RV Short Stops

Ash Springs: A little known Nevada desert hot spring

2009-11-09T16:49:00.000-08:00

We were boondocking at Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, about 15 miles to the south of Ash Springs, which we knew had a natural hot springs. We drove up and found the hot water bubbling out of some rocks and falling down into a couple of pools below in the shade of very old cottonwood trees and lush plants, all this in an otherwise dry, monotone desert. The only others in this beautiful setting were a young Hispanic family finishing a picnic and about to leave. They said they had already been in the water and it was nice and warm. We gingerly entered the hot water and were soon aahing and oohing as the heat soaked into our bones.

We sat for a while until all of a sudden Lynn felt a little tickle on her leg, then on her arm, then on her toe. The water was crystal clear and as she looked down she saw tiny little fish, swimming up to investigate her, giving her that little tickle. She was thrilled to share her bath with the little fish.

The springs are free and just outside the tiny town of Ash Springs seven miles north of Alamo, about 1 1/2 hours north of Las Vegas on US93.

Check out my eBook, Boondocking: Finding the Perfect Campsite on America's Public Lands, the RVers complete guide to boondocking.

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

2009-11-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

Overshadowed by its neighbors, upscale Palm Springs to the south and Joshua Tree National Park to the north east, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is one of the ten largest cottonwood/willow oases in the California desert, a startling discovery surrounded by Mojave desert creosote and yucca. Nationally recognized for its migratory bird watching, this soggy riparian habitat is also home to numerous songbirds, great horned owls, raccoons, ringtail cats, coyotes, bobcats, red-tailed and Cooper's hawks, and is frequented by bighorn sheep who come out of the barren high canyon hills to drink.

Several trails of varied lengths lace through and around the boggy canyon bottom, revealing a burn recovery area from a 1992 fire, desert plants of the dry canyon sides, a boardwalk through the fresh-water marsh where plants have adapted to a life-time of living up to their knees in water, and a canyon trail skirting the marsh providing overlooks into the wetlands.

From Interstate 10 north of Palm Springs, turn north on Highway 62 (or from Joshua Tree National Park, drive south on 62) to Morongo Valley. Turn east on East Drive to the signed entrance. Adequate parking and turn around for big rigs.

Nook Farm: Home of 19th century liberal thinkers

2009-11-03T16:45:00.000-08:00

Women's rights and the abolitionist movement, controversial and emotional subjects in the Victorian nineteenth century, sparked lively discussions at Nook Farm, an exclusive enclave in Hartford, CT, where some of America's foremost liberal thinkers gathered to confront these issues.

Harriet Beecher Stowe, a Nook farm resident, wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin, which became one of the turning points in the movement to abolish slavery. The Stowe Center Library's documents on African-American History trace the attitudes prevalent at the time, and even includs pro-slavery publications.

The library's extensive manuscripts and letters in the area of women's history illustrate how Harriet Beecher Stowe and her sisters, forceful advocates of women's rights, along with 100 letters from Susan B. Anthony, responded to the challenges facing young women of the day. The library includes an extensive collection of works by renowned ministers Lyman Beecher, Harriet's father, and Henry Ward Beecher, her brother.

Another famous resident, Mark Twain, spent 20 of his most productive years at his home on Nook Farm, where everyday brought new visitors and intellectual discussion, along with billiards, card games, and musical productions by his daughters.

A visitor center and the Twain and Stowe houses are open for touring, and you can stroll the grounds in the footsteps of some of America's great thinkers.

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, 77 Forest St., Hartford, CT 06105. (860) 522-9258. From I-84 take exit 46, Sisson Ave., north to Farmington Ave. Turn right to the parking lot opposite Woodland St.

Out of the way places: Lee's Ferry Campground, Arizona

2009-09-29T15:46:00.001-07:00

Legend has it that when one of the wives of a Mormon settler came west to this spot on the Colorado River, she declared, "Oh! What a lonely dell!" Hence, the name of the new homestead came to be--and continues to this day--Lonely Dell. For RVers, a lonely spot away from the crowds might just be what you're looking for. You'll find a quiet campground alongside a beautiful stretch of the Colorado, not far from Page, Arizona.

