TrailBlazer Magazine - April 2016 by TrailBlazer Magazine

APRIL 2016

GREEN CIT Y G E TA W AY S

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$2.00

Camping is

Always Better with Friends!

VOL. 38

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WHAT’S INSIDE

ISSUE 3 /// APRIL 2016

lifestyle

5 Message from Marguerite 9 Tech Topics

FOR A LIMITED TIME!

16 National Park Service Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail

YOU receive a $50 Visa PrePaid Card when your referral purchases a Thousand Trails Camping Pass! Your referral also enters YOU into our 2016 drawing for a chance to win these great prizes:

GRAND PRIZE 7 Night Cruise or Trip to Hawaii ($4,000 value)

SECOND PRIZE 4 Nights in Las Vegas, San Francisco or Orlando ($2,000 value)

THIRD PRIZE Free Dues for 2017 10 Winners Selected (Up to $545 value)

25 I Knew I Was A TrailBlazer 38 Out N’ About Spring Gulch Folk Festival

features

28 Green City Getaways

calendars 10 On-Site Events 14 Local Events 62 Club Calendar

regulars

20 Parmalee

or visit THOUSANDTRAILS.COM

*Details2016 and qualifications APRIL TRAILBLAZERfor participation in this promotion may apply and are set forth on page 64 of this magazine.

46 Ask RV Bill 59 4 Paws on the Road

Make it a point to spend Earth Day 2016, April 22, in one of several cities in America that stepped up to the challenge to be more earth-friendly and are proud to be part of the ever-growing “Green City” list. Celebrate our Earth and spend some time enjoying the beauty of Mother Nature.

spotlight

44 Who’s in the Kitchen with TrailBlazer?

They have been touring with some of the hottest country vocalists, including Jake Owen and Brad Paisley, and they still travel the country in their RV. We caught up with Matt after their inaugural appearance on NBC’s TODAY Show.

Pics From The Parks

48 Member Deals 58 Crossword Puzzle 60 Preferred RV Dealer List 63 Sudoku Puzzle

42 Mt. Hood Tiny Houses This spring, five tiny houses will make their way to Mt. Hood Village to create a Tiny House Village.

42 APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

MESSAGE from MARGUERITE NATION’S TOP SELECTION OF RV BRANDS!

From today’s high end motor coaches and travel trailers to pop ups and tents, when it comes to going off the grid, your choices are endless. And, what’s even more intriguing to me are today’s choices for unique rental accommodations available at campgrounds and RV resorts across the country.

3 LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU: FLORIDA \ ARIZONA \ COLORADO

Within our portfolio, we offer so many unique ways to get out and camp. In fact, the yurts at our Yosemite Lakes campground and covered wagons at our Rancho Oso campground were recently featured in an article for Great American Country entitled “17 Unique Ways to Go Camping.” This piece featured everything from tree houses to pods, to teepees to vintage trailers, each providing a unique way for camping enthusiasts to enjoy the great outdoors. I can’t recall a time when spending time in nature provided us with so many creative options for cozying up under the stars.

Over

2,500 RVs Available in All Shapes, Sizes & Floorplans

LARGEST SELECTION OF NEW AND PRE OWNED RVS

VISIT LAZYDAYS.COM

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

With so many options available to enjoy the great outdoors it’s no wonder why more and more of us are catching the bug!

I am pleased to introduce some new additions to our universe of unique rental accommodations. Welcome Zoe, Lincoln, Savannah, Atticus, and Scarlett! These are the names of our new Tiny Houses that are scheduled to be available Memorial Day Weekend at Encore’s Mt. Hood Village resort, just outside of Portland, Oregon. We teamed up with Tumbleweed, a Tiny House manufacturer, to construct these units, taking advantage of every square foot. It all comes down to the layout and floor plan, you would be surprised at how creative you can be when you have only 175 square feet to work with. For more information on our new Tiny House Village see page 42 of the magazine. No matter what your preference is, we have something for everyone. So, what are you waiting for? Get Out and Camp the season is finally here!

Marguerite Nader President & CEO

CALL 866.531.6818

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

www.trailblazermagazine.net CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mark Slattery EDITOR tbeditor@equitylifestyle.com GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Mellissa Brosius ADVERTISING SALES TBads@equitylifestyle.com MISSION STATEMENT TrailBlazer provides exclusive news and information for the members and guests of Thousand Trails Family of Resorts. Each issue enhances the recreational lifestyle of its readers through a lively mix of camping and travel features, resort profiles and product features. TRAILBLAZER (ISSN 0747-2293) is published monthly except bimonthly Nov./Dec. and Jan./Feb. by MHCTT Memberships, LP, c/o Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc., Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606. An annual subscription is $20. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to TRAILBLAZER, 2325 Highway 90, Gautier, MS 39553. Canada Post Publication Mail Agreement 41461526.

TRAILBLAZER MAGAZINE Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800 Chicago, IL 60606 www.trailblazermagazine.net NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS Visit www.trailblazermagazine.net and click on the ‘Subscribe’ tab to easily subscribe online today! PRINTED IN THE USA

THOUSAND TRAILS RESERVATIONS Call: 800-288-7245

PICS FROM THE PARKS

Share your adventures in 3 easy steps!

Win $50

EACH Issue!

1. Capture a photo of your trip at one of our parks. 2. Share with us at TrailBlazer_photos@equitylifestyle.com. 3. Check out next month to see if you’re a winner.

Winners will receive a $50 Visa® 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). The 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.

▲ Idyllwild (CA): First week in January snowfall. – Bill Niedzwiecki

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

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

VISIT WWW.THOUSANDTRAILS.COM STARS AUTOMATED RESERVATIONS 800-859-STAR (7827)

ENCORE RESERVATIONS 877-570-2267

VISIT WWW.RVONTHEGO.COM Remember! Thousand Trails members get preferred rates at Encore RV resorts.

▲ Chesapeake Bay Preserve (VA): Sunset over Piankatank River. – Kim Hazelwood

▲ Lake of the Springs (CA): A beautiful acorn woodpecker. – Norman Froggatt

▲ Lebanon (PA): Gearing up for his first camping season! – Sarah Gingrich APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

LUCKY WINNER?

WANT TO BE A

Lucky winners,

Don & Cathy Gogna from Madison, SD

were camping at Turtle Beach, CA when they were presented with a $1,000 gift card! Cathy and Don Gogna at Turtle Beach RV Campground

Thousand Trails is offering members the opportunity to win a

$1,000 Visa Prepaid Gift Card ®

To earn entries into our monthly drawing, simply pay your 2016 dues on time and camp at your favorite TT Preserve. When you pay your annual dues for 2016 in full, you will be entered into our monthly drawing for a $1,000 Visa® Prepaid gift card. There will be one drawing/one winner each month from January through December 2016. In addition, once you pay your dues in full, each time you camp at a Thousand Trails Preserve in 2016, 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, 2016. This promotion is sponsored by MHC Thousand Trails Limited Partnership, Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.

TECH

TOP CS

RVing is a great adventure and there’s always something new to learn! by Paul and Kerri Elders RVing is a blast, but learning how to properly pack an RV involves a little planning and a whole lot of restraint. Don’t try to take everything you own with you on every trip. Any Travel Vet will tell you: overpacking is a really bad habit, better not developed in the first place. Here are some tried and true tips and tricks to make underpacking a little easier. Weight management should be your first consideration when packing any RV. It’s simple: lighter is definitely better. Whenever possible, you want to choose tools and accessories that can serve “double duty” in your RV. Pack things like combination screwdrivers, adjustable wrenches, and multipurpose RV cleaning chemicals to save space, time, and weight. If you’re not planning to boondock (camp without hookups), it’s usually a good idea to keep your freshwater tank at ¼ capacity or less to save on travel weight. This accomplishes two very worthy goals: it improves your gas mileage and your rig’s handling. Another good strategy for lighter travel is to frequently dump the graywater and blackwater tanks during your trip. Just remember to leave a little liquid in the tanks to prevent residue caking. Another extremely important, but often neglected, consideration when packing an RV is how you decide to distribute your packed weight. Give it a little thought, because you want to pack your RV for maximum stability on the road. Pack heavy items in the RV’s exterior storage bays and do your best to distribute weight evenly as you pack, both side-to-side and front-to-back. This will help improve your rig’s handling and may help keep loads from shifting unexpectedly if you have to take any evasive actions on the roadway.

Large see-through plastic bins are a great solution for storing items in the RV’s exterior storage compartments. Label the bins using easy-to-see, large, bright white labels and large, legible writing. Transparent plastic bins make it easier to find things and also make unpacking a snap when you get back home. Just carry in a bin at a time, unpack, and re-store your empty bins in the rig’s storage compartments until the next trip. Pack frequently used items in the front of the exterior storage compartments closest to the front door for quick and easy access once you’re cozied into your favorite camping spot. When it comes to packing food and cooking utensils, remember the Happy Camper Rule: travel LIGHT. Opt for cans over bottles, and give some thought to just how much food you really need to take. It’s been our experience that lots of RVers end up eating out instead of cooking in, so keep this in mind while stocking your pantry. Really think you’ll be roasting 16 pound turkeys and baking and frosting a three layer cake? Then by all means, pack your turkey roaster, mixer, cake pans, flour, sugar, and other equipment. But if you’re more apt to eat out on the road, skip the extra packing. You’ll save time, weight, work, and water. You can minimize packing and unpacking between trips by outfitting your RV with its own set of lightweight dishes. However, disposable paper plates and cups are definitely worth considering, since they save even more weight and reduce water use. They’ll save you a lot of packing time, cabinet space, and travel weight, and will also save cleanup time and water use on the road.

Disposable “Ziploc®” bags can help you save valuable refrigerator space; consider using them instead of rigid Tupperware-type storage containers whenever possible. Empty ziplocs are extremely compact, lightweight, and don’t take up much storage space, plus you can simply discard them after use – no washing, drying or stowing required. You can use plastic dividers or utility bins for dividing under-bed storage. But you can save weight by using clear, deflatable “space bags” or extra-large Ziploc-type bags. These are super handy for packing clothes you want to store in the under-bed storage compartment. Extra large ziplocs are inexpensive and help you save space while keeping your packed clothing neat, clean, and easily accessible. Don’t forget to pack all your prescription medicines; it’s a great idea to make a written list of these, just to make packing a little easier. Pack a few extra batteries for flashlights and electronic devices; this is another great use for small ziploc bags. These help keep small items like AA batteries “corraled” and easy to find, especially if you tuck them in your glove box or a kitchen drawer. And, if you forget anything, don’t worry about it (unless it’s your traveling partner)! You’ll be surprised by how easy it is to either do without whatever you’ve forgotten or to simply replace the item on the road. Remember that where RVing is concerned, less really is more; keep your weight down and travel light. You’ll find that you’ll spend less time packing and unpacking and more time just having FUN. Happy trails!

