Summer 2011 betterRVing.com

SUMMER 2011

The Ultimate Tail-Gator Shady Spots in the Sunshine State Plus:

Trouble Shootin’ with Ernie Keep Your Coach Cool Flat Track Racing

Where are you headed?

To a quiet glen with a stream running through?

To the big city for a loud family gathering?

Or to the open water to hear the quiet woosh of the wind in your sails?

It doesn’t matter where you go or what type of RV you get there in – your dreams await you at the end of the road.

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Shady Spots in the Sunshine State Perfect outdoor day trips for fun, adventure or a day of floating lazily down the river.

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The Ultimate Tail-Gator

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Westward Dreams

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IT’S SAID THE PULLED PORK SANDWICH

IS ENOUGH TO PUT A MAN TO SLEEP FOR DAYS.

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Luckily, you came prepared.

Along the Georgia coast on I-95, you’ll come across an unpainted shack that is home to what just might be the world’s best barbecue sandwich. It is a thing of wonder. Pit-cooked for countless hours over oak and hickory, the pork is chopped on the spot, laid on a large bun, and seared at high heat on a well-worn sandwich press. What comes out 60 seconds later is toasted pig perfection. So good, you might be tempted

to order more than one. Which for the average customer, might present a bit of a coma-inducing problem.

Not so if you arrive at the GA Pig in our Phaeton.® This very well-priced diesel pusher is one of America’s best-selling Class A motor homes. The Phaeton is practical, yet it’s filled with the creature comforts that make for a first class RV: optional leather seating, porcelain tile flooring, ▲ Our exclusive PowerGlide chassis smooths out the longest journeys. a convection microwave, and up to four flat screen TVs. And with the equally legendary Tiffin warranty and customer service, you’re sure to sleep even better.

(Just try to make it to the next campground first.)

John Burns shows us what team spirit is all about.

Lazydays is setting up camp in Tucson, Ariz.

Lazydays expert Matt Sibbick takes us inside the exciting world of flat track racing.

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All Fore Fun

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Junior Ranger Program

Two for the Road: Keystone Raptor

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Exit 10: Enter Fun Lazydays Campground opens the door to great food, nostalgia and a darn good time.

Master of Mysteries & Minnie Winnies Independent and creative are two characteristics that make a great RVer – and a great mystery writer.

Experience the Lazydays Employee Foundation Golf Tournament.

The National Park Service offers a unique way to get kids and families involved in America’s wildlife education and preservation.

Little Camper and the Big Catch Fly-fishing instructor Chris O’Byrne gives us tips on fly-fishing and talks about being a new r-pod owner.

The Winnebago Tailgate Rally Winnebago Industries first couple, Bob and Kathy Olson, talk about their love of the RV lifestyle.

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Flat Track Racers

Matt Sibbick and Joe Coupas get down and dirty with Keystone’s premiere toy-hauler.

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Work Camping: Transitions Consummate work camper Bill Whetstone gives advice on making a smooth transition between work camping jobs and locations.

Trouble Shootin’ with Ernie

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Traveling With Kids

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“Kurpe” Diem

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Lazydays Events

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RV Details

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Partner Spotlight

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Technically Speaking with Steve Roddy

The top ways to keep your kids engaged in the family vacation experience.

A young couple throws off convention and blazes their own trail.

What’s happening at Lazydays.

A peek inside Thor Motorcoach’s Astoria, Fleetwood’s Expedition and the Lance’s Slide-in Camper.

Meet Bruce Dickens, Lazydays Parts department technician.

RVers toughest questions answered.

Ernie deals with a circuit overload.

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Always Secure the Homefront

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Keep Your Coach Cool

A little humor in learning the RV ropes.

Sam Matzen’s gadgets and gear for warding off the summer heat.

tiffinmotorhomes.com Turn the page to find out how to log on and learn more about betterRVing.com. ➤

Lazydays is a proud dealer and partner of Tiffin Motorhomes. Visit lazydays.com to learn more. betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

HOW TO AVOID HIGHWAY TICKETS series

TONS MORE!

ARCHIVED ARTICLES in case you’re looking for something

Log on and get everything in the magazine DRIVERS CONFIDENCE COURSES WITH BARNEY video

TROUBLE SHOOTIN’ WITH EARNIE video

HITCHIN UP YOUR TRAVEL TRAILER video

WAY TICKETS series HOW TO AVOID HIGH

TONS MORE!

looking for something LES in case you’re ARCHIVED ARTIC

BARNEY video CE COURSES WITH DRIVERS CONFIDEN

ARCHIVED ARTICLES in case you’re looking for something else

RV PLACES TO SEE series

WORK CAMPING WITH BILL WHETSTONE series

RV Living

DRIVER’S CONFIDENCE COURSES WITH BARNEY video

HOW TO AVOID HIGHWAY TICKETS series

RV Tips

PLUG IN, LOG ON: RV INTERNET SECURITY video

TROUBLE SHOOTIN’ WITH ERNIE video

RV Toolbox

video TRAVEL TRAILER HITCHIN UP YOUR

WITH EARNIE video TROUBLE SHOOTIN’

agazine erything in the m Log on and get ev

Log on and get everything in the magazine + tons more!

TROUBLE SHOOTIN’ WITH ERNIE watch online

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a summer of adventure...

a

t Lazydays this past spring, I chatted with a man

heard, we have opened a second Lazydays location in Tucson,

who anxiously anticipated the summer of 2011 with

Ariz. and are enjoying the challenges of bringing the Lazydays

the wide-eyed giddiness of a school boy. A seasoned

experience to the southwestern United States. If your summer

traveler who had driven his RV through each of the continental

journey includes a trip to the Copper State, we invite you to stop

United States, the man was no stranger to summer adventures.

by our new home. We promise to make you feel like family just

Yet, this summer’s odyssey is poised to be different as it will be

as we have for more than three decades at our Florida location.

the first in which he and his wife take their grandkids on a two week trip in their RV. Along the way they plan to see many of our country’s most famous sites including Yellowstone National Park, The Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore. As I listened to the man describe his journey of a lifetime, I knew I was in the presence of an RVer who makes every moment count; who takes no joyous experience for granted and who lives the RVing life to the fullest.

We feel truly honored at Lazydays to have a part in creating wonderful memories for our customers and look forward to helping you discover your next adventure with a new RV. Whether we see you this summer or next, in Arizona or in Florida, we can’t wait to hear the stories from your RV journey when you come home to Lazydays.

Enjoy your summer adventure (and the issue),

At Lazydays, we never tire of listening to passionate RVers tell their stories of adventure on the open road. Our love of RV stories told by the people who live them is the reason we publish betterRVing.com and why we urge all who read our magazine to visit us online at betterRVing.com and share a story from their RV journey. The summer of 2011 has already been an adventurous one for the Lazydays family. As you may have

John Horton Lazydays, Chief Executive Officer

ADVERTISING Director, Liz Lema 866.317.4012 • For advertising inquires: advertising@betterRVing.com SUBSCRIPTION and customer service inquires: customerservice@betterRVing.com Managing Editor: Ann Cosentino, ann@betterRVing.com • All rights reserved © 2010 Lazydays® • 6130 Lazy Days Boulevard, Seffner, FL 33584-2968 betterRVing.com is published four times per year by Lazydays. No responsibility can be accepted for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs, which must be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope with return postage. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

from john

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I Shady Spots in the Sunshine State

by ADAM PORTER, PhOTOgRAPhy JEff fAy

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n the heart of the lush north Florida countryside, hidden away in the rolling hills west of Ocala and Gainesville, three inviting state parks compel savvy RVers, camping enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers to return year after year. At each park, visitors unearth timeless secrets, explore natural wonders and discover a new definition of good, clean fun. Expect to see shaded hiking trails lined with intriguing flora, a crystal-clear headspring alive with activity, kids of all ages splashing in 72 degree water, and a backdrop of kayaks plying the gentle current of the river.

In this issue of better RVing.com, we help put you in that scene.

Join us as we explore each park and look at what makes each one worthy of its reputation. Then you can decide whether one – or all – belongs on your RV itinerary.

History & Culture

N

ative settlements on the Ichetucknee date back millennia. European settlements go back as far as 1608, when the Spanish built Mission de San Martin de Timucua. The village remained an important interior settlement until the early 1800s, when Florida became a U.S. territory. When the original settlers departed, the area around the headspring became an important waypoint for Florida cattlemen and pioneers, a shady place to stop and quench their thirst. As traffic grew, a gristmill and general store were established.

The discovery of large quantities of limestone under the surface brought the area to the attention of Florida’s phosphate industry. Small surface mines are still visible in the park, as are the tram beds of abandoned railroads. The phosphate companies shared the land with locals, and it was not uncommon to see a Sunday baptism or Saturday family picnic along the river. Kids splashed in the shallows while watermelons cooled in the feeder springs. College kids from the nearby University of Florida would sneak down between terms to swim in or float down the river. The state purchased the area in 1970.

Today, tubing is the activity of choice for most Ichetucknee visitors.

Thousands come each year – most in the summertime – following in the footsteps of the weekend picnickers and college kids. Tube rental facilities are scattered just off the highway near each of the park entrances. Visitors may also hike the shaded boardwalk and trails and have a picnic, or snorkel, scuba dive and ply the river by kayak or canoe. Despite all this activity, the waterway remains pristine, a translucent blue-green that promises refreshing respite from the summer sun.

Ichetucknee Springs S TAT E PA RK

Florida’s river recreation epicenter is a true back-to-nature park. There may be little in the way of amenities, but that hardly matters to the thousands of swimmers, hikers, tubers and kayakers who gather at the park each year to walk the trails and float down the river. They come for the endless natural beauty, crystal-clear water, shady hiking trails, birds singing in the longleaf pines — and to explore Florida “the way it used to be.”

travel tips ~ Ichetucknee Springs State Park has two

entrances, and these spaces are NOT connected in the middle – except by the river. The south entrance is at 12087 SW US Hwy 27 Fort White, Fla. The north entrance is about six miles away and can be accessed via Highway 238. Visit www.floridastateparks. org/ichetuckneesprings.

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Where To Stay There is no campground inside the state park or associated with it. however, there are three private campgrounds within a mile. We strongly recommend reservations well in advance if you plan to camp between May and September.

IChETuCKNEE SPRINgS CamPgRouNd

www.ichetuckneespringscampground.com Campground hosts organize river trips and offer free shuttle service to the river. The on-site tavern has two game rooms with billiards, air hockey and games for the kids. After a fun day of kayaking or tubing the river, cozy up in front of the fireplace and swap campfire tales.

• full hookups: water, sewer and electric (30 amp) • Cable TV • big rig access, some pull-through sites • fire rings and picnic tables at each site • family friendly • Pet friendly 245 SW breckenridge Lane, fort White, fL. 32038. gPS: N 29.981144, W 82.750651. Call 386.497.2285 for reservations or more information. Cash only at this campground.

IChETuCKNEE FamIlY CaNoE & CabINS

www.ichetuckneecanoeandcabins.net This rustic, family-owned and operated campground is about a quarter mile from the state park’s north entrance. you will appreciate the well-appointed camp store, because this area is well out away from town. here you may purchase picnic supplies, cold drinks, ice and other items you need for an enjoyable stay. you can rent tubes, rafts, canoes and kayaks next door.

