system. Established on November 11, 1926, Route 66 was one of the original highways in the U.S., stretching southwestward from Chicago out to California’s coastal city of Santa Monica.
The highway, which became one of the most famous roads in
America, originally ran from Illinois through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas,
New Mexico, and Arizona to California, covering a total of 2,448 miles.
Route 66 was recognized in popular culture by the hit song
(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66, a popular rhythm
and blues standard, composed in 1946 by songwriter Bobby Troup and
the Route 66 TV drama in the early ’60s.
Whether you are motivated by an interest in history or feel
a nostalgic yearning for the “good old days”, Route 66 offers an unforgettable
journey into America, then and now.
We’ll start our trip just west of the Colorado River and up the hill from Laughlin, Nevada in the historic town of Oatman. Once a gold-mining boomtown, Oatman hunkers in a craggy gulch of the Black Mountains, 28 miles southwest of Kingman. Rising above town is the jagged peak of white quartz known as Elephant’s Tooth.
Though Oatman is only a shadow of its former self, it is
well worth a visit to this living ghost town that provides, not only a handful
of historic buildings and photo opportunities, but costumed gunfighters and
1890s style ladies strolling the wooden sidewalks, as well as the sights of
burros walking the streets.
Burros from the surrounding hills wander into Oatman daily
and mosey around town blocking traffic, greeting visitors, and chomping carrots
sold by the local shop owners.
From Oatman, take the thirty minute scenic drive through the Black Mountains to Kingman. A visit to the old powerhouse, which has been converted to a Route 66 Museum and visitor’s center, is a must. The Powerhouse Building is also home to Arizona’s Route 66 Association.
Continuing east along the Mother Road you’ll come upon the small
ghost towns of Hackberry and Valentine. The oldest town along this old stretch
of the road, Hackberry’s origin dates back to 1874 when prospectors set up a
mining camp on the east side of the Peacock Mountains. Today, Hackberry sits
mostly silent with the exception of the revived Hackberry General Store and
Visitors Center.
The main attraction at Valentine is the old schoolhouse
at Truxton Canyon Training School on the Hualapai reservation. Now referred to
as “The Red Schoolhouse”, the boarding school was constructed to
house and assimilate young Hualapai Indians.
Popularized by the Eagles first hit single “Take It Easy”
in 1972, “Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine sight to see…”,
put the town on the national map of consciousness. Winslow was a major stop for
early travelers on the Santa Fe Railway as well as Route 66. Built in 1929, the
La Pasada has been fully restored and caters to a new generation of Route 66
travelers.
From Winslow continue east 32 miles to Holbrook. In 1881,
the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad laid its tracks through an area that was
known as Horsehead Crossing. Home to cowboys, cattle ranchers, and
railroaders, the settlement soon took on all the vices of a typical Wild
West town, complete with a saloon called the Bucket of Blood.
Law and order were non-existent, gambling was popular. Before long,
Holbrook became a trade center for the area, where cattle, sheep, and wool
were shipped out on the railroad.
By the time Route 66 made its appearance, the wild
and lawless town had become more settled, and the narrow strip of asphalt
became a symbol of hope to the city and the many travelers of the Mother
Road.
Tour the nearby Petrified Forest National Park, one of the world’s largest and most vibrantly colored assemblies of petrified wood, historic structures, and archeological sites.
If you’re heading to Savannah, Georgia, there are several
things you should keep in mind: you’re going to walk more than you’re used to
and you’re going to fall in love.
Even if you haven’t been to Savannah, you’ve probably heard
the rumors of a history so deep you can practically feel it dropping off of
every building. This is the very real aspect of the 286-year-old city.
Visitors to Savannah encounter Southern-style warmth and
hospitality, akin to spending time with an old friend. The distinctive Spanish
Moss-draped trees, antebellum homes, and horse-drawn carriages help to give one
the relaxed and comfortable impression that there’s no rush here. Evidence of
the city’s rich history is everywhere. Take time to explore and learn more
about some of the people and the events that shaped Georgia’s oldest city.
Walk down the cobblestone streets of Georgia’s first city, a
place filled with southern charm. Steeped in history and architectural
treasures, Savannah begs to be explored by trolley and on foot. Much of
Savannah’s charm lies in meandering through the Historic District’s lovely
shaded squares draped in feathery Spanish moss—all 22 of them.
The Southern live oak is the state tree of Georgia and a
common and most striking tree throughout Savannah. Because it never drops all
of its leaves at the same time, it looks the same in January and July. The
Spanish moss draping hundreds of live oaks in Savannah is not a parasitic plant
and does not damage its host trees. It just uses the tree for support.