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Activities and Events – On-Site

ACTIVITIES

AND

Activities and Events – On-Site

APRIL events Decadent Meet & Greets Discover unique flavors and interesting pairings of food and drink at these decadent events! Start the month off with a good sweat and then indulge in a deep fried twinkie during “Fitness Whole Twinkie In My Mouth” Weekend at Chesapeake Bay (VA) from April 1-3. There will be a Car Show & Chili cook-off (with prizes!) plus vendors, local beers and food available. Join the classy folks at PA Dutch Country (PA) from April 22-24 for a Wine & Cheese social while swapping your favorite recipe, meet and greet new and returning campers, movie and snacks for the little ones while they make some crafts. Also hosting a Wine & Cheese party are the folks at Rondout Valley (NY). Don’t miss the 4th Annual party the weekend of April 29-May 1, and remember to bring your own wine!

April Fool’s Day Have a little fun playing some friendly April Fool’s jokes on your fellow campers at these Thousand Trails campgrounds!

Earth Day Whether it’s campus wide clean ups or planting trees and gardens, Thousand Trails is the place to be to celebrate Earth Day! Earth Day is on April 22, 2016. Whether it’s cleaning up your site or helping a neighbor, get together with the folks at Soledad Canyon (CA) on April 22-24 for Earth Day Cleanup Weekend and volunteers will be rewarded with a continental breakfast! Ease your way into a cleanup weekend at Forest Lake (NC) with a movie on the lawn on Friday April 22, then a community clean up and meet n’ greet on Saturday, April 23. Celebrate Earth Day at Natchez Trace (TN) by cleaning, planting flowers, and raking leaves. You can also plant a tree at Colorado River (TX) on April 23rd and enjoy the beautiful outdoor areas and nature trails.

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

Games At Thousand Trails, there are games and competitions of all kinds happening this spring! Check out what’s going on this April… Play indoor games, volleyball, racquetball, dodge-ball and more from April 8-10 Natchez Trace (TN) for Wacky Sports Weekend. Come and learn all about geocaching – like a giant, outdoor scavenger hunt on April 30 at Colorado River (TX). Turn off your TVs, cellphones, iPads and video games and come play outside at Chesapeake Bay (VA) the weekend of April 15-17 for “Off-the-Grid” games! And got cabin fever? The folks at Twin Mills (IN) have the cure! Dust off the camping gear and come on out to Twin Mills for the Polar Bear Plunge, B-I-N-G-O, “Icy Toes Challenge” and board games the weekend of April 22.

Join us at Pacific City (OR) for Fool’s Weekend, April 1-3, and it will be a weekend of fun filled pranks and games. Tell your best jokes on April 2 at Colorado River (TX) during “I’m A Fool For You” weekend. At Lake Minden (CA), there will be a fun April Fool’s Day Potluck and B-I-N-G-O with silly prizes and a funny movie the weekend of April 1-3. Don’t forget – the RC Boat Races at Lake Minden will also take place that weekend. Get out your sillies that built up this winter with jokes and comedy all weekend long at Orlando (FL) from April 1-3!

Some events may require a participation fee.

Springtime Here comes springtime! Whether you’re on spring break or just want to celebrate the changing of the seasons, you can do it all with us! From April 2-10 it’s Washington Spring Break, so contact the folks at Chehalis (WA) for activity arrangements. It’s Happy Spring Weekend at Rancho Oso (CA) the weekend of April 23 and enjoy the beauty of spring in the Los Padres National forest. The last weekend of the month is Spring Fever Weekend at Gateway to Cape Cod (MA) April 29-May 1 where folks can take a nature walk and look for flowers and wildlife while enjoying the fresh air! It’s a welcome back weekend at Pine Country (IL) on April 22 and what a great spring weekend it will be! APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Activities and Events – On-Site

Boogie Nights Join in on the fun at these music-focused theme weekends at Thousand Trails! Enjoy a fun night of music, stories and laughter with Lou Renshaw at Orlando (FL) for the R&R Night of Music on April 8! Come dance with us at Lake of the Springs (CA) from April 18-22 our Annual Spring Line Dance Festival. Marion will teach us some new moves! There will be lots of good friends and good food. It’s a Happy Camper/Spring Potluck weekend at PA Dutch Country (PA) April 15-17 featuring a potluck dinner, live music from Monkey Bizzness band! And don’t miss the Mercy Me! gospel group at Orlando (FL) on April 15, they will entertain you with songs from their own collection and popular favorites.

Opening Weekend Up, Up and Away Weekends!

These campgrounds missed you this winter! Here are the campgrounds that are welcoming back campers for the season!

Visit our campgrounds for events that will make you want to soar and sail away this spring!

From April 8-10, shine up your camper, clean up your site, the 2016 camping season has just begun at Gettysburg Farm (PA). Join your friends Saturday night for a dessert social. It’s also opening weekend at Harbor View (VA) and at Sturbridge (MA) the weekend of April 8. Another season has begun at Rondout Valley (NY) It’s time to air out those campers, dust off the cobwebs and unfurl those awnings. Camping has begun. Come and join us for some fun crafts, games, and more. Join us for a potluck dinner for the opening season and see old friends and meet new ones too, the weekend of April 15! Come out for opening weekend at Paradise (WA) from April 22-24 and get your free rental on our fire pit (while supplies last.)

It’s Bird Brain weekend and the RC Boat Races at Lake Minden (CA) the weekend of April 22-24. That weekend, you can paint bird houses and learn all about the birds at Lake Minden. Fly and Float Airplanes will be on display taking off and landing on the lake at Lake Minden (CA) the weekend of April 29. Remember to bring your cameras! Don’t get blown away by the spring breezes at Circle M (PA) the weekend of April 15-17! Fly the kites, throw the frisbees and wave balloons as we have fun filled activities throughout the Circle M skies.

Spring Cleaning Help us spruce things up by participating in some spring cleaning. Clean out your own rig or check out some yard sales.

Cinco de Mayo Fiestas

Grab a rake and spruce up your site with the folks at Green Mountain (NC) from April 1- 3. The same weekend, join the staff in beautifying the park at Cherokee Landing (TN) and refreshments will be served to participants. Help us out at Turtle Beach Fish Camp (CA) to spruce up the park by planting flowers with us. Then, get your rigs cleaned out because we are having a yard sale the next day, on April 10! Your unwanted items are someone else’s treasure! Help plant some colorful flowers and perk up around your campsite at Sturbridge (MA) the weekend of April 15-17 for Spring Cleaning Weekend! And join the folks at Green Mountain (NC) on April 23 for a park wide yard sale in the morning.

Some of these Thousand Trails campgrounds are celebrating Cinco de Mayo a little bit earlier this year, on the last weekend of April. Check out where to join the fiesta! Visit Palm Springs (CA) for their Mexican Fiesta Weekend. Make your very own pinata or enter the Second Annual Guacamole contest. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at San Benito (CA) the same weekend. Saturday afternoon features a pinata for the kids and an adult pinata with prizes. The folks at Chesapeake Bay (VA) had to fit in Sandy’s marvelous Mexican cooking somewhere, so they are also celebrating early. It’ll be quite the fiesta at Natchez Trace (TN) as they celebrate with a party, movies, and more! Guaranteed fun for the whole family! Join the folks at Timothy Lake North & South (PA) for a celebration with DJ Mike spinning some of the latest tunes! 12

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

Some events may require a participation fee.

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Activities and Events – Local

LOCAL

April 27 15th Battle Anniversary Explore the Shiloh and Corinth battlefields through the western theater of the Civil War. “Nearly 110,000 American troops clashed in a bloody contest that resulted in 23,746 casualties; more casualties than in all of America’s previous wars combined.” nps.gov/shil/index.htm

SOUTH JETTY (OR)

PONDEROSA (CA)

LAKE MINDEN (CA)

Apr. 9-10 & 16-17 The 25th Annual Passport Wine Event Don’t miss this once a year, allaccess pass to wine-and-food pairings, music and friendship in our region-wide party. During two glorious spring weekends this year, 20+ El Dorado county wineries host the region’s annual wine and food event. Enjoy plenty of luscious wine and food pairings, barrel tastings, enjoyable art and music, and fun-loving participants. Warm weather and beautiful green vistas along the wine trail add to the allure of this springtime event. passporteldorado.com

April 2016 Thunder Valley Casino Thunder Valley Casino is a Vegasstyle gaming casino conveniently located only nineteen miles from Lake Minden. Enjoy captivating entertainment from around the world or visit their fabulous spa. And don’t forget to check out the Wednesday Seniors Day Specials. thundervalleyresort.com

PIO PICO (CA) Apr. 2 Ironman 70.3 California Athletes from all over the world swim 1.2 miles in Oceanside Harbor, bike 56 miles through neighboring Camp Pendleton and run 13.1 miles back to the finish line at Oceanside Pier in the San Diego North County city of Oceanside. ironman.com/triathlon/events

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

April 2-3 43rd Annual San Diego Crew Classic Regatta Rowers from across the country come to Crown Point Shores on Mission Bay to participate in one of the most distinguished rowing competitions in the U.S. crewclassic.org

» Local Highlight

April 17 Fallbrook Avocado Festival Since the 1960s, tens of thousands of avocado lovers converge in Fallbrook, to sample avocados, check-out the crazy cooking contest entries, buy funky avocado themed gifts and enjoy bands and friendly beer gardens. fallbrookchamberofcommerce.org

April 21-May 8 Del Mar National Horse Show The most prestigious horse show in Southern California offers more than $350,000 in prize money and attracts more than 3,000 horses to the equestrian complex at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in coastal Del Mar. delmarnational.com

BAY LANDING (TX) April 8 Leann Rimes: Live in Concert Doors at 6pm and show starts at 10:30 pm. Located only 40 minutes from the Bay Landing RV Campground. kydinnertrain.com April 28-May 1 Pate Swap Meet Attend the largest swap meet in the midwestern United States. The Pate Swap Meet is a leading collector’s choice for its diversity of auto and motorcycle related products from vendors from all over. The four day event has items for automobiles, motorcycles, parts, accessories, street rods, antique and collector cars plus hard-to-find vintage and antique items. texasmotorspeedway.com

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

April 2 Indoor Yard Sale Only $1 admission! Don’t worry if it’s rainy on the coast we have moved all the yard sales in town inside for your convenience! No driving all over a town you don’t know; just park in one spot and enjoy all the fun of a day full of yard sales! eventcenter.org April 15-17 Shrek the Musical, Jr. Presented by Children’s Repertory of Oregon Workshops (C.R.O.W.). A non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of local children, their families, and the community through the magic of live performance, classes, workshops, and more. florencechamber.com

SCOTRUN (PA) April 2 Live Performance – Gilbert Gottfried “He’s back by popular demand at “Gypsies” at Mount Airy Casino because you love him! Gilbert Gottfried is a famed comics comic. Gottfried puts aside political correctness for his live performance and fires an onslaught of jokes that know no boundaries.” mountairycasino.com

DIAMOND CAVERNS (KY)

INDIAN LAKES (IN)

April 9-10 49th Annual Bardstown Antique Show & Sale 100 dealers from a dozen states selling a wide range of antiques from vintage collectibles to museum quality artifacts at reasonable prices. Admission is $6. kentuckytourism.com

April 14, 21, and 28 RAA Film Festival The RAA Film Festival features Sundance and amateur filmmaker winners on April 14, 21, & 28. Proceeds to Kids Discovery Factory. 9pm. Freewill donation. ripleycountytourism.com

April 23 Thunder Over Louisville To some, it’s the official kick-off to the Kentucky Derby Festival. It’s simply one of the largest annual fireworks shows in North America and the setting for some of the most memorable moments you’ll ever share. This year’s theme is “No Strings Attached.” thunderoverlouisville.org

CHEHALIS (WA) April 15 Oakview Acoustic Jam Acoustic String Jam, perfect for all levels. Fees/Admission: Donations gratefully accepted to pay for use of Grange building. wamamusic.com

CIRCLE M (PA) April 9 Rawlinsville Mud Sale Annual fundraiser for the volunteer fire companies throughout Amish communities. This event draws about 20,000 people a year and is a very special event. discoverlancaster.com

MEDINA LAKE (TX) April 16 24th Annual Open Car Show Expected to draw more than 350 entrants and hundred of car enthusiasts. This year’s show offers exciting activities for the whole family Texas Corvette Association’s 24th Annual Open Car Show. texas-corvette-association.org

Some events may require a participation fee.