• full hookups: water, sewer and electric • Wi-fi • big rig access, some pull-through sites • five rings, picnic table and grill at each site • bath house & laundry facility • family friendly • No pets allowed 8587 SW Elim Church Road, fort White, fL 32038. gPS: N 29.98805, W 82.765648. Call 866.224.2064 for reservations or more information.

RIvER RuN CamPgRouNd

www.riverruncampgroundflorida.com The owners here are friendly and eager to help. Play volleyball, darts or horseshoes. Take your dog for a walk in the designated area. Visitors may also rent canoes or tubes at the park.

• full hookups: water, sewer and electric (50 amp) • Wi-fi and cable TV • big rig access, pull-through sites • bath house and laundry facility • family friendly • Pet friendly 2739 US hWy 27 branford, fL 32008. gPS: N 29.952353, W82.835444. Reservations can be made online or by calling 386.935.6553.

NoRTh ENd This section of the park opens on Memorial Day and remains open through the summer season.

Restroom facilities are available, but you will want to pack a picnic lunch. Highlights here include: • The headspring tube and canoe launch • Blue Hole Spring, a popular scuba spot that descends 40 feet; certified divers are welcome October through March • Mission and Devil’s Eye springs • Trestle Point Trail, a half-hour hike along the river that features an abandoned phosphate mine from the early 1900s • Pine Ridge Trail, a two-mile loop through stands of longleaf pine SouTh ENd Open all year, this area offers restrooms, shower and picnic facilities. While most picnic facilities are first come, first served, covered pavilions may be reserved. During the summer season, a tram picks up tubers at the take-out point and ferries them back to the parking lot.

Visitors may also: • Hike Dampier’s Trail or Midpoint Nature Trail • Tube, canoe or kayak from Dampier’s Landing • Swim, tube or drift down the river from the dock along Midpoint Trail • During the summer season, grab lunch and supplies at the concession

History

Rainbow Springs S TAT E PA RK

People have been returning to what is now Rainbow Springs for 10,000 years. One trip and it’s easy to see why. You could put a picture of the park in the dictionary next to “idyllic” and no one could argue. To say this nearly 1,500-acre park is unique and unexpected is to indulge in understatement.

Sure, you anticipate the springs and the ubiquitous natural surround, but the mixture of natural headspring, meandering river and gently cultivated gardens contains surprises at every turn.

The hiking trails lead to misty waterfalls, where you can pause for portraits that will end up in frames. An easy sidewalk ramp to the observation tower offers guests an ideal vantage point to view wildlife and two of the park’s three waterfalls. That handicap-friendly ramp is an especially nice touch, offering views typically reserved for the younger or more ambulatory. Watch flashes of color as native and migrating birds flit from branch to branch and listen as the shouts of happy children bring out the kid in you. Up the hill at the café, families snack on cheeseburgers and kids excitedly lick ice cream from fingers that look like prunes after a refreshing swim in the 72 degree spring.

ThE hEadWaTERS SPRINg 19158 SW 81st Place Road, Dunnellon, FL 34432 • Ranger-guided tours • Nature hikes that offer a close-up look at Florida’s sandhill and oak hammock environments. (trails are roughly three miles long) • Snorkeling trips • Canoe and kayak trips (call ahead for availability) • Shaded pavilion for picnics • Headwater springs for swimming in water that’s always 72 degrees • Gardens with blooming azaleas in the springtime

W

hen Europeans first discovered the headspring in the 1500s, the native Timucua were already established here.

The nearby city of Ocala is named for a chief of this tribe, Ocale. Over the next three centuries the armies and pioneers of three nations claimed ownership.

By the late 1800s there were only 75 permanent residents. In the 1920s the springs were converted into a natural theme park that lured tourists and locals alike. A zoo, rodeo, monorail and gondolas were added. Eventually, when larger theme parks enticed the clientele, Rainbow Springs was closed.

It reopened in the 1990s – absent the contrived attractions – as a state park.

Where To Stay RaINboW SPRINgS STaTE PaRK CamPgRouNd

www.floridastateparks.org/rainbowsprings your stay here includes access to the headspring and the tubing area (located off site). This spacious and well-kept park is located about six miles driving distance from the state park and headsprings. but there is plenty to do here as well. Rent a canoe and paddle downriver or drop a line in the water to hook a large mouth bass.

• full hookups: water, sewer and electric (20, 30 and 50 amp) • Dump station available • Campground store and rec hall • fire ring, picnic tables and grill at each site.

• big rig accessible sites, some pull-through sites, some back-in sites (40-foot maximum) • Clean showers, restroom and laundry facilities • family friendly • Pet friendly Located at 18185 SW 94th St., Dunnellon, fL 34432. gPS: N 29.05.202, W 82.25.027. Reservations can be made online or by calling 800.326.3521.

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WhaT To do aT RaINboW SPRINgS

First, you need to know that the campground, tubing entrance and headspring entrance are at three separate locations. Visit without convenient transportation and you may become quickly frustrated. Access to the campground activities is restricted to registered campers, but anyone can access the headwater spring and the tubing area. For more information visit www. floridastateparks.org/rainbowsprings.

destination rainbow springs, silver river, ichnetuknee

Rainbow Springs S TAT E PA R K

ThE CamPgRouNd 18185 SW 94th St., Dunnellon, FL 34432 The day we visited the campground, groups of children took turns invading the nicely appointed gift shop to fill their pockets with sweets before heading off down the trail on their bikes.

The scene had all the joy of summer in the early spring. Then there was the guy in the gorilla suit. He looked funny cruising the campground on his bicycle and the thought of him relaxing on an inner tube was downright hilarious.

• Swim in the river • Fish from the dock • Launch a canoe or kayak or tube down the river • Picnic in a pavilion • Play on the playground

nature ~ The park is a Florida naturalist’s dream. One can

expect to see otters, turtles, fish, alligators and wading birds in and along the river. On hikes, you may encounter gopher tortoises, pine snakes and fox squirrels. It’s a good idea to carry a good pocket-sized field guide. It will help you identify which animals are safe and which may be potentially dangerous.

TubINg lauNCh The tube entrance is 1.4 miles south of the campground entrance on SW 180th Ave. Road. Bring a tube, sunscreen and your best relaxed grin.

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Sidetrip aPPlEToN muSEum www.AppletonMuseum.org The tree-lined approach evokes the grandeur of the old South. The nearly 82,000-squarefoot museum building is itself an awardwinning architectural masterpiece. The contemporary interpretation of a classical facade is covered in Italian travertine marble.

Fronted by an impressive fountain, the entrance steps are flanked by dragon statues. Inside you will find more than 16,000 works of art in the museum’s eight permanent collections.

These exhibits include European, American and contemporary art as well as Asian, African and pre-Columbian artifacts.

Additional collections include works by renowned Florida artists.

This impressive collection began in 1982 with an original grant

by Arthur Appleton, a thoroughbred breeder.

He and his wife, Martha, wished to preserve their extensive collection as a gift to the Ocala community. Today the museum is under the governance of the College of Central Florida and is considered one of the leading cultural institutions in Marion County.

Be sure to visit appletonmuseum.org to learn about special events the museum hosts throughout the year. Located at 4333 W. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala, FL 34470. For admission, hours and other questions call 352.291.4455.

We’re going further to help fulfill your dreams. Our full line of motor homes at Lazydays is backed by their unparalleled support and a commitment to our customers. Which means you can see the world, stick your hand out the window and wave your worries goodbye.

In a Fleetwood RV, you’re ready for the road ahead. Begin your journey at FleetwoodRV.com.

Upcoming Exhibit –

Painted Poetry: The Landscapes of Jackie Schindehette, October 8 - November 20, 2011

Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/fleetwoodrv

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Providence | Discovery | Expedition | Southwind | Bounder | Terra |Storm | Tioga DSL | Jamboree DSL | Tioga | Jamboree

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Lettuce Lake Park

T

specifics ~ Lettuce Lake Park is at 6920 E. Fletcher Ave.,

Tampa, FL 33637. GPS: 28.069424, -82.369759. The park, located northeast of the Fletcher Avenue bridge crossing the Hillsborough River, offers something for everyone. Park entry is $2 per vehicle up to eight people/vehicle and $1 per person over eight. Call 813.987.6204 for park and canoe rental information.

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ucked in along a wide spot in the Hillsborough River, a stone’s throw from the epicenter of the RV lifestyle, this back-to-nature playground is a hidden gem in the center of the Sunshine State.

Lettuce Lake is a shallow, finger-like body of water connected on one end to the Hillsborough River, an inland waterway that flows out of the Green Swamp 25 miles to the northeast. The surrounding park is an inviting collage of hardwood swamp, cypress hammocks, pinewoods and grassy clearings.

Visitors have been enjoying peaceful, scenic Lettuce Lake Park since 1982. The 240-acre county park is located just off I-75 near Tampa, a quiet spot hidden in the midst of a bustling tourist destination. Locals and visitors lucky enough to discover this verdant spot on the map come to ply the gentle river in kayaks or canoes, picnic or watch their kids run in the wide open spaces. They join in games of pickup volleyball or cast a line in the designated fishing areas. Others walk or jog along the hiking trails, cycle the bike paths or stroll along the boardwalk to the three-story observation tower.

An interpretive center, maintained in part by volunteers from the Tampa Audubon Society, offers information, displays and dioramas that explain the unique nature of a Florida cypress swamp. The boardwalk that begins just outside puts you right in the middle of everything, safely elevated above the alligators sunning lazily on logs. Bird watchers are treated to a “who’s who” of Florida waterbirds: roseate spoonbills, herons, egrets, ibis and others make their home here. The boardwalk offers a fairly easy walk with very little slope.

The observation tower provides a spectacular view, whether you are just enjoying the scene or looking through a camera lens.

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WhaT To do Picnickers can choose to lay out a blanket and soak up the sun or set up in the shade under one of several pavilions. BBQ grills are plentiful and restroom facilities are clean and easily accessible. The park has 12 canoes and six kayaks available for rent; on busy days these can go quickly, so you may want to bring your own.

It’s only a short hike from the parking area to the canoe launch.

When you visit, bring your camera, sunscreen and picnic lunch. And time to spare because once you’re here, you will find it hard to leave.

traveler tips When you are out on the water, watch out for the monkeys. Yes, monkeys. The woods around the Silver River are home to hundreds of Rhesus monkeys. They generally stay away

History & Culture

T

he Timucua who were here at the time of European discovery and the later Seminole tribes considered the headwaters of the Silver River to be sacred. In the 1820s Gad Humphries named the headwaters “Silver Springs” and put the area on the map as a tourist attraction. Plantations in and around Ocala used the river to transport vegetables, tobacco and oranges. In the 1870s Phillip Morell built the watercraft Silver Springs is famous for: the glass bottom rowboat. More than a century later, guests still come to ride the river on boats that reveal the waterway in this unique way.

Silver River S TAT E PA RK

A gorgeous 5,000-acre state park with shady hiking trails, clean restrooms and fully equipped picnic pavilions, Silver River is also something of a theme park about Florida’s heritage. Here, you can enjoy a nature walk or river cruise. You can have a picnic and watch your kids conquer the park playground. But you can also fully immerse yourself in Sunshine State history spanning 12,000 years.

