Trailer Life Magazine, January 2010

001-TL1001 Cover Subscript 11/9/09 6:27 PM Page 1

Comments ContentsGo To:.com

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002-TL01 PG CV2 ROADTREK 11/9/09 3:19 PM Page CV2


TRAILER LIFE January 2010 3

CONTENTS>Features

January 2010 Volume 70 Number 1

ON THE COVER:The Toyota Tundra LimitedCrewmax and the WindRiver out on a scenic drivein Southern California.Photo by Gary Bohinc

Departments4 DRIVERS SEAT

5 LETTERS

5 SNOOKS NOOK

6 AROUND THE BENDNews, events, people, places,parks & RV trends

10 RV ACTION LINEWe take action to resolve conflictsbetween consumers and RV dealersor manufacturers

13 THE OUTSIDERLearn how to be a fly fisherman atMissouris Bennett Spring State Park

15 THIS LANDCuyahoga Valley National Park provides a serene retreat betweentwo busy cities

52 RV CLINICStraight talk from theTrailer Life tech team

56 10-MINUTE TECHReaders submit their favoritetried-and-true tech tips

57 HANDS ON

66 AMERICAS OUTBACKThe Cape Fear River may have beennamed by scared sea captains, but thecharming city of Wilmington, NorthCarolina, is the opposite of fearful

003-TL1001 Table of Conten 11/9/09 3:11 PM Page 3


Wile hiking in the Channel Islands National Park in SouthernWWalifornia recently, I reflected on the amazing diversity of ourWWark system and how the insights of a few people convincedWWtheir respective members of Congress to set aside the naturalWWtreasures that have helped popularize the RV lifestyle. Much of this reflection came to lightas I beamed at the beautiful terrain surrounding the trail, at the moment feeling very proudthat we ran the story on Ken Burns in last Septembers issue (see Americas Best Idea).

Burns 12-hour documentary that aired on PBS last fall, The National Parks AmericasBest Idea, was itself a great idea. The series was beautifully filmed, exquisitely edited and,above all, an informative film on the national parks. Of course, the natural beauty of our parksin the film was breathtaking, but Burns historical presentation tracing the efforts of peoplewith extraordinary vision was eye-opening. Without the dedication of conservationists likeJohn Muir, Stephen Mather, Theodore Roosevelt and John D. Rockefeller Jr., whats now themost incredible park system on Earth could have fallen to entrepreneurial greed that, no doubt,would have compromised or even eradicated this pristine geography.

After the first segment aired, Derrick Crandall, president of the American Recreation Coali-tion, told me that reservations to visit our national parks doubled the next day. Thats reallygood news.

With all of lifes distractions especially virtual influences competing for our time, get-ting ourselves and our young people to connect with nature has become very challenging.When visiting parks, I often see teenagers texting their friends feverishly rather than payingattention to a rangers talk around a blazing campfire.

Part of this problem is our own fault. RVs are filled with indoor entertainment and commu-nication equipment that compete with hiking trails and viewing nature. Its easy and comfort-able to hang out inside our trailers but going outdoors is the magnet that attracted us tothe RV lifestyle. And besides that, spending time outdoors is therapeutic. Many studies sug-gest that spending time outdoors decreases stress, provides physical activities that promotegood health, opens our minds to creativity and encourages social development (which issorely needed to improve campground etiquette, but thats another column).

To help people connect with nature, the National Park Service (NPS) has teamed up with theNational Association of State Park Directors and the National Recreation and Park Associationto develop programs and policies that zero in on capturing the interest of our young people.

If we can get our children and grandchildren to turn off their cell phones, computers andTVs at least for a little while well succeed in expanding the horizons of the next gener-ation and those who follow, and hopefully neutralize the overdose of virtual stimuli. Check outwww.nps.gov/ChildrenInNature/BestPractices for ideas on how you can plan trips and activ-ities that focus on the great outdoors.

Fortunately, Cabinet Secretaries Ken Salazar (Interior) and Ray LaHood (Transportation)are cognizant of the needs of RV enthusiasts. Both have expressed their support for retainingpublic access to RV owners who, of course, have greater real estate needs on the roads andin campgrounds (see page 28). As the NPS rallies toward its centennial celebration (in 2016),we hope the momentum to keep our parks accessible to everyone and interesting to ouryoung people moves forward at a brisk pace.q

EXPERIENCING THE OUTDOORS

DRIVERS SEAT>

by Bob Livingston

EDITORIAL

CREATIVE

PRODUCTION

CIRCULATION

www.trailerlife.com

004-TL1001 Drivers Seat L 11/9/09 3:11 PM Page 4



ALL ABOUT TIRESTrailer Tires 101 in the November issueis a very nice article; however, I dont thinkit went far enough especially on the ef-fects of summers and winters on tires. Ilive in the Phoenix area and our summersare extremely hot (110+ F), and I knowthat this heat has an adverse effect ontires. I have had five tire failures in the sixyears we have had the trailer. I buy thebest tire with the highest load rating avail-able. Would taking the load off the tireswhile in storage help? Would additionalcovering help? As one tire expert told me:Face the facts, just change your tires everythree years no matter what.

Lawrence Fischer, Mesa, Arizona

DISCOURTEOUS RVERSI look forward to receiving Trailer Life eachmonth, but I cant remember seeing thisproblem before. Over the past two years,we have seen several discourteous RVerswith diesel engines. While in upstate NewYork, a 40-foot diesel pusher started hisengine at 6 am. He spent the next half-hourdumping and cleaning his holding tanks,disconnecting the cable TV, water and elec-trical while running the engine. This wasabout 5 feet from our bedroom window. Hewoke up many campers. Last month whilein the Eastern Sierras of California, thesame thing happened, but later in themorning. This time it was a diesel pickup

LETTERS>

from our Readers

SNOOKS NOOK

I live in the Phoenix area and our summers are

extremely hot, and Iknow that this heat

has an adverse effect on tires.

connecting to his fifth-wheeler. He wentthrough the whole routine with the enginerunning. I believe its time to publish an ar-ticle about proper RV etiquette.

L. Phillip Bemis,Huntington Beach, California

QUALITY CONTROLHoward Jameson of Sisters, Oregon, wrote(November 2009) regarding the quality ofunits being built today: We, too, had thesame problem. We settled on an Arctic Fox,built in La Grande, Oregon. These unitshave a large I-beam, steel frames andhigh-quality construction. Heavy? Yes, butit is wind resistance that has the biggesteffect on fuel mileage. We have towed the

unit approximately 3,500 miles to datewith zero problems and it does not sway.

Terry Ezart, Surrey, British Columbia

PEACE FROM REESEI had some issues concerning my 10-year-old weight-distribution hitch, so I calledReese Products to try to get a part numberand ask some questions. After describingthe problem, the company representativesaid he would ship me a new part at nocharge. I received the replacement partthe very next day, including all of the nec-essary bolts, etc. This all happened withjust one phone call. I will be sure to buyReese Products from now on.

Wayne Hargett, Seguin, Texas q

To contribute to this column, write to 2575 Vista Del Mar, Ventura, CA 93001,

or e-mail [email protected].

005-TL1001 Letters LO 11/9/09 3:11 PM Page 5


6 January 2010 TRAILER LIFE www.trailerlife.com

AROUNDTHE BEND>

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006-TL1001 Around the Bend 11/9/09 3:09 PM Page 6


CONTROL FREAK

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GALILEO MAGNIFICO

AROUND>THE BEND

NEWSWIRETh I d t i d th N ti lThor Industries and the NationalAssociation of RV Parks andAssociation of RV Parks and CampgroundsCampgrounds have teamed up tohave teamed up to

id i t k ith i lprovide private parks with specialp p p pprices for park models and travelprices for park models and traveltrailers designed for rental use. Whiletrailers designed for rental use. Whileth i iti l ti i l i llthe initial promotion involves speciallyp p ydesigned models from Airstreamdesigned models from Airstream,Breckenridge and Keystone, addition-Breckenridge and Keystone, addition

l Th i ld b ial Thor companies could become in-volved in the promotion in the futurevolved in the promotion in the future,depending on the level of private-depending on the level of private

k i t tpark interest Y gi B J ll tYogi Bears JellystonePark 40th Anniversary Video ContestPark 40th Anniversary Video Contesthas come to ahas come to aclose with Davidclose with Davidand Deidre Car-and Deidre Car-roll and theiradaughters Ashdaughters Ash-ton (age 7) andton (age 7) and

d ( )Jordan (age 5)J ( g 5)from Keller Texas as the $10 000 from Keller, Texas, as the $10,000

grand-prize winners The contestgrand prize winners. The contest,hi h i fwhich ran in 2009 from May to Sep-9 y p

tember required the videos to betember, required the videos to befilmed at any of the 71 Jellystonefilmed at any of the 71 JellystoneP k d i i b i dParks, and participants submitted 77, p p 77videos from 16 states and twovideos from 16 states and twoprovinces in Canada See all of theprovinces in Canada. See all of the

id j ll fvideos at www.jellystonefun.com j yWith President Obamas nominationWith President Obama s nomination,

the U S Senate has con-the U.S. Senate has confi d J th Bfirmed Jonathan B.JJarvis 30 year vetJarvis 30-year vet-eran of the NPS aseran of the NPS asth 8th N ti l P kthe 18th National Park

