From the Editor

This month, Donna Flanders with RV Vacation Planner submitted an article entitled Mile Marker Mania. In it, she attempts to explain the mile marker numbering system used by most states for identifying exits along Interstate highways. She does a decent job of explaining how it works.

Understanding the mile marker system isn't a real interesting subject to most but, I think, is something worth learning. I learned the system when I was about 15 (don't ask me why -- I don't know, I just did). My brother hasn't figured it out yet but I don't think he really cares, he just wants to drive.

Some of the most frequently asked questions I receive from visitors to my RV Dump Stations web site and the Interstate Guide section of this site are about mile markers and exits. It is especially confusing when it involves a state that uses the consecutive numbering system for exits but where rest areas are identified by their mile marker.

If you're interested in learning the system, read Donna's article. Also take a look at my attempt to explain the system in the Interstate Guide section of this site. If you really want to delve into the Interstate system and its history, visit the Federal Highway Administration web site.

Touring America

Gold Rush Byway

The Gold Rush Byway is a 158-mile route through the panhandle of Nebraska along US Highway 385. In the late 1800s, up to $200,000 worth of gold traveled each day along this route from the mining town of Deadwood, South Dakota, to the railroad at Sidney, Nebraska. Today, the byway is part of one of the most scenic and historic pathways in the nation -- the CANAM Highway, spanning from Mexico to Canada.

Highlands Scenic Highway

This scenic byway is in east-central West Virginia about 25 miles east of Summersville. The 43-mile route follows State Highways 39 and 150 across the Monongahela National Forest. The byway traverses the mountainous terrain of the Allegheny Highlands and Plateau, and rises from Richwood, elevation 2,325 feet, to over 4,500 feet. Several campgrounds are located along the byway and throughout the national forest.

Spearfish Canyon Highway

Spearfish Canyon Highway is in west-central South Dakota about 47 miles northwest of Rapid City. The 20-mile route follows US Highway 14A from Spearfish to US 85. It crosses the Black Hills National Forest, which has 30 campgrounds with nearly 700 campsites for RV and tent campers.

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.

Mile Marker Mania

I grew up in the New England area. I remember when I-95 was built. All interstate highways in New England had exit numbers that were consecutive. This is starting to change. Maine switched to exit numbers that reflect the mile markers. The first time we went across this great country I was very surprised at the exit numbering system and it took me a while (and a few resources later) to really understand it. There is quite a bit to learn about interstate highways and the numbering system. There's no time like the present, so let's get started.

All one or two digit interstates are the main routes in this country. Those with even numbers (I-10, I-80) are east-west highways. The lowest numbers begin in the south and get higher the further north you go. The odd numbers (I-5, I-95) are north-south routes. The lowest numbers begin along the west coast and get higher as you travel east. However, this is not an exact science. Some of these routes are not true east-west or north-south so the closest overall direction is used.

Select this link to read the rest of the article.

Fun Stops U.S.A.

Burney Falls

Burney Falls is located in McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park about 60 miles northeast of Redding, California. The falls is not the highest nor largest in the state, but many consider it the most beautiful. Unlike other waterfalls, it continues to flow at the same rate all year long.

Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum

The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum is south of Birmingham in Calera, Alabama. It features operating standard gauge and narrow gauge trains, two restored depots, an indoor collection of railroad artifacts and memorabilia, and an outdoor collection of railroad cars, locomotives, and cabooses.

Historic Prairie Village

Historic Prairie Village is two miles west of Madison, South Dakota. Turn-of-the-century buildings from around the state were moved to the village to form this living museum. Some of the first buildings included a church, a one-room country school, store, depot, country bank, farm and ranch homes, jail, claim shanty and log house. Railroad Days, Steam Threshing Jamboree, and other events are held throughout the operating season (mid-May to Labor Day).

Casino Camping

by Jane Kenny

Jane Kenny is a full-time RVer with husband Jack. She is the author of two books and is recognized by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) as an RV Lifestyle Specialist. The excerpt below is from her book, Casino Camping.

Mohegan Sun Casino

1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard

Uncasville, CT 06382

Phone: 860-862-8000 or 1-888-226-7711

www.mohegansun.com

Description: Mohegan Sun Casino is large and luxurious. It features a large hotel with more than 1,100 rooms/suites, two casinos with 295,000 square feet of gaming including slots, table games, poker room and a pari-mutuel simulcast facility. It also has a large shopping mall and a wide variety of restaurants plus a food court with specialty food outlets. There is free entertainment nightly in the Wolf Den Showroom.

Directions: From I-95 exit 76, north on I-395 to exit 79A (Route 2A east). It is less than one mile to Mohegan Sun Blvd.

Parking: The "winter" parking lot is designated for large vehicles. Free overnight parking is permitted and 24-hour shuttle service is provided.