Not dubbed with the homestead's name, rather, Lee's Ferry is what the Park Service has monikered this 54 site campground. A number of the sites border right on the cliff-side of the river, giving wonderful views of the rolling water, dotted with occasional passing rafters, as not far away is the "put in" for many Grand Canyon float expeditions. It's said this is a good spot for experienced fishers to maybe pull in a big trout, but we've never tried. Rather, we find Lee's Ferry a place to pull in, set up camp, and just unwind for several days.

The National Park Service charges what seems to be reasonable $12 a night fee for this no-hookup-but-flush-toilets-available campground. Of course, with the appropriate pass in your possession, you can knock that fee down to just $6 a night. If you're enthusiastic, you can do a self-guided tour of the Lonely Dell ranch site and imagine hand-watering the garden and orchards as the original family did.

Getting There: From Highway 89 near Page, go northeast on Highway 89A. Cross the Navajo Bridge over the Colorado. At Marble Canyon take the Lee's Ferry Road north about 5 miles to the campground.

All photos: R&T DeMaris

Rest stop at the end of the long Interstate 70 to Colorado

2009-09-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

There's a long, pretty stretch of highway that many RVers find themselves on. It runs from Nevada, across Utah, and on into Colorado. But as you cross I-70 through Utah, you may find places to dump those tanks few and far between. If you can hold it until you make it east across the border into Colorado, there's a "welcome" spot at the Welcome Center in Fruita.

The Welcome Center caters to RVers here. You'll find long, easy, pull-through sites where, if you don't mind a bit of freeway noise, spot over the night. A well-designed dump station stands ready to take away your burden, and separate fresh water taps will refill your tanks. With in an easy walk are shops, a dog walk area, and goodness gracious, even an Internet cafe. You'll even find free coffee at the visitor center, and it's said free Internet access, although we didn't physically confirm that on our visit.

Access can be a bit confusing--from the interstate simply look for the Welcome Center signs. But once you pop off the highway and the ramp, you'll encounter a roundabout. Not everyone in the world of traffic understands how to negotiate (or share) a roundabout (or "traffic circle") so watch out for the other guy. Keep your eyes peeled, as signs in the roundabout will direct you to the correct jump off spot for the Welcome Center.

Powerful waterfalls showcased at newest national park

2009-08-20T23:12:00.000-07:00

Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park on the Passaic River in Paterson, New Jersey is America's newest national park. It features the second-most-powerful waterfall east of the Mississippi at the spot where Alexander Hamilton founded the country's first planned industrial city.

According to the U.S. Geological Society, "the potential power of the Great Falls of the Passaic River so inspired Alexander Hamilton that he organized the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures. Pierre L'Enfant, the planner of Washington, D.C., designed a complex three-tired system that harnessed the falls and supplied water power to several mills. The city of Paterson became a thriving industrial center known for the manufacture of silk and locomotive parts. Today, the old industrial complete has been partially restored."

The creation of the new national park not only honors and preserves Paterson's past but should also brighten its future. One federal agency has ranked Paterson as the most economically distressed city in the United States.

The park covers 35 acres, 15 miles west of New York City. The adjacent area is home to the largest and best example of early manufacturing mills in the United States with 18th, 19th, and 20th-century waterpower remnants. The 77-foot-tall falls engineered raceways and mills to form a complex that is unique in the United States.

Cool, clear, fresh, and FREE water

2009-08-13T08:52:00.000-07:00

Pity the poor city dweller: Getting a decent drink of good tasting water usually boils down to buying bottled water, or maybe chucking a quarter in a vending machine for a gallon of "purified" tap water. If you're in Western Washington, the story can be different. Remember the old "Olympia Beer" commercials of yesterday, featuring the always invisible, but certainly mischievous "artesians"?

