TrailBlazer Magazine - January/February 2015

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015

Traveling Across the Sunshine State

food TRUCKS AND FESTIVALS

Out n’ About: Palm Springs

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$2.00

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

CIRCLE NO. 124 ON FAST FACTS CARD PAGE 58

TREND™ / VIVA!™

WHAT’S INSIDE

VOL. 37 ■ ISSUE 1

JAN/FEB 2015

Features

5 Message from Marguerite

18 Across the Sunshine

State – Route 70

8 Tech Topics

32 Foodie Festivals

59 Ask RV Bill

38 Food Trucks

Lifestyle 14 Out n’ About: Palm Springs

Eating across America

Calendars 10 Preserve Events

16 Updates & Upgrades

12 Local Events

24 TrailMix: Staying on Rt 70 with

46 Encore Events

TT and Encore

26 I Knew I Was A Trailblazer 28 Global Noble 30 On The Road: Nu-Blu

▲ Photo courtesy of Cambria Harkey

63 Club Calendar

18 Photo courtesy of Lynn and Cele Seldon

Columns

▲ Across the Sunshine State on Route 70 From the Atlantic coast to the Gulf of Mexico, Central Florida explorers are never far from the water.

Regulars 58 Advertiser Index 58 Crossword Puzzle

42 Who’s In The Kitchen

with TrailBlazer?

52 Member Deals

66 On Location

64 Winding Roads

38

62 Sudoku Puzzle

Foodie Festivals Eat your way across America by exploring one or all of the food festivals highlighted.

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▲ Truckavore Lore: Great Food Truck Fares From Los Angeles and Portland to Boston and New York, food trucks make experiencing cultural culinary dining easy.

Cover Photo: At the shores of Bradenton, FL Photo courtesy of psyberartist

速

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 for TRAILBLAZER

MESSAGE from MARGUERITE A s we ring in the new year, a number of us will begin the year with a resolution or two.

Whether it be to lead a healthier lifestyle through exercise and diet, spend more time with family and friends, or simply set aside more time to volunteer, these resolutions represent what we believe to be important aspects of our lives and overall happiness.

As I thought about each of these I immediately drew a connection with the lifestyle we have offered so many for over 45 years – a lifestyle that promotes spending time with family and friends, disconnecting to enjoy the great outdoors, and always being willing to help a fellow camper in need.

It has been reported that simply being outdoors has beneficial effects not only on our health but our overall mental well-being. I am sure a number of you have seen the latest statistics on how today’s kids are spending too much time indoors. This shift in how and where our children play has triggered a number of promotional campaigns emphasizing the benefits of outdoor time. A very simple fact that, I have to admit, we as Thousand Trails members, both young and old, have known right along.

Why not resolve to focus on your well-being in 2015?

Take the time to make enjoying the outdoors and the camping lifestyle a true habit, not just a hobby.

It takes repetition and discipline to form a habit, but

▲ Snowflower (WA) Photo courtesy of Christian Malfilatre

knowing the health benefits, how great would it be to develop a habit that allows you to do more of what you love and also reap the health benefits? It sounds like a win win to me.

In fact, let’s not wait to start our New Year’s resolutions. As we embrace the challenges of a new year I challenge each of you to fulfill your resolutions simply by visiting a Thousand Trails location or two.

Jump start 2015 by starting the planning process.

Research vacation destinations, coordinate plans with family and friends, get those reservations in, and begin the countdown.

To encourage each of you to Get Out and Camp, my message will feature a different photo of a Thousand Trails location provided by our members and guests.

I look forward to keeping up with your resolutions.

Resolve to enjoy the outdoors and Get Out and Camp!

Marguerite Nader President & CEO

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

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www.trailblazermagazine.net CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mark Slattery EDITOR tbeditor@equitylifestyle.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Mindy Drexler, Susie Bue CONTACT US TBeditor@equitylifestyle.com ADVERTISING SALES TBads@equitylifestyle.com MISSION STATEMENT TrailBlazer provides exclusive news and information for the members and guests of Thousand Trails Family of Resorts. Each issue enhances the recreational lifestyle of its readers through a lively mix of camping and travel features, resort profiles and product features.

TRAILBLAZER (ISSN 0747-2293) is published monthly except bimonthly Nov./Dec. and Jan./ Feb. by MHCTT Memberships, LP, c/o Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc., Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606. An annual subscription is $20. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to TRAILBLAZER, 2325 Highway 90, Gautier, MS 39553. Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement 41461526.

TRAILBLAZER MAGAZINE Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800 Chicago, IL 60606 www.trailblazermagazine.net ADDRESS CHANGES for TrailBlazer can be sent via email to TrailBlazerAddressChanges@ EquityLifestyle.com NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS 1-877-252-9320 PRINTED IN THE USA

Palm Springs (CA): Thousand Trails Travelers Camping Club’s tribute to club veterans – Dolly Stichter

Now Win $50 EACH Issue!

Pics from the Parks Photo Submissions Do you have a winning photo from your visits to our properties? We’d love for you to share it with us and what’s more, your submission will now be entered into our photo contest. each issue!

Winners will receive a $50 American Express Gift Card. Each issue we will select ONE “winning” photo from the submissions received (all submissions must be received by midnight on the last day of the month). Winning photo will be posted on the TrailBlazer website as well as in the magazine.

Photo submissions should include a brief description, including location of your photo, your name, city and state and sent to:

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Call: 800-288-7245

Canada: 228-497-3594 April 1 to August 31 Mon. - Fri. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST September 1 to March 31 Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST

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Emailed photos should be high resolution. Photos are not returnable and become the property of Equity LifeStyle Properties and may be used for publication on company websites and promotional purposes.

One winner will be selected EACH month from submissions received. The winner will be announced in a future TrailBlazer issue and on www.trailblazermagazine.net.

PICS FROM THE PARKS

Lake of the Springs (CA): Last splash of the day under a warm evening sky. – Amanda Bunton

Kenisee Lakes (OH): Pirate’s abound for Halloween.

– Tammy LaPlante, Jefferson, Ohio

Lake Conroe (TX): Beautiful pink sky over Lake Conroe.

– Bonnie Varieur, Willis, Texas

Near Verde Valley (AZ): The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is a great day trip from Verde Valley! – Karen Duncan

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

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TECH

TOP CS:

RVing is a great adventure and there’s always something new to learn!

by Paul and Kerri Elders

Not every winterland traveler is a Snowbird; some RVers love to challenge the elements and enjoy some snowy scenery from the comfort of their cozy RV. If you’re one of those hardy souls, we have some tips that will make your wintertime travels just a little bit easier. We’ll take a look at a few ideas to help you keep your cool in the cold, including a couple of tips to keep the water flowing into and out of your RV, even in the chilliest Winter Wonderland. And, we’ll show you an easy do-it-yourself way to improve the insulation factor of your windows to keep your RV just a little bit warmer, no matter what Old Man Winter throws at you.

External Water Connections in Cold Weather: A few helpful hints can help you keep the water running free & clear, even in blustery cold weather.

First and foremost, it’s a good idea to keep the incoming freshwater hose as short as possible, using the shortest length of hose hookup distances permit. Insulate the hose with foam pipe insulation (readily available at hardware stores) and, if you’re so inclined, seal it completely with duct tape, barber-pole fashion.

Another fantastic cold weather option is heat tape. You’ll need access to a nearby electrical outlet and keep in mind you’ll need to buy a weatherproof heat tape that’s rated for exterior use. Following package directions, tape the heat tape to your freshwater hose with electrical tape, then slip on a foam pipe insulation cover as above. The heat tape's thermostat (if so equipped) will regulate the temperature, preventing freezing of the incoming freshwater lines, in most cases.

The secret to effective insulation is “dead air space.” In a pinch, you can also insulate the water supply faucet

8

by wrapping it with bunched-up newspaper covered with plastic and secured with tape to keep it nice and dry. For added protection, place a bucket, upside-down, over the wrapped faucet. Always assure that water connections are tight enough to prevent dripping, because water destroys insulation’s insulating value.

Holding Tank Tips:

Depending on the design of your RV, your holding tanks may be partially exposed to colder temperatures or they may be somewhat protected in the basement area of the RV. Some RV manufacturers have ducted storage areas that “heat” the utility area, but many don’t.

A low-tech solution for those without heated bays is to cover the holding tanks with fiberglass batting (insulation), enclosing the tanks and dump valves in insulation to protect them from the effects of the cold. A higher tech solution is to install some thermostatically controlled electric heat pads designed specifically for RV holding tanks; see your local RV supplier or dealer for more information.

Keep blackwater and graywater dump valves closed, dumping tanks only when almost full. If you leave your blackwater valve open during exceptionally cold weather, liquids will drain away slowly (possibly freezing), leaving solids behind in the holding tank that will eventually freeze and block the effective draining of the tank. Not a situation you want to fix in 15 degree weather!

An oldtimer’s trick is to add a little non-toxic RV antifreeze to both the blackwater tank and the graywater tank, to help deter holding tank freezing issues in the coldest weather.

Storm Windows for Do-It-Yourselfers:

If you like to do a lot of long-term winter camping, consider investing in storm windows to improve your

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

cold weather camping experience.

Storm windows provide an area of “dead air space” between the window and the storm window, providing a substantial amount of insulation from the cold. Several types are commercially available; contact your local RV dealer for more information.

Even if you don’t invest in a set of custom-fit storm windows, you can still stay a little warmer this winter by insulating your windows yourself, if you’re willing to do a little work. Several companies (like 3M and Duck) sell kits containing a clear, heat-shrinkable film that’s paired with doublesided sticky tape to create temporary “storm windows” for your existing windows. Called a window insulating kit or a shrink film kit, these are a great solution for RVs. The kits are geared toward standard household windows; the shrink wrap is usually precut to fit standard 3x5 windows, but it’s easily adapted to the smaller windows of RVs. The shrink wrap material is lightweight and can be easily cut with a simple pair of scissors.

Apply the sticky tape to the metal frame around the window (you may need to purchase some additional insulator film mounting tape to adequately cover your RV’s window frames). Place the clear plastic film loosely over the window and stick it to the tape.

Then just use a handheld hairdryer to shrink the film. This will remove the wrinkles and customize the fit. Trim away any excess film and you’re done! You can learn some useful installation tips by searching customer reviews for these products online at a trusted source like Amazon.com.

Happy trails, Winter Warriors!

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CIRCLE NO. 165 ON FAST FACTS CARD PAGE 58JANUARY/FEBRUARY

January 1 La Conner (WA) Rose Bowl Party at the Family Center

January 2 Pio Pico (CA) Casino Night (first Friday of the month through April)

January 9-11 Lake Minden (CA) Life’s a Mystery: Bring your favorite “mystery” addition for a Mystery Potluck Dinner Social and win a mystery prize at Brown Bag B-I-N-G-O. Enter a Mystery Puzzle competition and see if you can put together a Mystery puzzle without the benefit of knowing what it is.

Trade your favorite Mystery book at a “Mystery Book” Book Swap.

January 9 Peace River (FL) Sweethearts of Branson: Denny and Sheila Renee Yeary are truly the Sweethearts of Branson. Their music alone is worth listening to. But, together with their stories of life and love, their act is one of a kind and not to be missed.

January 20 Peace River (FL) Uptown Country: Dance the night away to Uptown Country. Their mix of music has something for everyone and we always have a great time when Uptown Country comes to visit.

January 21-25 Pio Pico (CA) Annual Pool Tournament

January 23-25 Lake Minden (CA) Love is in the Air: Friday we’ll be crafting Valentine’s Day Cards and Heart Earrings and sharing our favorite “Something Sweet” recipes at a Coffee Social. Join us for a baked Potato Potluck Social and Brown Bag Bingo. Don’t forget Saturday bingo and the Ice Cream Social.

Pio Pico (CA) Movie Night

January 16-18 January 2-4 Lake Minden (CA) National Soup Month: Bring your favorite pot of homemade soup and join the fun at one of Lake Minden’s extremely popular “Pot-O-Soup” Potlucks. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, take an Art Journaling class and learn some imaginative, fun ways to record your thoughts, ideas and memories.

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Lake Minden (CA) Cure for Cabin Fever: Cure your cabin fever with the five C’s: Company, Coffee, Cards, Crafts and Casseroles.

Bring your favorite casserole to the Friday night Potluck. Not into cards or crafts, check out our book and puzzle collection.

Then join us for the Friday Night Casserole Potluck Social, Brown Bag Bingo and Saturday Candy Bar Bingo and the Ice Cream Social.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

Games & Tournaments

January 10

Football

AND

JAN/FEB events

Potlucks & Socials

Activities and Events – On-Site

ACTIVITIES

January 30 - February 1 Whalers Rest (OR)

Whalers Rest Great Chili Cook-Off and Championship Football Pot Luck Party.

Chehalis (WA) Championship Football: Come watch the big game with your fellow fans at our cozy Adult Lodge. Free popcorn and hotdogs!

Chesapeake Bay (VA) Championship Football Party: Bring an appetizer to share and watch the game (or the commercials!) on the big screen with your camping buddies.

La Conner (WA) Championship Football on the big screen at the Family Center. See park for time and information.

Lake Minden (CA) Championship Football Tailgate Pot Luck: We’ll kick off Championship Football weekend on Friday Night with an indoor Tailgate Potluck Social followed by Brown Bag Bingo. Saturday, join us for the “It’s never too cold for ice cream” Ice Cream Social.

Sunday, bring munchies to share and watch the Big Game on the Big Screen.

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

Valentine's Day

Pio Pico (CA) Casino Night (first Friday of the month through April)

February 6-8 Lake Minden (CA) Coffee and Cookie Share Social: Beat those winter time blues!

Bring your favorite homemade cookies and recipes and we’ll share cookies, coffee, and conversation at a Coffee Social. Later, we’ll be crafting some great earrings.

February 7

Lake Minden (CA) Chinese New Year Potluck Social: Bring your favorite Asian covered dish and help us celebrate Chinese New Year. Check out our great craft classes while you’re here.

February 21 Peace River (FL) Walten’s Acrobatic and Dog Show: Willy and Tinkerbelle, now 36 years together as The Waltens Acrobatic Show have performed around the world with a variety show of hand balancing, foot balancing, juggling, rola bola and rolling globe.

February 13-15 Lake Minden (CA) Valentine’s Day: Join us Friday Night for a Valentine’s Day Pasta Potluck Social. Bring a sweetheart prize in a brown paper bag and stay for Sweet Heart Brown Bag Bingo.

Saturday, we’ll feature Banana Splits at the Ice cream Social.

Lake of the Springs (CA)

Concerts & Shows

Peace River (FL) We are pleased to present Matt Barber, whose easy listening style is reminiscent of Barry Manilow and Michael Bublé. His goal is to uplift and make people happy with his show.

February 14 Valentine's Dinner and Dance

Pio Pico (CA) Leavenworth (WA) Your Winter Wonderland!

Access to 300 miles of groomed snowmobile trails from our doorstep. Snowmobile rentals from our property. Snowshoeing on our property. Cross Country skiing just minutes away and Alpine Skiing at Stevens Pass just 35 minutes away. The Bavarian Town of Leavenworth and the magnificent Christmas lights are just 17 miles away! We have cabins, lodge rooms, Log House, and Chalet to rent! Come join us!

February 13 Be My Valentine Weekend: Valentine Sweetheart Dance February 14 Movie Night

Chehalis (WA) Spend a romantic weekend with your Sweetheart...free Sparkling Cider with your cabin rental!

La Conner (WA) February 14 Come spend Valentine’s Day with your Sweetheart!

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

Rancho Oso (CA) Every Weekend: (weather permitting)

Join the fun and hop on board the famous Rancho Oso hay wagon to take a tour of our beautiful resort!

Don’t forget to call the stables at 805-683-5110 and book your unforgettable horseback ride for ages 8 & over. Of course, your little buckaroos, ages 5-7 can get their first ride on a big horse, led by one of our friendly wranglers!

This is a great “photo-op” for your scrapbook. The early spring weather is perfect for hiking, riding, photography, or wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley, only a scenic half hour drive away. Don’t want to drive? You can arrange a guided winery tour with several local tour companies who will pick you up here! Later on Saturday, join us for the Ice Cream Social to make your favorite sundae or hot chocolate! Keep the weekend sweet with our Candy Bar Bingo, too! Check out our delicious weekend meals at the Stone Lodge Kitchen. Rancho Oso is one fun place!

Chehalis (WA) ‘Happy TTrails’ horse trails are open for you equine enthusiasts (reservations required).

February 27-March 1 Lake Minden (CA) National Chili Week: Celebrate National Chili Week with a Chili Cook Off Pot Luck Social. Join us Saturday for Candy Bar Bingo and stay for Twixt Sundays at the Ice Cream Social.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

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Activities and Events – On-Site

February 20-22

February 6

Activities and Events – Local

LOCAL

OF

CALENDAR events

Bay Landing (TX)

Pio Pico (continued)

Jan 16-Feb 7 Ft. Worth Stock Show and Rodeo

Jan 1 - Feb 28 Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure

This is legendary! First stock show was in 1896. World champion bull riders, too many to mention, please visit their web site. If you get a chance to go this is a must!! www.fwssr.com

Turn San Diego into a giant game board with this fun scavenger hunt adventure.

Combine the excitement of the Amazing Race with a three-hour city tour.

Guided from any smart phone, teams make their way among well known and overlooked gems of the city, solving clues and completing challenges while learning local history.

For information, visit www.urbanadventure quest.com.

Chehalis (WA)

December 31 New Year’s Eve at McMenamin’s Olympic Club Music by Hot Club Time Machine with vocalist Kat Cogswell.

Reservations: 360-736-5164

White Pass Ski Resort Call for info: 509-672-3100

Pio Pico (CA)

January 1-4 International Auto Show – San Diego Convention For information, visit www.sdautoshow.com.

Now thru - April 26 The Discovery of King Tut, San Diego Natural History Museum Exhibition re-creates one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th-century – finding the lost tomb of Tutankhamun by Howard Carter. Utilizing more than 1,000 reproductions of the treasures discovered in the undisturbed tomb, the exhibition provides not only the experience of entering the burial chamber for the first time, but also of 18thdynasty Egyptian history.