Road Trip Dreams

by Carol White

Phil and Carol White are the authors of Live Your Road Trip Dream, a book that describes how they turned their dream of traveling into reality -- and how you can do the same.

Wanna Save on Gas? Ditch the Starbucks!

If you've given up the idea of a summer vacation road trip, think again. Regardless of gas prices, fuel is typically only the fourth largest expense on a trip behind lodging, food, and vehicle cost and maintenance says author Carol White of Live Your Trip Dream. "It's really a much smaller expense than people think and it's certainly not worth canceling your dream vacation over."

Still, it's going to cost more to hit the road this year than it has in years past. White suggests pouring the Starbucks and other non-essentials in your tank instead (not literally of course). "You'd be amazed how much we all spend on the extras we don't really need. The small invisible stuff really adds up but if a family really wants to take a road trip and needs to budget extra for gas, there are a few great ways they can do this."

If you've always dreamed of hitting the road for a family road trip here are a few quick non-essentials you can easily cut:

• Forgo the daily Starbucks latte, have a regular coffee instead
• Plan eating in more; make dining out a treat, not a daily occurrence
• Are you really using all those cable channels? Come on now, be honest. Cutting just one of them could get you a tank of gas a month. Wait till "Big Love" comes out on DVD and rent it
• Be adventurous! Get your lodging on Priceline or Hotwire; you might be surprised what you get! Many of the rooms are four-star hotels.

According to a study done by PKF for the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), fuel prices would need to triple to make RVing more expensive for a family of four than other forms of travel. Of course, you don't have to have an RV to do a road trip, but they are a great choice for those summer vacations.

Whether you decide to cut one expense or all of them, White says, "Don't let high gas prices keep you from spending time on vacation. U.S. workers are notorious for not taking the vacations they are entitled to. Don't let the gas pump steal what's rightfully yours: some well-deserved time away."

RV Dump Stations

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

Discovering Your Public Lands

Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park in Maine preserves over 47,000 acres of granite-domed mountains, woodlands, lakes and ponds, and rugged ocean shoreline. There are two campgrounds within the park, Blackwoods and Seawall. Reservations for sites in the Blackwoods Campground are required from May through October.

Mount Rogers National Recreation Area

Mount Rogers National Recreation Area lies in southwestern Virginia and is home to the state's highest point. The NRA is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and has seven campgrounds. A couple of rental cabins are also available. Part of the Appalachian Trail crosses the NRA.

W. Kerr Scott Reservoir

This Corps of Engineers' project is located west of Wilkesboro in western North Carolina. There are three campgrounds on the 1,475-acre reservoir. All three have campsites with hookups available.

RV Retirement

by Jane Kenny

Jane Kenny is a full-time RVer with husband Jack. She is the author of two books and is recognized by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) as an RV Lifestyle Specialist.

Retirees on the Road

About one-third of all RVers on the road are full-time or extended-time travelers (on the road three months or more annually.) Many of these RVers are newly-retired persons who decide to spend a year or two or more traveling the country before settling into a retirement domicile. Some use the time to take their "dream trip of a lifetime," the longest vacation they ever had. Others explore different areas of the country in order to decide where they want to settle down for retirement. If full-time or extended-time traveling is part of your retirement plan, our latest book RV Retirement will show you how to do it.

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 Awning Use, Care & Maintenance

RV awnings are a great feature to have on your RV. There are different types of RV awnings and they serve different purposes. There are window and door awnings that provide shade over your RV windows or entry door. There are slide out awnings that protect the slide out roof from debris and water. And there are patio awnings that provide us with shade when we want to sit and enjoy the outdoors. The awnings on your RV will provide years of reliable trouble free operation, if you take the time to do a little preventive maintenance and cleaning.

The fabric used on awnings is made from vinyl or acrylic. Some awnings have an aluminum or vinyl wrap-around weather guard that protects the awning fabric when it's in the travel position. When you open the awning for the first time each year, or if it has been stored for a while, you will need to inspect the awning fabric for any signs of mildew or stains. Vinyl awnings will mildew. If the awning fabric is fairly clean, normal cleaning can be accomplished with a soft brush and mild soap and water. Do not use oil based or abrasive cleaners. Clean and thoroughly rinse both sides of the awning. For more difficult stains, or mildew, there are after market commercial cleaners made just for awning fabrics.

Select this link to read more.

Exploring State Parks

Boyd Lake State Park

Boyd Lake State Park is near Loveland, Colorado, just a few miles west of I-25. The 1,700-acre lake offers boating, fishing, sailing, and more. The campground has nearly 150 pave pull-thru sites with electric hookups.

Suwannee River State Park

Suwannee River State Park is in northern Florida about 12 miles northwest of Live Oak. A high bluff in the park overlooks the spot where the Withlacoochee River joins the Suwannee River. The park's campground has 30 RV/tent sites with electricity for about $15 per night.

