TrailBlazer Magazine - Jan/Feb 2017 by TrailBlazer Magazine

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

VOL. 39

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WHAT’S INSIDE

ISSUE 1 /// JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

lifestyle

Message from Marguerite

Tech Topics

38 Soak Up the Sun with Encore and Thousand Trails 42 I Knew I was a TrailBlazer 44 Who’s in the Kitchen with TrailBlazer? 46 Ask RV Bill

features

28 Florida Beaches

57 4 Paws on the Road

There’s simply something soothing and healing about a beach and that’s especially true in the Sunshine State, where one thousand-plus miles of coastline and more than 650 miles of beaches await sand, sun, and fun seekers. Florida beaches beckon as a prescription for anything that ails anyone. Just ask Stephen “Dr. Beach” Leatherman.

calendars

spotlight

regulars

18 History of Baseball

48 Member Deals

If you want to plan an MLB road trip this year, we thought we’d get you in the swing of things with some facts, figures, highlights and possible ideas for a trek to pay homage to America’s pastime.

60 Crossword Puzzle

10 On-Site Events 12 Local Events 64 Club Calendar

Pics From The Parks

61 Sudoku Puzzle 62 Preferred RV Dealer List

14 Author, Jo Ann Bender Like many retired couples, Jo Ann Bender and her husband, Skipper, thought it would be a grand adventure and a dream come true to go on an epic RV trip.

Cover photo: Bahia Honda State Park in FL Keys Photo courtesy of Armin Flickr JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

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MESSAGE from MARGUERITE The New Year is upon us, bringing new opportunities, challenges and, for many of us, New Year’s resolutions. The definition of resolution is simple, a firm decision to do or not to do something. That sounds easy enough in theory, right? It’s the beginning of a new year; we are energized, and believe anything is possible. However, it’s no secret that New Year’s resolutions often fall by the wayside when life ramps up and routine kicks in. Let’s work to make 2017 a year when resolutions are kept. With thoughts of improving health, seeing family, or traveling more, there are certainly benefits to committing. We’ve learned from our experiences over the course of the past year, which helps to prepare us for the future. These experiences may have taught us something new or perhaps served as gentle reminders of what is most important to us. For many, these experiences involved family and friends, travel, health and wellbeing, and the great outdoors.

We recently asked our members and guests what resolutions they will be making in 2017. Many shared similar thoughts: hope to camp more, visit new places, travel the country and spend more time with family and friends. These are all achievable and can be done together. With the lifestyle provided by Thousand Trails, we are lucky to be able to focus on all of these at the same time and can consider a resolution successful with just a couple of camping trips. Plus, what a fun way to succeed with a resolution! So, as we look forward to a new year, let's make time for what matters most. Take this opportunity to plan ahead, and resolve to make 2017 the year where you stick to your resolutions. Take that road trip across the country, visit the family members you haven’t seen as much, and always make time to enjoy the great outdoors. If you resolve to focus on those things, you might just find that 2017 will be a great year.

Marguerite Nader President & CEO JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

Share your adventures in 3 easy steps!

www.trailblazermagazine.net CREATIVE DIRECTOR Mark Slattery EDITOR tbeditor@equitylifestyle.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER 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

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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. 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 Mon. - Fri. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST

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

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

▲ Moody Beach (ME): Retired fishing boats at Cape Porpoise Harbor – Donna Grenier

PICS FROM THE PARKS

▲ Indian Lakes (IN): Rustic boat among beautiful fall foliage. – Sophie Doell

▲ Medina Lake (TX): Sunset over full and beautiful lake. – Linda Sanders

▲ Orlando (FL): Gazing while cows are grazing. – Laurie DeLuca JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

LUCKY WINNER?

WANT TO BE A

Lucky winners,

Larry & Grace Javoroski from Frisco, TX

were camping at Lake Texoma, TX when they were presented with a $1,000 gift card! left to right: Larry & Grace Javoroski with Karen Loerwald

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 2017 dues on time and camp at your favorite TT Preserve. When you pay your annual dues for 2017 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 2017. In addition, once you pay your dues in full, each time you camp at a Thousand Trails Preserve in 2017, 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, 2017. 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 Let’s take a look at some simple ways to keep tabs on your suspension system, learn a bit about catalytic converters, and explore some sensible tips on how to handle a tire emergency. Ready? Let’s get going! Suspension System The service life of your RV’s suspension and its component parts is influenced by many factors, including how many miles you’ve driven, road conditions, extreme weather exposures, and your own driving habits. If you’re a hardy traveler, it’s a good idea to have your RV’s suspension system inspected annually. A basic suspension inspection should include a check of air bags (if applicable), struts, shock absorbers, and springs. Shock absorbers are located underneath the RV, near the airbags (if so equipped). Shocks are placed up front, in the rear, or in many cases on larger RV’s, on both the front and the rear of the undercarriage. Diesel coaches with eight airbags generally include eight shocks. Gas coaches may only have four shocks, two in the front and two in the rear, simply because gas engines weigh less than their diesel cousins and require less shock restraint. If shocks or struts require replacement, always replace them in pairs to maintain your vehicle’s proper handling characteristics. Generally speaking, the easiest way to know if you have a suspension issue (beyond visual inspection) is by simply paying attention to changes in the handling characteristics of your RV. Stay in tune with your vehicle while driving and observe things like the amount of tension you feel in the steering wheel and the general “road feel” of the vehicle. Watch for warning signs of potential problems such as loose steering, shimmying or vibrating at certain speeds, unusual harshness in bumps, unusual sounds, or a sensation of pulling to one side while

driving on a straight road. It’s also a great practice to keep track of tire mileage and have tires rotated on your RV’s recommended schedule; see your Owner’s Manual for details. Whenever you notice significant changes in your RV’s handling, or if your RV is ever involved in an accident or has been driven off-road, it’s a good idea to have the chassis thoroughly inspected by a qualified mechanic. Catalytic Converters The US government mandated a move to equip exhaust systems on gasolineburning vehicles with catalytic converters to help reduce air pollution. Catalytic converters are installed in the exhaust line between the exhaust manifold and the muffler on conventional gas-powered vehicles. When a gas engine burns fuel, combustion produces some byproducts (like hydrocarbons, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides) that can be harmful to the environment. The catalytic converter uses chemicals that act as a catalyst (a substance that causes a reaction between other chemicals without being affected itself), transforming these pollutants into relatively harmless substances like carbon dioxide and water that can be safely released into the environment through the tail pipe. Most vehicles manufactured after 1996 are equipped with emissions sensors that notify you if your catalytic converter isn’t working properly. Unfortunately, your vehicle will also fail its annual inspection if the catalytic converter fails and it can’t pass the emissions test. When necessary, catalytic converter replacement is best addressed by a qualified mechanic. Handling a Blowout

rubber hits the road” and are an important part of ensuring your safety on the road. Inspect them often, checking to make sure they’re free of debris, properly inflated, have adequate tread depth, and show no signs of dry rot or crazing on the sidewalls. If you don’t take good care of your tires, you might have to deal with every traveler’s dread: a blowout. Although blown out tires can be caused by a puncture, they’re usually the result of progressive damage to a tire caused by over-inflation, overloading, or excessive aging or wear on a tire. So, how should you handle a blowout while driving your motorhome on the freeway? Your first “panic” reaction would probably be to slam on the brakes, but that’s actually the wrong thing to do. The proper response is to just keep your cool. Keep a firm grasp on the steering wheel and briefly and gently accelerate to maintain your speed, then gradually ease off the accelerator, keeping your momentum controlled, staying in the same lane you were traveling in before the blowout. As you gently ease off the accelerator, gradually make your way to the far right lane while signaling your intentions. Now turn on your hazard lights so that traffic around you is well aware that something is wrong. Allow the RV to lose its momentum (without applying the brakes) while you’re in the far right lane, until your speed is reduced to about 10 miles per hour. Then, carefully and deliberately move off the roadway (preferably onto a paved shoulder), gently brake, and call for help. No panic, no problem. Keep your eyes on the horizon. Happy travels, trailblazers!

Let’s face it, your tires aren’t the most glamorous accessory on your RV, but good tires are the foundation of a good trip. They’re literally “where the JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

ACTIVITIES

AND

Activities and Events – On-Site

JAN/FEB events For a complete listing of events at the preserves, please visit thousandtrails.com.