Along the way, you’ll happen upon numerous historic homes
like the Mercer Williams House and the home of Juliette Gordon Low who
founded the Girl Scouts. Singer-songwriter Johnny Mercer, a native of Savannah,
wrote more than 1,100 songs and won four Academy Awards during his career. The
Mercer-Williams House, site of the shooting in the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, was built by his
great-grandfather.
More than 100 movies and TV shows have used Savannah as a
filming location including Cape Fear, The Last Song, The Legend of Bagger Vance,
Glory, Something to Talk About, Forrest Gump, and the TV miniseries Roots.
In 1732, British General James Oglethorpe, a member of
Parliament and an advocate of prison reform in England, laid out Savannah a
year before King George II sent him to the New World to create a military
buffer between Spanish Florida and British colonists in South Carolina.
Oglethorpe’s blueprint for Savannah was based on a pattern of 24 “squares”—parks,
gardens, cemeteries, and other pedestrian green space—of which 22 survive
today.
The 2.2-square-mile original town is now the largest
National Historic Districts in the United States. Each square has its own
monument or fountain in the center. Homes, churches, and other structures
featuring a wide variety of architectural styles line the streets on all four
sides of each square.
Several historical tours are offered. The Old Town Trolley
Tour offers a narrated loop tour that lasts an hour and 30 minutes. Do it all
at once, or hop off at your choice of 15 locations within the Savannah Historic
District. The trolleys run constantly and allow ticketholders to get on and off
at will. The trolley pass can last for one or two days.
Our guide explained that three different periods of history
are represented in Savannah: Colonial, pre-Civil War, and Victorian. It’s
interesting and informative to hear the stories that go along with each of
those time periods.
As with most cities, it is best not to tour Savannah via RV.
Drive your toad into town, and pick up a map of the historic district. One
place to do that is the Visitors Information Center located inside the old
railway passenger station at 301 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. This is a good
starting point to catch a trolley tour into the historic district. Visitors
also can choose to drive into the historic district and tour on their
own.
With so much to see and do in and around Savannah, one visit
simply isn’t enough. Fortunately, that same Southern hospitality is ready to
welcome visitors back again and again.
With a little preparation you can travel to your snowbird roost without concern about your home
In 1969, the comedy troupe Firesign Theater asked, “How can
you be in two places at once without being anywhere at all?” In the
counter-culture haze of the late ’60s, this question was both strangely funny
and unanswerable.
Taking inspiration from Firesign Theaters’ absurd musing, we
offer a new, obviously not as funny question; “How can you travel in your RV
without worrying about your home?”
In the days leading up to your departure, scour your house
for anything you might have borrowed from the library, a family member, or
friend, and ensure those they are returned prior to leaving.
Even the most experienced RVers worry about their homes
while they’re away. From the threat of a break-in to a failed heating
system causing the pipes to freeze, the range of things that can go wrong at
home are enough to keep folks awake at night. Did you remember to lock the
sliding doors?
With a little preparation, and a dose of prevention, none of
these fears should keep you from embarking on your much-anticipated snowbird
travels. No worries.
Lock your front door. Lock your back door. Lock
the door between your garage and your house. Lock all sliding doors with
security locks. Lock pet doors and any other external entry ways into your
house. Whenever possible, use deadbolt locks. And don’t forget to
make sure that all of your windows are also locked.
Garage doors with electric garage door openers are
vulnerable to thieves with garage door opener scanners. To defeat these scanners,
unplug your garage door opener when you’re away from home. Additionally,
remove garage door openers and valuables from cars stored in the garage. Inform
anyone with access to your home that you have disabled the garage door system
and/or manually locked the garage.
Hiding a house key under the mat, in a fake rock, or inside
a magnetic house key box stuck to the underside of an outdoor pipe is never a
good idea. The thieves know about these products and tricks and look for
these easy access vulnerabilities.
Let your neighbors know how long you will be away. In
addition, provide a responsible neighbor with keys to your home and garage.
Have them walk through your house on a regular basis. Check with your
insurance provider to determine the frequency they require.
If the power went out, did your alarm turn back on? Is
the furnace still up and running? A trusted neighbor can check and answer
these questions instantly. Developing and maintaining good relationships
with your neighbors is key to preparing for an extended trip.
Some folks wouldn’t consider leaving their house to go
grocery shopping without setting the alarm system while some rural folks have
never locked their front door.
If you have an alarm system installed, be sure to keep your contacts
current with the names and contact information of neighbors and house sitters
who may be at the premises.