Big Bog State Recreation Area

The Big Bog SRA is in northern Minnesota about 60 miles north of Bemidji via US 71 and MN 72. The recreation area is comprised of two units, a northern and southern. The northern unit protects the largest peat bog in the lower 48 states and has a mile-long boardwalk. The southern unit has a 31-site campground (26 sites have electric hookups), rental cabins, swimming beach, and picnic area.

Gadgets & Gizmos

Air Grill Blower

The Air Grill Blower stokes hot coals and embers in barbeque grills, campfires, and fireplaces. With each crank of the handle, a stream of air is released.

Slide Feelers

With this unique product, you won't worry about damaging your RV's slide outs while setting up camp. These detachable distance wands help you avoid any side parking obstructions or damage to your slide outs. For more information go to Camping World or the manufacturer's web 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.

The Lost Breyfogle Mine

Joining the thousands of "49ers" rushing into California were brothers, Charles and Joshua Breyfogle. Hailing from Lockhart, New York, the pair headed west with a train of saddle and draft horses and two wagons in the spring of 1849. They soon teamed up with other pioneers in Columbus, Ohio and continued their long journey to the California goldfields.

After many trials and tribulations through the Indian ridden plains, steep mountains, and harsh desert, they finally reached Sacramento on August, 14, 1849.

About a month later the Breyfogles began searching for their fortunes in the promising areas of Butte Creek and the Chico River. Having no success, they had moved on to the Yuba River, some 12 miles above the California gold rush tent city of Marysville, in January, 1850.

Select this link to read more.

Camping in City and County Parks

Arkansas

Fair Park is a city park off AR 174 in Hope, Arkansas. The campground has over 400 sites with hookups. It is about two miles south of Interstate 30 at Exit 30.

California

Pinto Lake Park in Watsonville, California, is a city park with a 28-site campground. Each site has full hookups and costs about $25 per night.

Indiana

France Park is a county park about four miles west of Logansport, Indiana, on US Hwy 24. The park's campground has over 200 sites; 130 with water and electric hookups. A site with hookups will cost you about $20 per night.

RV News

Natural Bridges Campground Reopens

The 13-unit campground reopened Thursday at southeastern Utah's Natural Bridges National Park after health officials determined that the flea population capable of carrying bubonic plague had been exterminated.

The popular campground 40 miles west of Blanding, San Juan County, had been closed for about three weeks after rangers there found dead field mice and chipmunks. Analysis of the dead rodents revealed that they died of bubonic plague. More...

Baby Boomers, Technology Drive RV Sales

ORLANDO, Fla. - Russ and Jean Glines have picked the theme music to herald their transition from living in a 3,000-square foot country club home to full-time roadies in a 400-square foot recreational vehicle.

The Glines, 43-year-old mortgage brokers, are among a growing number of Baby Boomers who have pushed the number of RV owners to record levels, including some who hit the road full time while continuing to pursue their careers. More...

Downtown Annapolis, MD Now a Wi-Fi Hotspot

About a one-square mile area has become a Wi-Fi hotspot, allowing residents, business people and tourists using computers with wireless connections to get online for free. The cost of the service is being covered by advertisements on the service provider's home page. Plans call for the service area to gradually expand. More...

Roundabout Roundup

Meet Jane Kenny

Jane Kenny is the author of two books, Casino Camping and RV Retirement. If you'd like to meet Jane in person, she will be speaking at the Life on Wheels conference August 24-27 in Des Moines, Iowa. She will also be present at the WIT Grand National Rally in Forest City, Iowa, from July 16th to the 21st. Every day at the WIT Rally you'll find her on Vendor's Row autographing books and talking with other RVers.

RV Park Reviews

This web site features nearly 15,000 campground reviews submitted by RVers. It's the most comprehensive web site for campground reviews that I've found.

Finding Free Wi-Fi HotSpots

The Wi-Fi FreeSpot Directory is a listing of Wi-Fi enabled locations that offer free wireless high speed Internet access.

Geocaching

Interested in learning about this increasingly popular game for GPS users? Take a look at the wealth of information provided at this web site.

Family RVing

This web site has information on RVing in general and RVing with children in particular. Here you'll find a variety of information about campfire cooking, barbecuing, check lists, and a unique RV coloring book for the little ones. The site is a bit difficult to navigate but there's some good information here.

RV Driving School

If you're a bit timid about driving or towing your RV (whether you're a newbie or a "seasoned professional"), you might consider taking lessons from Dick Reed. For more than ten years he has been instructing individuals on how to properly drive or tow an RV. Select this link to learn more.

Campgrounds in Virginia

Visit the official Virginia Campground Association web site for a directory of campgrounds throughout the state.

RoadNotes is Moving

During the month of June, I'll be transferring the RoadNotes web site and newsletter to a new host. There might be times when the site is unavailable or certain features won't work properly (like the search feature). Hopefully the transition will be smooth. I'll be switching to Bluehost; if you're familiar with this hosting company, I'd be interested in your opinion.