From the Editor

I would like to apologize to those of you that tried to visit the web site for Season's Audiobooks, which was mentioned in last month's issue. Before each newsletter is delivered, I personally check each link to ensure that it is working. After the newsletter was delivered, I discovered the link was no longer valid. I placed a call to the company but only received an answering machine. I left a message but have not received a return call. The good news is that I've discovered another company that offers this service. Take a look at the Roundabout Roundup section for more information.

-- David

Touring America

Kaibab Plateau - North Rim Parkway

This National Scenic Byway is in north-central Arizona about 30 miles southeast of Fredonia. It crosses the Kaibab National Forest and leads to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, one of the most visited national parks in the U.S. This side of the Grand Canyon, however, is visited by only 10 percent of all Grand Canyon visitors. The 42-mile byway begins in Jacob Lake and follows AZ 67, a two-lane road suitable for all vehicles. The byway is usually open May through November, depending on snow conditions.

Camping is available in both the national forest and national park. Fees range from $12 to $20 per night. Hookups for RVs are not available in any of the campgrounds. The Grand Canyon Lodge is available on this side of the canyon and has cabins and motel-style rooms.

You can learn more about this scenic byway by visiting the America's Scenic Drives section of our web site. Information is also available from the America's Byways web site.

Fun Stops U.S.A.

Touring Bisbee

Tucked in the Mule Mountains of southeastern Arizona is the small town of Bisbee. The first stop you should make when in town is the chamber of commerce at 31 Subway Street. Here you can pick up free information including a self-guided walking tour brochure that details the town's historic structures. Or you might put away the walking shoes and catch a ride on the trolley that tours Old Bisbee and the Warren area. Lavender Jeep Tours offers the two-hour Sky Island Adventure that takes you into the surrounding area. They also offer a 90-minute ride through the narrow, twisting back roads of Bisbee.

When it's time to fill the stomach, take a break from the usual fast food and visit one of Bisbee's many restaurants. There's Bisbee Grille in the historic district that offers fine dining featuring grilled foods, seafood, and pasta. Or you can visit the Big Sky Cafe, a small cafe serving breakfast and lunch. After lunch, head over to Bisbee Coffee Company for a cup of coffee or tea. They also serve soup, quiche, pastries, cakes, and ice cream. For dinner, head to Hot Licks Barbecue and Blues Saloon for some wood-smoked ribs or brisket and a cold beer. They also have live music on most weekends.

Animatronic Sally

Sally Corporation is one of the largest and oldest designers and fabricators of animatronic entertainment in the world. Their work can be seen in theme parks around the world. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, Sally Corporation offers tours of the robot factory on Tuesdays and Thursdays hourly from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. There is no charge for tours; reservations are required.

Historic Prairie Village

Two miles west of Madison, South Dakota, is Historic Prairie Village. 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). Nearby is Lake Herman State Park, which offers camping, fishing, picnicking, and a nine-hole golf course.

The House on the Rock

Designed and built by Alex Jordan of Madison, Wisconsin, the House on the Rock is an architectural marvel perched on a 60-foot chimney of rock. The 14-room House, sculpted atop Deer Shelter Rock, is the original structure of what is now an extraordinary complex of rooms, streets, buildings and gardens covering over 200 acres. A 375-foot ramp through treetops takes visitors to the entrance of the House where a bell gallery, waterfalls, massive fireplaces and walls of rock can been seen. Furnishings include Oriental art, stained glass lamps, bronze statuary and a three-story bookcase filled with rare books.

Great North American RV Rally

Are you planning to attend the largest RV rally in North America? The Great North American RV Rally attracts more than 4,500 RVers from all over the country. This year's rally is in Hutchinson, Kansas, June 21st - 24th. There will be more than 400 booths featuring the latest RV products, live entertainment, valuable seminars, games, and other activities to participate in.