For information, visit www.sdnhm.org.

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February 5-8 Farmers Insurance Open

A pro golf tournament established in 1952.

Torrey Pines Golf Course.

For more information, call 858-866-GOLF.

February 5 CA Center for the Arts – Garrison Keillor True to his award-winning radio form, legendary humorist and author Garrison Keillor delivers hilarious anecdotes with his signature “down comforter voice,” dry sense of humor, charisma and wisdom.

Ponderosa (CA)

January 24th Gold Discovery Day Celebrate Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park with historic demonstrations, tours, speakers and Gold Rush music at this annual commemoration of the discovery of gold in the tailrace of Sutter’s Mill.

For information, visit www.marshallgold.org.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

Rancho Oso (CA)

Verde Valley (continued)

Now thru January 31 Wine Tasting with the Winter Pass

January 31 10th Annual Sedona Marathon Event

Various Wine Tasting Rooms Solvang, Los Olivos, Buellton, Santa Ynez, around 22-25 miles from Rancho Oso. One Pass -One Price -- 15 Wineries!

For just $40, tasters receive one wine tasting at 15 of the Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country Association tasting rooms. For information, visit santaynezwinecountry.com.

Ongoing Cachuma Lake Eagle Cruises Santa Barbara County Park Naturalists lead 2-hour cruises that focus on bald eagles, local birds and migratory birds, local wildlife, flora, geology, and Native American and settler history.

For information, call 805-568-2460 or 805-686-5055.

Verde Valley (AZ)

Jan 5 2nd Annual Sedona Winter MusicFest 7 days of music related activities including Concerts for Youth in the Schools, Workshops, Master Classes, formal Concerts and much, much more!

Details to follow.

For information, visit www.chambermusic sedona.org.

Jan 5 Sedona World Wisdom Days This year’s Sedona World Wisdom Days event features 4x Grammy Award Winner India Arie live in concert!

Immerse yourself in the sage advice of innovative business leaders, Olympic gold medalists, Grammy award winners, Tony Award Winners and so much more!

For information, visit www.sedonaworld wisdomdays.com.

The Sedona Marathon Event will take 2,800 runners/walkers through the scenic Coconino National Forest District known for its magical red rock formations.

For information, visit www.sedonamarathon.com.

Whalers Rest (OR)

January 18 7th Annual Crab Krack This crustacean commemoration and feast raises funds for renovations at the Lincoln County Historical Society’s Pacific Maritime & Heritage Center. Tickets for the Crab Krack are available now, and can be purchased at the Burrows House and Pacific Maritime & Heritage Museums, as well as Englund Marine. Cost for members is $45 per person, for non-members $50.

To purchase tickets, or reserve your table for 8, call the Historical Society at 541-265-7509. www.oregoncoasthistory.org

February 20 - 22 38th Annual Newport Seafood & Wine Festival Over 35 food vendors, 24 crafters and 85 wineries will be found at this enormous festival! A large variety of craft items will be sold, from articles of clothing, jewelry and art glass, metal sculptures, works of art and hand-painted ceramics to handcrafted wine accessories.You must be 21 years or older to attend this event. Limited parking is available at the facility for a fee, and shuttle buses will run for FREE from Newport.

A shuttle schedule and map will be available on the Chamber’s website at www.seafoodandwine.com.

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

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Out n' About

Palm Springs

in

California

by Joan Rykal

Each month we feature things to see and do while staying with us. Come along to Thousand Trails Palm Springs and enjoy, not only perfect weather, but these great local attractions!

The fabulous weather offered by Palm Springs, California, during the winter months is definitely a top reason to visit the area. With average daytime temperatures in January and February that hover around a pleasant 75 degrees and little to no precipitation, sunny days are pretty much guaranteed.

If your only plan to winter differently this season is to simply soak up the sun, then come and visit Palm Springs.

But, if your definition of different also includes history, fantastic scenery, outdoor adventure, fabulous food, and a brush with the stars, well, Palm Springs will fit that bill, too!

Here are a few ideas on how to spend your days when you visit.

1

Desert Tours Palm Springs offers a variety of desert tours and one of the hottest is a Hummer tour through the backcountry to one of the area’s most iconic locations, Joshua Tree National Park. Come along and climb 2000 feet into the Mojave Desert and get ready for a glimpse of wildlife, age-old rock formations and, of course, the park’s namesake: the Joshua tree.

day

DAY 1: THRILLS AND SHAKES Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

1 Tram Way Palm Springs, CA

If you’re new to the area, or just enjoy a breathtaking thrill, take a ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. As the world’s largest rotating tramcar, the views from all angles are incredible, thanks to the 360 degree turn during the 2.5 mile ride that takes you up to an elevation of 8,516 feet.

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Once atop, you can choose to participate in winter snow fun including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and for the young, or young at heart, sledding.

Rental equipment is available at the Adventure Center.

You can also select the Ride and Dine Option and eat dinner at the Peaks Restaurant. Note: Ride and Dine options are available from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

For ticket prices and hours of operation, visit www.pstramway.com.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

For tour information, visit www.adventurehummertours.com.

Great Shakes

160 S. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Only in California will you find a gourmet shake shop of this magnitude. With 25 great shakes on the menu, including Key Lime Pie and Peanut Butter and Bananas, this is a must stop on your way back to camp after your tramway or desert adventure.

You can even ask them to top your shake or malt with toasted marshmallows – putting a whole new twist on s’mores!

Palm Springs Celebrity Tour

67555 E. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA

2

day DAY 2: STARSTRUCK

Because of its proximity to Hollywood, the Palm Springs area was, and continues to be, a popular getaway destination for Hollywood celebs. And, while you may spot a few out and about, you’ll definitely be able to get your Hollywood on if you do the following while visiting Palm Springs.

DAY 3: HISTORY AND SCENERY Combine the Indian lore with the desert scenery and you’ll be choosing from several tours offered in Palm Springs that take you into the wilderness, while providing a history lesson of the area along with an unforgettable experience.

Check out tour offerings at www.palmspringshiking.com or the Indian Canyon Tour at www.thebestofthebesttours.com.

Another great way to learn the history of the area is to visit the Coachella Valley History Museum in Indio, which offers great insight into the history of the valley, as well as the world’s only date museum. Visit www.cvhm.org to learn more about the museum and its exhibitions and offerings.

Also, consider a visit to the Palm Springs Historical Society’s museums that include the

Take the “Grand Tour,” a two and a half hour tour that will show you the estates of Hollywood legends, including Frank Sinatra and the Marx Brothers. And, if you’re particularly into Old Blue Eyes, consider the “Sinatra Saturday” tour that is actually the Grand Tour, plus more things Sinatra.

For tour information, schedules, and pricing, visit www.celebritytour.com.

Walk of Stars

Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Similar to the stars on Hollywood Boulevard, Palm Springs also has its own walkways dedicated to those who have contributed to the charm and recognition of the town, which include not only Hollywood

stars, but also civic pioneers, humanitarians, and honored military. You can walk the town and see how many names you recognize, and learn more about those you don’t.

For more information, visit www.palmspringswalkofstars.com.

Copley’s

621 N. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA Enjoy cocktails or dinner at this award-winning restaurant that once served as the guest house for Cary Grant’s Palm Springs estate. In addition to the fabulous food and charming location, they are offering a limited schedule of Happy Hour Cooking Classes in February.

For more information on Copley’s, including hours, menus, and cooking class opportunities, visit www.copleyspalmsprings.com.

3

day

▲ Indian Canyon Photo courtesy of visitcalifornia.com

McCallum Adobe House, the oldest remaining building in Palm Springs and Miss Cornelia White’s “Little House” which was once part of the first hotel in Palm Springs.

The Historical Society also offers a variety of walking tours.

For more information, visit www.palmspringshistoricalsociety.net.

Don’t Miss: The 26th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival!

Each January, Palm Springs plays host to the Palm Springs

International Film Festival, which welcomes more than 100,000 film lovers from around the world and screens more than 180 films, including the largest selection of Foreign Language Oscar submissions. This year’s event will run from January 2 through January 12 with films playing in a variety of venues throughout the area. For information, ticket prices, and schedules, visit www.psfilmfest.org. ■

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

15

pdates

&UPGRADES

Palm Springs Recent upgrades include:

Billiards Room

Pool Decking

Pickleball Courts

Restrooms

Pool Furniture

Orlando

Recent upgrades include: Bathhouses

New Pool Furniture

High Efficiency A.C. Systems Installed in Club House and Gym

New "Kids Club" in Main Club House

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

Updated Pool Deck and Furniture

New Club House Deck

New Playground

Indian Lakes

All enjoyed our ribbon cutting ceremony at Indian Lakes, held on November 1, 2014. Attendees included local dignitaries, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and from the Batesville Herald.

Be sure to make plans to visit Indian Lakes this summer so that you and your family can enjoy all of the updates.

New Pickleball Courts

Recent upgrades include: New sports court area complete with:

Playground Picnic Area

Volleyball Court

Horseshoes

Basketball Court

Cornhole

An expanded swimming pool area:

New furniture At the lake:

New floating dock with water slide

Expanded sandy beachfront.

Additional Renovations:

Welcome Center

Clubhouse

Pavilion Area

Fire Rings

New Picnic Tables

Mini Golf

Updated Sports Courts

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

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Across the Sunshine

Downtown Fort Pierce – by Captain Kimo

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

ROUTE

70

State

It’s around 150 miles from Fort Pierce to Bradenton on Florida’s State Route 70, but there’s lots to see in both Sunshine State cities and along the way. From the Atlantic coast to the Gulf of Mexico, with sprawling Lake Okeechobee along the way, Central Florida explorers are never far from the water – and much more.

By Lynn and Cele Seldon JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

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▲ The Manatee Observation and Education Center Photo courtesy of Lynn and Cele Seldon

This early-20th century home was restored and moved to Fort Pierce’s waterfront in the 1990s by the city. Helpful local volunteers who obviously love their community are happy to help with information, maps, brochures, dining recommendations, and more.

▲ A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery Photo courtesy of Lynn and Cele Seldon

The drive starts in lovely Fort Pierce, where State Route 70 (Virginia Ave.) intersects 14th St. W. for the drive’s eastern start or end. Before hitting the road west, there’s lots to see in Fort Pierce (“The Sunrise City”) and surrounding St. Lucie County.

The Seven Gables House Visitor Center is a great place to start.

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The well-located Visitor Center is conveniently sandwiched by two other popular Fort Pierce attractions: the Manatee Observation and Education Center and the A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery.

The Manatee Observation and Education Center highlights manatees and other area wildlife through exhibits and more.

Manatees can be seen in adjacent Moore’s Creek any time of year, but they are especially prevalent in the winter months.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

The Center’s Vanishing Mermaid Gift Shop also makes for a great place to pick up souvenirs.

The A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery highlights the artwork of Fort Pierce native, A.E. “Bean” Backus. His paintings and those of the other members of the Florida Highwaymen school are on display and are also for sale.

In addition, the museum and gallery hosts changing fine art exhibits.

Heading into the heart of historic downtown along the waterfront, the Fort Pierce City Marina is the only downtown marina serving the Treasure Coast.

Conveniently located along the beautiful Indian River Lagoon, the marina is one of Florida’s best all-weather inlets. Varied fishing charters, other water-based activities, and drinks and food

with a view at The Original Tiki Bar & Restaurant are popular City Marina options.

Fort Pierce’s charming downtown includes again-active Sunrise Theatre. Completed in 1923, the Sunrise was built as a vaudeville theatre. The classic interior features a full-size stage, orchestra pit, and balcony.

In addition, restored Old City Hall, built in 1925, provides a classic example of that period’s architecture.

Just to the north of downtown proper, several more attractions await. The first stop should be the St. Lucie County Aquarium, which features the renowned Smithsonian Marine Ecosystems Exhibit and much more. Visitors watch as the animals in the varied ecosystems are given their food, led by exhibit staff, during daily ‘Feeding Frenzy’ tours each morning at 10:30 a.m. and each afternoon at 2:30 p.m. On Saturdays at 2 p.m., lab staff conduct behindthe-scenes tours that highlight the systems that keep the ecosystems functioning properly. ▼ Sunrise Theatre Photo courtesy of Peter Cross/VisitFlorida

Nearby, the St. Lucie County Historical Museum is located along the Indian River Lagoon and features silver and gold from a fleet of 11 Spanish ships that sank during a 1715 hurricane.

That and other sunken treasure helped the area earn the reputation as Florida’s Treasure Coast. The museum also features equipment from turn-of-thecentury industries that helped shape St. Lucie County, including fishing, pineapple, cattle, and citrus. There are also artifacts from the 1838 Seminole War. Heading east to the Atlantic Ocean, look for a calm little beach to the left along paralleling Seaway Drive. Further east, Fort Pierce’s Jetty Park is also on the left (just past colorful and tasty Manatee Island Bar & Grille).

Old-fashioned swings at the often bustling waterfront park provide a great place to sit and watch inlet traffic.

Further north, the National Navy SEAL Museum and Memorial awaits. This fascinating museum is the only one dedicated solely to preserving the history of the Navy SEALs and their predecessors, including Underwater Demolition Teams, Naval Combat Demolition Units, Office of Strategic Services Maritime Units and Amphibious Scouts and Raiders. Fittingly, Fort Pierce was the birthplace of the legendary Navy frogman.

Just south of downtown via a pretty road along the Indian River, Heathcote Botanical Gardens is a living museum featuring tropical foliage and flowers. There are many native and exotic plantings, a Japanese Garden, and lots of events.

The rest of St. Lucie County has even more to offer visitors before heading across the state on State Route 70. Some of the possibilities include thriving Port St. Lucie (the spring training home of the New York Mets); more than 21 miles of unspoiled beaches; world-class

fishing; and miles of waterways best explored by boat or kayak.

Heading out of Fort Pierce via State Route 70 West, it often surprises many drivers how quickly urban and suburban sprawl disappears and Florida’s vast swatches of wilderness dominate. Most of the drive all the way to the Bradenton ‘burbs features sprawling cattle ranches with lots of grass-munching cattle, huge citrus groves and other plantings of Florida fruits and vegetables, and lots of possible wildlife sightings of herons, egrets, and much more. All along the drive, signs (and restaurants) promote area beef to red meat lovers, while fruit lovers will note many fruit stands touting (and selling) area fruit.

There are several nature preserves along the 35-mile drive to the town of Okeechobee north of Lake Okeechobee. With short interpretive trails, Paleo Hammock and Teague Hammock are both down Carlton Road to the south.

Next comes pretty Pinelands, which features six miles of trails and two observation towers. It is reached by a gravel and sand road (large RV drivers beware). Possible wildlife sightings at all three preserves can include American bald eagle, American alligator, wild turkey, wood stork, ibis, sandhill crane, and much more.

The town of Okeechobee provides the first real commercialism since Fort Pierce. Here, cattle and fish are seemingly the two main topics for locals and visitors alike.

The drive between Fort Pierce and Okeechobee features lots of grazing cattle and it’s big business in Okeechobee. The Okeechobee Livestock Market makes for an interesting stop. Located in the heart of cattle country and with sales on Mondays and Tuesdays, it’s been one of the largest cattle auctions in the state for more than 50 years. The largest sales begin in July and last through February.

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▲ Cattle near Okeechobee Photo courtesy of Lynn and Cele Seldon

On the fourth Saturday in July, Okeechobee hosts the Day of the Cowboy, which includes a cattle drive right through town. There’s also the Okeechobee County Fair in March, Okeechobee Cowtown Labor Day Rodeo, and several other agriculturally-oriented events just outside town at the Agri-Civic Center & Fairgrounds and elsewhere.

Okeechobee is also known as the “Speckled Trout Capital of the World.” Each March there’s the Speckled Trout Festival – including a parade and crafts and food vendors. In addition, nearby Lake Okeechobee’s bass fishing is world-renowned and guides are easily arranged for a day out on the lake. The area also hosts several nationally-sanctioned professional bass fishing tourneys.

The Okeechobee area is also home to the Seminole Brighton Casino, which is about a half-hour southwest of town. The casino features slots, poker, and bingo, while Josiah’s Restaurant offers up an all-you-can-eat salad bar, bone-in rib eyes, and other fare.

It’s a little over an hour from Okeechobee to quaint Arcadia.

About halfway there, lake lovers may want to make the short trip north to Lake Placid. The friendly little town has two appropriate nicknames: The Town of Murals and The Caladium Capital of the World. The first moniker will be immediately apparent when driving into town and the second title is because 98 percent of the world’s caladium bulbs come from little 22

▲ Historic Arcadia Photo courtesy of Lynn and Cele Seldon

Lake Placid. If there’s time, be sure to stop by the unique American Clown Museum & School.

Just before heading into Arcadia proper, Encore’s Toby’s RV Resort is on the righthand side of State Route 70. Quite simply, it’s a great base for exploring everything north, south, east, and west of the road.

Arcadia is best-known for its historic downtown antiques shopping district, just off State Route 70. Lots of varied shops await interested visitors – and shoppers. Arcadia also plays host to the All-Florida Championship Rodeo in March and the Annual Watermelon Festival come May, in addition to car shows, parades, and other events.

It’s about 30 miles from Arcadia to Myakka City. Don’t blink or you’ll miss the ‘ghost town’ of Pine Level (about ten miles west of Arcadia), which was once one of the largest cities in Desoto County.

State Route 70 ends in downtown Bradenton at US 41. Once there, the Manatee Chamber of Commerce is a great place to go for information about the city and area, brochures, and more.

They tend to send visitors to the nearby South Florida Museum first

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

for good reason. This one location is like three museums in one.

The South Florida Museum is the largest natural and cultural history museum on Florida’s Gulf Coast. It includes the museum proper, the popular Parker Manatee Aquarium, and the Bishop Planetarium.

The Parker Manatee Aquarium is home to Snooty, the world’s oldestknown manatee (and the city’s mascot). Born in 1948, Snooty’s life history has made him one of the most renowned stewards for endangered species and the environment. He is one-of-a-kind, having taught researchers a lot of what they know about manatees.