Activities and Events – Local

CALENDAR events

April 16-17 Indiana Wine Trail The six wineries on the Indiana Wine Trail will pair their wines with a variety of breads, cheeses, and dips. Visit all six great Indiana wineries. ripelycountytourism.com April 16 After Hours Concert What do you get when you mix Jazz Appreciation Month, National Library Week, and Indiana’s bicentennial? At the Batesville Memorial Public Library, you get a free After Hours Concert by talented Indiana musicians, Monika Herzig, Peter Kienle, Janiece Jaffe, and others presenting a very special program saluting some of Indiana’s jazz legends. ripelycountytourism.com

MOODY BEACH (ME) April 15-17 23rd Annual Patrick’s Day Celebration Join us as we go back to our roots, with historical characters walking the streets, musterings, and fife & drum concerts. Re-enactments, cookout, taste-tests, and craft fair round out the weekend. ogunquit.org April 23 Old Port Culinary Walking Tour & Lunchtime Lobster Crawl Sponsored by Maine Foodie Tours in Portland. Tour begins at the Old Port Wine Shop. oldportwine.com

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

TrailMix

POTOMAC HERITAGE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL This year, the National Park Service turns 100 years old and to celebrate, Trailblazer magazine takes a look at the history and stories behind the great American National Trails. The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail links the Potomac River and the Ohio River Basins and is different from other trails like the Appalachian Trail or the Continental Divide because the Potomac National Scenic trail is a 710-mile network of trails that are locally managed trails with routes beginning from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, through the Allegheny Highlands, and into the upper Ohio River Basin. Often thought of as the dividing line between North and South in the colonial days, the Potomac river was once a busy commercial waterway. by Annie Berman

â&#x2013;˛ Lincoln Memorial from the Mount Vernon Trail Photos courtesy of Team Frosick 16

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Allegheny Highlands Trail

Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail

From Ohiopyle, if you are not venturing to the Laurel Highlands Trail, travel northwest through the famous Great Allegheny Passage along the Allegheny Highlands Trail. This trail follows the original route of the West Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railways. This trail offers fantastic biking and hiking along winding rivers, shaded forests, and even through some small towns. Sojourners on this trail are treated to glorious mountain views as they hike or bike along what was once an operating railway connecting West Virginia and Maryland. The length of this trail is a modest 24.5 miles (modest, compared to other stretches of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail) and is mostly crushed stone or paved pathways. To find the trailhead of the Allegheny Highlands Trail, drive about four hours from Thousand Trails Lynchburg campground in Gladys, VA along Highway 250.

he Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail isn’t just one long trail that goes from one point to another like the Appalachian Trail or the Continental Divide. Rather, it’s a network of trails that traverses Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. Whether you want to hike, bike, or paddle along on one of these trails, the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail is a great way to explore in the footsteps of one of the most famous founding fathers, George Washington. Here is just a slice of some of the most famous sections of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail! ▲ Canoeing on the Potomac River Photos courtesy of DancingNomad3

The Laurel Highlands HIking Trail is a significant portion of the Potomac Heritage Trail and is revered as one of the finest long distance trails in the country for its scenic and diverse terrain. It is the only pure backpacking section of the Potomac Heritage National Trail, versus other sections of the Potomac Trail require crossing rivers or highways to stay on track. If you’re interested in hiking all 70 miles of this trail (which plenty of visitors do every year!) it’s recommended that you make reservations at one of their overnight lodges for shelter during your hike. The Laurel Highlands Trail starts in Ohiopyle State Park and snakes up towards Johnstown, PA. Though the Laurel Highlands Trail is most popular for day hiking, it’s also a great outdoor destination for winter sports like snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Trailrunners are also big fans of this trail and every year, a few hundred ultra runners come to the Laurel Highlands Trail to participate in the Laurel Highlands Ultra, a race that follows the entire 70 miles of this trail! This trail is a favorite among trailrunners for its scenic and diverse terrain. Ohiopyle and the Laurel Ridge State parks are about a 3 hour drive west from Thousand Trails Gettysburg and Hershey campgrounds.

Mount Vernon Trail

▲ Beam Rocks at Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Photos courtesy of Jason Pratt 18

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

▲ Biking the Great Allegheny Passage Photos courtesy of Jon Dawson

▲ Biking on the Mount Vernon Trail Photos courtesy of Team Frosick

Maybe you decide to take your Potomac Heritage National Trail hike to the city! The Mount Vernon Trail is one of Washington D.C’s most popular trails, which begins on Theodore Roosevelt Island and takes visitors all the way to the historic Mount Vernon Estate. Head out on the 17 mile, paved, Mount Vernon Trail, by starting at Theodore Roosevelt Island, which you can get to from the Thousand Trails Harbor View campground by taking I-95N. Not only is this one of the most popular and scenic routes on the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, it offers an amazing tour of D.C. monuments. As you travel along this trail, you can break off to visit the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the US Marine Corps War Memorial, and pass the White House. Also, once you get to the midpoint of this trail, you have a couple of routes to choose from. You’ll know you’re at the midpoint when you are in Old Town Alexandria. You may either keep walking or riding along the George Washington Memorial Parkway, or pick the trail up on Union Street. From Union Street, you’ll have access to Alexandria’s waterfront parks, plus restaurants, shops, and the lively boardwalk. Alexandria makes for a great pitstop along the way. You’ll continue on the trail until you reach Mount Vernon, the estate where George and Martha Washington once lived and has now been turned into a museum. APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

On The Road

Whether you spend life on the road for pleasure or work, it’s nice to have the comforts of home as you travel the highways and byways. TRAILBLAZER checks in with folks who spend a fair amount of time on the road to see just what makes their home away from home.

C o u n t r y Mu s i c ’ s

Parmalee Ba

of Brot

This month, we chatted with Matt Thomas, lead singer for country music’s ‘band of brothers’, Parmalee. Brothers Matt and Scott Thomas, along with cousin Barry Knox, and childhood friend Josh McSwain, all grew up in Parmale in eastern North Carolina – a tiny town near Greenville that’s home to a gas station, two blinking yellow lights, and a small tin roofed barn dubbed Studio B, after its original builder. And, they all watched their fathers and uncles play in bands as kids and wanted to grow up to be just like them.

s r he

by Lynn & Cele Seldon

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Photo courtesy of Kristin “KJ” Joyner

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

o after graduating from nearby East Carolina University, Parmalee (they added an extra “e” to make it easier for their fans to pronounce it) was born. The boys started playing the local and regional club circuit and rehearsed two nights a week in Studio B while they worked to fund the band. After taking their show on the road to New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta to try to find their musical direction, the road ultimately led them to Nashville.

After spending a month working and recording out of their RV in a Comfort Inn parking lot in Nashville, they began making the appropriate connections and contacts and were invited to produce a showcase reel for an interested production company. But their plans were temporarily derailed one night in 2010 as two armed gunmen entered their RV while Matt and Scott were packing up after a show and demanded money. At the end of the scuffle, one suspect was killed, one was wounded, and Scott had been shot three times. He was in critical condition and hospitalized for 35 days, 10 of which were spent in a coma. It was eight months later before Scott was well enough to get behind the drums and the band was able to complete the promised label showcase. Since then, Scott has made a full recovery. But good things happen to those who wait. Parmalee has since released four singles that have all climbed the country charts. And their debut album, Feels Like Carolina, was released in late 2013 to rave reviews and critical praise. In 2014, Parmalee earned a semi-finalist nod for the Academy of Country Music’s coveted “New Artist of the Year” award, and a Teen Choice Award nomination for “Choice Country Group”. And their debut #1 single, “Carolina,” went Certified Platinum in 2015. They have also been touring with some of the hottest country vocalists, including Jake Owen and Brad Paisley. And they still travel the country in their RV. We caught up with Matt after their inaugural appearance on NBC’s TODAY Show.

You guys spent some of the early years of your career in Nashville working out of an RV in the parking lot of Comfort Inn. What was the first one that you owned? We actually started in a Ford Explorer and a U-Haul and we’ve gone through, let me count them, three conversion vans, and then we got the RV. In 2010, we went out to Nashville and we’d take the RV out and we’d stay for a month or however long the money lasted, live in the parking lot, and then go back home and go to work. Trying to tour everywhere we could on the way and back. The RV was a 2004 Fourwinds Hurricane 31’. We bought it in 2008 right when the market crashed and you could get a

pretty good deal on them. It was the lower end but it was an RV. We were doing a lot of construction at the time so we went in and gutted the interior and put in laminate floors, put in some rope lighting, and built bunks in the back. We did it up! Is this the one you were still using when the robbery happened? Yep. All of that happened in that. But once that happened, we pretty much parked it and we weren’t really touring for months after that. So we got a Ford Excursion van to use for the very few shows we did. We tried to sell the RV but didn’t have any luck.

Tell us about your current RV. Well, after we finally sold the Fourwinds Hurricane, we did a little tour on a Prevost that the label had and we realized that it’s pretty daggone expensive. So we went back to a 15-passenger Excursion van and pulled a trailer. Then when our songs started taking off, more shows were opening up and we were able to get on a steady tour. Then we finally get our own bus. Now we’re driving a 2007 Prevost LaMirage XLII 45’. Do all four of you travel in it when you are on the road? Eleven of us do! We have a driver, the four of us, and six crew guys. We’ve got 12 bunks, two of those are junk bunks.