Service Director JarvisService Director. Jarvishad served as regional di-had served as regional di

t f th P ifi W trector for the Pacific WestRegion since 2002 where heRegion since 2002, where he

was responsible for 54 national parkswas responsible for 54 national parksth h t th t U it dthroughout the western UnitedStatesStates The 20th Annual ColoradoThe 20th Annual ColoradoRV Adventure Travel ShowRV Adventure Travel Show will bewill beh ld J 6 t th C lheld January 13-16, 2010, at the Col-orado Convention Center in Denverorado Convention Center in Denver,Colorado. Dubbed as the BiggestColorado. Dubbed as the BiggestE RV Sh i th R ki Ever RV Show in the Rockies, ex-hibits will display all new 2010 RVshibits will display all new 2010 RVsfor all lifestyles. For more informa-for all lifestyles. For more information call (303) 892 6800 or visittion, call (303) 892-6800 or visitwww agievents comwww.agievents.com.



2ND ANNUAL RV BUSINESSTOP 50 DEALER AWARDS

The Top 50 Dealers



HOT UNDER THE COLLARA reader was getting steamed that his ACgenerator wouldnt produce enoughpower to run his air conditioner, so heasked for our help:

In September 2008, I purchased an ACgenerator in anticipation of a trip Id taketo Canada in the summer of 2009. I discov-ered the Gentron Pro2 3500 Series Gener-ator and contacted the company to makesure it would be able to handle the 15,000-BTU air conditioner on my fifth-wheel.Once I was assured it would work, I pur-chased the genset on October 23, 2008.

After I received the generator, I testedit at home and found it to be in workingorder. However, because the trailer is keptin storage, I didnt have the chance to testit while hooked up to the trailers A/C unit.

When I tried to use the Gentron on ourtrip in June 2009, the generator would notpower the air conditioner.

I contacted the warranty departmentwhen I returned from the trip, and theygave me the runaround before finallyagreeing to take the unit back at my ex-pense, plus a 15 percent restocking fee which would amount to about half of whatI paid for the generator. I find this unac-ceptable. Can you help?

Jimmie Johnson, Alto, New Mexico

It seems odd that the company wouldmake a claim that the product couldntback up, so we passed along Johnsonscomplaint to Gentrons manufacturer, Uni-versal Product Concepts Inc. (UPC). Turnsout there was a simple (and understand-able) solution. Both UPC and Johnson re-sponded soon, with Johnson offering finalclosure on the subject:

Thank you for your help in resolving theproblem I was having with my generator. I

was contacted by the Operations Manag-er of Gentron, who determined the gensethadnt worked properly because I was ata high altitude, for which the carburetorwasnt set at the factory. He explained thesteps I needed to take to fix the problem,and the results have been good. The gen-erator continues to run and supply enoughpower to operate the air conditioner.

J.J.

IN THE NICK OF TIMEAfter his request for a warranty repair wasdenied due to being just days out of war-ranty, a reader turned to RV Action Line forhelp:

I own a 2004 Nissan Titan that had 56,107miles on it as of July 2009. I had to bring it tothe shop for repair on the seals, which wereleaking, and the bearings on the rear end.

Before settling on a repair shop(Matthews Nissan, Clarksville, Ten-nessee), I called around and discoveredthat many other dealers had performedsimilar repairs on Titans.

It took the techs at Matthews 211 2hours to pull the drivers side axle, as ithad started to seize. The passenger sideaxle also had to be replaced due to damagefrom the seal and bearing. Fortunately,they were able to replace it with a usedaxle they had on hand.

After discovering my warranty was fiveyears/50,000 miles, a Matthews mechan-ic told me, Its too bad your warranty hasexpired by a month. The mileage couldhave been fudged, but not the time.

After repairs were completed, I submit-ted my claim to Nissan, only to be denieddue to the truck being out of warranty.

I know the warranty had expired byone month, but if the mileage could befudged, why not the time frame? I havenever experienced this type of failure in atruck with this low mileage with propermaintenance completed. Your assistance

RV ACTION LINE>Chairman Stephen Adams

President/CEO Michael Schneider

Senior VP/CFO Tom Wolfe

Senior VP/Human Resources Laurie James

Senior VP/Group Publisher Bob Livingston

Senior VP/Affinity Clubs/Interactive and

Multimedia Joe Daquino

VP/RV Trade Publications Sherman Goldenberg

VP/Controller Dale Hendrix

VP/Executive Director/Good Sam Club Susan Bray

Chairman Emeritus Art Rouse

Publisher Emeritus Bill Estes

EDITORIAL/BUSINESS OFFICE

2575 Vista Del Mar, Ventura, CA 93001

Tel (805) 667-4100, Fax (805) 667-4484

ADVERTISING

VENTURA, CALIFORNIA

VP/National Sales Terry Thompson

RV Dealer Sales (West) Matt Hotchkiss

RV Marketplace/Classified Manager Sue Seidlitz

Sales Angela Pezzullo

Business Manager Denielle Sternburg

P.O. Box 8510, Ventura, CA 93002

Tel (805) 667-4100, Fax (805) 667-4379

ELKHART, INDIANA

Midwest Sales Director Chuck Lasley

National Advertising Sales Tacy Hendershot,

Lou Cicirelli

RV Dealer Sales (East) Matt Grimes

2300 Middlebury Street, Elkhart, IN 46516

Tel (574) 295-7820, Fax (574) 522-0418

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

National Advertising Sales Scott Oakes,

John Marciano

1818 Westlake Avenue N, #420 Seattle, WA 98109

Tel (206) 283-9545, Fax (206) 283-9571

DETROIT, MICHIGAN

Crompton Holdings Scott Crompton

2031 Fernway Drive, Montgomery, AL 36111

[email protected]

Tel (334) 613-2040, Fax (334) 356-7740

Trailer Life does not knowingly accept deceptive or

misleading advertising. If you have a contrary experience

with respect to any merchandise or service represented

herein, please write to RV Action Line.

Editorial submissions: Written queries only. Although every

precaution is taken, the publisher assumes no liability for

the return or safety of unsolicited manuscripts, queries,

photographs or illustrations. Manuscripts submitted for

publication must include complete return postage.

10 Jaanuary 2010 TRAILER LIFE www.trailerlife.com

010-TL1001 RV Action Line 11/9/09 3:09 PM Page 10


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After exhausting all other resources withoutsuccess, please forward information

(typewritten only) with copies of appropriatebills and correspondence to RV Action Line,

2575 Vista Del Mar, Ventura, CA 93001. Please include a self-addressed,

stamped envelope. No phone calls.

in getting my $826.86 in parts and laborwould be greatly appreciated.

John LaRose, Waterford, Connecticut

First, we dont ever condone fudging thenumbers in any case; however, we doagree that one month out of warranty istoo close to ignore without at least re-ex-amining the case, regardless of what aservice technician may say. We did forwardLaRoses complaint to Nissan ConsumerAffairs, who re-evaluated the situation.

We heard back from LaRose:

Thank you so much for your action on thewarranty-repair issue on my Nissan Titan.Nissan called me, reviewed my claim andagreed to pay the entire bill. I received thecheck a short time later.

J.L.

THE WHEEL OF JUSTICEMy wife and I own a 2005 Arctic Fox 26 5Cfifth-wheel we bought new. The fiver is outof warranty and never did present any

problems until last month. While on a trip,we lost the right rear wheel on the trailer.Thankfully, nobody was hurt, and therewas no other damage to the trailer.