Musical Theme Weekends From a 50s sock hop to an all day gospel concert weekend, theme weekends at Thousand Trails get more musical every year! See where to catch live music events at our campgrounds this January and February. January | The folks at Palm Springs (CA) have got a whole line-up of musically themed weekends this winter. First, Cowboy Jack is back to entertain with his vintage country tunes and stories on Jan. 7. On Jan. 21, there will be “An Evening with Charlie Ferris” and Ferris will play a variety of oldies for you to dance to. All the way on the other side of the country on Jan. 14-15, the folks at Orlando (FL) will have a country weekend featuring live country bands and line dancing! Dress up with your best poodle skirt and sweater set for the 50s Sock Hop the weekend of Jan. 21. Don’t miss the 3rd Annual All Day Gospel Concert the weekend of Jan. 27 at the outdoor amphitheater at Orlando (FL). February | Bring back the 60s at Orlando (FL) the weekend of Feb. 4! Brush up your crazy dance moves from back in the day so you can twist the night away! The same weekend at Peace River (FL), Matt Babar brings his smooth vocals to the Meeting House at 7pm. The folks at Orlando (FL) are hosting a music mixer on Feb. 18 where people can enjoy soft rock and roll that will bring on the nostalgia! To cap off the month, there will be a second country weekend but with a pop twist! Don’t miss it Feb. 24-25 at Orlando (FL).

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

Excursions Venture out with your fellow members on some fun excursions off-campus. January & February | Take a bus trip with the folks at Wilderness Lakes (CA) on Jan. 2 to see the Annual Rose Parade! Jan. 7-8 is a Wanderer’s Weekend at Peace River (FL)! Take a trip on Saturday with fellow TT members to Solomon’s Castle and Herrmann’s Royal Lipizzan Stallions training session. Plan on purchasing lunch from the “Boat on the Moat” at the castle! You don’t have to leave the grounds to take an excursion at Peace River (FL) for Artful Antics Weekend, Jan. 28-29! Scavenger hunts, charades on stage, and lots of fun activities for the whole family! Stay tuned for more, clowns may be in store! The following month on Feb. 25 at Peace River (FL), you can sign up to participate in an airboat tour down the Peace River and for gator watching! All events, times and dates are subject to change.

Activities and Events – On-Site

Party Time! Bring on the new year with some socializing at Thousand Trails! Check out some of the best parties happening at our campgrounds this winter. January | The folks at Three Flags (FL) will waste no time getting the party started in the new year on Jan. 7 for a Fiesta Weekend! Start the new year a celebration featuring a taco bar and a piñata! Don’t miss the Fiesta Fun at Peace River (FL) the weekend of Jan. 21! We will provide the shells and wraps for the Taco Stuffer Potluck and you bring the fillings and other Tex Mex foods to fill out the menu! The Trey Dees Dance Party will be on Saturday at 7PM in the Meeting House. February | Dance the night away at Palm Springs (CA) the weekend of Feb. 11 for Valentine’s Day! Come celebrate Fat Tuesday with a masquerade dance at Soledad Canyon (CA) on Feb. 18! The folks at Peace River (FL) will also celebrate Mardi Gras by decorating their own masks for the Big Easy Bash the weekend of Feb. 18. Also, Jerry Jones will perform here on Sunday at 7PM in the Meeting House. Enjoy a weekend of dancing, music, and art at Orlando (FL) Feb. 11-12! Saturday night is Valentine’s Dance and on Sunday, wander through the beautiful display of original Florida photography presented by Mike Thomas.

Tournaments Under the Sun If you’re looking for a bit of friendly competition, look no further than Thousand Trails. Some of our Florida and California campgrounds will be hosting friendly tournaments this January and February. January | The Third Annual Ironman of Games Tournament will take place Jan. 14-15 at Peace River (FL) where participants will compete in a series of easy going games and contests to win the coveted blue ribbon! Pio Pico (CA) hosts the first round of the Annual Traveling Pool Tournament, Jan. 25-29 and is open to all members. And don’t forget to show off your fandom for your favorite sports team by decorating your site at Three Flags (FL) on Jan. 21! February | Thousand Trails members at Palm Springs (CA) have two weekends chocked full of tournaments! The Annual Horseshoe Tournament will take place Feb. 11-12! Join horseshoe players that travel near and far to play in this tournament. The Second Annual Couples Shuffleboard Tournament on Friday Feb. 11! Play pickleball with other TT members at Palm Springs (CA) during the weekend of Feb. 24-25 or join in on Casino night to play blackjack and Texas Hold ‘em with your fellow campers. Play doubles and singles at the Annual Horseshoe Tournament at Wilderness Lakes (CA) the weekend of Feb. 16. Some events may require a participation fee.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

Activities and Events – Local

LOCAL

CALENDAR events

▲ Bavarian IceFest in Leavenworth, WA Photo courtesy of Icicle TV

PIO PICO (CA) Jan 26-29 Farmers Insurance Open 2017 The annual PGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open men’s golf tournament is played at the Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, home of the 2008 U.S. Open. Be sure to check the website for detailed information about special events and tickets. farmersinsuranceopen.com Jan 21-22 & Feb 11-12 Free Weekend at Borrego State Park To kick off its golden anniversary, Anza-Borrego Foundation will offer “BPC for Free” – six weekends of free access for new visitors to the Park’s most popular hiking trail. Borrego Palm Canyon (BPC) is a family-friendly, three-mile hike known for its oversized palm tree grove and bighorn sheep sightings, culminating in a palm oasis and waterfall. theabf.org/bpc-free

Month of February Museum Month Presented by Macy’s, this popular event allows participants to enjoy half-off entry fees at 40+ San Diego Museum Council membership museums. The savings encourages locals and visitors to explore a variety of arts, culture and scienceoriented destinations. From Oceanside Museum of Art down to the Tijuana Estuary, there are ample opportunities for edutainment, creating memories and fun for the whole family. sandiego.org

WHALER’S REST (OR) Jan 28 Hearts for Horses The annual “Hearts for Horses” benefit auctions will feature great food, live music, and auctions. This is the Oregon Coast Aquarium’s largest fundraiser that supports the “tuition assistance” program for persons who would benefit from equine assisted activities and therapy programs. brighthorizonsriding.org

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

Feb 23-26 Newport Seafood & Wine Festival Taste award-winning wines, meet winemakers, and see who is up-and-coming in the wine world. The Newport hosts the longest continuous wine competition in the Northwest for the last 40 years. seafoodandwine.com

BAY LANDING (TX) Feb 25 Clint Black Country music superstar, Clint Black, plays Billy Bob’s of Texas in Fort Worth. billybobstexas.com

PEACE RIVER (FL) Jan 20-29 Cat On a Hot Tin Roof Tennessee Williams’ gothic American masterpiece about two brothers vying for their dying father’s inheritance. Produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service. highlandslittletheatre.org

All events, times and dates are subject to change.

Feb 10-18 Highland County Fair Live entertainment, food, rides, livestock competition, and more, this fair has been entertaining families since 1938. Check website for ticketing information. hcfair.net

LAKE WHITNEY (TX) Jan 13-Feb 4 Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo Fort Worth Will Rodgers Coliseum and North Side Area including Billy Bobs Parade, Fort Worth Stock show exhibits including cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, birds, rabbits, petting zoo. Huge exhibits from vendors of all sorts. Ticket prices vary by event type. Be sure to check the website for the most up to date ticketing and event information. fwssr.com Until Jan 16 Panther Island Skating Ice Panther Island Ice, a Fort Worth holiday tradition, returns for another season and continues until January 16, 2017. pantherislandice.com

VERDE VALLEY (AZ) Jan 17 A Game of the Gods Dr. Todd Bostwick, our Director of Archaeology, will present current ideas about Hohokam ball courts and their importance in facilitating trade and resolving social conflicts in prehistoric Arizona. Photos taken by Dr. Bostwick will be shown of ball courts in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, and Arizona. verdevalleyarchaeology.org

Feb 14 New Discoveries in Belize Archaeology Dr. Jaime Jose Awe is a Belizean archaeologist who specializes in the ancient Maya. He is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Northern Arizona University and the Director of the Belize Archaeological Reconnaissance Project. vvarchcenter.org

» Local Highlight

RANCHO OSO (CA)

LEAVENWORTH (WA) Jan 14-15 Bavarian IceFest 2017 Come see Leavenworth dressed in over half a million twinkling lights! There will be snow sculptures, ice fest games, the Great Frisbee Swap, ice fishing, and many more frosty activities. leavenworth.org

PONDEROSA (CA) Jan 21 2017 Art & Wine With Something More Local wineries, microbreweries, distilleries, plus the best restaurants and caterers present their fare amidst some of the most unique artwork made by artists with disabilities. The annual Art & Wine Festival also features live and silent auctions, and a dessert auction morerehab.org

COLORADO RIVER (TX) Jan 15 Chevron Houston Marathon Be a spectator at this annual 26.2, 13.1, and 3.1 mile run which begins and ends at Downtown’s George R. Brown Convention Center, has steadily grown to attract more that 20,000 entrants from all around the world and over 200,000 spectators. chevronhoustonmarathon.com

Some events may require a participation fee.