Olympia Beer was brewed in Tumwater, Washington, and claimed its fame in its company slogan, found on every bottle and can of the golden liquid, "It's the Water." And indeed it was, as Olympia Beer and all other brews produced in the Tumwater facility were based on water drawn from artesian wells. Well, drawn may be a misleading word, because artesian wells are those in which the water freely flows upward from the ground, not requiring pumping due to the dynamics of the geology surrounding an artesian aquifer.

At any rate, at one time a visit to the Olympia Brewery would provide you a good hour's worth of interesting history and viewing, and in the end, a visit to the tap room where you could sample the various brews from the plant. But several years ago the plant shut its doors and the buildings stand empty. The beer may have stopped flowing from Tumwater, but the artesian water still gushes. In downtown Olympia, a freely flowing artesian well gushes forth crystal clear, cold, fresh and tasty water for all who'd come by and fill their jugs.

If you're in the area and in need of good water, you'll find the well in a parking lot bordering the south side of 4th Avenue, between Adams and Jefferson streets, just east of Olympic Outfitters.

Bryce Canyon Hoodoos Never Fail to Intrigue

2009-07-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

To the Piaute, they were the "Legend People." Ages ago, men and women who acted offensively were punished for their misdeeds by being turned into stone, forced to stand for an eternity.

Later, when Europeans began traveling across the vastness of the country by steel rail, a railroad company brochure said this: "When lighted by the morning sun the gorgeous chasm is an immense bowl of lace and filigree work in stone, colored with the white of frost and the pinks of glowing embers. To those who have not forgotten the story books of childhood it suggests a playground for fairies. In another aspect it seems a smoldering inferno where goblins and demons might dwell among flames and embers."

What are they? The spires that inspire--the "Hoodoos" of Bryce Canyon.

These most unusual rock formations are found through many areas of the Colorado Plateau, but an exceptional "collection" if you will, is protected at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. The park is "off the beaten track," but a real "must see" for those who are intrigued by the forces of nature that create such unusual formations.

RV camping is available here, and its a good thing, as trailer towing is restricted in some of the better view points. Leave the trailer in camp and explore the wierdness of the park. We think the best time to view the Hoodoos is early in the morning or late evening, when the light plays tricks with shadows and deep color.

photo: R & T DeMaris, all rights reserved.

Arizona's Karchner Caverns a Great Summer Cool Spot

2009-07-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

Traveling through the Arizona hot country? It's seemingly endless desert landscape can tire the patience of even the most sainted RVer. Will this hot stuff ever end? It does under the ground, and we aren't talking about taking a "dirt nap." Just off south east Arizona's Interstate 10 you'll find a cool place to visit, along with some spectacular underground scenery like you've never seen before at Karchner Caverns.

Back in the 1970's, two young cave explorers were poking around in a big sinkhole near Benson, Arizona. A blast of warm air emanating from a crack in the sinkhole led them into a huge limestone cavern filled with thrilling sights: Unusual limestone formations, apparently unseen by human eyes, perhaps forever. They held the cave a secret for many years, finally bringing the property owners in on their find. Eventually a deal was banged out with Arizona State Parks, who purchased the property, and carefully protected their new asset until they could be developed in a way that would safeguard the cavern's outstanding features.

These caverns are "living," in that the growth of limestone formations is still ongoing. The slow, steady drip of mineral bearing water over the centuries has slowly built up formations. And they are truly outstanding--you may have seen stalactites and stalagmites before, but have you ever seen a turnip shield? How about birdsnest needle quartz?

The "off season" of June to early September yields tour bargains. The one and a half hour tour is well worth the regular admission price. Adding a big discount is just icing on the--cavern.

Check out more great sights with: Monumental Places National Parks & Monuments in the Grand Canyon state.

photos: Top by Mike Lewis under Creative Commons license--you are free to share and make derivative works of the file under the conditions that you appropriately attribute it, and that you distribute it only under a license identical to this one. Official license. Bottom: R&T DeMaris.

Utah rock shop housed in big 'rock' is good stop

2009-07-03T18:30:00.000-07:00

Mickey Davis and her husband Don operate The Rock Shop in Orderville, Utah., along lonely U.S. 89 east of Zion National Park.

