Touring America

Kentucky's Red River Gorge Scenic Byway

This scenic byway in eastern Kentucky is 46 miles long and travels between Stanton and Zachariah. It follows KY 11, KY 77, and KY 715 across Daniel Boone National Forest and the Red River Gorge Geological Area. Nicknamed the "Grand Canyon of the East," Red River Gorge contains over one hundred natural stone arches and tumbling waterfalls.

An interesting way to enter the Red River Gorge is through the 900-foot Nada Tunnel, located along KY 77. This one-lane tunnel was built in the early 1900s for use by trains hauling timber. The tunnel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

One of the more easily accessed arches within the geological area is Sky Bridge. From here, visitors are treated to a magnificent view of the Clifty Wilderness Area. Other arches can only be reached by hiking one of the many trails within the area.

A good place to stay the night is Natural Bridge State Resort Park, which contains a natural stone arch that is 78 feet long and 65 feet high. The state park has a 35-room lodge, cottages, and an 82-site campground with hookups. It also offers square dancing on Hoedown Island, swimming, hiking, and miniature golf.

You could spend days exploring Daniel Boone National Forest and the Red River Gorge Geological Area. Hikers and backpackers will find numerous trails including the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail. The Red River attracts canoeing and kayaking enthusiasts and the cliffs of Red River Gorge attract rock climbers. Be sure to stop by the Gladie Historic Site, which contains a reconstructed log house that dates back to the late 1800s. There's also a visitor center here with information about the area.

For tent campers and RVers, the Forest Service maintains a campground at Koomer Ridge along KY 15. It has a total of 54 sites, 19 of which are suitable for RVs 35 to 40 feet long. Tent sites remain open year-round, although no water is available during the off-season.

America's Scenic Drives

Want to learn more about scenic byways in America? Take a look at our web site for free information and maps of more than 200 nationally designated scenic byways.

Off the Beaten Path

Michigan

• Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum
  
  This site is a lighthouse and museum dedicated to shipwrecks on the Great Lakes. It includes artifacts from 13 local shipwrecks, from sailing schooners of the early 1800s to the Edmund Fitzgerald. Guided tours of the light keeper's quarters also available.
• Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford
  
  This unique place is a vast 90-acre outdoor museum filled with historic buildings and sights and sounds of America's past. Three hundred years of history come alive in its parlors, workshops, storefronts, and farms with historic re-creations and live demonstrations of American ingenuity.
• Shrine of the Pines
  
  This museum, housed in a log-hunting lodge, features the largest collection of handcrafted white pine furniture in the world. It also has a gift shop, picnic area, and woodland paths along the banks of historic Pere Marquette River.

Nebraska

• Pioneer Village
  
  Billed as the largest collection of Americana anywhere, Pioneer Village consists of 28 buildings on 20 acres housing over 50,000 items from every field of human endeavor. It features authentic originals arranged in their order of development. Plus you can ride a steam carousel, see 17 historic flying machines, 100 antique tractors, and 350 other antique cars and much more.
• Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer
  
  Described as a "crossroads in time," this museum is a hands-on living history experience that tells the story of the pioneer town builders who created the first communities in Nebraska from the 1840s through 1920. Staff members dressed in period clothing are found throughout the restored 1890s Railroad Town as they interpret and demonstrate life on the Great Plains. This unique 200-acre facility features over 150,000 artifacts including 60 historic buildings and railroad equipment.
• Wildcat Hills Nature Center
  
  This nature center is located within the 935-acre Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area. In addition to the reception and display room, the building's windows are deeply tinted so visitors can closely observe birds and other wildlife coming from the forest to use feeders and plantings. The outside observation decks overlook a pine forest and the North Platte Valley and Scotts Bluff National Monument.

RV Dump Station Locator

Find more than a thousand locations across the United States where you can empty your RV's holding tanks. The information is free and includes places like rest areas, travel centers, and city parks. To learn more, visit www.rvdumps.com

Discovering Your Public Lands

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the largest engineering organization in the world. It traces its origins back to the American Revolution when the Continental Congress established the Army. Since 1775, the Corps has had an ever-changing roll. Among many other things, they are one of the Nation's largest providers of outdoor recreation.