Even though you will not be home, it’s still important that
your smoke detectors are functioning properly. Change the smoke detector
batteries on an annual basis, and test.
Having exterior lights turn on is an excellent theft
deterrent. Outdoor lights with built in motion sensors are available at
Home Depot, Lowes, and Amazon (among others) and do an excellent job at
detecting and deterring would-be thieves. They can also automatically
light the way when you get home.
As you can see, you are relying on your trusted neighbors or
home-watching friends to help keep your home safe and intervening in any
disaster. Consider thanking them with a thank you card and gift certificate at
appropriate occasions. Also, when they are away, perform the same type of
duties.
The best part of the above recommendations is the peace of
mind they’ll give you if you’re away from home.
Worth Pondering…
You’ve heard the old Willie Nelson country music song with
the lyrics, “On the road again. Just can’t wait to get on the road again…”
We’ll be singing this song for sure.
The Southwest is a fascinating and awe-inspiring place to explore
America’s southwest is home to lots of jaw-dropping scenery—how do you decide where to go and what to see? If you’re thinking about an RV vacation in this majestic region, you may want to consider one or more of these especially spectacular destinations.
It’s no secret that Sedona is home to some of the most jaw dropping scenery in the country. Known as Red Rock Country for the colorful red rock formations that dominate the landscape, Sedona is a popular destination for photographers, nature lovers, hikers, and mountain bikers. Sedona is home to hundreds of miles of trails, some easy, some difficult, yet all loaded with magnificent views of the surrounding million year old ancient rocks.
As you pass through the Chihuahuan Desert and Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico and west Texas, filled with prickly pear, chollas, sotols, and agaves, you might never guess there are more than 300 known caves beneath the surface. The park contains 113 of these caves, formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone. This includes Lechuguilla Cave, the nation’s deepest and fourth longest limestone cave at 1,567 feet
Monument Valley is one of the most enduring and definitive images of the American West. Eons of wind and rain carved the gargantuan red-sandstone monoliths into fascinating formations, many of which jut hundreds of feet above the desert floor in a scene that’s remained untouched for centuries. The isolated red mesas and buttes surrounded by a vast, sandy desert have been filmed countless times for movies with nostalgic images that are sure to be familiar for John Wayne fans.
Bisbee’s beauty is at least in part due to its quirky character, charm, and street art. This colorful, historic mining town, nestled a mile high in southeastern Arizona’s Mule Mountains, is a funky artists’ haven filled with Victorian homes that are perched precariously on steep hillsides. Many of its eclectic bungalows can only be reached by climbing steep stairways built into the picturesque mountainside.
One hundred fifty years ago, John Wesley Powell described Glen Canyon as a “land of beauty and glory” and named it for its many glens and alcoves near the river. About 100 years later the canyon was flooded by the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River forming a lake named for the one-armed explorer. With 2,000 miles of shoreline, Lake Powell offers boating, kayaking, and fishing amid rugged red rock canyons and mesas.
Step back in time at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. Steep canyon walls cradle hundreds of ancient pueblo ruins. A Navajo Indian community still inhabits the canyon floor herding sheep during the summer. Two self-guided drives follow the rims of the canyon. At the end of the South Rim Drive, take in the sights from the popular Spider Rock overlook, featuring the park’s signature geological formation.
Visitors to Mesa Verde can retrace the ancient footsteps of the ancestral Puebloans who once lived in the park’s magnificent cliff dwellings. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to some of the best preserved archaeological sites in the U.S., with more than 4,500 found within its boundaries, including Cliff Palace which contains 150 rooms.
Discover a landscape of contrasting colors, land forms, and textures unlike any other in the world. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, in addition to hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive fins, and giant balanced rocks. This red-rock wonderland will amaze you with its formations, refresh you with its trails, and inspire you with its sunsets.
Many come to the southwest to visit the Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Brilliant colors and unforgettable panoramas make it one of the most popular attractions in the U.S. Unique combinations of geologic color and erosional forms decorate a canyon that is 277 river miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and a mile deep.
Utah’s Zion National Park offers some of the most beautiful vistas and hiking opportunities in the Southwest with spectacular rock formations, towering cliffs, magnificent waterfalls, valleys, and deserts. The Narrows, a gorge with walls a thousand feet tall and the river, sometimes 20 to 30 feet wide, is one of the park’s highlights. The Narrows can be viewed by hiking the easy, paved Riverside Walk for a mile from the Temple of Sinawava.