Where To Stay SIlvER RIvER STaTE PaRK CamPgRouNd www.floridastateparks.org/silverriver

Clean and comfortable state campground. Well-tended facilities. friendly campground hosts (sites 4 & 46) and attentive rangers. If friends visit, the campground also offers cabin rentals for up to six people per cabin. Cozy with classic florida wraparound porches.

• Water and electric (30 and 50 amp) • Picnic tables, grills, fire rings at each site • Dump station • Discounts for florida residents 65+ • family friendly • Pet friendly Located at 1425 NE 58th Ave., Ocala, fL 34470. gPS: N 29.12.062, W 82.03.204.

Reservations can be made online or by calling 800.326.3521.

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from boats, but do NOT WhaT To do aT SIlvER RIvER STaTE PaRK

Cracker Village tours offer a glimpse of a frontier settlement.

Many folks do not realize that Florida has a history as wild as the Old West. Docent-led tours are available once a month during spring, fall and winter months, but visitors can see the town buildings – a church, school, smithy, mill and others – any time. And, at the edge of the village, you will find a Seminole camp, revealing the stark contrast between how the natives and settlers lived.

Silver River Museum is astonishing. Step through the foyer and you are standing beneath a life-sized mastodon skeleton. On the far wall, the gigantic jaws of Carcharodon megalodon gape menacingly, making you glad that’s all that’s left of the 65-foot ancestor of the modern shark. But these exhibits only scratch the surface of Florida’s social and natural history, geology, archaeology, paleontology and ecology on display. Run by the county school board, the museum is open to the public on weekends and holidays.

Hike one or all of four trails: • Sandhill is just under two miles and fairly easy going.

• Sinkhole trail is only half a mile longer but can take twice the time.

• River trail is 1.3 miles with places to rest by the river.

• Swamp trail is just less than two miles, running past the museum and down to the riverside boardwalk.

Bike up to 4.5 miles of trails through Florida woods and scrubland on Fort King Loop and Ross Allen Camp trails.

Canoe rentals in the park give you the opportunity to paddle 2.5 miles to the beautiful Silver River springhead.

When planning your trip be sure to check out the event calendar at floridastateparks.org/silverriver or call the ranger station at 352.236.7148 to find out about upcoming special events: • Ocali Country Days – the second weekend of November • Bluegrass in the Park • Cracker Village tours • Coffee With the Birds • Full Moon Kayak trips • Civil War Living History Day

feed them. If you upset their pecking order, bad things can happen

CaPTaIN Tom’S CuSTom ChaRTERS www.captaintom customcharters.net Fish, sightsee, photograph the wildlife or just enjoy a relaxing cruise down the Silver River. Trip times run anywhere from two to eight hours. Reservations only. Call 352.236.0872 for more information.

SIlvER RIvER TouRS www.slickcharters.net Private charter boat cruises down the Silver River. Watch for birds, fish, alligators or turtles.

Reservations only. Call 352.236.3955 for more information.

Sidetrip FloRIda CaRRIagE muSEum

CouNTRY CaRRIagE RIdES

www.fcmr.org About 40 minutes from Silver River State Park, the Florida Carriage Museum is home to more than 160 European and American carriages. Exhibits include the 1850 Armbruster Dress Chariot owned by Emperor Franz Joseph, an English Omnibus, a WW1 supply wagon, a Sicilian Caretta and a Dutch Tikker. And that is just the beginning.

If you love the history and pageantry of the horsedrawn era, this museum is a must-see. Carriage rides and carriage driving classes are available, as are docent-led and self-guided tours. The museum has a Chinese garden. Visit the website for hoedown, powwow and show times. Located at 3000 Marion County Road, Weirsdale, FL 32195. Call 866.500.2237 for rates and information.

www.ocalacarriage.com Ocala is known for its pastoral horse ranches, home to generations of racers, trail riders and rodeo stars. Visitors can get a romantic view of Ocala’s most beautiful horse farms riding in a comfortable horsedrawn carriage. If you choose, your ride can be narrated, offering a local’s perspective of the “horse capital of the world.” Call 877.996.2252 for more information. BRV

All of the R. NoNe of the V.

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See the full Carriage lineup at Lazydays. lazydays.com | carriageinc.com

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is a proud dealer and partner of Carriage, Inc.

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the

RV

Ultimate

Tail-Gator

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by fRED SMITh, PhOTOgRAPhy JEff fAy

John Burns has always been a Florida Gator. The Lake City, Fla., native has been a football season ticket holder since 1972 and has attended every University of Florida game (home and away) since 1992. For the past 14 seasons, Burns’ love for the Gators and tailgating has risen to new heights and sophistication with the help of the RV lifestyle.  betterRVing.com | 888.626.7800

S

BRV

Pictured from left John Burns, Gail Hurst, Jerry Black, Chris Pastor and Laura Hook

RV LIVING

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Westward

Dreams Lazydays opens a second location in Tucson, Ariz.

by Fred Smith

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“We’re extremely excited to become part of the Tucson community and are certain that this will be the kind of special adventure that makes RVing so much fun.”

Lazydays CEO, John Horton

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K

yle Williams saw his family’s destiny the moment he read the first line of the e-mail.

Though the message from his company’s CEO was addressed to each of the more than 500 employees at the world’s largest single site RV dealer, the 44-year-old graphic designer knew the next chapter of his life was calling. The message was simple: Lazydays RV is expanding and will be opening a second dealership in Tucson, Ariz.

Williams was immediately up for the ride and all the challenges that come with taking a chance.

“My wife and I have always dreamed of living in the Southwest,” says Williams, whose excitement on the eve of a new adventure speaks for all of Lazydays. “As soon as I read the e-mail from John Horton [Lazydays’ CEO], I went to Gordon [Myhre, Lazydays’ chief marketing officer], and said I would do whatever needed to be done. I wanted to be there at the very beginning and be part of the team that goes out there, rolls up their sleeves and does whatever it takes to get this baby rolling.

I just think that’s one of the coolest things a company can do.”

Lazydays’ purchase of the 82-acre Tucson property formerly operated by Beaudry RV became official in early May. The site includes an RV sales center, service facility, collision center and campground. Bob Grady, Lazydays’ general manager of the Tucson location, says that the move is a dream opportunity to bring RVers living in the Western United States the same RV experience Lazydays has proudly offered from its Florida location for more than three decades.

“Tucson is a perfect match for Lazydays,” says the former head of Lazydays’ service department in Tampa. “Having a

betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

Western United States dealership adds a whole new dimension to the Lazydays mission.”

Since the company’s founding in 1976, Lazydays has grown to become arguably the most popular and successful RV destination in North America. Each year Lazydays welcomes more than a quarter million RVers to their Tampa dealership and delivers more than 5,000 RVs. Despite its unparalleled success in the RV industry, Lazydays remains wholly committed to treating customers like family and ensuring that the experience each has at Lazydays is unforgettable. “Every day we learn together,” says Horton, “and every day we apply what we’ve learned to help our customers turn their RV dreams into lasting memories.”

With the new location’s service department currently open for business and the sales department and campground opening on September 1, Lazydays hopes to make an immediate impact in the Tucson area. Local support, according to Bob Grady, has been tremendous as the community eagerly looks to rebound from the recent economic downturn.

“One of our biggest challenges is making sure we hire the kind of people who embody our Lazydays culture and who live our core values,” says Grady. “I’ve been very impressed with the caliber of people we’ve interviewed, both from a skill set and attitude standpoint. These are ‘Lazydays people’ and I’m very confident when we open, customers will think that everyone [working here] came over from Florida.”

When asked about the details of the new location and what physical changes the Tucson dealership may experience in the coming months, Myhre said, “just as our Tampa

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location reflects its Florida environment with Southern architecture and oak tree canopies, Lazydays in Tucson will feature its Southwest environment in a way that’s inviting to the customer.” Bob Grady agreed and assured that no matter what physical manifestations the Tucson location realizes, the new dealership will be definitively Lazydays in culture and spirit. “We can’t say for sure how everything will look,” said Grady. “But we know that whether our customers are buying a new RV, getting their coach serviced or staying at our RV park, this will be a fun place to be with many amenities to surprise and delight.”

The Lazydays mission to provide customers with the perfect RV purchase and ownership experience will be what employees at the Tucson location will strive for on a daily basis. Many of the popular amenities currently offered at the Tampa dealership will be featured in Tucson, including a 400-site campground with two swimming pools and an RV driving instruction class similar to the one created by Lazydays’ famed senior driving instructor Barney Alexander.

CEO Horton believes the opening of a second Lazydays location in Arizona marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the story of an RV dealership beloved by RVers around the world. “We’re extremely excited to become part of the Tucson community and are certain that this will be the kind of special adventure that makes RVing so much fun.”

For more information about Lazydays in Tucson, including career opportunities, please visit www.lazydaystucson.com BRV

Flat Track Racers by fRED SMITh, PhOTOgRAPhy JEff fAy

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Joe Coupas, left Matt Sibbick, right

att Sibbick gave up racing to become a dad. Twenty years and one grown daughter later, he’s back on the flat track.

There, according to friend, co-worker, sometimes mechanic and racing coach Joe Coupas, “he’s kickin’ butt.”

By day, Sibbick and Coupas are sales consultants at Lazydays in Seffner, FL. Come weekend, the duo can likely be found at racetracks around the country.

“Back in the day,” recalls Sibbick, “it was either eat dinner or go racing. Most of the time we went racing.” Sibbick’s second life as a racer comes as a working adult who can afford to both race and eat. This time around the track, the proud father and husband makes his team’s pit with the help of his RV. “The RV is a place to take a break in between

races, relax and cool off. I can get a shower at the end of the night. We’ve got satellite TV. It has all the comforts.”

Sibbick points out that bringing an RV along for the adventure is a surefire way to include his wife Sandy in the fun. “She won’t come unless we bring the RV,” says Matt. “Without the RV, she just wants to know how I did when I get home.”

Flat track racing is a family sport with multiple divisions of competition featuring riders ranging from under 10 years old to over 60. “Racing is one

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Sibbick’s second life as a racer comes as a working adult who can afford to both race

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of the best communicators as far as parents and kids go,” says Joe Coupas.

In addition to offering Sibbick a few pointers, Coupas coaches his son Joey, 36 a former champion returning to racing after a short absence. “The bond between kids and parents is hard to beat. It’s good, clean, healthy fun.”

Coupas was an avid racer for more than 25 years before retiring from competition. But he says the atmosphere at the track on a Saturday was too much to resist. “Because I loved racing, I wanted to get involved with Matt. It was a good mix, because we both love racing and we love what we do.”

When it comes to competing on the track, Sibbick admits that even though he may be an amateur — he’s still racing for the checkered flag and welcomes any tips of wisdom his friend and mentor can

offer. “There’s no way really to describe how we work together as a team,” says Sibbick. “I don’t expect him to come over and start wrenching on the bike. But he does and he gives me advice, helps get my head right. So it makes it a lot easier.”

