TrailBlazer Magazine - Nov/Dec 2013 by TrailBlazer Magazine

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 n $2.00 www.trailblazermagazine.net

The

VERSEAS HIGHWAY

A Trip Through the Florida Keys

Conch If You Love Key West & Its Characters B L A Z I L

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Spotlight: Adventures in the Keys A True TrailBlazer: Global Noble

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER CIRCLE NO. 124 ON FAST FACTS CARD PAGE 50

VOL. 35 n ISSUE 10

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER2013 CONTENTS Message from Marguerite Tech Topics

Who’s in the Kitchen with TrailBlazer

5 9 10

32nd Annual Seven Mile Bridge Run Photo Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO

TrailMix 12

THE OVERSEAS HIGHWAY

With the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other, a trip on the 127-mile Overseas Highway promises beautiful sunrises, sunsets and amazing vistas all around. Explore this engineering wonder as you discover the Florida Keys.

Activities & Events

ELS Events Calendar

Updates & Upgrades

I Knew I Was a TrailBlazer

Spotlight: Adventures in the Keys

A True TrailBlazer: Global Noble

Features: The Overseas Highway: A Trip Through the Florida Keys Conch If You Love Key West and Its Characters

34 40

Member Deals 44 Advertiser Index 50 Crossword Puzzle 50

On the Market: Gift Guide

Club Calendar 60 Sudoku Puzzle 62 63

On Location 66

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Photo by Bob Krist/Florida Keys News Bureau

Classified Advertising

CONCH IF YOU LOVE KEY WEST

Cover photo: Seven mile bridge. Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau

Key West is literally the end of the line when it comes to exploring the Florida Keys. Just 9 miles from Cuba, Key West is designated the Southernmost Point in the US. Come visit and see what the draw is for yourself. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Limited Time, Double the Fun Double Your Reward! Receive a $25 $50 American Express Gift Card when your referral purchases a Zone Camping Pass! Your referral also enters you into our 2013 drawing for a chance to win these great prizes. Grand Prize 7 Night Cruise or Trip to Hawaii (a $4,000 value)

Second Prize Third Prize 4 Nights in either Las FREE DUES for 2014 (10 winners selected) Vegas, San Francisco (up to $525 value) or Orlando (a $2,000 value)

www.zonecampingpass.com/referthezone

Camping is Better with Friends!

Details and qualifications for participation in this promotion may apply and are set forth on our website at www.ZoneCampingPass.com/referthezone.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

B L A Z I L

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MESSAGE FROM MARGUERITE

“Most of the successful people I’ve known are the ones who do more listening than talking.” ~ Bernard Baruch

s we go to print, news of our US Government’s shutdown is everywhere. There is a whole laundry list for the reasons this occurred, but at the core it may very well relate to the quote above. Peter Drucker, a pioneer in business management, believed that listening to the customer and understanding what they want was the core to successful business. In essence, aren’t we all the customers of the government? And yet, someone stopped listening along the way and this is the result. You may recall that during the first week of the government shutdown when National Parks and Monuments were closing, we sent out several emails letting you all know that we were open for business. We’re still here! And while there is a huge difference between us and the US Government, we believe that we are listening to what you’re saying. Luckily, over the past several years, technology and the advent of social media make it easier for us to find out what you’re thinking. Regular mini-surveys launched from our own Facebook page as well as the feedback we receive through other forms, give a true insight to what it is our customer wants. And we are not going to stop listening (and asking, for that matter)!

to customer surveys at the property and more. So, to that end, over 1,000 50-amp site upgrades are either in the works or have been completed. In regards to upgrades and updates, we regularly feature these in TrailBlazer and these are a result of hearing what you have to say. Check out Page 26 and see what’s going on at Soledad Canyon. Over $1 million in renovations are underway – again, we heard your comments and we are making changes. I will note it is important to understand that major renovations and upgrades are a lengthy process, beginning with the concept, running through budget and capital expenditure procedures, hiring crews and bringing the project to completion. If you have a question about upgrades and updates, or a suggestion or comment about changes you’d like to see, please drop us a line. We have several avenues for you to communicate with us and we encourage you to use them. We’re still here and we are definitely still listening.

For example, the request for more 50-amp service sites popped up in many places, from social media forums Marguerite Nader President & CEO

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

MISSION STATEMENT TrailBlazer provides exclusive news and information for the members and guests of Equity LifeStyle Properties Family of Resorts. Each issue enhances the recreational lifestyle of its readers through a lively mix of camping and travel features, resort profiles and product features. www.trailblazermagazine.net

EDITOR Joan DeAno Rykal TBeditor@equitylifestyle.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER Heather Anderson ADVERTISING SALES 877-252-9320 TBads@equitylifestyle.com TRAILBLAZER (ISSN 0747-2293) is published monthly except bimonthly Nov./Dec. and Jan./ Feb. by MHCTT Memberships, LP, c/o Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc., Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606. An annual subscription is $20. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to TRAILBLAZER, 2325 Highway 90, Gautier, MS 39553. Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement 41461526.

TrailBlazer Magazine

Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800 Chicago, IL 60606 www.trailblazermagazine.net

Address Changes for TrailBlazer can be sent via email to TrailBlazerAddressChanges@ EquityLifestyle.com

NEW Subscriptions 1-877-252-9320

TTN & LTR Reservation Services (From United States and Canada) 1-800-288-7245 • 228-497-3594 April 1 to August 31 Mon. - Fri. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. September 1 to March 31 Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time 24-hr. STAR Line: 1-800-859-7827 228-497-3594 Member Services 1-800-388-7788 Resort Parks International Reservations 1-800-456-7774 ELS Reservations 1-877-362-6736 PRINTED IN THE USA

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Snowflower: While we were at Snowflower in August, Louisa had fun scrambling over not-too-small nor not-too-big boulders among the tall trees. - Jim & Janet Hansen, Castro Valley, CA

Now Win $50 EACH Issue!

Pics from the Parks Photo Submissions Do you have a winning photo from your visits to our preserves and resorts? We’d love for you to share it with us and what’s more, your submission will now be entered into our photo contest. Winners will receive a $50 American Express Gift Card. Each issue we will select ONE “winning” photo from the submissions received (all submissions must be received by midnight on the last day of the month.) Winning photo will be posted on the TrailBlazer website as well as in the magazine. Photo submissions should include a brief description, including location of your photo, your name, city and state and sent to: TrailBlazer_photos@equitylifestyle.com or mail to: Equity LifeStyle Properties, Attn: TrailBlazer Photos Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800 Chicago, IL 60606 Emailed photos should be high resolution. Photos are not returnable and become the property of Equity LifeStyle Properties and may be used for publication on company websites and promotional purposes. One winner will be selected EACH month from submissions received. The winner will be announced in a future TrailBlazer issue and on the website.

PICS FROM THE PARKS

Chehalis: Barb Knudson presenting a “Quilt of Valor” to her Uncle George Swift (with wife Marge) in thanks for his service to our country in WWII. - Andy and Barb Knudson, Anderson Island, WA

Yosemite: My “Rock climbing Pug” at Tenaya Lake in Yosemite National Park. She loves having her picture taken, and, can’t pass up a rock that can be climbed on! - Sharon Thompson, Alta Loma, CA

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

WANT TO BE A

LUCKY WINNER?

Thousand Trails is offering members the opportunity to win a

$1,000 American Express Gift Card To earn entries into our monthly drawing simply pay your 2013 dues on time and camp at your favorite TT Preserve.

This month’s winner, Eric Weber from Cameron Park, CA was camping at Ponderosa when he was presented with his $1,000 gift card. Will you be pictured here next month? Eric is pictured here with Ponderosa Resort Manager, Dominic Pugliese.

Get Out and

Ca mp

When you pay your annual dues for 2013 in full, you will be entered into our monthly drawing for a $1,000 American Express gift card. There will be one drawing/one winner each month from January through December 2013. In addition, once you pay your dues in full, each time you camp at a Thousand Trails Preserve in 2013, you will receive an additional entry into the drawing. The drawings are limited to persons who are of legal age. The drawings will be held at our corporate office on the 10th day after the end of each month. Winners will be notified by mail, phone or in person if camping at a Thousand Trails preserve. The odds of winning will depend on the number of entries, but are not expected to exceed 1:100,000. Winners are responsible for federal and state taxes on the award. You may also enter the drawings by printing your name, address, day and evening phone numbers, and email address on a 3” x 5” piece of paper and mailing it to the Sponsor in addressed, stamped envelope. You are limited to one mail-in entry which must be postmarked by December 15, 2013. This promotion is sponsored by MHC Thousand Trails Limtied Partnership, Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Tech Topics by Paul and Kerri Elders

▶ This month, we’ll take a basic look

at RV braking systems. We’ll start with the vehicle brakes. How can you tell when your RV’s brakes need adjusting? We’ll give you some quick and easy tips. We’ll also take a look at brake controllers, safety breakaway systems for trailers, and take a quick peek at the emergency brake.

Give Me a Brake

Whether your RV is a diesel pusher, a 35-foot fifth wheel, or a pop-up trailer, brakes are an extremely important component. And they are a most decidedly underappreciated component. Under-appreciated, that is, until your fully-loaded RV is rolling down the western side of the Rocky Mountains at 40 miles per hour. That’s when you learn, firsthand, how to truly appreciate the immense value of a good set of well-maintained brakes. Brakes are one RV system you don’t take chances with-ALWAYS know if your brakes are in good condition before leaving on any trip. It can be difficult to visually inspect your brakes yourself. It’s even challenging to be completely aware of their condition at all times strictly by “feel.” A clue that you might have a brake issue is a rig that pulls to one side when you brake. Another clue is brakes that squeal or squeak. Perhaps you’ve noticed your brake pedal is becoming spongy with too much “play.” Or you find your brake pedal suddenly offers resistance and becomes hard to press. Be on the safe side. Make it a practice to have your brakes inspected by a qualified mechanic every 10,000 miles. Replace them if you have any doubt about their dependability. When brakes become hard, soft, noisy, or if you feel unsure, it’s time to have them checked. You also need to know how to prevent “brake fade,” particularly if you tow a trailer. Brake fade happens when the brake pedal “gives” and brakes barely respond rather than braking normally. It’s usually caused by overheated brakes from prolonged use on downgrades, but it can also happen if the brakes are out of alignment. To help avoid brake fade on downgrades, always use lower gears when traveling downhill, allowing the engine itself to help slow the vehicle.

Self-Adjusting Brakes

If your vehicle is equipped with self-adjusting rear drum brakes, you can try the following simple adjustment method. This technique is best used for tow vehicles or toads only; we DO NOT recommend it for a fully packed motorhome or trailer. First, make sure you’re in a flat, safe area that meets all three of these conditions: 1) Adequate room to back up; 2) A clear and completely unobstructed view; and 3) You are CERTAIN there are no pets, no foot traffic, and no vehicle traffic in this area. If you meet all three conditions, you can attempt to adjust/tighten your brakes by driving your vehicle in reverse for a few feet, not too fast. Brake quickly. Repeat backing and braking about three to five times, or as advised in your Owner’s Manual. The ratchet action of the rear shoes should adjust the brakes for normal wear and should improve performance. Never rely solely on this method. See a mechanic as needed!

Brake Controllers

If you pull a trailer behind a pickup truck or other tow vehicle, you know the importance of a dash-mounted brake controller. A controller should be matched to both your load and your tow vehicle. Brake controllers come in a variety of “flavors;” some are hydraulically operated, some are pendulum (inertia)-types, some are air-actuated and still others are electronic. And they’re designed for controlling single, double, or triple axles. Don’t cheat on size! You need a controller that will adequately brake your trailer under a variety of real-world driving conditions. Test your trailer brakes and your brake controller before you leave on any trip. Simply move slowly forward and manually operate the controller after hooking up. You should feel a definite braking effect. All brake controllers have a sensitivity adjustment; adjust yours to your own specifications so you get a smooth, safe stop. Continued on page 62

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

WHO’S IN THE KITCHEN

with TrailBlazer?

florida

KEYS COOKING by Lesley Tennessen www.dutchovendiva.com

ome along with me to the Florida Keys. These recipes provide a really wonderful profile of the flavors of the Keys with fruit, limes, fish and coconut!

Shrimp Tacos with Cabbage Lime Jalapeño Slaw (adapted from FloridaKeysMadness.com) Set-up: 10-inch Dutch oven 12-15 coals on the bottom Ingredients: 1 pound fresh Florida Keys shrimp, peeled and deveined 3/4 cup shredded cabbage 1 jalapeno, shredded 2 tablespoons cilantro, coarsely chopped Juice from 1 Key lime 6 corn tortillas 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 avocado 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning 1 teaspoon freshly ground chili powder Directions: For the Slaw: Combine cabbage, jalapeño, cilantro and lime in a mixing bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. For the shrimp filling: Season the cleaned shrimp with 1 teaspoon olive oil, Cajun and chili powder. Put the Dutch oven onto the coals to create medium heat to sauté the shrimp. Use the remaining olive oil in the Dutch oven and saute about 3-5 minutes or until cooked through and pink. Set aside. Take the lid from the Dutch oven and invert it over a lid stand. The same coals that you used for sauté will be good to warm the tortillas. Distribute shrimp to warmed corn tortillas, topped with cabbage, jalapeño slaw mixture. Serve and enjoy! 10

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Coconut Crusted Fish with Mango Salsa (adapted from FloridaKeysMadness.com) Set-up: 10-in Dutch oven 12 lit coals Fish Ingredients: 7 ounces coconut, shredded 3⁄4 cup rice flour, divided 2 eggs 1⁄2 cup water 8 ounces Gulf Mahi-Mahi or Cod fillets, about 1 inch thick 1⁄4 cup olive oil

Fish Directions: In a small bowl, mix the coconut and 1/2 cup of rice flour. In another bowl, make an egg wash with eggs and water. Coat fillets in the remaining 1/4 cup of rice flour; dip fillets into egg wash and finish breading with coconut/flour mixture. Place the Dutch oven over the bed of coals. Sauté fillets in oil over medium-high heat until fork tender, browning both sides. If the coconut seems to be burning, remove the coals from under the Dutch oven. You can also add more oil in as you go. Garnish with Mango Salsa on top of the cooked fillet. Mango Salsa Ingredients: 1 mango, peeled and diced 1/2 cup peeled, diced cucumber 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeño 1/3 cup diced red onion 1 tablespoon lime juice 1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves Salt and pepper Mango Salsa Directions: Combine the mango, cucumber, jalapeño, red onion, lime juice and cilantro leaves and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours to develop flavor. Key Lime Pie (from AuthenticFlorida.com with taste buds that keep thanking me!) You can use Key limes (found in most grocery stores, one bag will do) or any kind of limes (6-8) to create a Key lime pie. Make sure you use the zest of the fruit you use before squeezing the fruit. Set-up: 10-inch Dutch oven 7 coals for the bottom, 13 for lid to make 350 degrees Ingredients for Crust: 1/3 of a 1-pound box of graham crackers 5 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter 1/3 cup of sugar Ingredients for Filling: 4 egg yolks 2 teaspoons of zest - be sure to zest before you squeeze the juice! 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 2/3 cup of freshly squeezed Key lime juice (Use a hand squeezer as opposed to a juicer) Ingredients for Meringue Topping: 4 egg whites ¼ teaspoon, cream of tartar ¼ cup of sugar

Directions for Crust: Break up the graham crackers; place in a food processor and process the crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor, place the crackers in a large plastic bag; seal and crush the crackers with a rolling pin. Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse or stir until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and side of a pie pan, forming a neat border around the edge. Make a ring of the coals and set the oven onto the ring. Bake the crust until set and golden, 8 minutes. Take the oven off the heat. For the filling: Meanwhile, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment or a hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3 or 4 minutes longer. Slowly add the lime juice, mixing just until combined, no longer. Pour the mixture into the crust. Set the oven back onto the ring of coals. Make sure that you have good hot coals. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the filling has just set. Take off the heat and cool down. Continued on page 54 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

The Strait Story: s

Encore Offers the Key( ) To Your Winter Getaway

ny travel agent will tell you that visiting the Florida Keys is definitely a tropical experience. And it’s not just because of the palm trees – the Keys are located just 70 miles north of the Tropic of Cancer, which is the demarcation line for “the tropics”, so you can’t get much closer to tropical and still be in the US. And this month’s TrailBlazer provides you with details on how to get the most out of your vacation in the Florida Keys. Thanks to the location, the area experiences some pretty amazing temperatures, with summertime averages of 80-90 and even better, winter temperatures that range between 72 and 84. You can’t beat that when your friends up north are shivering! A trip to the Keys is a sure-fire way to tackle a whole boatload (excuse the pun) of items on a “Must See and Do” list. Do you want to swim with dolphins? Explore shipwrecks and coral reefs while scuba-diving? Glimpse a key deer, an endangered species that can only be found in the Keys? Or simply, blend in with the locals and enjoy sun and sand? If you’re planning a trip to the Florida Keys this winter, you’re in luck because Encore RV Resorts offers two great locations while you visit and explore this 120mile long island chain.

Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina

This unique resort, with adjoining marina, offers the RV adventurer ideal access to the island experience. Located on the 75-acre island of Ohio Key, near Big Pine Key in the lower Florida Keys, Sunshine Key provides the perfect gateway for ocean activities, or just relaxing at the water’s edge. Visit the National Key Deer Refuge, which is less than 10 miles from the resort, and see the endangered white-tailed Key deer in this fourteen square mile natural habitat. Bahia Honda State Park is another must see. This awardwinning beach offers some of the best beachcombing around. Plus, photographers will love the opportunity to snap shots of the historic Bahia Honda Rail Bridge. Don’t miss it at sunset! If you want to simply soak up the sun and catch some rays, and a few fish, that’s the beauty of Sunshine Key. With the marina and dock right on site, there is plenty of opportunity to cast a line and sit by the water’s edge. 12

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

unshine Key RV Resort & Marina

Big Pine Key – Lower Keys

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

iesta Key RV Resort

Long Key – Middle Keys

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Fiesta Key RV Resort

ur newest location is the perfect location in the heart of the Florida Keys. Encore’s Fiesta Key RV Resort is so lush, you’ll swear you’re in the tropics! Situated on 28 acres, the views of the Gulf of Mexico that surround the resort are incredible. And, while it may be tough to leave these gorgeous surroundings, there’s so much to do nearby. Choose from the Dolphin Dip or Dolphin Encounter to experience these friendly, intelligent mammals at the Dolphin Research Center, which is about a ten minute drive from the resort. Other programs include Trainer for the Day and Researcher for the Day. Whatever you choose, this is dolphin watching at its best. Take a drive to Long Key State Park and take your pick of hiking, canoeing, kayaking, or fishing – the Park is said to have some of the best bonefishing in the Keys. Back at the resort, take a dip in the pool, grab a bite to eat at the restaurant or beach bar and enjoy the beautiful sunsets. When you visit Fiesta Key this season, make sure to book for Winter 2015 as major renovations are planned for the off-season. Book now and spend the winter with us in the Florida Keys. Visit www.RVontheGo.com See page 44 for great deals offered to Thousand Trails members

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Calendar - Nov/Dec 2013 ACTIVITIES & EVENTS CALENDAR

BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA Cultus Lake December 14: Annual Christmas party and potluck luncheon. Festivities begin at 1 p.m. You bring the goodies and we will supply the ham. Please call the preserve to let them know you’ll be attending - stay for the day or the weekend! Throughout December, activities will be member-generated. Family Centre hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily CALIFORNIA Lake Minden November 1-3: Crafters Holiday: Join us for a weekend of crafting. We’ll have tables set up for Jewelry Making (various projects), Beaded Ornaments, Scrapbooking, Holiday Tags and a variety of Holiday Craft Projects. Sign up early for specific projects. Don’t forget the Friday Night Potluck Social, Brown Bag and Saturday Candy Bar Bingo and Ice Cream Social. November 8-10: A Salute to Veterans: Join us for a Veterans Day Pie Social. Veterans are encouraged to bring photos for our Salute to Veterans Board and memories to share with other veterans and members. Join us as we make holiday cards to send to our men and woman in Veterans Hospital. Don’t forget the Friday Night Potluck Social, Brown Bag Bingo and Saturday Candy Bar Bingo and Ice Cream Social. November 15-17: It’s All About Family: Bring your favorite photos and memories and we’ll do some scrapbooking with journal entries. We’ll also make a variety of mini scrapbooks that are great for holiday gifts. Bring the family for the Friday Night Potluck Social. Saturday morning we’ll play family board games and do family crafts. Later bring the whole family to Candy Bar Bingo and stay for the Ice Cream Social. November 22-24: Lake Minden Thanksgiving: This is Lake Minden’s most popular social. Join us Saturday for a traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey and dressing at our Annual Thanksgiving Potluck. Enjoy a scrumptious meal while you catch up with old friends and make new ones. Then take a relaxing walk around the lake. Join us for Karaoke or make Christmas cards and mini tree ornaments. November 29-December 1: Crafters Holiday: Join us for a weekend of crafting. We’ll have tables set up for Jewelry Making (various projects), Beaded Ornaments, Scrapbooking, Cards and Holiday Tags. Sign up early for specific projects. Don’t forget the Friday Night Potluck Social, Brown Bag Bingo and Saturday Candy Bar Bingo and Ice Cream Social. December 6-8: Deck the Halls: This week we’ll be making a variety of holiday ornaments in the children’s and adult craft sessions. We’ll also be decorating a hat, sock and mitten/glove tree during the month of December. Bring your donations to the Adult Lodge and help us share the holiday spirit with the less fortunate. Don’t forget the Friday Night Potluck Social, Brown Bag Bingo and Saturday Candy Bar Bingo and Ice Cream Social. December 13-15: Tis the Season: Join us for our Friday night Potluck Social followed by Christmas Brown Bag Bingo. Get in the spirit with holiday caroling around the Christmas tree. We’ll keep warm with hot chocolate and popcorn. It’s not too late to bead a pair of Christmas earrings in a Holiday Bead Class. Saturday join us for Candy Bar Bingo and the Ice Cream Social. December 20-21: Christmas Dinner Social: Join us for our Annual Christmas Potluck Dinner Social on the 21st. Not quite finished with your Christmas shopping? Take a Beading Class and make a bracelet or pair of earrings. You can also craft a Christmas ornament. Don’t forget the Friday Night Potluck Social, Brown Bag Bingo and Saturday Candy Bar Bingo and Ice Cream Social. December 27-29: Happy New Year: Friday

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

(Events may be subject to change)

Night join us for a potluck dinner and Brown Bag Bingo as we say goodbye to 2013. On Saturday we will have Bingo and the last Ice Cream Social of the year. December 31: New Year’s Eve: Join us for a Finger Food Potluck Social followed by a variety of card and board games, plus Brown Big Bingo and Karaoke as we ring in the New Year. November 14 Christmas Stroll This is a great annual community event featuring the Mayor and Santa lighting the Christmas tree at the water tower on Plumas Street, just 20 miles from the preserve. There will be free entertainment, food and craft vendors, pictures with Santa and more. There will also be an expanded kid zone. Event hours are 2 to 9 p.m. For information call (530) 755 1620. Lake of the Springs November 28: Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner - we supply the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, plus coffee and iced tea. Cost is $6.75 per person, ages three and up. Members are asked to bring a dish for their family, plus eight (vegetables, salads, rolls or desserts). Sign up at the Trading Post or get advance tickets. For more information call (530) 692-1042 or (530) 692-3215. We will have one seating at 2 p.m. December 14: Tree Trimming event - join us for tree trimming with good friends, hot chocolate and holiday music. December 31: New Year’s Eve Dinner and Dance: Join us for dinner and stay for the dance featuring The James Slack Band. For more information, or to sign up, call (530) 692-3215 or (530) 692-1612. Palm Springs November 21: What’s better than spending Thanksgiving in Palm Springs? Spending Thanksgiving with your family of friends right here on the preserve. Thanksgiving morning watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade in the Family Lodge. Bring a cup of coffee and a friend and enjoy the parade. December 7: Do you have an award-winning chili recipe? Cook up your favorite recipe and enter the Thousand Trails Palm Springs Chili Cook-Off. December 24: Merry Christmas! Join the Recreation Staff for caroling, drinking hot chocolate and savoring Christmas cookies. After the caroling, we will have our Christmas Decorating Contest awards ceremony. Decorate your rig, site or both. Santa and his elves will be watching. December 31: Celebrate the New Year with good friends, good food and good music. Can’t stay up until midnight PST, no problem - we will do a countdown at 9 p.m. (EST) and another countdown at midnight (PST). Seating is limited. Tickets go on sale December 15. November 22-24 McCormick’s Classic Car Show and Auction Hundreds of classic, sports, antique and special interest autos are sold across the auction block during the three days. Come to browse or to buy. Event is held at the Spa Resort Casino in Palm Springs, just 10 miles from the preserve. Event hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. For information call (760) 320-3290.

Pio Pico November 1: Casino Night. November 2: “Bark in the Park” Doggie Social and Dance. November 9: “Veterans Tribute” Veterans Friends and Movie Night. November 16: “Everything Chocolate.” November 21: Thanksgiving Dinner. November 23: “Pow Wow” Sycuans Tribe is hosting a Pow Wow. December 6: “Christmas in the Park” Casino Night. December 7: “Christmas in the Park” Raffle/Benefit and Movie Night. December 14: “Christmas in the Park” Recipe/Cookie exchange, Decorate your RV and Christmas Karaoke. December 20: “Christmas in the Park” Caroling, Cider/Cookie Social with Santa, RV Viewing. December 21: “Christmas in the Park” Judging announcement and Movie Night. December 28: “Bringing in the New Year” New Year’s Resolution wall. December 31: “Bringing in the New Year” New Year’s Party! Live band. November 24 2013 Mother Goose Parade One of California’s largest public parades, “Mother Goose” originated in 1947 as a gift to the children of East County from local businessmen. Upwards of 400,000 spectators line Magnolia, Main and Second Streets for this annual kick-off to the holidays. Event is just 17 miles from the preserve. December 8 Gaslamp Holiday Pet Parade Held at the Gaslamp Hilton Park, this is San Diego’s furriest festive parade. Event runs from 1 to 5 p.m. and is just 25 miles from the preserve.

Ponderosa November 29 Placerville Festival of Lights The old-fashioned festivities will close Historic Main Street and begin around 5:30 p.m. at various locations up and down Main Street with music, entertainment, visits with Santa, stagecoach rides (4 to 6 p.m.) and the tree lighting at 6 p.m. at the Courthouse. Held in downtown Placerville, just 12 miles from the preserve.

December 14-15 Christmas in Coloma The annual old-fashioned Christmas Celebration features period crafts, music, strolling musicians, historic trade demonstrations, 19th-century children’s games, wreath making, and vendors featuring hand made crafts and foods for sale. A visit from Santa Claus is a colorful highlight of the day. Snow pile, if weather permits. The park’s historic buildings will also be open for visitors’ enjoyment. Held at Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, just 1 mile from the preserve. Events hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ACTIVITIES & EVENTS CALENDAR

December 7-8 Indio International Tamale Festival This festival features savory tamales from hundreds of vendors from across the Southwest. Get there early for the best selection, including tamales that incorporate sweet dates and others that make use of savory salmon, along with traditional tastes. Event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Fantasy Springs Casino, just five miles from the preserve. For information call (760) 391-4175.

Rancho Oso Throughout the Season: Guided trail rides are available daily for ages eight and over and fun hand-led rides for ages seven and under. Please call ahead for reservations. Don’t forget to visit our ranch animals at the stables. Saturday and Sunday activities are subject to change. Breakfast at Stone Lodge will be served 8:30 to 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Our Saturdays will be filled with fun including wagon rides, Candy Bar Bingo, Ice Cream Socials, scavenger hunts, wine tasting and BBQ Dinners! The Country Store will be open for DVDs, snacks, drinks, etc. Please note the heated pool will close December 1 and will reopen in March. November 28: Thanksgiving Dinner: Traditional Thanksgiving dinner provided, including turkey, stuffing, gravy, potatoes, cranberry sauce, salad, vegetables, rolls and beverage. Dessert potluck: please bring enough dessert to share with your party, plus four. Please RSVP to (805) 683-5686 or ranchooso@equitylifestyle.com by November 14 with your email address, telephone number, and number of adults and youths in your party. Adult price is $15, plus tax, children 12 and under are $7, plus tax. Also, breakfast will be served Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at the Stone Lodge. We will serve a BBQ Chicken Dinner on Saturdays, through November 23, at 5:30 p.m. at the Stone Lodge. Please sign up and pay at the Country Store by 3 p.m. on Saturday. December 31: New Year’s Eve Party at the Stone Lodge: Dance to DJ Dominic and ring in 2014 with snacks and goodies provided by Rancho Oso. Party runs from 8 p.m. to midnight. December 7 Los Olivos Olde-Fashioned Christmas Celebration Celebrate in Los Olivos, just 23 miles from the preserve, as the streets are adorned with luminaries and the smell of popcorn and roasted walnuts drifts through the air! Local merchants will welcome guests during this romantic return to small town holiday celebration. Experience musical performances and a tree lighting ceremony by the “Little Angel.” Event runs from 4:30 to 7 p.m. For more information visit www.losolivosca.com.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

ACTIVITIES & EVENTS CALENDAR

December 11 Parade of Lights Held at Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, bring your camera for a photo op with Santa and friends. Santa arrives at 3 p.m. escorted by Harbor Patrol and his elves. Santa’s Village has become a cherished holiday activity for children of all ages and is open from 3 to 5 p.m. Located on the City Pier in the Harbor (below Brophy’s), Santa’s Village will feature 12 tons of snow from the North Pole, holiday carolers and special treats from Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. Santa Barbara Boat Parade runs from 5:30 to 7:15 p.m. For information call (805) 897-1962.

Wilderness Lakes November 9: Casino Night. Come play Blackjack for FREE. Play with Wilderness money and get rich. Tickets given and drawing for prizes at the end of the evening. Must be 21 to play. November 10: Happy Veterans Day. FREE cake for all Veterans at the Ice Cream Social. November 16: Movie Night with FREE popcorn. November 23: Coyote Country DJ plays any type of music you could imagine. Just bring the whole family and enjoy quality time together. Clap your hands and stomp your feet or just listen. November 29: Movie Night with FREE popcorn. November 30: The clowns, Twinkles and Sunny Sunshine will be here to do face painting and make balloon figures. Dominic’s Karaoke for the whole family. Who knows you might be discovered for American Idol. December 7: Casino Night. Come play Blackjack for FREE. Play with Wilderness money and get rich. Tickets given and drawing for prizes at the end of the evening. Must be 21 to play. December 8: Kathy Blanchette’s Gospel Concert. December 14: Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will visit us during kids craft. Get your picture with Santa and then make your own picture frame to put place it in. Movie Night with FREE popcorn. December 21: Dominic’s Karaoke for the whole family. Who knows you might be discovered for American Idol. December 28: Ron Ebell plays any type of music you could imagine. Just bring the whole family out to enjoy quality time together. You can dance, clap your hands, stomp your feet or just listen. December 31: Recreation Office will be open from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. FLORIDA Orlando November 16-17 Osceola Fall Art Festival Held in historic downtown Kissimmee, event features artists from throughout the US showcasing paintings, sculptures, jewelry, photography and more. For more information visit www.ocfta.com. Three Flags November 2: Ice Cream Social. November 3-9: Thursday Donut Social and Saturday Ice Cream Social and Craft Show. November 10-16: Tuesday and Friday Bingo, Wednesday Birthday Cake, Thursday Donut Social and Saturday Ice Cream Social and Craft Show. November 17-23: Tuesday and Friday Bingo, Thursday Donut Social, and Ice Cream Social and Craft Show, Saturday Night entertainment by Bill and Jennifer Smith. November 24-30: Tuesday and Friday Bingo. Thursday is our Thanksgiving Dinner - we provide

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

the turkey, gravy, and potatoes and you bring the sides or dessert. Saturday is our Ice Cream Social and Craft Show. December 1-7: Monday night football, Tuesday and Friday Bingo, Wednesday Potluck, Thursday Donut Social and Saturday Ice Cream Social and Craft Show. December 8-14: Monday night football, Tuesday and Friday Bingo, Wednesday Potluck, Thursday entertainment by Dave and Lorraine Bird, and Saturday Ice Cream Social and Craft show. December 15-21: Monday night football, Tuesday and Friday Bingo, Wednesday Potluck, Thursday Donut Social and Saturday Ice Cream Social and Craft Show. December 22-30: Monday night football, Tuesday Christmas Carolling around the park, Wednesday is our Christmas Dinner - we provide the ham and you bring the sides or dessert. Friday Bingo and Saturday Ice Cream Social and Craft Show. NEW YORK Rondout Valley November 23: Thanksgiving Dinner with our friends at Rondout Valley. Turkey provided by the staff at Rondout, Guests bring your favorite Thanksgiving potluck item to complete the feast. More information to follow. OREGON Pacific City November 2: Come decorate the Family Lodge for the Thanksgiving holiday. November 23: Thanksgiving potluck dinner. Turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, rolls and beverages $5 per person. You bring the complimenting sides to serve your party, plus 8. If the first letter of your last name begins with A-M bring salads, potatoes, stuffing or dessert; if it begins with N-Z bring vegetables, fruit, cheese platter or any hot side dish. Contact (503) 965-6200 to make a reservation and sign up your dish. December 7: Come decorate the Family Lodge for Christmas. Holiday music, snacks and beverages provided. Whalers Rest Throughout November and December: Super Candy Bar Bingo on Saturdays at 1 p.m. November 28: Thanksgiving Potluck: We supply the turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy and attendees supply the side dishes and desserts for only $3 per person. Dinner is served at 3 p.m. November 30: Turkey Bingo in the North Clubhouse at 6 p.m. Prizes for winners! December 21: Celebrate Christmas with our holiday-themed party at 2 p.m. in the South Clubhouse. December 31: Ring in the New Year and enjoy a night of family fun and prizes at our Casino Bash. Fun starts at 7 p.m. in the South Clubhouse. PENNSYLVANIA Scotrun November 28-December 1: Thanksgiving: Enjoy a four-day weekend to celebrate the holiday! Shop the Black Friday sales at The Crossings and take advantage of the 20% off special items in the Trading Post. It’s the time to purchase that item you’ve been wanting. December 26-January 5: Perfect time to use the holiday break to enjoy skiing and other winter sports of the Poconos. For the shoppers, watch for those after Christmas great deals at The Crossings. Ring in the New Year at one of the local nighteries.