Photos courtesy of Kristin “KJ” Joyner 22

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How many miles will you put on it?

What else do you do when you are on road?

100,000 miles and a couple hundred shows per year or so.

We try to play a little [disc] golf. Barry and a guy on our crew play disc golf and they have a practice goal that we carry onboard. Work out as much as possible. Go running. Write music.

What’s your favorite thing about staying in your RV versus a hotel room? Being on a steady schedule is the best thing about it. Knowing that you are going to get there in the morning and once you’re out on tour and you’re in the groove of things, you can settle in and sleep eight hours. The bus is home for us and we love it. Everyone is very happy when we get on the bus. What are your three favorite things onboard? I have a collection of fishing gear that I bought. I’ve got telescopic fishing rods that fit in one drawer. That’s my favorite thing. We have a little travel guitar that we take with us. It’s cool to have onboard because it doesn’t take up much space and it just kind of lays around and you can pick it up and jam out. And the other favorite thing is a Polaroid camera that we take with us. Actually it’s a Fuji but it’s like a mini-Polaroid. We try to take as many pictures of friends and people on board and tape them on the walls. To be honest with you, I’d have to say the best thing onboard is our crew that does all the work for us. That’s probably the best thing on here.

I always like going where it’s warm. I love the beach. Any beach – whether it’s Wilmington or Florida down the coast. I love going out to California. Anywhere where it’s warm. Do you cook onboard? Oh no. Bus nachos ‘bout the only thing. We always have chips and salsa and cheese and snacks to keep everybody hanging on. Any favorites meals on the road? We like to try the local stuff. The venue usually provides lunch. Sometimes supper. But if someone says “I’d really like some sushi,” we’ll research it. Usually it’s just a Google thing.

“

This bus is home for us and we love it!

”

We don’t have any vacation time (laughs)! We’re always on the road, so we never really thought about doing the campsite thing. An ideal vacation for me is somewhere on a beach without anything to do. In a hammock drinking a cold beer looking at some really blue water.

This month, TrailBlazer would like to introduce you to Diana Potter. Diana took her first camping trip at three-weeks-old (yes, you read that right) and hasn’t stopped since. TB: How long have you been camping and RVing? Who introduced you to it? Tell us how it all began!

My grandmother had a small camper in Salvo in the Outer Banks and used to take us fishing. It was just a little small pull behind camper, but it was a treat.

We do. A lot of late nights we do jam sessions. But not typically. We’re all music nerds but we’re always around so much noise that when we ride, it’s usually pretty quiet.

▲ Daughter Isabella and her cousin Chayton paddling in Lake Wenatchee outside Leavenworth, WA

- Matt Thomas

Do you ever go camping as vacation?

Would you ever consider going camping as a vacation now?

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TrailBlazer

What are a few favorite destinations?

Do you listen to music on the road?

I KNEW I WAS A

Photos courtesy of Ed Rode

DP: I’ve been camping all my life. I first went camping when I was only 3-weeks-old at Rocky Mountain National Park. When I was young, my family owned farm land in Indiana and turned part of it into a campground. I have been around campers or camping for all my life. I really started camping and having a better appreciation for it when we moved to Oregon when I was about 9 or 10. My father bought a Class C motor home and we went all over in it. We camped up and down the Oregon and California coasts and in most of Oregon and Northern

California. We also took a trip to San Francisco, Disneyland, and down to Guaymas, Mexico, during my 7th grade Christmas break. We had Christmas in Guaymas, Mexico, with all of us in our Class C motorhome. I’ll never forget all the tangerines that seemed to be everywhere we went that Christmas. It’s even become a main stay family tradition now to have a small orange like a Tangerine or a Mandarin orange in our Christmas stockings on Christmas day. TB: How did you first hear about Thousand Trails? DP: It was about 20 years ago that I heard of Thousand Trails, and I never stayed at one until about 4

years ago. I could see the sign for Thousand Trails at Lake Wenatchee near Leavenworth, Washington, whenever I went up to the lake for recreation. I also recall seeing signs for the Bend TT when I was younger and visiting the area. TB: What is one of your fondest camping memories? How about one of your fondest TT memories? DP: My fondest camping memory was camping at Union Creek National Forest campground in Oregon about 20 minutes from Crater Lake. The campsites are so beautiful there with Union creek running through the campground. The campsites there are right by the creek. My siblings and I would

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“

We have only been members for about 4 years, but we really like to get out and camp!

- Diana Potter ▲ Isabella having fun at La Conner

▲ Loading up our Coleman Utah tent trailer for a trip to La Conner

run all over the trails on either side of the creek all day long. We would fish there and the best part was walking the trails to Beckie’s for the best homemade pies. My fondest TT memories: We have only been members for about 4 years, but we really like to get out and camp! So far, I think staying at the Leavenworth preserve a few years ago when my sister had a huge Luau not far from the Leavenworth campground is a favorite. We use Leavenworth TT as a base camp for the annual Luau my sister has. We had a great time at the Luau and then headed back to the Leavenworth campground. It was a sort of Mexican theme for the weekend at TT, and they had a Youth Mariachi band playing when we got back to camp. We went from Hawaiian to Mexican in just an hour. We stayed out by the pool just enjoying the music and the evening breeze. With the music playing and the evening by the pool with an incredible view of the meadow, it was just a fabulous way to end the day. The next day or maybe it was even the same day the campground had a Mexican restaurant come in and cater to the members. They had homemade tamales and they were just so good. It was really one of my favorite times camping. I also loved our first trip to the LaConner

preserve. We had breakfast in the lodge overlooking the ocean. It made my day not to make breakfast and it was fun to go in the family lodge and eat. My kiddo loved it.

my sister’s imagination! There had been no bears all night! We have laughed about this camping trip over and over again. No bears, no sleep.

TB: Any funny camping/RVing stories?

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.)

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DP: About 25 years ago, my family all got together to camp by Mount Saint Helens with one RV, one VW camper van, and my sister and I in a tent. We laughed and we talked that night by the campfire. It came time for bed and so we called it a night. Not long after I fell asleep my sister woke me up in a panic that there were bears outside our tent. The campground had signs posted and had warned us of recent bear sightings. We left a pickle jar on the picnic table that night and my sister said the bears were trying to open the pickles. She said our brother had left in his van to get the ranger and our mother had shut up her motorhome. Oh my! It was just us and the bears. We stayed awake all night listening to the bears. When day started to break I was so exhausted from staying up all night and finally had to use the restroom. I peaked out our tent and found our brother had never left and was sleeping soundly in his camper van next to us. Our mother was in her motorhome just fine. It had all been

▲ Camping at Lincoln Rock State Park over Mother’s Day weekend, the year before we started our Thousand Trails membership

▲ Chris, Isabella, and black Labrador retriever Bowie at Deception Falls on their way to Leavenworth, WA

▲ Diana’s father at a snowy Leavenworth cabin during spring break

DP: I have camped every which way. Way back when with a canvas tent to a scouts pup tent to our family’s motorhome. When I had my own family we decided to try a tent trailer and loved it so much we upgraded within two months of our original purchase. We’ve been through three tent trailers with each one getting bigger to almost as big as you can go with one: 26.5 feet when it’s open with 2 king beds and a full size bed along with another twin bed, a Coleman Utah 12 foot box. We sold it and will be buying a 24 to 27 foot Travel Trailer in the spring and hopefully upgrading to either a Class A or Class C in a couple of years. We use the cabins in the winter at TT and I use a tent at least once or twice a year with my Girl Scout troop. I love them all, but so far the tent trailers have been the most fun, and the most memorable to camp with.

TB: Where have you gone that you wouldn’t have otherwise, if it hadn’t been for your Thousand Trails membership? DP: A couple of summers ago, my whole family, including my mom and dad and my siblings, all went back to Union Creek campground to stay and visit Crater Lake. We then headed to the Bend/Sunriver. If we hadn’t had our membership we wouldn’t have had the pleasure of staying in Bend. It was a great trip and we love the Bend Campground. We headed back up to Washington and stayed at Chehalis before heading home. We were out camping for almost two weeks using our membership and the US Forest Service campground Union Creek. We now take a couple of weeks each summer and try to hop to several TTs in Washington and Oregon. Sometime in the next few summers we are planning to travel to the East Coast using TT whenever we possibly can. It’s exciting and we can’t wait to give it a go. TB: What is your favorite part about the outdoor lifestyle? DP: The fresh air. Also, no mail comes to camp and there aren’t any pressing matters when we are out camping. The friendly staff at TT is always a bonus for us, too.

”

We always feel so welcomed when we stay in a TT campground. We love the nature and sitting out at our campsite and stargazing. It’s so rejuvenating. We enjoy spending our time as a family and appreciating the outdoors. On our last camping trip to the Leavenworth preserve we got to hear three young owls calling to each other from several different trees just above our campsite. It was so fun to hear them and try to find which tree they were in. I think momma was close by helping them. There was a big moon and a clear sky that night and those 3 cute owls hooting to each other. I couldn’t ask for better. TB: Can you finish this sentence? I knew I was a TrailBlazer when... DP: I’ve always had it as a part of my life, but when I had my own family and we got our first tent trailer, we went camping every weekend we could. I knew I was a TrailBlazer when we made 10 trips out that summer with our first tent trailer. When we got home after each trip we would resupply and head right back out to camp again. I think that might have been one of the best summers I’ve ever had. The next summer we bought our Thousand Trails membership knowing we would make good use of it and it has held true for us. APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

GREEN CIT Y G E TA W AY S by Joan Rykal

This year marks the 46th anniversary of the first Earth Day, originally proposed by John McConnell as a day to honor the earth. From the initial “peaceful demonstration in favor of environmental reform” to the full-blown, international Earth Week that is recognized today, the focus to save our planet has become a far-reaching one.

So why not make it a point to spend Earth Day 2016, April 22, in one of several cities in America that stepped up to the challenge to be more earth-friendly and are proud to be part of the ever-growing “Green City” list. There are many things that go into making a city green. According to mothernaturenetwork.com, they include air and water quality, the percentage of LEED-certified buildings, acres of land devoted to green space, efficient recycling and waste programs, use of renewable energy sources and access to products and services that make green lifestyle choices. Come visit these cities, celebrate our Earth and spend some time enjoying the beauty of Mother Nature. 28

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

WASHINGTON DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

According to a study by NerdWallet.com, Washington DC lands near the top of the Green City list thanks to its excellent public transportation system which helps to reduce the numbers of workday commuters traveling by car.

BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS

Boston consistently makes the list of Green Cities because it is a pedestrian friendly city, has a lot of green space and thanks to the initiative to replace all traditional taxis with hybrid vehicles, Boston plans on staying on this list. Most everyone is familiar with the Freedom Trail, Boston’s 2.5 mile walking tour of 16 historic places throughout the city, but have you spent time at The Esplanade, a three-mile lush and leafy paved path that meanders along the Charles River. It is a favor place for walkers, runners, cyclists and skaters. There is also the Hatch Memorial Shell, an open air performance stage. And then there’s the iconic Boston Common, the oldest public park in America spreading over almost 50 acres and the adjacent Boston Public Garden, the first botanical garden in the US. The Common experience combines the best of everything – scenery, history, entertainment, food and good old Mother Nature. Don’t miss the Make Way for Ducklings sculpture, from the popular children’s book of the same name written by Robert McCloskey, located within the Garden near the corner gate at Beacon and Charles Street. Boston Common is complete with a pond, swan boat rides, and locals and tourists alike just lazing n the green, green grass. The Rose Kennedy Greenway, a unique, linear urban park, is Boston’s only organically maintained public park and one of only a handful in the US. Stretching over a mile through diverse neighborhoods that make Boston one of the most interesting cities in the world, it consists of promenades, fountains, landscaped gardens and works of art. E A R T H - F R I E N D LY E V E N T

If you’re planning to tour the city, definitely look into tours led by the Old Town Trolley Tours who are committed to preserving and protecting the environment with their use of clean burning propane to power their trolleys. Ninety percent of the company’s fleet was converted to run on propane. They offer a variety of tours including monument tours, tours of Arlington National Cemetery and educational tours. Visit www.trolleytours.com/ washington-dc. Washington’s annual National Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates spring each year and this year’s festival runs through April 19. For over 100 years, the spectacular cherry blossoms make springtime in Washington picture perfect. Tidal Basin paddleboat rides are one way to see the blossoms while National Park Ranger-led walks are another way. There is also a kite festival, parade and fireworks planned. With a backdrop of 3000 cherry blossoms in bloom, this event is nature-ally fun for everyone!

On Saturday, April 30, more than 3000 volunteers will help clean up the Charles River. If you’re interested, visit www.crwa.org/charles-river-cleanup.

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TAMPA FLORIDA

Tampa has gone green. Over the last several years, the city has made tremendous strides in being green. Green Artery, Inc. is dedicated to connecting Tampa’s neighborhoods and is building a 22-mile perimeter trail around central Tampa while the city and country recently revealed the master plan for greenways around the city. The goal is to make the greenway safe and accessible with protected road crossings, bike signage and artwork installation along the way. Tampa is known for its eco-tours and there are several to choose from. Sensing Nature provides fun, group, eco-tour experiences for families and includes such activities as nature walks, wildlife viewing adventures and water activities such as canoeing/ kayaking and island explorations. Or, you can explore the Hillsborough River through a 16,000-acre wilderness park where you can see turtles, birds and even a gator or two on this twohour paddling experience. E A R T H - F R I E N D LY E V E N T EcoFest 2016, scheduled for Saturday, April 23, will include live music, workshops, demonstrations, and green living products and services. The event will be held at the Lowry Park Bandshell, in Tampa, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

NASHV ILLE TENNESSEE

Did you know that Nashville has the Southeast’s first LEED-Certified neighborhood? From LED traffic lights to plenty of green space, The Gulch is one reason Nashville is considered one of America’s greenest cities. Another reason is the Greenways, which are linear parks and trails that connect neighborhoods to schools, shopping, office buildings and other recreation areas, all without the need of a car. As of late 2014, Nashville was 90% complete with their goal to have a greenway trail within two miles of every resident of the city. To go green in Nashville, consider signing up for an event sponsored by Team Green Adventures, whose mission is to promote a strong commitment to health, well-being and the environment. They have backpacking, running and hiking adventures as well as gear and nutrition workshops and monthly sustainability workshops. For information visit, www.teamgreenadventures.com. One of the best ways to be kind to the earth is to reduce your carbon footprint and one way to do that is to walk, rather than ride. And of the best things to do in Nashville while walking is to explore the culinary offerings. Walk Eat Nashville offers food walking tours through your choice of three different Nashville neighborhoods. Meet some of the chefs, see what happens behind the scenes and best of all, eat your way through Nashville! For specific tour information, visit www.walkeatnashville.com. E A R T H - F R I E N D LY E V E N T Nashville’s Earth Day Festival will be held Saturday, April 23 in the city’s Centennial Park. In addition to the food and entertainment, the event will feature a Green Market featuring locally sourced products and a Recycling and Disposal Drop-Off for unused or expired pharmaceuticals, old hand-held electronics, batteries and CFLs.

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HOUSTON TEXAS

It’s the wind and the wheels that make Houston a Green City. The city gets 25 percent of its electricity from wind energy and the new two-way bike lane spanning 10 downtown blocks encourages pedal power.

CHICAGO ILLINOIS

It might be hard to think that a city famous for its skyscrapers could make a Green City list because of the abundance of green space, but in addition to steel and glass, Chicago, it seems, has plenty of grass. As the newest addition of green space to the Windy City, Maggie Daley Park features a grassy, hilly landscape over 20 acres. It also has a children’s park and a skating ribbon, popular during Chicago’s chilly winters. Then there is Grant Park, 319 acres of parkland that is home to Buckingham Fountain, Millennium Park and its Cloud Gate sculpture, and is the sight of many popular outdoor music festivals, including Lollapalooza and Chicago’s annual Blues and Jazz fests. Further north, there’s Lincoln Park, another vast expanse of green space that contains Lincoln Park Zoo, the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool and The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, in addition to numerous sports fields and a lagoon. Speaking of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum – this is a must do on your visit to Chicago. A variety of exhibits are designed to put visitors in touch with nature. The Butterfly Haven is a 2,700-foot greenhouse that is home to more than 1000 butterflies. The museum’s newest exhibit, Weather to Climate: Our Changing World, which opens April 2, presents the fundamentals of weather and climate and explores the science behind global climate changes. E A R T H - F R I E N D LY E V E N T

Eco-friendly Bayou Bend used no pesticides in its garden and even uses garlic spray on pesky mosquitoes. Open year-round, the largest all-organic public gardens in Texas feature 14 acres of landscaped gardens and natural woodlands. The full blooms of springtime promise a green and gorgeous experience. For information on the Bayou Bend, visit www.mfah.org. The Children’s Museum of Houston has gone green in a variety of ways. In addition to recycling bins throughout the galleries, giant solar panels on the museum’s parking garage produce 11,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually and EcoStation, an outdoor exhibit is powered almost entirely by solar panels. E A R T H - F R I E N D LY E V E N T Don’t miss the events surrounding Earth Day Houston, celebrated this year on April 16. For details and more information, visit the event’s Facebook page at www. facebook.com/EarthDayHouston.

As part of Earth Day, the Chicago Friends of the Parks will sponsor volunteer events to clean up the city’s parks and forest preserves. For more information, visit www.earthdaychicago.com.

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

PORT LAND OREGON

Often spoofed for its green lifestyle, the City of Portland takes pride in being green. It has more than 275 parks boasting 37,000 acres of green space, has the highest number of LEED-Certified buildings per capita in the US, and over 300 miles of pathways for bikers. A little-known fact for trivia lovers; Portland was the first state to legislate refundable deposits on bottles and cans. For those of the 21+ persuasion, consider seeing America’s most bikeable city on a biking and brewery tour. Mixing two of Portland’s favorite pastimes, hop aboard the BrewCycle and pedal with a group of friends to some of the city’s most popular microbreweries. For more information, visit www.brewgrouppdx.com/brewcycle. Plan your visit to Portland so that you’ll be in town for the Portland Saturday Market (PSM), celebrating its 43rd year. Recognized nationally as the largest continuously operating open-air arts and craft market in the country, the PSM brings together local artisans and vendors displaying the finest arts, crafts and foods of the Pacific Northwest. The Market, which is open every Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4:30- p.m., runs weekends through December 24, 2016. Powell Butte Nature Park is comprised of 608 acres of meadowlands and forest land and is home to wildlife including rabbits, raccoons, grey foxes, black-tailed deer and ring-necked pheasants. There are hiking, biking and horse trails and amazing views of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood. Hike among the wildflowers on the Orchard Cedar Grove Loop Trail, a 3.2 mile loop trail for all skill levels. This year’s Earth Day celebration at the Oregon Garden, in nearby Silverton, will include earth-focused activities revolving around this year’s theme of “Clean Water, Clear Skies.” Event-goers can also enjoy the Garden’s’ 20 themed gardens, including the Medicinal Garden that features varieties of medical plant species; the Northwest Garden that features plants and trees indigenous to the Northwest; and the Oak Grove, a 25-acre native oak grove, home to the 400-year-old, 100-foot high Signature Oak. E A R T H - F R I E N D LY E V E N T Be a Weed Warrior and help remove invasive plants in Mt. Tabor Park in southeast Portland. Volunteers must be seven years of age or older. Pitch in with the cleanup on Saturday, April 30 form 9 a.m. to noon. For information, visit www.handsonportland.org.

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

SAN F RANCISCO CALIFORNIA

In the sunny state of California, using solar energy makes perfect sense, but the City by the Bay takes it over the top in their use of solar energy with more than 13.8 of every 10,000 homes using the sun’s energy for heat (compared to 6.25 of every 10,000 homes nationwide.) Start exploring this green city by taking a Green Building tour. On this tour, you will visit a variety of structures from office buildings to family homes as well as places that supply alternative building materials. How about a tour of urban farms? This is an opportunity to glimpse urban gardens of San Francisco, where the mission is to create an abundance of food for people in need by planting gardens on unused land and space. These are not your typical farms! Both tours are offered by Bay Area Green Tours. More information can be found at www.bayareagreentours.org. If you believe the story about the Filbert Steps gardens, then Grace Marchant who lived on the corner of Filbert and Napier was ahead of her time as an environmentalist. The story goes that Marchant spent much of her life cleaning up the area that had become an informal garbage dump. What you’ll see now are gardens, both public and private, some maintained by volunteers, and a glimpse or two of the Bay. E A R T H - F R I E N D LY E V E N T Check out www.natureinthecity.org, which is an organization dedicated to eco-literacy and restoration of San Francisco’s wild places. They have monthly opportunities for volunteering.

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Out n’ About

h Anniversar y t 30

New Holland, Pennsylvania

by Joan Rykal

Looking for something fun to do that includes music, arts and crafts, great food, great friends and tradition all bundled up in one place over three days? Then mark your calendar for the 30th Annual Spring Gulch Folk Festival, scheduled this year for May 19-22. The event typically kicks off with a dance on Thursday evening and then come Friday, it’s all about the live music, the outdoor experiences and the friendly camaraderie among festival-goers. This is a music festival for all music fans. Situated in the beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch countryside, it’s so easy to extend the multicultural experience of the Folk Festival as you explore all there is to do around the area.