Discovering Your Public Lands

Sequoia National Forest

Sequoia National Forest is one of 19 national forests in California. It takes its name from the giant sequoia, the world's largest tree, which grows in more than 30 groves on the forest's lower slopes. The Sequoia's landscape is as spectacular as its trees. Soaring granite monoliths, glacier-torn canyons, roaring whitewater, and more await your discovery at the Sierra Nevada's southern end. Elevations range from 1,000 feet in the foothill region to peaks over 12,000 feet in the rugged high country, providing visitors with some of the most spectacular views of mountainous landscape in the west.

Sequoia National Forest offers a huge range of outdoor recreation activities. Trails offer hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, and mountain biking. The many developed campgrounds or dispersed areas provide a full range of camping experiences. Its rivers, lakes and reservoirs offer boating, fishing, water-skiing, swimming, whitewater rafting, and kayaking. In winter, the high elevations provide downhill skiing and snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.

To learn more about the U.S. Forest Service, spend some time exploring their web site. At the site, you can find national forests by state or by name. You'll find a lot of information about each national forest and the outdoor recreation opportunities available.

Volunteers Get a Thrill

Leon and Carey Ivy were looking for a place to camp for an extended stay. What they found was not only a place to stay but a way to help people and the environment. The Ivy's camp at a beautiful lake and volunteer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The Corps of Engineers is the steward of nearly 12 million acres of land and water across the country. They've established a Volunteer Clearinghouse that links interested volunteers with Corps lakes and projects that need them. Over 300 projects nationwide participate in the clearinghouse. Volunteers are needed to serve as campground hosts, staff visitor centers, conduct programs, help restore fish and wildlife habitat, maintain park trails and facilities, and more. A toll-free number has been established as well as a web site where interested folks can get more information.

When Carey Ivy heard about the 800 number, she called for an information packet with a map, application, and points of contact for the region they were interested in. They selected a lake where they would like to volunteer and returned the application. When a park ranger contacted the Ivy's to let them know they had been selected for the volunteer position, they said they "were as excited as if we were going to make $50,000. We were just thrilled."

Volunteers play an important role in protecting the natural resources and maintaining recreation areas managed by the Corps of Engineers. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, you can reach the Volunteer Clearinghouse at 800-865-8337 or visit www.orn.usace.army.mil/volunteer/

Exploring State Parks

Kentucky

Kentucky's state park system consists of 49 parks and one interstate park (Breaks Interstate Park in both Kentucky and Virginia). Thirty-two state parks have campgrounds for tent campers and RVers. A lot of parks also have lodges and cottages available for rent. Camping fees range from $10 to $20 per night depending on the park and amenities available. Seniors 62 and up receive a 10 percent discount at all but one of the parks (Paintsville Lake gives a $2 discount).

You can find a lot of information about each state park at the Kentucky State Parks web site. The site can be a little cumbersome to navigate but there is a lot of information there. You can also request a free publication by completing an online form. The book includes images, facilities, and events for all state parks. It also includes rates, lodge, cottage, and campground information.

In the Spotlight

Big Bone Lick State Park

Big Bone Lick State Park is in northern Kentucky about 22 miles southwest of Covington on KY 338, west of US 42/127. The scientific world recognizes Big Bone Lick as the Birthplace for American Vertebrate Paleontology because of the fossilized remains of prehistoric animals discovered here in the 1700s. There's a small museum with displays of fossilized bones and a video presentation of the area's history.

The state park also offers a 7.5-acre lake containing largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish. About four miles of hiking trails surround the lake and outdoor museum area. You'll also find an 18-hole miniature golf course, tennis courts, horseshoe pits, and other facilities.

The park's spacious campground features 62 campsites with utility hookups, grills, a swimming pool, and playground. Showers, rest rooms, and laundry facilities are available at a central service building. Groceries are available April through October at the store located near the campground's entrance. The campground itself is open year-round. During the peak season (April through October), a campsite will cost you $20 per night. The rest of the year, campsites are available for $10 per night.