“Two brains are better than one,” says Coupas. “I can see what Matt’s doing on the track and make some suggestions to him. And he listens.” Grateful for the advice, Sibbick says of his fellow RV sales consultant and racing buddy, “Joe is my pit crew. He knows racing. Heck, he’s been doing it for almost as long as flat track has been around.” BRV

Visit betterRVing.com to see a video featuring Matt and Joe in action.

two for the road 2012 Keystone Raptor Toy Hauler floor plan RP365LEV

Matt Sibbick 6+ years RV sales experience, proud father and RVer, flat track racer

Joe Coupas 9+ years RV sales experience, proud father and RVer, former flat track racer Matt Sibbick and Joe Coupas are the kind of die-hard motorcycle racers who bleed high-octane fuel. In recent years, their friendship has evolved into a flat track racing team with Matt playing the role of the gifted rider and Joe the wise teacher. These days their passion for racing is matched by their love for both family and the RVing lifestyle. When it comes to combining racing, family and RVing, Matt and Joe agree that the 2012 Keystone Raptor Toy Hauler is the perfect RV. maTT: The Keystone Raptor is the bestselling fifth-wheel toy hauler in the RV Industry. If you’re into bikes and other motorized toys, Keystone is a name you can trust to carry your prized possessions.

JoE: The Raptor is a toy hauler for the whole family with all the comforts of home. This floor plan has a loft that the kids love and a four-door refrigerator that Dad loves ’cause it keeps the beer cold. maTT: The great thing about this coach for guys like us is you get to go riding at the track and the wives get to spread out and relax in the RV. I know my wife doesn’t care about watching me race. She wants to be comfortable.

JoE: She can’t stand to see how slow you are. maTT: Easy there, Grandpa. gaRagE maTT: The flooring of the garage lowers down to the ramp, which allows you to bring even the lowest-riding motorcycle, like a chopper, into the garage without crushing the bottom of the bike when you come up to a flat floor.

SEE An rV

JoE: And you can take your toys out and lower the electric beds down to give you either a great wraparound sofa and dinette area or two separate queen-size beds. maTT: A new feature for 2012 is the tailgate turns into a porch area when you let it down.

JoE: You can put your grill out there and bring the party outside. This floor plan has a half-bath in the garage so no one has to go inside when it’s time for a pit stop. maTT: Toy hauler owners are outdoors people and love everything that has to do with being outside.

JoE: True, but most of us like to use bathrooms when nature calls. lIvINg aREa maTT: Tall ceilings give the interior a spacious feel. Guys who like toys like nice electronics and this toy hauler has a big Sony® TV. JoE: The on-board generator makes it easy to be self-contained when you’re camping. maTT: When you’re out at most racetracks, there aren’t any hookups like you’d have at a campground. You’re out there with bikes, a track, maybe a ratty public toilet, and that’s it. But with the Raptor, you could stay a week and be comfortable.

JoE: You’ve got a 110-gallon tank for your fresh water. maTT: Which someone like you will need with the long showers you take.

JoE: Hey, if you actually took a shower once in a while you might ride faster. maTT: This particular Raptor has the Extreme Temperature Package, which gives you supreme insulation to keep you cool when you’re down south in the

summer and warm when you’re up north in the winter.

JoE: This coach also has a triple axle, which gives you over 4,500 pounds of carrying capacity. You can carry the heaviest bikes. maTT: You can carry the heaviest bikes and Joe. ouTSIdE maTT: You’ve got outdoor speakers and nice, big power awnings so you can bring the party outside.

JoE: The Raptor has big storage compartments for all your stuff. All the compartments have slam latches, which make them easy to open and close. maTT: The Raptor also has electric stabilizing jacks that make the coach easy to level.

JoE: And it comes with a toy lock. It’s a cable system built into the frame of the coach so you can secure your bikes outside if you have someone sleeping in the garage area. maTT: You’ve got dual fuel tanks on the exterior so you don’t have to keep any fuel in your garage. One tank is for the generator, which can run on regular unleaded fuel. The second tank is for your toys. Riders like me use a higher octane gas in our racing bikes. Having two fuel tanks means I can keep the fuel types separate.

JoE: You need all the advantage you can get. maTT: What would I do without the wisdom of the elderly to help me go fast?

JoE: I should get back into racing just so you can have someone to beat. BRV

betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

Visit betterRVing.com to see a video of Matt and Joe with the Keystone Raptor.

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the winnebago

tailgate rally

by fRED SMITh, PhOTOgRAPhy JEff fAy

Extendable sofa

Two bathrooms

Spacious wardrobes

The lifestyle you love. Now with more style.

There’s never been a Vista® like the all-new 35F. The extendable sectional sofa provides instant seating for six (ideal for that 32" LCD TV with surround sound) while the bath-and-a-half brings a new level of comfort and convenience to you and your guests. Add a fully equipped galley, master bedroom with large wardrobe, even a 36" x 36" BIG shower and you’ll see why the new Vista 35F is knocking ‘em out everywhere.

Experience the stylish new Vista in person at Lazydays, or see it online at lazydays.com.

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©2010 Winnebago Industries, Inc.

See all five Vista floorplans, including the 35F — plus our entire lineup — at GoWinnebago.com.

Bob And Kathy Olson sport home and away University of Iowa jerseys and chat with a couple

A Winnebago Industries Circle of Excellence dealer for 25 years.

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wearing St. Louis Cardinals gear. The evening sun hangs over the horizon, backlighting the quartet of Midwesterners who laugh like old friends even though they just met half a beer ago. “And what do you do for Winnebago?” the man asks Bob. “I’m the chairman and CEO,” Bob humbly replies. “Oh,” says the man, whose momentary embarrassment subsides when he catches a glimpse of the Olsons’ matching smiles. “What kind of team do you think the Hawkeyes will have this year?”

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Such was the vibe at the Winnebago Tailgate Rally at Lazydays RV Campground, where more than 180 RVers gathered to celebrate the RV lifestyle and learn about Winnebago’s 2011 line of motorhomes. Several Winnebago Industries employees attended the event including the Olsons, who spent the weekend at Lazydays’ campsite 198 in a 2011 Winnebago Journey.

BetterRVing.com sat down with Winnebago’s first couple and talked about RVing, secrets to a lasting marriage and why men are genetically incapable of asking for directions.

BRV: Tell us about your first trip in an RV. bob Our oldest daughter was just a baby. It was her, my

folks, Kathy and I. We all piled into a 1971 Winnebago Brave and went to Black Hills, S.D. for a week. We had a fantastic

time and learned firsthand how fun RVing could be. We also learned that when pulling out of a gas station you want to

know how much your tail swings so you don’t hit the concrete guard post and rip the bumper off.

KaThY This was before the bumpers were integrated into the

The RV experience is similar. Typically you’ll start out in a tent,

threw it in the motorhome and drove off.

a Class A like this. The RVer’s journey is a natural progression

motorhome. So we all jumped out, picked up the bumper, BRV: What do you enjoy about rallies?

over time, as has been my career at Winnebago.

bob Being able to meet with our customers and show that

BRV: How does RVing bring you closer together as a couple?

enjoy rubbing shoulders with our customers and learning

not always been on the interstate. Some of the roads have

when someone takes me to their Winnebago and shows

bob Marriage is a lot like RVing. It’s not always a bed of roses.

we’re folks just like them out to have a good time. I really

from them how we can make our products better. I love it me something they added or changed. We welcome those types of ideas.

KaThY We’ve been married for 40 years. And the journey has

been bumpy.

Sometimes you have to work at it. But it’s an experience that you wouldn’t trade for anything.

BRV: What are you looking forward to at the Winnebago Tailgate Rally?

KaThY We can’t wait to meet the people. Hopefully they’ll buy a

Winnebago after meeting us.

bob This is a great event that allows our customers to meet

and get to know us and to hear the Winnebago story. We’re

truly thankful for Lazydays, their hospitality and for putting an event like this on.

BRV: How does your personal journey at Winnebago parallel that of an RVer? bob I’ve been at Winnebago for 42 years. I had the good

fortune of starting out on the assembly line and was able to take advantage of opportunities over the years that

eventually led to the top spot at Winnebago Industries.

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then move up to a towable or a fifth-wheel and eventually into

betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

BRV: Who does the driving?

KaThY He drives. I’m the backup spotter and navigator.

BRV: Does Bob ever stop to ask for directions?

KaThY No. One time we were going to a Minnesota Twins

game and we missed our exit. He stopped at a gas station

and ran in. I thought he was going to ask for directions, then

he comes out with a city map. We didn’t even know where we

were. But we found ourselves on that map . . . 45 minutes later. bob Asking for directions is just not the manly thing to do.

KaThY Thank God for GPS systems.

Visit betterRVing.com to see a video featuring Bob and Kathy Olson at the Winnebago Tailgate Rally. BRV

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Enter Fun T

by fRED SMITh, PhOTOgRAPhy JEff fAy

he ink had yet to dry on the paperwork for Meriel and Wayne Phelps’ Winnebago Sightseer before the couple was sitting in the corner booth of Lazydays’ newest wonder.

After toasting the successful purchase of their new RV, the first-time Lazydays customers took in their surroundings at Exit 10 and together uttered a three word phrase that’s become commonplace since the RV-themed restaurant opened at Lazydays RV Campground in the early spring:

“This is cool.”

Part restaurant, part motorhome, Exit 10 Restaurant & Pub is a dining experience unlike any other in the RV universe. A brainchild of the Lazydays marketing department, the restaurant is a clever triumph of design with a facade that features a perfectly scaled 80-foot-long Class A motorhome with full body paint, fully extended slides and an exterior flat-screen TV. Step inside Exit 10’s double doors and the interior decor boasts welcoming touches at every glance. The extended sidewalls hold booths surrounded by authentic RV woodwork. The bar is a laminated treasure trove of RV keepsakes and memorabilia including vintage Winnebago trading cards. The bar stools are made of tire rims. Simply put, the dining area of Exit 10 feels like a hip boxcar diner merged with an RV, inviting diners to sit down and make RV campground history over a couple of burgers and a few beers.

The plan worked, but the real story behind the making of Exit 10 is a bit more complex.

“We wanted to elevate the customer experience at Lazydays RV Campground,” says Kyle Williams, one of Exit 10’s designers. “We had a

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betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

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great space next to the pool and had this idea for an RV-themed restaurant, but we had no idea what it was going to look like.”

Enter: “Team E-10.”

Consisting of key personnel from the Lazydays Body Shop, Property Management and Marketing departments, Team E-10 met regularly in the fall of 2009 to develop a concept, design and build Exit 10 Restaurant & Pub. With each meeting, the vision became more clear: Exit 10 would be more than just an RV-themed restaurant. Exit 10 would be a restaurant in an RV. Throughout the designing and building process, Team E-10 under-stood the need to trust the construction of Exit 10’s RV to the experts.

Enter: The Lazydays Body Shop.

“One of the biggest challenges for us was that there is no motorhome in the world as big as what they wanted to build for this restaurant,” said Mike Riddle of the Lazydays Body Shop. “We got the sidewall material in here and pieced and sectioned the [exterior] wall together. It’s what we do every day.”

Riddle explains that one of most difficult and complex aspects of the job turned out to be one of Exit 10’s most endearing features. “The front cap was probably the hardest part of the whole project,” says Riddle. “Trying to shrink all the pieces down that we received from the manufacturer to fit in the space that was required was a challenge.” The Body Shop team would rise to the challenge and make the front cap of an American Revolution work to perfection. Seldom does a weekend night go by during which Exit 10’s cockpit isn’t alive with playful RVers as young as 19 months old.