December 8 25th Annual Tree Lighting Celebration The Stroudsmoor Country Inn invites guests from the community and across the nation as they celebrate the lighting of Stroudsmoor Mountain. Events include an art show, holiday craft boutique, and elaborate gingerbread village, carriage rides, petting zoo, live Nativity and fabulous fireworks. All free to enjoy. For information call (800) 955-8663.

Timothy Lake North & South November 29-December 1: Tom the Turkey & Little Saint Nick Weekend Join us for a joint holiday weekend of family fun! Our traditional dinner of Turkey and Ham Potluck will be served. Bring your kids down Friday evening for our tree decorating and lighting. Santa will be visiting Saturday morning for pictures and parents can bring a gift not to exceed $15 for Santa to give to your child. Want to get a little more festive? We will have our site decorating contest and festive hayride around the resort. DJ Mike will be spinning some of your favorite holiday songs and, of course, anything else you would like to hear. December 31: Timothy Lake’s Rock n New Year’s Eve Party: What better way than to enjoy ringing in the New Year with great friends and within walking distance of your RV! Our New Year’s Eve Party for all ages with DJ Mike includes party favors, main course, appetizers and, if weather permits, our Tubing Hill will be open. SOUTH CAROLINA Carolina Landing November 2: Annual Thanksgiving celebration and canned food drive. December 7: Christmas Celebration and toy drive (tentative). TEXAS Bay Landing November 16: Member Appreciation Day included Chili Cook-Off and Weenie Roast Lunch. November 23: Thanksgiving Day Potluck. December 7: Potato Bake. December 21: Member Appreciation Day Christmas Potluck. Holiday Potluck Dinners for Thanksgiving and Christmas - we supply the meat, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy. We ask that you bring a covered dish to serve six people. Please call the preserve for details - a signup sheet will be in the Adult Center and Clubhouse. Lake Conroe November 2: Chili Cook-Off Weekend: Come test your skills against our last

year’s winner. Our cook-off is a great time to get to know your neighbors and taste some of the best chili in Texas. November 9: Veterans Day Weekend: Veterans Day celebration - come join us for a Veterans Day parade and Golf Cart Games. November 16: Throwback Weekend: Come join us for a trip back in time to the 1980s when our park was first opened. You can meet Buddy Bear and have a free hot dog or hamburger. November 23: Thanksgiving Weekend: Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful, and we are very thankful for all members and staff that make Lake Conroe so special. So this weekend will be a weekend of giving thanks. November 30: Trim the Tree Weekend: So Christmas is almost here and what can I say except it is a magical time of year. We will be decorating our park and trimming the tree at the activity center. Come join us for a very magical time.

ACTIVITIES & EVENTS CALENDAR

November 8-10 7th Annual Classic R&B Weekend Many music lovers worldwide consider this the best classic R&B music weekend. Returning to the Poconos, this weekend offers a musically filled time in a resort setting. Events include VIP concerts, musical workshops, meet and greets, dance parties, comedy shows and line dancing lessons. A great weekend full of activities. Held at the Fernwood Hotel an Convention Center, just 35 minutes from the preserve. For information call (886) 210-8009.

December 7: Cookie & Dessert Weekend: Do you have a special recipe you want to show off? If so, join us for a great dessert bake-off. December 14: Snowman Weekend: It is going to be a weekend to remember as we celebrate a snowy white time. December 21: Christmas Weekend: What a magical time of year, Santa will be visiting and our second annual caroling on hayrides, come join us for a hayride through our park singing traditional Christmas songs. Afterwards we will be enjoying some hot chocolate in front of the tree. December 28: New Year’s Eve Weekend: Come join us in ending a fantastic year and ringing in a great New Year. We will enjoying the works of The Under Over Brotha’s Band on New Year’s Eve. Lake Whitney November 1-2: Birthday/Anniversary cake and ice cream at 1 p.m., Candy Bingo at 2 p.m., Decorating for Thanksgiving at 4 p.m. - everyone is invited to help decorate the Family Center for Thanksgiving! Sign up or call if you will be with us for Thanksgiving Lunch-please let us know what dish you will be sharing. November 11: Veterans Day: We will be having a flag ceremony with a new flag presented by Boy/Girl Scouts that will be visiting our park. November 27: At 10 a.m., we will start preparing for Thanksgiving Feast. Everyone is invited to help make our TT Family Thanksgiving a memorable time. November 28: Thanksgiving Day! Traditional Thanksgiving feast begins at 12 p.m. with all of our TT family. Afterwards gather at the Family Center and watch the Cowboys play Oakland! Game starts at 3:30 p.m. Bring your favorite football watching snacks to share! November 30: Come join the fun decorating for Christmas at 3 p.m.! Sign up or call to let us know if you will be joining us for Christmas lunch! Please lets us know what dish you will be sharing. December 21: Get your picture with Santa Claus at 4 p.m. December 23: Employee Christmas Party at 6 p.m. December 24: We begin preparing for Christmas Lunch. Medina Lake November 29 Ford Holiday River Parade and Lighting Ceremony For over 30 years, this spectacular one hour parade along the San Antonio River Walk has featured illuminated floats with celebrities, bands and lavishly costumed participants. The parade goes on rain or shine. For tickets call (210) 227-4262.

Continued on page 62

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

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GULF VIEW RV RESORT Punta Gorda, FL

Feb 26, 2014............................ 2014 Expo Billiards Feb 27, 2014......... 2014 Expo Sock Hop/Car Show

Jan 11, 2014.......................Bobby Holloway Dance Jan 17, 2014......................Southern Express Dance Feb 14, 2014.............................. Valentine’s Dance - Just Duet Band Feb 28, 2014...........................Jerry Breeden Show Mar 7, 2014......................Southern Express Dance Mar 9, 2014............. Branson - Deb & Gordie Show Mar 15, 2014..................... St. Patrick’s Day Dance - Anything Goes Band

CLERBROOK GOLF & RV RESORT Clermont, FL

Jan 27, 2014.......................... ELS Golf Tournament Feb 7, 2014.............................. Diva Legends Show Feb 14, 2014.............................. Valentine’s Dance Feb 18, 2014................................ Spaghetti Dinner Feb 28, 2014 �� Variety Show Mar 6, 2014 �� Breakfast Mar 10, 2014......................... ELS Golf Tournament

Mar 13, 2014............Chris Michaels Comedy Show Mar 17, 2014..................... St. Patrick’s Day Dance

COLONY COVE Ellenton, FL

Jan 23, 2014............................. Annual Health Fair Mar 14, 2013 �� Mardi Gras

COQUINA CROSSING Elkton, FL

Jan 1, 2014................................ Polar Bear Plunge Jan 18, 2014 �� Winter Concert Jan 23, 2014.............................. Casino Cruise Trip Feb 2, 2014................ Championship Football Party Feb 12, 2014................................Taste of Coquina Feb 14, 2014.............................. Valentine’s Dance Feb 25, 2014.......................... Health & Leisure Fair Mar 8, 2014 �� Concert Mar 17, 2014 ��St. Patrick’s Day Mar 22, 2014.................... Spring Golf Tournament Mar 29, 2014...................... Spring Chorus Concert Apr 12, 2014 �� Concert/Show Apr 11-12, 2014................... Resident Garage Sale Apr 25-26, 2014..................... Spring Theatre Show May 5, 2014 ��Cinco de Mayo May 12, 2014....................... Mother’s Day Brunch

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

HARBOR LAKES RV RESORT Port Charlotte, FL

Nov 9, 2013......................... Hot Dog Night w/CDs Nov 2 & 16, 2013.......................Pancake Breakfast Nov 16, 2013............................. Ice Cream Social/ Karaoke Nov 23, 2013.........................................Pool Party Nov 28, 2013.......................... Thanksgiving Dinner Nov 30, 2013..................................... Dance Night Dec 7, 2013................................ People Who Care Charity Event Dec 14, 2013..............................Pancake Breakfast Dec 14, 2013..................... Christmas Musical Show Dec 21, 2013..............................Golf Cart Parade/ Christmas Carols Dec 24, 2013............. Christmas Eve Dinner/Dance Dec 25, 2013........................Christmas Day Dinner Dec 28, 2013.................Ice Cream Social/Karaoke Dec 31, 2013.......................New Year’s Eve Dance Jan 4, 2014....................Ice Cream Social/Karaoke Jan 7, 2014..................................... Swim Suit Sale Jan 11, 2014........................... Welcome Back Party Jan 18, 2014................................. Chinese Auction Jan 18, 2014....................................... Stage Show - Music & Comedy Jan 25, 2014...................Valentine’s Dinner/Dance Feb 1, 2014...........................................50s Dance Feb 8, 2014......................................... Stage Show - Music & Comedy Feb 15, 2014...................Valentine’s Dinner/Dance

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(continued) Feb 21, 2014..................................Dance Night Feb 23, 2014............. Ice Cream Social/Karaoke Feb 26, 2014 �� 2014 Expo Pickle Ball Feb 28, 2014.............................. Pickleball Expo Mar 1, 2014..........................Mardi Gras Dance Mar 7-8, 2014.......... Resort Follies (Talent Show) Mar 15, 2014 �� St. Patrick’s Day Dinner/Dance Mar 22, 2014 �� Lawn Party Mar 29, 2014 ��Volunteer Appreciation Party Apr 5, 2014 �� Last Dance Apr 20, 2014 �� Easter Potluck

THE HERITAGE North Fort Myers, FL

Feb 25, 2014............... 2014 Expo Glamour Day Feb 27, 2014...................2014 Expo Horseshoes

ISLAND VISTA North Fort Myers, FL

Feb 28, 2014....................... 2014 Expo Carnival

LAKE FAIRWAYS North Fort Myers, FL

Feb 24, 2014............. 2014 Expo Welcome Party Feb 28, 2014...........2014 Expo Golf Tournament

WINDMILL VILLAGE North Fort Myers, FL

Feb 25, 2014....................... 2014 Expo Men’s Day

Feb 26, 2014................ 2014 Expo Chair Volleyball Feb 27, 2014.....................2014 Expo Shuffleboard

PINE LAKES North Fort Myers, FL

Feb 24, 2014....................... 2014 Expo Red Hat Ladies Luncheon Feb 28, 2014...........2014 Expo Golf Tournament

PIONEER VILLAGE RV RESORT North Fort Myers, FL

Feb 26, 2014..................2014 Expo Talent Show Feb 28, 2014................ 2014 Expo Casino Night

SUNSHINE HOLIDAY DAYTONA Ormond Beach, FL

Mar 7-16, 2014...................... Bike Week Bands, Breakfasts, Dinners Mar 28-31, 2014.......... End of the Year Carnival

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

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(continued)

Feb Feb Feb Feb

8, 2014..... Dance Featuring Sam Pecorelli Band 8-9, 2014..... Saturday and Sunday Vegas Days 11, 2014......Concert Featuring Gentleman Jack 15, 2014................................ Dance Featuring Judy Anne and the Guys Feb 22, 2014...... Dance Featuring Erv Reutzel Band Mar 1, 2014..... Dance Featuring Come Back Buddy Mar 4, 2014...................................... Gospel Show Mar 8, 2014.......................Dance Featuring Hillery Mar 15, 2014.... Concert Featuring Reign-N-Country Mar 17, 2014 ��St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Party Mar 22, 2014 �� Dance Featuring Julie Lee White Rose Duo Mar 25, 2014 �� Concert Featuring Ron Kendricks Mar 29, 2014 �� Dance Featuring Judy Anne

GOLDEN SUN RV RESORT Apache Junction, AZ

COUNTRYSIDE RV RESORT Apache Junction, AZ

Oct 31, 2013..................Welcome Back/Halloween Nov 28, 2013.................. Thanksgiving Day Potluck Dec 7, 2013..............Dance Featuring The Varitones Dec 14, 2013.............. Dance Featuring Eight Tracks Dec 15, 2013......................... Christmas Craft Show Dec 17, 2013...Tuesday Entertainment-Jan Sandwich Dec 21, 2013....... Dance Featuring Reign-N-Country Dec 24, 2013............... Christmas Golf Cart Parade Dec 24, 2013........ Christmas Eve Program w/Santa Dec 25, 2013.............................. Christmas Potluck Dec 28, 2013...........Country Western Line Dancing Dec 31, 2013.......................New Year’s Eve Dance Mid Night Confessions Jan 7, 2014........Tuesday Maker Music Jam Session Jan 11, 2014........ Dance Featuring Erv Reuzel Band Jan 18, 2014.........Dance Featuring Midnight Moon Jan 25, 2014 �� Dance Featuring The Bob Doszak Band Jan 26, 2014............ Shuffleboard Spaghetti Dinner Jan 28, 2014 �� Tuesday Night Entertainer Maggie Mae Feb 1, 2014 �� Dance Featuring Road Runner Feb 2, 2014 �� Football Championship Party Feb 4, 2014 �� Fun Night and Talent Show

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Oct 31, 2013................................ Halloween Party Nov 11, 2013............ Welcome Back Dinner-Tribute to our Veterans with Uptown Angels USO Show Nov 21, 2013....................... Highland High School Strolling Strings/Starlight Serenade Dec 8, 2013.................................Ice Cream Social and Karaoke by the pool Dec 18, 2013.................................. Christmas Train and Golf Cart Parade and Caroling Dec 24, 2013...................Christmas Eve with Santa Jan 1, 2014....................Polka Dance with Julie Lee Jan 16, 2014............. Chamber of Commerce Mixer Jan 19, 2014.......... Karaoke with Merv by the pool Jan 25, 2014........Annual AJ Community Fundraiser Jan 30, 2014.........................................The Tokens Feb 2, 2014................ Football Championship Party Feb 7, 2014.......................The Nashville Roadshow Feb 8, 2014............ Boots, Buckles and Brew Dance Feb 9, 2014............ Karaoke with Merv by the pool Feb 10, 2014....................................The Calhoun’s Feb 14, 2014............. Valentine’s Dinner and Dance with the 8 Tracks Feb 16, 2014............................ Daytona 500 Party Feb 20, 2014...................... The Gold Wing Express Feb 24, 2014...........................The Kid’s Next Door Feb 27, 2014............. Volunteer Appreciation Lunch Feb 28 & Mar 1, 2014............................ Fun DAZE Mar 5, 2014........................... Ball Team Fundraiser Mar 8, 2014........ A Tribute to Simon and Garfunkel Mar 24, 2014......... Going Home Dinner and Dance