The shop attracts visitors from all over the world. When we stopped, Mickey promptly led us to big maps near the restrooms and made us stick a little pin on our town. The map has hundreds of pins, plus there's another map of Europe with more pins. The maps have been up only two months so you know a lot of people have stopped by.

Most visitors are tourists. They are attracted to the shop because it looks like its inside a sandstone rock as big as a house. But it's not rock, just plaster, paper and chicken wire. It's 30 years old and still looking handsome for a fake rock. The original owner built replicas of dinosaurs, some of which you can see in a Vernal, Utah museum.

Mickey and Don quit their corporate jobs in Las Vegas two years ago, she with Safeway, he with Camping World, to head to the sticks. It had just come to the point in their lives where they were so busy they never saw each other. Heck with that!

There are all kinds of rocks at The Rock Shop, and fossils, too. For $20 you can buy a really nice fish fossil. Or you can buy a dinosaur bone. The soft serve ice cream is good --most folks go for chocolate/vanilla swirl.

If you like rocks, you should stop by The Rock Shop. Mickey will talk your ear off, which is a good thing because she is a very interesting and nice person.

The friendly, hungry, ugly carp of Lake Mohave, Arizona

2009-05-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

A short drive from Oatman, Ariz., and Laughlin, Nevada is the Lake Mohave resort of Katherine Landing. Visitors, including those who stay at the RV park, enjoy feeding the hungry, ugly and tame carp at the marina.

May is Great Time to RV to Netherlands Carillon

2009-05-06T11:35:00.000-07:00

Back East with your RV? May is a great time to drop over to Virginia and experience the Netherlands Carillon. A gift from the Netherlands to the citizens of the United States, the carillon is a set of 50 tuned bells, located on the George Washington Memorial Parkway at Route 50 in Arlington.

Most of the year the carillon rings out tunes, played by computer. However, May marks the start of the season when human carillonneurs will sit down at the keyboard to set the bells to ringing during Saturday concerts from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. And on the 25th of this month, visitors are allowed to watch carionneur perform, as well as climb up the bell tower for some spectacular views from on high.

Miss the concerts in May? They'll continue to occur on Saturday afternoons and on national holidays through September.

RVers Can Rent Boats, ATVs, and More at Destination

2009-04-23T15:59:00.000-07:00

Henry David Thoreau warned: "Beware of ventures requiring new clothes." As RVers, most of us have the clothes we need at any stop. But imagine arriving at your destination and finding warm weather, and beautiful lake, and no way to explore it. Instead of buying new equipment, here's a way you might be able to rent it--at a reduced cost.

Rich Hall spent eight years in the RV rental business, helping folks learn about the joys of the RV lifestyle without having to plunk down a large amount of cash to buy a rig. Now Rich has a new wrinkle: A web site where folks with RVs, motorcyles, boats, ATVs and other "recreational equipment" can offer to rent them out to folks who likewise don't want to plunk down a wad of cash to buy something they may need for only a short time. The site, rentzio.com, offers a meeting place for folks wanting to rent recreational equipment to find folks who have it to rent.

Hall's operation breaks down the US into states, and pull-down menus help would-be renters find equipment within the state, or within a given mile radius of any city. Those with equipment can provide full details of the equipment, photos, and more right on the site. Neither renter nor rental provider are charged for the servivce. We wondered how Hall could make much of a living, and he told us advertising revenues from links and banners are keeping the site going while he builds up for the future. Eventually, Hall tells us, there may be a "flat rate" fee charged to equipment owners.

Meantime, if you're looking for an ATV to investigate the dunes near Yuma, or a ski-doo to shoot through the waters of a nearby lake, check out rentzio.com.

This May be the Year to RV Yellowstone

2009-04-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

If the seeming "dire" predictions of the local visitor bureaus are correct, this might be the year to consider a long-delayed trip to Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding country. According to published reports, reservations are solid for July and August, but "shoulder season" books are down nearly 13%.

With fuel prices looking like they won't go into orbit anytime soon, and the flexibility of RVing, a late spring visit or early fall arrival might be just the ticket if you've never been to this quiet corner of the country.