Feb 17-28 Mardi Gras Galveston Mardi Gras was publicly observed on Galveston Island as early as 1867, but was discontinued during World War II. The Island’s celebration was resurrected in 1985 and since then has become one of the most popular events along the Texas Gulf Coast. It is the third largest Mardi Gras celebration in the US. visithoustontexas.com

Activities and Events – Local

Feb 15-20 Hardee County Fair There will be arts & crafts, live entertainment, livestock, midway and pageants. hardeecountyfair.org

Jan 13 Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Celebration Hale Milgrim, former President of Capitol Records and Santa Barbara music promoter, has chosen to pay tribute to the indomitable Bob Dylan by presenting highlights from the Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration, recorded October 16, 1992, at Madison Square Garden. Enjoy performances by members of Booker T. and the MG’s, Johnny Cash and June Carter, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Kris Kristofferson, Roger McGuinn, Mike McCready, John Mellencamp, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Lou Reed, Ronnie Wood, Eddie Vedder, The Band, Neil Young, Johnny Winter and of course, Bob Dylan. lobero.com/events/go-hale-filmseries-bob-dylan-30th-anniversaryconcert-celebration/ Feb 1-11 Santa Barbara International Film Festival Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling will be presented with the 2017 Outstanding Performers of the Year award on Friday, February 3, 2017 for their remarkable performances in Damien Chazelle’s dazzling La La Land, from Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment label. Visit the website for screenings, locations, and tickets. Sbiff.org

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

On The Road

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

SNOWBIRDS AUTHOR

Jo ANN BENDER

Whether you spend life on the road for pleasure or work, it’s nice to have the comforts of home as you travel the highways and byways. TRAILBLAZER checks in with folks who spend a fair amount of time on the road to see just what makes their home away from home. This month, we chatted with Snowbirds author, Jo Ann Bender Like many retired couples, Jo Ann Bender and her husband, Frederick “Bud” Budinger (aka Skipper), thought it would be a grand adventure and a dream come true to go on an epic RV trip. So, they upgraded the interior of their $7,000 Ford motorhome and spent $3,000 in repairs hoping that would be sufficient to fix the engine – and they hit the road. by Lynn & Cele Seldon

All photos courtesy of Jo Ann Bender JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

▲ Twin Rocks Cafe in Bluff, Utah

The resulting memoir, Snowbirds, shares what happened to them on their 2,000-mile trip from Spokane, Washington, to Texas. The trip featured breakdowns on the side of the road and hours searching for, finding, and then getting help from mechanics everywhere on the route. They learned new skills as navigators and mechanics as they plowed joyfully ahead in their cantankerous RV looking for free parking and heading to hot springs, Native American ruins, western forts, the Marfa Lights, a mariachi mass, and more. Snowbirds was published by Downstream Publishing and is also packed with insights and “discoveries” about life on the road. Bender has written several other books, including Lebensborn (republished as Lebensborn Secrets), Rusty Springs, a western, and several cookbooks from their Lazy Bee B&B. 16

When they’re not traveling, Jo Ann and Skipper live in the mountains of Washington State just a few miles from the Canadian border.

Was Snowbirds written during the trip or once back home? As a former journalist, I’m addicted to writing and to keeping a travel diary. Snowbirds was written as we made our way down the coast and through the Southwest. Once back home, I wrote the introduction. I hoped my words could capture the essence of the continuing wonderment of RV travel, even though this little vehicle was often breaking down as it moved down the road. As a memoir, perhaps it puts a sense of adventure in a little love story that’s set in an RV.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

Why is traveling better in an RV than staying in a hotel? Hotels, motels, B&Bs, Airbnb. Each has their role to play for a traveler. RVs have the most flexibility. They move. The others provide lodging within static buildings. More beloved objects can be taken along. In the bigger RVs, children, pets, and sports equipment can come, too. The places to see or to park are endless. It’s economical. Makes you an easier guest to receive once the host realizes that you’d rather sleep in your vehicle rather than in their guest room and they won’t have to change the sheets or vacuum up after you.

What are some of your favorite things to take on the road? Food – Frozen flat packets of turkey, ham, and chili that lay flat in the tiny freezer compartment. These, along with boxed and canned food, can make up two hearty meals a day when fresh produce, dairy, and baked [goods] are added. Clothes – Three pair of shoes, hiking, tennis, dress. Three sets of travel and one dressier set.

a paradise all of its own. So, you move slowly viewing the camp sites, writing down site numbers, so many awesome sites that your head whirls. But, you have to decide. You can’t park in them all! Fort Bowie is one of the least visited among national parks. Once there, you can feel the West as it was in the late l800s. From the vantage point of the few buildings remaining, the beauty of the rolling hills and the past come alive.

Laundry – Stash of quarters, plus laundry detergent and softener, make laundry quick and easy along the way every three to five days. Odor – Potted silk plant and scented candles and daily sweeping and washing up do the job of keeping an RV from having the “human odor.” Mail – Pre-printed labels for postcards, birthday cards, postage stamps, passports, laptops, small printer. Books – Favorite cookbook (2nd edition of my Favorites from the Lazy Bee), paperback fiction, and non-fiction. Gifts – Items that represent your hometown. Apples and onions from WA. State. Maybe copies of Snowbirds or Bud’s new historical fiction, Courage Beyond Expectations (about the Indian War in the Pacific Northwest).

What are a few favorite destinations and why? The City of Rocks, a campground in southern New Mexico, is a wonder among wonders, and so is the national park, Fort Bowie, in southern Arizona. Before entering the City of Rocks, a sign says: “You Have 30 Minutes to Choose Your Camp Site.” Oh, you say, who needs that much time? You do and then some. The sites are situated within the CONE of a volcano. Each site, so unique, it’s

▲ Snowbirds backcover author photo

Where is the vintage RV that you featured in Snowbirds ? Several years ago, I was ahead of my time. Vintage is in now. It wasn’t when I fell in love with the interior of a l973 Ford Scout. She had new countertops, refrigerator, and stove. Her motor needed work. All her “road” problems are described in Snowbirds. She did successfully make the 2,000-mile trek. Now, these vintage models are in high demand as backyard recreation dwellings. Skipper wallpapered her plywood walls, re-caulked windows and [the] large windshield, installed new tracking for the new fabric drapes, [and] wired light bulbs under cabinets to keep them from freezing. She finally had to be traded on her second trip out the following year when rain poured though the walls in Oregon enroute to California. I remember

telling Skipper, “When the sun comes out, don’t you think it’s time to upgrade?” He did. The dealer gave us kudos for her spectacular interior and we moved into a small Winnebago. That RV was soon totaled when a drunk driver hit it and it rolled down a main highway in a Canadian town to careen into a building. From there, Skipper had his chance to get a diesel pusher, a Southwind, 33 – too big for me to feel comfortable behind the wheel. The Southwind was perfect for the four- to five-month trips during the next few years when we’d go to our mine site in Arizona. Skipper was looking for lost Spanish gold in the shadow of the Superstition Mountains. At Burnt Corral, one of our favorite camp sites, along the Apache Trail, we’d take out the folding two-person Klepper kayak, paddle two miles up Apache Lake and walk two miles into the canyon in the lonely desert. While he dug, I wrote Cries in the Desert, a treasure-hunting story.

What about the new RV – the 2004 Pleasure Way van? Once our mining days were over and we no longer needed a live-in RV, we wanted something smaller. We live in the woods near the Canadian border and are almost one hour from Colville and almost three hours to Spokane. It suits us better for short camping or for parking in a town. Folks often ask to see the interior. It’s easy to clean and supply, a definite clutter-buster. Great for the recent two-month trip from [our] Lazy Bee B&B near the Canadian border to New Mexico and Utah to hike and explore Pueblo ruins. We found that President Clinton was right when he said, “The whole state of Utah should be declared a national park.”

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EST. 1871

HISTORY of by Joan Rykal

â&#x2013;² Fenway

Park Photo courtesy of Library Groover

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Baseball in January? Why are we talking about baseball in January? Spring training is a month away and the regular season won’t start until mid-April. So why baseball in January? Here’s why…if you want to plan an MLB road trip this year, we thought we’d get you in the swing of things with some facts, figures, highlights and possible ideas for a trek to pay homage to America’s pastime. It’s a game that has been around since before the Civil War (except then it was called rounders) and evolved into a sport that saw more than 73 million fans attend major league baseball games in the 2016 season. Some things have changed (you can no longer tag a runner by throwing the ball at him) and some have stayed the same (the 7th inning stretch is still the time to get up and well, stretch.) JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

Since the first professional baseball league was formed in 1871, the sport has given us heroes and scandals, lots of joy and for the loyal fans of some long beleaguered teams, lots of tears.