With the design in place and construction under way, Team E-10 set out to create Exit 10’s RV-themed menu. Working with Sysco Food Services, the team created a lineup of RV-named items that has proven to be an instant hit. Early favorites include “Diesel Pusher Wings,” “Road Pizza” and Chef Jackson’s favorite “Shut My Mouth BBQ Burger.”

Exit 10 features a full bar with poolside service. Phil Bryant, Lazydays’ food and beverage manager, says that every aspect of Exit 10 exists for the guests’ enjoyment and points out the restaurant’s staff of industry veterans as another example of Lazydays partners doing whatever it takes to provide an unparalleled customer experience. “We have a staff of experts,” says Bryant, who began his career peeling potatoes in his uncle’s restaurant. He’s attended London’s Westminster University since then, and worked in Paris and Las Vegas. “Everyone at Exit 10 has a great deal of experience,” he says. “It’s all about providing excellence for our guests.”

Since opening this spring, Exit 10 Restaurant & Pub has proven to be a smashing success among RVers and is poised to be a strong attraction at Lazydays RV Campground during the traditionally slower summer season. Several of the leading RV manufacturers have taken notice of the restaurant’s delightfully eccentric personality and have committed to contributing certain additions to Exit 10’s unique decor. What may lie ahead for the most spunky RV-themed restaurant in the industry? You’ll have to stop by Lazydays RV Campground to find out. BRV

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betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

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MASTER of MYSTERIES

& M

INNIE WINNIES

by ADAM PORTER

S

.org s r e wn ndo

Heartland owners are proud of their RVs and enjoy the company of fellow Heartland l RV owners. Share in the good times with others like a he you, make new friends and create a lifetime of lasting memories together. Chapters of the Heartland Owners Club are forming all over the United States and Canada. Owners are meeting for rallies several times each year at great destinations sharing experiences, making friends and making memories.

Get started at Lazydays, a premier dealer of Heartland products.

w. w w

rt a

ue Henry considers herself one very lucky lady. And who can argue? When not at her home in Anchorage, Alaska or gallivanting around the Last Frontier, the award-winning mystery novelist can be found in an RV, cruising down the Alaska Highway to the Lower 48, seeking the adventure and inspiration that will become her next bestseller.

Henry’s first novel in what would become the acclaimed Jessie Arnold Mystery Series, “Murder on the Iditarod Trail,” won both the Anthony and Macavity Awards. But, because the best authors write what they know, it is not surprising that, in 2004, a certain 60-something supporting character was given her own series. Fans of wanderlusting Maxie McNabb and her faithful daschund sidekick, Stretch, rejoiced.

Maxie is sharp, intuitive and fiercely independent. She and her canine compatriot explore both the Last Frontier and the Lower 48 in Maxie’s Minnie Winnie. They don’t go looking for trouble, but always seem to stumble into one sticky situation after another. In the meantime,

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readers are taken on a rich, immersive tour of prime RV destinations in Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and, of course, Alaska.

Henry’s Maxie is far from the stereotypical uber-brilliant sleuth, the detached savant that somehow manages to move above the law and beyond the reach of the bad guys. She is, instead, real, reachable and fallible, making mistakes and assumptions that any of us regular folks might in similar circumstances. It is Maxie’s indomitable will and dogged determination that win the day, not any dubious onset of Holmesian genius.

Maxie certainly has no trouble speaking her mind, particularly when confronted with the chauvinist stigma that a single lady – especially one of her age – should not just take off and explore on her own. Perfectly aware of her own limitations, Maxie thoroughly enjoys the individual freedom RV travel offers, trusting her own judgment and the shotgun in the Winnebago’s hidden storage compartment.

It is clear when speaking to Henry, that, at least in this, Maxie is talking with Henry’s voice. “I have had a terrific

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time traveling on my own. I’ve taken solo trips back and forth from Alaska to the Lower 48 and went cross-country once for RVIA and Winnebago.” She paused, “You learn a lot driving by yourself. You pay more attention, so you end up with a distinct impression of each state you travel through … and you learn to appreciate truckers.”

The rich and definitive sense of place in her novels is no accident. “I want my eyes and hands on when I do research. I spend time in the locations, hang about and talk to people.”

One of her favorite questions: “How did you come to be here?”

To answer to that, her subject must tell a bit of their own story. This gives Sue a better sense not only of the history of the place, but of its spirit. Both are gradually revealed as the stories unfold. As a reader you are drawn to these places; and, because Henry has been there before you, her descriptions read like a firsthand travel guide for RVers.

For instance, Maxie McNabb makes the following observation in The Serpent’s Trail: “Highway 70 is a comfortable two lanes each direction. Easy to drive and to allow other drivers to pass a motorhome – as many of them think they must, even if one is traveling as fast as they want to go. I can understand their wish to be able to see the road and possible obstacles ahead, but often they cut back in too close for safety, and do not consider how much farther it takes a heavier motorhome to slow down or stop.”

Anyone who has driven anywhere in a coach can attest to this, those who tow fifth-wheels perhaps even more so. It is that level of “been there, done that” realism that allows RVers to connect so easily and completely to Henry’s writing. If you are heading into a location that happens to be a setting of one of Henry’s mysteries, reading along is like having Maxie riding shotgun, giving you a local’s point of view.

Henry’s vivid style of writing down-to-earth, approachable heroes and motivated, plausible villains developed over a lifetime of reading and storytelling. “My mother was a librarian, so we had a house full of books. She also subscribed to “Ladies Home Journal.”

I actually submitted an article one time when I was a child.” Henry laughed, “They sent me such a wonderfully polite refusal. My first rejection letter, and it was so nice I took all kinds of encouragement from it. It’s now framed, hanging in my office.”

Henry moved to Alaska for a job in adult education administration. Her work took her flying hither and yon across rugged, beautiful and historical Alaska. She particularly fell in love with remote, end-of-the-road Homer, where she first heard the frequent local refrain and bumper sticker: “We’re here, because we’re not all there.”

The natural intrigue and adventure of Alaska birthed inspiration, and Henry’s first intrepid sleuth, Jessie Arnold, came to life. In Henry’s debut novel, the competitive musher gets mixed up in a murder mystery at

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the world’s premier cross-country dog sled race, the Iditarod. Fans gravitated toward this unique, likeable character and soon Henry was traipsing across the Last Frontier for another reason: research.

“I’ve been up and down the entire Alaska Highway multiple times. Absolutely gorgeous – everyone should make that trip.”

‘‘

I’VE BEEN UP AND DOWN THE ENTIRE ALASKA HIGHWAY MULTIPLE TIMES...

ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.

’’

But one of Henry’s favorite travel adventures was during her research along the Gold Rush trail for another “Jessie” mystery, “Termination Dust.”

“I was traveling between Skagway and Dawson and had never been over Top of the World Highway before. There are mountains for hundreds of miles. Incredible.”

And what’s next for Henry? “I’m working on a book set in Alaska’s Prince William Sound."

Any parting advice for our extended RV family?

“I know everyone has it on their list. But, if you’ve never been to Alaska, just come on up the highway. It really is like no place else.” BRV

Thank you to the sponsors of our inaugural Lazydays Golf Tournament.

Your generous support helped our foundation’s mission.

DIAMoND SPoNSoRS

Bright House Networks

I-4 Ventures

PLATINUM SPoNSoRS

US Foodservice Progressive

Madden Branded Goods Crowe Horwath

GoLD SPoNSoRS

Cintas Corp Sullivan Benefits Merrill Lynch Bank of the West Duncan Systems SILVER SPoNSoRS

Excalibur Sundial Lightning RV Supply Constangy Brooks & Smith Interstate Battery Michelin North America Wade RV Verizon Robert’s Printing ADP

Canon Business Solutions Sayyah’s Cleaning Jeffrey Allen Carousel Sherwin-Williams UnitedHealthcare Advantica Coast Distribution Heritage Propane Stag-Parkway, Inc.

For more information on the Foundation, visit lazydaysemployeefoundation.org

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Park ranger Allyson gantt swears in a group of Junior Ranger siblings during April’s National Junior Ranger Day at Everglades National Park.

Credit: Photo provided by Allyson Gantt

Junior Ranger Program offers kids a unique way to learn

by STACI bACkAUSkAS

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betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

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If You Go

Junior Ranger Activities at Parks Mentioned Here grand Canyon National Park (grand Canyon, ariz.)

Explore the canyon through journal-writing, poetry and hiking, with “summer-only” activities also available.

Salem maritime National historic Site

E

ach year, more than 700,000 kids promise to “explore, learn, protect” as they are sworn in as Junior Rangers by the National Park Service (NPS). First launched in 1955 at Yosemite National Park in California, the Junior Ranger program is now in over 250 state and national parks, as well as monuments and historical sites. Each program is designed to introduce youth to American parks and build future generations of park enthusiasts.

“It’s about getting kids to connect to public lands and care about the resources,” says Judy Hellmich-Bryan, a park ranger at Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park, which last year welcomed more than 25,000 Junior Rangers. “They’re the protectors of the future.”

Park rangers at the individual NPS sites create and administer their own curriculum by following national program guidelines and developing activities unique to the park.

“Parents can visit park Web sites before they travel to review Junior Ranger activities and download booklets so families know what to expect,” Hellmich-Bryan says.

She recommends families allocate enough time for their kids to complete

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activities onsite, typically three to four hours for larger parks and one to two hours for smaller sites.

When aspiring Junior Rangers arrive at a participating park, they sign up for the program with a park ranger and receive a booklet containing a variety of activities. Once they complete the assignment, they receive a badge or patch and are formally sworn in as official Junior Rangers for that park.

For some young park-goers, building a collection of Junior Ranger badges and patches becomes a long-term quest. Fifteen-year-old Barrett Young of Paola, Kan., has completed 285 Junior Ranger programs so far and says he hopes to visit all participating national parks and monument sites.

“The program’s about more than just nature. There’s history, science and art, and it tells us what we have to do to protect the national parks,” he says.

One South Carolina 12-year-old and his family have spent the past 18 months participating in Junior Ranger programs while traveling in their 39foot Dutchman Monte Vista fifth-wheel.

Cooper Ezell and older siblings Chase and Anna often team up for activities or compete to see who can earn their badge first. “It’s more fun than most programs I’ve done,” Cooper says.

“The questions aren’t boring, and the rangers are nice, too.”

Barrett Young (left) has completed 285 Junior Ranger programs

(Salem, mass.)

Tour historic buildings and a replica ship, and search for pictured items in your booklet on a scavenger hunt.

Cooper Ezell (right) studying for a badge

(homestead, Fla.) – Draw a creature in the Everglades (real or imagined), showing how it adapts to its South Florida habitat.

Park Ranger Jeff Wolin at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Florissant, Colo., integrates music into his site’s Junior Ranger program, leading sing-alongs of original kids’ songs, including “Explore, Learn, Protect,” which celebrates the Junior Rangers program. “Music is the universal language,” he says. “When kids hear songs about national parks, they’re having fun, dancing, singing and learning at the same time.”

The Junior Ranger program does not have a formal age limit, though many activities are designed for children ages four to 15. The program is free at most locations and often funded through park foundations and trusts.

A few parks, however, charge a small fee for activity booklets or an additional badge or patch.