After inspecting the axle where thewheel had been missing, I found that thewheel pan of the rim was still attached tothe wheel drum, and that all six lug nutswere still securely in place. Apparently, thewheel had separated cleanly from the rim,indicating the welds on the rim to the panhad not done their job.

I contacted the supplier of the wheel,Henderson Wheel and Auto Parts, and wastold to send pictures of the assembly. I didso, and I have not heard anything from thecompany since.

I know that parts eventually wear outover time, but a rim should not fail in thismanner. I am always on top of mainte-nance issues, and the trailer has neverbeen overloaded. I believe the rim was im-properly welded at the factory.

Bruce Hollenbeck,Pleasanton, California

Sometimes, the evidence is overwhelm-ing; in this case the fact that the wheel panwas still attached to the drum led us toagree with Hollenbecks improper-weldingtheory. We forwarded the complaint toHenderson Wheel. Hollenbeck respondeda short time later:

Thank you for your help regarding the bro-ken rim on my Arctic Fox fifth-wheel. Hen-derson Wheel contacted me a day after re-ceiving the copy of RV Action Lines letterand informed me they would replace thedamaged wheel and tire at no cost to me.

Until you stepped in, the issue hadgone completely ignored.

B.H. q

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Tnically, I have been fly-fishing for 20TTrs. Ive caught trout in half a dozenTTes and the province of Alberta andTTmon in Alaska and British Columbia allTTby propelling a fly line through the rodTTguides towards swimming quarry. However, my casting tech-nique has been as graceful as a camel on roller skates, yet Igot the job done kinda, sorta.

Since I have enough trouble coming to terms with my increas-

AERIAL MENDSINCE I HAVE ENOUGH TROUBLE COMING TO TERMS WITH MY INCREASINGLYLONG LIST OF FAILURES, I DECIDED TO TAKE A STAB AT SELF-IMPROVEMENT BYLEARNING HOW TO CAST A FLY LINE FROM A MASTER CASTER.

THEOUTSIDER>

by Bruce Leonard Jr.

ingly long list of failures, I decided to take a stab at self-improve-ment by learning how to cast a fly line from a master caster. Imnot sure if Jim Rogers, who owns and operates Jim RogersSchoolof Fly Fishing in Missouris Bennett Spring State Park, can levitateor heal the sick, but I know that he can perform miracles, becauseI have now seen the man work his magic, have experienced thewarmth and understanding of his avuncular presence and haveingrained a smidgeon of his fishing knowledge, and I can now say,with only a little snickering, that I am a fly fisherman.

013-TL1001 The Outsider LO 11/9/09 3:08 PM Page 13



Bennett Spring State Park, one of themost well-appointed and family-friendlyparks Ive ever visited, features five camp-grounds and 65 units, all of which arewithin easy walking distance of the 57-de-gree water that gushes from BennettSpring at more than 100 million gallons aday. Since this cool water happens to bethe perfect temperature to allow trout tothrive, a hatchery raises oodles of trout inthe park (Bennett Spring is one of fourtrout parks in Missouri). Seven nights aweek hatchery workers stock the parkstwo-mile stretch of water at 21 locations,slipping approximately 400,000 rainbowsand browns (about 5 percent of the total)into the slow-moving, easily waded water-way over the course of the season, fromMarch 1 through October 31.

The water in the park is divided intothree sections, granting anglers who wantto use natural bait, fishers using artificiallures and fly fishers their own swath ofwater. The daily limit on keepers is four(browns must be 15 inches or larger), andanglers who land a lunker, 3 pounds orheavier, can pick up a Bennett SpringLunker Award patch in the camp store.And that camp store, according to JimRogers, sells the largest selection of fliesin the country, with an estimated 150,000flies in stock, including 522 differentmidge patterns. Anglers can stock up onmost anything else related to fishing in thestore, as well as rent gear and buy theirdaily $3 trout tag.

About 70 percent of the parks approx-imately one million annual visitors travelfrom St. Louis and Kansas City, with the av-erage visitor arriving in the park eighttimes a year.

Yet as nice as Bennett Spring is, as fan-tastic as my meal at Ts Redneck Steak-house in the nearby town of Lebanon was,and as much as I believe Bennett Springholds plenty of allure for people who haveno interest in fly fishing, I was there tolearn, and learn I certainly did.

Jim Rogers is practically a force of na-ture. He works seven days a week duringthe season, running the concessions inthe park and in another of Missouris troutparks, Roaring River. The energy this manin his mid-60s possesses is admirable, es-pecially for a man his size (he calls the

prodigious expanse of his stomach afood blister and one of his two daugh-ters calls it a table tumor). He has nevermet a sentence he doesnt like, doles outfishing tales in mellifluous paragraphsand unspools disquisitions on theessence of water and piscatorial truths asgracefully as he unfurls a fly line. Andwithin minutes of meeting Jim, I watchedhim zip 100 feet of line across a lawn, thereel on the rod in his hand then holdingnothing more than backing. One tends tolisten when in the presence of such a mas-ter. And then Jim decided to show off a lit-tle (no one with such talent should beasked to hide it out of humility), so hemade a 70-foot cast with half a rod, thenthrew the line halfway across the yardwith his arm. I resisted the instinct to gen-uflect, and instead decided the universehad put me in the right place at the righttime with the right man.

So when Jim handed me a rod and toldme to take it back to 1 oclock, I did. Hislook of surprise concerned me, and thenhe said I was one in a hundred students,since Id actually listened to what he hadsaid, then did nothing more, instead ofcompleting my forward cast as nearlyeveryone else does. He proceeded to im-part techniques and tips, revealing in eachphrase the wisdom garnered over his 35years of teaching. I saw immediate im-provement in my casting, and then contin-ued to better my technique over the nextcouple hours.

One tenet of the Jim Rogers School ofFly Fishing is that fly-fishing need not becomplicated (all it takes is an accelera-tion to an abrupt stop on a straight-linepath, fast enough for the line to straight-en out behind you). Another tenet is thatfly-fishing need not be elitist, indulged inonly by filthy-rich aesthetes with troutypretensions. Jims one-day, basic fly-fish-ing school costs $185 for men and $145 forwomen, and includes lunch and a rod, reeland line to take home.

When I brought my refurbished cast-ing to the water the next morning, I caughtmy four-fish limit, and thanked Jim as I leteach fish go. q

Jim Rogers School of Fly Fishing, (417)532-4307, jimrogersflyschool.com.

THE OUTSIDERPr

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Tuntrammeled wildernesses featuring vis-tas devoid of interstates and other signs ofcivilization may be surprised at theamount of development present within the 33,000 acresof Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Yet this park in north-eastern Ohio, between the citified bustle of Clevelandand Akron, delivers plenty of natural beauty and histor-ically significant artifacts, a combination well worth pre-serving. In the 1960s, a grassroots effort sprung up tocurb the commercial and residential onslaught that wasimpinging upon the valleys scenery. Congress designat-ed the region a national recreation area in 1974, andCuyahoga Valley became a national park in 2000.

Cuyahoga, many travelers will find, offers a varietyof activities to suit many interests. Nature lovers can hikesecluded trails that bisect dramatic gorges, wanderthrough thick forests and watch herons, wood ducks andbeavers thrive in the parks marshes. Visitors who prizeother varied experiences can attend art exhibits and sym-phony concerts, ride a scenic railroad, play golf and skia wintertime slope. And, of course, visitors who allowthemselves enough time can sample all the park offers.

Cuyahoga is an American Indian word meaningcrooked, and the namesake river zigs and zagsthrough 22 miles of the park. To facilitate commercialboat traffic between the Ohio River and Lake Erie, a canalwas built in the 1820s parallel to the Cuyahoga River.Railroads eventually rendered the Ohio & Erie Canal un-economical, but the obsolete towpath from which muleshauled boats now grants visitors the opportunity to hikeand bike nearly 20 miles within the park and even con-nects Akron to Cleveland. The Ohio & Erie Canal TowpathTrail allows travelers to experience the parks wetlands,meadows and forests at their own pace.

To best comprehend the parks attractions and his-toric significance, visitors should stop in the 1820s canalhouse that serves as the Canal Visitor Center to view ar-tifacts and to watch a video. During summer and fallweekends, locals in period dress demonstrate how Lock38 helped boats negotiate the 395 feet of elevationchange between Akron and Lake Erie. q

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, (216) 524-1497,www.nps.gov/cuva.