Water and wind over millions of years have carved the plateau into the park’s distinctive red rock pillars, called hoodoos, into the park’s series of natural amphitheaters. Bryce Canyon National Park awes visitors with spectacular geological formations and brilliant colors. The towering hoodoos, narrow fins, and natural bridges seem to deny all reason or explanation. Hiking is the best way to immerse yourself in the amazing geography. Day hikes range from easy 1-mile loops to challenging 11-mile round-trip adventures.
Worth Pondering…
The West is color. Its colors are animal rather than
vegetable, the colors of earth and sunlight and ripeness.
Embrace the magic this holiday season in a warm destination
As a whole, the month of December is a whirlwind. Even as the chaos of Thanksgiving weekend begins to fade, the world is already preparing for the end-of-year holiday season.
Balancing the frenzy of shopping and family time can be daunting, but those who manage to squeeze in time to get away, will find warm weather, seasonal festivals, and beautiful landscapes in which to cap off another great year of RV travel.
December marks your last chance to cash in on this year’s
travel resolution before they reset in the New Year, so let the magic of the
season take you to a place near or far in your RV.
Looking to make plans for RV travel in January, February, or March in the New Year? We’ve got you covered with those recommendations, too. And be sure to catch up on all our recommendations for the best places to visit in September, October, or November.
Rockport is known as “The Charm of the Texas Coast” and for
good reasons. A winter hamlet that is a relaxing getaway year-round,
Rockport-Fulton is known for its signature trees, clusters of giant ancient
oaks sculpted by the Gulf Coast winds.
Despite its small town status there are plenty of things to
do. There’s fishing, golfing, and nature trails. A few places to enjoy the
wildlife are at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Connie Hagar Wildlife
Sanctuary, and Goose Island State Park. The Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is
the winter host for the largest flock of whooping cranes.
Fed by springs that flow at a constant 72 degrees, the
Crystal and Homosassa rivers are winter havens for West Indian manatees.
Between 400 and 700 of these endangered aquatic mammals—they have a population
of about 4,480—call the rivers home from October through mid-April.
When the Gulf waters warm up in the spring, most of the
manatees venture out to their coastal homes. Manatees are gentle creatures that
enjoy interacting with humans. Even though only 30 to 40 manatees stay in
nearby Kings Bay year-round, more than 20 companies in Crystal River and
Homosassa offer swim-with-the-manatees tours.
In the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, you can see
manatees without donning a wetsuit. The 210-acre park is a rehabilitation center
for injured or orphaned manatees. A 45-foot-deep natural spring, headwaters of
the Homosassa River, provides the perfect habitat for recovering manatees.
An underwater observatory allows close-up views of manatees
and freshwater and saltwater fish attracted by the spring. The park is also a
showcase for Florida’s native wildlife, such as alligators, wood storks, and
pink flamingos.
Nearly 800,000 acres of desert east of the Coachella Valley (think, Palm Springs), Joshua Tree National Park rewards visitors with a full range of peculiar treasures: spiky yuccas, spiny cacti, spindly ocotillos, gangly Joshua trees, and dramatic geological formations, including Jumbo Rocks.
As you drive up Pinto Basin Road, past the Cholla Cactus
Garden, you’ll cross the transition zone between two major desert ecosystems:
The lower Colorado Desert merges into the higher Mojave Desert, and cholla
cactus and ocotillos give way to Joshua trees.
An even bigger wow can be had at Keys View. To the west,
distant San Gorgonio Mountain and San Jacinto Peak—both topping 10,000
feet—scrape the sky. Looking south, you can spy the Salton Sea.
Catalina State Park, one of the many gems in the Arizona State Park system, offers beautiful vistas of the Sonoran Desert and the Santa Catalina Mountains with riparian canyons, lush washes, and dense cactus forests. The environment at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains offers great camping, hiking, picnicking, and bird watching—more than 150 species of birds call the park home.
Four of the beautiful isles—St. Simons, Little St. Simons,
Jekyll, and Sea—and a nearby coastal town are known collectively
as Brunswick and the Golden Isles.
In 1886, Jekyll Island was purchased to become an exclusive
winter retreat, known as the Jekyll Island Club. Members included such notable
figures as J.P. Morgan, Joseph Pulitzer, William K. Vanderbilt, and Marshall
Field. Jekyll Island, with its cottage colony and clubhouse, was viewed as a
little paradise, where members and guests pursued “a life of elegant leisure.”
Today, the former Club grounds comprise a 240-acre site with 34 historic
structures.
A manufacturer recall can create a safety risk if not repaired
Your recreational vehicle may be involved in a safety recall
and may create a safety risk for you or your passengers. Safety defects must be
repaired by a certified dealer at no cost to you. However, if left unrepaired,
a potential safety defect in your vehicle could lead to injury or even death.