Everglades National Park

Florissant Fossil beds National monument Some of the badges kids can earn at Grand Canyon National Park

LAZ YDAYS

WooHoo! Nig ht

The National Parks Service Junior Rangers program offers families — especially the youngest members — a means to gain greater appreciation for the world around them in a way that traditional lectures and tours aren’t able to do, notes education specialist Maryann Zujewski of the Salem Maritime National Historic Site.

“When we create age-appropriate activities for kids, they engage in a way that they hadn’t before. They become the experts, and families can learn together,” she says. BRV

betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

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(Florissant, Colo.)

Take self-guided and ranger-led hikes, watch a film and participate in park clean-ups.

For a complete listing of national parks and monument sites with Junior Ranger programs, visit www.nps.gov/learn/juniorranger.cfm.

Chris o’byrne on Fly Fishing The main difference between fly fishing and conventional fishing is where the weight is.

With conventional tackle you’re casting a light line attached to a weighted lure.

With fly fishing, the lure is very light and the line is weighted. This requires very different techniques.

There’s definitely an art to it.

People should definitely not try to teach themselves how to fly cast. The motion

Little Camper and the Big Catch

just doesn’t feel natural at first. It’s a lot like golf in that you might be able to teach yourself, but you will likely

by ADAM PORTER, PhOTOgRAPhy JEff fAy

learn a lot of bad habits

When he bought his first camper, an R-Pod ultralite travel trailer, Chris O’Byrne had not yet decided where he would go first. But he knew what he would be doing.

that hurt your performance.

One mistake we see a lot is too much wrist. both a bent wrist on the back cast and too much front cast can cause problems.

Another mistake, and

“Fly fishing is a great way to play. There are some distinct advantages to using fly tackle, and fly casting requires athleticism and artistry that traditional tackle doesn’t.”

O’Byrne, a high school sociology teacher, spends weekends and summers teaching the sport he discovered, almost by accident, 10 years ago. “A friend took me out on his boat. All I had was an old fly outfit that had belonged to my father.”

The fish started hitting and O’Byrne was hooked. Five years later he found a way to earn money while enjoying his hobby. “I work at Andy Thornal Company in Winter Haven teaching people how to fish and outfitting them for great adventures all over the world.”

The store (www.andythornal.com) runs schools four times a year and takes individual clients for one or two hour sessions. And, of course, O’Byrne still makes time to cast a few lines himself. Pursuing this passion is what led to the purchase of the r-pod.

“We love to travel with the kids, and I love looking for great fishing spots; but doing the whole hotel thing is like preparing for a military operation.” O’Byrne and his wife, Luci, share this chore; but, especially with two kids in elementary school, the logistics can intrude on the fun.

O’Byrne relates the story of a trip to Tennessee that steered him toward the RV lifestyle. “We were staying in Gatlinburg so it was an hour drive just to get to the parking lot near the stream we wanted to fish. Then it was a mile hike to the water. Just before we got to the stream we passed an RV campground. We fished, then had to carry our gear back to the car ... right past the campground again.”

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betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

this is less technical, is impatience. Many fishermen spend too much time chucking lures and not enough time finding fish. go slow. Pay attention.

Spend more time looking and you’ll cast to more fish.

Author’s Note: If you would like to hire O’byrne as an instructor, visit www.andythornal.com or call 800.499.9890.

And, if you live in the Central florida area, stop by the shop at 336 Magnolia Ave. SW, Winter haven, fL 33880.

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Turning a Lazy Day Into Summer Fun. That afternoon the O’Byrne family did what all

carries what I need, whether I take the family on a

hotel vacationers must: drive back to the hotel, then

trip or it’s just me and a couple of the guys fishing

a shower, then out again for dinner, then back to

for the weekend.”

the hotel. The entire time all O’Byrne could think

But what really sold O’Byrne and Luci was

about was that campground. “How much easier it

the service at Lazydays. “The sales staff was very

would have been to walk a few feet from the river to

knowledgeable, and the training was a huge plus.

my front door, cook dinner right there in my own

Everything was new for me. Just learning how to

comfortable kitchen.”

hook up everything, turn on the propane – and

O’Byrne decided it was

The image of that campground stuck with him

backing the trailer. I would have hated to learn that

as they traveled back to Florida. More time to rest.

on my own. So I took the driving course. Not only

time to start looking

Less hassle. And, most important, more time to

did I practice the basics of pulling and backing the

fish. O’Byrne decided it was time to start looking

trailer, I learned some things I would never have

rooms that added

to replace the hotel rooms that added stress to the

picked up on my own.”

stress to the vacation

vacation and kept him further from the fishing.

He approached Luci with the idea; and,

So, now that O’Byrne is comfortable towing his r-pod, where is he headed?

together they worked out what they were looking

“We want to head over to Fort Desoto in

for in an RV. O’Byrne wanted his own shower

Pinellas County or Long Point Park near Sebastian

and a comfortable kitchen. Luci stipulated that

Inlet in Brevard. Both offer great camping near the

her camping experience come with TV and air

water and terrific fly fishing opportunities.”

conditioning. They both wanted room for the

YOU CAN’T BEAT A DAY IN THE FOREST. At Forest River, we know your dreams of life on the road are about sharing adventures, discovering new places and enjoying the relaxing day with friends and family. Forest River’s full lineup gives you the opportunity to EXPLORE.

So what are you waiting for? Visit lazydays.com and get lost in a Forest today!

Point Bait & Tackle, and he agreed to give it a

upgrading their current vehicle, a Subaru Outback.

try. And when will he go back to the campground

The O’Byrnes were introduced to the Forest

that inspired this vacation transformation? “That

River r-pod at Lazydays. They liked what they saw.

campground is in Cade’s Cove in Tennessee, and

“Because some campgrounds limit the size of your

it’s definitely on my list. There’s fishing, of course,

RV, I wanted a smaller rig that was still big enough

and horseback riding, hikes, historic structures.

for my family.”

And it’s all right outside the RV.”

And the ultra lite would allow O’Byrne and

And where is O’Byrne’ favorite Florida fishing

his family many of the comforts of home without

spot? “Well, what am I fishing for? Tarpon? Large

having to upgrade the family transportation.

Mouth Bass? Red Fish in Spartina Grass? Bone

“With the r-pod we get a wet bath, large fridge,

Fish on flats? Shad? Snook? I can’t pick a favorite.”

convection microwave and a good deal of space –

O’Byrne pauses. “And with the r-pod I don’t have

all for a great price.” O’Byrne also appreciated the

to.

r-pod’s lightweight, “aerodynamic” construction.

I can go anywhere they’re biting.” BRV

“There’s not a lot of room for extras, but the r-pod Charleston | Berkshire | Georgetown | Cedar Creek | XLR | Sierra | Wildwood | Surveyor | r · pod | Rockwood betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

I suggested the delicious fish dip at Long

kids and something that could be towed without

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to replace the hotel

and kept him further from the fishing.

work camping

transitions by bILL WhETSTONE

Just finished a work camping job? Are you heading either to the next job or to a home base for a season of relaxation? How much time do you have – a week or more? Maybe the luxury of a month or more? Now what do we do with all this unencumbered time? Let’s explore your options and this great country of ours.

Electronic mapping is a nice way of planning. It's easy to change the route to find your best options. Some electronic mapping programs are online and some you can install on your PC. The online versions have the ability to save and share your plans with friends and family.

Now to pick stops – where do your interests lie? Focus on that area for now and do a Google search for interesting places. Then find nearby campgrounds and make a couple days of it. Usually three nights or more will suffice. You need at least two days to see anything in depth, so this gives you an arrival day and two days to see the sights. Need more time?

Take it! This is the wonder of the full-time, work camping life.

All in all, enjoy the transition from one adventure to the next. Drive safe, see you out there. BRV

NaTIoNal PaRKS Get a pass, either senior, disabled or annual. The senior pass is a reward for your 62nd birthday. It's only $10 for a lifetime, plus some discounts may apply for camping. The pass for disabled persons is free and an annual pass is $80. All must be procured in person.

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STaTE PaRKS The best way to find them is the Welcome Center as you enter the state on the highway.

Entry fees vary from park to park and state to state. Be aware that due to budget issues there are some that have closed. Plan accordingly.

baSEball PaRKS, FooTball STadIumS, etc.

For the real fan these are great stops! Most offer tours and the chance to stock up on fan gear. By the way — baseball’s spring training offers many temp jobs at the field for work campers.

betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

muSEumS Art lovers should check out

the city museum while staying just outside the city in a campground.

One not to be missed is the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.

Still one of my favorites and we first visited 38 years ago!

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CoNCERTS & muSIC FESTIvalS These

happen all around the country – be a groupie for a week. Follow your favorite band to a venue if it is on your route. The festivals are fun, many will have on site camping along with your festival pass. For us, a Bluegrass festival is prime for the picking.

PhoTogRaPhY There are so many

photogenic sights all through this great country – be sure to document your travels for sharing with friends and family. Pick a theme for the album: city fountains, skylines, statuary etc. Go with nature, trying for flora or fauna.

troubleshootin’ with ernie

Ernie Herring 35 Years Experience RVIA/RVDA Master

1

2

3

4

Certified Technician

circuit overload

T

he early morning hours are sacred for most RVers; a time to concentrate and mentally prepare for the adventure that lies ahead. For Ernie, no such mental preparation commences without first concentrating on his morning cup of coffee and apple cinnamon toaster strudel. Today it seems the coffee and strudel gods are not happy, for neither appears to be in cooperation with its respective appliance.

Less seasoned RVers might panic at this point and give up on breakfast. Fortunately Ernie believes a true RVer should never leave a toaster strudel behind and knows that he’s likely overloaded and tripped a circuit in his RV, causing the power supply to his kitchen area to shut down. In order to get breakfast up and running, Ernie has to reset his ground fault interrupt circuit (GFIC) and then determine which appliance overloaded the circuit.

GFI circuits are safety devices designed to trip or shut off the moment they detect an electrical overload. In this case, one of Ernie’s appliances has pulled too much power from the circuit and caused the GFIC to shut off. The first thing Ernie is going to do is unplug his appliances so that no power is pulled from the circuit (Fig 1). Next, he is going to reset his GFIC by pushing the reset button (Fig 2, 3).

Now that the GFIC has been reset, Ernie is going to do a little detective work to determine which appliance overloaded the circuit. To be thorough, Ernie is going to first plug in the

rV ToolBoX

coffeemaker by itself. Once the coffeemaker is running, Ernie knows that it is not the culprit. Now he is going to unplug the coffeemaker and plug in the toaster by itself. Once the toaster is running, Ernie knows that it is not the problem either.

Even on an empty stomach and with a not-yet-caffeinated brain, Ernie understands that the two appliances running at the same time likely caused the overload. To test his theory, Ernie is going to plug in both his coffee maker and toaster at the same time.

Just as he thought, the two appliances prove to be too much for the circuit.

Once again, Ernie is going to unplug his appliances and reset the GFI circuit. It may seem like the solution to Ernie’s problem is to increase the size of the fuse to the circuit in his galley. However Ernie warns that you should never increase the fuse size to remedy an overloaded circuit. A better solution would be to move one of the appliances to a power source that is wired to a different circuit (Fig 4). The best way to do this is to move the toaster to the kitchen table because any 110-volt outlet on the other side of the coach is likely wired to a different circuit.