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Arts & Crafts First Friday, a Lancaster event billed as an “arts extravaganza” features exhibitions, performances as well as participation from local restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and artisan studios. Upcoming First Friday dates are April 1 and May 6. If you’re curious about how the art that surrounds you is made, stop by the Center for American Craft, at 335 N. Queen Street in Lancaster and you might catch a visiting artist demonstrating their work. You’ll find made-byhand crafts at the Guild’s Store that contains nearly 1,500 works of art including jewelry, furniture, home décor, and clothing and accessories.

Salt-glazed pottery is often associated with the culture of the Pennsylvania Dutch. Eldreth Pottery has two locations where you can browse and/or purchase salt-glazed pottery. Nearby showrooms are located in Oxford (902 Hart Road) and Strasburg (246 N. Decatur Street.) If you’re going to be camping at Spring Gulch the weekend of April 30-May 1, don’t miss Eldreth’s annual Spring Open House, which will be held at the Oxford location. The event will include a factory tour, pottery making activities and as always, a unique selection of pottery. For more information visit www. eldrethpottery.com.

Music Each third Friday of the month, the City of Lancaster hosts Music Fridays. Performances abound throughout downtown as retailers and restaurants host musicians and extend their hours while the public enjoys a variety of live music. Upcoming dates include April 15, May 20 and June 17. For performance information, visit www.visitlancastercity.com/ music-friday. APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

The American Music Theater is a 1600-seat theater hosting live performances including concerts, Broadway shows, comedy acts and other theatrical performances. Beginning April 26, Crooner, an all-new original AMT show will feature a talented cast performing popular songs from the 1920 through 1950s. For information, visit www. amtshows.com.

Music-Inspired Menus One of the highlights of the 2015 Spring Gulch Folk Festival was the amazing Zydeco music of CJ Chenier. If you’re inspired by this year’s performances to search out some Cajun food, look no further than the nearby Columbia, home to Prudhomme’s Lost Cajun Kitchen. Proprietor David Prudhomme’s uncle was none other than the late Paul Prudhomme, famed New Orleans chef credited with popularizing Cajun and Creole cuisine. Lost Cajun Kitchen’s menu includes a Bayou Seafood Platter and the Taste of the Swamp Combo that includes sautéed gator and frog’s legs. For the less adventurous, there is also standard American fare. Lost Cajun Kitchen also features live music several evenings each week. If all that bluegrass gives you a hankerin’ for some good old southern BBQ, you don’t need to drive south. Pulled pork, pulled chicken, mac and cheese, cornbread and fried pickles are all on the menu at Fat Pigs in Lancaster. For menu information and hours of operation visit www.fatpigslancaster.com.

Tradition Pennsylvania Smorgasbord is a Lancaster County tradition where you’ll find everything from scrapple to chicken and waffles. Shady Maple Smorgasbord, in East Earl, features traditional

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Pennsylvania Dutch cooking and the buffet includes everything from fried chicken to kielbasa, mashed potatoes to macaroni and cheese and all kinds of desserts including Shoo Fly pie. Shady Maple also has a market and gift shop. Learn about the Amish way of life at Plain and Fancy Farm in nearby Bird-in-Hand. The Amish Experience Theater offers productions that take you into the life of the Amish. There’s also a VIP Tour that includes a firsthand look into the Amish lifestyle, complete with a farm visit, an insider view of the Amish “cottage industry” which include carriage, furniture and toy makers and a canning kitchen. The tour concludes with a visit to an Amish family. Tours run April through October. For more information visit www. plainandfancyfarm.com The Strasburg Railroad was incorporated in 1832 and was an important part of transportation in Central Pennsylvania for more than 100 years and in 2011 received a state historical marker. These days, the railroad is there for pure enjoyment. Take a scenic ride through the countryside aboard the Strasburg Railroad. The Railroad offers a variety of fun train rides including a Wine and Cheese ride, a Hobo Lunch experience and the yummy Chocolate Express. Visit www. straburgrailroad.com for a full ride schedule, times and prices. So, reserve your campsite now, purchase your tickets to the festival and come celebrate 30 years of tradition at the Spring Gulch Folk Festival. You’ll not only enjoy every minute of the on-site events at Spring Gulch, but you’ll find yourself enjoying all that the surrounding Pennsylvania Dutch Countryside has to share!

2016 Line Up Friday, May 20 The Seldom Scene Kim & Reggie Harris Iris Mythen

Saturday Afternoon May 21 Jesse Terry David Massengill Lady Bird Savoy - Doucet Band

Saturday Evening May 21 Susan Werner Teeney Tucker Blues Band 10 Strings & A Goatskin

Sunday May 22 Family Concert: Songs & Stories with David Massengill Sonia DeTemps Anton Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys

*Times to be determined

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

he tiny house craze has officially swept the nation. With countless TV shows on networks like HGTV and FYI along with Pinterest inspiration boards galore, it’s hard to deny the charm and character of these little homes. Did you know tiny houses are classified as RVs and are often towed place to place like a travel trailer? Typical tiny homes range anywhere from 100-400 square feet. When they say tiny, they mean tiny! Despite their size, tiny houses are often packed with the luxuries of home, including a full bathroom, kitchen, queen sized beds, and even with some storage. This spring, five tiny houses will make their way to Mt. Hood Village to create a Tiny House Village. Guests can try out tiny living and revel in the fact that they’re having a truly one of a kind unique accommodation experience. These homes range from 175 to 260 square feet, sleep anywhere from three to five people, and offer a kitchen with a full bathroom. Believe it or not, you can comfortably fit 5 people into a house that’s 260 square feet! It’s all about the layout and the planning. Each tiny house will have its own distinct personality and look and feel. Meet the five tiny houses of the Mt. Hood Tiny House Village!

BOOK AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TINY HOUSES AT MTHOODTINYHOUSE.COM! MEET ZOE. Zoe, a whimsy dreamer, marches to the beat of her own drum. She runs through fields barefoot and finds adventure in each and every day. A true lover of nature, she believes a day spent outside is a day well spent. Zoe perfects the art of boho chic and exudes a sense of carefree happiness. She wears her hair down and lives without limit. 196 sq.ft. • Sleeps 3

MEET LINCOLN. Lincoln, an intellectual, houses an extremely humble demeanor. His home is minimalist, but full of books. And, he’s read every single one at least once. Lincoln takes a grassroots approach to life and finds solace in working outdoors. Whether that’s reading the latest opinion column or chopping wood for a cozy campfire, Lincoln finds calm each and every time he steps outside. 261 sq.ft. • Sleeps 5

MEET SAVANNAH. Savannah considers being called “girly” the greatest of compliments. She brings a bouquet of fresh flowers to each dinner party she attends. She grew up in the south and believes all of life’s problems can be solved with a quick glass of iced tea and genuine conversation. Savannah radiates Southern charm and tackles the world with kindness. She’s poised and received life’s greatest advice from her grandmother’s cross stitch.

175 sq.ft. • Sleeps 3

MEET ATTICUS. Atticus stands tall, sleek and modern with masculine finishes. He constantly seeks outdoor adventure and never shies at the prospect of sleeping under the stars. In fact, he’s probably one of the few people you know who is equally proud of his snowshoes and Johnson and Murphy wingtips. He is full of courage and drinks his coffee black.

178 sq.ft. • Sleeps 3

MEET SCARLETT. Scarlett is the epitome of farmhouse charm. Her home is full of family heirlooms, some proudly bear the memories they’ve created, and others she took the time to repurpose. Scarlett finds solace in an old way of living and values simplicity and hard work. She connects with each and every animal she meets and prefers when her home is full of those she holds dear.

233 sq.ft. • Sleeps 5 42

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Who’s in the kitchen with

TrailBlazer? Cooking with

Lesley Tennessen

Looking for something green, tasty, and fresh? Look no further than your dutch oven and the market. Go now, while we have tasty vegetables, fresh from the ground. After the long winter of hibernating in the cold, away from our friends and neighbors, it’s time to get outside and cook!

This time, we are going after all the vibrant colors and flavors. You can use a skillet, but make sure you have a lid to keep the heat in. I’ve included a few different ways to use up extra ingredients or make a dish by using the same sauce and get something totally different. I hope you really enjoy a Taste of Spring Vegetables.

Lesley Tennessen, Dutch Oven Diva www.dutchovendiva.com or visit my blog at dutchovendiva.wordpress.com

Spring Vegetable Medley (12 in dutch oven, 22 coals on lid, 9 coals in a ring under the oven)

Ingredients

Directions

• 1 lb. green beans, trimmed • ½ lb. baby carrots (2 cups) • 1 sliced medium red onions • 1 large red bell peppers, seeded and cut into ½ in. strips • 1 large yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut into ½ in. strips • 1 diced and peeled small turnip • 1 peeled and sliced parsnip • 8 sprigs fresh thyme • Salt and pepper • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 1 ½ tsp. dried basil • ½ tsp. paprika • 1⁄3 c. olive oil

1. Preheat dutch oven to 400ºF. 2. Cut green beans in half. Spread on prepared pan along with carrots, onions, peppers, turnip and thyme sprigs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Whisk garlic, olive oil, basil, paprika, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Pour mixture over vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Roast for 20 minutes. Using a wide spatula, turn vegetables. Roast until tender, 15 to 25 mins. more.

Sustainable Roasted Salmon and Bok Choy (12 in dutch oven, 1 ring under lid, 1 ring and 7-8 coals on lid)

Ingredients • 3 tbsp. lower sodium soy sauce • 2 tbsp. honey • 2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger • 2 tsp. dark sesame oil • ½ tsp. garlic powder • 1 lb. baby bok choy or bok choy • 4 (6-ounce) sustainable salmon fillets • ¼ c. diagonally cut green onions

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Directions 1. Preheat dutch oven to 400ºF. 2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. 3. Coarsely chop bok choy leaves, and arrange on bottom of the oven. 4. Pour half of soy sauce mixture evenly over the bok choy leaves. Place salmon, skin side down, in a single layer on top of leafy greens.

5. Pour the other half of soy sauce mixture evenly over salmon. Cook with lid on for 5 mins. Check if too hot or fish is cooking too fast. If so, remove a couple of coals from lid. Cook an additional 4 mins. or until desired degree of doneness. 6. Arrange 1/3 cup bok choy on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1 fillet and 1 tablespoon green onions.

Roasted Radishes Bacon Wrapped Pea Pods & with Spinach Green Beans Red Onions (12 in dutch oven, 18 coals on lid, 8 coals under the oven)

(12 in dutch oven, 8 under the oven, 18-22 coals on lid)

(10 in dutch oven, 18 coals on lid, 8 under the oven)

Ingredients

• 1-2 bunches of radishes • ½ bag spinach • 1 tsp. seasoned salt • ½ tsp. black pepper • 2 tbsp. olive oil

• ½ lb green beans, cleaned • 6 strips of bacon, each strip cut in half

• 3 tbsp. lower-sodium soy sauce • 1 tbsp. honey • 2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger • 2 tsp. dark sesame oil • ½ tsp. garlic powder • ½ lb. pea pods • 2 red onion slices

Directions 1. Clean the radishes by slicing off the root and taking all the green and a very thin slice of the top. 2. Slice each radish in half. 3. Put the radishes and spinach into a bowl. Season with salt, pepper and oil. Toss well to coat. 4. Put into dutch oven in a single layer. Replace the lid. 5. Cook for 15-20 mins. until the radishes are soft. If desired, you can add more spinach at this point. Stir well and replace the lid for 5 mins. to wilt the spinach. Serve warm.