CUYAHOGAVALLEY

NATIONAL PARKby Len Cousineau

THIS LAND


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AN AWESOME W

016-TL1001 Winter at Grand 11/9/09 3:26 PM Page 16



The Grand Canyon is an awesome place come any season of theyear. The majesty of the canyon, the depth, the awesome beauty,the see-forever views, they are there no matter what time of year.But visit in winter, like my husband Mike and I did recently, andyoull feel as though you are experiencing something brand new.

Weve been to the Grand Canyon on many occasions, but only in winter didwe see a herd of elk foraging on the rim, the canyon providing a delightful back-drop. In summer, visitors may see California condors soaring in the heavens orperched on a park railing, something you probably wont see in winter when thebirds are deeper in the canyon or hanging out at the Vermillion Cliffs.

Winter is a time of peace and quiet in the park. We visited over New Yearsand learned that the park draws a large amount of visitors on winter holidaysbut not during the rest of the season. Despite the holiday visitors, the park re-mained uncrowded except for one of the more popular viewpoints at Mather

TRUST ME, THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THEGRAND CANYON IN WINTER

by Donna Ikenberry

INTER SPECTACLE

You wont want to miss awinters view of the sunsetting from Bright AngelTrailhead.

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Point and even there we never saw themasses you would find in the summermonths.

Visit the mighty chasm in winter andyoull stand, most likely bundled up in lay-ers of fleece and a windproof jacket, asyou gaze in awe at one of Earths mostpowerful, inspiring landscapes. You caneasily see across the canyon and glimpsethe North Rim, only 10 miles away as theraven flies, but 215 miles by road. (Theroad to the North Rim is closed in winter.)If you want a closer view, however, lookdown upon Plateau Point and other pointsof interest within the canyon, or you canhike down for an even better look. But ifyou hike, be prepared for icy trails.

We strapped on crampons when wedescended part way into the canyon. Wealso used hiking poles to better maintainour balance. In addition, our packs carriedthe extra clothes we werent wearing (wewere wearing almost all of our layers as itwas cold and windy), as well as food forenergy and water to remain hydrated. Theweather can change quickly in winter, sovisitors must be prepared. What starts outas a bright sunny day can quickly turn intoa bone-chilling snowstorm, so make sureyou check the weather forecast beforesetting out.

If you arent into winter hiking, you can

Tapeats Sandstone, Bright Angel Shale,Muav Limestone, Temple Butte Formation,Redwall Limestone, Supai Group, HermitShale, Coconino Sandstone, ToroweapFormation, and the top layer is the KaibabFormation.

The layers are evident from both therim and below in the canyon and any placein between. Stand on the rim in winter andyoull see more than just layers. Youll nodoubt see ravens soaring on high. In addi-tion, no matter how cold or windy be sureto witness at least one sunrise and/or sun-set from the rim.

There are also views of the canyonfrom indoors, a nice place to be when the

Clockwise from top: Youlllikely see elk on a wintervisit to the Grand Canyon.The highest point on theSouth Rim is atop the 70-footDesert View Watchtower,which was constructed in1932 as a replica of a prehistoric Indian tower.Mule riders mosey on by onthe South Kaibab Trail.

always just bundle up and sit some placein the sun but out of the wind towatch the play of light and shadows asthey dance over the canyon. Sometimesyou just have to sit and stare in wonder asthe canyon can simply be overwhelming.The South Rim has elevations from 6,700-7,400 feet. It is 277 river-miles long, up to18 miles wide, and a mile deep. Its old andalways changing. The canyon is comprisedof geologic layers, the oldest of which arethe Vishnu Basement Rocks, which are upto 1,840 million years old. The VishnuBasement Rocks are found deepest in thecanyon. As you gain elevation the layersare called the Grand Canyon Supergroup,




weather is downright cold! Kolb Studio isone such place. Restored now, it was oncethe home and business of the Kolb broth-ers, men who were pioneering photogra-phers at the canyon. The studio, located inthe Village Historic District, at the BrightAngel Trailhead, is open daily and offers afree art exhibit and bookstore.

The Yavapai Observation Station is an-other great place from which to view thecanyon. Exhibits at the station offer insightinto the geology of the canyon. How old isthe canyon? How did it form? Find the an-swers to these and other questions there.And if you have more questions, youll finda bookstore with a variety of materials

about the area.When I visit a place, I like to think of

those who were there before me. What wasit like for the first people who discoveredthe canyon? Were they as in awe as I?

People have had ties with the GrandCanyon for thousands of years. Clovishunters lived in what was a wetter region,with large mammals that are now extinct.Later on, Ancestral Puebloans grew cropsin the canyon and lived off the land.

In the more recent past, Hopi Indiansled Spanish explorers to the South Rim in1540. More than three centuries later, in1869, John Wesley Powell led an expedi-tion through the canyon. The railroad ar-rived at the South Rim in 1901, and in1908, President Theodore Roosevelt pro-claimed this awesome place GrandCanyon National Monument. Congressdeemed National Park status in 1919.

Today, visitors from around the globecome to sightsee, hike and enjoy thismagnificent place.

Visitors also experience the differenthabitats and animals that live in GrandCanyon National Park. At a mile deep, thedifference in elevation means a number ofcommunities of life exist in the park. Wateris the lifeblood of the Grand Canyon. Theriparian areas are home to beaver andhumpback chub, although they are rare.In the low elevations of the park, three ofthe four North American deserts come to-gether. Look and you will see mesquitetrees from the Sonoran Desert, black-brush from the Great Basin Desert, andJoshua Trees from the Mojave Desert.

Higher up a forest of pinyon pine andjuniper covers much of the mid-elevationand provides homes for pinyon jays and

mountain lions. Ponderosa pine forestsharbor two closely related tassel-earedsquirrels that depend on the ponderosafor food and shelter. Visitors can see theAbert squirrel on the South Rim, and theKaibab squirrel on the North Rim.

The North Rim is at least 1,000 feethigher than the South Rim so it harborsone more ecosystem, the Montane Forest.More precipitation means a diverse forestof fir, spruce and Douglas fir, along withaspen trees.

Once nice thing about the GrandCanyon is that it is easy to get around.Park your rig at the campground or TrailerVillage, and you can put your keys in yourpocket or purse and leave the driving tothe National Park Services contractor,Paul Revere Transportation.

For more than 30 years the South Rimhas been served by a free shuttle bus sys-tem. The shuttles will make your visitmore enjoyable, as well as reducing pol-lution and decreasing traffic congestion.Shuttles run every 15 to 30 minutes. Youdont need a ticket, just get on and off atany stop. The routes are set up so you canride to a stop, enjoy the view, hike, shopat a gift store, grab some information, orwalk along the rim. When youre ready togo, just hop on another shuttle.

From December through February, theshuttle service is limited and you wontfind a shuttle along Hermit Road, which is7 miles one way, but at other times of theyear you must ride the free shuttle to ac-cess the road. The views along the driveare incredible, as you can view the Col-orado River from various points, includingHopi, Mohave and Pima. If you dont wantto drive you can take a commercial bus.The concessionaire Fred Harvey offers allsorts of tours. Even in summer you wontfind a shuttle along Desert View Drive,which is 25 miles one way. Desert ViewDrive follows the rim from Grand CanyonVillage to the East Entrance. Along the wayyoull see the river from different points,including Moran, Lipan and Desert View.

Explore the Grand Canyon in winterand youll find a magical world of snow andice and extreme beauty. You will have toadd extra layers during your exploration,but I think youll find its worth it. q

Grand Canyon National Park,(928) 638-7888, www.nps.gov/grca.

The vistas along the Rim Trail are likenothing youve ever seen before.PLAN YOUR WINTER VISIT

If you plan to visit the South Rim in thewinter months, consider staying atMather Campground. Althoughhookups are not available and maxi-mum vehicle length is 30 feet, the feeis only $18 per night ($9 per night forGolden Age or Golden Access pass-port holders). Or, stay at Trailer Vil-lage, which is located next to MatherCampground. Sites there start at $32per night, and each site comes withhookups. Youll find a bank and ATMon the South Rim, as well as a post of-fice, kennel and community library.



020-TL01 PG 20 KEYSTONE 11/9/09 3:19 PM Page 20



BRANSON:A PLACE FOR ALL

THERES NO SHORTAGE OF SHOWS,SPECIAL ACTIVITIES, RESTAURANTS,SHOPPING OR CAMPSITES IN THIS

GREAT MISSOURI CITY

by James and Dorothy Richardson

Back in the day, when RVers more often storedtheir trailers for the winter, places like Branson,Missouri, were mostly other than winter attrac-tions. Times certainly have changed. Today, weRVers have more options for winter travel destinations than everbefore. And because of Bransons moderate winter tempera-tures, many of its attractions and surrounding campgrounds areopen year-round, catering to the RV crowd. With 5,000 campingspaces located in the area, finding a prime place to park thetrailer is no problem.