Montana

Montana's Fish, Wildlife and Parks department manages 42 state parks, 23 of which have camping facilities. You'll find detailed information about each park at their web site. You can request a free Montana Vacation Planning Kit from the Travel Montana web site. The kit includes information about Montana's state parks.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire has 19 state parks with camping facilities. To learn about these and other state parks, visit the Division of Parks and Recreation web site for detailed information. You can also request a free New Hampshire Guidebook from the state's tourism web site that provides general information about visiting New Hampshire as well as state park information.

Gadgets and Gizmos

The Line Guide

Here's a simple gadget that will relieve some tension when driving your motor home or pulling a trailer. The Line Guide is a device with three stems that attaches to your vehicle's dashboard with suction cups or Velcro strips. A quick glance at the three stems will tell you whether you're safely in the lane of travel or have drifted to the left or right. The Line Guide is available in two models. One is equipped with LED bulbs so you can use the device when driving at night.

Hacksack

Hacksack is a unique product that offers the ease of a sleeping bag with the look and comfort of home bedding. One side is designed for cooler temperatures, the other for warmer. According to the manufacturer, Hacksack is two comforters in one with removable sheets for easy washing. Hacksack is available from Leisure Industries of Boise, Idaho.

Portable RV Waste Pump Kit

The FloJet portable macerator pump connects directly to your RV's waste outlet and eliminates waste through a garden hose into an auxiliary waste tank, home toilet, or sewer clean-out port. A flushing inlet-valve lets you back-flush tanks for cleaning. The portable pump is stored in a plastic carrying case. Visit Camping World's web site for more information.

Roundabout RoundUp

Rent an Audiobook

If you would like to rent an audiobook to listen to as you travel, consider this. Audio Adventures offers audiobook rentals through more than 500 travel centers across America. Pick up an audiobook from the display rack at any participating Flying J or other travel center and return it to another location seven days later. You can learn more about the rental program and find participating locations at the Audio Adventures web site.

2004 Trailer Life Campground Directory

The new 2004 edition of the Trailer Life Campground Directory is now available. This invaluable directory is available from Trailer Life for about $14 plus shipping. You can learn more by visiting Trailer Life's web site.

Earn Money Using Your RV for Advertising

This unique idea sprang from the minds of three senior women that figured if ads are on buses, trains, and airplanes, why not on RVs? From this, Travel'n Ads on RVs was born. Visit their web site to learn how you can earn up to $900 per month simply by attaching a vinyl peel and stick advertisement to your RV.

RV Safety Training Program

Recreation Vehicle Safety Education Foundation (RVSEF) is a not-for-profit organization that provides safety-education materials and services to the RV community. They offer a program that covers nine subjects of importance to RVers: propane, weight, tires, towing, electrical, driving, personal safety, fire, and motor fuels.

RV Size Limits

To learn about RV size limits in each state, take a look at the WeCamp2 web site. You'll also find a lot of links and information about camping and the RV lifestyle at this site.

KOA Hot Deals

On the Kampgrounds of America web site there's a link to Hot Deals where you'll find specials available at various KOA campgrounds across the U.S. and Canada. Hot Deals include reduced rates, free movie rentals, or a free night, among other specials.

Directory of Campgrounds with Phone/Modem Hookups

Southpoint has compiled a directory of campgrounds across the U.S that have instant phone/modem hookups at the campsite. You'll also find a general directory of private campgrounds listed by state.

Preserving Roadside America

The Society for Commercial Archeology is an interesting organization. They offer publications, conferences, and tours to help preserve, document, and celebrate the structures and architecture of the 20th century: diners, highways, gas stations, drive-in theaters, bus stations, tourist courts, neon signs, and a lot more.

Towing A Trailer

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has put together a comprehensive guide to towing, whether it be a boat, pop-up camper, travel trailer, or anything else you may tow. The guide can be read online or you can download a PDF version. You can also request a printed version by completing an online request form.

Goodyear Introduces Site For RVers

Goodyear has launched a web site aimed at RVers and tire care. Their site includes information on RV tire storage, inflation pressure, loading and sizes, and more.

RV Dump Stations

Our web site for locating RV dump stations across America continues to grow. We continually receive suggestions about new locations that are added to the web site on a regular basis. Thanks for helping us make the site a valuable source for RVers.