Touring America

Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway

Edge of the Wilderness is a 47-mile scenic drive between Grand Rapids and Effie in northern Minnesota. The byway meanders through forests of oak, birch, and aspen and skirts the shores of numerous lakes. It follows Minnesota State Highway 38, a two-lane paved road suitable for all types of vehicles.

Nearly half of the scenic byway travels through Chippewa National Forest. There are many Forest Service campgrounds in the area, including one directly along the byway on North Star Lake. Byway travelers will also find camping in Scenic State Park, east of the byway near Bigfork. The state park also has one rental cabin and guest house.

Visit our web site to learn more about this scenic byway.

Free Vacation Kit from RV Vacation Planner

Because you're a subscriber to RoadNotes, the nice folks at RV Vacation Planner are offering one of their prepackaged vacation kits for free! (Their prepackaged vacation kits normally sell for $100). If you like what you see, then you might consider having them prepare a customized RV vacation kit for you. Here's the description for the free kit:

New Hampshire's White Mountains

To get your free vacation kit, select this link.

Fun Stops U.S.A.

Perrine Bridge

The first bridge opened in 1927 and was the highest bridge in the world at the time. It was replaced in 1974 by a new bridge and remains a spectacular sight.

Lighthouses of Maine

If you enjoy seeing lighthouses, you can take a virtual tour of some of the more prominent ones along US Route 1 in Maine at the Lighthouse Getaway web site. The virtual tour highlights 20 lighthouses with information and pictures. The web site also has information about lighthouses in other places across the United States and in Ireland.

Clark's Trading Post

Clark's Trading Post in Lincoln, New Hampshire is a unique roadside attraction the entire family can enjoy. Clark's is best known for its trained-bear acts but there is much more to see. For the $12 admission fee you also get a 30-minute ride aboard the steam-powered White Mountain Central Railroad; entrance into the Pemigewasset Hook & Ladder Fire Station where you'll find antique horse-drawn fire engines and wagons; entrance into other museums including Avery's Garage, the Clark Museum, and the Americana Building; see the acrobatic and hand balancing performance of the Sieranian Family Circus; and enjoy the fun of water bumper boats.

Cold Spring Village

Historic Cold Spring Village near Cape May, New Jersey is a 19th century, open-air living history museum. The wooded, 22-acre site features 25 restored historic buildings. Exhibits and costumed interpreters present everyday life as it occurred in a small South Jersey farm village during the 19th century. Special events are held on various days throughout the operating season.

Discovering Your Public Lands

Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge

Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge is located in the heart of Colorado's San Luis valley. The artificially created wetlands on Monte Vista's 14,804 acres are managed to provide habitat for a wide variety of waterfowl and other water birds. Mallards, pintail, teal, and Canada geese are common, as are American avocets, killdeer, white-faced ibis, egrets, and herons.

The entire Rocky Mountain population of sandhill cranes migrates biannually through the Monte Vista NWR and the San Luis Valley. The Refuge is a major stopover for the cranes as they move between their wintering area around Bosque Del Apache NWR in New Mexico and their breeding grounds in the northern United States and southern Canada. The approximately 20,000 cranes collectively spend more time in the San Luis Valley than at their wintering and breeding grounds.

Beginning in the 1980s, a herd of elk began using the Refuge. At present, several hundred elk may be seen on the Refuge seeking winter food and sanctuary from hunting pressure on nearby public lands.

Chickasaw National Recreation Area

Chickasaw National Recreation Area, managed by the National Park Service, is in south-central Oklahoma near Sulphur. Lake of the Arbuckles, constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation, is the area's main attraction. Surrounding the 2,300-acre lake are numerous camping and picnicking areas. In the park's northern reaches is a smaller lake with picnic areas and a campground. There are more than 30 miles of maintained trails in the park ranging from short, level strolls to steep, uneven climbs. At the Travertine Nature Center you'll find exhibits, dioramas, an interactive learning area, and live fish, reptiles, amphibians and birds of prey.

Exploring State Parks

North Dakota

There are 15 state parks in North Dakota, most of which are located along the shore of lakes and rivers. All of the state parks have campgrounds with sites that have electrical hookups. Many parks also have rental cabins available. An entrance fee of $5 per vehicle is charged in all parks. Camping fees range from $8 per night for sites without electricity to $14 for sites with electricity.