Located in the Ozark Mountains near the northern border ofArkansas, Branson is surrounded with scenic mountains and threebeautiful lakes. Its not a large city, but it has all the conveniencesof one. The main route through the city is Missouri Highway 76,

021-TL1001 Branson LO 11/9/09 3:24 PM Page 21



and most of the attractions,theaters and restaurants arelocated on this route. The two-lane road is very crowded mostof the day, so it is advisable tolearn the routes the localstake. Maps are available atmany locations with clearlymarked colored routes (blue,red and yellow), which call outattractions as well as greatscenery. The Ozark MountainHighway (MO 465) whichconnects MO 248 and U.S. 65on the eastern part of town tothe attractions on the westernside is especially scenic andsaves much time.

And time is much needed tosee everything Branson has tooffer. We suggest checking outits unique Hot Winter Fun ac-tivities, and then coming backfor more later on in the year. Butfor a year-round treat, theres noexcuse to not check out the nat-ural beauty of the area from the

230-foot Inspiration Tower atthe Shepherd of the Hills Home-stead, where visitors can viewall the sights of Branson fromone panoramic vantage point.The Homestead also has crafts-men on site, historical tours andgreat music and great musicis really what makes Bransonso popular.

If you didnt already knowit, Branson is known as thelive music show capital of theworld. It has 50 theaters with60,000 theater seats to accom-modate more than 100 live the-ater shows most of whichare open through the winterseason. And it seems there is ashow for almost every taste.Many noted performers of yes-teryear have come to Bransonand found favor with visitors.Among them are AndyWilliams and Glen Campbell,Bill Medley of the RighteousBrothers, Paul Revere and the

Raiders, Fabian and BobbyVee. Country and gospel musicare also popular here, as arecomedy and variety shows,like Yakov Smirnoff, the Russ-ian comedian. Nostalgic showswith a variety of casts perform

RECOMMENDEDCAMPGROUNDS

Some of our favorite Branson-area campgrounds:

q Americas Best Campground (ABC), (800) 671-4399,www.abc-branson.com. (Reservations recommended)

q Branson Shenanigans RV Park and Campground, (800)338-7275, www.bransonrvparks.com.

q Branson Stagecoach RV Park, (800) 446-7110,www.bransonstagecoachrv.com.

q Branson View Campground, (800) 992-9055, www.thebransonviewcampground.com.

q The Wilderness at Silver Dollar City (800) 477-5164,www.thewildernesslogcabins.com.

Costs of sites in the Branson area generally range from$20 at the state parks to nearly $40 at some of the full-servicecampgrounds. Call ahead/log on to the Web site to verify.

songs of the 1950s and 60s atthe 50s At the Hop Show &Theater.

Along with the shows,youll also find great after-hol-iday shopping, golf, eateries,an ice-sculpting competition,



Left to right: RVing is no problem in Branson, with itsmany campgrounds andcampsites: Americas BestCampground is on top of thelist. Dick Clarks AmericanBandstand Theater is the winner of seven awards,including best live musicvenue. The Branson ScenicRailway is sure to deliver ascenic ride. The halls of theVeterans Memorial Museumlist more than 400,000 namesof World War II soldiers whodied in service. The 230-footInspiration Tower is whatgives Branson its landmarkskyline. At the Talking RocksCavern, you can see thousands of natural livingcrystal cave formations.


world-class trout-fishing cham-pionships, the decorated cavesof Talking Rocks Cavern, Wingsof the World bird park withmore than 100 exotic birds,and an unforgettable show ofa thousand white butterflies atthe Butterfly Palace and Rain-forest Adventure, where wewalked among the free-flyingbutterflies in a covered out-door setting.

There are also severalunique museums open year-round in Branson, includingthe Titanic Museum and theVeterans Memorial. The Titan-ic Museum houses 400 arti-facts discovered in the wreck-age of that fateful maiden voy-age of the 1912 luxury ship.These items are assembled ina permanent two-story muse-um attraction shaped like thehuge ship itself. The buildingwas built half-scale to the orig-inal and towers 100 feet above

the main street of Branson,Highway 76. Of the many arti-facts at the museum, dontmiss the model of the ship,which is on display in one ofthe first rooms of the museum.It took its builder, PeterDavies-Garner, two years toconstruct the model. Anotherdont-miss display is the pho-tography. Father Browne, a 31-year-old teacher and future Je-suit priest, was onboard itsmaiden voyage, and he hap-pened to get off after the sec-ond leg of the trip fromSouthampton, England toCherbourg, France, then toQueensland, Ireland. His pho-tographs are on display at theTitanic Museum and give anincredible insight into the livesof those onboard.

The Veterans Memorial is amust-see tribute to the bravemen and women who servedthis country during the World

Wars, the Korean War, the Viet-nam War and the Persian GulfWar. Several rooms of weapon-ry, arms, uniforms, artworkand personal memorabilia at-test to the heroism of the manywho gave the ultimate sacri-fice. There is one room thatcontains an impressive sculp-ture of 50 soldiers. Each repre-sents actual World War II com-bat infantrymen one fromeach of the 50 states. On thewalls surrounding this sculp-ture are 400,000 names of ser-vicemen who gave their livesto serve this country. This is theonly place in the world thesenames are displayed. Thesculpture is by Fred Hoppe Jr.,who also designed, funded,and built the Veterans Memor-ial Museum, to honor his fa-ther, Fred Hoppe Sr., whoserved in WWII, and all theother veterans.

Just east of the Veterans

Memorial Museum is theBranson Scenic Railway, a clas-sic attraction that unfortunate-ly closes in the winter months.But come back in early springfor a narrated trip through theOzark countryside aboard re-stored 1940s dome cars. Thetrain ride leaves downtownBranson near the revitalizedBranson Landing, a several-block complex with restau-rants and shops set on thebanks of Lake Taneycomo,which was originally a sectionof the White River.

On the other end of town isSilver Dollar City, home ofAmerican craftsmanship. This50-acre 1880s theme park fea-tures more than 100 craftsmen,60 unique shops, 40 shows,restaurants and 30 rides andattractions. The campground atSilver Dollar City is on our rec-ommended list (see sidebar onopposite page); however, the




park is also one of the few attractions shutdown during a chunk of winter (it closesjust before New Years Eve through mid-March). So plan on coming back for thistreat, because Silver Dollar City is celebrat-ing its 50th birthday in 2010, and from thesounds of it, the park is hosting someamazing festivities for the occasion.

You should also consider coming backfor the Showboat Branson Belle for acruise on Table Rock Lake, located justsouth of Silver Dollar City. The paddle-wheel riverboat can take as many as 700passengers on a dinner cruise, which fea-tures various entertainment venues.Table Rock Lake also has boating and fish-ing opportunities.

For a winter or for an other thanwinter destination, Branson has op-portunities for all kinds of fun. Its a per-fect place for families, the showgoer, thenostalgic and the patriotic all packagedup with great scenery, fun activities, amaz-ing shows, great restaurants and finecampgrounds so you can call it homewhile you visit. q

FOR MORE INFORMATIONBranson Lakes Area Convention andVisitors Bureau, (417) 334-4084,www.explorebranson.com.Veterans Memorial Museum, (417) 336-2300, www.veteransmemorialbranson.com.Dick Clarks American Bandstand Theater, (417) 332-1957,www.dickclarksabbranson.com.The Butterfly Palace & Rainforest Adventure, (417) 332-2231, www.thebutterflypalace.com.

Showboat Branson Belle cruises start upagain in March and are worth a return trip.

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On your way there,stay here...

S a n t e e C o o p e r C o u n t r yS a n t e e C o o p e r C o u n t r yS a n t e e C o o p e r C o u n t r yIn SC (803) 854-2131 Outside SC 1-800-227-8510

www.santeecoopercountry.org [email protected]( )

Berkeley, Calhoun, Clarendon, Orangeburg & Sumter counties

and relax for a day or two! This isjust one of the hundreds of siteslocated in the 29 campgrounds

along the shores of lakes Marionand Moultrie in South Carolina.We also have 15 championship

golf courses & world class fishing




WINTERBEACH

GETAWAY

Adozen James River oystersbegan my repast; followed bya Caesar salad; which wasthen impeccably enhancedby an entre called the Beachcomber, com-prised of tilapia, shrimp, diver scallops and ajumbo lump crab cake; and dessert consist-ed of the most delicious New York-stylecheesecake Ive ever eaten. In fact, the entiremeal at Catch 31 in Virginia Beach, Virginia,rates among my top-five meals anywhere.