With his coffeemaker and toaster running on separate circuits, Ernie can run both appliances at the same time. Problem solved. Now Ernie can set his mind to more compelling problems, like finding his remote control so he can channel surf from sports highlights to cartoons (Fig 5). BRV

5

Step-By-Step FIg 1:

FIg 2: Reset FIg 3: The

the GFIC by pressing the button in the middle of the outlet

red light should be OFF when the GFI has been properly reset

FIg 4: Move FIg 5:

betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

Unplug both appliances

one appliance to the other side of the coach and plug into an outlet on another circuit.

Enjoy the breakfast of champions!

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√

Secure

the Home Front!

O

T

by ChRISTIAN LAzzARINO

he Kiray family has a 15-year RV legacy. They take yearly trips and have the process down to a science. Steve, their fearless leader, father and navigator, is meticulous, ever careful that the

house is secure before they load their Monaco Signature and get out of Dodge. He has a mental checklist that he goes through every time they leave on a trip: turn off the water, the A/C, all the

lights, etc. Such was the case one June, when the Kiray family was getting ready for a two-week journey to New Jersey. Their first night was to be spent at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground in Orlando, a twohour drive from their home.

At 10:30 a.m., Steve was doing the final check of all the details on his mental list. As he walked around the back of his house, he glimpsed at the swimming pool and the adjacent pond (complete with little fish frolicking happily in the Florida sun).

He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see the smiling face of his daughter, Janine. She looked down into the pond, Steve’s creative pride and joy, and touched a gold-and-orange koi. She told him that the fish’s name was Pedro, and that he was her pet. (When I was interviewing Steve for this story, my heart dropped when I heard that Janine had named the fish. I knew that the naming of the fish meant that the fish’s time on earth would be short. Such is the way of things...) Steve didn’t pay much attention to the family’s newest addition, however, because he had just realized that the water level in the pool was too low. He turned on a hose and threw it in the pool. The family

rV TiPS

continued their check of the house so they could leave before lunchtime traffic hit.

The door slammed shut, and the fearless leader took his place behind the wheel of the motorhome and started the ignition. And the family was off.

Two hours sped by and soon Fort Wilderness loomed in the distance. Steve carefully pulled the motorhome into the campsite and the family began unpacking and setting up camp. Thoughtfully grabbing a drink of water, he casually went through the mental checklist again, just one more time. At that moment, Steve Kiray realized his mistake: He had left the hose in the pool . . . turned on. Asking his family frantically if they remembered turning it off, one thing became clear. He was going to have to drive back and check. Unhooking the car that they had towed, Steve left the inviting oaks of Fort Wilderness betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

and returned home to survey the collateral damage.

As he pulled up next to the house, the evidence of grave misfortune was painfully evident. Torrents of water spilled over the pool deck, flooding the carefully manicured flower beds nearby.

“I knew it was going to be ugly,” Steve said. “But I didn’t realize … ” he paused for a moment to remember those lost in the disaster.

Steve has a mental As he made his way to the pond — his beautifully trimmed and flowered tropical checklist that he goes through every paradise — he beheld the carnage before him. But nothing could have prepared him time they leave on for what he saw next. Pedro, Janine’s new a trip: turn off the friend, Steve’s future son-in-law, was floating, water, the a/C, all the belly-up. Pedro’s life had come to an end lights, etc... in the whirlpool created by all the water running from the hose. Steve’s mind flashed to Janine’s face as he turned off the water and got back in the car.

“Daddy, you murdered him! You killed Pedro!” Janine’s cries will forever stick in Steve’s mind.

But soon the vacation was resumed, and the Kiray family made it to New Jersey. The water bill was astronomical and Pedro, dear Pedro, was lost. Janine recovered, but the memory remains.

Therefore, dear reader, I leave you with this lesson: Always secure the home front. BRV Go online to betterRVing.com for more from this series.

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A /C and Fans

Keep Your Coach Full-time RVer Sam Matzen shares a few tips to help keep you cool and comfortable in your RV this summer.

Like most larger RVs, our coach has three air conditioners and a ducted air system. During the day we’ll set our bedroom air to be the coldest. The middle air will be one to two degrees warmer and the the front air will be one to two degrees warmer than the middle. That way the back A/C will come on first and push cold air to the front through the ducting. At night we’ll reverse the settings so the front is cooler and the back is warmer.

Window Covers You can’t put graphics on your windshield.

But a window cover keeps sunlight off your windshield.

Our window covers are custom installed to fit our coach so they’re very tight. It looks nice and it keeps heat from entering the coach through the windshield.

Coach Positioning The key to keeping your coach cool is to keep the sun off the sides of your RV. Position your coach so that the back end faces west into the setting sun.

That way, in the late afternoon the sun is hitting the back of your coach and NOT the side.

Awnings You always want to keep your big awning out and fully extended to help keep the sun off the side of your coach. Some coaches have big awnings with a drop-down day shade that helps keep the sunlight bouncing off concrete from hitting the side of your coach.

RV TIPS

Window Graphics We put window graphics on all our windows because we thought it looked cool. But it’s turned out to be one of the best things we’ve done to keep our coach cool, because it reduces the amount of UV that can get in through the windows by catching and reflecting additional sun rays.

betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

Tire Covers We’ve got day shades over the tires to keep the tires cool, and to prevent cracking caused by UV rays. RV tires have oil in the rubber to keep the tire supple. Too much sun will cause the oil to evaporate and can lead to cracking.

The tire covers protect the tires and also keep heat from entering through the wheel well and spilling into your coach.

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LED Lights A standard halogen light produces quite a bit of heat.

But if you reach up and touch an LED light that’s been on for 30 minutes, you can barely feel any heat at all.

If you keep the lights on all the time, LED lights can make a big difference in the overall temperature of your coach’s interior.

kids traveling with

Y

for more on the best books, games, activities and toys to keep your kids occupied while traveling, visit www.betterRving.com.

by STACI bACkAUSkAS

our family is sure to have fun on the road this summer by including activities that educate, entertain and forge the values of teamwork and family intimacy.

Jennifer Scott, a mother of four, discovered a variety of ways to keep her kids focused and enjoying themselves when she and her family took a two-month trip in their Monaco Dynasty.

“We loved playing the ABC game,” she recalled. After selecting a category like animals or fruits and vegetables, everyone in the family came up with one word for each letter of the alphabet. “On the ones that were more difficult, we joined together as a family,” said Scott. “Together, we came up with quetzal, which is a bird.”

They also played “Name That Tune” with songs from nursery rhymes and ones they’d heard on the radio or television. Because they were traveling during the school year, homework and educational activities like calling out math problems or using Trivial Pursuit cards without the board were also in the mix.

Courtney Baker and her husband Adam travel full-time with their three-year-old daughter, Milligan for their Web site ManVsDebt.com. They sometimes drive two straight days in their Class C Fleetwood and keep Milligan entertained with toys, puzzles and movies that are reserved for travel days. “It’s a novelty that way,” Courtney says.

J. Michele Daiger of Frederick, Md., an avid camper and mother of one, likes to find words from the three letters in license plates. “It’s like Scrabble with a lot more room for flexibility,” she says. Another license plate game recommended by Silvana Clark, author of “Fun Filled Parenting,” is to look at the license plate on the car ahead and use the letters to make a phrase. BYG could stand for Big Yellow Giraffe or Buy Yummy Grapes.

Candi Wingate, president of Nannies4Hire.com, suggests giving each child an inexpensive digital or disposable camera to record their adventures. “They’ll be so busy looking for the next thing to photograph that they’ll forget about asking ‘are we there yet?’” she says.

In addition to card games, coloring books and traditional board games, Rayven Perkins of the Web site RV-Travel-with-Kids.com and her family love copying historic markers by placing a sheet of paper over the marker and rubbing a pencil across it. Then after they’re back on the road, the kids check the facts with “Lies Across America: What Our Historic Sites Get Wrong” by James W. Loewen. “It’s hysterical when you learn that what you were told happened at that place, didn’t really happen that way at all.”

Mother and camper Susan Petracco, owner of TravelGuideline.net, encourages parents to stop at parks or rest stops frequently so everyone can burn off excess energy. “This allows the kids, and us, to toss a football or kick a soccer ball around and it’s more of a break than a book or the DVD player.”

A little imagination and a willingness to have fun with your kids can create memorable experiences while on the road. For more on the best books, games, activities and toys to keep your kids occupied while traveling, visit betterRVing.com. BRV

Innovative Ways To have Fun With Your Kids

Time flies as your kids rehearse and put on a play for you with Now I’m Reading! play kits from Innovative kids. Each kit includes a storybook, five copies of the play script with each of the individual parts highlighted, and four paper character masks. barnesandnoble.com. Around $15.

Morph-O-Scopes kits use the ancient Chinese optical illusion of anamorphosis to engage children of all ages. kids love creating drawings and having their brains tickled when the curved mirrors in the kit turn their pictures into something completely different. www.oozandoz.com. Around $20.

Zatswho® Soft Photo face Recognition flashcards allow you to personalize soft, flexible flashcards with your own photos. Teach your kids about their extended family by sharing stories, and help them learn critical skills as they grow from one developmental stage to the next. www.zatswho.com. Around $15.

“Kurpe” Diem!

by ADAM PORTER

THE NEXT GENERATION OF RVS Monaco Coach and Lazydays have partnered for many years with one goal in mind: To provide our mutual customers with the highest-quality, most innovative recreational vehicles possible, along with unmatched service and support from product-trained technicians.

Today, we continue to strive toward this goal as we introduce the Next Generation of RVs.

91320 Coburg Industrial Way, Coburg, OR 97408

|

monacocoach.com

|

877 252 4666 betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

Kevin and Shanna Kurpe appeared to be typical twentysomethings: college graduates, married four years, professionals putting their education to work in the corporate world. But in February, they sold everything and moved into a Class C Winnebago.

“It may not exactly be our dream coach,” Kevin mused, contemplating how one day they’ll tow a highend fifth-wheel with all the bells and whistles. “But this is perfect for us right now. For what we want to do.”

What derailed the Kurpes’ fast track to suburban bliss? Shanna explained, “We tried to do what we thought we were ‘supposed to do,’ but that just left us feeling empty, unfulfilled.”

Not surprising, given what Shanna calls the “gypsy lives” they lived before college. She spins tales of her adventures as a teenage girl doing mission work in South America and the United States, exploring 11 countries.

Kevin’s background is similar. “I’ve traveled since I was a kid. South America. Africa. In fact, the whole time we were looking at houses, I was seeing them as a home base to come back to when we weren’t traveling.” He paused, grinning, “Then I realized there was no real way to do that. As a first-time home buyer you have so much new responsibility – so much to learn. That’s when I realized that I really wanted to travel more than I wanted to own a house.”

Kevin’s confession initially took Shanna off guard.

“We were well on our way to achieving the American Dream. You know, finish school, get a nice job, buy a house, all that. Kevin had started his own company.

I was working as a marketing director. So we had the jobs. For me, the house was the missing piece. I had this image that it meant we’re a ‘real couple,’ that we’re successful adults.”

But the more she thought about it, the more Shanna realized that doing what she felt was expected would not bring her the happiness she wanted. “The more we went down that path, the emptier I was feeling.”

91320 Coburg Industrial Way Suddenly the concept of a one-size-fits-all American Coburg, 97408.

Dream seemedOR ridiculous

800 634 0855 monacocoach.com

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Seize the Day

over the last 40 years, our family has worked hard to establish and maintain a reputation for integrity and loyalty in the RV industry.

