From the Editor

This will be the last issue of RoadNotes. After four years of creating the newsletter, I have decided to discontinue publishing it and concentrate on other projects. In this final issue, I will share with you some of the resources I have used when compiling the newsletter.

Previous issues of RoadNotes will remain on this site for a while. I do plan, however, on redesigning the web site and will remove all past issues. If you would like to keep all four years of RoadNotes for reference, I have created an electronic book that you can download to your computer (the ebook is an Adobe Reader PDF file about 1.86MB).

I hope you have enjoyed the RoadNotes newsletter. I will stay in touch with you from time to time by email with announcements and special offers as they become available. If you want to be removed from this mailing list, please use the unsubscribe form.

Touring America

This section was about discovering America's scenic drives; getting off the Interstate to enjoy the back roads.

Back in 1991, my brother and business partner created a company called Roundabout Publications. He created it out of a personal interest in scenic byways. Back then, the World Wide Web didn't exist and getting scenic byway information wasn't easy. After sending hundreds of letters to various government agencies, he decided a book about scenic byways was needed. He asked me to help him and together we published a book called Road Trip USA (which was later changed to America's Scenic Drives).

When publication of America's Scenic Drives ceased, the information was posted to the Scenic Byways section of this web site. Currently, there is information on more than 220 scenic drives.

Another source of information I have used for this section is the America's Byways web site. Many state tourism web sites also provide information about the scenic drives in their state.

RV Vacation Planner

by Donna Flanders

Donna is retired from computer programming. After 20 years of computer work, she now devotes her analytical, organizational and research skills to developing vacations for others. She is a list maker and she shares her lists with you at RV Vacation Planner.

Donna Flanders has been camping for 20 years and traveling in an RV for 5 years. She creates customized RV vacation kits and can help you plan your next RV vacation. Since May of 2004, she has been writing articles for the RoadNotes newsletter. The most recent article submitted for this issue is entitled My Magical Multitasking Machine, which begins as follows:

I would like to thank Donna for her contributions and I hope you have enjoyed reading her articles.

Fun Stops U.S.A.

This is probably the most difficult section of the newsletter to do. In it, I have attempted to provide you with information about some of the more unique places in America to see. In past issues I have described such places as the House on the Rock in Wisconsin, Big Brutus in Kansas, and Pioneer Park in Washington.

There is no single resource I can give you for finding unique attractions in America. A good place to start looking, though, is each state's tourism web site. You might also want to look at the popular Roadside America web site.

RV Dump Stations

Information for this section of the newsletter comes from our popular RV Dump Stations web site. Nearly every day I receive suggestions and corrections about dump station locations throughout America. If you're an RVer or boondocker in need of a dump station, this is the first place to look when you're looking for a dump station.

Discovering Your Public Lands

There are numerous government agencies that protect and preserve our public lands while also providing recreational opportunities. Perhaps the most well-known and popular of the public land agencies is the National Park Service. This agency manages places like Yellowstone, Glacier, and Yosemite National Parks. Recreation is also provided by other agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and others. I have created a section on this web site that describes the various government agencies. Another resource worth checking out is Recreation.gov.

RV University

by Mark Polk

Mark Polk is the producer of training videos on how to use and maintain your RV. He is also the author of The RV Book, a personal guide to understanding and enjoying your RV.

Mark and Dawn Polk are the owners of RV Education 101 and RV University. They produce "how-to" videos and DVDs on using and maintaining your recreational vehicle. Articles that have appeared in this section came from their RV University web site.

Exploring State Parks

Many RVers prefer camping in state parks over private and public land campgrounds. State parks often provide amenities found in private campgrounds but usually cost less. Each state has some form of a Parks and Recreation Department that is responsible for managing the parks within their state. State park information can be found on the Internet by visiting each state's tourism site. Author D.J. Davin has compiled a book we publish called RV Camping in State Parks, which provides information about state parks and recreation areas that accommodate recreational vehicles.

Camping in City and County Parks

An alternative to state parks, public land campgrounds, and private campgrounds, are campgrounds maintained by local government agencies. Obtaining information about city and county campgrounds is rather difficult. There is no single source on the Web that I am aware of. Information that has appeared in this section came from browsing the Internet and stumbling across city and county parks with campgrounds.

One of the reasons that I am discontinuing the newsletter is so I can spend more time researching city and county campgrounds. Although I have information on less than one hundred parks, I have created a web site devoted to city and county campgrounds. I encourage you to participate in this new site by providing any information you have that you wish to share with others. Select this link to visit my new site.

Legends of America

by Kathy Weiser

Kathy is a personal friend and webmaster of the Legends of America web site. Her site focuses on the history-rich travel destinations of the American West.

Legends of America is a web site maintained by a personal friend with a huge interest in stories of the Old West. She spends a lot of time researching and writing articles for her web site. Articles appearing in this section have been quietly and secretly lifted in the middle of the night from my friend's site!