SCANDALOUS TIMES As wholesome as the sport may appear, a scandal or two (or more) has reared its head throughout the game’s history. ▲ Yankees

Alex Rodriguez Photo courtesy of Keith Allison

WHAT’S IN A GAME? Though baseball has been surpassed by football in popularity in recent years (most will say that’s because football is more action-packed and violent) perhaps gridiron fans should read up on some of baseball’s bench-clearing brawls through the years. Notably, when Chicago Cubs catcher Michael Barrett punched Chicago White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski in the face in an early 2006 match-up between the crosstown rivals or the major melee involving the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox during a 2004 game that started with some choice words from Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez to Boston catcher Jason Varitek and ended with the ejection of several players on both sides, but not until many punches were thrown. 20

The 1919 Chicago White Sox will be forever known as the Black Sox thanks to the eight players who were accused of throwing the World Series to their opponents, the Cincinnati Reds. Those eight players, that included Shoeless Joe Jackson, were banned from baseball for life by Baseball Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Legend has it that one young fan outside the courthouse begged Jackson to admit he had no part in the scandal, coining the phrase “say it ain’t so, Joe.” Bat tampering has long been an issue and some of the more famous bat scandals included the George Brett/ Pine Tar Incident and Sammy Sosa and his corked bat. During a game between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees, Yankees Manager Billy Martin accused George Brett of having excess pine tar on his bat.

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â&#x2013;² Baseball

Hall of Fame Photo courtesy of Amy Meredith

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▲ Cubs

vs. Pirates game in April 1989 Photo courtesy of John Flickr

Martin brought it to the umpires’ attention after Brett hit a two-run homer that gave the Royals the go-ahead lead after trailing the Yankees in the 9th. The umpire confirmed that the amount of pine tar did exceed league rules and the home run was discounted and the Yankees won the game. However, the Royals went on to protest and the ruling was overturned. The game was restarted several weeks later and the outcome was different with the Royals victorious in a 5-4 win. Six players have been accused of using a corked bat in regulation games throughout baseball history and most recent was Chicago Cubs Sammy Sosa in 2003. Sosa received an eight game suspension for using a bat he said was only meant to be used in batting practice. If you’ve seen the commercials where Pete Rose’s wife teases that he is not allowed in the hall with 22

his shoes on you get the joke…Pete Rose is not allowed in the hall – the Hall of Fame, that is. Rose was banned from baseball in 1989 – as a player, manager and potential Hall of Famer, by then Commissioner Bart Giamatti for allegedly betting on baseball. Rose denied the allegations for years before finally coming clean in 2004. He is still around the baseball world though, most recently as a color commentator during the 2016 World Series. Most recently, the scandals in baseball surround the use of steroids and performance enhancing drugs, or PEDS, which has caused many riffs throughout the locker rooms across the league. The Mitchell report was released in 2007 after a 21-month investigation on the use of anabolic steroids in the league led by Maine Senator George Mitchell and most recently, Yankee great Alex Rodriguez was suspended for 211 games in 2014.

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▲ Pete

Rose 1966 Baseball Card Photo courtesy of Steve Burns

▲ 2005

NY Times article about steroid pitcher scandal Photo courtesy of MJB

TAKE ME OUT TO THESE BALL PARKS

▲

Photo courtesy of Ryan Flickr

▲

Photo courtesy of Gabbo T

▲

Photo courtesy of Steven Guzzardi

Petco Park

Wrigley Field

Fenway Park

SAN DIEGO PADRES

CHICAGO CUBS

BOSTON RED SOX

Home to the San Diego Padres since 2004, fans say there’s not a bad seat in the house and the food selections surpass the standard hot dog and crackerjack fare. Situated at the edge of San Diego’s famous Gaslight District, the ball park is pedestrian friendly with trolley stops nearby. It was in this park that Barry Bonds tied Hank Aaron’s record in August 2007 (he went on to break it a few days later.) Also, during a regular season game against the Toronto Blue Jays in June 2010, players and fans experienced a magnitude 5.7 earthquake. And while every game may not be an earth-shattering event, the San Diego skyline views promise another highlight to attending a game at Petco Park.

Wrigley Field is quite possibly one of the oldest ball parks to make a Top 10 list repeatedly. What makes this 100-plusyear-old stadium a list topper is the atmosphere? Ivycovered walls, a handoperated scoreboard built in 1937, and a charming neighborhood surrounding the park, where it seems like everyone is a Cubs fan. The current team owners, the Ricketts, have made efforts to update the park, but are also aware of the importance of maintaining the park’s old-timey feel. Take a stroll around the outside of the park and check out the statues of beloved Cubbies Ernie Banks, Ron Santo and Billy Williams. And Holy Cow, there’s also the statue of legendary broadcaster, Harry Caray.

Boston’s Fenway Park is Wrigley’s Field’s big brother coming in at two years older. Opened in 1912, the field has been home to the Red Sox ever since. Unique to this ball park is the Green Monster, a menacing outfield wall that stretches 231 feet from left field and stands 37 feet high, which was original to the field. The first Red Sox player to hit over the wall was Hugh Bradley in 1912, while Babe Ruth was the first opposing player to hit a ball over the Green Monster (although it wasn’t called the Green Monster then) while playing for the Yankees in 1934. On game day, Red Sox fans are ready to celebrate in a big way. The street surrounding the park, Yawkey Way, is closed to traffic and transformed into a pregame party for ticket holders and features live music, food and vendors hawking all kinds of BoSox goods.

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TAKE ME OUT TO THESE BALL PARKS

▲ Photo

courtesy of Randy Chiu

AT &T Park SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

▲ Photo

courtesy of Redlegsfan21

Great American Ball Park CINCINNATI REDS

The Cincinnati Reds play their games in this stadium located on the banks of the Ohio River. Opened in 2003, a must-see (beside the Reds in action) is the park’s Hall of Fame and Museum which pays tribute to such players as Johnny Bench and Pete Rose and houses a huge collection of baseball

memorabilia. Inside the park, make sure to enjoy a bowl of Skyline chili, Cincinnati’s hometown favorite, topped off with some (legal) moonshine in the Party Barn. Take in a night game where nothing beats the moon over the Ohio River on a warm summer night.

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If you plan to attend a Giants game, you might get lucky and see a “Splash Hit,” which would be a ball hit into McCovey Cove by a Giants batter. And by the way, McCovey Cove, which is officially China Basin, was named for Giants former first baseman, Willie McCovey, a fan favorite. There have been 71 “Splash Hits” since the park opened in 2000. Another option for the long ball is to land in the giant baseball mitt that sits behind left field. At 27 feet high and 30 feet wide, a batted ball would have to fly 500 feet to land in the glove. Another ball park that offers spectacular views – in this case the San Francisco Bay – and a variety of things to do pre-game, AT&T Park consistently ranks in the top 10.

▲ Colorado Rockies 2016

Training Photo courtesy of Jennifer Linnea

▲ Washington

Nationals 2016 Training Photo courtesy of Lorie Shaull

▲ AZ

2016 Spring Training Baseballs Photo courtesy of JNash Boulden

MLB preview 2017

ajor League Baseball’s Spring Training games begin in late February and if you plan ahead you’ll be able to get an advance look at who’s hot and who’s not for the 2017 season. The Cactus League plays their games in and around Phoenix, Arizona while Florida’s Grapefruit League teams are in several key Florida locations. For a complete listing of teams, locations and schedules visit www.mlb.com/ springtraining. One major event to note is the Cactus League’s Spring Festival, scheduled for Saturday March 4, 2017. This all-day, award-winning family event brings together

all the best of baseball. There are interactive and educational exhibits, food and beer vendors, sports memorabilia and best of all, legends of the game. You can test your skills, check out the baseball card show and attend autograph signing events. For more information visit www. scottsdaleaz.gov/springtraining-festival. Teams have been flocking to sunny Florida to prepare for the regular for more than 125 years. The best thing about the Grapefruit League, from a vacation standpoint, is that you can road trip around Florida and catch plenty of games on either coast and a few in the center of the state as well.

Brand-new this year, the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, which is the training facility for the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros, and plans to open in January. Located on the Atlantic coast in the city of West Palm Beach, this is a unique, two-team training facility that features a 360-degree concourse and a 6,500 seat stadium. The plan with this new facility was to be an “immersive spring-training experience that takes fans through the training fields and workout facilities before they even step foot in the ballpark,” according to Ballpark Digest.

