From the Editor

This issue of the RoadNotes newsletter is wrapped in a new look. I've redesigned the site to reveal the information that I think was previously hidden. As you can see from the many section menus, all of the travel information is now easily accessible -- just a single click away.

A lot of the information has been updated, too; Cracker Barrel locations, Flying J, Love's, Petro, Pilot, Travel Centers of America, and the Radio & TV Stations information. Take some time exploring all of the information freely available here.

As always, I'm interested in hearing your comments and suggestions. Feel free to contact me.

Touring America

Oregon

The Elkhorn Drive Scenic Byway is in northeast Oregon. It forms a 106-mile loop drive beginning and ending in Baker City, which is just off I-84 at Exit 304. Most of the byway is open year-round; a portion of it is not maintained in winter. The scenic drive crosses the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. There are several public campgrounds along the byway and throughout the forest. Byway travelers may also wish to visit the Sumpter Valley Railway museum and ride the train.

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.

Longer List

We have a running joke. We have a list of places that we want to see. You would expect that we would be checking them off and indeed we are, but our list keeps getting longer, not shorter.

This is not a case of the grass is greener on the other side. As we explore certain areas we usually have a timeframe in mind. We are not full timers with no particular schedule. Often when we get to some location we find other things in the area that warrant further exploration. Many of the biggest attractions like Mount Rushmore are surrounded by other things like Custer State Park, the Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument. So if you head to the area for a couple of days to see Mount Rushmore you will either miss the other interesting things or you'll just have to return. Your list just got longer, not shorter.

Select this link to read more.

Fun Stops U.S.A.

Indiana

The World's Largest Ball of Paint in Alexandria, Indiana, began as an ordinary baseball. With over 20,000 coats of paint applied, that baseball now has a circumference of 133 inches and weighs more than 2,000 pounds. Visitors can see the ball of paint in the Roadside Attraction Barn but you must call to schedule an appointment. Note: the web site is pretty bad -- there's a lot of annoying pop-up ads.

Montana

Fort Benton, known as the "Birthplace of Montana," is located along the Lewis & Clark National Historic trail, the Nez Perce National Historic Trail, and is the gateway to the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Two museums in town document the last one hundred years of life on the plains and the history of the Upper Missouri River.

Utah

Hole in the Rock is a unique home carved out of a huge rock in Utah's Canyonlands Country. The 5,000 square foot home and unusual gift shop and trading post are open all year. Hole in the Rock is about 12 miles southeast of Moab along US Hwy 91.

RV Dump Stations

Here are some recent additions to the RV Dump Stations web site:

Discovering Your Public Lands

Texas

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages Lavon Lake, a 21-000 acre lake about three miles east of Wylie, Texas, near Dallas. The are four Corps-managed campgrounds; three suitable for RV camping and one with primitive/tent-only sites. For RVers, over one hundred sites with water and electric hookups are available; the cost is about $18 per night (Golden Age/Access Passport holders receive 1/2 off).

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.

RV Buying Tips 101

It seems like when we purchase an RV we overlook something, forget to check something, or possibly we were not properly informed about something. Whatever the case may be you don't realize it until after you buy it and then it's to late. If you already own an RV you know what I'm talking about and this article won't be of much help. If you don't already own an RV read on and learn some things to consider before you buy.

A good example of this is a couple I once had shopping for a travel trailer. The one thing they were sure of was that they wanted bunk beds for their three young children. I had several floor plans available on the lot, with bunk beds, to choose from. I showed them the first model and a few moments later they were convinced that this was the trailer for them. The husband liked the pass through storage compartment that could accommodate his fishing gear and the wife fell in love with the interior colors and décor. They purchased the trailer and I saw them at the dealership after they used it for the first time. They told me all about their first trip and how fun it was, but said they wish they would have given more thought to the floor plan before they bought it. The living room was on one end of the trailer, the kitchen was in the middle, and the bunk beds and bathroom were on the other end. She told me the kids were constantly going from one end to the other and she could never get anything done in the kitchen.

This is just one example, but I'm sure you get the picture. Sometimes we get caught up in the excitement and make hasty decisions that we regret later. Purchasing an RV is a major investment, similar to buying a house. It is after all your home away from home and we need to slowwww down the buying process and make informed decisions.

Select this link to read more.

Exploring State Parks

Connecticut

Mashamoquet Brook State Park is a 900-acre park in northeast Connecticut near Putnam. Park features include the Table Rock and Indian Chair natural stone formations and a restored grist mill, which is maintained as a museum. There are two campgrounds within the park, Mashamoquet Brook and Wolf Den. The first one has 20 wooded sites, the second offers 35 sites. The camping fee is around $11 per night. Both are open mid-April through Columbus Day.

Gadgets & Gizmos

TV Lantern Boombox

Here's a unique gift idea for the Harley Davidson fan. It's a Harley Davidson TV Lantern Boombox. It looks like a V-twin engine with a front loading CD player, AM/FM stereo radio, a VHF/UHF tuner, and a high-powered lantern.

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.

The Dodge City Gang of Las Vegas, New Mexico

In the summer of 1879, a gang of desperados known as the Dodge City Gang made their first appearance in Las Vegas, New Mexico. As the first Santa Fe trains steamed into the territory that summer, it brought with it a whole host of gamblers, ruffians and unsavory characters.

Before long a group formed called the "Dodge City Gang," since so many of them had earned reputations for violent behavior in the western cow towns of Kansas.

The Dodge City Gang was firmly in control of a criminal cartel bent on thumbing their noses at the law. For the next two years, the Dodge City Gang participated in several stage coach and train robberies, organized cattle rustling, and were said to have been responsible for multiple murders and lynchings.

Select this link to read more.

Camping in City and County Parks

Alabama

Omussee Creek Park is a county park in southeast Alabama about 16 miles northeast of Dothan via AL 52 and AL 95. The park's campground has primitive sites for tent campers and sites with electric hookups for RVers. The camping fee ranges from $6 to $15 per night.

Iowa

Little Wall Lake is a county park about two miles south of Jewell, Iowa, along US 69 (west of I-35 Exits 128 or 133). The campground has over 100 sites with 30-amp electric hookups for $12 to $15 per night. The park also has a dump station.

RV News

Here's the latest RV news from Yahoo! News.