Touring America

Alaska's Seward Highway

Seward Highway is a 127-mile route connecting Anchorage with Seward. It follows Alaska Highways 1 and 9; both are paved routes suitable for all types of vehicles. The first 50 miles of the byway skirts the base of the Chugach Mountains and the shore of Turnagain Arm, where it's common to see beluga whales, Dall sheep, waterfalls and eagles. The remainder of the drive courses through the mountains of Chugach National Forest.

Camping is available throughout Chugach National Forest and in Chugach State Park. There are three campgrounds in the state park but only Bird Creek is accessible from the byway. Bird Creek Campground has 28 sites and charges $10 per night.

You can read more about Seward Highway at our web site.

Get Outside. Get Friendly.

by Donna Flanders

We were camped at a military park in Texas during the winter and found ourselves next to a couple from our own state of NH. These folks were relatively new to RVing. They commented on how seldom they see folks with big rigs sitting outside and were surprised at how much time we spent outside. Since we come from a northern state where sitting outside is only done in the limited warmer months, we were in our glory sitting outside in December.

Our motorhomes, trailers and fifth wheels are now so plush and jammed with creature comforts that sitting inside is just like being at home. I remember our first 16 foot trailer. It had no comfortable place to sit. We only used it during the summer months, so sitting outside was the only choice. Now we have a 36 foot motorhome with a slide and lots of comfortable space inside. We still sit outside.

Select this link to read the rest of the article.

Fun Stops U.S.A.

Connecticut Covered Bridges

When you think of covered bridges, Vermont and New Hampshire may pop into your mind first. But there are a few covered bridges to be discovered in Connecticut. The first to see is the West Cornwall Covered Bridge. This historic, red-painted bridge has been in continuous service since 1864. To reach this bridge, follow Route 7 to the intersection with Route 128 in West Cornwall. Turn onto Route 128 East, and you'll drive right across the covered bridge.

Select this link to learn about other covered bridges in Connecticut.

Dunn's Falls

This 65-foot waterfall south of Meridian, Mississippi, was once used as a power source for a gristmill and the manufacture of Stetson hats. Historic Carroll Richardson Gristmill is open for tours. The park is a natural wildlife refuge with a picnic area with barbecue grills, gristmill pond, hiking and swimming areas. Primitive camping is also available. Select this link to learn more.

Casino Camping

by Jane Kenny

Nevada has some 200 casinos throughout the state and the welcome mat is always out for RVers. The most popular "casino-hopping" destination for RVers is, of course, Las Vegas, the glitzy casino capitol of the world. There are five RV Parks connected directly to casino resorts in Vegas – one is right on the Strip.

Another favorite destination in Nevada is Laughlin, a town that offers a slower-paced casino-hopping hiatus along the Colorado River. There are 11 Vegas-style casinos, more than 60 restaurants and live entertainment, plus water sports and many outdoor activities in Laughlin.

Complete details and tips for planning your RV trip to Nevada can be found in Casino Camping, a guide to RV-Friendly casinos in the U.S., available in our online bookstore.

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.

The following article is from Phil and Carol's travel journal during the time when they were living their road trip dream.

Queen of Ziplock, King of Handiwipes

A couple of weeks ago over our evening cocktails, Phil and I were trying to figure out what really was making this trip work so well. The obvious things are good teamwork between us; a reliable, convenient, mode of transportation; and exhaustive pre-trip planning, thus relieving anxieties about the home front. But we decided that the really key ingredients were ziplock bags and handiwipes!

We carry multiple sizes of ziplock - and everything goes in them. They save space when things come in boxes (into a ziplock and away with the box!), and they prevent spills, leaks, and wet from touching dry. They store extra ice, film, vitamins, and are often used for marinating our evening meat! Very multifunctional!

Handiwipes - actually unscented babywipes - are always within easy reach. Dirty hands, sticky hands, cleaning cuts, wiping up stuff, cleaning the fronts of cupboards, dusting the dashboard - the list is endless, but they make daily life on the road much easier for a couple of neatniks!

Select this link to read the rest of this article.

Discovering Your Public Lands

Loon Lake Recreation Area

The Bureau of Land Management maintains Loon Lake Recreation Area in west-central Oregon. The area features a sandy beach, 60 campsites situated in a Douglas fir forest, a small boat ramp, and a nature trail that leads to a waterfall. The campground is open Memorial Day weekend through November; camping fee is $18 per night.

Buck Hall Recreation Area

Buck Hall Recreation Area in South Carolina is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. It lies within the Francis Marion National Forest and is situated on the site of the old Buck Hall Plantation, just six miles southeast of McClellanville. Its location on the Intracoastal Waterway provides the best access to Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge and Bulls Bay, the best area for shrimp baiting on the coast.