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Oct 31, 2013....................................... Sip and Dip Season Kickoff Happy Hour Nov 2, 2013...............................Pancake Breakfast Nov 3, 2013 �� NFL Sunday Ticket Come cheer on your team Nov 4, 2013 ��Western Nat’l Open Team Shuffleboard Tournament Nov 4, 2013 ��Village College - Peggy Nelson Nov 6, 2013 ��Showtime Kenny Miller Nov 7, 2013 ��Happy Hour - David Grimes Nov 9, 2013 ��Patio Sales Nov 11, 2013 �� Village College - Bill Harrison Nov 12, 2013 �� Chef Louie (every Tuesday & Thursday) Nov 12, 2013 �� Karaoke Happy Hour (every other Tuesday) Nov 13, 2013 ��Activities Coffee Nov 14, 2013 �� Happy Hour - Ron E. Cash Nov 15, 2013 ��Friday Night BINGO (every Friday night) Nov 16, 2013 ��Pancake Breakfast Nov 17, 2013 ��Steak Fry Nov 18, 2013....... Village College - Martha Murray Nov 19, 2013 ��Flu and Pneumonia Shots Nov 20, 2013 ��Showtime - Coldshott & the Hurricane Horns Nov 21, 2013 �� Happy Hour - Hungry Five Nov 24, 2013 ��Lighting of the Village annual event Nov 25, 2013 �� Village College - Erik Berg Nov 26, 2013 �� Karaoke Happy Hour Nov 28, 2013 �� Thanksgiving Dinner (Sign up required) Nov 29, 2013 ��Salvation Army’s Angel Tree - Pick an Angel Tag Dec 2, 2013 �� Village College - Larry Cline Dec 4, 2013 ��Art in the Studio Courtyard - Monte Vista Artisans Dec 4, 2013 �� Showtime - The Rice Brothers Dec 5, 2013 �� Happy Hour - Guilty Pleasures Dec 7, 2013 ��Pancake Breakfast Dec 7, 2013 �� Annual Christmas Bazaar and Bake Sale Dec 7, 2013 ��Tennis Club’s Christmas Dinner and Dance Dec 9, 2013 ��Village College - Greg Hansen Dec 10, 2013 �� Karaoke Happy Hour

Dec Dec Dec Dec Dec

11, 2013.................................Activities Coffee 11, 2013 ��Showtime - Monte Vista Chorus 12, 2013 ��Happy Hour - Phil Johnson 15, 2013 ��Steak Fry 16, 2013 �� Holiday Bonfire and Hayride with s’mores Dec 18, 2013 �� Showtime - Treblemakers Dec 19, 2013 ��Happy Hour - Rich Mancini Dec 21, 2013 ��Pancake Breakfast Dec 23, 2013.............................. Kids at Christmas - Bring your Grandchildren Dec 24, 2013 ��Christmas Eve Candlelight Chapel Service Dec 25, 2013 ��Christmas Dinner (Sign up required) Dec 27, 2013 �� Dessert & Entertainment by Center Stage Dec 31, 2013 �� New Year’s Eve Celebration - Putting on the Ritz Jan 2, 2014 �� Happy Hour - Jazzona Jan 4, 2014 ��Pancake Breakfast Jan 6, 2014 �� Village College - Bill Harrison Jan 7, 2014 ��The Best of the 50s and 60s 2014 Concert Jan 8, 2014 �� Community Dinner - Roast Pork Jan 9, 2014 �� Happy Hour - Jeff Stephens Jan 13, 2014 ��Village College - Mike Kinne Jan 14, 2014 �� Healthy Living Lectures Series Jan 14, 2014 �� Karaoke Happy Hour Jan 15, 2014 ��Activities Coffee Jan 15, 2014 �� Showtime - The Jerry Breeden Ventriloquist Show Jan 16, 2014 �� Happy Hour - Ricky Ricci Jan 18, 2014 �� Activity Fair at the Pancake Breakfast Jan 18, 2014 ��Pancake Breakfast Jan 19, 2014 �� Vista Steak Fry Jan 20, 2014 �� Village College - Dr. Jeremy Rowe Jan 21, 2014 �� United Blood Services - Donate Blood Jan 22, 2014 �� Concert - Revisiting the Roy Orbison Years Jan 23, 2014 �� Happy Hour - Richi Manichi Jan 24, 2014 �� Dessert & Entertainment Jan 25, 2014 �� Monte Vista Baked Potato Feed - MV Softball Jan 27, 2014 �� Village College - Jack Whitmer Jan 28, 2014 �� Healthy Living Lecture Jan 28, 2014 �� Karaoke Happy Hour

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Bay IndiesCoquina Indies Coquina C ove Clerbrook Golf & ew RV Resort Colony Countryside RV Harb lden Sun Pioneer Vil Lake Fairways Golde Paradise RV Resort V ountry Sunshine RV Fun-N-Sun RV Resor dies Southern Comfo Sunshine RV Colony r Lakes RV Resort G Gulf View RV Resort neer Village Clerbroo s RV Resort Bay Indie MONTE VISTA (continued)

Jan 29, 2014....................... Concert - I am Woman Jan 30, 2014......... Happy Hour - Kristy (Dee) Swan Feb 1, 2014................................Pancake Breakfast Feb 1, 2014..........................................MV Annual 50th Anniversary Celebration Feb 3, 2014............ Village College - Rich (Dick) Ely Feb 4, 2014................ Right Path Health Screenings Feb 5, 2014...................................Activities Coffee Feb 5, 2014......................... Showtime - Kenny Hess Feb 6, 2014................Happy Hour - Doug Reynolds Feb 8, 2014................ Woodshop Annual Brat Bash and Auction Feb 10, 2014.................. Village College - Erik Berg Feb 11, 2014........................ Healthy Living Lecture Feb 11, 2014......................... Karaoke Happy Hour Feb 11, 2014......................... Concert - Sam Krane, The Entertainer Feb 12, 2014.....................Pasta Community Dinner Feb 13, 2014................ Happy Hour - Richi Manichi Feb 15, 2014..............................Pancake Breakfast Feb 15, 2014.............Tennis Club’s Valentine Dance Feb 16, 2014...........................................Steak Fry Feb 17, 2014.................................. Village College - LuAnn Dahlman, NOAA Feb 18, 2014.......... New Image Fashion - Shopping Feb 19, 2014....... Showtime - Gene Lowry & Friends Feb 20, 2014............ Happy Hour - Guilty Pleasures Feb 24, 2014.............Village College - Danny Foley Feb 25, 2014........................ Healthy Living Lecture Feb 25, 2014......................... Karaoke Happy Hour Feb 26, 2014...................... Concert - December 63 Feb 27, 2014...................................... Happy Hour Mar 1, 2014 Firemen’s Breakfast w/Auctioned Pies Mar 3, 2014.............. Village College - Jeff Hopkins Mar 5, 2014..................... Showtime - Mc6Acapella Mar 6, 2014..............Happy Hour - Harry Mathews Mar 8, 2014..........................................Patio Sales Mar 9, 2014.......................... Monte Vista’s Annual Memorial Service Mar 10, 2014............. Village College - Mike Everitt Mar 11, 2014....................... Healthy Living Lecture Mar 11, 2014 Concert - The Ultimate Eagles Tribute Mar 12, 2014................................Activities Coffee Mar 13, 2014.............Happy Hour - Doug Reynolds Mar 14, 2014 �� 2015 Concert Series Preview Mar 15, 2014 ��Pancake Breakfast Mar 17, 2014 �� Get Up, Get Active - St. Patty’s Day 5k

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Mar 17, 2014................................St. Patrick’s Day Corn Beef and Cabbage Dinner Mar 17, 2014 �� Village College - Joe Cobb Mar 18, 2014 �� The Dixie Swim Club Play Mar 19, 2014 ��Showtime - Highland HS Strolling Strings Mar 20, 2014 �� Happy Hour - Ron E. Cash Mar 22, 2014 �� Spring Expo and Bake Sale Mar 24, 2014 �� Village College - Bill Harrison Mar 25, 2014 �� Healthy Living Lecture Mar 26, 2014 �� Concert - The Great American Song Book Mar 27, 2014 �� Happy Hour - Sip and Dip - The LaRaDos Mar 28, 2014 �� Dessert & Entertainment Mar 31, 2014 ��Village College - Danny Foley Apr 5, 2014 ��Pancake Breakfast Apr 8, 2014 �� Karaoke Happy Hour Apr 18, 2014 �� Easter for Kids - Bring your Grandchildren Apr 19, 2014 ��Pancake Breakfast Apr 20, 2014 ��Easter Ham Bake Community Center May 10, 2014 �� Mother’s Day Brunch

PARADISE RV RESORT Sun City, AZ

Jan 3, 2014 �� New Year’s Dinner & Dance Jan 8, 2014 ��Marcello DiNicholantonio Jan 9, 2014 �� DJ Dance with Kort Jan 11, 2014 �� Shoppers Paradise Jan 13, 2014 �� Superstar of Country Music Jan 20, 2014 ��Maggie Mae Concert Jan 22, 2014 �� Patrick McNally Jan 25, 2014 �� Roy Orbison Tribute Jan 29, 2014 �� Take it to the Limit - Eagles Tribute Jan 31, 2014 �� Cabaret with Mary Jo Feb 3, 2014 �� Honky Tonk Rebel - Mario Carboni Feb 8, 2014 �� Shoppers Paradise Feb 10, 2014 ��Sam Kane Feb 14, 2014 �� Valentine’s Day Tea Feb 14, 2014 �� Paradise Talent Show Feb 17, 2014 �� Goldwing Express Feb 21, 2014 �� DJ Dance with Kort Feb 24, 2014 �� Karen Carpenter Feb 28, 2014 �� Dance Mar 6, 2014 ��The Journeyman Gospel Quartet Mar 8, 2014 �� Shopper’s Paradise Mar 10, 2014 �� Cabaret with Tommy Halloway

CrossingCountryside & RV Resort Golden Cove Gulf View RV bor Lakes RV Resor llage Sunshine Holid en Sun Monte Vista ViewPoint RV, Golf & VLakewood RV Reso rt Paradise South RV TEXAS ort Voyager RV Reso Cove Monte Vista Golden Sun Lake Fair t Countryside RV Bay ok Golf & RV Resort es Southern Comfor Mar 12, 2014 ��December ‘63 - Frankie Valli Story Mar 15, 2014 ��Paradise Arts and Crafts Show Mar 17, 2014 ��St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Dinner Mar 18, 2014 �� Paradise Playhouse Mar 22, 2014 �� Big Band Theory Mar 29, 2014 �� DJ Dance with Kort Apr 3, 2014 ��The West Valley Pops band Apr 26, 2014 �� DJ Dance with Kort

YUMA ART CENTER Yuma, AZ

Jan 10-14, 2014 �� The Superstars of Country Music Jan 24, 2014 ��Revisiting the Orbison Years Feb 7, 2014 ��Sam Kane Feb 21, 2014 ��December ‘63 Mar 7, 2014 �� The Simon and Garfunkel Retrospective Mar 21, 2014 �� The Big Band Theory

COUNTRY SUNSHINE RV RESORT Weslaco, TX

Jan 11, 2014 �� Dance with Randy Webb Jan 19, 2014 �� Goldwing Express Jan 23, 2014 ��Encore: the Best of the Beach Boys Jan 25, 2014 �� Dance with Rio Trio Feb 1, 2014 �� Dance with Greg Jones Feb 8, 2014 �� Dance with Randy Webb Feb 9, 2014 �� Jerry Bennett Feb 15, 2014 �� Dance with JC Bullock Feb 22, 2014 �� Dance with Rio Trio Mar 1, 2014 ��Golden Oldies with Susan Carmen Mar 6, 2014 �� Encore: Frankie Villa and the Jersey Boys Mar 8, 2014 �� Dance with Country Line Band

Jan 5, 2014 ��Spanhanks Jan 12, 2014 �� Betty Rydell Jan 13, 2014 �� Toni Jackson Jan 18, 2014 ��Beatles/Beach Boys Jan 19, 2014 ��Jackson Henley Jan 20, 2014 �� Bernie & Red Jan 26, 2014 �� Tucker Jan 28, 2014 ��Pans of Steel Feb 3, 2014 �� 12 String Feb 7, 14, 21, 28, 2014.....................Texas Country Feb 8, 2014 ��Cross Strings Feb 9, 2014...........................................Bill Chastill Feb 15, 2014.........................................The Eagles Feb 16, 2014................................... The Kenastone Feb 17, 2014.......................................The Cruisers Feb 23, 2014...................................The Castaways Mar 2, 2014.....................................Paul’s Journey Mar 4, 2014........................................ Mardi Gras Mar 7, 14, 21, 28, 2014....................Texas Country Mar 16, 2014................................... Dale & Gayle Mar 23, 2014.......................................Kenny Hess

VICTORIA PALMS Donna, TX

Dec 6, 2013........................................Walter Plant Dec 10, 2013.................................. Rolando Reyes (continued on page 52)

FUN-N-SUN RV RESORT San Benito, TX

Nov 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2013 ��Texas Country Nov 18, 2013 �� Vance Greek Nov 24, 2013 ��Coleman Smith Dec 1, 2013 �� Leslie Blessing Dec 6, 13, 20, 27, 2013....................Texas Country Dec 8, 2013 ��Ruthie Hedge Dec 15, 2013 �� Clarence Hayden Dec 21, 2013 �� The Coins Dec 22, 2013 ��Dan Harryman Dec 31, 2013 ��Noe Cisneros Jan 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 2014 ��Texas Country

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

& PDATES UUPGRADES Check here each month to see whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new at the preserves and whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the works.

ACCENT GARDENS

WELCOME CENTER

The Welcome Center will set the precedent for what visitors can expect from Soledad Canyon, creating a strong identity that will be carried throughout the preserve. The design will take clues from the surrounding environment such as meandering trails, natural vegetation, Parker Mountain and the Santa Clara River. 26

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Themed planting will be installed that relates to the surrounding environment creating a compatible landscape of color texture. Visitors are encouraged to wander and discover the different spaces.

THOUSAND TRAILS SOLEDAD CANYON Acton, CA

Have you visited lately? We think you will like what you see. Major upgrades are nearing completion. We invested more than $1 million on the improvements that include the following areas: The Welcome Center received interior and exterior upgrades. Exterior upgrades include landscaping, parking lot lighting and paving and masonry updates. The fully-renovated interior will feature new furniture, a new 65â&#x20AC;? LED television, a new check-in area and an awesome stone wall design.

SPLASH PAD

The expanded and renovated pool and surrounding area will include the installation of a splash pad for added aquatic fun!

The Family Lodge has new lighting and fixtures, new BBQ grills, and new benches and picnic tables. The Family Lodge project also includes renovations to the dance hall and restrooms. The Adult Lodge will have new furniture and fixtures, pool tables, and new LED televisions to enjoy. The new design, along with the new furniture and seating, will provide plenty of space for gathering with friends. Sport Courts upgrades included resurfacing of the tennis, volleyball and basketball courts. The pool area has been expanded to include a new playground and splash pad for children, new picnic tables, new benches and new grills, as well as lighting and additional seating. The pool restrooms have been upgraded as well with a refreshed interior, new lighting and new fixtures. Additionally, restrooms were remodeled throughout the preserve, over 65 sites were upgraded from 30 to 50-amp, and a new access control security system, including cameras, was installed. Note: Project scope is subject to change. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Checking in

The Dodges at Yellowstone

I Knew I Was a

TrailBlazer

his month, TrailBlazer would like to introduce you to George and Jane Dodge, a couple that has logged nearly 50,000 miles together camping and RVing across the country since their retirement in 2010! While they have been camping together since the 1980s, retirement truly let them pursue their dreams of travelling full time. TB: How long have you been camping and RVing? Who introduced you to it? Tell us how it all began! GD: I began camping very young, with my parents, going to lakes and campgrounds not far from Spokane, Washington. We had a big old wall tent with pipe framing and no floor which my dad set up for our weekend excursions/fishing trips to the campground at Marshall Lake, near Newport, Washington. We started camping as a family in the early 1950s. Primitive camping, but we had a lot of fun during those times. JD: My family didn’t camp, but we drove from Nevada to Oklahoma every summer to visit family. I think that’s where I developed my love for road trips. The part I like best is getting there--and with an RV you’re always arriving somewhere.

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TB: How did you first hear about Thousand Trails? GD: We received an invitation in the mail to attend an introductory meeting at the La Conner Preserve during the late 1980s. We had begun planning for our future adventures and the TTN membership seemed like a terrific investment. Although we didn’t use the membership all that much to begin with, as time went by we were able to do a few weekend or week-long camping trips to La Conner. We also continued to camp at Marshall Lake Resort occasionally. Our jobs took up more of our time than they should have for years so we didn’t use the TTN membership all that often to begin with. JD: I’m with George. TB: What is one of your fondest camping memories? How about one of your fondest TT memories? GD: Some of the fondest memories we have are of the friendships we have built with campers, like ourselves, during the three years we have been full-timers travelling around the USA. We share our adventures with others and sometimes things just “click” and we have lasting friendships with other full-timers and young couples and families just beginning to experiment with the RV life style.