What is a recall?
When a manufacturer or the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) determines that a recreational vehicle or item of RV
equipment creates an unreasonable risk to safety or fails to meet minimum
safety standards, the manufacturer is required to fix that vehicle or equipment
at no cost to the consumer.
NHTSA releases its most recent list of recalls each Monday.
The number of RV recalls has increased significantly in
recent years: 169 recalls were issued during 2016, 203 recalls during 2017, and
230 for 2018.
It should be noted that RV recalls are related to vehicle safety
and not product quality. NHTSA has no interest in an air conditioner failing to
cool or slide out failing to extend or retract—unless they can be directly
attributed to product safety.
NHTSA announced 20 recall notices during November 2019.
These recalls involved 8 recreational vehicle manufacturers—Forest River (7
recalls), Thor Motor Coach (4 recalls), Jayco (2 recalls), Airstream (2
recall), Keystone RV Company (2 recalls), Outdoors RV Manufacturing (1 recall),
Starcraft RV (1 recall), Gulf Stream Coach (1 recall)
Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2020
Shasta Oasis SST30QB and SST31OK trailers. The trailers may have been built
with an incorrect length axle hanger, allowing the axle to contact the chassis
while moving.
Forest River will notify owners, and dealers will replace
the equalizers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 25,
2019. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-528-8717.
Forest River’s number for this recall is 53-1100.
Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2020
Sunseeker SSC2250SLEC, Freelander FLC26RSC, and Leprechaun LPC240FSC vehicles.
The seatbelt-unfastened warning light will not illuminate for approximately
five seconds after the ignition is moved to the “on” or
“start” position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208,
“Occupant Crash Protection.”
Forest River will notify owners, and GM dealers will
reprogram the instrument panel, free of charge. The recall began on October 29,
2019. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Forest River
customer service at 1-800-348-7440. Forest River’s number for this recall is
51-1084.
Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2017
Dynamax DX3 and Force motorhomes. The front axle stabilizer bracket may not
properly mount to the axle, and may break as a result.
Forest River has notified owners, and a Detroit Diesel
dealer will perform the recall remedy. The stabilizer brackets and I-beams will
be inspected and spacers and replacement stabilizer brackets will be installed,
as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may
contact Forest River customer service at 1-800-348-7440 or find a Detroit
Diesel location at www.detroitdiesel.com/locations/default.aspx. Forest River’s
number for this recall is 55-1105.
Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2020
EVO, Salem and Wildwood travel trailers. The trailer cooktops were installed
with a rubber liquid propane (LP) gas line instead of a copper one.
Forest River has notified owners, and dealers will replace
the rubber LP gas line with a copper gas line, free of charge. The recall began
November 7, 2019. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at
1-909-873-3777. Forest River’s number for this recall is 67A-1107.
Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2020
Surveyor trailers, model SVT33KFKDS. A fuse of the incorrect amperage was
installed for the 12V refrigerator, potentially allowing the wiring to
overheat.
Forest River has notified owners, and dealers will replace
the incorrect fuse with one of the correct amperage, free of charge. The recall
began November 7, 2019. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at
1-260-499-2100. Forest River’s number for this recall is 37-1108.
Forest River, Inc. is recalling certain 2020 East to West
Delta Terra (model 312BH) and East to West Silver Lake (model 31KBH)
recreational trailers. The overhead bunk fasteners may not be properly secured
to the backer board of the bunk.
Forest River has notified owners, and dealers will properly
secure the bunk to the backer, free of charge. The recall began November 1,
2019. Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-574-264-6664.
Forest River’s number for this recall is 500-1112.
Forest River, Inc. (Forest River) is recalling certain 2020
Cherokee Alpha Wolf Travel Trailers. The wire supplying the 12V power for the
refrigerator may have been connected incorrectly to the circuit breaker.
Forest River has notified owners, and dealers will correct
the wiring, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2019. Owners may
contact Forest River customer service at 1-260-499-2100. Forest River’s number
for this recall is 76-1109.
Thor Motor Coach (TMC) is recalling certain 2014 Tuscany
36M, 40E, 2015 Citation 24SL, Siesta 24SL, Axis 25.1 and Vegas 25.1, 2016 Four
Winds 31E, 31W, 35SF, Chateau 31E, 31W, Synergy SD24, Citation 24SL, 24SS and
Siesta 24SL, 24SS, 2017 Four Winds 31E, 31W, Chateau 31E, 35SD, Citation 24SS
and Siesta 24SS, 2018 Citation 24SS and Siesta 24SS, 2019 Quantum CR24, Four
Winds 24BL, Citation 24MB and Siesta 24MB and 2020 Quantum CR24, Citation 24MB,
Siesta 24MB, Chateau 24BL and Synergy 24MB vehicles. The Occupant and Cargo
Carrying Capacity (OCCC) label has the incorrect carrying capacity listed,
which can allow the vehicle to be overloaded. As such, these vehicles fail to
comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)
number 120, “Wheels and Rims – Other Than Passenger Cars.”