Buck Hall Recreation Area has 14 full-hookup campsites for RVers and five tent sites. Only four of the RV sites and two of the tent sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The others must be reserved. The camping fee is $20 per night for RV sites and $15 per night for the tent sites.

RV Tech Tip

by Mark Polk

Your RV's Tires

The tires on your RV are the most vulnerable component affected by overloading the RV. There are numerous reasons for this. First and foremost is when the tires are not inflated properly for the load. Failure to maintain correct tire pressure can result in fast tread wear, uneven wear, poor handling, and excessive heat build up, which can lead to tire failure.

Another problem is when you weigh your RV the total weight of the axles may be within the axles weight rating but it may be overloaded on one side of the axle or the other. For example, let's say you have an axle that is rated for 6,000 pounds. When we weigh the RV, the weight on that particular axle is 5,950 pounds. We are within the weight rating for the axle, but when we weigh each axle end separately we discover that one end weighs 3,400 pounds and the other end weighs 2550 pounds. We are still within the 6,000-pound axle weight rating, but the tires are rated for 3,000 at 80 psi. This means the axle end that weighs 3,400 pounds is overloading the tire by 400 pounds, even if the inflation pressure is correct.

Exploring State Parks

Iowa

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources manages over 70 state parks and state forest campgrounds. Campgrounds in most state parks have sites with electric hookups. Rental cabins and yurts are also available in many parks. Peak season camping fees range from $9 to $16 per night. Iowa is offering a free weekend of camping on May 13, 14, and 15.

Visit Iowa's DNR web site for detailed information about each state park and downloadable park maps.

Gadgets & Gizmos

iAntenna

The IAntenna is an electronic device for connecting RVs to wireless high-speed Internet connections found in campgrounds, truck stops, and other areas that offer high-speed Internet access. Several large RV manufacturers have agreed to pre-wire coaches while others have expressed an interest in factory installing iAntenna in their products. To learn more, select this link.

Plug'n'Play High-Power Solar Panels

ICP Solar Technologies offers several models of high output solar panels called SolarPRO. According to the manufacturer, installation is super easy and takes only seconds. The solar panels provide supplemental power to your RV for running lights and small appliances. Select this link to learn more.

Bumper Sticker Wisdom

• Don't honk, I'm pushing as hard as I can (seen on a VW being pulled by an RV)
• Don't play stupid with me... I'm better at it!
• Growing old is inevitable... Growing up is optional

Legends of America

by Kathy Weiser

Saint James - Forest City of the Ozarks

Known as the "Forest City of the Ozarks," this beautiful city in south central Missouri was born in 1859 when a man by the name of John Wood anticipated the extension of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway. Intended as a shipping point for the nearby Meramec Iron Works, which had been shipping its products by wagon train, Wood saw great opportunity in creating the town. The town was first called Scioto but its name was changed to St. James within a year. The Meramec Iron Works mined ore along the banks of the Meramec River, providing the town's first employment.

When the Civil War began, the Union Army took control of the town after fierce partisan fighting took place in the area. A detachment of German volunteers, who were encamped near the town, were so impressed by the area, that when the war was over they moved their families to St. James, creating an ethnic flavor that remains today.

Select this link to read the rest of the article.

Camping in City and County Parks

Minnesota

Island Park Municipal Campground in Argyle, Minnesota has four sites for $6 per night and that's with electric hookups. The campground is two blocks east of US 75 next to the Middle River.

California

Lopez Lake Recreation Area is a San Luis Obispo county park just ten miles east of Arroyo Grande off US 101. The park has 354 campsites ranging from primitive to full-hookup sites. The camping fee varies from $16 per night for a primitive site to $25 per night for a full-hookup site.

Roundabout Roundup

Free Camping at KOA

More than 350 KOA campgrounds in the U.S. and Canada are taking reservations for a free night of camping on Friday, May 13th. Find out how to reserve your free campsite by selecting this link.

Iowa DOT Expands Wireless Internet Access

Free wireless Internet access, introduced last June in six of Iowa's rest areas as part of a pilot project, is being expanded to all 40 rest areas. It is expected that all rest areas will be equipped with free Wi-Fi by July 1. Read more...

Identity Thieves Can Lurk at Wi-Fi Spots

Thieves are using wireless devices to impersonate legitimate Internet access points to steal credit card numbers and other personal information. Read more...

RVing with Frieda and Norm Wyner

This is the personal web site of Frieda and Norm Wyner. They traveled full time in their RV for six years.

Motorhome Driving Tips

This web site provides a lot of helpful tips when driving a motorhome. Among the topics covered are driving properly, backing up, maneuvering in campgrounds, and driving in the mountains.

RV Basics

This web site provides information for new RVers, long time RVers, and full time RVers. You'll find articles about electrical systems, Internet access on the road, maintenance tips, checklists, and more.