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â&#x2013;² Chicago

Cubs Wrigley Field Sign Photo courtesy of Shutter Runner

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▲ Chicago

Art Institute Photo courtesy of Nina AJ

GO CUBS GO

Next year is here! After a 108-year drought, the Chicago Cubs have finally won a World Series. Long known as the Loveable Losers to their legion of fans, the Cubs have been beset ▲ Cubs winning Game 7 with billy goats, black Photo courtesy of Arturo Pardavila III cats and Bartmans, in their ages-long quest to win another title since their last championship victory in 1908. They had an opportunity in 1945 but were shut out 4 games to none by the Detroit Tigers – and most people will blame that on the Curse of the Billy Goat, which was ▲ Sea of blue at the Chicago Cubs Rally apparently put on the Photo courtesy of Ryan Dickey team when local restaurant owner Billy Sianis and his goat were ejected from a game. And they’ve come so close to post-season play many seasons since but that darn “curse” seems to be in play again and again. Remember 1969 and 1984 and 2015? fans celebrating Photo courtesy of Max Goldberg

2016

But as Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder has been singing for the past several years about his beloved Cubbies “someday we’ll go all the way.” And go all the way they did in the 2016 season. After a recordbreaking 103 regular season wins, the Cubs were not going to lose their shot this time. But it wasn’t easy and many times loyal fans were ready to say “wait til next year.” Well next year is here and if you want to be in the thick of things, take a trip to Wrigley Field. If you can’t get tickets to the game stop in at one of the many sports bars in the area or simply enjoy the charm of the Wrigleyville neighborhood where on any given day you’ll find a Cubs fan everywhere you look!

▲ Cubs

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

BEST FLORIDA BEACHES A prescription for sand, sun, and fun!

by Lynn & Cele Seldon

â&#x2013;² Caladesi

Island State Park Photo courtesy of DrBeach.org

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here’s simply something soothing and healing about a beach and that’s especially true in the Sunshine State, where one thousand-plus miles of coastline and more than 650 miles of beaches await sand, sun, and fun seekers. Florida beaches beckon as a prescription for anything that ails anyone. Just ask Stephen “Dr. Beach” Leatherman. Renowned Dr. Beach is a (fittingly) Florida-based beach expert who is Chair Professor and Director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University in Miami. As an internationally known coastal scientist, Leatherman has published 20 books and hundreds of scientific articles about ways to improve beach health and safety, storm impacts, and coastal erosion. Leatherman’s books include: America’s Best Beaches; Dr. Beach’s Survival Guide: What You Need to Know About Sharks, Rip Currents, & More Before Going in the Water; Barrier Island Handbook; Sea Level Rise: Causes and Consequences; and more. He is also the co-author (with Jack Williams) of National Geographic Field Guide to the Water’s Edge: Beaches, Shorelines, and Riverbanks. His website (see “Resources”) is also an excellent reference for beach lovers of all types in Florida and beyond.

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▲ Boardwalk

▲ Stephen

Leatherman Photo courtesy of DrBeach.org

Since 1991, Leatherman has selected the annual “Top 10 Beaches” in the United States, a very popular list that often features many Florida beaches. He uses 50 criteria to evaluate the nation’s beaches. More than ever, emphasis is being placed on environmental management and beach safety. Bonus points are awarded for prohibition of smoking on beaches, with non-smoking beaches becoming more and more prevalent in Florida. “My love of sand began as a child,” says Leatherman. “My parents had the notion that if one neighbor has a basketball hoop and another a treehouse, then my family should also have an attraction for the neighborhood kids. I had the biggest sand box in Charlotte, North Carolina, [and] I loved it. Every year I opted for a beach vacation to play in the world’s largest sandbox and frolic in the surf.” 30

at Sanibel Island

Today, after decades of playing in the sand, Dr. Beach’s annual survey of more than 640 public beaches on the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coasts (he calls the beaches his “patients”) uses a sliding scale from one to five to measure beach quality for each of the 50 criteria, which include: beach width at low tide; beach material; beach condition; sand softness; color of sand; bathing area bottom conditions; water temperature; air temperature; number of sunny days; amount of rain; wind speeds; size of breaking waves; beach slope; rip currents; tidal range; water color; wildlife; seaweed/jellyfish on beach; buildings; amenities; noise; intensity of beach use; off-road vehicles; competition for free use of beach; smell; trash; and much more. “I always knew that I wanted to be a scientist, but it wasn’t until I got a job surveying beaches at Cape Hatteras after storms that I knew which kind,” recalls Leatherman. “I definitely wanted to work outdoors and what better workplace than a beach?

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Little did I know that I would later appear on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ for having one of the best jobs in America.” Leatherman says an unexpected inquiry in 1989 got him started with beach ratings. “I received a telephone call from a travel magazine writer who wanted a listing of the top 10 U.S. beaches. Pressed by the reporter, I rattled off the first ten wonderful beaches that came to mind.” When the glossy travel magazine story was published, Leatherman was contacted by one of the “winners” he’d listed (Sanibel Island in Lee County, Florida) that wanted to issue a press release about their beach’s high rating. He also remembers being contacted by Daytona Beach tourism officials asking why Daytona hadn’t made cut. “They wanted to know why their beach was not on the list, because everyone knows that Daytona is one of the greatest beaches in the world – it even says so on the town water tower.

â&#x2013;² Daytona

Beach on the FL Coastline JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

▲ Destin

Beach in the Emerald Coast of the Florida Panhandle

“All of the hoopla made me think about how seriously Americans take ratings. We rate everything from hotels to restaurants to graduate programs in universities, so why not beaches?”

on Memorial Day weekend, marking the beginning of beach season. My ratings have become a regular feature of the morning TV shows, as well as newspaper and magazine articles.”

Leatherman developed his 50 criteria and his first survey took two years to complete. The list was released over Memorial Day weekend in 1991 and the calls started coming in immediately. “My assistants tried to field the calls, but the phone was ringing off the hook,” he recalls. Newspapers, TV producers, and radio hosts all wanted to run the story and the media blitz continued for quite some time. “Since 1991, I have released the list of ‘America’s Best Beaches’

Leatherman says he’s received thousands of letters and phone calls from people wanting more information about beaches, like, “What makes the water a beautiful emerald-green color in the Florida Panhandle?” Leatherman’s answer to this common question is, “The color is partly due to the very purity and hence crystal clarity of the water that allows such incredible visibility and light penetration. The other factors include the shallowness of the water

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▲ Two

little boys at Key Biscayne

â&#x2013;² Blue

Angelfish off the Panama City Beach coast JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

Fort lauderdale beach

▲ State

Road A1A

and the very high reflectivity of the sun off the ivory white sand. Instead of the crystal-clear blue color of the deeper waters, the nearshore waters are characterized by the emerald-green color, making the water sparkle like a gem. “I believe that this type of water, which is also found at some Hawaiian beaches, especially Lanikai on Oahu, is the most beautiful,” continues Leatherman. The answer to this question and many others prodded Leatherman into writing the popular (and highlyrecommended) book, America’s Best Beaches. Of course, Florida’s top beaches were featured in the book and have often been on Leatherman’s lists over the years. The 2016 top ten list included three Florida beaches: Sarasota’s 34

Fort de soto state park

▲ Roseate

spoonbills

Siesta Beach (#2); the Panhandle’s Grayton Beach State Park (#6), near Santa Rosa Beach; and Caladesi Island State Park, near Clearwater and Dunedin. Over the last quartercentury, Florida has placed dozens of beaches in Leatherman’s top ten lists and many Sunshine State strands have won top honors, including (note the presence of many state parks): Bahia Honda State Recreation Area (1992; now Bahia Honda State Park); Grayton Beach State Recreation Area (1994; and now also a state park); St. Andrew’s State Recreation Area (1995; again, now also a state park); St. Joseph Peninsula State Park (2002); Fort De Soto State Park (2005); Caladesi Island State Park (2008); and Siesta Key Beach in 2011.

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BAHIA HONDA STATE PARK

▲ Paddleboards

in the Keys

But Dr. Beach isn’t the only one who loves Florida’s beaches and their prescriptions for sand, sun, and fun. A wide range of rankings always rate Florida’s beaches among the best in the nation – and even the world. For instance, the 2016 Travelers’ Choice “Top 25 Beaches” rankings for the United States from well-respected TripAdvisor® had an incredible 10 Florida beaches on the list (three more than Hawaii and five more than California), including: top-ranked Clearwater Beach at #1; Siesta Beach (#3); St. Pete Beach (#4); Pensacola Beach (#7); St. Augustine Beach (#9); the Beach at Panama City (#10); Henderson Beach State Park (#11); Fort Myers Beach (#18); Las Olas Beach (#20); and Navarre Beach (#23).

Which beach best fits you?

