Touring America

Wisconsin

Heritage Drive Scenic Byway is 20 miles northeast of Rhineland in northern Wisconsin. The 21-mile route follows State Highway 32 and Forest Service Roads between Three Lakes and Wisconsin Highway 70. Byway travelers cross the Nicolet National Forest and follow portions of the Lake Superior Trail used by the Menominee Indians. Public campgrounds are located along the byway.

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.

Planning Your Vacation - Part III

Trip Routing

Deciding on the route may not be the most exciting part of planning the trip, but it can certainly be critical. Even if you are somewhat familiar with the area there are weight restrictions for bridges, low clearances, tunnels that prohibit propane and just plain poor choices. There are also preferences. Some folks like scenic roads, some like the most direct route, some prefer interstate highways. There is no particular right or wrong answer as long as you do your research. Relying exclusively on an GPS system is not always the best choice. There needs to be a human brain added to the mix.

Many large cities have bypasses. We generally use them. Exceptions for us would be going straight through on a Sunday morning. We try to time our travel through congested areas to avoid the morning and evening commutes and lunch. We try to spend lunch time in a rest area just before the big city if possible. We've gotten up at 5:00 am to get around a big city before the morning commute and then eaten breakfast on the other side.

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Fun Stops U.S.A.

Kansas

Rutlader Outpost is depicted as an Ole West Border Town on the border of Missouri and Kansas. Between the years of 1838 and 1845, a military road was constructed through the Indian Territory to connect Fort Leavenworth and Fort Scott in Kansas with Fort Gibson in Oklahoma. This was done to protect the western border of the United States, which was the Missouri/Kansas line. Rutlader Outpost features live country music shows, cowboy shoot-out re-enactments, an RV park, and more.

RV Dump Stations

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

Discovering Your Public Lands

West Virginia

Bulltown Campground is located on Burnsville Lake, a Corps of Engineers project. The Bulltown Historic Area is also here; it was the site of a Civil War battle. Visitors can tour the historic structures and battlefield. The campground has nearly 200 sites with electric hookups (some 50amp). Camping fee ranges from $20 to $26 per night (America the Beautiful Pass holders receive 50% 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.

Questions & Answers

Question: After we decided to buy a travel trailer the dealer told us we would need to spend another $1,000 dollars on hitch work. Isn't this a little unreasonable?

Mark Says: The dealer should have explained the importance of proper hitch work during the sale. It is for your own safety and the safety of your loved one's. If your particular purchase requires a weight-distributing hitch, dual cam sway control, electric brake control and wiring then 1,000 dollars is not unreasonable. Any reputable RV dealer will not sell the trailer without the proper hitch work.

Question: I have heard people talk about the 75% rule of thumb for towing. How does this work?

Mark Says: There is some confusion on this subject. A lot of people say that you take the manufacturers tow rating for a vehicle and multiply it by 75% and this is the maximum weight you should tow. For example a tow rating of 8,000 pounds X 75% = 6,000 pounds. The 75 % rule is designed to build in a margin of safety. The way that I understand it and apply it is that you take the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) of the tow vehicle X 75%, and the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the tow vehicle X 75%. Once you determine this you subtract the two and this is the maximum weight you should tow. Using the same example above that vehicles GCWR is 14,000 pounds X 75% = 10,500 pounds. The GVWR is 8,800 X 75% = 6,600 pounds. 10,500 minus 6,600 = 3,900 pounds. I apply this rule if you plan to tow in high elevations. A gasoline engine looses 3 to 4 percent of its power for every 1,000 feet above sea level. The 75% rule compensates for that loss in power.

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Exploring State Parks

Missouri

Arrow Rock State Historic Site is located in the historic town of Arrow Rock, Missouri. The park features a museum with exhibits of the history of Arrow Rock and "Boone's Lick Country." The old courthouse, a town doctor's home, a stone jail, and other historic buildings are part of a walking tour offered at the site. The campground here has a total of 46 campsites; 34 with electric. Camping fees range from $9 to $20 per night.

Camping in City and County Parks

South Dakota

The City of Spearfish Campground is located in Spearfish, South Dakota. The campground is open all year and has over 200 sites; 57 sites have water, electric (30/50-amp), and sewage hookups. Camping fees range from $17 to $26 per night.

Suggestions

Do you know of a city or county park that has a campground? Tell us about it!

Gadgets & Gizmos

Electric Fly Swatter

Annoyed by flying insects? Zap 'em with the Electric Fly Swatter. This gadget will easily kill all flying insects such as mosquitoes, flies, and gnats just by waving at them with the electric fly swatter. The bug zapper uses two "D" batteries and is safe for indoor and outdoor use.

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.

Texas John Slaughter - Taming Arizona

"Texas John" Slaughter was a Civil War veteran, trail-driver, cattleman, Texas Ranger, famed Cochise County Sheriff, professional gambler, and an Arizona State Representative during his lifetime. Before he died at the age of 80, he was a symbol of the American West and much celebrated hero.

John was born in Sabine Parish, Louisiana on October 2, 1841 to Benjamin and Minerva Mabry Slaughter. However, when he was just three months old, his family moved to a land grant near Lockhart, Texas and began raising cattle.

Though schooled in Sabine and Caldwell counties, Slaughter's formal education was brief. But the boy was a quick learner and found other opportunities to increase his knowledge such as learning how to speak Spanish and mastering cowboy skills from Mexican vaqueros. As a young man, he ranched with his father and brothers and just before the Civil War began, he enlisted as a Texas Ranger with Captain John Files Tom's company to fight the Comanches.

The diminutive, 5 foot 6 inch man, with penetrating black eyes and a sometimes stuttering voice, was evidently determined to make his mark upon the world.

On March 9, 1862, he joined the Confederate Army, but by 1864 he was sent home because of an illness. However; after he recovered, he returned to service with the Third Frontier Division, Texas State Troops, in Burnet County, where he earned a reputation of a fearless fighter skilled with firearms.

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