Snooty was the first recorded birth of a manatee in captivity.

In addition to being Snooty’s home, ▼ Rattlers Old West Saloon Photo courtesy of Lynn and Cele Seldon

the Parker Manatee Aquarium is also a second stage rehabilitation center for injured manatees, providing a temporary home until they are ready for release back into the wild.

The rest of the excellent museum includes fossil evidence of Florida’s earliest mammals and marine species, the Montague Tallant collection of prehistoric and early post-contact archeological artifacts, and the active Bishop Planetarium.

Nearby, down on the busy Manatee River, The Riverwalk is a great place for a waterfront stroll. It opened in 2012 and features a marina, a botanical park, a family fun zone, beach volleyball, a tidal discovery zone, ‘outdoor living rooms,’ a skate park, a canoe and kayak launch, and lots of events.

Dining out is most definitely an ‘event’ in Bradenton. The varied possibilities include the popular Tarpon Pointe Grill & Tiki Bar, right on the Manatee River; and downtown’s Pier 22 and Longboat Key’s Mar Vista – two downtown hotspots that offer ‘you catch it, they cook it.’

There are also two hopping breweries in Bradenton: Motorworks and Darwin Brewing Company.

Bradenton’s Robinson Preserve is an exquisite nature preserve that is a popular destination for wildlife photography and birdwatching. Tucked into the corner of northwest Bradenton, it includes 487 acres of coastal saltern (pools of seawater), marsh, and mangrove habitat. These systems attract a variety of rare wildlife, offering careful observers with an opportunity to see roseate spoonbills, wood storks, white pelicans, bald eagles, and least terns in their natural environment.

Less than 20 minutes from downtown Bradenton on the way to Bradenton Beach, Cortez Historic Fishing Village provides

▲ Bradenton Marina & River Walk Photo courtesy of Lynn and Cele Seldon

an opportunity for visitors to take a walk through the historic fishing village of Cortez, visit the old fish houses and listen to locals tell the tale of yesteryear fishing in the bays and waterways of the Gulf of Mexico. This commercial fishing community is also home to the Florida Maritime Museum, where they preserve and share the Sunshine State’s maritime legacy through exhibits, events, and more.

Gulf of Mexico (be sure to look for manatees and dolphins) and several beachfront restaurants welcome hungry visitors with fresh Florida seafood.

The beaches of Bradenton provide a perfect ending – or start – to a State Route 70 drive. It’s simply a classic cross-Florida drive that needs to be savored slowly between Fort Pierce and Bradenton. ■

Having successfully resisted the intense development present in much of the rest of the state, ‘Old Florida’ still thrives on the sugar white beaches near Bradenton proper. All area beaches are skirted by the turquoise waters of the

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

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TrailMix

▲ Winter Quarters Manatee RV Resort (FL)

▲ Ramblers Rest RV Resort (FL)

Travel Florida’s State Route 70 and Stay with Encore and Thousand Trails.

About a half hour’s drive south of Bradenton, there are two more Encore RV Resorts to choose from.

Royal Coachman in Nokomis and Ramblers Rest in Venice.

Serving as the bookends of Florida’s State Route 70, Encore RV Resorts offer plenty of variety no matter what your Sunshine State pleasure may be.

Whether you start east and head west, or exchange the Gulf waters for the waters of the Atlantic, you can experience the best of both worlds if your plans include a SR 70 road trip.

It’s a Gulf Thing Bradenton is the terminus, or possibly the start of this road trip, but you can opt to stay in Bradenton proper or a bit north or south before you begin, or end, your road trip.

In Bradenton proper, you’ll find Encore’s Winter Quarters Manatee RV Resort. Towering palm trees welcome you to this resort that has water, water everywhere – from the pool to the tranquil waterfront sites. Bring your rig or choose from one of the quaint park models or 24

travel trailers available for rent.

There’s something always going on at Winter Quarters Manatee – including regular dances, fitness classes, and offsite sightseeing tours!

Less than six minutes north, you’ll find the town of Palmetto, home to two nature preserves (Emerson Point Preserve and Felts Audubon Preserve) as well as Encore’s Terra Ceia RV Resort.

Enjoy the onsite hiking trails at the resort to enhance your nature-themed vacation.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

In addition to the popular Saturday farmers’ markets through the winter season, the city of Venice really produces (no pun intended) when it comes to things to do.

There are concerts, fine arts festivals, pancake breakfasts, and much more. Come soak up the Florida sunshine at Ramblers Rest's recently renovated pool and make plans to enjoy your stay in Venice.

Not only is it a wonderful resort for a winter stay, but Royal Coachman will also serve as host for several of the Encore concert events planned for the winter season. Check out the Encore Events Calendar on page 46 and chose the perfect time to stay at this relaxing resort that provides perfect proximity to the best beaches in the area.

On the Atlantic The city of Fort Pierce is where you will pick up State Route 70 on the east coast, and while there are no Encore RV Resorts in this town, you can get your Encore fix by heading just a few miles north or a bit further south.

Just north of Fort Pierce, about a 20 minute drive, you will find the lovely beach town of Vero Beach. A quaint town complete with shopping, fine dining and, of course, beautiful ocean views, Vero Beach is home to Encore’s Sunshine Travel RV Resort.

The resort’s amenities include bocce, shuffleboard, a fitness center, mini-golf, and a great pool. Take a cruise and explore the Indian River or take a walk and hear the haunted history of the town, heading back to Sunshine Travel to relax at day’s end!

Explore the beach towns along the east coast and travel south from Fort Pierce down to Pompano Beach where you’ll find two

▲ Toby's RV Resort (FL)

Encore RV Resorts, Breezy Hill and Highland Woods.

▲ Peace River RV Resort (FL)

Explore the coast and perhaps take in a deep sea fishing adventure.

The resorts offer a fitness center, game room, shuffleboard, a pool and perfect ocean breezes.

From line dancing lessons to wood workshop, from petanque to poker, guests enjoy the Florida sunshine, with, dare we say, a breezy attitude for fun in the sun!

In the Middle While traveling SR 70, if you want to stop at a mid-way point, consider a stay at Toby’s RV Resort in Arcadia, which sits smack dab on this Florida route.

Famous for its downtown antique district, Arcadia hosts a monthly Antique Fair on the fourth Saturday of every month. Plus, if you’re planning a stay in March, you’ll be just in time to take in the All-Florida Championship Rodeo. Onsite at Toby’s RV Resort, enjoy hiking and

biking trails, fishing, shuffleboard and a crazy full activity calendar.

Toby’s is another Encore resort that will host many concerts and dances throughout the winter so check the Encore Events Calendar on page 46 and see what suits your schedule.

Less than a half hour north of Arcadia is Wauchula, home to Thousand Trails’ Peace River.

Wooded, relaxing and a perfect place to enjoy natural Florida, Peace River offers fishing, hiking and biking trails, pickleball, bocce, horseshoes, and shuffleboard. With the Peace River bordering a portion of the preserve, the resort provides a true Florida camping experience.

Check out our travel feature on State Route 70 and make your plans to stay with us while you explore from east to west, or west to east; it’s your choice! ■

by Joan Rykal

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

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I KNEW I WAS A

TrailBlazer

been to the ocean, we decided to head south via a Highway 101 detour along the Pacific Coast.

After being on the road for just under three weeks, we had a family pow-wow to see how everyone was doing with challenges that come with 13 people living in 250 sq. ft. We asked the kids if they were enjoying the journey, and they asked us if we had to go back to build a house! That was over five years ago. We’ve been on the road ever since.

TB: How did you first hear about Thousand Trails?

▲ The Ticknor Family at Cherokee Landing (TN)

This month, TrailBlazer would like to introduce you to Dana and Vaughn Ticknor, the parents of a fulltime family. Not just any family – a family of 13 that loves to volunteer across the country and camp along the way. You can keep up with them at OurTravelingTribe.com!

TB: How long have you been camping and RVing? Who introduced you to it? Tell us how it all began!

DT: Both Vaughn and I grew up in families that were active outdoors.

Now raising our own children, we have had a great time introducing our kids to the joys of camping.

We started camp in a tent, and then a slide-in pickup camper, but somewhere along half a dozen kids, it was just too much effort to try to pack up stuff for a weekend away. It took us longer to get ready 26

to go than the time we got to actually spend in the woods! When baby number eight came along, we bought a new 30' bunk house travel trailer and camping became a regular activity for us again. That first summer with the new travel trailer, we would take it out every weekend that we could get away.

Vaughn would go back to town to work and take care of our animals during the week, coming up to visit on the weekends and some weekdays. Vaughn is a building contractor; in 2009, we sold our house in Montana with the intent of building another right away. While we saw lots of promising land for sale while our house was on the market, once the house sold, we couldn't find acreage that we wanted. We decided to pack our 11 kids up in the travel trailer, and take a winter vacation; we'd camp on the cheap while exploring the south, and go back and build in the spring. Since most of us had never

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

DT: We learned about Thousand Trails through chatter on the Fulltime Families Facebook group.

During our first two years of traveling, we found it challenging to find large-family friendly campgrounds throughout. Online, people were commenting how family friendly TT was, how they welcomed families. We asked a lot of questions from people who had already purchased and used their Thousand Trails memberships, and we called TT’s member services and asked question after question. We even called random TT parks throughout the country.

After many hours of research, we bought a membership, and we've been enjoying Thousand Trails campgrounds ever since!

TB: What is one of your fondest camping memories? How about one of your fondest TT memories?

DT: Most of them center around traditions that we have/do when we are camping together as a family. One of our favorite and fondest traditions requires that our oldest son be camping with us (he is 25 now, and just returned

to the states after being deployed overseas) – he has a talent for reading in character and changing his voice for each person in the story. One of everyone’s favorite memories is of our nightly readalouds, after the campfire, where Greg would read aloud Patrick McManus stories to us, complete with different voices for each character. A couple of years ago, while we were camping at TT Las Vegas, he flew in to spend his Christmas break from boot camp with us. We had purchased a Patrick McManus book and had it ready and waiting; we made him read it to us every night! We tend to remember favorite trips or stays as a whole instead of individual events; another one of our favorite TT memories would have to be a fabulous week at Peace River in Florida last winter! We had a ball sifting for shark teeth in the river, kayaking and fishing, and watching the resident alligator. The kids had a great time in the pool, participating in a Kids Olympics (where they cleaned up in hula hooping and won way too much chocolate!), meeting new friends, taking fun craft lessons, and having late night pickle ball games. We love the family friendly atmosphere of the park, and have lots of great memories there.

TB: Where have you gone that you wouldn't have otherwise, if it hadn't been for your Thousand Trails membership?

DT: Florida! Knowing that there were centrally located Thousand Trails parks we could use for jumping off spots to explore the rest of the state made Florida much ▼ Fishing – Cherokee Landing (TN)

▲ Clamming – Pacific City (OR)

more accessible for us. Thanks to TT Orlando and TT Peace River, we were able to spend parts of the past 2 winters in Florida! Thousand Trails has also made it easier for our family to volunteer in some areas of the country. One of our passions for traveling is that it allows us to do some things that we would not otherwise get to do. We love to volunteer, and our family has volunteered extensively for the past 3 years with Samaritan's Purse to assist homeowners after tornadoes and ice storms. Last year we were able to help in six different states, including helping clean up after an ice storm in North Carolina in March. Thanks to our Thousand Trails membership, we pulled into the area knowing that we had a site and a safe place to camp waiting for us. We were able to donate two weeks working with the clean up crews there. Those efforts helped homeowners who could not help themselves due to not being physically able to clean up the debris, or not being able to afford to hire someone else to clean up their property.

turn off the electronics, and other outside influences when nature is the competition! We love the variety of destination-specific activities that we can participate together in while traveling; whether it’s fishing for bass and catfish in Texas, finding shark teeth at Peace River, walking to the beach at Pacific City, or sandboarding in Florence, we love experiencing new things!

TB: Can you finish this sentence?

I knew I was a TrailBlazer when...

DT: After 3 weeks of traveling as a family, our kids asked if our ‘winter-long camping trip’ could be extended indefinitely. The fact that our kids would come up with the idea of camping all day, every day, without a definitive end in sight, let us know that we’d attained one of our goals – to pass on our love of camping and the outdoors to our kids! ■

TB: What is your favorite part about the outdoor lifestyle?

DT: The ease of connecting with our kids in beautiful, distraction free surroundings; it’s easier to ▲ Gaming – Pacific City (OR)

A TRUE TRAILBLAZER:

GLOBAL NOBLE It was April 1960, and Dean and Noble were departing the Belgian Congo headed for French Equatorial Africa (FEA) and its surrounding countries, en route to Kano, Nigeria, the staging community for tackling the Sahara.

“We were leaving the Congo, a large country over three times the size of Texas. In the small village of Banalia, I bought some beer to be kept cool in our refrigerator to make sure the refrigerator was ready for the big desert ahead of us. It was.

Everything was working well, to our delight,” recalls Noble.

“Friends in Stanleyville had put us in touch with friends of theirs

in Buta. The gentleman worked for a subsidiary of Unilever and traveled 3000 miles a month around this large territory,” recalls Noble. “Thanks to this man, Mr. James, we were wellinformed about road conditions en route to Nigeria. At the time, Buta had 300 Europeans residing in it and the James’ were the only English speaking couple.”

“We were only able to drive 111 miles from Buta the next day due to rough roads. The bamboo was five inches thick at its base and you could hear it grow,” recalls Noble. “We camped that last night in the Congo in the small town of Bongo. We then headed into FEA by crossing the Uele River, which

▼ Entertaining themselves with Noble’s Polaroid camera.

was a tributary of the Chari River. A powered ferry boat took us into French Africa, and we eventually reached the town of Ndu, about 1500 miles from Kano.”

Dean and Noble began to strategize to determine if it was prudent to proceed on to Kano and attempt to cross the 2300 mile Sahara without fourwheel drive. (Remember, the Jeep had lost its front-wheel drive out of Kenya and the Jeep factory had failed to get a new axle in Stanleyville.)

“Dean never hesitated, nor did I,” said Noble. “We would find a way to get across that desert on two-wheel drive. We did know that we could not get across all of the sand dunes without help and we knew we needed to find a source to attach our winch to in order to pull ourselves out of the dunes.”

At Ndu, Dean spent time catching butterflies for a museum in Nairobi and Noble held a lecture for local school boys on world geography. “They knew where Paris was but they did not have a clue where Dakar or Morocco was,” said Noble.

“We had a world map painted on one side of the Jeep so it served this professor well during those special times with the natives.”

Noble’s Polaroid camera also turned out to be both popular and a source of entertainment for the natives. “Who doesn’t like to see a picture of himself taken in good-natured fun?” said Noble.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

The next big town they came to was Bangassou where they picked up a French mechanic in need of a ride to the plantation where he worked, which was, by his estimation, only 40 miles up the road. “We were going his way, so we welcomed our traveler/guest, but his estimate of the distance was a little off,” said Noble. “It was actually 124 miles to the plantation!”

At the town of Bambari, they stocked up on all the fresh water the local hotel could spare, which was all of three liters, as fresh water was a precious commodity.

“We had to accept what was available and, of course, we put the 100 Halizone tablets in our 12-gallon water tank inside the Jeep every time we filled it,” said Noble.

In 1960, the FEA consisted of four territories whose capitals were Libreville, Brazzaville, Bangui, and Fort Lamy in the Republic of Chad. “That covered a very large piece of land area, exceeding 970,000 square miles. And with 6,000,000 people, that is less than seven people per square mile,” said Noble.

“The natives of FEA were passionate about waving to us as we slowly passed them,” recalls Noble. “One evening, while Dean drove, I jogged for two miles behind the Jeep. We slowly entered and left a small village where over 30 natives stopped what they were doing on the spot and jogged with me for about a mile.”

“I can well remember what the many natives were thinking about America,” said Noble. “One of our native hitchhikers said to us, ‘Since you Americans have everything, why don’t you give us much agricultural equipment to make our farming life easier?’

▲ Nobel with some young Congolese children.

I could understand why they might think that way because here we were in their country, in a one of a kind, specially built Jeep, having the time of our lives, so doesn’t everyone in the USA live the same way? We spent much time helping that kind of questioner get a proper and respectful answer that ‘No, not every American lives that way, nor do they want to.’”

Heading to Fort Archambeault, Noble let Dean out to bird watch while he headed into the local Jeep dealer. “In Fort Archambeault, we were invited to dinner by a missionary family.

What I remember about that dinner was that at the time we sat down, the butter was hard and required a stiff knife to cut through it,” recalls Noble. “By the end of the dinner, the butter had turned to syrup. That is how you measure the temperature in the FEA -- by how long it takes the butter to turn into syrup!”

It was another 354 miles to Fort Lamy in the Republic of Chad.

“As was our custom, I dropped Dean off 19 miles out of Fort

Lamy to bird watch and I headed into town. The roads into Fort Lamy were so poorly maintained that it took two and a quarter hours to travel the last 55 miles,” recalls Noble.

“When it came time to obtain visas to enter these countries, we had mixed results, so upon arriving at the Nigerian border we had no visas, but were able to obtain a seven day transit visa at Maiduguri at the border of Nigeria and the British Cameroons,” said Noble. “To our amazement, the road into Kano, our destination from Maiduguri, was paved for 350 miles so we had finally arrived at the staging point to cross the desert. Now all we had to do was find that entity to which we could fasten our winch because we had been advised that our heavy Jeep would not make it with twowheel drive across the sand!”

Stayed tuned as they pursue that endeavor and venture into the Sahara. ■

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

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On The Road

By Lynn & Cele Seldon

Whether you spend life on the road for pleasure or work, it’s nice to have the comforts of home as you travel the highways and byways.

TrailBlazer checks in with folks who spend a fair amount of time on the road to see just what makes their home away from home. This month, we chatted with Nu-Blu, a fast-rising Bluegrass act that hits the road with Lola, their 41-foot Diplomat.