The Corps manages more than 11.5 million acres of land and water for natural resources and public recreation benefits. There are more than 460 projects (mostly lakes) nationwide with over 4,300 recreation areas. Projects offer everything from highly developed facilities to quiet, secluded areas for escaping the modern world. In our personal experiences, public recreation areas managed by the Corps have been some of the nicest to visit.

Individual brochures are available for most projects managed by the Corps of Engineers. They may be obtained from each project's office or by contacting a district office. To begin exploring the many projects offered by the Corps, point your web browser to http://www.usace.army.mil/

In the Spotlight

Lake O' the Pines in Texas

http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/lakeopines/

Lake O' the Pines is a beautiful 18,700-acre lake in the piney woods of northeast Texas. It's about nine miles west of historic Jefferson and 150 miles east of Dallas. Recreational opportunities are numerous with camping, boating, fishing, hunting, and bird watching (among other wildlife) including wintering bald eagles.

There are four campgrounds situated along the shore of the lake. Two close for the winter but the remaining two, Brushy Creek and Johnson Creek, remain open all year. Both campgrounds provide sites for tent camping and sites with water and electric hookups for RVers. The cost per night for RV sites varies from $14 to $20. If you have a Golden Age or Golden Access card, you'll receive 50 percent off the camping fees.

If you're interested in learning more about this Corps project, be sure to visit their web site. It's not real easy to navigate but you'll find specific information about camping fees and facilities available. To obtain a brochure, call 903-665-2336.

Exploring State Parks

Arizona

Visitors to Arizona will find 27 state parks scattered across the Grand Canyon State. Some preserve prehistoric and historic resources that contain sites of historical significance. Others simply provide recreational opportunities for camping, fishing, hiking, and more. Some are conservation areas, providing environmental education opportunities and protecting wildlife. An entrance fee is charged at all state parks and varies from $1 to $8. Camping fees, at parks where camping is available, also vary and range from $10 to $22 per night.

A brochure is available that provides information about all of Arizona's state parks. You can request a copy by calling 602-542-4174. You can also visit the Arizona State Parks web site for detailed information about each park. Arizona's tourism office publishes a vacation guide that not only provides basic information about state parks but also information about visiting the state.

In the Spotlight

Catalina State Park

http://www.pr.state.az.us/Parks/parkhtml/catalina.html

This scenic desert park in southeast Arizona offers camping, hiking, picnicking, bicycling, and an archaeological site. It is situated at the base of Santa Catalina Mountains within Coronado National Forest only nine miles north of Tucson. A 48-site campground with modern showers and restrooms is within the park. Half of the sites have water and electric hookups. Hiking and backpacking enthusiasts will find eight trails that vary in length and difficulty.

Florida

Florida has over 150 state parks, ranging from recreation areas and preserves to museums and historic sites. Camping facilities are found in nearly one-third of the parks. Some have cabins available for rent. Only one state park, Wakulla Springs, offers lodging. Entrance fees are charged and vary throughout the state. Camping fees also vary according to season, site, number of campers, use of electricity, and additional vehicles. Reservations are accepted for campsites and cabins and can be made online at Reserve America or by calling 1-800-326-3521.

The Florida Park Service publishes a 48-page guide that provides detailed information about all of Florida's state parks. The free guide can be requested by calling 850-488-9872. You can also download a copy at their web site or view park information online. "RV Camping in Florida State Parks" is a free brochure that provides phone numbers and RV length limits for state parks where RV camping is available.

In the Spotlight

Florida Caverns State Park

http://www.floridastateparks.org/floridacaverns/

Florida Caverns State Park is in northwest Florida about three miles north of Marianna on FL 166. Perhaps the main attraction to this state park is the cave but it also offers canoeing on the scenic Chipola River, golfing on the nine-hole course, fishing and swimming, camping, and walking nature trails. The campground has 35 sites with water and electric hookups.

Cave tours are available every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. A small fee is charged for the 45-minute tour. Be sure to bring a jacket to wear. It'll take the chill off the cool temperature in the cave.