New website: NationalParkVisitor.com

Best California Rest Area for RVers

2009-04-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

Most of us would rather not spend the night in a highway rest area--particularly along an interstate highway. The noise, lack of privacy, frequent dirtiness, and all the rest, make rest areas less than desirable overnight spots. But for some reason, "the first and the last" along California's Interstate 5 seems to break the mold on that thinking.

Traveling northward, the "last" rest area (or going south, the first) along I-5 is just south of Hornbrook. Officially called the Collier Rest Area, this stop is sandwiched between the interstate and the beautiful Klamath River. But what really sets this rest area apart from your typical, "get off the highway and hit the bathroom" stop is the setting. While the average rest area sits on the same level as the interstate, the Collier Rest Area sits way below the nearby interstate. As a result, the noise level from the freeway is dramatically reduced.

Adding to quiet, the rest area is nicely landscaped, and a separate parking area for RVers is set aside from everyone else. With pull throughs dedicated to recreational vehicles, you're set apart from noisy "reefer" units on semi-trucks, and the typical round-the-clock in-and-out noise of the passenger vehicle area. Roll in, set up your rig for the night, and you can actually get a good night's rest. Next morning, if you have the time, take the scenic Klamath River Highway south and follow the river and its wonderful scenery.

It's not often we really get to pass along "kudos" to state government, but this one really got it right!

Learn Digital Photography in Texas' Biggest State Park

2009-03-27T07:37:00.000-07:00

If you said, "Big Bend" as the answer to what is the biggest state park in the big state of Texas, you're right on the money, pardner. And if you're a newbie or consider yourself an "intermediate" digital photographer and want to learn more, now's the time to register for a digital photography course at Big Bend--take a shot at one of two offered in May.

When we say, "biggest state park," we say it with good reason. There's over 300,000 acres of land encompassed in this park. Much of it lies in the Chihuahuan Desert. Don't think of endless sands and cactus. Twenty-three miles of the Rio Grande river roll along the border of the park, so a bit of paddling can be had. Or saddle up to check out some of the seemingly endless miles available for horse riding, mountain biking, or just plain two-foot hiking.

But the photo workshop, led by the chief photographer of Texas Parks and Wildlife magazine, Earl Nottingham, and backed by hotshot photogs from Canon cameras. Says Nottingham of the workshop:

"The camera is the perfect tool to gain a true appreciation of the Big Bend Country," Nottingham said. "It forces you to sit on a mountaintop while waiting for magic light and to savor the sights, sounds and fragrances of the Chihuahuan Desert."

The course operates on either one of two sessions: May 17-20 and May 21-24, and will set you back $450 per person. That includes park entry fees, lodging, meals and assistance of park rangers. Lodging is at the Sauceda Lodge, featuring dormitory-style accommodations with separate wings for men and women, and a dining room where meals are served. Dormitory accommodations? Wow! Maybe you can cut a deal to stay in your own RV and join up for the eats and class sessions.

Find out more by ringing up the Big Bend Ranch State Park at (432) 358-4444.

photos: Mud bake, sean_mcgee on flickr.com; horseback rider, Chase Fountain, Texas Parks and Wildlife

New Virtual Tour of Hearst Castle

2009-03-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

What has 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms, 127 acres of gardens, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a movie theater, an airfield, and the world's largest private zoo?

The answer lies near San Simeon, California: Hearst Castle, built by newspaper publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst. In its heyday, an invitation to visit the estate was a big thing. Today anyone can visit the place and take a grand tour of the opulence that big money could build. Actually, there are several different tours of the place, now managed by the State of California.