When the road warrior bluegrass act Nu-Blu hits the road, they hop on Lola, their 2001 41-foot Diplomat. The name Lola is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the lyrics of Barry Manilow’s hit song “Copacabana – Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl.”

Nu-Bl

Traveling in their rolling showgirl, Nu-Blu’s concerts and albums have taken the bluegrass world by storm the past few years, with multiple showcase performances at CMA Fest, MerleFest, NAMM, and Folk Alliance. Their new album, All the Way, includes a duet tribute to George Jones with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Sam Moore (“Jesus and Jones”) and “That’s What Makes the Bluegrass Blue” with bluegrass superstar Rhonda Vincent.

Nu-Blu, based in Siler City in central North Carolina, is comprised of Carolyn Routh, who handles bass and vocals; Levi Austin on vocals and banjo; Austin Koerner, who plays mandolin; and Carolyn’s hubby, Daniel Routh, who is the band’s Renaissance man as a guitarist, singer, manager, and tour coordinator, among many other roles.

The group brings its lively and entertaining version of Americana-bluegrass music to audiences across the nation yearround. Their sound acknowledges the traditional institutions that have shaped it, yet is innovative and daring enough to bring a fresh sparkle to contemporary acoustic music that lands them squarely in the forefront of bands blazing the trail in Americana entertainment.

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▲ Bluegrass group Nu-Blu along with their road warrior, Lola – Photos Courtesy of Nu-Blu

Influences range from the sounds of original bluegrass pioneers like Earl Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, and Lester Flatt, to rock bands of the 1980s, and modern contemporary sounds like Alison Krauss and Union Station. Nu-Blu’s full, welcoming sounds provide a home for listeners and encourage them to explore new sounds, create personal roots, and imagine music free from labels.

What’s your favorite thing about traveling in Lola?

Carolyn: Sleeping in my own bed every night.

Daniel: Air conditioning… all the time.

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Levi: Having the ability to stretch out and move around freely during long trips to and from shows.

Austin: A full-size fridge to store all my food.

What are a few favorite things onboard?

Carolyn: A roomy kitchen with a full size refrigerator/freezer, and a spacious shower.

Daniel: Being on the road for 250 days a year, it’s really nice to have some of the entertainment options and comforts that Lola gives us. It really makes the days off on the road nice.

Levi: Bose surround sound system

Daniel: I really don’t have a favorite venue, I enjoy meeting all the new folks at each new place we go.

lu

for band movie nights, George Foreman grill, and my instruments.

Austin: Bluetooth speakers to play music from my phone.

What are a few favorite destinations and why?

Carolyn: I love California because you can see the mountains while you’re standing on the beach. I am also very fond of the Northwest because of its expansive and rugged beauty.

Daniel: I enjoy the Dakotas and Montana. The mountains in New Mexico are also amazing at sunset.

Levi: Daniel seems to book our tours to escape the extreme weather changes where we live in North Carolina. With that being said, my favorite places are

Levi: The Outer Banks Bluegrass Island Festival on the coast of North Carolina is one of my favorite venues to date. There is always an all-star lineup and they hold the largest fireworks display choreographed to bluegrass music. We have played this festival each year it has been put on and have thoroughly enjoyed watching it grow.

Austin: I enjoy the Outer Banks tour that we do each summer.

We get to perform at a lot of really cool venues on or near the beach and I can fish on the piers all night for a week!

What are some favorite meals onboard/on the road?

Carolyn: I like making cool wraps, with a side of veggie sticks and dip. I have a real sweet tooth, so I try to keep fresh fruit onboard to keep me out of the cookie bag. I also keep some quirky things on board for snacking, like pickled beets and pimento-stuffed Spanish olives.

Daniel: I’m a chip-a-holic. Once a bag is opened it’s gone. wherever it is warm when it is winter back home and wherever it is cool when summer brings 90 degree days to North Carolina.

Austin: I like Nashville – there’s always good music and something to do. I also enjoy when we get to perform near Bismarck, North Dakota, because I have friends and family there.

What are a few favorite venues and why?

Carolyn: We are blessed to have the opportunity to play at so many great venues across the United States and Canada that it’s really hard to narrow it down.

I’m going for the obvious. Every January, we start our year with a bluegrass cruise to the Bahamas.

‘Nuf said.

Levi: My current specialty is honey BBQ chicken melts. Its quick, simple, and not fast food.

Austin: Frozen pizzas.

If you couldn’t be in Nu-Blu, what would you do?

Carolyn: Start another band and do it all again. I’m addicted to music and performing. I love my life!

Daniel: I would be in the business of music – performing is my dream.

I’m just lucky enough to be able to do what I love each day.

Levi: I would be playing music elsewhere. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do and I see myself pursuing it as a career for the rest of my life.

Austin: I would be a cook. ■

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foodie

FESTIVALS EATING YOUR WAY ACROSS AMERICA

By Lynn & Cele Seldon

Food-focused festivals are hotter than a Viking range set to 15,000 searing BTUs. With record-setting attendance at these events throughout the United States, it’s obvious that both professional chefs and thousands of food festival fans can stand the heat in – and near – the kitchen.

Each year, there are literally hundreds of varied food-focused festivals nationwide. From first-time efforts in small towns to huge decades-long “foodie” celebrations in Aspen, South Beach, Orlando, Charleston, and elsewhere, food festivals are bigger, better, and tastier than ever.

There’s a platter full of options for those passionate about food. This feature highlights some of the nation’s top food festivals, but it isn’t meant to be all-inclusive – rather, it provides a stomach-filling overview of the quite varied options across the country. ▼ Chef Aarón Sanchez Photo courtesy of Music City Food + Wine Festival

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Most food-focused festivals anywhere in the nation have a few things in common. These include some sort of “grand tasting” featuring dozens of food and beverage samples, cooking demonstrations, beverage seminars and related tastings, specialty dinners using local restaurants and often featuring guest chefs and premium wines, spirited cooking competitions (think “Iron Chef”), wine auctions, and book signings. Celebrity chefs are also frequently present, ranging from Rachel Ray to Mario Batali and many others sure to draw a hungry and star-struck crowd.

Generally arranged chronologically for a year of food festival fun, here are the top food festivals across the country:

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▲ San Diego Bay Food + Wine Photo courtesy of Denise Jones

The South seems particularly welcoming when it comes to a plethora of food festivals and those from the region say they’re as popular as a cast iron skillet full of corn bread.

Of southern-specific festivals, white-hot Atlanta chef Kevin Gillespie says, “The food and wine festivals in the South give a rare opportunity to witness what we’re all about.” Texas, Arizona, and California also offer up a large variety of food festivals to those in search of food – and sunshine.

Music City Food + Wine Festival Photo courtesy of Cambria Harkey

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South Beach Wine & Food Festival Photo courtesy of SOBE/Getty Images

Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival www.sobewineandfoodfest.com

Each February, Food Network stars and their fans head south to Miami Beach for the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

Without a doubt, this is the place to see and be seen for the many culinary superstars now crowding the TV. Held annually since 2001, “SoBe” has quickly become a must-be-there for foodies, thanks to perennial highlights like cooking demos by local and worldwide celeb chefs; a Grand Tasting Village that rivals any festival, wine seminars and tastings, book signings, dinners at some of America’s top restaurants, and feisty cooking competitions to make even Iron Chefs sweat at the stove. This year’s event is set for February 19-22.

Charleston Wine + Food Festival

www.charlestonwineandfood.com South Carolina’s historic coastal city of Charleston has developed an international reputation as a dining destination, so the initial 2006 Charleston Wine + Food Festival was destined to be a huge hit. Like any good food and wine festival, Charleston’s version provides a nice mix of local talent (including celeb chefs like Sean Brock, Frank Lee, Jeremiah Bacon, Kevin Johnson, Craig Deihl, Mike Lata, and more) and culinary icons (past participants have included Frank Stitt and Bobby Flay). Lots of tasty additions and delicious innovations are planned for the tenth helping in 2015, scheduled for March 4-8.

Austin Food & Wine Festival www.austinfoodandwine festival.com

Featuring rock star chefs from Austin’s own red-hot gourmet scene, as well as across Texas and the nation, the Austin Food & Wine Festival puts the spotlight on this rising cultural and culinary city. Past events have included cooking demos and chef panels, a Chef Showcase at the acclaimed Austin City Limits Music Festival, the Taste of Texas, Rock Your Taco Celebrity Chef Showdown, a Feast Under the Stars, Grand Tastings, and more. Texas culinary luminaries such as Chris Shepherd, Tim Love, Paul Qui, and Kent Rathbun join global giants such as Rick Bayless, Ming Tsai, Graham Elliot and dozens more to highlight the culinary influence of The Lone Star State. Set your sights on Austin for April 24-26.

Vegas Uncork’d by Bon Appétit

www.vegasuncorked.com Though it’s happened more recently than in, say, New Orleans or Charleston, Las Vegas has also developed into a phenomenal foodie destination. And Vegas Uncork’d has already grown into an ultimate food and wine festival. Taking advantage of the city’s collection of numerous celebrity chefs and Master Sommeliers (more than any other top wine experts in a single U.S. city), as well as visiting chefs and sommeliers, Vegas Uncork’d features an elite group of Las Vegas resorts and their restaurants. There’s a decadent Grand Tasting with chefs from throughout Las Vegas, delectable dinners at host restaurants, and the presence of celeb chefs and other culinary personalities. Visit the website for 2015 dates.

▲ Vegas Uncork'd by Bon Appétit Photo courtesy of vegasuncorked.com

Devoured Food + Wine Classic

Culinaria

www.culinariasa.org

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It seems fitting that Texas residents and visitors would have a hearty appetite and thirst for big-time food festivals and San Antonio’s Culinaria provides a tasty example. The world tour of flavors features hot local chefs, visiting New World chefs, renowned international vintners, top Texas wineries, and a variety of food-and wine-tasting events throughout the city. One unique feature of this festival is a chance to cruise the San Antonio River (parallel to the famed River Walk), while enjoying world class wine and food pairings. There’s also the New World Grand Tasting, as well as a Sunday brunch at Casa Hernan. This festival certainly succeeds with its goal of highlighting the diversity of cuisine and wine in Texas, Mexico, Latin America, and South America.

Get your appetites geared up for May 13-17.

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www.devouredphoenix.com Devoured Food and Wine Classic in Phoenix is perfectly timed for spring training baseball and lovely weather. Each year, more than 100 restaurant owners, chefs, food producers, wine makers, distillers, and craft beer makers come together to create a unique culinary experience for 4,000 lucky guests.

Arizona’s culinary community is showcased by 5-star restaurants and classically trained chefs, self-made restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs, nationally acclaimed wine makers and beer crafters, and other culinary curators and purveyors who support Arizona’s food, wine, and restaurant industries. This year’s event is set for March 7-8.

A tasty treat at Culinaria Photos courtesy of James Burton

Bon Appétit presents Feast Portland

Asheville Wine & Food Festival

www.feastportland.com

www.ashevillewine andfood.com

The searing hot destination dubbed “Foodtopia” and “Brewtopia” becomes even more of a foodie utopia come August, with a focus on western North Carolina chefs, restaurants, farmers, purveyors, breweries, distilleries, and wineries. The festival includes the speak-easy Elixir, dedicated to North Carolina’s burgeoning craft distilleries, and Sweet, a delectable evening of local bakers, chocolatiers, and patissiers, in the historic Grove Arcade. The highlight of the weekend is the Grand Tasting featuring hundreds of wines poured by local and international wineries, local breweries, regional distillers, restaurateurs and chefs, farmers, and artisan food producers, as well as demos and more. Check website for dates.

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Brunch at Feast Portland Photo courtesy of Erin Mckalip

A celebration of Oregon Bounty, Feast Portland is the flagship food and drink festival of the Pacific Northwest. Started in 2012, Feast Portland showcases the indigenous ingredients of the Pacific Northwest by international and local chefs and culinarians and is one of the hottest rising stars in the food festival world.

Possibilities include two offerings of the Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting, a Night Market street food fair, coffee talks, wine, champagne, spirit tastings, butchery, pie making, juicing, oyster shucking classes, and brunches, lunches, and dinners.

This year’s event will be held September 17-20.

▼ High Comfort – Wine Tasting at Feast Portland Photo courtesy of Alan Weiner

▲ Enjoying Euphoria Photo courtesy of Lynn Seldon Inc.

Euphoria

www.euphoriagreenville.com Up in South Carolina’s Upcountry, Greenville’s award-winning downtown area plays host to Euphoria. Co-founded by Table 301 restaurateur Carl Sobocinski and rocker Edwin McCain (a Greenville native), this unique weekend combines food, wine, and music. Friday night’s Taste of the South highlights southern chefs and includes a concert,

while Sunday Night Supper provides a reason to stay an extra night in revitalized downtown Greenville. Plus, there are plenty of tastings, seminars, and wine maker dinners, as well as food truck rodeos, and a gospel brunch.

Of Euphoria, Frank Lee from famed Slightly North of Broad in Charleston says, “Greenville and Euphoria have a unique downtown scene unmatched in the South.”

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Music City Food + Wine Festival

www.musiccityfoodandwine festival.com One of the newest food & wine festivals on the circuit, the Music City Food & Wine Festival is the brainchild of Grammy Awardwinning artists (and Nashville residents) Caleb and Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon and world renowned chef Jonathan Waxman. Launched in 2013 in the historic venues and outdoor spaces of downtown Nashville, the first two years featured national top chefs, winemakers, and spirit experts, along with lots of local talent. The weekend includes more than 30 demos and panels, a Grand Taste that showcases Nashville’s cream of the crop restaurants and beverages, and Harvest Night, which brings together signature dishes from world-renowned chefs – paired with live music.

Visit the website for details on 2015’s event.

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Kohler Food and Wine Experience

www.destinationkohler.com

Those who think of water more than wine and food when they see the name Kohler should head to the four-day Kohler Food & Wine Experience at The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin.

Founded in 1999 and taking place each October, the event is known for drawing chefs and wine experts from around the world – as well as utilizing lots of local and regional talent. The event offers varied interactive culinary experiences in a quaint village resort setting. Up-closeand-personal interactions are the norm at this event, with cooking demonstrations, seminars, food samples, and new events at The Kitchens of Kohler Restaurants and the unique Kohler Design Center. Visit the website for this year’s event dates.

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▲ Cooking School Photo courtesy of Music City Food + Wine Festival ▲ Giada DeLaurentiis Photo courtesy of Music City Food + Wine Festival ▼ Sustainable Classroom Cooking session Photo courtesy of TerraVITA Food & Drink Festival

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival www.epcotfoodfestival.com

Not all festivals pack dozens of events into a long weekend. For instance, Disney World’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival typically takes place in the fall over a six-week period. The event typically takes place from lateSeptember to early-November and showcases food and wine from countries on six continents – thanks to the international flavor already present throughout Epcot. Highlights typical of the Epcot event can include: the Festival Welcome Center (with a champagne and wine bar, wine seminars, more than 25 outdoor marketplaces with tapas-sized servings and wine and beer pairings, book signings, and souvenirs), some 250 Disney and guest chefs conducting cooking demos, tastings, and elegant dinners, concerts by well-known acts, and Party for the Senses – a grand tasting event held on select Saturday evenings. Visit the website for schedules and event dates.

TerraVITA Food & Drink Festival

▲ Epcot Food & Wine Festival – Photo courtesy of Mindy Drexler

San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival

www.sandiegowineclassic.com

www.terravitaevent.com

North Carolina’s Triangle region – and Chapel Hill specifically – is becoming known for its sustainability efforts through farmers, purveyors, chefs, and restaurants. With educational events like the popular Sustainable Classroom sessions, the celebratory Southern Harvest dinner, and The Grand Tasting featuring chefs, brewers, distillers, farmers, cheese makers, and others, TerraVITA shows that successful sustainable local food and drink is more than just a tasty trend. New events and venues are added annually, leading many attendees to return every year from near and far. Check the website for the 2015 dates.

Rightfully positioning the state as the “Land of Wine and Food” in a creative campaign, California rivals Texas and the rest of the South when it comes to sheer number and variety of food and wine festivals. Thanks to an abundance of great local cuisine and wine, the Golden State is like another Gold Rush for foodies. Since 2004, the San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival has quickly aged into a top California festival vintage. Featuring lots of local and visiting chefs, excellent wines from throughout the state (and around the world), and an elegant Reserve & New Release tasting, this week-long San Diego Bay event is one of many great festival choices on the west coast. Check website for 2015 dates. ▲

San Diego Bay Food and Wine Festival Photo courtesy of Joey Hernandez

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foodie Truckavores the tasty food truck craze continues

By Lynn & Cele Seldon

The food truck craze is continuing across the country in cities and towns large and small.

Quite simply, residents and visitors are taking to the streets in search of fantastic food truck fare. Lots of RVers have embraced the tasty trend when on the road, letting someone else do the cooking in remarkably similar conditions.

The food truck dining experience has a few basics that are relatively similar everywhere.

Food trucks generally have fairly limited menus and some trucks even specialize in a single dish or two. Patrons typically order at a window, pay, and pick up their food when their name or number is called.

â–˛ Bottom pictures: KogiBBQ Photo courtesy of www.flickr.com/photos/kogibbq/

▲ Top pictures: Marination Mobile – Seattle Photos courtesy of marinationmobile.com

It’s typically quick and inexpensive compared to brick-and-mortar plate-and-silverware restaurants – and the offerings are easy-eaten hand food. Plus, though many food trucks are stand alone affairs that bring their offerings to the people, groups of food trucks (sometimes called “rodeos”) are becoming more and more popular – providing many more choices to hungry food truck fans.

Watch It The popularity of Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race,” hosted by chef superstar Tyler Florence, has fueled the flames even more when it comes to the popularity of food trucks. The show, which sends teams into new cities for a frantic weekend of cooking and selling food and scheming and strategizing to win $50,000 and their own fully-outfitted food truck, has highlighted the popularity of food trucks across the country.

“The food truck industry has become a very viable way to

enter the culinary world,” says Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President of Food Network. “We love giving the winner the keys to their new career.”