FLORIDA BEACHES FEW PEOPLE

White Sand

Barefoot Beach Preserve (Bonita Springs)

Fort Myers area beaches

Blowing Rocks Preserve (Hobe Sound)

Siesta Key (Sarasota)

Canaveral National Seashore (New Smyrna Beach/Titusville) Clam Pass Park (Naples) Dry Tortugas National Park (about 65 miles west of Key West) Fort De Soto Park (Tierra Verde) Gulf Islands National Seashore Navarre Beach (Milton) Peanut Island Park (Riviera Beach) Santa Rosa Beach (South Walton)

FAMILY FRIENDLY Destin Clearwater Beach Daytona Beach Fort Walton Huguenot Memorial Park (Jacksonville)

Florida Panhandle beaches St. Petersburg/Clearwater

PERFECT FOR COUPLES Amelia Island Captiva Island Honeymoon Island (Dunedin) Indialantic (north of Melbourne Beach) Vilano Beach (St. Augustine)

GREAT BEACH TOWNS Apalachicola Clearwater Beach Cocoa Beach Delray Beach Fernandina Beach Hollywood Beach

Lowdermilk Park (Naples)

Lauderdale-By-The-Sea

Marco Island

Naples

Panama City Beach

Pensacola Beach St. Augustine Beach

FUN DAy & NIGHT Fort Lauderdale beaches Fort Myers Beach

St. Pete Beach Seaside

Jacksonville Beach

FLORIDA STATE PARKS

Key West beaches

44 state parks on coastal beaches

South Beach (Lummus Park) West Palm Beach

Plus, at #20, Clearwater Beach was the only beach of the nation’s 50 states to make TripAdvisor’s top 25 “World” beaches for 2016 (St. John’s Maho Beach in the United States Virgin Islands also made the list at #11). Lots of state parks in the extensive Florida state parks system feature great beaches. In fact, more than 40 of Florida’s 160-plus state parks feature beaches, with a wide range of activities and pursuits (or lack thereof). The previous admittedly subjective lists provide ideas for a variety of Sunshine State beaches to meet any interests. The categories and recommendations are not meant to be comprehensive and many of the beaches could easily be listed in several categories (for instance, several state parks feature white sand beaches).

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VISIT THESE SITES TO PLAN YOUR TRIP TODAY! www.visitflorida.com This helpful website has many great resources for researching Florida beaches and much more. The “Florida Beach Finder” feature is especially helpful, where users can “rank” sliding scales of importance for: Adventurous-vsLaid-Back; Family Friendly-vsRomantic; Action-Packed-vsSecluded; and Manicured-vs-Au Natural. The resulting matches (given in a percentage of match) reveal the best Florida beaches for specific interests.

www.floridastateparks.org As outlined, the Florida state parks system has a large variety of beaches, with a wide range of offerings (or lack thereof). There’s an interactive “Find a Park” search feature that allows visitors to search for beaches, activities, and much more.

www.drbeach.org

In addition to his annual lists, articles, books, and more, Leatherman’s great website provides lots of insights about beaches in general, U.S. beaches, and helpful sections like “All About Beaches,” which includes subsections like “Patient History,” “Temperature,” “Blood Pressure,” “Pulse,” “Anatomy,” “Under the Microscope,” “Hospital Visits,” “Physical Therapy,” and “The Manual” (a lengthy A-to-W glossary of beach terminology, from accretion to wave refraction). 37

SOAK UP THE SUN

AND at ENCORE THOUSAND TRAILS by Joan Rykal

â&#x2013;² Rambler's 38

Rest RV Resort

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

Given the fact that Florida has 663 miles of beaches and the combined total of Encore and Thousand Trails’ resorts in the Sunshine State numbers well over 30, amply spread along both coastlines, chances are you’ll find a beach nearby your Encore/TT home base. We’ve highlighted just a few here but you can get a complete list at RVontheGo.com. So, read on and decide where you’ll be dipping your toes in the sand this winter. Tampa/St. Pete The Tampa/St. Pete area offers plenty of attractions as well as plenty of beaches. Notable sand spots include St. Pete Beach (named Number 5 in the world by Trip Advisor in 2012), Madeira Beach with its classic boardwalk, and Clearwater Beach, a hopping spot that was named by Trip Advisor as the Number 1 beach in 2016.

Vacation Village in Largo offers its guests the best of both worlds. All that both Tampa and St. Pete have to offer is just a short 30-minute drive away, while the resort provides a quiet respite from city life with nearby hiking and biking trails. Onsite amenities include a swimming pool, shuffleboard courts, and a clubhouse bustling with activities. Winter Quarters Pasco in Lutz, Florida, is another opportunity to thrive in the city and country mix. Less than 15 miles from Tampa, you can enjoy the day exploring Busch Gardens and many other Tampa area attractions or just kick back and relax at the resort and try your luck fishing from the onsite pier. Beautiful lakeside sites are just one of the amenities here. Don’t forget to check out the shuffleboard courts, horseshoes, heated swimming pool, and whirlpool spa.

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▲ Rambler's Rest RV Resort

▲ Fiesta Key RV Resort & Marina

Sarasota A tranquil, wooded setting along the Myakka River, Ramblers Rest, in Venice, provides a relaxing relief after long days spent exploring the nearby beaches or the charming city of Venice with its pink, Italian Renaissance buildings. Ramblers Rest amenities include a heated swimming pool, shuffleboard courts, a fun and fabulous splash pad, and onsite fishing opportunities. Vero Beach Over on the Atlantic Coast, the town of Vero Beach remains the typical Florida getaway spot thanks to a city code that does not allow buildings over four stories high. The Ocean Drive shopping district, full of great restaurants and fabulous shopping, is reminiscent of the 1950s with its surf shops and beachside eateries. Sunshine Travel is just a short drive from town and the beaches of Vero, and offers its guests resort-style amenities including a heated swimming pool, mini-golf, shuffleboard courts, and a fitness center. Relax poolside among the swaying palms or join in the fun at one of many clubhouse events.

▲ Pioneer Village RV Resort

Fort Myers

Fort Lauderdale

You can’t beat the location of Pioneer Village in North Fort Myers, which is just 25 miles from the award-winning beaches of Sanibel and Captiva Island. And, Pioneer Village might hold the distinction of being one of the most pet-friendly resorts in the Encore family, offering its own dog park. Other highlights of Pioneer include the nature and hiking trails, swimming pool, shuffleboard, and an activity schedule chock full of fun.

Known as the “Venice of America” because of its canals, Fort Lauderdale has plenty to see and do, including museums, historic sites, dining, and shopping. Fun fact – the 1960s beach classic, Where the Boys Are, was set here.

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Sunshine Holiday is the perfect spot to stay while taking in all the action of the nearby beaches. Located just north of Fort Lauderdale, the resort has plenty of amenities including shuffleboard courts, a clubhouse and a swimming pool.

▲ Sunshine Key RV Resort and Marina

The Keys

▲ Miami Everglades RV Resort

Miami A trip to Miami has to be on every beach-lovers bucket list. A perfect mix of history, culture, architecture, and beach life; this coastal area has it all. The Miami Everglades RV Resort is another perfect mix. It’s a very tropical experience, thanks to the plentiful avocado, mango, and palm trees on site, but the resort’s amenities are modern and include a clubhouse, store, shuffleboard courts, mini-golf, swimming pool, and whirlpool/spa. It is located less than 10 miles from the Everglades National Park and Key Largo is just an hour’s drive away.

Traveling south from Miami you’ll find the Keys begin with Key Largo. The chain of islands known as the Florida Keys offer a tropical vacation with scads of opportunities to enjoy the ocean that surrounds them. Explore the reefs, deep sea fish, scuba dive, or just be a beach bum – there are plenty of beaches to lazy around. You’ll find Fiesta Key RV Resort, a 28-acre resort on Long Key, located in the Middle Keys. Fiesta Key is close to many of the Keys attractions including the Dolphin Research Center and Long Key State Park where you can shell and kayak to your heart’s content. The resort itself offers a swimming pool, an onsite restaurant, a boat ramp and marina. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a tropical drink in this tropical paradise.

Honda State Park which has two well-known beaches, Sandspur Beach and Calusa Beach. What remains of the oftenphotographed Bahia Honda Rail Bridge can be found in the park itself. Resort-side, Sunshine Key is situated on 75 acres of tropical paradise surrounded by the ocean. Amenities include a clubhouse, boat dock and marina, horseshoes, volleyball, and a swimming pool. Settle in among the palm trees and explore the Keys from Sunshine Key! What are you waiting for? The beaches are calling, so make your reservations today! Visit RVontheGo.com to start planning your perfect Florida beach vacation!