My family, my daughters, began camping when they were toddlers in 1969-1970, using an Apache tent trailer. We spent summer vacations in state campgrounds, at Marshall Lake and other “private” campgrounds. The girls came to love the outdoors/fishing/hiking and camping as we do. JD: My daughter Laura met us in Anaconda, MT, last year and came with us to Yellowstone. That was pretty cool. I’m hoping we can do something like that with the other kids sometime. It might be easier for them if we went to visit, but they’re busy with work and kids, so we really don’t get to see much of them when we do. We go to interesting places, and the focus is more vacation than just making a little time for the parents so it ends being more fun for everyone. When we were at Rancho Oso, we watched a cattle dog demonstration and rodeo bull training session. That was a lot of fun! TB: Any funny camping/RVing stories? GD: On our honeymoon trip, in July of 1990, we packed the car with our camping gear, bought a new tent and gear since we didn’t want to tow the Ideal on a month long trip through the desert southwest. At Bryce Canyon National Park we couldn’t get into the NP campground when we got there so backtracked to Kings Lake BLM campground and set up camp at a little over 10,000 feet elevation. During the day temperatures were in the 80s and 90s but that night the temperature got down to 28. I couldn’t find Jane that morning when I got up until I discovered frost on the ground and a big bump in the bottom of the sleeping bag (a very good zip together sleeping bag with an excellent cold rating), where my new wife was curled into a tidy little ball as far away from the “cold draft” at the top of the sleeping bag as she could get. A few days later we arrived at the east entrance of the Grand Canyon, after dark, to find the campgrounds full, so we joined dozens of others camping out in the desert east of the park. We woke with the rising sun the next morning and found we had inadvertently pitched the tent over a mouse tunnel and it voiced its opinion on our decision when it discovered our intrusion at its front door.

Cattle dog demo at Rancho Oso

Out of carrots at Medina Lake

JD: Morning came really early in Arizona, partly because they don’t observe daylight savings time and partly because when the sun shines on a nylon tent, it gets really hot--even at 5 a.m.! GD: One of the funniest memories would be Medina Lake, Texas, where the campground is teeming with deer...very hungry deer. Our first day there one of my neighbors came outside his fifth wheel and took a bag of something out of the front compartment and gave it a good, noisy shake. He started a stampede with deer coming from everywhere to get to the feed corn he had in the bag. Later that evening, we were seated outside eating fresh vegetables and a group of deer joined us. Before long a young two-point buck was trying to take carrot sticks out of Jane’s mouth as she was trying to eat them. One little doe had a particular taste for Continued on page 56

Turkeys at Morgan Hill NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Spotlight | Adventures in the Keys A diver explores the coral reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary off Key Largo, Fla. The reef system in the Keys is the only contiguous coral barrier reef in North America. Photo by Bob Care/Florida Keys News Bureau

he time has come to begin the shift to the southern states in order to avoid the cooler temps of the north. Snowbirds flock to the sunshine filled paradise of their choice and bask in all the area has to offer. From beaches and warm breezes to gorgeous views and crystal clear water, it’s no wonder the Florida Keys stands as one of the top spots to be during the winter months. The area offers so much to do, so long as you come prepared and eager for an adventure. Boating, fishing, dolphin encounters, diving and snorkeling, sightseeing and water sports galore are all awaiting your arrival in the Keys. Take the time to learn before you go and check out some of the tips below to ensure that your time there is all you wanted it to be and more! Boating and Fishing Few feelings are as wonderful as boating in an area with water as clear as it is in the Florida Keys. The water surrounding the Keys is protected by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which helps to reduce user conflict and encourages the area’s natural and cultural resources. The result is a beautiful environment that is perfect for all water activities. Should you choose to spend the day fishing, keep in mind that Florida law requires a fishing license. Additionally, fishermen are urged to learn the size and catch limits for the area, as well as release any fish they cannot eat. The area offers a plethora of different type of fishing, including flats/backcountry, light tackle fishing, deep sea, party boats, wreck fishing, reef, harbor and bridge fishing. Truly, fishermen of all strokes are encouraged to enjoy the sport while in the area. In order to preserve the natural reef, be sure to anchor in sandy areas, away from coral and seagrasses. This prevents anchors getting caught and destroying the 30

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

natural environment. Similar to camping, boaters are asked to leave nothing but “footprints” while boating through the Keys. Diving and Snorkeling A trip to the Keys is not complete without an exploration of the underwater ecosystem. In fact, Key Largo has even been named the diving capital of the world! Divers are able to see the Statue of Christ of the Abyss (a bronze statue 25 feet below the surface), Spiegel Grove (a 510-foot Navy port ship), Molasses Reef, Benwood Wreck (World War II), The Elbow (home to numerous shipwrecks and marine life) and Bibb and Duane (twin 327-foot US Coast Guard cutters). Additionally, the area is home to the only living coralbarrier reef in the continental United States. If you feel more comfortable on the surface of the water, a snorkeling trip throughout the reefs is the perfect aquatic adventure for you. The act of snorkeling only requires an individual’s head and nose to be underwater and a breathing device is provided. Should you feel more comfortable exploring the depths of the Keys, take some time to do a full-fledged dive. Here, the diver’s entire head and body are completely submerged in the water. If you’re new to diving, worry not. Newbies are able to take certification classes in the Keys but are advised to allow three to five days for training. Classes are offered year-round and are often conducted in small groups to ensure that all students receive the necessary amount of attention from the instructors. Galleries, Art and Culture From dance and theater to galleries, film and literature, the Keys also hold their own when it comes to art and culture. If you’re visiting the Keys during the holiday season, be sure to catch the “Nutcracker Key West,” an island twist on the holiday classic. Dancers from across the country have flocked to the island to join the

company and the performance isn’t one to be missed. If film is your niche, be sure to take a moment to visit the Tropic Cinema, the only nonprofit, independent film multiplex in South Florida. A diverse repertoire of films are played here, in digital and 35mm film format. While visiting the Keys, why not bring home a special piece of art to remember the trip? Islamorada offers the Morada Way Arts & Cultural District, which features regular showings and gatherings to help locals and visitors alike find the perfect piece of one of a kind art. The work of visual artists can be found from one end of the Keys to the other. Numerous art displays pepper the islands in outdoor and public spaces. Sculpture Key West, an annual exhibition, stands as one of the most prominent outdoor contemporary sculpture events by using the beautiful backdrop of the Keys as the gallery.

Garden Key remains open all year, 24 hours a day. Also, be sure to note that Hospital Key and Long Key are closed all year, and visitors are told to stay 100 feet away from the shorelines. Additionally, because the parks and islands are remote, it is important to bring everything you need for your visit. Once you’ve arrived, don’t miss out on the snorkeling, bird watching, fishing or just simply taking in the views during your visit to the islands. So whatever your choice for adventure, you’ll be sure to find it in the Keys, and with a little bit of pre-planning, the adventure will be that much better! ■ by Annie Colletti For more information, call (800) FLA-KEYS (352-5397) or visit www.fla-keys.com. To see Encore Resort locations in the Keys, go to page 12.

National Park: Dry Tortugas National Park While spending some time amongst beautiful views, be sure to explore the area’s Dry Tortugas National Park. The 100-square mile park is largely open water with seven small islands and is accessible by sea plane and boat. It is primarily known for housing Fort Jefferson, an unfinished fortress that surrounds one of the islands. If you’re interested in visiting the Dry Tortugas National Park, it is important to check which islands are open during your visit, as well as which islands do not welcome visitors. The park is open yearround; however, Bush Key is open to visitors October 15 to January 15 and Middle and East Keys are open to visitors October 16 to March 31, sunrise to sunset. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

GLOBAL NOBLE

t was October 1959. It was the dry season. And Dean and Noble were exiting South Africa at the town of Mafeking.

“Dean and I were destined to cross the major desserts of the world in our five-ton Jeep, which had a 12-gallon water tank for daily cooking purposes in our van. We also carried three, three-gallon wet water canvas bags outside. We were prepared for no water along our route,“ said Noble. “We had already crossed the upper Sonoran Desert of Southern California, Arizona and Mexico, the super dry Atacama Desert of Northern Chile and we were about to enter Bechuanaland which is the Kalahari Desert.” This is a flat land of many rivers with seasonal amounts of water, the world famous Okavango Delta Country. “It was the end of the dry season. The zebras all looked healthy, but the wildebeest population looked ragged and rundown, and were noticeably slower than those in South Africa, probably from lack of water,” said Noble. Bechuanaland is a little smaller than Texas and a little bigger than California, at 224,000 square miles and is now known as Botswana. “It was a British Protectorate when we entered in 1959,” said Noble. “It was a land with only two stretches of highways which were paved for one mile each; otherwise the gravel roads were good by our South American standards.” The front axle cracked again and the team conducted a number of repairs in Francistown. “In 103 degree heat, at an elevation of 4120 feet, Dean painted the roof top silver to reflect the sun while I negotiated a weld job for the axle,” said Noble. “A Mr. Alex Cohen gave us a much-appreciated free weld job and at the Caltex gas station I changed the oil in the generator (which was mounted on the top of the van and contributed to the excess weight on the front end that resulted in axle problems). “In this high plateau country of Southern Africa, you find wild plains game like many antelope species, a great number of elephants in the bush and crocodiles in the many rivers and streams flowing through the country,” said Noble. “Buawayo, or place of blood, Southern Rhodesia was the most modern town of about 40,000 white settlers and about 100,000 natives. The town got its name from a major battle fought by the Lobengula, King of the Ndebele tribe.” 32

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

In Buawayo, they enjoyed a rare tub bath at the railroad station. “While my plan was to visit the grave of Cecil Rhodes in the boulder filled hills of Matopos, Dean had three hours to look for birds,” said Noble. “We then drove 135 miles towards Livingstone picking up a young native Zulu and his bicycle with flat tire and depositing him where he could fix his flat. He was in Rhodesia training to become a railroad guard. He made it clear to us he was a Zulu, the tribe which subdued the other natives tribes under Shaka Zulu. “We created a new word in Rhodesia, ‘TIRAT’ which stands for ‘Things I Remember About Today,’ said Noble. “I remember the roads in Rhodesia were good, not totally paved, but paved with strips of tar enabling you to drive in the rain without getting stuck. I also remember Wankie, the best game reserve we had been in yet. On our first day in Wankie we saw more and different kinds of game than in our four days in Kruger National Park. We spotted 12 kudu, 215 wildebeest, 23 sable antelope, 52 giraffes, 37 zebra, 4 steenbok, 4 warthogs, 110 water buffalo, 49 elephants, one eland and one ostrich.” “We also met many individuals who led us to believe that their geography teachings were different than ours as they considered the world to have only five continents because in Rhodesia they lumped North and South America as one continent – ‘the Americas’.” Next month the team visits Victoria Falls and Noble has his first mountain climb where he becomes trapped unexpectedly and ill-equipped to spend the night alone on top of Rhodesia’s highest mountain. ■

CIRCLE NO. 160 ON FAST FACTS CARD PAGE 50

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The

VERSEAS HIGHWAY

A Trip Through the Florida Keys

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

By Lynn & Cele Seldon

hen famed United States writer John Dos Passos rode a train down through the Florida Keys to fabled Key West in the 1920s, he described the trip to his friend Ernest Hemingway as “one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life.” A trip down through the Florida Keys can do that to today’s travelers as well. Though it’s only 45 minutes by airplane from Miami to Key West, visitors who fly miss one of America’s great motor odysseys. The Overseas Highway, often called “The Highway that Goes to Sea,” is a modern engineering wonder. It carries vehicles from Florida’s mainland across countless coral and limestone islets all the way to Key West. The Keys are the “Caribbean” islands of the Sunshine State and one of the nation’s premier destinations for those in search of sun—and a classic drive. Activities in the Keys range from scuba diving or snorkeling on living coral reefs to spying rare bird species that rest on remote islands or kayaking in serene backwaters and hiking among divergent tropical flora within dense hammocks. And, that’s before one even arrives in Key West.

A Long History

The Overseas Highway, the southernmost leg of U.S. Highway 1, follows a trail originally blazed in 1912 when Standard Oil millionaire Henry Flagler completed the extension of his Florida East Coast Railroad from Miami to Key West. Construction of the highway began after the groundbreaking railroad, called the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad, ceased operation following a 1935 hurricane.

Above: A unique view of the Florida Keys’ Overseas Highway as it bisects the Atlantic Ocean, on left, and the Gulf of Mexico on the right in the Lower Keys near Big Pine Key, Fla. Photo by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau Left: A vintage illustration shows the Henry Flagler’s Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad train on the Long Key Viaduct. Photo courtesy of the Monroe County Public Library

Just as Flagler’s railroad was a marvel in its day, the Overseas Highway was rightfully designated an All-American Road, the highest recognition possible under the National Scenic Byways program, which was established by the United States Congress in 1991. The designation recognizes a roadway’s archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities, and its characteristics of national significance and features that make it a visitor destination in itself. The highway’s foundation incorporated some of the original railway spans, as well as the coral bedrock of individual keys and specially constructed columns. Its completion in 1938 marked the beginning of an incredible adventure for drivers that still seems as adventurous today.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Like the iconic railroad, the Overseas Highway represents an extraordinary engineering feat: 127 miles of roadway and 42 bridges leapfrogging across the water from key to key in a series of giant arches of concrete and steel. One of the bridges, the wellknown Seven Mile Bridge at Marathon, stretches 6.79 miles across sparkling open water. The Atlantic Ocean lies on one side of the road, with Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico on the other side. It provides drivers and their passengers with breathtaking vistas of open water and sky. In 1982, 37 original bridges—including the Seven Mile Bridge—were replaced with wider spans. While most of the new bridges were two-lane, like their predecessors, they all featured 12-foot travel lanes and six- to 10-foot-wide safety lanes on each side. Many of the old bridges can be seen running alongside the new ones and some have become popular fishing piers. The Old Seven Mile Bridge, which parallels the new one, is now a well-known walking trail. The bridge’s center span was removed to facilitate boat traffic. In September 2011, after nearly seven years of construction, a new $330 million road connecting the South Florida mainland with the Florida Keys was completed. The new “18-Mile Stretch,” a segment of U.S. Highway 1 between Florida City and Key Largo, features numerous safety, environmental, and aesthetic enhancements for those heading to the Overseas Highway and the Florida Keys proper. The project’s most iconic element, the 1.25-mile, 65-foothigh Jewfish Creek Bridge, was completed in May, 2008, and has created an even more impressive visual driving approach to the Florida Keys.

Above: Stephen Bogart, left, son of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, chats with movie critic Leonard Maltin while riding the 100-year-old African Queen Friday, May 3, 2013, in Key Largo, FL. The two men are participating in the inaugural Humphrey Bogart Film Festival and features Bogart film screenings, a memorabilia exhibit and a Casablana-themed Bogart ball. Photo by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO

The highway also is the foundation of the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, which currently is being created. The trail is defined as a multiuse bicycle and pedestrian facility planned to extend 106 miles from Key Largo to Key West, serving as a route for alternative transportation between island communities and a recreational greenway for hiking, running, bicycling, in-line skating, fishing, and kayaking. Today, drivers can leave Miami and travel the full length of the Overseas Highway—through all the Keys to Key West—in less than four hours. However, travelers should allow time to experience the natural beauty of the ever-changing land- and sea-scape bordering the roadway, as well as the sunrises and sunsets that can be viewed from the road.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Snorkelers over the “Christ of the Abyss” statue, an underwater icon for John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, off Key Largo, FL. Named after a former Miami newspaper editor, Pennekamp is the nation’s first underwater preserve. Photo by Stephen Frink/Florida Keys News Bureau

Miami

Everglades National Park

Key Largo

Islamorada

Gulf of Mexico Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina

Seven Mile Bridge

Fiesta Key RV Resort Marathon

The Lower Keys Key West

Atlantic Ocean

Key Largo: Longest Island of the Keys

The jumping-off point to the Florida Keys is Key Largo (MM 107)—42 miles southsouthwest of Miami. The longest island of the Keys chain, Key Largo is the site where Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall battled both Edward G. Robinson and a hurricane in the movie of the same name. Bogie’s Key Largo connection can be seen at the African Queen, the actual boat that Bogart skippered in the movie of the same name (located behind the Holiday Inn). As the first underwater preserve in the United States, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park offers 55 varieties of delicate corals and almost 500 different species of fish for divers and snorkelers. The land-based part of the park also features excellent hiking.