Gadgets and Gizmos

TastePURE Water Filter

You can improve the taste of your RVs water by using a point-of-entry water filter. One such product is Camco's TastePURE Water Filter. It helps protect against bacteria and reduces bad taste, odors, chlorine, and sediment in drinking water. This filter, available for about $20 from Camping World or Camper's Choice, lasts for an entire season. Another model, TastePURE Weekender, is designed specifically for occasional campers. It sells for around $10 and works for up to 30 days. It can be frozen for reuse on trips shorter than 30 days.

Emergency Dental Kit

Most travelers wouldn't think about vacationing without a first-aid kit, right? But not much thought is ever given to dental emergencies. When they do occur, it isn't always an easy thing to find a dentist. That's where these two emergency dental kits come in. Dr. Jan Stahl, a New York dentist and CEO of APO Health, created the first, called EDK. The EDK offers temporary relief for lost or broken fillings, loose crowns or bridges, and minor toothaches until you can reach a dentist. This kit comes in two varieties, a mini kit ($12.95) and a deluxe kit ($19.95). You can learn more about EDK by going to www.dentalkit.com. Dr. Robert A. Searles developed the second emergency dental kit. His kit contains more supplies than the EDK and costs a bit more ($29.95). You'll find more information about this kit at www.dentalkitfortravelers.com.

Bicycle Protection

If you travel with a bicycle attached to the back of your car or RV, you may want to consider protecting it with a bike bag. USA RoadBag is a manufacturer of bike bags based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They offer four different types of bags: a single bike bag, double, single with rack, and an E-bike bag. The single bike bag sells for about $170. Covering your bicycle with a bike bag protects it from road dirt and oil, exhaust heat, theft, vandalism, and bad weather.

Unique Anti-theft Device

Here's a unique vehicle anti-theft device that we came across. It's called a TireDeflator. It's a little yellow device that attaches to your tire's valve stem. If the vehicle is driven with the device in place, a lever releases air out of the tire within one to four minutes, forcing the driver to stop. If an attempt is made to remove the device without unlocking it first, it will automatically release air from the tire. According to the manufacturer, it fits all types of vehicles including most RVs. The TireDeflator sells for about $30.

Pet Playpen

If you want to give your pet some freedom from the leash but still keep it in a confined area, take a look at Pet Playpens. They're designed for use with small to medium-sized pets and easily disassemble for storage. Four sizes are available. Prices range from $45 for the 4'x4'x2' pen to $56 for the 6'x4'x3' pen. Optional accessories are available including a ground cover, protective tarp, steel anchors, small and large pet shelters with cushion, and a carrying bag.

Duct Tape To Go

What would we do without duct tape? It can be used to temporarily fix just about anything. And now Duck-brand is offering a Flat Pack Duck Tape package so there's no excuse to ever be without this fix-all tape. The Flat Pack contains three yards of duct tape in a flat, compact shape that easily fits in briefcases, glove boxes, backpacks, purses, pockets, etc. You'll find the Flat Pack at your favorite discount store, grocery store, hardware store and so on. You can choose from the standard gray or brighten up broken things with fluorescent-colored duct tape.

Roundabout RoundUp

Becoming A Volunteer

If you are interested in volunteering in a national park or national forest, you'll find information and applications at the following web sites: National Park Service, www.nps.gov/volunteer/; Forest Service, www.fs.fed.us/fsjobs/forestservice/volunteers.html; Bureau of Land Management, www.blm.gov/volunteer/

Death Valley National Park

Looking for a place to escape the coming winter snow? Take a look at Death Valley National Park's Sunset Campground. It has 1,000 campsites available for about $10 per night. You can stay for up to 30 days if you want. For more information go to www.nps.gov/deva/

Spray Can Fire Extinguisher

Here's a product you hope to never use but should have just in case. It's FlameStop, a liquid fire extinguisher in a lightweight (16 ounce), easy-to-use spray can. It is powered by air to activate a water-based wetting agent. It can be used in any position, even upside down. FlameStop sells for about $15 plus shipping.

RV Solar Power

At RV Solar Electric you'll find a lot of information about using solar panels for charging your RV's battery. They also have a free catalog you can request and a book, "RVers Guide to Solar Battery Charging," for sale.

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. To learn more, visit www.rvschool.com.