Another Key offering from Encore is Sunshine Key RV Resort and Marina located on Big Pine Key. Big Pine Key is home to Bahia JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

I KNEW I WAS A

TrailBlazer

▲ Staircase Trail in Olympic National Park, WA

This month, TrailBlazer would like you introduce you to Joann Loo, who is fresh off of a nationwide roadtrip across the US with her husband and son. A photographer by trade, she’s been a camper for the past ten years and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. TB: How long have you been camping and RVing? Who introduced you to it? Tell us how it all began! JL: I always wanted to go camping when I was a child. Television and the movies made it look like so much fun. I used to pitch a fort with blankets and chairs in the living room as a child, and I even camped out in my parents’ yard when I was a teen. One time while I was in college, my aunts and uncles planned a large camping trip to Sequoia National Park with the entire family. It was so much fun. My then-boyfriend-nowhusband never really had the 42

chance to go camping when he was younger, and we decided that we would start doing more outdoor activities together. We took advantage of our college adventure programs and joined some of their camping trips. From then on, we started going on trips of our own and taking friends and family with us. It’s been 10 years since we started! This is our first year of RVing. We had always wanted to take a road trip around the country, but never got around to it. We decided to just go for it, before our son begins school and we have more obligations to keep us in one location. Mark Twain

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

once said, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed in the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." TB: How did you first hear about Thousand Trails? JL: We heard about Thousand Trails through the dealer when we got the RV.

because they wanted to eat something. They found some granola bars in the car and thought they were the most delicious thing they had ever had. 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.)

▲ Skokomish River, WA

▲ Badlands National Park, SD

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

TB: Any funny camping/ RVing stories?

JL: My fondest camping memory would have to be when we camped at Black Canyon in Nevada. It was one of our first adventures together. The trip was four days of canoeing, hiking, and relaxing in natural hot springs. We camped in a secluded canyon slot and I remember feeling in awe as we watched the stars. We enjoyed each Thousand Trails campground we visited during our trip around the country. It was comforting to know that every TT campground has the same resort-like standard and that we would always feel comfortable at TT. The staff was always friendly and welcoming, and the amenities that each campground offered--pool, mini golf, arcade, playground, water park, family activities, and more-was icing on the cake. I also loved watching how happy my son was every time we arrived at a campground. He doesn’t talk yet, but he would point toward the playground or the pool and pull us outside so that he could play. He smiled and laughed so much while we stayed with TT. It was heartwarming.

JL: We used to use tents and preferred them over cabins because we have the option to camp at more locations than in a cabin. Now we camp in an RV because it’s more convenient with young children.

JL: Before our son was born, we introduced our siblings and cousins to backpacking. It was a super last minute trip. We were at a family party and everyone decided to head to Yosemite the next day! Our family didn’t have any gear for camping at all. Some of them brought their school backpacks, and we lent the few extra packs that we had. The next morning, we stopped at REI on the way to Yosemite to buy freeze-dried food and gear. We advised them on what they would need to buy, but a couple of the cousins decided that they wouldn’t need as much as we had recommended. When we arrived at Yosemite, we got lucky and managed to score backcountry permits for our large group of 9. Everyone was having a good time, but by the second day, some of the cousins realized that they didn’t buy enough food. Luckily, we packed some extra food just in case. Everyone helped out to share what food we had with each other, but we still had to watch our portions to make sure we’d have enough food for the rest of the four day trip. Everyone was a little hungry throughout the trip. On the last day, some of them ran out of food and water during the hike down to the car. They hiked/ ran down as fast as they could

TB: Where have you gone that you wouldn’t have otherwise, if it hadn’t been for your Thousand Trails membership? JL: We planned our trip around the country based on the National Parks and Thousand Trails campgrounds. Many of the Thousand Trail campgrounds are out in towns that we previously hadn’t heard of, so we definitely have gone to many places that we likely wouldn’t have otherwise. A few of them, I believe, are on Native American land – like the La Conner, WA location. It was neat going into town and seeing the town filled with mom and pop shops! TB: What is your favorite part about the outdoor lifestyle? JL: I just love how I feel every time we camp or hike. I feel relaxed and rejuvenated. Plus, the scenery never ceases to amaze me. TB: Can you finish this sentence? I knew I was a TrailBlazer when… JL: The beautiful and vast scenery left me in awe and I hungered for more. We knew we would love this lifestyle not long after we started to camp for the first time!

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

Who’s in the kitchen with

TrailBlazer? Cooking with

Lesley Tennessen

YES, YES you can! You can have healthy and enjoyable recipes from your dutch oven. It’s not all about desserts and heavy main courses and casseroles. It’s not about making the best breads or cakes, even though that is probably what you think. And NO, it’s not about beans and just chili on a cold weekend night. It’s about healthy, good tasting and intriguingly spicy,tasty meals. I enjoy the spice taste of different curries so I will go there any time. I love the tweaks of ginger, cumin, and garlic. Just mention curry and I’ll jump at the chance to try a different flavor. Any one who knows me will know that I eat on the spicy, hotter side of life. I keep it a little toned down for most of my audience. Most folks like it tame, with just a little hint of heat! Spice adds so much to the end result of a dish. Rather than just going with onions and green peppers, let’s go further out on that limb and add in cumin, ginger, turmeric. I chose these recipes because they are simple and nutritious, and provide lots of good vegetables. Complete, good and tasty! That’s what we like!

Roasted Curry Cauliflower and Potatoes aka. Aloo Gobi 12” dutch oven Serves 4

Ingredients • 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed • 1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets • 2 tbsps. olive oil • ½ tsp. ground cumin • ½ tsp. ground coriander • ¼ tsp. turmeric • ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper • Salt to taste

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

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• 3 tbsps of fresh cilantro or parsley, minced

Directions 1. Preheat the dutch oven over a bed of coals. Put in a 2 tbsps. of vegetable or olive oil. 2. This would be a ring of coals under the oven and 1 ring, plus 5 coals on the lid. 3. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, cauliflower, oil, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and salt. Toss to coat. 4. Put all the vegetables and spices into the dutch oven and roast for 30 to 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Garnish with cilantro or parsley before serving. Author: Karen @ The Tasty Bite

Curried Quinoa and Sweet Potato Pilaf 12” dutch oven

Ingredients • Olive oil • 1 small onion, chopped • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1½ tsps. curry powder • ½ tsp. ground cumin • ½ tsp. sea salt • 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced • 1½ cups vegetable broth • 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cubed • ½ c. frozen green peas • 2 tbsps. currants, raisins or dried cranberries • 2 tbsps. chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions 1. Heat up the dutch oven over a bed of coals. Add in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. 2. Add onion and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender. 3. Add quinoa, garlic, curry powder, cumin and sea salt. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato and vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Remove a few coals under the over to reduce the heat to low and cover. Add a few coals to the lid. This helps to maintain the simmer. Cook for 30 minutes. Stir in apples, peas and currants and re-cover. Cook for 5 more minutes then remove from heat. Allow to sit covered for 5 minutes. Top with walnuts and serve warm.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

ASK

RVBILL

YOUR TECH QUESTIONS ANSWERED!

King Pin Extension

Hi Bill, my dealer is telling me it is cheaper to install a king pin extension instead of a sliding hitch for my short bed truck. I read a little bit this on the Internet and I’m not sure that an extension is safe. What are your thoughts on this and automatic sliding fifth wheel hitches? Thanks, Kevin

A King pin extension may be cheaper than a sliding hitch, however king pin extensions as well as gooseneck adapters can cause undue stress on the king pin, pin box and the frame. If your 5th wheel were under warranty, most likely this addition would void the warranty. Automatic sliding fifth wheel hitches work really well but they take up about 70% of the bed of your truck. This can be critical on a short bed truck as there is not a lot of extra space to begin with. My suggestion would be to put in a standard fifth wheel hitch and a Reese Sidewinder pin box on your trailer. The Sidewinder is specifically designed not to change the stress points on your pin box and your frame as well as allow you to make a turn at least a 90° or better. Check out the Reese Sidewinder demo on YouTube. I wouldn’t be without mine!

Tire Recommendation

Bill, I’ve never had a blowout on any of the trailers that I’ve ever owned until this last summer. I keep up with air pressure as well as tire inspection before every trip and the tires were only four years old. I’m pretty sure that the trailer is not overweight as we only use it for short trips and do not have it loaded heavily. My question is what gives with the tires and what brand tires do you recommend? Cheers, Thomas

Bill’s RV TIP Safety FIRST! Don’t underestimate the “pre departure inspection”. Slowly walk around your rig and check tires for cracks, air pressure or uneven wear and age of the tires, lights, trailer hitch or dingy hook-up. Double check that windows/ baggage doors are securely shut and that the grab handles and stairs leading into your RV are tucked away. Glance under the rig and look for anything out of place or leaking. A little preparation now will prevent a lot of time later!