Having completed its fifth season in 2014 with a new cast of food truck hopefuls that took a highstakes road trip from sunny Southern California to the beaches of Key West, Florida, “The Great Food Truck Race” continues to spread the food truck gospel – as does a new Food Network series called “Food Truck Face Off” that premiered in the fall of 2014.

Hosted by former NFL quarterback and TV veteran, Jesse Palmer, this show provides the opportunity for aspiring food truck owners to realize their dreams in a heartpounding culinary competition that tests every skill needed to succeed, including creativity, business savvy, and, of course, culinary chops.

“With the popularity of food truck fare, and after five successful seasons of ‘The Great Food Truck Race,’ the food truck industry

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a brick-and-mortar restaurant and that a number of the food trucks he covers in his book have closed.

However, even with closings, the number of food trucks across the country is still growing.

Edge’s book has varied chapters, including: “Fries & Pies,” “Waffles & Their Kin,” “Brunch on Wheels,” “Sandwich Up,” “Taco Up,” and many more.

His hilarious Afterword even details his experience of opening (and closing) a Lucky Dog hot dog stand on the courthouse square in his hometown of Oxford, Mississippi. ▲ KogiBBQ – Los Angeles Photo courtesy of www.flickr.com/photos/kogibbq/

continues to draw passionate food entrepreneurs,” says Tuschman.

Through various challenges and head-to-head matchups, each show’s winner walks away with their own food truck for a full year.

tenfold and is now the second largest monthly magazine on the newsstand – with more than 11.6 million readers. And, speaking of reading…

In addition to these two successful series, other Food Network shows and chefs have featured lots of favorite food trucks and dishes. The network’s website, www.foodnetwork.com, offers up dozens of pages featuring past episodes of “The Great Food Truck Race,” as well as features like “Food Network’s Food Trucks Guide” and “Food Network Stars’ Favorite Food Trucks.”

Especially popular with RVers on the road, Food Network is a unique lifestyle network, website, and magazine that connects foodies with the power and joy of food. Food Network is distributed to more than 100 million U.S. households and enjoys up to 35 million unique web users monthly. Food Network’s manager and general partner, Scripps Networks Interactive, also owns and operates Cooking Channel, HGTV, DIY Network, Great American Country, and Travel Channel.

In addition, since launching in 2009, Food Network Magazine has grown

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With recipes and stories from food trucks from Los Angeles and Portland to Austin and New York City, the book also features mouthwatering photography from photographer and fellow foodie, Angie Mosier, who Edge also credits for wrangling or recreating most of the recipes. Quite simply, the book is great to take on the road – whether it’s using a recipe in the next campground or finding a food truck in the next destination when it’s time to…

Eat It

Book It John T. Edge, author of The Truck Food Cookbook and director of the Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of Mississippi, says, “Recent years have been epochal for American street food.”

Which was surely the inspiration for his book.

Filled with information and recipes from America’s top restaurants on wheels, Edge says he considers his 2012 book a truck food snapshot just as the revolution revved up.

He points out that many chefs use food trucks as stepping stones to

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As mentioned, food trucks can come and go. “To become overly attached to one is to court heartbreak,” said Leif Peterson in a 2014 special in USA Today.

Peterson went on to list ten top cities where the food truck scene is well-established and where there are many long-time offerings: Boston, New York, Chicago, Madison, Minneapolis, Austin, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and, of course, Los Angeles.

‘Truckavores’ generally consider Los Angeles as the birthplace of ‘modern’ food trucks. In a city that worships wheels and good food, Mexican-American neighborhoods have hosted loncheras since the 1960s, with traditional and creative tacos and much more service from varied food trucks and other mobile kitchens.

Chef Shack fare at the Mill City Farmers’ Market attests to the farm-to-food-truck aesthetic there and elsewhere in the heartland.

Heading further east, where, according to Edge, New York City street food was once known as “street meat,” along with “dirty water” hot dogs, the choices were limited.

▲ Food Truck "Pod" – Portland, OR Photo courtesy of Nabeel Ahmed

Then, more recently, Roy Choi’s famed Kogi Korean BBQ truck led to dozens of food trucks serving up barbecue, sausages, sandwiches, and lots of ethnic food, especially on streets near thousands of food truck aficionados at Yahoo’s offices, UCLA, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and elsewhere.

Arizona is also literally hot when it comes to food trucks. Many food truck ‘events’ happen on a weekly basis in cities like Phoenix, including “Food Truck Friday” at the Phoenix Public Market, “Gilbert Food Truck Food Court” every Friday, and several versions of “Food Truck Lunch” at area Whole Foods stores. Edge also recommends Tucson, with creative hot dogs, Tex-Mex, and more on the menu.

Austin, Texas, has what Edge calls an ‘Airstream Aesthetic’ and he says there are now more than a thousand mobile food vendors in the city. One of his favorites is Man Bites Dog, which has been serving up creative hot dogs and more since 2009. San Antonio, Houston, and many other Texas cities and towns also have a thriving food truck scene.

into a food court. Portland, Oregon, provides a perfect example of this where they call these groupings of food trucks “pods.” Edge says, “In Portland, where nothing is gourmet, but so much of the food is sourced and prepared with integrity, the pod-based revolution appears to be permanent.”

Seattle has become another food truck hub. It really started in 2006, when Josh Henderson and Danny Sizemore opened Skillet in a 1962 Airstream and posted their GPS location online (a common practice for many mobile food trucks). More recently food truck proprietors like Kamala Sexton and her Marination Mobile concept have kept Seattle on the food truck map.

There are lots of options in midAmerica, including Madison, Wisconsin, and Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Edge recommends the various international offerings as possible stops in the college town of Madison. In the Twin Cities, he says the long line he stood in for

That’s changed dramatically, thanks to food truck entrepreneurs like Jerome Chang (a former Le Cirque pastry chef), who started his Dessert Truck in 2007 in an old U.S. Postal Service vehicle.

Soon, Edge says, hamburgers using beef from grass-fed cattle and creative hot dogs and more from Schnitzel & Things made the food truck scene in Manhattan and beyond explode.

Heading south, Edge says the North Carolina city of Durham is now a great place to find food trucks. He says, “From battered taco trucks patronized by construction workers at midday to sleek stepsides that vend latenight Korean tacos to carousing Duke students, street vendors now charm and feed a wide range of Bull City folk.”

In addition, Durham hotspots like Fullsteam Brewery regularly host food trucks that pair perfectly with their various and highly creative “plow to pint” southern-inspired beers.

That makes Fullsteam a great place to say cheers to the food truck craze! ■ ▼ Skillet – Seattle, WA Photos courtesy of skilletstreetfood.com

Many of Edge’s favorite food truck destinations feature groups of food trucks that can turn a parking lot

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Who’s in the kitchen with

TrailBlazer?

Cooking Like You’re in

a Tr uck

It’s obvious that John T. Edge loves food truck fare. The author of The Truck Food Cookbook and director of the Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of Mississippi says, “If the kitchen has wheels and can move, then I care.” Ironically, food truck cooking is quite similar to cooking in an RV, thanks to limited space, appliances, and tools. The subtitle of Edge’s book provides an appetizer to why so many RVers have bought his tasty book: “150 Recipes and Ramblings from America’s Best Restaurants on Wheels.” Here are three recipes from The Truck Food Cookbook.

WIN THIS !

K COOKBOO

See page 62 for details.

TAMARIND-GLAZED FRIED CHICKEN DRUMMETTES Ingredients: • ½ cup cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 package (14 ounces) tamarind pulp (see Notes) • 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger • 3 whole cloves • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest ▲ Tamarind Fried Chicken Drummettes Photo courtesy of Angie Mosier

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 16 chicken wing drummettes (the meaty portion of the chicken wing) • Peanut oil, for frying the chicken • ½ cup sesame seeds, toasted (see Notes)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

Notes:

1. Combine the cider vinegar and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook: stirring until the brown sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the tamarind pulp, ginger, and cloves, stirring to break up the tamarind pulp, and cook until the mixture becomes a thick glaze that coats the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in the orange zest and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Remove the tamarind glaze from the heat and keep it warm.

Tamarind pulp is sold in Indian and Mexican grocery stores and some supermarkets. Look for a brand such as Goya, which already has its seeds and strings removed. To toast the sesame seeds, set a dry skillet over medium heat (do not use a nonstick skillet for this). Add the sesame seeds and heat them, tossing occasionally, until lightly toasted and aromatic, 3 to 5 minutes. Keep an eye on the sesame seeds; you don’t want them to burn. Transfer the toasted sesame seeds to a heatproof bowl to cool.

2. Place the flour, cornstarch, pepper, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt in a shallow bowl and stir to mix. Dredge the chicken drummettes in the flour mixture.

3. Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a cast iron skillet and heat over high heat until it registers 350°F on a deep fry thermometer. Working in batches and being careful not to overcrowd the skillet, carefully add the drummettes to the hot oil and cook until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked chicken drummettes to paper towels to drain.

4. Toss the drained chicken drummettes in the tamarind glaze and sprinkle them with the toasted sesame seeds before serving.

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Author John T. Edge enjoying a food truck experience. – Photo Courtesy of Lou Weinert

CRAWFISH PIES Ingredients:

▲ Crawfish Pies – Photo courtesy of Angie Mosier

FOR THE CRUST

FOR THE FILLING • 1 pound peeled crawfish tails

• 1½ teaspoons salt

• 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

• ¼ teaspoon white pepper

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme • ¼ cup crawfish stock or other seafood or chicken stock

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter

• 2 ribs celery, chopped • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice • 4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough • ¼ cup cake flour

• About ½ cup ice water

• ½ cup heavy (whipping) cream

• 2 quarts peanut oil, for frying the pies

• ¾ cup cooked white rice

• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

• ½ cup chopped scallions • ¼ cup Creole Cream Cheese (recipe follows) • ¼ cup grated white cheddar cheese

• 1½ teaspoons Creole seasoning

Directions: 1. Make the filling: Drain the crawfish tails in a colander over a bowl, setting aside the liquid.

2. Place the onion, red and green bell peppers, celery, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor and puree them.

Set the pureed vegetables aside.

3. Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over high heat. Let it brown a little, then add the ¼ cup of all-purpose flour and whisk constantly until the flour is lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pureed vegetables to the skillet, stir to mix, and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the Creole seasoning, salt, black and white peppers, thyme, and the reserved crawfish liquid and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Add the crawfish stock and let boil for 2 minutes.

4. Add the cream and let the mixture return to a boil while whisking it for 2 minutes, then remove it from the heat, add the rice, scallions, Creole Cream Cheese, and cheddar cheese and stir to combine.

5. Transfer the filling mixture to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it until cold, about 1 hour.

Once the filling is cold, gently stir in the crawfish tails.

Continued on Next Page

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

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Crawfish Pies Continued:

6. Meanwhile, make the crust: Mix both flours and the salt on a large, clean work surface. Cut the 8 tablespoons of butter into pats and pinch them into the flour mixture. Make a well in the flour mixture and add 1¼ cup of the ice water. Continue to pinch the dough, adding more ice water just until the dough holds together. Once you have a good firm dough, knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface for about 15 minutes. If you did it right, your forearms should hurt. Form the dough into a ball, and allow it (and yourself) to rest for at least 10 minutes.

7. Cut the ball of dough in half, wrap in plastic, and place that half in the refrigerator. Using a rolling pin, roll out the second half of dough without adding any flour. Then sprinkle the dough lightly with flour, flip it over, and roll it again until it is about ⅛ inch thick. When you think you’re done, roll it out and flip it again, dusting it with more flour. Using a cereal bowl about 4 inches in diameter, with a defined rim, trace circles on the dough with a knife and cut them out. Repeat with the second ball of dough.

8. Heat the peanut oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until a deep fry thermometer attached to the side of the pot registers 360°F. 9. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of one half of a circle of dough. Using a pastry brush, paint the edge of the dough with the egg mixture. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling to make a half-moon shape. Crimp the edge of the dough with a fork to seal it. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Working in batches and being careful not to overcrowd the pot, carefully add the pies to the hot oil and cook them until puffed and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked pies to paper towels to drain.

Creole Cream Cheese • 1 gallon skim milk • ½ cup buttermilk • 8 drops of liquid rennet (see Note) YOU’LL ALSO NEED • 1 piece of butter muslin or cheesecloth

1. Combine the skim milk, buttermilk, and liquid rennet in a large pot and heat over medium heat to a temperature of 110°F, about 10 minutes. Remove the milk mixture from the heat, cover the pot with a towel, and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Do not stir.

2. After 24 hours, place a large colander lined with butter muslin or cheesecloth in the sink and pour the milk mixture into the colander. Let the cheese drain for 10 minutes, then refrigerate it overnight after pulling the edges of the cloth over the top of the cheese and setting the colander in a bowl to catch drips. Once it has drained, you will have Creole cream cheese. Remove the cloth and store the cheese in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 weeks.

Note: Liquid rennet is available in the refrigerated section of natural food stores.

CHORIZO TACOS WITH EGGS

Directions: ▲ Chorizo Tacos Photo courtesy of Angie Mosier

Ingredients: • 1 small onion, chopped • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro • 4 small (6 inches each) flour tortillas • 6 ounces good-quality fresh Mexican chorizo • 8 large eggs, lightly beaten

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1. Combine the onion and cilantro and set aside.

2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and warm the tortillas one at a time in the skillet until pliable, about 30 seconds on each side. As you work, wrap the tortillas in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove and discard the casings from the chorizo, crumble the chorizo into the skillet, and cook it until browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Reduce the heat to medium, add the eggs to the skillet, and cook, stirring, until the egg and chorizo mixture is set to taste. Divide the scrambled eggs and chorizo equally among the 4 tacos. Garnish each with some of the onion and cilantro mixture, then fold up the tortillas, if desired.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

Lucky winners,

Paul & Jennifer Phillips from Sioux Falls, SD were camping at Wilderness Lakes when they were presented with a $1,000 gift card!

WANT TO BE A

Y K C LU ?

R E N N I W

Thousand Trails is offering members the opportunity to win a

$1,000 American Express Gift Card To earn entries into our monthly drawing, simply pay your 2015 dues on time and camp at your favorite TT Preserve.

When you pay your annual dues for 2015 in full, you will be entered into our monthly drawing for a $1,000 American Express gift card. There will be one drawing/one winner each month from January through December 2015. In addition, once you pay your dues in full, each time you camp at a Thousand Trails Preserve in 2015, you will receive an additional entry into the drawing. The drawings are limited to persons who are of legal age. The drawings will be held at our corporate office on the 10th day after the end of each month.

Winners will be notified by mail, phone or in person if camping at a Thousand Trails preserve. The odds of winning will depend on the number of entries, but are not expected to exceed 1:100,000. Winners are responsible for federal and state taxes on the award. You may also enter the drawings by printing your name, address, day and evening phone numbers, and email address on a 3� x 5� piece of paper and mailing it to the Sponsor in addressed, stamped envelope. You are limited to one mail-in entry which must be postmarked

by December 15, 2015. This promotion is sponsored by MHC Thousand Trails Limited Partnership, Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

45

Encore Activities and Events

Events Calendar

ARIZONA

Countryside RV Resort Apache Junction

Jan 6 ................. Variety/Comedy Showcase .......................... featuring Gary Tyson Jan 18-24......... ‘50s/’50s Week Celebration Jan 18 ............... Car Show and Resort BBQ Jan 20 ............... Dinner Theater featuring .......................... Saddle Strings Jan 26 ............... Fashion Show and Expo Feb 10 .............. Countryside Fun Night & .......................... Talent Show Feb 14 .............. Valentine’s Day Dance .......................... featuring Sam Pecorilla .......................... Band Feb 15 .............. Chili Cook-Off Feb 15-21 ........ Western Week Celebration Feb 17 .............. Kenny Rogers Tribute .......................... Concert featuring .......................... Dave Karl Mar 3 ............... John Denver Tribute .......................... Concert featuring .......................... Brad Fitch Mar 17 ............. St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Mar 24 ............. Comedy Show featuring .......................... Jan Sandwich

46

Don’t miss these exciting Encore concerts and events scheduled in 2015.

Golden Sun RV Resort

Paradise RV Resort

Jan 8 ................. The Neil Diamond .......................... Tribute Feb 19 .............. “56” – ‘50s Rock & Roll .......................... Review Mar 12 ............. One of these Nights – .......................... The Eagles Tribute Mar 25 ............. Dancing with the Stars

Jan 5 ................. “Those Were the Days” .......................... with William Florian Jan 12 ............... Tribute Concert – .......................... Neil Diamond Jan 19 ............... Mark Cordes – .......................... The Spouse Whisperer Jan 26 ............... Terry Davies as .......................... “The Piano Man” Jan 28 ............... The Mellow Winds .......................... Clarinet Band Feb 9 ................. Tribute to Shania Twain .......................... & Tim McGraw Concert Feb 16 .............. Barbra Streisand .......................... Tribute Concert Feb 23 .............. Rock and Roll Historic .......................... Bus Tour with .......................... Dave Somerville Mar 9 ............... DIVAS of Rock Concert .......................... with Marva Scott Mar 17 ............. St. Patrick’s Day Dinner .......................... with Level 2 Band Mar 23 ............. “Time in a Bottle” .......................... Concert

Sun City

Apache Junction

Monte Visa RV Resort Mesa

Jan 13 ............... Concert Series – .......................... Hot August Nights Jan 17 ............... Saturday Night Dance .......................... with The Needham Twins Jan 21 ............... Showtime – .......................... Missouri Opry Duo Jan 27 ............... Concert Series – .......................... The Piano Man Feb 1 ................. NFL Football .......................... Championship Bowl Party Feb 10 .............. Concert Series – .......................... Shania Twain/Tim McGraw .......................... Tribute Feb 14 .............. 50th Wedding .......................... Anniversary Celebration Feb 18 .............. Showtime – .......................... Ahwatukee Foothills Band Feb 20 .............. Monte Vista 30th .......................... Anniversary Celebration Feb 24 .............. Concert Series – .......................... Diamond Dave Feb 28 .............. Saturday Night Dance – .......................... Harry Matthews Mar 10 ............. Concert Series – .......................... Nashville Gold Mar 11 ............. Showtime – MV Chorus Mar 17 ............. St. Patrick’s Day .......................... 5K Run/Walk Mar 18 ............. Showtime – Cross Strung Mar 21 ............. Farewell Dance – .......................... The 8-Track Band Mar 24 ............. Concert Series – .......................... The Spouse Whisperer April 2 .............. Farewell Happy Hour

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

ViewPoint RV & Golf Resort Mesa

Jan 13 ............... Dueling Pianos .......................... Dinner Show Jan 15 ............... Nashville Gold Concert Jan 16 ............... Beach Party Dance .......................... featuring Pam & Dave Trio Jan 20 ............... Flamenco Por La Vida .......................... Dinner Show Jan 22 ............... Frankie Valli & The Four .......................... Seasons Tribute Concert Jan 27 ............... Hypnosis with Pattie .......................... Dinner Show Jan 29 ............... AbbaFAB – .......................... The Abba Experience .......................... Tribute Concert Feb 3 ................. Laughing Bird Music and .......................... Comedy Dinner Show Feb 5 ................. Shania Twain/Tim McGraw .......................... Tribute Concert Feb 10 .............. 50th Anniversary Dinner .......................... Show with 6 Ft. Up Band Feb 12 .............. Barbra Streisand .......................... Tribute Concert

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

Encore Activities and Events

Visit RVontheGo.com for details.