TMC will notify owners, and dealers will issue new OCCC labels
with correct seating positions and weight calculations, free of charge. The
recall is expected to begin December 2, 2019. Owners may contact TMC customer
service at 1-877-855-2867. TMC’s number for this recall is RC000176.
Thor Motor Coach (TMC) is recalling certain 2019-2020
Chateau 22B, 22E, 23U, 24F, 25V, and 28A, Daybreak 22GO, Four Winds 22B, 22E,
24F, 26B and 28A, Freedom Elite 22HE and 2020 Quantum GR22, and SE22
motorhomes. The seatbelt-unfastened warning light will not illuminate for
approximately five seconds after the ignition is moved to the “on” or
“start” position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the
requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208,
“Occupant Crash Protection.”
GM will notify TMC owners, and dealers will reprogram the
instrument panel cluster, free of charge. The recall began October 3, 2019.
Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, GMC customer
service at 1-800-462-8782 or TMC customer service at 1-877-855-2867. TMC’s
number for this recall is RC000177.
Thor Motor Coach (TMC) is recalling certain 2019-2020
Magnitude and Omni motorhomes. The seat recliner mechanisms may be missing the
third pawl required for seat back strength, resulting in a loose seat back.
These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 202, “Head Restraints” and 207,
“Seating Systems.”
Ford has notified TMC owners, and Ford dealers will inspect
the seat structures and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall
began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at
1-866-436-7332 or TMC customer service at 1-877-855-2867. TMC’s number for this
recall is RC000178.
Thor Motor Coach (TMC) is recalling certain 2020 Sequence
20L motorhomes. The screws securing the solar panel to the luggage rack may
fail causing the solar panel to detach.
TMC will notify owners, and dealers will replace the screws
with plates, carriage bolts, washers, and locking nuts, free of charge. The
recall is expected to begin January 3, 2020. Owners may contact TMC customer
service at 1-877-855-2867. TMC’s number for this recall is RC000179.
Jayco, Inc. (Jayco) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Alante
motorhomes built on Ford F53 chassis. A heat shield may have not have been
installed, allowing the hydraulic lines to be exposed to excessive heat.
Jayco will notify owners, and dealers will install
aftermarket heat shields to the chassis, free of charge. The recall is expected
to begin November 15, 2019. Owners may contact Jayco customer service at
1-800-517-9137. Jayco’s number for this recall is 9903442.
Jayco, Inc. (Jayco) is recalling certain 2017 Pinnacle Fifth
Wheel trailers. The suspension system may fail.
The remedy for this recall is still under development. The
recall is expected to begin December 2, 2019. Owners may contact Jayco customer
service at 1-800-517-9137. Jayco’s number for this recall is 9901443.
Airstream, Inc. (Airstream) is recalling certain 2019-2020
Atlas motorhomes. The SH1 Breaker Terminal may be wired incorrectly, causing
some of the 12V circuits to have insufficient overcurrent protection.
Airstream will notify owners, and dealers will correct the
wiring, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December
14, 2019. Owners may contact Airstream customer service at 1-877-596-6505 or
1-937-596-6111, extension 7401 or 7411.
Airstream, Inc. (Airstream) is recalling certain 2019-2020
Sport, Nest, Flying Cloud, International Serenity, International Signature,
Classic, Globetrotter and Tommy Bahama trailers and 2020 Basecamp, Bambi and
Caravel trailers. Due to improper welding, the Demco ball coupler installed on
the travel trailers may not provide enough clamping force on the tow ball,
potentially causing the coupler to separate from the tow ball.
Airstream will notify owners, and will send a temporary use
adaptor that can be slipped over the ball portion of the coupler to allow owners
to tow their trailers. For the final remedy, dealers will add a shim plate to
the backside of the ball coupler clamp to put it in position to apply the
required clamping force on the tow ball, free of charge. The recall is expected
to begin December 20, 2019. Owners may contact Airstream customer service at
1-877-596-6505 or 1-937-596-6111 extension 7401 or 7411.
Keystone RV Company (Keystone) is recalling certain 2020
Dutchmen Atlas 3382BH trailers. The trailers may have a non-metallic propane
supply hose installed inside the burner box of the cooktop, instead of a copper
supply hose.