Directions 1. Clean the green beans by breaking off a small bit of the stem end. 2. Take 6-8 green beans for each bundle and wrap a ½ strip of bacon around the middle. Lay carefully in the bottom of dutch oven. 3. Replace the lid on oven. Cook for about 15 minutes. Turn each bundle over carefully to cook the other side of bacon wrapper. Cook for another 10 minutes. 4. Cook for about 20-25 minutes total at 400 degrees. 5. When the bacon is done, the beans are cooked too!

Directions 1. Preheat the dutch oven to 400ºF. 2. Mix the first 5 ingredients in a bowl. 3. Put the pea pods and red onion pieces into the bowl and mix so everything is coated well. 4. You can let sit for a few minutes to marinate if you wish. Put the whole mix into the dutch oven. Put the lid back on, cook for 20 mins. til done. Less time = more crispy!

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

ASK

RVBILL

YOUR TECH QUESTIONS ANSWERED! Satellite Dish

Bill, I am very frustrated when it comes to aiming my satellite dish every time we go out. The tripod that I’m using is OK, but difficult to level and difficult to find the direction of azimuth that I need. Have you got any suggestions to help make this task more simple so I could enjoy watching the TV rather than fighting with the process so darn much? Much Obliged, Jack

Reset Running Water & AC Drainage

Hi, Bill, We are in the Thousand Trails club saw your name thought I might see if you have an answer for me. We have a 2015 Minnie Winnie and I cannot get the black water lever to reset even after dumping and running water through faucets and toilet it still says 3/4 full. Is there something stuck? Also, my number 2 question: Is the air conditioner suppose to drain off the roof? Thanks for any help you may have. Sincerely, Kathy

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Jack, been there, fought that and yes!, I do have a most excellent solution. I use the complete satellite tripod system as shown at www.TV4RV.com. The combo package includes a heavy-duty tripod, mast assembly and the equipment to secure the tripod to the ground, compass, satellite finder and a leg restraint kit, complete in a heavy dutycarrying bag. George Guevin is the inventor and owner of this homegrown company out of Grants Pass, OR. This set does not come with the satellite dish aiming scope part, number HG – 316. I would highly recommend

Hi, Kathy. It is great to hear from you. For many, many years holding tank probes and gauges have never worked properly. One of the things that may be affecting your system is moisture. In other words, if the tank is empty but there still a lot of moisture on the walls of the tank it could give you a false reading on your gauges. One way to find out if this is what has been causing the problem is to dump your tanks, leave the valves open and let it all dry out for 2-3 weeks and then take a reading on the monitor. If the display reads “empty” then you have your answer. If it does not read empty, then there could be a problem with one of the probes, or something with the monitor panel. Are you still under warranty? Some of the older

purchasing this product as it takes the guesswork out of knowing whether there is a tree in the way or not of your signal line. It may seem obvious to see such as obstruction, but it can be a little tricky. Check out George’s website as there are a lot of other products and tips that will be helpful. I just encountered over 70mph-sustained winds this last month and the TV4RV stand didn’t budge. In my opinion, the TV4RV set up is the very best satellite stand on the market today. DIRECTV SWM systems are the most difficult to aim. A signal meter such as Satlook Lite is the way to go.

Winnebago’s had adjustments to the circuit board for sensitivity located behind the monitor panel. I don’t know whether the new ones do but it may be worth looking into if you get to this point of deduction. Think about installing a tank flush called “No Fuss Flush”. This will enable you to flush your tank from the outside and result in more through cleaning. Re. Question 2: The air-conditioner condensation is designed to simply run onto the roof of your RV. Water will find the least a path of resistance and drip off of the RV in that direction. Many years ago OEMs chose to put a drip tube and ran the water ran down through the wall towards the ground. This process is no longer used anymore because of cost.

Diesel vs. Gasoline Moterhomes

Hi, RV Bill, I have a $64 question. My wife and I are near retirement we want to trade our trailer for a motorhome some of my friends swear by diesel instead of a gasoline-powered chassis. I’ve crunched the numbers every way possible and I can’t make a decision. What is your opinion in this matter? What do you think about service and repair? And what about ride quality as well as towing a dinghy car? Tom and Gina Locke

No Heat

Bill, My Suburban forced air heater in our 2010 fifth wheel recently stopped making heat. The fan will run for about two minutes and shut down, we have plenty of gas and we are plugged into AC so the batteries are full. I don’t want to just start replacing parts as it can get rather expensive. Any suggestions? Rich

GOT A QUESTION FOR BILL? SEND AN EMAIL TO AskRVBill@equitylifestyle.com

Tom and Gina, I’ve been asked many times to answer this question both in print and in person. I’m happy to give you my 2 cents. Diesel powered motor homes can certainly be more of an investment then gasoline powered chassis. Some of this will depend on whether you’re going to full-time RV or only part time. If you plan to go full-time, no questions about it, buy a diesel pusher. Part time RVing gasoline powered Chassis can be much cheaper, not just the initial cost of the RV but longterm maintenance. There is no question that the ride quality of

Rich, Your 2010 Suburban furnace is equipped with an ignition board called a “Fan 50+”. The circuit board is designed to shut down the fan after approximately two minutes. This eliminates dead batteries if the furnace is accidentally left on during storage. The circuit board may be defective. The sail switch or limit switch could be the culprit as well. If the at the PC board is correct, have the board tested to be sure it is working properly. Some RV repair shops will have a tester to determine the exact issue on the board if you bring it

a diesel pusher is far superior to a gasoline-powered chassis. The diesels will also get roughly 30% better mileage than gas. Maintenance will be higher, but worth it in the long run. The diesel will outlast the gasoline powered engines by two or three times. As far as towing a dinghy car, diesel engines have far more torque for towing than gas powered engines. If you are going to be a full-time RV, buy a diesel pusher. Make sure that you get at least 350 HP or more depending on the length and weight of the motorhome. There is nothing worse than finding out your new rig is underpowered when towing.

in. Make sure that you check your LP gas pressure. Low pressure can cause the same symptom that you have described. The pressure should be 11½ - 12 inches of water column with no appliances running. Even though you’re plugged into AC, lowvoltage still could be an issue. Test the voltage at the furnace to be sure it is at least 11 Volts when the furnace is running. This should get you in the ballpark of diagnosing your furnace problem. If the circuit board is defective, be sure to replace it with a Dinosaur brand circuit board. The Dinosaur boards are bulletproof and come with a three-year warranty.

READER TIP

Monaco is offering factory direct parts for their customers. The Monaco factory direct parts website is www.veurinksrv.com. APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

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CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Answers can be found on page 64.

ThousandTrailsGear.com

• Hats • Sweatshirts • T-Shirts • Koozies

Traveling and Camping with Companion Animals

Gear!

e and mor

ON THE

Q +

Get in

paws ROAD

ACROSS 1 Et cetera (abbr.) 4 P.I. food 8 Harp (Ital.) 12 Cheer 13 Synagogue 14 Base 15 Jamaican dance music 16 4th incarnation of Vishnu 18 Trillion (pref.) 20 Money 21 Military macaw 23 Monsieurs (abbr.) 27 Feint (2 words) 32 Sesame 33 Grain 34 Polishing material 36 Soft drink 37 Pronoun contraction 39 Scepter (2 words) 41 Coarse cotton fabric 43 Eur. Economic Community (abbr.) 44 Small anvil 48 Your (Ger.)

51 Veneration 55 Federal Aviation Admin. (abbr.) 56 Fair Employment Practices Act (abbr.) 57 Night (pref.) 58 Cetacean 59 Sound of a horn 60 Egypt. cross 61 Indian ground salt DOWN 1 Former 2 Subtract 3 Nature 4 Social Security Number (abbr.) 5 Melville’s captain 6 Plant seed coat 7 Wings 8 Among 9 Sleep state (abbr.) 10 Exclamation 11 Anecdotes 17 “Casablanca” character

19 22 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 35 38 40 42 45 46 47 49 50 51 52 53 54

Boat Abridged (abbr.) Hunt (2 words) Change the decor Rosebud, e.g. Parasitic plant Haw. island Malay gibbon Selling price equivocation Mode To (Scot.) Subordinate official Garland Social affair Sicilian volcano Condition (suf.) Afr. hornbill Uncommon Apiece Air Force Base (abbr.) River into the North Sea Unclose Ultimate degree

Hi, Jenn! Setting a routine to help socialize our new Labmix puppy while on the road 6 months out of the year is proving to be a challenge. I can’t seem to start a class because I don’t want to pay for a 6 week set only to attend 2 sessions. I do have the basic commands in place and now I need to expand on them. Dog parks? “Shiloh” is full of energy that needs focus. Shi is outgoing and confident with people and dogs, despite our ever-changing locations. If anything, she’s too confident, not aggressive in the least but overly excited/happy and that is the area I need help with. Sincerely, Susan JENN Susan, Kudos for bringing up such a wonderful, real life challenge that I believe many traveling folks can relate with. Yes, its critical your pet be fully vaccinated before visiting other dogs and is also aware of how critical regular, positive, socialization experiences are to the mental development of a well rounded member of the family. The ideal window to imprint socialization with a puppy is 14-16 weeks old. Most little ones have not yet received their full shot series and training must be carefully structured. Puppies can get diseases by just walking where sick dogs have been and harmful bacteria’s are scattered over areas that commonly see a multitude of pets’

by Jenn Gehr feces and body fluids. This is why people avoid dog parks even after initial vaccinations are completed. The good news is that your Shiloh has a positive outlook on the world around her. Most dogs that travel have a lot of real life experiences and the regular mix of her seeing new things on a regular basis and having YOU to confide in has been very healthy. Before you head out to socialize, take her for a 20-30min walk or run and get her physically tired so she is ready to take on new experiences without that added boost of energy. Several times during the exercise, practice your sit, stay, heal, and “Look” commands. Do this daily until they are so ingrained with solid precision. Even if the session is short as to not overwhelm the dog, be sure she has adequate physical exercise before expecting her to behave 100%. As she ages, this will all come together IF YOU commit to being positive and consistent. As you walk about new areas, scout out from afar people that look as though they might enjoy meeting your dog and approach them. Stop 6-8 feet from them as you begin to engage in a conversation – be mindful of having your dog sit quietly by your side, as you remain calm. Tell them you are working hard to make Shiloh a good canine citizen and would them mind if you made a proper introduction. If they say yes, thank them and ask Shiloh to stay by your side as the stranger approaches and uses the back of their hand to sniff them and rub her chest. Keep voices normal and friendly and keep Shiloh from jumping or pulling if possible. Keep interactions brief and thank the stranger for helping train your dog! Other times,