Feb 17 .............. Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras .......................... Dinner Show with .......................... AZ Zydeco Band Feb 20 .............. Disco Party Dance .......................... featuring Basketball .......................... Jones Band Feb 24 .............. Dinner Show with ASU .......................... Priority Male Acapella .......................... Group Feb 26 .............. Magic of Manilow .......................... Tribute Concert Mar 3 ............... Dinner Show with Tia’s .......................... Royal Islanders Mar 5 ............... Rod Stewart, Michael .......................... Bublé, Natalie Cole .......................... Tribute Concert Mar 10 ............. Dinner Show with Jolly .......................... Roger Magic and Comedy Mar 12 ............. Soul of Motown .......................... Tribute Concert Mar 13 ............. Hasta La Vista BBQ and .......................... Hoedown Dinner Dance .......................... with Jeff Stevens Band Mar 17 ............. St. Patrick’s Day Parade & .......................... Celebration

Voyager RV Resort Tucson

Jan 23 ............... Beachfront Property .......................... Concert Jan 24 ............... Albert Galli Dance Jan 30 ............... Dinner & Show with .......................... Missouri Opry Feb 6 ................. Jim Van Slyke Feb 13 .............. Voyager Musical .......................... Instrument Showcase Feb 14 .............. Valentine’s Day Dance & .......................... 50th Anniversary .......................... Reception Feb 17 .............. Gaslight Theater (off-site) Feb 20 .............. Mardi Gras Dinner & .......................... Show with Wildcat .......................... Jazz Band Feb 27 .............. Doo Dah Parade & .......................... Voyager at the Races Feb 28 .............. Albert Galli Dance Mar 4 ............... Show & Tell Show Mar 5-6 ............ Guys & Dolls by Voyager .......................... Lt. Opera Co. Mar 9 ............... Voyager Fun Band Concert Mar 12 ............. Arizona Opry (off-site)

Mar 16 ............. Barbershop Spring Concert Mar 19 ............. Season’s End Party Mar 23 ............. Voyager Show .......................... Choir Concert Mar 27 ............. Albert Galli Dance

FLORIDA

Bulow Plantation RV Resort Flagler Beach

Feb 2 ................. NFL Football .......................... Championship Bowl Party Feb 14 .............. Valentine’s Day Dinner

Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort Clermont

Yuma Art Center (Yuma)

Jan 16 .............. Hot August Night – .......................... The Ultimate Neil .......................... Diamond Tribute Jan 30............... The Neil Sedaka .......................... Legacy Feb 13.............. The Tribute – .......................... featuring the music .......................... of Shania Twain and .......................... Tim McGraw Feb 27.............. “Diamond” .......................... Dave Somerville – .......................... The Rock & Roll .......................... History Bus Tour Mar 6................ AbbaFAB – .......................... The Abba Experience .......................... Tribute Concert

Jan 5 ................. ELS Tournament & Dinner Feb 2 ................. Health Fair Feb 13 .............. Valentine’s Day Dance Feb 21 .............. Spinney Brothers Show Feb 27 .............. 33rd Annual Variety .......................... Talent Show Mar 5 ............... Stitcher’s Tea Party Mar 6 ............... New Odyssey Show Mar 9 ............... ELS Tournament & Dinner Mar 13 ............. Green’s Keepers Revenge, .......................... Tourny & Dinner Mar 17 ............. St. Patrick’s Dance Mar 19 ............. Mens Golf Banquet Mar 21 ............. Indoor Flea Market Mar 31 ............. Ladies Golf Dinner April 4 .............. Yard Sale

Crystal Isles RV Resort Crystal River.

Jan 17 ............... Welcome Back Party Feb 1 ................. NFL Football .......................... Championship Bowl Party Feb 8 ................. Chili Cook-Off Feb 14 .............. Valentine’s Day Dinner Mar 17 ............. St. Patrick’s Day Mar 21 ............. Farewell Party

Mar 20............. Mark Cordes – .......................... The Spouse Whisperer

Gulf View RV Resort

Stay at any of our Yuma resorts and enjoy shuttle service to the Yuma Art Center. Yuma resorts include Araby Acres, Cactus Gardens, Capri, Desert Paradise, Foothill Village, Mesa Verde, and Suni Sands.

Jan 8 ................. State Beverage Tasting Jan 10 ............... Rob Mills Family .......................... Gospel Show Jan 24 ............... Dance with Steve Elston Feb 6 ................. Poker Run Feb 13 .............. Valentine’s Day Dance Mar 5 ............... Dog Parade Mar 14 ............. St. Patrick’s Day Dance Mar 19 ............. Ladies Tables of 8 Lunch Mar 26 ............. Farewell Pool Party

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

Punta Gorda

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

47

Encore Activities and Events

Events Calendar

Don’t miss these exciting Encore concerts and events scheduled in 2015.

Harbor Lakes RV Resort

Sherwood Forest RV Resort

Jan 3 ................. Cahal Dunne Stage Show Jan 10 ............... Welcome Back Party Jan 20 ............... Boutique on Wheels .......................... Fashion Show .......................... and Luncheon Jan 31 ............... “Chili Night in Jan” .......................... Dinner/Dance Feb 14 .............. Valentine’s Day .......................... Dinner/Dance Feb 21 .............. Magic Show Feb 28 .............. “Can-Can” Charity Dance Mar 6-7 ............ Follies Variety Show

Feb 11 .............. 3rd Annual Poker Run Feb 14 .............. Valentine’s Day Breakfast Feb 15 .............. Weaver Family .......................... Entertainment Mar 3 ............... Seasonal Appreciation .......................... Breakfast Mar 14 ............. Poolside Appreciation .......................... Party Mar 17 ............. St. Patrick’s Day Dessert .......................... Social April 5 .............. Easter Egg Party & Hunt

Lake Magic RV Resort

Odessa

Port Charlotte

Clermont

Jan 10 ............... Welcome Back Party Jan 13 ............... “31” Tournament Jan 27 ............... Trivia Feb 13 .............. Valentine’s Day Dinner Feb 17 .............. Poker Run Mar 13 ............. St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance Mar 20 ............. Auction and Bake Sale

Pine Island RV Resort St. James City

Feb 7................. Craft Show Feb 14.............. Valentine’s Day Dinner .......................... and Dance Party Mar 17............. St. Patrick’s Day Party ...........................

Pioneer Village RV Resort North Fort Myers

Jan 29-Feb 1 .... Pioneer Days Feb 28 .............. Luau Dinner Mar 28 ............. Farewell Dinner

Royal Coachman RV Resort Nokomis

Jan 6 ................. Concert Series #1: .......................... “Sounds of Soul” Jan 8 ................. Italian Fest Jan 27 ............... Johnny Rogers Concert Feb 14 .............. Valentine’s Day Dance Feb 26 .............. Concert Series #2: .......................... “New Odyssey” Mar 19 ............. Concert Series #3: .......................... “Abba Girlz” Mar 21 ............. Car Show

48

Kissimmee

Silver Dollar RV Resort Jan 10 ............... Wounded Warrior Shoot Jan 14 ............... Welcome Back Party Jan 19 ............... Dixie Grand National .......................... Trap shoot Jan 30 ............... Kemen Ammo Shoot Feb 6 ................. Federal Ammo Shoot Feb 13 .............. Beretta Shoot Feb 14 .............. Valentine’s Day Dance Feb 20 .............. White Flyer Shoot Feb 25 .............. Concert Mar 13 ............ Paralyzed Veterans Shoot Mar 16 ............. Southern Grand National .......................... Championship Mar 24 ............. Florida State .......................... Championship Apr 10 .............. ELS Golf tournament

Southern Palms RV Resort

Ormond Beach

Feb 14 .............. Valentine’s Day Dance Feb 15 .............. Dale Jr. Day Feb 16 .............. Race Week Mar 1 ............... Bike Week April 1 .............. Farewell Party

Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina Florida Keys

Jan 7 ................. “Welcome Back!” Party Jan 24 ............... “Once Upon a Murder” .......................... Mystery Dinner Jan 25-31 ......... 11th Annual Fishing .......................... Tournament Feb 4 ................. Ladies Fashion Show .......................... Luncheon Feb 10 .............. Mardi Gras!

Feb 14 .............. Valentine’s Day .......................... Dinner Dance Mar 17 ............. St Patrick’s Day Event Mar 27 ............. “Last Hurrah!” Pool Party

Sunshine Travel RV Resort

Eustis

Jan 13 ............... The Dave & Daphne Show Jan 17 ............... Chili Cook-Off Jan 23 ............... Annual Dessert Auction Jan 27 ............... The Marlinaires Show Feb 11 .............. Doin...What Comes .......................... Naturally Feb 17 .............. The Atlantic City Boys Feb 24 .............. Bocce Club Spaghetti .......................... Dinner Mar 9 ............... Laughing Bird .......................... Comedy Show Mar 21 ............. Hawaiian Luau April 5 .............. Easter Potluck Lunch

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

Sunshine Holiday RV Resort

Vero Beach

Jan 6 ................. Wine Tasting Jan 11 ............... Italian Night Jan 17 ............... BBQ Lunch Jan 31 ............... German Dinner & Dance Feb 6 ................. Subs and Stuff Feb 10 .............. Wine Tasting Feb 13 .............. Valentine’s Day Dance Mar 3 ............... Wine Tasting Mar 7 ............... Variety Show Mar 11 ............. Italian Lunch Mar 15 ............. St. Patrick’s Day .......................... Dinner/Dance Mar 21 ............. Craft & Bake Sale Mar 28 ............. End Of Year Party

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

Terra Ceia RV Resort Palmetto

Jan 9 ................. Pappy Melon Jan 31 ............... Snowflake Dance Feb 7 ................. Resort Yard Sale Feb 14 .............. Valentine’s Day Dinner Feb 21 .............. ‘70s & ‘80s Dance Mar 13 ............. Keith Colman as .......................... Johnny Cash Mar 17 ............. St. Patty’s Day Dinner Mar 27 ............. Sweethearts of Branson Mar 27 ............. Thank You Dinner

Toby’s RV Resort Arcadia

Jan 3 ................. Crystal Gage Jan 17 ............... Steve Elston Jan 22 ............... Reconnections Dance Jan 24 ............... Cahal Dunne Show Feb 7 ................. Johnny Roberts Show Feb 14 .............. Gotta Luv It Feb 21 .............. Jack Brickles Show Feb 28 .............. Heart & Soul Mar 7 ............... Bill Crastill Show Mar 14 ............. Bob Weed Mar 17 ............. Good Stuff Mar 21 ............. Amber Waves Band Show Mar 28 ............. The Unknown DJ

Winter Quarters Manatee RV Resort

Feb 1................. Championship Game on .......................... the TV at the Clubhouse Feb 14.............. Charity Dinner, .......................... Dean Martin Serenade .......................... and Desert Buffet Feb 21.............. Community Yard Sale Feb 21.............. Chili Cook Off Feb 22.............. Community Yard Sale .......................... Continues Feb 26.............. Happy Hour at .......................... the Clubhouse

TEXAS Alamo Palms Alamo

Jan 4................. Jim Greeninger .......................... Master Guitar Jan 11............... The Sonics Jan 8................. Patrick & Tracy Jan 25............... Southern Anthem Feb 1................. RGV Concert Band Feb 8................. Janson Whorlow Feb 15.............. Auntie Kreamsaugen Feb 22.............. J. C. Bullock Feb 23.............. The Leslie Show Mar 1................ Denim & Diamonds Mar 8................ Texas Variety Band Mar 15............. In Park Musicians Feb 14.............. Pelican West Dance Mar 17 ............ St. Patrick's Day Parade

Fun-N-Sun RV Resort San Benito

Jan 4 ................. Freddie & Sheila Jan 12 ............... Welcome Back Winter .......................... Texans with the .......................... Vendors/Walter Plant Jan 19 ............... Dinner Show with .......................... Jackson Haney Jan 21 ............... Connie’s Cabaret Jan 24 ............... Back to the ''50s Jan 25 ............... Jim Greeninger Jan 26 ............... Mexican Fiesta Jan 31 ............... Kenny Hess Feb 2 ................. Bernie & Red Feb 3 ................. Gospel Festival Feb 7 ................. Goldwing Feb 8 ................. Leslie Blasing Feb 9 ................. Pans of Steel Feb 10 .............. Mardi Gras Square Dance Feb 13 .............. Valentine’s Dance Feb 14 .............. Hot August Night Concert Feb 15 .............. J.C. Bullock Feb 16 .............. Dinner Show with .......................... Rolando Reyes Feb 17 .............. Mardi Gras Dance Feb 18 .............. Connie’s Cabaret Feb 21 .............. Senior Prom – .......................... “A Night to Remember” Feb 22 .............. 50th Golden Wedding .......................... Anniversary Celebration Feb 28 .............. The Music of Shania .......................... Twain Tribute

Bradenton

Jan 13 ............... Spittin’ Image .......................... Photography Session Jan 17 ............... Dance with .......................... Taylor & Taylor Jan 31 ............... Dance with Del & Gary Feb 1 ................. Tailgate & NFL Football .......................... Championship Bowl Party

Winter Quarters Pasco Lutz

Jan 7................. Pappy Melon Show Jan 9................. Life Line Screening Jan 10............... WQP Poker Run Jan 14............... Happy Hour at .......................... the Clubhouse Jan 22............... Polly's Pot Luck Jan 31............... Boat Trip

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

49

Encore Activities and Events

Visit RVontheGo.com for details.

Encore Activities and Events

Events Calendar

Don’t miss these exciting Encore concerts and events scheduled in 2015.

Paradise South RV Resort Mercedes

Fun-N-Sun RV Resort – Continued Mar 1 ............... The Castaway Mar 2 ............... Encore Games Banquet Mar 2 ............... Faithful Singers Mar 3 ............... Las Vegas Night Mar 7 ............... Fun-N-Sun Arts & .......................... Crafts Exhibition Mar 7 ............... AbbaFAB – .......................... The Abba Experience .......................... Tribute Concert Mar 8 ............... Boxcar Bob and .......................... Cactus Willie Mar 9 ............... Luau Mar 14 ............. The Piano Man Mar 15 ............. Jeff Hunt Mar 16 ............. Electric Ukelele Mar 17 ............. Ladies National .......................... Shuffleboard Tournament Mar 17 ............. St. Patrick’s Day Parade Mar 18 ............. Mens National .......................... Shuffleboard Tournament Mar 18 ............. Connie’s Cabaret Mar 19 ............. National Shuffleboard .......................... Finals Mar 21 ............. Sock Hop Mar 22 ............. Lyle Beaver Mar 29 ............. Betty Rydell

Lakewood RV Resort Harlingen

Jan 8 ................. Welcome Back Party with .......................... Walter Plant Jan 10 ............... Dance with Castaways Jan16 ................ Gordie & Debbie Show ...........................