Keystone will notify owners, and dealers will remove the
non-metallic propane gas line and attach it to a copper propane gas line, free
of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 15, 2019. Owners may
contact Keystone customer service at 1-866-425-4369. Keystone’s number for this
recall is 19-363.
Keystone RV Company (Keystone) is recalling certain
2019-2020 Crossroads Sunset trailers, model 242BH. The interior range cooktop
is installed in a cabinet that may not be entirely sealed from the furnace
cavity. As a result, during furnace operation, the interior range cooktop
burner flame may invert.
Keystone will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the
interior range cooktop with the furnace running, sealing it as necessary, free
of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 16, 2019. Owners may
contact Keystone customer service at 1-866-425-4369. Keystone’s number for this
recall is 19-362.
Outdoors RV Manufacturing (ORV) is recalling certain
2019-2020 Trail Series MTN TRX 22TRX toyhauler travel trailers. The axles may
be incorrectly mounted too far forward, potentially causing light tongue weight
on the tow vehicle.
ORV will notify owners, and dealers will move the axles 10
inches back towards the rear of the trailer to increase the tongue weight, free
of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 21, 2019. Owners may contact
ORV customer service at 1-541-962-1866, extension 222. ORV’s number for this
recall is 2019-001.
Starcraft RV (Starcraft) is recalling 2016 Solstice Travel
Star fifth wheel trailers equipped with Atwood on-demand water heaters. The
water heaters have a water and gas valve that may cause the water heater to
overheat the water in the hot water supply tap.
Starcraft will notify owners, and Atwood dealers will
install a water flow adjustment stop key that prevents the recall condition
from occurring, free of charge. The recall began on October 23, 2019. Owners
may contact Starcraft customer service at 1-800-945-4787 or Atwood customer
service at 1-877-546-9074.
Palm Springs-Joshua Tree KOA, California
Gulf Stream Coach
Gulf Stream Coach, Inc. (Gulf Stream) is recalling certain
2020 Amerilite, Conquest, Innsbruck, Grand River, Kingsport and Trail Master
trailers. The gas refrigerator compartment may not be properly sealed,
potentially releasing carbon monoxide or flammable unburned Liquid Petroleum
(LP) gases throughout the trailer.
Gulf Stream will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the
gas refrigerator for proper sealing and repair, as necessary. Owners may
contact Gulf Stream customer service at 1-800-289-8787. Gulf Stream’s number
for this recall is 102919.
Note: Owners may
also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety
Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Please Note: This
is the tenth in a series of posts relating to RV Manufacturers Recalls
Worth Pondering…
It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you
didn’t.
643 bird species, 44 states, two trips across the country and back, one pickup camper—all Taylor Páez needed to complete her Big Year on the road
In case you didn’t see the movie The Big Year, a Big Year is a personal quest to find as many species as possible during a calendar year. There are personal variations on this simple definition, but any way you do it, a Big Year is a serious undertaking that takes an absolute dedication, lots of free time, and some extra cash, as most participants do a lot of traveling.
Enter an ambitious young birder, Taylor Páez, who planned
her Big Year, saved money, and left her office job; then ready, set, go—she was
off, with the hope of finding 700 different birds in the lower 48 states.
Taylor’s route was a road trip of epic proportions. Starting at her home in northern California, she looped south through Arizona, southern Texas, and around the Gulf of Mexico; then turned north, passing through many eastern states to New Hampshire and Maine. Next: New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Michigan including the Upper Peninsula, and Wisconsin. Then it was back to the West: the Great Plains, Colorado, on to Washington, and back home to California—all by July; traveling solo, living out of her compact truck camper, and experiencing the ultimate bird search day by day.
As she traveled cross-country, Taylor monitored bird sightings reported on eBird, the American Birding Association’s state by state Birding News, Audubon listserves, and local birding groups’ posts on Facebook. Sometimes she even learned of rare bird sightings on Instagram, or by word-of-mouth from birders she interacted with at popular birding hotspots.
After a month-long break to re-charge at home, Taylor began
the “zig-zagging” phase of her Big Year, driving through southern California,
Arizona, Texas, Mississippi, then zigging and zagging before taking a boat trip
off the coast of Maine; on to New Jersey, Ohio, Minnesota, Nebraska, Montana,
and back to California to finish the year. Taylor explained her zig-zag
pattern: “Toward the end of the year it was pretty crazy because it’s less
about the common birds and more about the rare ones;” so when a rare bird
showed up cross-country, she might begin a heated chase.