plan on completing “walk by’s” where Shiloh must keep her focus on you when passing strangers. As far as socializing with other dogs, plan the same intro’s as you did with strangers. Look ahead for dogs that appear to be under confident control of their owners before trying to make a match. It’s important that Shiloh get used to the fact that all dogs are not going to, 1 – Welcome her level of enthusiasm and may react to her by snapping or cowering. 2 – Wish to be her playful wrestling partner! Once you find an owner of a like sized dog that seems friendly and confident, ask if you can walk together. Even if it’s only for 5-10 minutes, the dogs will greatly enjoy each other’s company and learn that meet’s up don’t always include rough housing. After a walk, it’s absolutely acceptable to let the dogs play a bit, but keep it controlled so there is safety for each other and those around you. Always keep a secure fitting collar or harness on your dog with a current ID and phone number. In addition, I keep a 4 foot leash with me and an extra collar that I have often used to catch a loose dog or tether my dogs to a secure fence or chair while eating at an outside patio. The retractable leash can be unpredictable in length settings and not nearly as strong as a short, nylon lead. I almost always have an old sweater or flannel shirt tied around my waist ready to place on the floor for my dogs. When we get to a location that I want the dogs to sit or stay on, I point at the jacket and tell them to “get on your spot”. I tell them to “stay” and when they are calm and still, I quietly whisper, “good quiet”. These last few tips have shaped my girls into highly behaved and socialized fur kids. Email Jenn your questions and share your pics at TBPets@equitylifestyle.com

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Find The Evergreen Tree Richard A. Garrett of Crawfordsville, IN

found the tree on Page 12 of the January/February Issue. OF

– Local

END LOCALCAL events AR

Activities and Events

y l l a It’s R Time!

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 Visa Prepaid Gift Card!

Ponderosa

Jan. 16

Calendar

CLUB APRIL 2016

RVers seeking RVers? Rally clubs from coast to coast love

to meet at our destinations. Join in on the fun!

(CA)

Pio Pico (CA)

Jan.

Jan. 8 28-31 2016 Art & Wine at County Fairground El Dorado Farmer’s Insurance Timothy Lake Stargazing at s Anza(PA) Open Show your support The annual Borrego Desert Everyday in PGA Tour State Park January adults and artists for men’s golf tourname Enjoy an evening Learn to Ski with nt is under Month disabilities by played at the the stars! Join Shawnee Mountain at Torrey Pines attending us the twelfth Golf Course the Visitor Center at annual Art There’s never in La Jolla, and been a better & Wine Festival, home of the remember to time to learn 2008 bring to features local which 2021 U.S. Open. and binoculars than January, ski or ride wineries, (if you have during the the best restaurant farmersinsuranceopen.c them) and a National Learn flashlight s and om to Ski & caterers, plus (red lens preferable Snowboard several , to Month. breweries. preserve night Feb. shawneemt. 13-14 vision). com/eventsmorerehab.org We’ll be exploring activities/lss 34th Annual m_baf.html the Milky Way, Chinese New several Year and Cultural Williamsburg constellations Fair La Conner (WA) (VA) and the Festivities in stories behind downtown Jan. 14-17 Jan. 3 San Diego include them. Telescope viewing Asian The Williamsbu cuisine, martial SeaHawks vs. rg weather permits. if the arts and Blues Jazz Fest Winter cooking demonstra hosted by Jeff Cardinals parks.ca.gov “The Fish” This annual cultural exhibits, tions, Aaron festival is back and better traditional Lion and Catch the football ever with four than Dragon dances. and madness at days of the unique jazz Bar for Sunday 10 Sports sdcny.weebly.com bands from around the football. Enjoy night areas. Mixed cold drinks, with Williamsb snack-satisfying Bay Landing urg’s best food, and (TX) local restaurant touchdown Jan. 28 s, art giveaways. galleries, and swinomishca wineries TCU Day at Fort sinoandlodg it’ll be an enriching – schedule/events-calenda e.com/ Worth Stockyards and entertaining r weekend! Wear anything winterbluesjazzfest.com TCU gear on this day and FREE general receive admission to the stock show grounds. JANUARY/F

EBRUARY

fwssr.com

Northwest

Apr. 10-12................ Palm Springs, CA Wagonmaster will be Darlene Spalding, contact information (951) 741-3881; Bounders United/TTN are TTN members who own Bounder motorhomes and belong to Bounders United. For more information, contact Darlene Spalding at (951) 741-3881 or email at wrkerbees@yahoo.com.

Apr. 22-24.................... La Conner, WA Jun. 24-26............................. Bend, OR Aug. 26-28...................Mt. Vernon, WA Sept. 23-25..................Cultus Lake, BC Oct. 28-30.......................... Seaside, OR We also have new contact people and email, phone numbers: WagonMaster Daphne Bailey (Oregon) (503) 590-8566, daphnebailey07@ comcast.net. Secretary Dottie Michel (Washington) (360) 941-3126, ttnw_sec@yahoo.com.

Apr. 1-3 �� Soledad Canyon, CA May 6-8 �� Oakzanita, CA Jun. 3-5 ��Pio Pico, CA Aug. 5-7 �� Idyllwild, 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.

Lewis and Clark TTN

TT East Trail Buddies

TT SINGLES Central California

Apr. 22-24.....Lake of The Springs, CA May 27-30.................... San Benito, CA Jun. 24-26.................. Morgan Hill, CA Jul. 22-24................... Snowflower, CA Aug. 26-28.................. Snowflower, CA Contact Jane Davis at (209) 986-1088 or email to janedjd@pacbell.net; Becky Staffeld at (408) 253-6995 or email to bstaffeld@att.net.

TT Travelers Southern California

Apr. 4-6.................... Palm Springs, CA We meet Mon, Tues, Weds, mornings for coffee and those evenings for potluck and games. For more information, contact Wagon Master Donna Schoolcraft (619) 933-9787 or jeff@nocciola.com.

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Apr. 14-19.......................... Seaside OR May 17-21.......................Paradise, WA Jun. 16-20...............Whaler’s Rest, OR Jun. 23-26.......................... Albany, OR Jul. 18-22..................... La Conner, WA Aug. 18-22................... South Jetty, OR Roger Beausoleil: President Lewis and Clark TTN chapter of FMCA. Contact person, Roger Beausoleil (503) 390-4753 or rogerabeau@msn.com

TT of Texas/FMCA

May 6-8 ��Lake Texoma, TX New members must be a member of TTN and FMCA. Contact Connie Farrar at (817) 454-4612 or email to ttnfmcachapter@gmail.com. Our website is: ttnoftexasfmca.com. We also have a blog site: www.ttfmcaralliesandmore.blogspot.com.

TTN So Cal Weekenders

TrailBlazer Evergreen Tree Two North Riverside Plaza Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.

2016 TRAILBLAZ

All events,

Bounders United (BUTTN)

Did you find the tree in this issue? Send your entry (postcards only) to:

times and dates

are subject

to change.

Postmark deadline is April 30, 2016

and remember –the tree could be a different color and size.

Answers can be found on page 64.

Mom’s Pride and Joy Adopt-A-Manatee this Mother’s Day

May 11-15....................Chesapeake,VA 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.

TTWest/FMCA

May 12-15 �� Ponderosa, CA Jul. 15-17 ��Snowflower, CA Sept. 8-11 �� Lake of the Springs, CA Nov. 18-20 �� San Bentio, CA Members of Thousand Trails and FMCA meet at Northern California Preserves bimonthly. Contact Manny Francis at (415) 606-7596 or email to mannyfrancis@live.com. Reservations are required two weeks in advance.

APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Answers – Crossword puzzle can be found on page 58

Answers – Sudoku puzzle can be found on page 63.

Terms and Conditions for 2016 Referral Promotion from page 4. For each Eligible Referral (as defined) through April 30, 2016, you will receive a $50 Visa Prepaid Card. In addition, for each Eligible Referral through April 30, 2016, you will receive one entry in a drawing for the following prizes: (i) Grand Prize is either a trip to Hawaii or a 7 night Caribbean Cruise, valued at $4,000, that includes roundtrip coach airfare for two adults from the continental United States to either Hawaii or Florida, and one hotel/cruise room for 7 nights; (ii) Second Prize is a trip to either Las Vegas, San Francisco or Orlando, valued at $2,000, that includes roundtrip coach airfare for two adults from the continental United States to either Las Vegas, San Francisco or Orlando and one hotel room for 4 nights and (iii) ten (10) Third Prizes waiving payment of the winners’ annual dues for 2017, not to exceed $545 each. The trips do not include taxes, meals, beverages, transfers, gratuities, activities and other personal expenses. Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash. The drawing will be held at our corporate offices on or about January 7, 2017. The winners will be notified by telephone. The odds of winning a prize depend on the number of entries and are not expected to exceed 1:10,000. For this promotion, an Eligible Referral is a person who (i) purchases a new Zone Camping Pass from us between January 1, 2016 and April 30, 2016 and (ii) lists you as the referring member. This offer is only for members in good standing of Thousand Trails and its affiliates. Due to legal restrictions, (a) residents of AZ, FL, NV, and PA are not eligible to participate in the drawing and you will not receive an entry in the drawing for purchases made by residents of AZ, FL, NV, or PA, and (b) residents of AZ and PA are not eligible to receive a $50 Visa® Prepaid Card and you will not receive a $50 Visa® Prepaid Card for purchases made by residents of AZ or PA. We reserve the right to extend, modify, suspend, or terminate this promotion at any time for any reason; however, any rewards earned prior to the suspension or termination of this promotion will be honored. Employees of Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. and its affiliates are not eligible to participate in this promotion. All local, state and federal income taxes are the responsibility of the recipient. Accordingly, we recommend that all participants consult a tax advisor about reporting rewards for tax purposes. We will issue the required 1099 to each participant and to the IRS when the total value of awards you are eligible to receive equal or exceed $600 for one year. This advertising is being used for the purpose of soliciting sales of resort campground memberships. This document has been filed with the Department of Licensing, State of Washington, as required by Washington law. Value, quality, or conditions stated and performance on promises are the responsibility of the operator, not the Department. This filing does not mean that the Department has approved the merits or qualifications of any registration, advertising, or any gift, prize, or item of value as part of any promotional plan. This promotion is sponsored by MHC Thousand Trails Limited Partnership, Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.

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APRIL 2016 TRAILBLAZER

Reservations cannot be made through the parks directly. Offer is based on availability and subject to change at any time. Not valid holidays or special events. TRAILBLAZER APRIL 2016

NO ONE DOES IT BETTER 100 days. Make them count.

Gaze

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up at the

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Thousand Trails Members Qualify For Association Discounts Attend A SkyMed Meeting For Details

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN AN EMERGENCY?

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