Later I dipped a paddle into the brackishwater of the canal, pushed the boat forwardas I pulled the blade toward my left hip, thendripped water across the bow of the kayak asI shifted my stroke to the right side. Minutesbefore, after cinching the personal floatationdevice tight to my torso, I had settled into thesmall, comfortable craft in the easiest and dri-est possible manner from a floating dock,with a steadying hand offered by my guide and the two of us were soon propelling ourrespective crafts through the waterway,which, due to the recent North Winds, was sonarrow and shallow that cynical folks mighthave called it a ditch.

Of the many outfitters Ive paddled with,Surf & Adventure Co. of Virginia Beach, Vir-ginia, introduces kayaking to first-timersthe most effectively of all these operators,

VIRGINIA BEACH JUSTGETS COOLER IN THE

WINTER MONTHS, FROMDINING EXTRAVAGANZAS

TO WHALE-WATCHING OPPORTUNITIES

by Len Cousineau

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may be the best way to explore the wondersof Virginia Beach. The Old Coast Guard Sta-tion delivers plenty of maritime history. Holi-day Trav-L-Park delivers spacious sites in aplayful setting.

025-TL1001 Virginia Beach 11/9/09 3:27 PM Page 25



exchange my outdoor plans for indoorones, with dining chief among them. If atraveler has to hunker down, however, Vir-ginia Beach is not a bad place to takecover, since the restaurants are varied andexcellent, the shopping opportunities arelegion and plentiful indoor attractions canentertain all kinds of travelers, regardlessof their outdoor leanings.

Of course, when the weather is good and it usually is Virginia Beachthrives, with countless stores catering tothe needs of beachgoers who want littlemore than to spread a beach towel on thesand, eat fried food and ice cream andrevel at family-friendly attractions such asminiature golf courses, arcades andamusement parks. In any weather, RVershave numerous campgrounds to chooseamong, including Holiday Trav-L-Park, Out-door Resorts and the Virginia Beach KOA.RVers who prefer a more rustic experiencemay want to settle into one of the 222 sitesin First Landing State Park, a tree-ladenmaritime forest environment with Bald Cy-press swamps. The park has a 6-mile bikeroute and more than 19 miles of hikingtrails, as well as marshes and bays. Themud was too treacherous during my stayfor me to explore the trails in this prettypark, but as the rain fell on my windshield,I vowed to do so if I ever returned.

I found Holiday Trav-L-Park to be well sit-uated, since its welcoming, homey groundssit just down the street from the areas pre-mier family attractions, including the VirginiaAquarium & Marine Science Center andOcean Breeze Waterpark. Holiday Trav-L-Park is enormous, featuring almost 900sites, and a lets-all-have-fun atmosphere

permeates the parks areas, which sportnames such as Sherwood Forest, Eden,Green Acres and Sunny Meadows.

RVers who prefer their sites to belapped at by water and tickled by oceanbreezes may prefer to stay at the VirginiaBeach Outdoor Resorts of America. Basi-cally consisting of a horseshoe-shapedsection of land that is so surrounded bywater that it appears to float in North Bay,this beautiful, well-maintained park deliv-ers the amenities that travelers have cometo expect from ORA facilities. A health club,basketball court, tennis courts, playgroundand on-site boat ramp, for example, com-plement the 250 full-hookup sites.

The tuna tartare starter at SonomaWine Bar & Bistro, located near downtownat Town Center, paired well with the organ-ic field greens with mandarin oranges,

Water makes its presence felt throughoutVirginia Beach and boats are practicallyubiquitous. The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center features hands-ondemonstrations.

elers who are hesitant ordownright afraid to experience the wa-terborne thrills of this sport by pushingtheir comfort zones in the safety of shal-low water and under the tutelage ofknowledgeable, attentive guides.

As we slowly bisected the pristinewilderness of Back Bay National WildlifeRefuge, we saw an osprey haul progres-sively larger sticks to its perch high in adistant tree, then watched as a nutria cuta wake in front of our boats, then scram-bled into the cover provided by the tallreeds that envelop the banks. We did notsee the raccoons, opossums, muskratsand foxes that inhabit this marshland, butwe did spy herons, kingfishers and a baldeagle. Raindrops soon began to tickle us,and by the time we had completed our 4-mile-out-and-back excursion a dis-tance that can be modified depending onthe abilities and enthusiasm of the pad-dlers we were grateful that we had re-membered to wear our raingear.

At One Fish-Two Fish, I followed myfried calamari and onion rings starter witha chopped Greek salad, then completed thenear-perfect meal with the grilled north At-lantic salmon, accompanied by roasted gar-lic polenta and Mediterranean vegetables.

Every traveler knows that weather candramatically curtail vacation plans, oreven force the cancellation thereof. Unfor-tunately, I arrived at Virginia Beach anaptly named location whose biggest at-traction is, of course, the sand and sea just as a weeklong storm did. As a conse-quence, instead of lounging in the sun,splashing in the surf and strolling theseemingly endless swath of sand, I had to




then I completed the meal by devouringthe jumbo Gulf shrimp and sea scallopsentre. I also found the atmosphere in thisestablishment to be delightful.

No matter which park RVers settle into,they will most likely find their way to theboardwalk via numerous access pointsalong Virginia Beachs main drag, AtlanticAvenue. Among the countless souvenirstores and fast-food joints and dining es-tablishments on Atlantic Avenue sits theOld Coast Guard Station. This small-but-information-packed museum is housed ina 1903 former U.S. Life Saving Station, andtoday it will fascinate anyone interested inthe sea and its dangers. Historic life-sav-ing equipment used from 1878 to the pres-ent day helps explain the process rescuershave used and continue to use when shipsare wrecked off the Virginia Beach coast.

Not too far from this museum, the At-lantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum alsoadorns Atlantic Avenue. Situated in the lastremaining and historically registered Vir-ginia Beach Boardwalk cottage, called deWitt Cottage, the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage

Museum is not likely to bowl anyone overwith its size. Lovers of feathered creatureswill appreciate the array of wildfowl arti-facts and contemporary wildfowl artforms. If their timing is right, visitors canwatch an artist coax a duck from a blockof wood, one whittle at a time.

Other than the beach and its recre-ational opportunities, perhaps the VirginiaAquarium & Marine Science Center pres-ents the biggest allure to families espe-cially those looking to learn while havingfun. Visitors can gawk at myriad creatures,including otters, sea horses, sea turtles,sharks and venomous snakes. Children ofall ages can pet various rays as they swimin a shallow tank, and IMAX movies deliv-er educational, cinematic thrills on a grandscale. The average visitor spends betweentwo and three hours in the aquarium, andthe 10- to 15-minute stroll through the on-site marsh and wetlands area can prove anice way to round out an afternoon.

During my visit, in the few hours theweather cleared, I managed to squeeze in around of golf at Hells Point Golf Club, a ReesJones Signature Course. Despite the terrainbeing waterlogged because of the storm, Itruly enjoyed the course. Scenic and chal-lenging without being brutally punitive, thiscourse serves up numerous water hazards,plenty of trees and large, true greens. Ofcourse, my high opinion of the course couldbe influenced by the fact that I played well,

and because Id been cooped up.Downpours rarely even slow shoppers

down, so rain or shine travelers who arelooking to stimulate the economy shouldhead to Town Center, a shopping, diningand entertainment region that stretches for17 city blocks. Visitors can easily spend halfa day, and a whole paycheck, in this area.

Should the outdoors beckon, howev-er, RVers should seek the Back Bay Nation-al Wildlife Refuge, an 9,200-acre escapewhose barrier islands feature sand dunes,maritime forests and freshwater marshes.Whether visitors make it to this non-com-mercialized area, though, or simply strollthrough the sand along Virginia Beachsnamesake shoreline, they will almost cer-tainly find their trip to Virginia Beachworthwhile. If their trip is like mine was,they may have a lot of walking to do towork off all of those delicious calories.