50

Jan 17 ............... Dance with Carlos Cana Jan 18 ............... John Sager Show Jan 23 ............... Special square dance Jan 25 ............... Goldwing Express Jan 29 ............... Back to the ‘50s Jan 31 ............... Diego dance Feb 1 ................. Championship ........................ Football Party Feb 2 ................. Steel Band Feb 5 ................. Game World Feb 6 ................. Cross Strung Band Feb 7 ................. Car, Quilt & Craft show Feb 7 ................. Solitary Man Feb 8 ................. Heart to Heart Feb 10 .............. Neil Diamond Concert Feb 14 .............. Valentine Dinner dance .......................... with Lynn Dvorak Feb 15 .............. Sherwin & Pam Linton .......................... show Feb 20 .............. Punches Show Feb 24 .............. Shania Twain & .......................... Tim McGraw Tribute Feb 28 .............. Dance with Doug Borman Mar 10 ............. Piano Man Concert Mar 14 ............. Dance with Walter Plant Mar 15 ............. Richard Jones Show Mar 17 ............. St. Patrick’s Day Party

Paradise Park RV Resort Harlingen

Feb 12 .............. Texas Hold’Em .......................... Tournament

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

Jan 3 ................. Pancake Breakfast Jan 4 ................. Greg Jones Entertainment Jan 5 ................. Ladies Luncheon Jan 8 ................. Craft Sales & Lunch Jan 9 ................. Welcome Back Dinner Jan 9 ................. Walter Plant Dance Jan 10 ............... Biscuit & Gravy Breakfast Jan 11 ............... Gold Wing Entertainment Jan 12 ............... Soup Fundraiser Jan 13 ............... Peter Piper Noon Buffet Jan 13 ............... ‘31’ Tournament Jan 14............... Wade Landry Jan 16 ............... Jim King Dance Jan 17 ............... French toast Breakfast Jan 18 ............... Leslie Blasing Jan 19 ............... Celebrity Talent Show Jan 20 ............... Diego Dance Jan 21 ............... Ropa Dig Jan 23 ............... Back to the ‘50s Concert Jan. 24 .............. Baked Taters Fundraiser Jan 25 ............... Patrick & Tracy .......................... Entertainment Jan 27 ............... Mama’s Wranglers Jan 28 ............... Winterfest @ the Island Jan 30 ............... Rancho El Charco Trip Jan 31 ............... JC Harrisson TBD................. ‘50s Theme Dance & .......................... Ropa Fashion Show TBD................. Start of Encore Games Feb 1 ................. Championship .......................... Football Party Feb 2 ................. Ladies Luncheon Feb 2 ................. Jami Asselin .......................... Entertainment Feb 4 ................. Specialty Swimwear Sale Feb 7 ................. Pancake Breakfast Feb 7 ................. 50th Anniversary .......................... Celebration Feb 7 ................. Jeff Hunt Dance Feb 8 ................. Ambassadors of Grace .......................... Entertainment Feb 10 .............. Peter Piper Noon Buffet Feb 10 .............. GAME -Minute to Win It Feb 12 .............. Craft Sale & Lunch Feb 13 .............. Encore Concert Hot .......................... August Night Feb 14 .............. Biscuit & Gravy Breakfast Feb 14 .............. County Line Dance

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

Feb 15 .............. Lindley Creek .......................... Entertainment Feb 16 .............. ‘31’ Tournament Feb 17 .............. Mardi Gras Party Feb 20 .............. JC Bullock/Hillbilly .......................... Dance Feb 21.............. French toast Breakfast Feb 22 .............. Pausitive Band .......................... Entertainment Feb 23 .............. GAME – .......................... Street Family Feud Feb 24 .............. Kenny Hess Dance .......................... Encore Concert Feb 27 .............. Shania Twain & .......................... Tim McGraw tribute show Feb 28 .............. Dog Show Mar 2 ............... Ladies Brunch Mar 2 ............... Encore Games Banquet Mar 4 ............... Sunday Night Entertainers Mar 6 ............... Theme Dance “PJ” Party Mar 7 ............... Pancake Breakfast Mar 9 ............... Sunday Night Entertainers Mar 10 ............. Lunch at Peter Piper Pizza Mar 10 ............. Diego Dance Mar 12 ............. Craft Sale & Lunch .......................... Encore Concert Mar 13 ............. Piano Man Mar 14............. Biscuit & Gravy Breakfast Mar 16 ............. ‘31’ Tournament Mar 17 ............. St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Mar 17 ............. Walter Plant Dance Mar 21 ............. French toast Breakfast Mar 21 ............. Pool Party

Southern Comfort RV Resort Weslaco

Mar 4 ............... Hawaiian Luau

Sunshine RV Resort Harlingen

Jan 18............... Goldwing Express Show Jan 18............... Betty Rydell Show Jan 21............... Encore’s Back to ‘ ............................’50s Show Jan 23............... Dale and Gayle Show Jan 24............... Maggie Mae Show Jan 25............... Bill Chrastil Show Jan 27............... Sugar Mill Presentation Jan 30............... Rio Duo Show Jan 31............... Monthly Dance Feb 1................. Pausitive Band Feb 4................. Kinney Hess Show Feb 6................. Variety Club Show Feb 8................. Minnie Crumit Show Feb 11.............. Encore’s Tribute to .......................... Neil Diamond Feb 12.............. Ladies Luncheon .......................... Fashion Show Feb 14.............. Valentine’s Day .......................... Dinner/Dance Feb 15.............. Greg Jones Show Feb 17.............. Mardi Gras Parade Feb 18.............. Barefoot Becky Show Feb 20.............. Rio Duo Show Feb 21.............. Craft Show Feb 21.............. Alaska String Band Feb 25.............. Encore’s Shania Twain .......................... Tribute Show Feb 27.............. Annual Residence Dinner Feb 28.............. Monthly Dance Mar 1................ Kitchen Band Concert Mar 3................ Annual Dog Show Mar 7................ Variety Club Show Mar 8................ Sunshine Bells Concert Mar 11............. Encore’s Piano Man Show Mar 12............. Ladies Luncheon with .......................... Greg Jones Mar 15............. “Valerie” Show Mar 17............. St. Patty’s Day Party Mar 20............. Rio Duo Show Mar 25............. Farewell Dinner

Jan 4................. Punches Family Show Jan 7................. Diego Dance Jan 8................. Ladies Luncheon Jan 9................. Welcome Back Dinner Jan 11............... J.C. Bullock Show Jan 12............... Glady Porter Zoo .......................... Presentation Jan 14............... Luau Theme ............................. Dinner/Dance Jan 17............... David Church Show

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

Tropic Winds RV Resort Harlingen

Jan 7 ................. Duke Mason Show Jan 10 ............... The Jets Dance Jan 18 ............... Diego Dance Jan 24 ............... Luau Dinner Dance with .......................... Fred Goldsberry Jan 31 ............... Mario Rosales Show Feb 6 ................. Dave & Daphne Show Feb 10 .............. Mardi Gras Bash Feb 14 .............. Valentine’s Day Dinner .......................... Dance with The Jets Feb 18 .............. Patrick & Tracy Show Feb 20 .............. Leslie Blasing Dance Feb 26 .............. Diego Dance Feb 28 .............. John Sager Show Mar 5 ............... Sock Hop Dance with .......................... Jackson Haney Mar 13 ............. Denim & Diamonds Show Mar 18 ............. St. Patrick’s Day Dinner .......................... Dance with Diego

Victoria Palms RV Resort Donna

Jan 11 ............... Ron & Nancy Mosier Jan 14 ............... Bernie & Red Comedy .......................... Show/Red Hat Luncheon .......................... (all are invited) Jan 25 ............... Square Dance Party Jan 31 ............... Bernie & Red .......................... Comedy Show Feb 1 ................. Country Variety Show Feb 18 .............. 50th Anniversary .......................... Celebration Feb 19 .............. Legends & Laughter – .......................... Bill J. Brooks Feb 25 .............. Poker Run Feb 26 .............. Hands Across the Border Feb 15 .............. Razz Ma Taz Mar 1 ............... Barber Expo Mar 4 ............... Pat Davison’s Comedy .......................... Magic Circus Mar 12 ............. Jacobson Shuffleboard Mar 15 ............. AbbaFAB – .......................... The Abba Experience .......................... Tribute Concert Mar 17 ............. St. Patrick’s Day .......................... Celebration and Golf Cart .......................... Parade Mar 20 ............. Beach Party

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

51

Encore Activities and Events

Visit RVontheGo.com for details.

Member Deals

Thousand Trails Members Always Save At

RVontheGo.com Call! Click! Camp!

1-888-443-7301

▲ Crystal Isles RV Resort (FL)

Thousand Trails Standard Discount:

20% Off

lf & ▲ Clerbrook Go L) RV Resort (F

Daily Rates

10% Off

▲ Breezy H

ill RV Resort

(FL)

Monthly Rates

Valid at all Encore RV Resorts *Restrictions/exclusions apply and are listed at bottom of this page.

▲ Sunshine Travel RV Resort (FL)

*Subject to availability. Reservations required. Rates based on a standard site. Stays of 30 days or less are subject to $4 per day resort fee. Electric not included for stays of 30 days or longer. Rates do not include taxes. Amenities vary by resort. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions.

Rates exclusively for members of Thousand Trails, NACO, Mid-Atlantic, Leisure Time and Outdoor World. Offer not valid on holidays and special events; certain restrictions may apply. Two week maximum stay per resort at discounted rate.

52

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

Member Deals

▲ Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina (FL Keys)

Weekly Rates At Select Florida Resorts

40% Off Weekly Rates Valid 12/16/14 - 4/30/15

Use Promo Code: TT40W15 rt (FL)

▲ Lake Magic RV Reso

Seasonal Rates At Select Florida Resorts

Sunshine Travel $999/3-Month Use Promo Code: TT999S

Clover Leaf Forest

$1299/3-Month Use Promo Code: TT1299S

Valid at: Bulow, Southern Palms, Vacation Village, Terra Ceia, Toby’s RV Resort, Pioneer Village, Fiesta Key, Topics RV Resort, Crystal Isles RV Resort, Clover Leaf Forest, Barrington Hills, Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort, Highland Woods, Sunshine Travel.

20% Off One Week Valid 12/16/14 - 4/30/15

Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort

Use Promo Code: TT20W15 Valid at: Sunshine Holiday Ft. Lauderdale, Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina, Breezy Hill, Fort Myers Beach, Silver Dollar, Sunshine Holiday Daytona, Gulf Air, Gulf View, Harbor Lakes, Lake Magic RV Resort, Pine Island, Ramblers Rest, Royal Coachman, Sherwood Forest.

$1699/3-Month Use Promo Code: TT1699S Valid 1/1/15 - 3/31/15

**Restrictions/exclusions apply and are listed at bottom of this page.

**Restrictions/exclusions apply and are listed at bottom of this page.

**Subject to availability. Reservations required. Rates based on a standard site. Stays of 30 days or less are subject to $4 per day resort fee. Electric not included for stays of 30 days or longer. Rates do not include taxes. Amenities vary by resort. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. Rates exclusively for members of Thousand Trails, NACO, Mid-Atlantic, Leisure Time and Outdoor World. Offer not valid on holidays and special events; certain restrictions may apply. Two week maximum stay per resort at discounted rate. Stays of 30 days or longer, electricity may be an additional charge.

CIRCLE NO. 104 ON FAST FACTS CARD PAGE 58

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

53

Member Deals

▲ Tropic Winds RV Resort (TX)

Select Arizona & Texas Resorts

$199/Week* Use Promo Code: TT199AT15

$699/Month*

Use Promo Code: TT699AT15

▲ Monte Vista

RV Resort (AZ)

Valid through 4/30/15 Valid at: Araby Acres, Monte Vista, Paradise RV*, Victoria Palms, ViewPoint*, Voyager. *Offer does not apply for stays in Paradise RV and Viewpoint from January through March.

▲ Fun-N-S

un RV Reso

rt (TX)

$149/Week Use Promo Code: TT149AT15

$449/Month

Use Promo Code: TT499AT15 Valid through 4/30/15 Valid at: Cactus Gardens, Capri, Casita Verde, Countryside, Country Sunshine, Desert Paradise, Fiesta Grande, Foothill Village, Foothills West, Fun and Sun, Golden Sun, Lakewood, Mesa Verde, Paradise Park, Paradise South, Southern Comfort, Sunshine RV, Suni Sands, Tropic Winds, Valley Vista.

▲ Paradise RV Resort (AZ)

**Restrictions/exclusions apply and are listed at bottom of this page. **Subject to availability. Reservations required. Rates based on a standard site. Stays of 30 days or less are subject to $4 per day resort fee. Electric not included for stays of 30 days or longer. Rates do not include taxes. Amenities vary by resort. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. Rates exclusively for members of Thousand Trails, NACO, Mid-Atlantic, Leisure Time and Outdoor World. Offer not valid on holidays and special events; certain restrictions may apply. Two week maximum stay per resort at discounted rate.

54

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

Member Deals

▲ Fiesta Grande RV Resort (AZ)

Seasonal Rates at Select Arizona & Texas Resorts

$999/3-Month Valid through 4/30/15

Use Promo Code: TT999AT15

▲ Cactus Gardens RV

Resort (AZ)

Valid at: Alamo Palms, Cactus Gardens, Capri, Casita Verde, Countryside, Country Sunshine, Desert Paradise, Fiesta Grande, Foothill Village, Foothills West, Fun N Sun, Golden Sun, Lakewood, Mesa Verde, Paradise Park, Paradise South, Southern Comfort, Sunshine RV, Suni Sands, Tropic Winds, Valley Vista.

$1,349/3-Month Valid through 4/30/15

Use Promo Code: TT1349AT15 ▲ Suni Sands RV Resort (AZ)

RVontheGo.com 1-888-443-7301

Call! Click! Camp!

Valid at: Araby Acres, Monte Vista, Paradise RV, Victoria Palms, ViewPoint, Voyager.

**Restrictions/exclusions apply and are listed at bottom of this page. **Subject to availability. Reservations required. Rates based on a standard site. Stays of 30 days or less are subject to $4 per day resort fee. Electric not included for stays of 30 days or longer. Rates do not include taxes. Amenities vary by resort. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. Rates exclusively for members of Thousand Trails, NACO, Mid-Atlantic, Leisure Time and Outdoor World. Offer not valid on holidays and special events; certain restrictions may apply. Two week maximum stay per resort at discounted rate.

Stays of 30 days or longer, electricity may be an additional charge.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

55

RPI? “Our RPI membership provides us more access to camping. We currently stay close to the West Coast but our plans for next year include traveling and camping in the east. With our RPI membership that is possible.”

– David & Ruth, Whittier, CA

More Camping

More Destinations Freedom • Flexibility • Fun! Call to Learn More About RPI 56

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

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57

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS 1 Jewish month 5 Repast 9 Women’s Army Corps (abbr.)

12 Parrotfish 13 Holly 14 Adjective-forming (suf.)

15 Robot 17 Fr. medieval tale 18 Demolish: Brit.

19 Course 21 Tablespoon (abbr.)

24 Religious rites 27 Loop trains 30 Pledge 32 Madam 33 Totem pole 34 Large E. Indian tree 36 Videocassette recorder (abbr.)

37 Flightless bird 39 Tempo: music 40 Verily 41 Rom. box 43 Endearment 45 Pain 47 Reek 50 Crab-eating macaque 52 Vamp (2 words) 56 Month abbr.

57 Time period 58 Tolstoy heroine 59 Danish county 60 Plexus 61 Eucalyptus secretion

Answers can be found on page 64.

Reader Service

FREE PRODUCT INFORMATION For product information, complete the Fast Facts card circling no more than 25 numbers, and drop in the mail. You can also visit our website www.trailblazermagazine.net for links to our advertisers’ websites.

FF# Advertiser

Page

116 Carefree RV Resorts ������������������������������������������������������������������� 65 104 Equity Lifestyle ���������������������������������������������������������������������52-55 161 First Street/Perfect Choice HD �������������������������������������������������� 13 132 GEICO ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 68 165 Lazydays �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9 128 SkyMed �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 67 124 Winnebago ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 2

58

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

DOWN 1 Axilla 2 Sullen 3 Gulf of the Ionian Sea 4 Perch 5 Sheep's cry 6 Superlative ending 7 Heb. zitherlike instrument 8 Dirge 9 Aperea (2 words) 10 Amer. Automobile Assn. (abbr.)

11 Cost of living index (abbr.)

16 Afr. dried apricots 20 Air-to-air missile (abbr.)

22 Milk (Fr.) 23 Famous violin 25 Sprint 26 W. Indian hog plum 27 Executive (abbr.)

28 Tibetan priest 29 Riser (2 words) 31 Increase 35 Employees 38 Television channel 42 Supporters of Mohammed 44 Rustic 46 Indian butter 48 Guenon monkey 49 Sicilian resort 50 "The Jungle Book" python 51 Revolutions per minute (abbr.)

53 Out (Scot.)

54 Compass direction 55 Pat

ASK

RVBILL

YOUR TECH QUESTIONS ANSWERED!

Q:

A:

I have read your column in TrailBlazer for the last couple of months and have two questions.

Elizabeth, you did not say which chassis the Winnebago Class C motorhome is housed on, but more than likely it is a Ford E-350 chassis with a 460 engine. These E Series chassis were notorious for high engine compartment temperatures because of the confined space. I don’t know whether yours is carbureted or fuel injected, as this year was on the borderline of either one. If it is a fuel injected, I doubt very seriously that you are getting vapor lock. Because of the age, I would have the fuel system checked from one end to the next. This would include inspection of the fuel filter, fuel pump, and the fuel pressure. If the engine is not getting enough fuel pressure under a load, this would seem like a vapor lock. The steel fuel lines are very close to the top of the engine, which gets very hot. You could have the fuel lines wrapped with some type of insulation. There are some rubber fuel lines in the system that run from the frame to the top of the fuel tank where the fuel pump is located and to the fuel filter. These rubber fuel lines can split, causing the system to draw air with the fuel simulating a vapor lock. There is a remote possibility that it could be ignition-related, such as a module. Usually vapor lock and failure of ignition module occurs in high ambient temperatures, as well as hot pavement temperatures.

My first question is about my husband’s parents’ 1988 Winnebago Class C motorhome which we have used. When traveling anywhere from one to three hours, the engine gets vapor locked. My father-in-law installed a dryer hose with a fan from the doghouse out to the wing window, but this is not proving to be effective.

Do you have any solutions for this situation?

My second question is regarding a refrigerator in a 1999 Jayco Heritage Laurel. I have the setting at the highest temperature setting and it freezes everything.

I am now questioning any settings that may not be correct regarding the refrigerator. What could be the problem?

Elizabeth Gilberts

GOT A QUESTION FOR BILL?

You did not mention the manufacturer of your refrigerator; however, the lowest number is always the warmest setting. In other words, the higher the number, the colder the refrigerator is going to get. The best way to check the refrigerator section is with a thermometer and a glass of water on the top shelf. Ideally you would like the water temperature to be around 34 degrees. To be accurate, adjust the temperature number on the fridge based on what the thermometer in the water is reading. The temperatures may also vary according to ambient temperature. During high ambient temperatures, absorption type cooling units are not very efficient, thus explaining why you might have noticed that in the cooler nighttime hours, the fridge will function better. Dometic and Norcold offer fan kits to make the cooling units more efficient in high ambient temperatures. I highly advise that you have one of these fan kits installed to improve efficiency.

SEND AN EMAIL TO

AskRVBill@equitylifestyle.com

RV BILL'S QUICK

Reader Comment: Howdy Bill, I so enjoy your column and informed answers. Regarding Randy Smith's concern (Oct. Trailblazer) about running with the frig on: We have always mounted a refrigerator temperature monitor above our frig, with a small wire attached to the sensor that goes inside the frig. One can see the inside frig temperatures at a glance and it is a rare 5 hr. drive where the temps go above 45 F with the frig off. On really hot days if we notice the frig temps at 45F and if we are NOT stopping for gas that day, we will turn on the frig for the rest of the day, but this is fairly rare. We have never had a problem with refrigerator food going bad or the freezer defrosting even when inside frig temps are up to 47F when we arrive in camp. FWIW!