After her sweeping bird quest across the country—twice—Taylor
had a tough time picking just one favorite local. The country is filled with
amazing biodiversity, and she enjoys it all. But if she had to pick a favorite,
Taylor would pick the subtropical region of southern Texas. During one day at
Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge she identified 35 new birds, the most new
species she listed at once.
After spending a year in the great outdoors and tallying 634
species, Taylor did not go back to her office job. Instead, she turned to
opportunities in the natural world: Working as a park naturalist and a stint
conducting hummingbird surveys.
“I realized I not only wanted to be outside, but I wanted to
make a positive impact on people. I wanted to bring them accessibility to
nature and the outdoors. We need it now more than ever,” Taylor said. “I never
thought I would do what I did—before that I played everything safe. I didn’t
take risks, ever.”
The original article about Taylor Paez’s Big Year appears on
the BirdsEye Birding website. BirdsEye’s free photography website is a
comprehensive library of photos submitted by nature enthusiasts.
The Thanksgiving holiday is an opportune time to consider
turkeydom—the wild stock and those top-heavy, farm-raised birds that are
pardoned and spared from the dinner table each Thanksgiving by the President of
the United States.
Wild Turkeys are native to North America, with some
interesting historical and geographical twists along the way. The common turkey
was tamed between 800 and 200 BC by the people of pre-Columbian Mexico. Up
until about 1100 AD, the Pueblo peoples raised turkeys primarily for their
feathers for use in rituals, ceremonies, and textiles.
Then in the 1500s, European explorers carried wild turkeys
back to Europe, where the birds were further domesticated. When early English
settlers brought turkeys to Eastern North America a century later, the species
crossed the ocean once again.
Wild turkeys live in hardwood forests and marshlands.
Equipped with powerful legs and clawed toes, they are adept at raking through
leaf litter and moderate snow depths. Their broad diet includes over 600 types
of fruits, nuts, waste grains, grasses, and insects. At night, Wild turkeys
roost in trees for shelter and predator protection.
Appearance-wise, the Wild Turkey won’t win a beauty contest.
Males have blue or gray featherless necks and heads that can shift color
according to the bird’s emotional state. When angry or during courtship
displays, the neck and head turn a radiant red. The male toms are the larger
sex that boasts a spikey “beard” of feathers protruding from their mid-chest.
The snood is a fleshy flap that hangs from the beak; prominent
bumps on the head and throat are termed carbuncles, while the wattles drape
from under the chin. These physical characteristics are far more pronounced in
domestic turkeys.
Most commercial turkey farmers breed their birds to have
white feathers because white feathers leave no spots on the skin when plucked.
Bred exclusively for the table, flightless domestic turkeys are 70 percent
white meat and 30 percent dark meat. This differs from their wild relatives,
whose breast flesh is darker due to their active flight habits.
The two types of meat differ nutritionally. White meat has
fewer calories and less fat than dark meat. The rich flavor of dark meat is
especially valued in soup and stew recipes. Dark meat holds up well in rich
marinades and is a perfect choice for grilling and barbecuing.
Benjamin Franklin, who proposed the turkey as the official
United States’ bird, was dismayed when the bald eagle was chosen over the
turkey. Franklin wrote to his daughter, referring to the eagle’s “bad moral
character,” saying, “I wish the bald eagle had not been chosen as the
representative of our country! The turkey is a much more respectable bird, and
withal a true original native of America.”
President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863, supposedly as a response to a campaign organized by magazine editor Sara Joseph Hale. In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving Day forward one week, as it is presently celebrated.
In 2012, more than 253.5 million turkeys were raised. More
than 210 million were consumed in the United States. An estimated 46 million of
those turkeys were eaten at Thanksgiving, 22 million at Christmas, and 19
million at Easter.
Nearly 88 percent of Americans surveyed by the National
Turkey Federation eat turkey at Thanksgiving. The average weight of turkeys
purchased for Thanksgiving is 16 pounds, meaning that approximately 736 million
pounds of turkey were consumed in the United States during Thanksgiving in
2012.
Deep fried turkey originated in the southern United States
but is popular today throughout North America. Quickly cooked, deep-fried
turkey is rich in flavor with a golden brown crispy exterior while moist and
fork-tender on the interior.
Turkey consumption has nearly doubled over the past 25
years. In 2012, per capita turkey consumption was 16 pounds compared to 8.3
pounds in 1975.
Turkey can be used in so many cooking methods, including
stovetop, oven, microwave, and grill. The wide range of cuts and products
available such as ground turkey, turkey ham, turkey franks, turkey pastrami,
turkey sausage, turkey bacon, and deli turkey make this protein easy to
incorporate into any meal.