Visit the North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department web site for detailed information about each state park. North Dakota has a campground host program where hosts receive free, full-service camping in exchange for working one to three months.

Tennessee

The Department of Environment and Conservation manages 54 state parks in The Volunteer State. Camping is available in 36 state parks. Rental cabins, from rustic to modern, are found in 19 parks. Camping fees range from $8 to $20 depending on amenities but most charge about $17 per night. An entrance fee of $3 is charged in many, but not all, parks.

Printable state park brochures in PDF format can be download for free from the state park web site. Tennessee also has a campground host program. Visit their web site to learn more.

Wyoming

Wyoming's Division of State Parks & Historic Sites manages 12 state parks and 12 historic sites in the Equality State. A daily use fee of $4 is charged for state parks and $2 for historic sites. Camping is available in most state parks. The camping fee is $12 per night. You'll find information about each state park and historic site at their web site but it is a bit cumbersome to navigate.

Gadgets and Gizmos

Fridge Freeze

Fridge Freeze is a portable 12/24 and 110-volt refrigerator/freezer that will keep your food and drinks cold without ice. What makes the Fridge Freeze unique is that the condenser coils are sealed on the inside of the exterior aluminum wall, making them less susceptible to damage and corrosion. Also, by using the exterior wall as the condenser, the efficiency of the unit is unrivaled, according to the manufacturer. The company also claims that because the Fridge Freeze doesn't use a fan, the unit maintains a 2.3-amp draw in up to 85 degree weather while keeping the interior temperature at 28 degrees.

Camp Light Kit

The Camp Light Kit from Coast is a handy product to have. It uses light chip technology and can be used as a flashlight or, with the included shade and base, used as a table lamp. There's no bulb to replace and you'll get hundreds of hours of light from one set of batteries.

RV-360

The RV-360 is a rooftop vent cap odor extractor. Say that three times quickly! Basically this product replaces the conventional rooftop vent cap on your rig and is designed to remove odors from your RV's holding tanks. It uses the wind to create an air pressure difference at the exhaust port, which pulls odors out of the tank, up the vent pipe, and away from your RV's living space. This means you will use less chemical deodorizers to mask the odors that come from the holding tanks. Installation is said to be easy and the product well worth the $40 price.

Adventures from the Past

Ghost Towns of Colorado

In central Colorado lies the ghost town of Saint Elmo, one of the best preserved ghost towns in Colorado with many business structures and cabins still standing. Saint Elmo was originally settled in 1878 and was made official in 1880 when gold and silver began to attract people to the area. Although it was first called Forest City, the small town's name was changed when the post office objected because there were too many towns with the same name. The new name was derived by Griffith Evans, one of the founders, who was reading a romantic nineteenth-century novel by the same name.

To learn more about Saint Elmo and other ghost towns in Colorado, visit the Legends of America web site.

Roundabout RoundUp

California State Park Camping Fees Increased

Effective July 1, 2004, camping fees at state parks in California will increase considerably. The current camping fees range from $8 to $13 per night for a developed site. With the new rate increase, camping fees will range from $11 to $25 per night. Visit California's State Park web site to learn more.

Free Packing and Preparation Checklists

You'll find free checklists to aid you in packing and preparing for your next camping trip at RV Vacation Planner. There's a general checklist, one for women and one for men, a pets' checklist, and more.

Passport In Time

Passport in Time is a volunteer archaeology and historic preservation program of the US Forest Service. Volunteers work with professional archaeologists and historians on various projects including archaeological excavation, rock art restoration, historic structure restoration, and more. In the past, volunteers have helped stabilize ancient cliff dwellings in New Mexico, excavate a 10,000-year-old village site in Minnesota, restore a historic lookout tower in Oregon, and clean vandalized rock art in Colorado.

Movin' On

Movin' On is the web site of Barb and Ron Hofmeister. For 14 years they lived full-time in one of three motor homes. You'll find all kinds of information and stories about experiences they have enjoyed while living on the road.

RV America

RV America is a web site devoted to the RV lifestyle. You'll end up spending a lot of time browsing the site for information about RV associations and clubs, RV shows nationwide, dealers and manufacturers, publications, campground directories, and so much more. They also have several forums where you can share stories and information about the RV lifestyle.

Bumper Sticker Wisdom

Save the Earth, it's the only planet with Chocolate

I love to give homemade gifts, which one of my kids do you want?

According to my calculations, the problem doesn't exist