Visitors on the Spirit of Pennekamp tour boat peer through viewing ports above the coral reef off Key Largo, FL. Photo by Bob Care/Florida Keys News Bureau

Other possibilities in the Key Largo area include the underwater hotel and marine park of Jules’ Undersea Lodge and Key Largo Undersea Park and the fascinating Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center. Further west, vistas of the Keys are dominated by emerald-green lagoons, deep-blue seas, nodding palms, rustling pines, and olive-green mangroves. White herons, roseate spoonbills, pelicans, sea gulls, ospreys and other creatures share this paradise with visitors.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Islamorada Is Pretty in Purple

Islamorada (MM 91) is known as the sport fishing capital of the world. It is heralded for its angling diversity and features the Keysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; largest fleet of offshore charter boats and shallow water backcountry boats. Other possibilities include the plant-packed Lignumvitae Key State Botanical Site and uninhabited Indian Key State Historic Site. Left: The angler and crew members aboard the Class Action display the fish caught off Islamorada. The fish was subsequently released alive to fight again another day. Photo by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau

Fort Jefferson, a six-sided fort situated in the Dry Tortugas National Park. Photo by Andy Newman/ Florida Keys News Bureau

Marathon: In the Middle of It All

Marathon (MM 59) is the heart of the Florida Keys and is home to Crane Point Hammock, a 63.5-acre tract that is one of the most important historical and archaeological sites in the Keys. The area contains evidence of pre-Columbian and prehistoric Bahamian artifacts and was once the site of an entire Indian Village. The tropical palm forest is home to rare and unusual trees, plants, and animals and the freshwater pond features neo-tropical migratory bird species. There are also two hiking trails, a Museum of Natural History and the Adderley Village Black Historical Site. The Marathon area is also the home of Dolphin Research Center, a nonprofit education and research facility, which houses a family of dolphins in natural saltwater lagoons. Here, dolphins of all ages share their lives with visitors and people who have dedicated themselves to maintaining the best possible environment for them and all marine mammals. Other Marathon area ecoattractions include hiking and boating at Long Key State Park and the legendary Turtle Hospital (located at Hidden Harbor Motel). Left: Visitors to the Florida Keys can tour the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only statecertified veterinary hospital for sea turtles located in Marathon, Fla. Photo by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

The Lower Keys

The sheer sweep of the Straits of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico is readily seen from Bahia Honda Channel Bridge (MM 38). Bahia Honda State Park features one of the top beaches in the country. Like Pennekamp and Long Key, this state park also features hiking, diving, snorkeling and boating.

Angler Doug Easter and his guide are ecstatic with a permit caught and released on fly tackle while fishing off Sugarloaf Key in the lower Florida Keys.Photo by Steve Bly/ Florida Keys News Bureau

Big Pine Key (MM 30) is noted for the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary and serves as a national refuge for the endangered miniature Key deer, tropical forests, and even a few alligators. There is a wide variety of backcountry hiking and boating opportunities here. Big Pine Key is the home of Seacamp, a marine-oriented environmental organization that concentrates on youth educational programs, but has an expanding list of adult programs.

Key West-The End of the Road

Key West lies at the end of the Overseas Highway. Of course, Key West features an endless array of historical attractions, quaint accommodations, creative dining and…colorful characters (see “Conch If You Love Key West & Its Characters” beginning on page 40). But Ernest Hemingway’s town also offers excellent scuba diving, kayak touring and other water-oriented options just offshore, which can all show a completely different side of Key West. Even further afield, Fort Jefferson National Monument in the Dry Tortugas offers one of America’s most unique outdoors outings. This former 19th century fort, reached only by boat or seaplane, is now a protected park that features great bird watching, diving, snorkeling, and even more Florida Keys nature in abundance. For more information, call (800) FLA-KEYS (352-5397) or visit www.fla-keys.com. ■

Right: A little girl gets a chance of a lifetime, shaking the flippers of a dolphin at the Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key near Marathon, Fla. Photo by Bob Krist/Florida Keys News Bureau

OVERSEAS HIGHWAY MILE MARKERS Travelers along the Overseas Highway will see mile markers, also called mileposts, on the right shoulder. These green markers bear white numbers and descend in order from 127 at Florida City to 0 at the corner of Fleming and Whitehead streets in Key West. Awareness of these markers is useful, since Keys residents refer to them regularly when giving addresses. Visitors asking for directions shouldn’t be surprised to hear that the spot they’re seeking is located at, just before or just beyond a certain mile marker number.

To see Encore Resort locations in the Keys, go to page 12. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

C F

onch If You Love Key West

& Its Characters By Lynn & Cele Seldon

ew U.S. cities can rival Florida’s Key West for character ... make that characters.

This colorful, quirky island-the southernmost point in the continental United States--has been home, sweet home to a passel of colorful, quirky characters who call themselves Conchs after the colorful mollusks that thrive in the waters here. Ernest Hemingway, for example, left such a mark on Key West that exploring his old stomping grounds is reason enough to visit the island town. “Papa” moved to Key West in 1928 with his second wife, Pauline, and purchased a house at 907 Whitehead Street. Standing at the typewriter—he had a bad back—Hemingway created parts or all of For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Green Hills of

Africa, A Farewell to Arms, and Death in the Afternoon. Hemingway is definitely one of the world’s most famous authors and a Key West icon. The Hemingway home, now a registered national historic landmark, was built in Spanish Colonial style of native rock hewn from the area. They furnished the house with rugs, tiles, chandeliers, and furniture brought from all over the world. Though the Hemingway family sold the home after his death in the early 1960s, the house and its furnishings have been kept intact, as if Hemingway were about to return from an afternoon of fishing or drinking. Besides his simple study, left as he liked it for writing, two other things demonstrate that the home and Key West still belong to Papa. One is the shrubbery that the natureloving writer planted; the other is the multitude of sixtoed cats which roam the place-descendants of Hemingway’s own cats and a living link between the man and the island. A visit to the Hemingway house is obligatory for tourists. But if

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

you want to meet live Key West characters, head for Mallory Square. If there is a single Key West attraction that sums up the entire island experience, it’s the daily “Sunset Celebration.” Every evening, as the glowing orange ball sinks beneath the horizon, Key West’s colorful characters turn out to celebrate the colorful event. Legend has it that playwright Tennessee Williams started the tradition--gin and tonic in hand-when he lived in Key West. But Key West’s spectacular sunsets have been drawing gasps of admiration for centuries. Artist and naturalist John James Audubon wrote glowingly of Key West’s spectacular sunsets in the early 1800s. After he arrived here to study and draw birds and plants in their natural habitats, Audubon stayed at the 205 Whitehead Street home of Captain John H. Geiger, a salvager and harbor pilot. Each day, Audubon explored the mangroves in search of native birds and plants, sometimes starting at 3 a.m. and working into the following night. The house and gardens have been completely restored and now comprise a public museum called the Audubon House & Tropical Gardens. The home features original hinges, hardware, and wood, as well as period furnishings and numerous engravings by Audubon, including many from his famous “Birds of America”

folio. It is believed that Audubon sighted and drew 19 new species while visiting the Keys and the Dry Tortugas. We have no reason to believe that the Key West sunset was any

less spectacular in Audubon’s day. But now the Key West sunset is much more than a natural phenomenon. It has its own nonprofit organization, the Key West Cultural Preservation Society, and a cast of quirky characters who give it.... character. On any given evening you’ll meet up with arts and crafts exhibitors, street performers, food sellers, and even psychics. It’s a multi-cultural mélange that has to be experienced to be believed. A bit more subdued, but just as entertaining, is a visit to the Key West Cemetery, which is filled with island characters. Situated on 21 prime acres in the heart of the historic district, the cemetery boasts tombstones inscribed with all sorts of odd, and often witty, comments. “I Told You I was Sick” bemoans one cemetery resident. Key West Conchs seem to have a penchant for nicknames. Sharpeyed cemetery snoops will find tombstones bearing monikers such as Bunny, Shorty, and The Tailor. You’ll also uncover some colorful tales at the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society Museum. Typical of Key West characters, the late Mel Fisher was the stuff of tall tales, a fortune hunter who prowled the world in search of treasures buried under the waves. The museum displays many of his finds, including part of more than $400 million in gold and silver from the Nuestra Senora de Atocha,

a 17th century Spanish galleon that sunk just 35 miles southwest of Key West. After all that exploring, it may be time for a margarita. Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville on Duval Street will fit the bill. It will probably be filled with colorful Conchs like Jimmy, whose songs, poems, and stories have come to symbolize the Florida Keys lifestyle. Of course, bars with Hemingway connections like Sloppy Joe’s and Captain Tony’s are also great places to meet Key West characters over a cold one. With so much going for Key West, it’s not surprising that the island has captured the hearts of many who have visited, including President Harry Truman, whose 2.27-acre estate has come to be called the Little White House. After he discovered Key West in 1946, Truman became so enamored of the island that he returned every few months during his presidency. In a letter to his wife, Bess, Truman wrote: “I’ve a notion to move the capital to Key West and just stay.” Key West as the capital of a country? We’re applying for residency! ■

Florida Keys Road Trip

The two-CD Florida Keys Road Trip (www. thefloridakeysroadtrip.com; $20, plus shipping and handling) is a great travelling companion for the Overseas Highway. Covering the fabled road between Miami and Key West by mile markers, this great CD set features history, geology, weather, attractions, music, and much more.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Why Winter With Us Whether you’re a tried and true snowbird or someone just looking to take a break from winter and head for the sun, you’ll definitely be looking for areas known for warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine that offer a variety of ways to while away the winter. Encore RV Resorts and Thousand Trails offer destinations in three of the most popular, and sunny, winter weather choices – Arizona, Florida and Texas.

Victoria Palms Donna, TX

Texas

The Rio Grande Valley of Texas is just bursting with Encore opportunities with 10 great resorts to choose from. If you haven’t been to the Rio Grande Valley, or The Valley as locals call it, make plans to visit this winter. A popular spot for “Winter Texans,” the area offers moderate, warm temperatures, big, blue sunny skies and plenty to keep you busy when you’re not relaxing. Did you know square dancing is good for the body and soul? If you’ve never tried it, don’t fear, it’s easy to learn. And there’s no better place to try your hand, or should we say feet, than at Fun-N-Sun RV Resort in San Benito. Weekly square dance activities, including beginner classes are offered. There are also line dance, swing dance and ballroom dance activities and plenty of musical entertainment scheduled for this winter season. Fun-N-Sun is conveniently located in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley and offers park model and cottage rentals. Additionally, Fun-N-Sun has a brand new fitness center and their Billiards Room is host to many tournaments throughout the season. Over in Donna, Texas, Victoria Palms RV Resort is all about the amenities. The pool is simply amazing and the spacious dance hall is the scene of dances, concerts and live entertainment. And then there’s the crafty side 42

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

of this resort – try your hand at stained glass, ceramics, wood carving or wood crafting. That fabulous pool is known to host co-ed water aerobics classes and water volleyball events. For the court lovers – there’s shuffleboard, bocce and tennis. Visit this sprawling resort and enjoy a fully-furnished cottage or pull your own rig into the concrete pullthrough and back-in sites, all with full hookup. There’s even the Victoria Palms Inn and Suites that offers 20 hotel rooms and 100 suites.

Voyager RV Resort Tucson, AZ

And while Tucson may boast 350 sunshine, the Guinness Book of Records named Yuma as the sunniest earth. Seven Encore resorts call Yuma the choice is yours.

days of World’s place on home so

All of the resorts feature activities calendars that will have you busy from sun up to sundown, not to mention special events planned in coordination with the Yuma Art Center, an historic, 650-seat theater in downtown Yuma. In the Phoenix-Mesa area, there are plenty of Encore choices, including Viewpoint RV, Golf and Tennis Resort which has a 2014 entertainment schedule that rivals some of the biggest venues around. Not to mention the golf and tennis courts that host several tournaments during the winter season. Again, the beautiful weather of the Rio Grande Valley ensures a good visit. And thanks to that beautiful weather there are plenty of outdoor activities to take part of while visiting. Sunshine RV Resort in Harlingen is the perfect spot to stay while “doing The Valley.” Harlingen is known for its bird watching and fishing opportunities. Sunshine RV is known for its non-stop activities calendar and friendly staff. From fish fries to Happy Hours, variety shows and craft shows, the resort is always bustling with fun. Southern hospitality reigns at this resort.

And, if you’re into baseball, don’t forget this area is so close to several of Major League Baseball’s spring training camps that you could possibly catch a game a day. Continued on page 59

Mesa Verde, Yuma, AZ

Arizona

The weather and the landscape of Arizona make it a pretty spectacular place to visit no matter what part of the state you choose. Encore has more than 20 locations – near metropolitan Phoenix, in historic Yuma. Pick almost any day, and Tucson will be loaded with sunshine because they average 350 days per year of sun! Take advantage of that sunny clime and plan a stay with us at the Voyager RV Resort and Hotel. This resorts offers championship tennis courts, a newly-renovated restaurant and plenty more high-end amenities you expect from a resort that received Woodall’s 5W Top Rating in 2012. The vast amount of amenities and activities is what makes Voyager one of the most unique resorts in the Tucson area.

ViewPoint RV & Golf Resort Mesa, AZ

In addition to the beauty of the five mountain ranges that surround the city, Tucson is home to a variety of museums, including the ArizonaSonoran Desert Museum, the Pima Air and Space Museum, the Tucson Botanical Gardens and the Tucson Museum of Art. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

THOUSAND TRAILS MEMBER DEALS AT ENCORE RV RESORTS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013

MEMBERS ALWAYS SAVE 20% OFF DAILY RATES 10% OFF MONTHLY RATES ALL ENCORE RV RESORTS NATIONWIDE ALL THE TIME! Seattle

Portland

MN WI

Boise

Milwaukee

NV UT

San Francisco

AZ Los Angeles San Diego

Salt Lake City

Indianapolis

NM OK

Phoenix

Philadelphia

Louisville

Charlotte

TN MS

MO AR

ENCORE RV RESORTS

Chicago

Denver

GA FL Tampa

Miami

www.RVontheGo.com 1-888-443-7301 Subject to availability. Reservations required. Rates based on a standard site. Stays of 30 days or less are subject to $3 per day resort fee. Electric not included for stays of 30 days or longer. Rates do not include taxes. Amenities vary by resort. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. Rates exclusively for members of Thousand Trails, NACO, Mid-Atlantic, Leisure Time and Outdoor World. Offer not valid on holidays and special events; certain restrictions may apply. Two week maximum stay per resort at discounted rate.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

CIRCLE NO. 104 ON FAST FACTS CARD PAGE 50

VICTORIA PALMS DONNA, TX

LAKE MAGIC CLERMONT, FL

VOYAGER RV RESORT TUCSON, AZ

VIEWPOINT RV & GOLF RESORT MESA, AZ

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

FLORIDA 50% OFF A WEEK

$99 A WEEK

BARRINGTON HILLS, HUDSON, FL BULOW PLANTATION, FLAGLER BEACH, FL CLERBROOK GOLF & RV RESORT, CLERMONT, FL HIGHLAND WOODS, POMPANO BEACH, FL LAKE MAGIC, CLERMONT, FL PINE ISLAND, ST. JAMES CITY, FL SOUTHERN PALMS, EUSTIS, FL SUNSHINE TRAVEL, VERO BEACH, FL TERRA CEIA, PALMETTO, FL TOBY’S RV RESORT, ARCADIA, FL VACATION VILLAGE, LARGO, FL

ALL FLORIDA PROPERTIES

(Valid 12/16/13-4/30/14)

40% OFF A WEEK ALL REMAINING FLORIDA PROPERTIES

(Valid through 12/15/13)

(EXCLUDES FIESTA KEY, SUNSHINE KEY RV RESORT & MARINA)

$299 A WEEK (Valid through 12/15/13)

FIESTA KEY, LONG KEY, FL SUNSHINE KEY RV RESORT AND MARINA, BIG PINE KEY, FL

NOW

SAVE MORE AT LAKE MAGIC!

RAMBLERS REST VENICE, FL

(Valid 12/16/13-4/30/14)

(EXCLUDES FIESTA KEY, ROYAL COACHMAN, SUNSHINE KEY RV RESORT & MARINA)

20% OFF A WEEK (Valid 12/16/13-4/30/14)

FIESTA KEY, LONG KEY, FL ROYAL COACHMAN, NOKOMIS, FL SUNSHINE KEY RV RESORT AND MARINA, BIG PINE KEY, FL

$1500/ 3-MONTH STAY (Valid 1/1/14-4/1/14)

SOUTHERN PALMS, EUSTIS, FL TOBY’S RV RESORT, ARCADIA, FL

MAJOR UPGRADES UNDERWAY AT RAMBLERS REST!