Wild mushrooms and porcini shortstack started my meal at Terrapin Restau-rant, followed by potato-and-basil-wrapped wild salmon; I decadently fin-ished this indulgent meal by savoring achocolate molten tower with coffee icecream. q

Virginia Beach CVB, (800) VA-BEACH,www.vbfun.com.Catch 31, (757) 213-3474,www.31ocean.com.Surf & Adventure Co., (800) 695-4212,www.surfandadventure.com.Holiday Trav-L-Park, (800) 548-0223,www.campingvb.com.Outdoor Resorts Virginia Beach, (800)333-7515, www.outdoor-resorts.com/vb.Virginia Beach KOA, (757) 428-1444,www.koa.com.First Landing State Park, 757) 412-2300,www.virginiastateparks.gov.One Fish-Two Fish, (757) 496-4350,www.onefish-twofish.com.Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro, (757) 490-WINE, Old Coast Guard Station, (757) 422-1587, www.oldcoastguardstation.com.Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum,(757) 437-8432, www.awhm.org.Virginia Aquarium & Marine ScienceCenter, (757) 385-FISH, www.virginiaaquarium.com.Hells Point Golf Club, (757) 721-3400,www.hellspoint.com.Terrapin Restaurant, (757) 321-6688,www.terrapinvirginiabeach.com.

stores along with whatever else you mayneed to stay for a while. The VirginiaAquarium & Marine Science Center bringssmiles to many faces.




LQ & A WITH U.S. INTERIOR

Trailer Life: Many Americans are con-cerned that todays youth spend littletime in the outdoors. Does that concernyou, and are you taking steps to connectyoung Americans with the outdoors?

Salazar: More and more, Americans and in particular, young people are los-ing touch with the landscapes that give usa sense of place in the world that havelong-shaped the American experience. Anaverage young person today spends sixhours a day in front of a computer or TVand less than four minutes playing out-doors. From 1997 to 2003, there was a de-cline of 50 percent in the proportion ofchildren 9-10 who spent time in outdooractivities.

Helping kids get outdoors has been apriority of mine for a long time, and I amproud of the progress we have made in theObama Administration on this agenda. Irecently signed a Secretarial Order creat-ing the Office of Youth in Natural Re-sources in the Department of the Interior,and President Obama has asked Congress

to increase the budget of Interiors youthprograms by $70 million in fiscal 2010, anincrease of $50 million over fiscal 2009.The Office of Youth in Natural Resourcesheaded by Bob Stanton, former Director ofthe National Park Service, will coordinatepresent and future youth initiatives, thesignature program of which will be a 21stCentury Youth Conservation Corps.

TL: You helped line up funds for parksfrom the American Recovery and Rein-vestment Act shortly after taking office.Will those investments make a differenceto park visitors next summer?

Salazar: We are already seeing thebenefits of the Presidents economic re-covery plan in national parks, wildliferefuges and public lands across the coun-try. The $3 billion that the Department ofthe Interior is investing through the Recov-ery Act is creating jobs while deliveringlasting value for the American people. Youcan see the investments in parks acrossthe country, from Hot Springs National Parkin Arkansas, where we are rehabilitating 20

miles of trails, to Great Smokey MountainsNational Park, where we are investing $30million to fix roads and improve the visi-tors experience. The Presidents economicrecovery plan represents the most signifi-cant investment in our national treasuresin generations.

TL: How can Americans get involved inaiding our parks and other public lands?

Salazar: Volunteers have long been es-sential to keeping our parks and publiclands in good condition, and to helpingeducate others about their value. Everyyear, more than 170,000 park volunteershelp with everything from clearing trailsand staffing information desks to countingspecies in a BioBlitz. You can find informa-tion about volunteering atwww.nps.gov/getinvolved. In addition,this summer President Obama and FirstLady Michelle Obama launched the Unit-ed We Serve initiative in partnership withthe Corporation for National and Commu-nity Service. United We Serve is a clear-inghouse of volunteer opportunities.

028-TL1001 Q&A Salazar LO 11/9/09 3:01 PM Page 28



R SECRETARY KEN SALAZAR

Americans who are interested in volun-teering can use this tool to locate opportu-nities to serve across the country. I wouldencourage your readers to go towww.serve.gov to look for opportunitiesto volunteer in their local communities.

TL: You took an unusual step shortlyafter taking office announcing a num-ber of fee-free weekends in nationalparks. We know a part of your messagewas to reassure American families feeling

economic pain that there were great andinexpensive places to go this summer.But do you feel that there can and shouldbe an ongoing effort to promote visits toparks and public lands and waters, espe-cially during non-peak periods and tothose areas that are lesser known andlesser visited?

Salazar: This year, with the fee-freeweekends and with President Obama andhis family visiting the Yellowstone and theGrand Canyon, we were pleased to see asignificant increase in visitation to our na-tional parks. Particularly with the econom-ic troubles we are experiencing, Americansseem to be choosing national parks as af-fordable vacation destinations. That isgreat to see. We have to continue to re-mind people of the outdoor opportunitiesthat are near their homes, and work to ex-pand access to all Americans.

TL: The National Park Service will cel-ebrate its 100th anniversary in 2016. Anyspecial plans?

Salazar: The 100th anniversary of the

national park system is a terrific opportu-nity to look ahead to the next century forAmericas parks, wildlife refuges and pub-lic lands we have restored the nationscommitment to wise investments in ourparks and public lands after years of cutsand declining operational budgets, wehave received counsel from the Congress,from the public and from blue-ribbon com-missions on how we can use the centenni-al of the National Park Service to protectall of Americas great places, including ourparks, and we are looking at new ideas forhow we can better protect our treasuredlandscapes. When I was the director of theDepartment of Natural Resources in Col-orado, I helped create a program calledGreat Outdoors Colorado that has provento be one of the most successful land-conservation initiatives in the country.This is the type of long-term thinking thatwe should apply at the national level sothat we can create a strong legacy ofstewardship that we can pass along to fu-ture generations.




Fund, said Salazar, noting that upwardsof $22 billion could have been spent onoutdoor projects had successive Congress-es actually allocated what they authorized.

Whether Salazar will ultimately suc-ceed is an open question at this point.However, based on his record in Colorado where he led successful efforts in theearly 1990s to guarantee use of state lot-tery proceeds for outdoor projects heseems to be up to the challenge.

The renewed emphasis on the greatoutdoors and the potential of more fundsfor recreation is music to the ears of Der-rick Crandall, president of the AmericanRecreation Coalition. We are fortunate tohave outdoor champions and experiencedWashington insiders like Secretary Salazarand Secretary La Hood going to bat foroutdoor recreation in the highest councilsof government, said Crandall.

What will this mean for RVers and theRV industry will take some time to know forsure. But with more than 63 percent ofthose responding to a recent Recreation

OUTSIDE GAME

RVIA President Richard Coon, left, shows off some of the amenities of a Winnebago Viato U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar in Washington, D.C., during a recent conferencepromoting outdoor recreation.

Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) surveysaying that RVing in a national park was afavorite activity, it seems that the Ad-ministrations efforts will find favor notonly among the 8 million current RVers butalso potential new RVers, as well. In fact,RVIA president Richard Coon was delight-ed to show Salazar and LaHood around anew green Winnebago Via motorhome

parked at the front steps of the U.S. De-partment of Interior, three blocks from theWhite House and to celebrate withthem the first significant increase in parkvisits in years. Nudged, perhaps, by thefirst of the fee-free weekends, the NPSnoted a 3 percent upswing in attendancethrough the end of July compared to a yearearlier. q

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Offers end 2/08/10, on approved credit, credit card required. New customers only (lease required, must maintain programming, DVR and HD Access). Hardware available separately. Lease fee $5.00/mo. for second and each additional receiver. $19.95 Handling & Delivery fee may apply.

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A nytime a new trailer manufacturer emerges,we take notice especially given todayseconomic climate. These days, its a boldmove for the new guy to attempt to carve aniche in an already crowded market. ButOutdoors RV Manufacturing isnt worriedabout first-day jitters or trying to fit in, and with good reason. Out-doors is run by Ron and Sherry Nash, owners of Northwood Man-ufacturing, which has been a fixture in the towable market formore than a decade. Add to that the fact that many of the employ-ees of Outdoors Manufacturing are former Fleetwood RV staffersand were hired after Fleetwood exited the towable market, andyou have a solid workforce with literally decades of experience.The results combine the all-season know-how of Northwoods withuser-friendly floorplans.

At its core, the primary focus of Outdoors RV is to build all-weather trailers for the Northwest and Western Canadian RVer,but the benefits of such construction methods can certainly berealized nationwide.