You might wonder though, if you really want to spend the time--and money--on taking one of the tours. After all, the least expensive visit will set you back $20 per adult ticket. Now California State Parks, the managing agency for castle tours, offers a "virtual tour" on the official website that gives you a free taste of what you'll see if you cough up the big bucks. Visit the site at www.hearstcastle.com.

photo: reih on flickr.com

"Giant Rock" That Nearly Crushed RV a Cosmic Attraction

2009-03-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

Said to be perhaps the world's tallest freestanding rock, "Giant Rock" near Landers, California has an interesting history. At over seven stories tall, it is indeed one huge chunk of granite. Over the years it's been a meeting point for Native Americans, UFOlogists, dirt bikers, and RVers looking for a spot to boondock.

Originally a "one piece" affair, in February 2000 a huge chunk of Giant Rock sloughed off, nearly smashing an RV parked nearby. "Mystery" surrounds the reason for the breakage--some say Mother Earth was lodging a complaint, others suggest that a bonfire set under the rock may have contributed to the breakage.

Want to see it for yourself? Find your way to California Highway 247 out of Yucca Valley. Be prepared for a STEEP upgrade. North of Landers watch for the hard to read sign to Linn Road, and travel east on Linn Road until the pavement ends. Travel 1.5 miles on dirt to the fork in the road, and take the right fork another 1.6 miles over "Whoops!" type dirt road (highly exagerated washboard road) to the rock.

California's Point Cabrillo Lighthouse

2009-03-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

There's just a fascination with lighthouses. Stationed on a wind-swept bluff, overlooking an infinity of open ocean, carrying out their assignment decade after decade. One such "light station" as they are now referred to (loses a lot of the romance if you ask us), is just north of Mendocino, California at Point Cabrillo.

The Point Cabrillo light has stood its solitary position for over 100 years. It has seen shipwrecks, survived the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, and been "home" to countless light keepers and their families. Now California State Parks folks have cooked up a celebration commemorating the work of the lighthouse and its keepers. The most notable events are the Partnership Celebration on June 6th and the historic relighting of the Point Cabrillo Light on June 10th. These are two of the events which will provide visitors and guests with a rare opportunity to share a historical time with friends and family, while learning more about the legacy of Point Cabrillo.

“This is history in the making,” said Director Ruth Coleman of California State Parks. “It is only made possible by the hard work and dedication of hundreds of volunteers and private donations from our partners that have been restoring and maintaining this incredible light station.”

“There are hundreds of stories to be told, here,” said Ron Eich, president, Point Cabrillo Lightkeepers Association (PCLK). “We are very proud of the docents, families and interpreters who will share these stories with our visitors during this centennial celebration.”

For more information, phone the PCLK at (707) 937-6123.

For sale: Pamela Anderson's Airstream trailer

2009-01-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

If you are in the market for a unique, one-of-a-kind travel trailer, then head to Laughlin, Nev., and pay $100,000. You will be the proud owner of the 2001 "Lovestream" trailer once owned by blonde sex goddess Pamela Anderson.

It's an Airsteam trailer complete with mirrored ceilings, white shag carpeting, faux leather on the walls and the Playboy bunny logo embossed on the sofa. The RV was a gift to Anderson from Playboy Magazine's Hugh Hefner, once a studly guy but now a octogenarian who hangs out on cable TV with giggly 20-year-old girls with breast implants.

But the star attraction of this shiny Airstream trailer is its round vibrating bed which makes it like a motel Magic Fingers machine except you don't need quarters. Plus, it has a disco ball for gala events, and a striper pole so the RV's owner can strip tease for pals.

That is all the good news. The bad news is that this may be the ugliest, most useless travel trailer on the face of Planet Earth. It's no wonder Anderson sold it. The striper pole is right in the middle of the vibrating bed. See the photo: how do you sleep in something like this? How do you snuggle up with your sweetie? Where do you buy sheets?

There is no kitchen, just a microwave and fridge. Pamela Anderson, who most people remember from her days on Baywatch where she showed off her bosoms, probably just ate frozen dinners: that would be a logical guess.

But if you want to buy this piece of showbiz history, call 702-298-2622. If you want to look inside first, then visit the Riverside Casino, where it's on display.