Discount taken off weekly rate. Subject to availability. Reservations required. Rates based on a standard site. Stays of 30 days or less are subject to $3 per day resort fee. Electric not included for stays of 30 days or longer. Rates do not include taxes. Amenities vary by resort. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. Rates exclusively for members of Thousand Trails, NACO, Mid-Atlantic, Leisure Time and Outdoor World. Offer not valid on holidays and special events; certain restrictions may apply. Two week maximum stay per resort at discounted rate.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

OUT CHECK WEST R NE

OU KEYS A D I R FLO ION! LOCAT E 14

FIESTA KEY LONG KEY, FL

G SEE PA TAILS E D FOR

FIESTA KEY LONG KEY, FL

WINTER QUARTERS PASCO LUTZ, FL

GULF AIR FORT MYERS BEACH, FL

www.RVontheGo.com 1-888-443-7301 CIRCLE NO. 104 ON FAST FACTS CARD PAGE 50

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

SOUTHWEST ARIZONA & TEXAS

AZ NM

$199 A WEEK/ $699 A MONTH (Valid 10/1/13-4/30/14)

ARABY ACRES, YUMA, AZ MONTE VISTA, MESA, AZ PARADISE RV, SUN CITY, AZ VICTORIA PALMS, DONNA, TX VIEWPOINT, MESA, AZ

$149 A WEEK/ $449 A MONTH ALL OTHER ARIZONA & TEXAS PROPERTIES

SUNSHINE RV HARLINGEN, TX

(Valid 10/1/13-4/30/14)

(EXCLUDES APOLLO VILLAGE, CASA DEL SOL EAST & WEST, CENTRAL PARK VILLAGE, DESERT VISTA, SUNRISE HEIGHTS, WHISPERING PALMS)

$1549/ 3-MONTH SEASONAL (Valid 10/1/13-4/30/14)

ARABY ACRES, YUMA, AZ MONTE VISTA, MESA, AZ PARADISE RV, SUN CITY, AZ VICTORIA PALMS, DONNA, TX VIEWPOINT, MESA, AZ

$1049/ 3-MONTH SEASONAL ALL OTHER ARIZONA & TEXAS PROPERTIES (Valid 10/1/13-4/30/14)

(EXCLUDES APOLLO VILLAGE, CENTRAL PARK VILLAGE, DESERT VISTA, SUNRISE HEIGHTS, WHISPERING PALMS) 48

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

VIEWPOINT RV & GOLF RESORT MESA, AZ

RENOVATIONS TO OUR POOL, TENNIS COURTS AND RESTAURANT ARE UNDER WAY AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED SOON! COME SEE WHAT WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;VE DONE!

VOYAGER RV RESORT TUCSON, AZ

DESERT PARADISE YUMA, AZ

ARABY ACRES YUMA, AZ

MONTE VISTA VILLAGE MESA, AZ

www.RVontheGo.com 1-888-443-7301 Subject to availability. Reservations required. Rates based on a standard site. Stays of 30 days or less are subject to $3 per day resort fee. Electric not included for stays of 30 days or longer. Rates do not include taxes. Amenities vary by resort. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. Rates exclusively for members` of Thousand Trails, NACO, Mid-Atlantic, Leisure Time and Outdoor World. Offer not valid on holidays and special events; certain restrictions may apply. Two week maximum stay per resort at discounted rate. Available to members that currently have access to Thousand Trails Verde Valley Preserve, excluding Zone Camping Pass holders. Certain restrictions may apply and offer is subject to change.

CIRCLE NO. 104 ON FAST FACTS CARD PAGE 50

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ACROSS 1 Greek Letter 4 Eastern bishop’s title 8 Indian music 12 Handle 13 City on the Rhine 14 Stench 15 Camel hair cloth 16 Trave 18 Olive color 20 Ger. dive bomber 21 Witless chatter 23 Boys’ author 27 Elide (2 words) 32 Killer whale 33 Buddhist column 34 Nape 36 Atl. Coast Conference (abbr.) 37 Anatomy (abbr.) 39 Channel islands 41 Bless: Yidd. 43 Central nervous system (abbr.) 44 Enamel (Fr.) 48 Abstract being 51 Lamia (2 words) 55 Brown 56 Card 57 Norse epic 58 Vanity 59 Circular motion 60 Thoroughfare 61 Cut

Answers on page 64

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116 Carefree RV Resorts ��61 106 DirectSat TV ��64 104 Equity LifeStyle �� 44-49 160 FirstStreet/Walk-In Tub ��33 132 GEICO ��67 108 Safe Step Walk-In Tub ��55 128 SkyMed ��68 109 STEADYfast ��63 153 SwiftHitch ��54 124 Winnebago ��2 50

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

DOWN 1 Interpret 2 Jap. pit viper 3 Monkey 4 Amer. Kennel Club (abbr.) 5 Round Table knight 6 Stigma 7 Korean apricot 8 Tropical fish 9 “Fables in Slang” author 10 Port. colony in India 11 Limb 17 Jamaican dance music 19 Lug 22 Kidney bean 24 Culm (2 words) 25 Lo (Lat.) 26 Blue 27 Thick slice 28 Bowling alley 29 Geode 30 Medieval shield 31 Fluidity unit 35 Amer. Red Cross (abbr.) 38 Sleeping sickness fly 40 Compass direction 42 Her Majesty’s Ship (abbr.) 45 Mime 46 Iodine (pref.) 47 Wife of Tyndareus 49 Farinaceous food 50 Enough (Scot.) 51 Cask 52 Noun-forming (suf.) 53 Aura 54 Angry

RETAILER DISCOUNTS

housand Trails has partnered with a number of popular brands to provide you with exclusive members-only savings. Below you will find our latest special offers available to you. Please log into the member section of the Thousand Trails website at www.ThousandTrails.com to take advantage of these great deals!

MEMBER DEALS

Coach Supply Direct - 5% off at Coach Supply Direct! We are your premier source of RV, Marine and Utility Vehicle Furniture and Accessories at the lowest prices. Everything we offer is priced as close to wholesale as we can get it! Now we are offering a savings of 5% more to Thousand Trail Members, RV On The Go and Encore Parks Customers! We would be happy to serve you with all your interior needs. Please go to: www.coachsupplydirect.com to see everything that we offer! If you have any questions, you can call us at 1-800-589-7251 or email us at info@ coachsupplydirect.com. We look forward to serving you! Mention TRAILBLAZER5 for your exclusive discount! Exclusive Hertz Program - Visit the member section of the Thousand Trails website for special deal. Exclusive iDine Savings - Simply register any credit or debit card and dine at a restaurant on the program. Afterwards, complete a quick dining review about your experience within 30 days. The more you dine, the higher the percentage you can earn, up to 15%! Visit: www.idine.com/trailblazer for details and to enroll. NationalPetPharmacy.com - Trusted by veterinarians and pet lovers alike, NationalPetPharmacy.com is fully licensed and Vet-VIPPS certified for safety as well as quality. Our FDA/EPA approved pet meds are the same ones you get from your vet – but conveniently delivered to your door. Thousand Trails members save $5 on a $20 order with Discount Code: BLAZER5 PetFoodDirect.com - 15% off your order of $49 or more. Get all your pet’s food and supplies delivered to your door with PetFoodDirect.com’s Auto Ship program. This coupon is valid on everything in our store, except: vet diet foods, prescription and free shipping items, and gift certificates. One time use per customer. Only one promotion code can be applied per order. Not for use with any loyalty or other reward websites. Discount Code: BLAZER15 Rand McNally Visit www.randmcnally.com/ELS for special GPS discount for TT members. Terms and Conditions for 2013 Referral Promotion Terms and Conditions: For each Eligible Referral (as defined), you will receive a $50 American Express gift card through December 31, 2013. In addition, for each Eligible Referral, you will receive one entry in a drawing for the following prizes: (i) Grand Prize is either a trip to Hawaii or a 7 night Caribbean Cruise, valued at $4,000, includes roundtrip coach airfare for two adults from the continental United States to either Hawaii or Florida, and hotel/cruise accommodations for 7 nights; (ii) Second Prize is a trip to either Las Vegas, San Francisco or Orlando, valued at $2,000, that includes roundtrip coach airfare for two adults from the continental United States to either Las Vegas, San Francisco or Orlando and hotel accommodations for 4 nights and (iii) ten (10) Third Prizes waiving payment of the winners’ annual dues for 2014, not to exceed $525 each. The trips do not include taxes, meals, beverages, transfers, gratuities, activities and other personal expenses. The drawing will be held at our corporate offices on January 7, 2014. The winners will be notified by telephone. The odds of winning the drawing depend on the number of entries and are not expected to exceed 1:10,000. For this promotion, an Eligible Referral is a person who (i) purchases a new Zone Park Pass from us between January 1, 2013 and December 14, 2013, and (ii) lists you as the referring member. This offer is only for members in good standing of Thousand Trails and its affiliates. Due to legal restrictions, residents of AZ, FL, NV, NY, PA and TN are not eligible to participate in the drawing and you will not receive an entry in the drawing for purchases made by residents of AZ, NV, PA or TN. We reserve the right to extend, modify, suspend, or terminate this promotion at any time for any reason; however, any rewards earned prior to the suspension or termination of this promotion will be honored. Employees of Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. and its affiliates are not eligible to participate in this promotion. All local, state and federal income taxes are the responsibility of the recipient. Accordingly, we recommend that all participants consult a tax advisor about reporting rewards for tax purposes. We will issue the required 1099 to each participant and to the IRS when the total value of awards you are eligible to receive equal or exceed $600.00 for one year. This advertising is being used for the purpose of soliciting sales of resort campground memberships. This document has been filed with the Department of Licensing, State of Washington, as required by Washington law. Value, quality, or conditions stated and performance on promises are the responsibility of the operator, not the Department. This filing does not mean that the Department has approved the merits or qualifications of any registration, advertising, or any gift, prize, or item of value as part of any promotional plan. This promotion is sponsored by MHC Thousand Trails Limited Partnership, Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

ELS

events calendar continued

VICTORIA PALMS (continued from page 23) Dec 13, 2013.................. Ron O’Neil Dec 15, 2013............... Lindley Creek Dec 17, 2013.......................... Diego Dec 22, 2013................ Walter Plant Jan 3, 2014........................ Jeff Hunt Jan 10, 2014.............Sheldon Tucker Jan 12, 2014............... Wade Landry Jan 14, 2014........... Dave & Daphne Jan 17, 2014....... Beach Boys/Beatles - Paperback Writer Jan 19, 2014.................. Greg Jones Jan 22, 2014.............Punches Family Jan 24, 2014........... Senior Moments Jan 27, 2014...........Freddie & Sheila Jan 31, 2014................. Jeff Gordon Feb 4, 2014.....................Bill Chrastil Feb 7, 2014.................... J.C. Bullock

19th Annual Tour

Wed,January 1, 2014

Feb 9, 2014....... Prowell Family Band Feb 14, 2014......................... Eagles - Take it to the Limit Feb 15, 2014 �� County Line Feb 16, 2014 �� Amber Waves

Take a fabulous day trip to Pasadena for the 125th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade. Our package includes: Continental Breakfast • Grandstand Seats Round-Trip Fare on a Deluxe Charter Bus only

$140 per person

Make your reservations now! First come, first served (53 seats available) For more information, please call: (951) 672-7804

Feb 19, 2014 ��Jerry Bennett Feb 21, 2014..Susan Hudson Carman Feb 25, 2014..... Gary Crain Comedy Feb 28, 2014............. Jackson Haney Mar 4, 2014 �� Kenny Hess Mar 7, 2014 �� Frankie Valle - December ‘63 Mar 8, 2014 �� Walter Plant Mar 12, 2014......................... Diego Mar 17, 2014 �� County Line

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Holiday Deals Looking for a great gift for your favorite camper or RVer? Check out these deals from Coleman and STRONGBACK Chair exclusively for Thousand Trails members.

Coleman速 Roadtrip Grill LXE Grill Thousand Trails members will receive 25% off the Coleman速 Roadtrip Grill LXE now through the holidays. Use promo code TWRTG25 on the cart page. Only available on www.coleman.com Ground shipping only on this offer. Cannot be combined with any other promotion, offer or discount.

STRONGBACK Chair

Thousand Trails members will receive 15% off Why are STRONGBACK Chairs the best camping chair? All STRONGBACK Chairs are made for comfort, health, and quality. Whether you are watching the kids play sports, enjoying a festival, tailgating, or simply communing with nature, STRONGBACK Chairs will finally allow you to enjoy your outdoor experience in long-lasting ergonomic seated comfort. No more squirming around in your chair, standing around, sitting on the ground, or waking up with a sore back the next morning after using standard travel chairs. The STRONGBACK Chair provides the best back support and comfort available in a travel chair - we guarantee it or your money back. Check out www.strongbackchair.com and find out which chair is best for you! Use promo code: TTmember Offer valid through 12/31/13 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Continued from page 11

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For the topping: With a mixer, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar until stiff. Spread over filling; seal to edge of crust. Take the coals out from underneath the oven because the crust is really cooked by now. Put those extra coals on the lid because you are going to simulate a broiler to brown the meringue. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. If you prefer to use whipped cream rather than meringue, either make your own using heavy whipping cream or you can purchase it at the grocery. â&#x2013;

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Continued from page 29 over-ripe bananas, probably because they were really sweet. We joined the party and bought feed corn by the 50-pound bag. JD & GD: We spent our first Thanksgiving as full-timers at TT Morgan Hill. When I opened the blinds that morning, there was a flock of wild turkeys right outside the back window. I think I heard them laughing.

Seaside

Wild ponies

TB: What type of camper are you/what equipment do you use? What do you prefer and why? (ex: fifth wheel, RV, tent, cabins, etc.) GD: We began with a 23-foot Ideal in the 1980s and towed that behind a Blazer for several years in Washington and Oregon. We didn’t own another RV until we purchased the ‘97 Prowler, 27-foot with single slide fifth wheel towed behind a 1993 Chevy 2500HD gaspowered pickup. We kept and maintained the Prowler, planning our retirement based on this fifth wheel and the weekend and vacation jaunts we had made with it. After many years of planning (we actually started with the trip planner before we got married in 1990) and counseling with a retirement planner early in 2010, we reached the decision to fully retire and began the adventure on November 2, 2010. Jane retired October 29 and three days later we were beginning the journey. We settled on the fifth wheel because we feel it gives us more flexibility and the ability to go where we wish to go and is more cost efficient. We purchased a new 2004 Chevy 2500HD pickup (ordered equipped as we wanted it) with 6.6 Duramax Diesel/Allison transmission. The Prowler proved to be a little too confining and in January of 2011, while we were at TT Las Vegas, we upgraded to a 2009 34-foot triple-slide Big Country 3250TS by Heartland. Having a home to come back to at the end of the day and familiar surroundings, is a huge plus. JD: George is 6’6” and wears size 15 shoes. He likes that he doesn’t bump his head in the Big Country, and I like that there’s enough room I don’t trip over his big feet. TB: Where have you gone that you wouldn’t have otherwise, if it hadn’t been for your Thousand Trails membership? GD: Our Thousand Trails membership has given us the ability to do what we want to do, visit as many National Parks and Monuments, Reserves...most of the sites listed in the National Parks guide book. We have been fulltime now for three years and have averaged close to 200 nights a year in TT campgrounds. That adds up to a lot of money saved for us. We have crossed the USA northwest to southeast, back to the southwest, through the northwest again, through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah and back to the desert southwest.