The Wind River line is pegged as Outdoors luxury lightweighttowable, which made it a great fit both weight-wise and prob-able customer-wise for the 2010 Toyota Tundra 4 4 LimitedCrewmax.

Hitched up and on the road, the combo looks great. Toyotasbillet-style grille, fender flares and pronounced arches over the

LIFE IS A BREEZE WITH OUTDOORS RV

MANUFACTURINGS WIND RIVERAND TOYOTA TUNDRA LTD

by Kristopher Bunker

18-inch alloy wheels make the truck easy on the eyes, and the Sil-ver Sky metallic paint is a nice departure from the blacks orwhites we so often see. The optional bedliner ($365) and minitie-downs ($45) help the truck retain its value as a commuter andrather capable work truck (in fact, the 2010 Tundra is also offeredwith a Work Truck trim).

Inside, the Tundra offers the latest in entertainment/safetytechnology, with Bluetooth cell-phone capability in the optionalDVD Navigation system ($1,690), which includes AM/FM/CD/MP3six-disc changer, 12 speakers, a back-up monitor, satellite radioand an aux/USB input for even more versatility.

The Tundra features a cavernous center console designed tohold a laptop computer or a hanging file folder for tourist attrac-tion brochures and other paperwork needing organization. TheTundras cockpit features two 12-volt DC power outlets, with a

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032-TL1001 WindRiver_Tundr 11/9/09 3:29 PM Page 32



WINDSCHANGE

The gauges and controls areuncluttered and easy to reachin the Tundras cockpit. Theback-up camera comes inhandy when hitching up.Twin recliners and real-woodcabinetry up the luxury anteinside the Wind River.




third for good measure located at the rearof the console. Various compartments andniches ensure theres plenty of room for in-struction manuals and the like.

But the Tundra is more than just afancy looking truck with electronic adorn-ments. On the road, the 5.7-liter V-8 hadno problem towing the Wind River. Wemade our way up the usual 7-percentgrade with relative ease, and had plenty ofpower on tap had we been in a hurry andneeded to utilize the passing lane (wewerent, so we didnt).

Braking on the Tundra was smoothand trouble-free, thanks to the ABS sys-tem and Electronic Brake-Force Distribu-tion (EBD), which optimizes brake pres-sure at each wheel for greater control. Es-pecially impressive are the Automatic Lim-ited-Slip Differential and Vehicle StabilityControl systems as standard equipment,a first-in-class feature.

Towing hardware on the Tundra in-cludes a hitch receiver, a supplementaltransmission cooler, a rear differential with

10.5-inch ring gear, a 150-amp alternator,transmission temperature gauge, a seven-pin connector and trailer-brake-controllerpre-wiring.

DJ VU?If you think youve seen the Wind Riversomewhere before, well, you have. TheWind River 250 RLS is a derivative of Fleet-woods former Prowler floorplan; only thistime around its been refined to better suitthe year-round RVer.

Outdoors RV knows its customers well,so in addition to four-season capabilities,the manufacturer has built the Wind Riverwith back-roads capabilities in mind. Thefiberglass front cap ($555) features boldgraphics that match well with the trailersoverall attitude while offering addedprotection from rocks and tree branches.The Wind River is built on what Outdoorscalls a shock-absorbing rubberized sus-pension system featuring increasedground clearance and copper plumbinglines. The 15-inch aluminum wheels ($338)

TUNDRA 4 X 4 CREWMAX LTDMPG: SOLO: 16.70; TOWING: 11.270-60 MPH, TOWING: 16.41 sec40-60 MPH, TOWING: 8.94 secENGINE: 5.7L V-8HP: 381@ 5,600 rpmTORQUE: 401 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpmTRANSMISSION: 6-speed automaticAXLE RATIO: 4.30:1FUEL CAP: 26.4 galTIRES: P275/65R18SUSPENSION: Independent wishbone,front/multi-leaf springs, rearBRAKES: 4-wheel disc ABSTOW RATING: 10,100 lbGROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING: 7,200 lbGROSS COMBINATION WEIGHT RATING:16,000 lbWEIGHT AS TESTED: 5,800 lbLENGTH: 19'WHEELBASE: 145.7"MSRP, BASE: $42,155MSRP, AS TESTED: $45,236BASIC WARRANTY: 3 yr/36,000 mi

WIND RIVER 250RLSEXT LENGTH: 29' 8"EXT WIDTH: 8'EXT HEIGHT: 10' 3"INT WIDTH: 7' 10"INT HEIGHT: 6' 6"CONSTRUCTION: Aluminum side-wallframing, fiberglass lamination, block-foam insulation, one-piece rubber roofFRESHWATER CAP: 46 galBLACK-/GRAY-WATER CAP: 30 gal/40 galLP-GAS CAP: 15 galWATER-HEATER CAP: 6 galREFRIGERATOR: 8 cu ftFURNACE: 30,000 BTUAIR CONDITIONER: 13,500 BTUCONVERTER: 55 ampsBATTERIES (2): Group 24TIRES: ST205/75R15SUSPENSION: Leaf springWEIGHT: 7,000 lb (freshwater, water heater,LP-gas full; no cargo)HITCH WEIGHT: 820 lbAXLE WEIGHT: 6,180 lbGROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING: 7,600 lbGROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATING (2): 3,500 lb eaCARGO CARRYING CAPACITY: 600 lbMSRP, BASE: $30,155MSRP, AS TESTED: $31,246BASIC WARRANTY: 12 mo

The wide-open floorplan allows for clutter-freecamping, with plenty ofspace for meal prep in the

galley. The Tundras V-8

had noproblem

towing theWind River.

BLETABBBBBBBBBFLIP-UPSHELF

DSOFA BEDDDDSSS40"444 68""

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ensure most any road can be conquered bythe trailer well, most any road youdwant to take a $30,000 trailer on, anyway.Pass-through storage compartments sizedjust right for a cooler (or anything else bigand bulky) mean you dont have to leavebehind too many supplies.

As aggressive as it is on the outside, Icertainly didnt expect the luxury appoint-ments that await on the inside after a longday of travel. At the rear of the trailer, twolounge recliners ($578) offer a comfy, ifslightly cramped, spot to put your feet up.Yet doing so makes use of the rear doornearly impossible, so users may opt to siton the sofa bed ($495) or even at the con-vertible dinette located in the streetsideslide while resting their bones.

With that slide deployed, there is animpressive amount of room to stretch outin the living area. The slide also reveals a26-inch LCD HDTV, in addition to anAM/FM/CD/DVD player.

The cabinetry throughout the trailer isimpressive, as the doors and panels aremade of real wood that is screwed to-gether rather than stapled particle-board. This durable construction tech-nique is doubly important, consideringOutdoors intentions for the Wind River tobe taken off the beaten path.

The open floorplan in the living arealeads to a relatively open cooking experi-ence, as we had no issues of stepping overeach other while preparing meals (with theexception of a crawling infant, that is). Thestandard layout of the galley facilitatedquick and efficient prepping duties, and thethree-burner stove with oven, microwaveand 8 cubic-foot refrigerator were all put togood use. A flip-up counter extender was awelcome addition, and a drawer beneaththe oven was ideal for pots and pans. Vinyl-type flooring makes clean-up a breeze.

Pantry space was adequate but notideal, yet we were able to utilize the over-head storage located throughout the unitfor non-perishables we couldnt fit behindthe frosted-glass pantry doors.

The bathroom was functional enough,with a shower/small tub enclosure wefound ideal for bathing a baby. Other bath-room duties were handled with no com-plaints about arm/headroom.

Once exiting the bathroom, users willhave to watch out for the TV if its been ex-tended away from the wall; the lavy doorcame mighty close to an expensive colli-sion a few times during our trip, as did acertain testers forehead.

The master bedroom features a pillow-top queen-size mattress, and the customheadboard was a nice touch of elegance.The residential-size wardrobe locatedcurbside is sure to swallow your RVinggarb, and a shirt-hanging closet/nightstand are available streetside. A secondentry door offers a quick way in and out ofthe master area if you dont want to dis-turb the kids in the living area.

The cargo carrying capacity of theWind River we tested limits loading; how-ever, traveling with the freshwater tankempty nudges that number to just be-neath 1,000 pounds. Either way, be care-ful not to overload the Wind River.

The Wind River packs quite a bit of lux-ury in a relatively small frame, while theTundra Limited shares that same strateg

Documents

Trailer Life Magazine, January 2010