Largest selection of books and DVDs in the world. RVbookstore.com

Dine on a free potato at Idaho Potato Museum

2009-01-04T12:26:00.000-08:00

See the world's largest potato chip at the Idaho Potato Museum and learn how the popular veggies played an important role in the life of President Kennedy. And, even better, with a paid admission you can fill up on a "FREE TATERS FOR OUT-OF-STATERS," as billboards proclaim on roads into the town of Blackfoot, Idaho. The free spud is a large, oven-fresh Russet potato with butter and sour cream. Yum! The Potato Museum provides information on potato history, the growing and harvesting process, nutrition, trivia and educational potato facts. Watch a short video presentation on how the potato industry has developed. The museum is located in downtown Blackfoot at 130 NW Main Street in the old Oregon Short Line Railroad Depot. There's plenty of easy RV parking. Don't miss the gift shop with all kinds of unique potato trinkets. And if you didn't already know, Blackfoot is the "Potato Capital of the World." How about that?

Smallest post office makes for fun RV quick stop

2008-12-22T20:16:00.001-08:00

America's smallest post office is in a tiny 56-square-foot building in Ochopee, Florida, population 11. Its lone mail carrier drives 132 miles a day to serve 950 residents along the route. There's enough parking at the tiny post office for your RV, should you stop by. It's located along U.S. 41 at mile marker 71.9 along Alligator Alley, which connects Naples with Miami and passes through the Everglades. The building is not official post office design: it once served as a pipe shed for a tomato farm. But when the local general store burned down in 1953 it was converted to the town's post office. Stop by during business hours to buy a stamp, mail a letter or visit with the postmaster. Buy a "Smallest Post Office" postcard, too.

Unique pet cemetery memorializes old friends

2008-12-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

For RVers, traveling pets are more than just companions, they become part of the family. When that sad day arrives when they're no longer with us, what's to do with their last remains? Out in the hills west of Yuma, just inside California, a unique pet cemetery has built up over the years.

Located on Quechan tribal land, the cemetery lies in a secluded hollow in a little traveled area. Many RVers spend winters "in the neighborhood," some of them volunteering to care for the graveyard, as the entire place is non-commercial.

Walking through the cemetery is moving; the tributes that loving families have put up for their pets shows just how much these ones are close to our hearts.

To visit the pet cemetery, take Interstate 8 west from Yuma to California Highway 186 (Algadones Road). Go south on 186 until you cross the All American Canal. Take an immediate right and go west along the gravel road that borders the south side of the canal. The road will bend and head south. Follow it, and before the road begins to rise you'll see the cemetery on the right.

Oregon KOA RV park rails in caboose cafe

2008-12-16T14:45:00.000-08:00

A condemned, gutted, 1929 Sante Fe railroad caboose will soon find a new life at the Oregon Dunes KOA Kampground in the Pacific Coast community of North Bend, Oregon. After refurbishing, it will become a cafe, complete with interior kitchen and outdoor deck. The caboose was used on freight trains that traveled between Chicago and California. Crews and conductors would live in it while they were traveling. Now campers can enjoy a meal or a snack while visiting the RV park.

Visit Stonehenge with your RV without leaving the USA

2008-12-03T17:51:00.001-08:00

In Washington state, on a barren bluff overlooking the Columbia River and Oregon is a full-size replica Stonehenge, a near carbon copy of the more famous Stonehenge in England. It was built by a man named Sam Hill as a memorial to soldiers who died in World War I. Hill passed away soon after his masterpiece was completed in 1930 and is buried nearby.

Unlike the English Stonehenge which is mobbed daily with buses and wide eyed tourists, the Sam Hill replica is a lonely, quiet place. A short paved road off state route 14 leads to the monument and its huge parking lot, easily accessible by any length RV.

Sam Hill’s Mansion, part of the Maryhill Museum of Art, is just up the highway. The museum includes a collection of royal memorabilia from Queen Marie of Romania (1875-1938), a friend of Sam Hill’s who presided at the museum’s dedication ceremony in 1926. Included are the queen’s coronation gown, crown, silverware, gilt furniture, jewelry and other memorabilia. The museum is only from March 15 to November 15 with a $7 adult admission. Stonehenge is always open and admission is free.