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Then with the arrival of spring this year we visited the New England states. Now we are headed back to Texas and the desert southwest. Since we began November 2, 2010, we have logged over 50,000 miles (September 2013 in Indiana). We have enjoyed TT and affiliated campgrounds across the USA. This trip would not have been possible without our Thousand Trails membership and we have many more miles and places to go and see and do before we finish this adventure and begin another. JD: George doesn’t particularly like big cities, and most RV parks aren’t anywhere near them, so that makes him happy. People in small towns or rural areas are really friendly, and more welcoming than city folks. We’ve taken trains to Boston and Philadelphia (pictures of the Liberty Bell at the request of George’s daughter Judy), and a tour bus that came right to the RV park into NYC. That’s the only way I’d get George there. My daughter and I both remember reading Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry when we were kids. When I told her that TT Virginia Landing was only a few miles away from there, she told me we definitely needed to go to Chincoteague Island to see the wild ponies. It was easy in the RV, but not a place I would have flown to Virginia to visit. TB: What is your favorite part about the outdoor lifestyle? GD: The fun thing about full-timing, first, is all the new places one can go and see. Second, we have met some awesome folks along the way, many who have been at this longer than we have by a bunch. The freedom, the people and the beauty of this great country, the USA, can’t really be seen and enjoyed unless you can do it at a more leisurely pace which can only be achieved with the RV lifestyle. Every park, monument, historic site, all those places each have something unique to offer. We are always asked “What is your favorite spot?” My most favorite spot? Being at ease with my wife at my side, our children a phone call away, seeing what a great and beautiful country we call home, something new and different every day. Wow! What a trip! And...we get to campout every day. JD: My favorite part is getting there, then wandering around taking pictures so I can remember where I’ve been. TB: This is the question we finish the feature with every month. We want to know when you knew you were the consummate camper, a true TrailBlazer. Finish this sentence - I knew I was a TrailBlazer when... GD: We realized we are TrailBlazers when we decided time didn’t matter anymore. We began this adventure

thinking we would see the US in a year. Yeah, right! One can travel across this country in year, in an RV and say they have done it...but was there time to really enjoy the journey? We realized, in Las Vegas, in January 2011, that we were trying to move much, much too fast and too far each time we hit the road. We were treating the trip as you would a vacation, too much hurry and not enough leisure along the way. We decided then, that to really blaze a new trail, to take time to enjoy our retirement, we needed to take on a different approach to the adventure. We have taken a trail less travelled and gone places and done things others haven’t taken the time to do. We are continuously blazing a new trail and inviting others to do the same. Jane maintains a blog site and we invite folks we meet to follow us and enjoy the adventure along with us by visiting the blog at www.2dodges2go. blogspot.com. Forget about what you left behind and look forward to new and totally amazing adventures and discoveries. This country is full of surprises and Thousand Trails makes the stopovers more enjoyable. You really do only live once; life is a trip, enjoy the journey. JD: I had to have it pointed out to me by a friend. My grandfather’s family moved west in a wagon train on the Oregon Trail when he was a kid—I thought all those pioneering genes had died out by the time they got to me. A friend told me that anyone who would travel all around the country in a modern-day covered wagon still had plenty of pioneer spirit left. That’s a pretty good definition of TrailBlazer, isn’t it? TB: Feel free to share any other camping/RVing stories here. JD: I think it’s really cool that you run into people at a TT park that you met months before at a different one. You may not remember their names, but once you figure out where you first met, then you can go from acquaintance to friendship quite easily. It’s quicker to make friends when you travel than when you work, partly because you already know you have common interests. We met people in TT Verde Valley, and ran into them again at a national park. We’ve become friends with other couples, then arranged to be at the same park where they were going to be months later. TT is a much smaller world than you expect it might be.

From funny stories to touching moments, we’re looking to tell the story of our members - when they started and when they realized they were a true “TrailBlazer.” If you’re interested in being interviewed, send us a note at TBeditor@equitylifestyle.com. ■

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THOUSAND TRAILS PREFERRED DEALERS

Attention Thousand Trails Members

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

Alpin Haus - Amsterdam, NY - Port Jervis, NY - Saratoga, NY - www.alpinhaus.com Al’s Trailer Sales - Salem, OR - www.alstrailers.com American Family RV - Chesapeake, VA - www.americanfamilyrv.com Baydo’s RV of Chehalis - Chehalis, WA - www.baydosrvs.com Big Country RV - Bend, OR - Redmond, OR - www.bigcrv.com Blade Chevrolet RV - Mt. Vernon, WA - www.bladerv.com Boat n RV - Ridgeland, SC - West Coxsackie, NY - www.boatnrv.com Browns RV - McBee, SC - www.brownsrvsuperstore.com Campers Inn - Leesburg, FL - Macon, GA - Elkhart, IN - Raynham, MA - Merrimack, NH - Kingston, NH - Mocksville, NC - www.campersinn.com Clear Creek RV - Silverdale, WA - www.clearcreekrvcenter.com Crossroads Trailers - Newfield, NJ - www.crossroadstrailers.com Curtis Trailer Center - Schoolcraft, MI - www.curtistrailercenter.com Floyd’s RV - Norman, OK - www.floydsrvs.com Funtime RV - Tualalin, OR - www.funtimervinc.com Lakeside RV Sales - Anderson, SC - www.lakesidervsales.com La Mesa RV - Orlando, FL - Ft. Myers, FL - West Palm, FL - Sacramento, CA - San Diego, CA - www.lamesarv.com McMahons RV - Mesa, AZ - Colton, CA - Palm Desert, CA - Westminster, CA - www.mcmahonrv.com Media Camping - Fairless Hills, PA - Hatfield, PA - Media, PA - www.mediacamping.com Patterson RV - Wichita Falls, TX - www.pattersonrv.com Paul Evert’s RV Country - Bullhead City, AZ - Coburg, OR - Fresno, CA - Laughlin, NV - www.rvcountry.com Princesscraft RV - Round Rock, TX - www.princesscraft.com Roy Robinson RV - Marysville, WA - www.royrobinsonrv.com RV Value Mart - Litiz, PA - Manheim, PA - www.rvvaluemart.com Scott Motor Coach Sales, Inc. - Lakewood, NJ - www.scottmotorcoach.com See Grins RV - Gilroy, CA - Morgan Hill, CA - San Martin, CA - www.seegrins.com Smart Choice Auto Group & RV Sales - Jersey Village, TX - www.smartchoiceautogroup.com Sunbelt RV Center - Belton, TX - www.sunbeltrv.com Sundown RV Center - Atwater, CA - www.sundownrv.com TAC Trailer and RV - Moyock, NC - www.tactrailerandrv.com Tacoma RV - Tacoma, WA - www.tacomarv.com Vogt RV - Ft. Worth, TX - www.vogtrv.com Welcome Back RV Outlet - Athens, TX - www.welcomebackrv.com Western Travel Sales - Lyden, WA - www.westerntravelsales.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Florida Whether it’s beaches, big cities, fishing adventures or just plain relaxing, with over 25 resorts in Florida, Encore and Thousand Trails definitely have a place for you to soak up the sun this winter. On the west coast, more than 15 resorts are an option to choose from. Ramblers Rest in Venice, sits along the Myakka River and offers great fishing. Plus, major renovations are underway so visiting just to see what’s new is a must. At Silver Dollar Golf & Trap Club in Odessa, learn all about shooting trap and skeet or play a few rounds of golf. Or make your stay at Royal Coachman in Nokomis and take in the nearby beaches. On the east coast, there are seven resorts you can call home while you explore the Atlantic beach towns, including Flagler Beach, Daytona, Pompano, Ormond Beach and Fort Lauderdale. Inland, near Orlando, our central Florida properties offer proximity to the Magic Kingdom and all the Orlando attractions. Stay with us at Clermont Golf and RV Resort and enjoy an 18-hole golf course. Sit in on a jam session at Southern Palms in Eustis, or book a stay in a cozy park model in Sherwood Forest in Kissimmee. If you’re looking to explore the Florida Keys, see page 12 to see what we’ve got to offer there. For more details or to make reservations for your Encore winter getaway, visit www. RVontheGo.com. Don’t forget to mention you’re a Thousand Trails member so you will receive the best deal for your select location. ■ NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

CLUB CALENDAR PRESERVE HIGHLIGHTS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 TT SINGLES Central California December 6-8: San Benito, CA Contact Jane Davis at (209) 467-3278 or email to janedjd@pacbell.net; Becky Staffeld at (408) 253-6995 or email to bstaffeld@att.net. Northwest November 22-24: La Conner, WA Contact: Director Marybeth Turner at (206) 255-9363 or email to Marybeth.Turner@seattle.gov; Winnie Hoyteniuk at (604) 858-9757 or email to winnie@ smartt.com (British Columbia); Daphne Bailey at (503) 590-8566 or email to daphnebailey07@comcast.net (Oregon); or Linda Christofferson at (360) 653-3648 (Washington). Southwest Contact Babe Bohner at (909) 797-6437. FUN NITES Fun Nites are social gatherings organized by and for TTN members.

TT Travelers We are retired residents of Southern California who are TTN members. We meet monthly at a Southern California preserve for fellowship, games and potlucks. Please call Darlene Steddum at (805) 714-9038 or email to darjerste@juno.com or Sharon Straite at (562) 899-8298 or email to lesstraite@verizon.net if you are interested in information about our group. TTWest/FMCA November 8-10: San Benito, CA Members of Thousand Trails and FMCA meet at Northern California Preserves bimonthly, except for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;no-host get-togetherâ&#x20AC;? at Palm Springs Preserve immediately following the FMCA Western Area Rally in Indio, California. Contact Bob Litfin at (408) 2266529 or email to clitfin@USA.com. Reservations are required two weeks in advance.

Eugene/Springfield Area Round-a-Bouters group For more information call Merry Klum (541) 726-7586 or Leona Todd (541) 844-4277.

TT of Texas/FMCA New members must be a member of TTN and FMCA. Contact Connie Farrar at (817) 454-4612 or email to ttnfmcachapter@gmail.com. Our website is: ttnoftexasfmca.com. We also have a blog site: www.ttfmcaralliesandmore.blogspot.com

Pacific City Pacific City Ramblers Ramblers meet the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m. at Home Town Buffet in the Tigard Market Place, 13500 SW Pacific Highway, Tigard, Oregon. Contact Charlie Buren at (503) 705-1587, Chickie Dientsel at (503) 286-8566 or Suzy Mulbey at (503) 678-2993. All Portland-area TT, NACO and LTR members welcome.

Bounders United (BUTTN) Wagonmaster will be Tom & Pat Kennedy. Bounders United/TTN are TTN members who own Bounder motorhomes and belong to Bounders United. For more information, contact Thomas Kennedy at (360) 7944903 or email at BUTTNs231@gmail.com.

TTN So Cal Weekenders November 1-3: Wilderness Lakes, CA December 6-8: Palm Springs, CA We are a group of TTN members who meet once a month at Southern California preserves. All ages welcome; we

have both working and retired members. No dues, just fellowship. email: ttnweekenders@earthlink.net website: http://home.earthlink.net/~ttnweekenders/

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

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Tech Topics continued from page 9

Emergency Breakaway Systems

Trailers that require brakes must be equipped with an emergency breakaway braking system. If the trailer separates from the tow vehicle for any reason, this system will automatically engage the trailer’s brakes, bringing the trailer to a safe stop. Depending on your trailer’s breakaway system, these are either hydraulically or electrically operated. ALWAYS connect your breakaway cable or chain to your tow vehicle each and every time you hook up your trailer.

Emergency Brakes

Most emergency brakes (parking brakes) are simple mechanical braking devices operated by two cables connected to the rear brake shoes, completely independent of the hydraulic brakes we use daily. If your parking brake needs adjusting, your favorite mechanic can usually make a relatively simple cable adjustment for you. Brakes may not be a particularly exciting RV system, but they’re an essential one. Take the time to treat them right and they’ll return the favor. Happy travels; above all, enjoy the journey! ■ Paul and Kerri Elders are freelance writers; visit their list of RV Industry Links at RVLinker.com. Their cookbook, The American Gourmet Collection Cookbook, is also available at Amazon.com. Follow Paul & Kerri on Twitter @rvlinker. Medina Lake continued from page 19 December 6-7 Capital Christmas & Shoppers Jubilee From 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, stroll down Main Street and enjoy the open house at the shops. On Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m., enjoy the Holiday parade down Main Street. Then from 1 to 4 p.m. there will be Cowboys on Main, Western displays in front of the Courthouse and strolling entertainers. Head down to the banks of the Medina River at the City Park at 4 p.m. and enjoy the amazing display of Christmas lights and holiday vignettes. At dark, the Bandera County Christian Fellowship presents a Living Nativity. Then gather round the campfire and chuck wagon for hot chocolate, coffee and cookies. Don’t forget your lawn chairs.

November 27 Murder Mystery Dinner Train Experience this event at the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad & Museum, located just 20 minutes from the preserve. For information call (360) 748-9593. December 7 64th Annual Santa Parade Held in downtown Chehalis, just 20 minutes form the preserve. For information call (360) 748-8885.

Mount Vernon

WASHINGTON Chehalis December 7: We’re trimming the tree - come give us a hand at our Tree Trimming and Dessert Potluck party at 1 p.m. in the Adult Lodge. Throughout the winter season, our Adult Lodge is open for all ages (Family hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Adults-only hours are 6-8 p.m.) Join your fellow campers for an evening around the fireplace, a Saturday matinée or catch the games on Sunday with free popcorn. ■

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November 16 Skagit Wine Festival Held at the Best Western, just 15 miles from the preserve, event features Washington wines, local cheeses and chocolate sampling. For information call (360) 428-8547.

ClassifiedAdvertising WORLDWIDE RV TOURS AND RALLIES Mexico, Canada, Alaska, Overseas & USA, Rose Parade, Balloon Fiesta, Kentucky Derby & more! Free vacation guide (800) 952-8496 or www.fantasyrvtours.com

STOP

THE SHAK IN G!

Get DIRECTV for your RV and Home! Pkgs start at $29.99/mo for 12 mos. Ends 12/31/13. Offers subject to change. NEW DIRECTV customers only. Terms & restrictions apply. Call Now! (800) 257-4480

Omnia Stove Top Baking Oven Want to bake when RVing or camping. Get the affordable portable Omnia. Works on any stove top heat source. (858) 653-0401 www.lunatecgear.com JOB OPPORTUNITY Manage a Christmas Tree Lot in California. Palm Springs area. Thanksgiving until Christmas. Earn percentage of sales. For more information, call Woody Miller (503) 705-2044, or email millerwoody@hotmail.com

STEADYfast® Tested and reviewed by Trailer Life, Bill Gehr (RV Journal), Highways and others

What’s The Difference? Tighten 3 conveniently located handles. That’s it, your parked 5th wheel or travel trailer is STEADY Fast! The Convenient & Simple 45 Second Solution Visit

Toll-Free

www.steadyfast.com 866-498-8754

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SCRUBR Odor-Free Dishcloths & TREKR Self-Cleaning Washcloths Perfect for RVing and camping. They dry fast, rinse clean, and don’t get smelly. (858) 653-0401 www.lunatecgear.com

To advertise in Marketplace or to place a Classified Ad email TBads@equitylifestyle.com NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

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

Carol Horner

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from Mountain View, CA found the evergreen tree on page 11 of the September issue. Did you find the tree in this issue? Send your entry (postcards only) to TrailBlazer Evergreen Tree, Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606. Postmark deadline is November 30, and remember — the tree could be a different color and size.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Fast Facts entries will be entered in our Monthly Drawing to

win a $25 American Express Gift Card! This month’s Fast Facts winner is

Paul Porter

of Benson, AZ

Answers - Crossword puzzle can be found on page 50

Answers - Sudoku puzzle can be found on page 62

Book Your Next Vacation Package Using Preferred Access

Plan NOW and Pay LATER! Preferred Access has vacation packages that you can book with a deposit as low as $150 per person. This is GREAT news because you can lock in your airfare and hotel rates and make payments over time so that you won’t have to worry about the price of your trip going up.

You CAN stay at a 4 or 5-Star resort because we’ve made it simpler for you. Don’t delay. Preferred Access has vacation options throughout the U.S., Hawaii, Mexico, Europe and the Caribbean.

For Reservations, contact us at (800) 281-4977 *Valid for bookings made 45+ days prior to departure on a space available basis. Europe deposit is $300 per person. Some hotels may require an additional deposit at time of booking. Deposit requirements may vary during airline fare sales. Restrictions and blackout dates may apply. Policy is subject to change with or without notice.

Preferred Access is included with RPI Preferred Gold, Resort Connections and RPI Platinum memberships. To find out how to add Preferred Access to your membership, call 1-888-318-1214

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | TRAILBLAZER

Rays’ pitcher Matt Garza. Photo by Steven Kovich Camelback Ranch. Photo courtesy of Mesa Convention & Visitors Bureau

Batter Up! Here’s the pitch - make your reservations to stay with us in Arizona or Florida so you don’t miss a single play of your favorite Major League Baseball team’s Spring Training Camp season. Stay at an Encore RV Resort in Arizona and travel around the camps located within the Phoenix metro area. Fifteen teams, including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Midwest favorites like the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs, the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers, make up the Cactus League. 66

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Head to Florida and experience the season with the Grapefruit League whose teams include the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, the Minnesota Twins, and many more. Camps are located on both coasts as well as inland in Lake Buena, Lakeland and Kissimmee. Everyone should experience MLB’s Spring Training at least once in their lives - why not make it this season? For a full listing of teams, stadium locations and schedules, visit www.mlb.com. For a complete listing of area resorts, or to make reservations, visit www.RVontheGo.com.

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