Today, with Entegra Coach, our signature line of motor coaches, we’re following in the footsteps of our father, Lloyd, who taught us the importance of the Golden Rule.

from the ground up, with a commitment to unfailing customer service and unmatched quality.

That’s how a great partnership was created with Lazydays as the exclusive retailer during the Entegra Coach introduction and as a participant in the 2011 Entegra Preview Rally.

With his principles in mind, we’ve built the company

Each Entegra Coach is backed by our exclusive family promise to treat our customers fairly and to provide exceptional customer service—before, during and after the sale. If you’d like to learn more, please contact us.

Derald & Wilbur Bontrager Entegra Coach Founders

entegracoach.com

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The Kurpes canceled the contract on the house. For the first time in their married lives Kevin and Shanna were at a crossroads with no idea what to do next. “We knew we wanted to travel,” said Shanna, “We definitely agreed on that, but how to do it and make money – that was the question. We’re not millionaires. There had to be some sort of profit in it.”

They were still pondering their options when they accepted a friend’s invitation to attend a classic Microbus rally called VW Buses over the Skyway. Shanna explains, “All these VW enthusiasts get together and drive across the Skyway bridge to a park in St. Petersburg where they have a big picnic.”

The Kurpes borrowed a VW Microbus from a friend and joined the caravan. Kevin drove and Shanna, riding shotgun, reveled in the experience. “It was a beautiful Florida day. I had my hand out the window, the wind was blowing. I had my video camera out. The sense of freedom was incredible.”

“I looked over at Kevin and yelled: “Let’s just sell everything, live in a van and tour the country!” That passing fancy would soon become prophetic.

After returning home from the rally, Kevin and Shanna were even more convinced that a conventional life was simply not for them. What, then, was their American Dream?

They wanted something concrete, a tangible goal. The end result of that conversation was their new family motto, a mission statement of what, for them, contributed to a fulfilling lifestyle: Take care of yourself. Build meaningful relationships.

Serve passionately. Live adventurously.

One reason for their RV adventure, Shanna says, is to put that mission to the test. “We want to see if this kind of lifestyle is even possible before we think about suggesting it to others. In fact, we are excited about meeting other people who are already doing those things.”

And how will Kevin and Shanna finance this excursion?

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Scratch off lottery tickets, perhaps? Kevin explains. “We’re fortunate that we can both do our jobs from just about anywhere. I’m a custom software developer, and Shanna offers integrative marketing services. We already have a solid customer base, which continues to grow.”

So, they are grounded, goal-oriented and conscientious.

But some have asked if the couple isn’t being a bit selfindulgent with such big plans to swim against the tide.

“I don’t think we’re really all that unique. A lot of people think about these things, but we have the opportunity to do them.” Shanna observes.

“Kevin reminds me all the The Kurpes began time, you only have only shot at life. their journey this So if you have the chance, spring. We will check don’t pass it up.” in with them again “I know that there will be in a few months a time to settle down.” Kevin to see what they adds. “It’s just not our time yet. We have no debt – that’s have learned on the huge, by the way – and we road. In the meantime, have the opportunity. So you can follow why not get out there, learn their adventures on things? Meet people.”

Twitter and at While planning to seize their own American Dream, www.kurpediem.com. the Kurpes are learning to love living in their Winnie.

Where did they plan to go first? “We’re heading south to Key West.” Says Shanna. “We’re going to boondock with a church, help them with some service work. From there, we’re wide open.”

And so is the road in front of them. Kurpe Diem. BRV

RV details 2011

Thor motor Coach astoria pg. 72-73 2011 Fleetwood Expedition pg. 74-75 2011 lance T1800 pg. 76-77

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888.626.7800 BETTERRVING.COM 71

2011

Thor motor Coach Astoria Cool Luxury The main living space dazzles travelers with its luxury. Passengers are treated to a 40inch high-definition LCD TV, solid wood cabinets, day and night shades, and two euro recliners.

Walk into the kitchen area and enjoy high-end touches such as the tiled backsplash, stainless steel appliances and the hard surface countertop. Sit back and relax or cook up a treat to share with your travelmate in pure luxury.

The Astoria has been redesigned from the ground up and ushers in a new era of affordable luxury. This diesel pusher is powered by a 360 HP Cummins ISB XT engine.

rV DETAilS

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The three camera back-up

monitor system with audio will

help you to pull into the

tightest of campsites even if your

trusty spotter is not there.

Storage solutions

in the Astoria make it

simple to retrieve your stowed goods.

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2011

Fleetwood Expedition Sunlight and Relaxation Enjoy the 7-foot ceilings and large windows that flood this coach with natural light. The spacious interior feels like home the moment you enter the cabin. Ample room for seating and sleeping means inviting family and friends to join in the travels. Wall switches, built-in GPS and a built-in soap dispenser are just a few of the items that make traveling easy. Kick off your shoes and relax. This coach is home.

On a cold night, start your

generator with the touch of a remote button from under the warm covers of the deluxe pillow-top mattress.

Kids, young and old, will be

After a day of activities, steal away to complete luxury in this Fleetwood Expedition.

Travel away from the hustle and bustle of life and enjoy your new home on the road.

rV DETAilS

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entertained with personal

entertainment centers in each bunk.

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2011

lance 1181 Cozy Comfort Transform the back of your pickup truck into a comfortably efficient and well-appointed living space. With the slide-out option, storage for all of your travel needs is made simple.

There is room enough for all living, from showering to eating, and even towing all your bigger toys.

Invite the blue sky into your camper

The Lance 1181 Slide-in camper

home with the

along with your pickup truck can become

easy to open skylight.

the getaway of your dreams.

Operate your lifts

with an easy remote control.

rV DETAilS

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PARTNER SPOTLIGHT how long have you worked at Lazydays?

Seventeen years. I was a service technician for 15 years. Now I’m a “rookie” in the parts department.

What is the most important thing you have learned while working at Lazydays?

Humility. When you work with people all day long, you have to be on the ball and you have to be humble.

pet-friendly luxury suite

What experience in your life prepared you most for your job?

I was in the restaurant business for a number of years. I dealt with customers then just like I do now. I learned to be honest and to fix things when they break.

room for grandkids 42” outdoor flatscreen

BRUCE DICKENS Parts Department Technician

how does your background as a service technician help you in your current position in the parts department?

I know what it’s like to be a tech when it’s stressful and what these guys are going through. Now that I’m on the other side of the counter, I feel I can use my experience to help our techs help their customers.

It’s rewarding.

What do you personally do to enhance the customer’s experience at Lazydays?

Greeting the customers with “Welcome to Lazydays” is something I’ve always done and we’ll always do at Lazydays.

What are you particularly proud of regarding Lazydays?

I’m proud of Lazydays for building up from nothing. I’ve been here 17 years and have seen us grow from 40 service bays to over 200. Today we have more technicians and more knowledge to help our customers.

What one thing about you outside of work might surprise both customers and co-workers?

Everyone knows me as a fisherman. I do offshore trolling mostly for wahoo, dolphin, sailfish and marlin. Other than fishing I’m kind of a homebody. BRV

Only with Blue Ox ... ®

Find your perfect home on the road.

Explore and discover which RV would make your highway freedom dreams come true. From pop-ups to high-end luxury, there is an RV waiting right here for you to call home.

lazydays.com

You will not only receive the best, most user-friendly products on the market, but the greatest customer service in the industry! Now that’s something that can’t be beat!

The Patriot™ is easily calibrated and works for your motorhome and tow car by safely bringing them to a smooth stop with proportional braking.

Brakes are manually applied and adjusted from the coach with a wireless remote.

The Patriot™ is also all electric—this means there are no pumps, tanks or hoses to leak while you’re towing your vehicle.

WORKS WIT HYBRIDS!

H

Patriot™ Braking System

“We just finished 3,000 miles with the PatriotTM and it worked really well. I really felt it helping me slow in the mountains and whenever I’ve had to stop fast. Love this unit!”

—Michael Halprin

The beak-away comes standard and the built-in battery ensures your unit will always have power— no matter what!

Passion. Freedom. Comfort. Excellence. This is where dreams come true.

78 BETTERRVING.COM WINTER 2011

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One Mill Road • POB 430 Pender, NE 68047 800-228-9289 www.blueox.com

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®

Strong As An Ox™

ask steve

Technically Speaking with Steve Roddy He’s an RVIA/RVDA Master Certified technician with over 38 years of RV experience. Some call him a living legend in the RV industry. He just likes to be called Steve.

Q A

I keep blowing the fuse for lights over the sink, refrigerator and hall light. I installed a new fuse, but when the lights come on the fuse blows.

A multistep approach is best as your problem may be caused by several issues.

First, replace the fuse. Does it blow if nothing is turned on? If it does, there is a short in that circuit. Next, turn on one item at a time to see if one individual item is at fault. Turn off the item if the fuse does not blow. After testing each light individually, turn them all on. If the fuse blows, the circuit is overloaded. Consider whether something else has been added to that circuit, such as another light. Never increase fuse size to cure the problem!

Q

If I change the tires on my RV from 295 80R 22.5 to an easier-to-find size like 295 75R 22.5, will the new size work on my RV’s dual back axle without compromising anything?

A

Be aware that changing the height of the rear tires will require speedometer calibration. Make sure the weightcarrying specifications of the new size are at least equal to that of the original tires.

Q

How do I get my tripod satellite signal to go through the installed cable outlet on my RV? I have tried to connect to my outside cable connection and cannot get a signal.

We’ve got the experts and the tools to ensure that traveling is the only thing on your mind.

A

The best thing to do is run another cable for your portable satellite dish. If you use the park cable you will lose your ability to connect to cable TV at the campsite. Be aware that with the voltage needed to operate the satellite dish, it is not advisable to use an A/B switch.

Q A ya gotta “

We’re halfway through baseball season. Can the Tampa Bay Rays put together another playoff run?

The late Tug McGraw said it best:

believe!”

Our RV techs are the best in the business. Most are RVIA/RVDA certified master technicians. Each one is equipped with the right tools to make sure that every job, from routine maintenance to major repairs, is done expertly and efficiently. We know that when we do our job right, your next RV adventure will be the only thing you have to think about.

Q A

How can I get the quickest response to my questions?

Call us today at 866.531.6820 to make an appointment or go to LazydaysService.com to schedule an appointment. And by the way, your RV did not have to be purchased at Lazydays to take advantage of our RV expertise.

We have technical experts who will respond to your questions at www.facebook.com/betterRVing. Or, send your tech questions to insider@betterRVing.com.

RV SERVICE

ASK STEVE

betterRVing.com | Summer 2011

LazydaysService.com

A craftsman for every need

5000-0711

love the freedom of going wherever they please. is pleased to cover them wherever they go.

emergency expense. You choose to spend your free time enjoying the open road. So Progressive makes sure you’re taken care of by covering lodging and transportation if your RV becomes disabled due to an accident. Protect your trips with Progressive.

LAZyDAys InsUrAnce Agency

1-866-317- 4014 www.LAZyDAys.com/progressIve Progressive Casualty Ins. Co. and its affiliates, Mayfield Village, OH. Coverage available for separate premium, may not be available for all RVs and coverage selections, and is subject to policy terms. 10A00146 (03/10)