TIP

If you are looking to upgrade from a lead acid battery to a high end, maintenance free battery as found with an absorbed glass matt (AGM) type, my suggestion would be a battery made by LIFELINE. These batteries will perform 3-4 times longer than a lead acid and they will not sulfate, meaning they can sit for long periods of time without major damage.

Ted Keener, Bend, Oregon JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

59

THOUSAND TRAILS

PREFERRED RV DEALERS

Check out member specials on parts, service and sales by visiting our preferred RV Dealer partners listed below, or visit with them directly at our next Member Appreciation Day.

Orlando (FL)

A&L RV Sales TN - Christiana - www.alrvsales.com

Camperland Trailer Sales TX - Conroe • www.camperland.net

ET Quality RV CA - Yuba City • www.etqualityrv.com

Alpin Haus NY - Amsterdam, Port Jervis, Saratoga www.alpinhaus.com

Campers Inn CT - Union; FL - Leesburg, Jacksonville GA - Macon; MA - Raynham NC - Kings Mountain, Mocksville NH - Kingston, Merrimack www.campersinn.com

Floyd’s RV OK - Norman • www.floydsrvs.com

Al’s Trailer Sales OR - Salem • www.alstrailers.com American Family RV VA - Chesapeake www.americanfamilyrv.com Bama RV AL - Dothan • www.bamarv.com Baydo’s RV of Chehalis WA - Chehalis • www.baydosrvs.com Big Country RV OR - Bend, Redmond www.bigcrv.com

Charlie Obaugh RV VA - Staunton www.charlieobaughrv.com Clear Creek RV WA - Silverdale www.clearcreekrvcenter.com Country Camping Corner NC - Kings Mountain, Matthews www.countrycamping.com

Blade Chevrolet RV WA - Mt. Vernon • www.bladerv.com

Crossroads Trailers NJ - Newfield www.crossroadstrailers.com

Boat-N-RV NY - West Coxsackie; SC - Ridgeland PA - Hamburg • www.boatnrv.com

Curtis Trailer Center MI - Schoolcraft www.curtistrailercenter.com

Braun’s Fun Time Campers IN - Indianapolis www.funtimecampers.com

Economy RVs MD - Mechanicsville www.economyrvs.com

Browns RV SC - McBee www.brownsrvsuperstore.com

Ellis Travel Trailers GA - Statesboro www.ellistraveltrailers.com

60

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

Funtime RV OR - Tualalin • www.funtimervinc.com Hayden’s RVs VA - Richmond • www.haydensrvs.net General RV Center IL - Huntley MI - Brownstown, Mt. Clemens, Wayland, White Lake, Wixom OH - North Canton www.generalrv.com Gibs RV Superstore OR - Coos Bay www.gibsrvsuperstore.com Keystone RV Center PA - Greencastle www.keystonervcenter.com Lakeside RV Sales SC - Anderson www.lakesidervsales.com La Mesa RV AZ - W. Phoenix,Yuma CA - Sacramento, San Diego FL - Ft. Myers, Orlando, Port St. Lucie, Riviera Beach www.lamesarv.com

THOUSA N TRAILS D PREFERR DEALER ED S

McKay’s RV & Marine Center ME - Holden • www.mckaysrv.com Media Camping PA - Fairless Hills, Hatfield, Media www.mediacamping.com Mike Thompson RV Superstores CA - Cathedral City, Colton, Fountain Valley, Santa Fe Springs www.mikethompson.com Out of Doors Mart NC - Colfax • www.outofdoorsmart.com Patterson RV TX - Wichita Falls • www.pattersonrv.com Paul Evert’s RV Country AZ - Bullhead City; CA - Coburg, Fresno NV- Laughlin; WA - Fife, Mt. Vernon www.rvcountry.com Phillips RV Center MI - Mount Morris • www.phillipsrv.com PPL Motorhomes TX-Houston, New Braunfels www.pplmotorhomes.com Princesscraft RV TX - Round Rock • www.princesscraft.com R.B. Taylor & Sons VA - Lynchburg www.rbtaylorandsons.com

Recreation Plantation RV Sales IL - Lynwood www.recreationplantationrvsales.com

Snyder’s RV VA - Virginia Beach www.snydersrv.com

Roy Robinson RV WA - Marysville www.royrobinsonrv.com

Strickland Marine & RV SC - Seneca www.stricklandmarineandrv.com

Russ Dean Family RV WA - Pasco • www.russdeanrv.com

Sunbelt RV Center TX - Belton • www.sunbeltrv.com

RV’s For Less TN - Knoxville • www.rvsforless.net

Sundown RV Center CA - Atwater • www.sundownrv.com

RV Value Mart PA - Lititz, Manheim www.rvvaluemart.com

Super Deals RV Inc. GA - Douglasville www.superdealsrv.com

Safford RV VA- Thornburg • www.saffordrv.com

TAC Trailer and RV NC - Moyock • www.tactrailerandrv.com

Scott Motor Coach NJ - Lakewood www.scottmotorcoach.com

Tom Raper RVs IN - Richmond • www.tomraper.com Vogt RV TX - Ft. Worth • www.vogtrv.com

See Grins RV CA - Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San Martin www.seegrins.com

Welcome Back RV Outlet TX - Athens • www.welcomebackrv.com

Seguin RV TX - Seguin • www.seguinrv.com

Western Travel Sales WA - Lynden www.westerntravelsales.com

Simi RV & Off Road CA - Simi Valley • www.simi-rv.com Smart Choice Auto Group & RV Sales TX - Jersey Village www.smartchoiceautogroup.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

61

Invite The Truck Food Cookbook to your next camp side meal!

Be the ONE lucky winner to win John T. Edge's cookbook, “The Truck Food Cookbook”, featured on pages 38-41. Simply send a postcard with your name, address and email to: Entries mu Win The Truck Food Cookbook! st p ostmarke be c/o TrailBlazer Magazine d by Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800 2/28/15!

Chicago, Illinois 60606 One winner will be drawn in a random drawing on March 15, 2015, and will be notified by email or mail.

This promotion is sponsored by MHC Thousand Trails Limited Partnership, Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606. Cookbook has a retail value of $18.95. The odds of winning the drawing depend on the number of entries received and are not expected to exceed 1:10,000.

Show Your

Love

For Valentine’s Day,

Adopt-A-Manatee® For a Loved One

Get in Gear!

1-800-432-(JOIN) 5646

savethemanatee.org Photo © David Schrichte

62

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

• Hats • Sweatshirts • T-Shirts • Koozies

e!

and mor

ThousandTrailsGear.com

e!

Tim y l l a R s ' t I

Calendar

CLUB JAN/FEB 2015 TT SINGLES Central California Jan 23-25 ��������������������� San Benito, CA Feb 27-Mar 1 �������������� Morgan Hill, CA Mar 27-29 ��������������������� San Benito, CA Apr24-26 �������� Lake of the Springs, CA May 22-25 �������������������� San Benito, CA June 26-28 ����������������� Morgan Hill, CA July 24-26 �������������������Snowflower, CA Aug 28-30 ��������������������Snowflower, CA Sept 25-27 ������������������ Morgan Hill, CA Oct 23-25 �������� Lake of the Springs, CA Dec 4-6 ������������������������� San Benito, CA Contact Jane Davis at (209) 986-1088 or email to janedjd@pacbell.net; Becky Staffeld at (408) 253-6995 or email to bstaffeld@att.net.

Northwest Contact: Director Marybeth Turner at (206) 255-9363 or email to Marybeth.

Turner@seattle.gov; Winnie Hoyteniuk at (604) 858-9757 or email to winnie@smartt.com (British Columbia); Daphne Bailey at (503) 590-8566 or email to daphnebailey07@comcast.net (Oregon); or Linda Christofferson at (360) 653-3648 (Washington).

TT Travelers Southern California Jan 5-7 ������������������������������Pio Pico, CA Feb 2-4 ��������������Wilderness Lakes, CA Mar 2-4 ������������������������������ Soledad, CA Apr 6-8..................... Palm Springs, CA Contact: Cecil Brown, Wagonmaster at cecilbrown@hotmail.com or call (951) 323-1714.

TTN So Cal Weekenders Feb 6-8 ��������������Wilderness Lakes, CA Mar 6-8 ��������������������� Palm Springs, CA Apr 3-5 ���������������� Soledad Canyon, CA May 1-3 ������������������������� Oakzanita, CA June 5-7 ����������������������������Pio Pico, CA Aug 7-9 ���������������������������� Idyllwild, CA Sept 11-13 �������������������������Pio Pico, CA Oct 2-4 ��������������������������� Oakzanita, CA Nov 6-8 ��������������Wilderness Lakes, CA Dec 4-6 ��������������������� Palm Springs, CA We are a group of TTN members who meet once a month at Southern California preserves. All ages welcome; we have both working and retired members. No dues, just fellowship.

Email: ttnweekenders@earthlink.net website: http://home.earthlink. net/~ttnweekenders/.

TT of Texas/FMCA Jan 2-4 �����������������������Lake Conroe, TX Feb 10-17 ����������������� Tropic Winds, TX Mar 6-8 ������������������ Colorado River, TX May 1-3 ���������������������Lake Texoma, TX Sept 11-13 ����������������Lake Whitney, TX New members must be a member of TTN and FMCA. Contact Connie Farrar at (817) 454-4612 or email to ttnfmcachapter@gmail.com.

Our website is: ttnoftexasfmca.com.

We also have a blog site: www.ttfmcaralliesandmore.blogspot.com.

TTWest/FMCA Jan 11-14 ����������������� Palm Springs, CA Mar 20-26 ������������ Soledad Canyon, CA May 15-17 ������ Lake of the Springs, CA July17-19 ��������������������� San Benito, CA Sept 11-13 ��������������� Russian River, CA Nov 13-15 ������������������Lake Minden, CA

June 16-19, 2015.. Bend/Sunriver, OR Wagonmaster will be Dick and Dena Iverson, contact information (360) 883-5839 or denaiverson@q.com

(rally follows FMCA West Rally in Indigo)

Members of Thousand Trails and FMCA meet at Northern California Preserves bimonthly. Contact Bob Litfin at (408) 226-6529 or email to clitfin@USA.com. Reservations are required two weeks in advance.

Bounders United (BUTTN) March 6-8..........Wilderness Lakes, CA Wagonmaster will be Bob and Darlene Spalding, contact information (951) 741-3881 or wrkerbees@yahoo.com.

Bounders United/TTN are TTN members who own Bounder motorhomes and belong to Bounders United. For more information, contact Darlene Spalding at (951) 741-3881 or email at wrkerbees@yahoo.com.

TT East Trail Buddies We are an FMCA chapter exclusively for TT Members. We have three rallies each year at TT preserves on the East Coast. For more information, please contact Club Secretary Peter Kamenik at (410) 287-8440 or email to trailbuddiestteast@gmail.com.

Terms and Conditions for 2015 Referral Promotion from page 4.

For each Eligible Referral (as defined) through December 31, 2015, you will receive a $25 Visa® Prepaid Card. In addition, for each Eligible Referral through December 31, 2015, you will receive one entry in a drawing for the following prizes: (i) Grand Prize is either a trip to Hawaii or a 7 night Caribbean Cruise, valued at $4,000, that includes roundtrip coach airfare for two adults from the continental United States to either Hawaii or Florida, and one hotel/cruise room for 7 nights; (ii) Second Prize is a trip to either Las Vegas, San Francisco or Orlando, valued at $2,000, that includes roundtrip coach airfare for two adults from the continental United States to either Las Vegas, San Francisco or Orlando and one hotel room for 4 nights and (iii) ten (10) Third Prizes waiving payment of the winners’ annual dues for 2015, not to exceed $545 each. The trips do not include taxes, meals, beverages, transfers, gratuities, activities and other personal expenses. Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash. The drawing will be held at our corporate offices on or about January 7, 2016. The winners will be notified by telephone.

The odds of winning a prize depend on the number of entries and are not expected to exceed 1:10,000. For this promotion, an Eligible Referral is a person who (i) purchases a new Zone Camping Pass from us between January 1, 2015 and December 14, 2015, and (ii) lists you as the referring member. This offer is only for members in good standing of Thousand Trails and its affiliates. Due to legal restrictions, (a) residents of AZ, FL, NV, and PA are not eligible to participate in the drawing and you will not receive an entry in the drawing for purchases made by residents of AZ, FL, NV, or PA, and (b) residents of AZ and PA are not eligible to receive a $25 Visa® Prepaid Card and you will not receive a $25 Visa® Prepaid Card for purchases made by residents of AZ or PA. We reserve the right to extend, modify, suspend, or terminate this promotion at any time for any reason; however, any rewards earned prior to the suspension or termination of this promotion will be honored. Employees of Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. and its affiliates are not eligible to participate in this promotion. All local, state and federal income taxes are the responsibility of the recipient. Accordingly, we recommend that all participants consult a tax advisor about reporting rewards for tax purposes. We will issue the required 1099 to each participant and to the IRS when the total value of awards you are eligible to receive equal or exceed $600 for one year. This advertising is being used for the purpose of soliciting sales of resort campground memberships. This document has been filed with the Department of Licensing, State of Washington, as required by Washington law. Value, quality, or conditions stated and performance on promises are the responsibility of the operator, not the Department. This filing does not mean that the Department has approved the merits or qualifications of any registration, advertising, or any gift, prize, or item of value as part of any promotional plan. This promotion is sponsored by MHC Thousand Trails Limited Partnership, Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER 63

Complete

Fast Facts entries will be entered in our Monthly Drawing to

Win a $25 American Express Gift Card!

This month’s Fast Facts winner is

Anna Smith of Lakeville, MA

for

Free Prod For free pro uct Inform duct informa for produc ation and t information tion (and a chance Chance to to win $25 and drop ) circ Win! this card in 101 the mail. On le up to 25 correspon 102 103 e Fast Fac ding Fast 111 ts winner Facts num 104 112 will be sele bers 105 113 cted month 106 121 114 ly.

107 122 115 108 123 116 131 109 124 117 132 110 125 118 133 126 141 119 134 127 142 120 135 128 143 136 151 129 144 137 152 130 145 138 153 146 161 139 154 147 162 140 155 148 163 156 149 164 157 150 165 158 166 159 167 160 168 169 170 Member #

Phone #

Find The Evergreen Tree An evergreen tree is hidden somewhere in this issue. Drop us a postcard telling us where you found it, and if your card is drawn you’ll win a $25 American Express Gift Card!

Pat Martino of Mission Viejo, CA

Answers – Crossword puzzle can be found on page 58

found the tree on Page 59 of the Oct Issue Did you find the tree in this issue?

Send your entry (postcards only) to TrailBlazer Evergreen Tree Two North Riverside Plaza Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.

Postmark deadline is February 28, 2015 and remember – the tree could be a different color and size.

Answers – Sudoku puzzle can be found on page 62.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

It’s your money. Save it well.

50 off %

*

Daily rates in January and February

at any of these Florida Carefree RV Resorts, with a 5-day minimum stay in February.

Big Tree (water/electric sites) · Arcadia · 863-494-7247 · Grove Ridge · Dade City · 352-523-2277 Horseshoe Cove (water/electric sites) · Bradenton · 1-800-291-3446 Red Oaks · Bushnell · 352-793-7117 · Waters Edge · Zephyrhills · 813-783-2708

Please call the park of your choice to make your reservation today.

It’s your time. Live it well. Live carefree. carefreeRVresorts.com *Offer valid for new reservations only, first time visitors please, sites are limited and based on availability. Not valid holidays and special events.

Electric not included on stays 21 days or more. Reservations cannot be made more than 48 hours in advanced.

CIRCLE NO. 116 ON FAST FACTS CARD PAGE 58

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 TRAILBLAZER

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On Location

in Yuma While temperatures are anything but warm in the north, Yuma is full of sunny days, warm weather, and tons of activity! What's more, Encore has seven RV resorts to make your winter home. Whether you are looking to stay in the comfort of your own RV or rent a park model, we have what you are looking for.

While here, check out the many local attractions or attend one of our many concerts, featuring top entertainers. Stay at any of our Yuma resorts and enjoy shuttle service to the Yuma Art Center. Yuma resorts include Araby Acres, Cactus Gardens, Capri, Desert Paradise, Foothill Village, Mesa Verde, and Suni Sands.

Remember, Thousand Trails members always Save 20% off the daily rate at Encore RV Resorts!

Capri Resort

Araby Acres RV Resort

For more information on staying in Yuma:

844.289.6231 RVontheGo.com

Suni Sands

NO ONE DOES IT BETTER

Thousand Trails Members Qualify For Association Discounts Attend A SkyMed Meeting For Details call 800-679-2020 for meeting locations

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN AN EMERGENCY? SkyMed members simply call our toll-free number and speak to a caring SkyMed representative

24 SEVEN 365.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Hospital-to-Hospital Emergency Air Transport Vehicle & Vessel Return Visitor Transportation Transportation for Recuperation Nearer Home Commercial Carrier Medical Escort Flights

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Ground Ambulance Helicopter 100 Mile Waiver SkyMed Plus (Pet Return) Minor Children / Grandchildren Return Primary Driver Disability Physical Remains Return

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

Escort / Companion Transportation Return Transportation After Recovery Incidental Expense Allowance Organ Retrieval Organ Recipient Transportation Global Emergency Travel Services

800-679-2020

www.skymed.com/thousandtrails CIRCLE NO. 128 ON FAST FACTS CARD PAGE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 58

2015 TRAILBLAZER

67

SAVE TODAY. VACATION TOMORROW. See how much you could save on RV insurance.

for your RV

geico.com | 1-877-434-2678 | local office

68

Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are notTRAILBLAZER available in all states or all GEICO companies. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. Š 2014 GEICO JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 CIRCLE NO. 132 ON FAST FACTS CARD PAGE 50