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

There is a lot of variables that can add up to tire failure. Anywhere from a defective tire, debris in the road that you may have not seen, or it is possible that the tires just are low quality and prone to flats. One of the drawbacks to having a flat tire on a trailer, you don’t always notice it until the tire has completely come apart making it impossible to determine the cause. When purchasing new tires be sure that the tires are a ST, which stands for a “special trailer” and are designed to withstand the rigors of towing and sitting for long periods in storage. I don’t recommend light truck (LT) tires as belts can separate from undo sidewall stress that is generated from tandem axles. Another thing to keep in mind, ST tires are only rated for 65 mph. My top recommendations for a trailer tires are the Goodyear G614 and the Maxxis Special trailer tires. Regardless of wear, tire on all RV’s need to be replaced every 7 years from last number listed on the DOT date on the outside tire wall. Remember tires are very susceptible the hot pavement. Tire pressures change from cold to hot ambient temperatures, as much as 5 to 8 psi.

Fluid System

Hi Bill, I have a 2002 class A motorhome. Driving this last weekend, the alarm for the “leveling jacks down” kept sounding off every so often. I pulled over and checked and all the jacks were in the up position. Is there some kind of a switch or a device that tells the control panel when the jacks are up? What type of fluid do you recommend for this system? Eric

I’ll bet that one or more of your jacks are leaking fluid. If enough of the fluid leaks out the fluid level in the hydraulic reservoir drops low enough to set off the alarm. Take a look at your jacks and see if any fluid has been leaking past the seals down the hydraulic ram on to the jack pads. If the leak is minor you can simply add some automatic transmission fluid and get by for a while, any type of ATF will do the job. When the problem gets worse you may want to look into replacing the jack, or having it rebuilt. Most companies offer new jacks or re-manufactured jacks that carry the same warranty.

Reader’s Stor y TrailBlazer reader, Andy Mellema, has a 2002 Custom Coach Legacy fifth wheel. Andy wrote in awhile back with his dilemma; the toilet down tube that drops into the shallow end of the holding tank was causing a problem with build up of solids all the way to the top of the tank. I suggested that Andy should remove the original 3-inch ABS pipe from the toilet running into the shallow end of the black tank where the solids were building up, be routed to the deep end of the holding tank where the liquid settles and that did the trick…we all love when a plan comes together! In addition, Andy installed a tank washer where the down pipe was removed that did not exist before. Fortunately, his storage compartment was large enough to gain access to the black tank through the floor.

Andy wrote in; “thank you so much for the heads up on the Dometic refrigerator recall. It was definitely under recall and needed attention” and he learned some of these units caught on fire burning the entire coach to the ground. I’m very happy to have helped avoid any danger. Note to our readers: PLEASE be sure to go to Dometic’s web site and check for re-calls if you own an Dometic OR Norcold refrigerator. You just can’t be to careful. Caution: Please do not run your refrigerator on gas if you suspect your unit may be under re-call.

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

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

paws ROAD ON THE

Traveling and Camping with Companion Animals

Hi, Jenn, I have two dogs that both enjoy the outdoors. One dog is 45lbs and the other is 60lbs. I am often on rocky surfaces, rough pavement as well as side roads that are full of small gravel bits, salt and sometimes snow. I know that I need some paw protection as I love to run and mountain bike several times a weed with my dogs beside me. I have looked at several different brands of dog booties and was wondering if you had any experience with a favorite style or brand and could advise me on further prior to my purchase. What about paw pad moisturizer like Mushers Secret in a jar? Do you think it’s worth the money and even necessary? I look forward to your advice. Truly, Cari JENN I do believe that if you can find a dog booty that fits your crew and stays in place, your pets will be happier and healthier. And even if your not the go-getter type, it’s wise to have a pair of dog booties on hand that fit my animal not only for the reasons that you listed but as a back up aide in case my pet were to injure a paw, the boot would provide additional protection throughout the healing process. My favorite dog boots are made by Ruffwear and are called the Summit Trex- msrp $59.95 for a set of 4. These outstanding dog boots come in eight different paw pad size increments for an excellent,

by Jenn Gehr ergonomic fit. The size guide is easy to use and accurate. I appreciate that these boots are extremely low profile – I feel the best form and fit on the market. The sole allows for improved traction and have a built-in gator which protects your pets paws and legs from any snow, gravel, salt or other debris that might slip into the boot and irritate the delicate paw pad. Ruffwear has done an excellent job with the tread on all of their dog boot models. The high mileage tread is flexible and nonmarking and the Summit Trex’s durable fabric is complete with a Velcro fastener that is high visibility reflective and easy to use. For more warmth and waterproofing, look at Ruffwear’s Polar Trex boot. As far as a pad moisturizer, I recommend looking at the Mushers Secret or my personal line of choice, The Natural Dog, and ordering up their organic, “Paw Protector” wax barrier that comes in a simple roll up stick for perfect application. These products work so well, I use them each night on my own cuticles with great success!! Jenn! I am desperately looking for a natural, organic if possible remedy to ward off fleas and ticks that does not include me having to go to the store and buy a bunch of ingredients. Is there anything on the market that you suggest? I believe I will need to order something online because I am only near small towns usually carry more of what I am looking for. Each time I apply a chemical-based topical to my pets skin for protection I have terrible results. I need a safe, alternative solution.

JENN I certainly understand and respect your need and desire for a more natural flea and tick remedy. I, too, have experienced trouble with synthetic topicals. Mad About Organics is a natural, safe and effective organic company located in Eugene, Oregon that puts pets needs on the top of their priority list. You can call Ben directly at 541–996-2164. On their website, MadAboutOrganics. com you will learn how to treat your home and pets- horses, dogs, cats and more!- for fleas naturally and effectively. They have an herbal flea and tick topical concentrate that is completely organic and safe, EPA approved for pets for weeks and older. Quick tip!..While you’re on their site, look at their amazing holistic dental care line up! Another natural pet product made by Mutt Knows Best is called “U. Tick Me Off” and is a three in one conditioning shampoo that helps keep your dog flea and tick free, naturally and without any harsh chemicals. Crisp Citrus Mint fragrance is mild and effective even on a pet with sensitive skin or allergies. I know a number of people who all of these products use this on their dogs and cats to effectively ward off fleas, ticks and lice and feel switching to organic has been successful and does not seem to bother the animal adversely as many synthetic topical treatments. Remember that if you do opt for a medicated treatment, be sure to acquire it from your vet, as grocery store brands are even more dangerous than prescription brands.

Email Jenn your questions and share your pics at TBPets@equitylifestyle.com

Thank you, Yasmine JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

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*The Thousand Trails National Pass upgrade is available to qualified members only with a valid and eligible credit card. $200 minimum down payment. Up to 60 months to pay. 16.99% APR. 60 monthly payments of $44.60 assuming you purchase an National upgrade for $1,995 and make the minimum down payment. Sales tax and any applicable fees due at time of purchase.

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CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Answers can be found on page 65.

ACROSS 1 In this place 5 Peak 8 Crew 12 Foment 13 To (Scot.) 14 Wholesome 15 Musical instrument (string) 17 Domain 18 Noun-forming (suf.) 19 Silk fabric 21 Preserve 22 Vein (pref.) 23 Mentally confused 25 Stage extra 28 Queenly 31 People 32 Afr. bowstring hemp 33 Taro 34 Retinue 36 Nevi 37 Asian weight 38 Latitude (abbr.) 39 Manufacturing (abbr.) 60

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41 43 46 48 50 51 52 53 54 55

Sour milk drink Island Air Term Amer. Assn. of Retired Persons (abbr.) Here (Fr.) Reduce Thaw N.Z. woody vine Sacred Egypt. bull

DOWN 1 Geological vein angle 2 Ivory (Lat.) 3 Trust 4 List-ending abbreviation 5 Hindu soul 6 Freedman in Kentish law 7 Orbit point 8 Arabic letter 9 Scala (2 words) 10 Title of Athena 11 Stingy

16 20 22 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 35 36 38 39 40 42 43 44 45 47 49

Elbe tributary Horse Wax match Leg of mutton or lamb Old-Eng. Jurisdiction Sp. article Minx (2 words) Radio Free Europe (abbr.) Presidential nickname Lily (Fr.) Church (Sp.) Moray Animal hair Female vampire Madam From (Scot.) Nod Nipa palm Yesterday (Ital.) Very (Fr.) Prone Health resort

Terms and Conditions for 2017 Referral Promotion from page 2.

Answers can be found on page 65. PASSAGE

#7: passage, consider taking the LAS CIEN mile out and back distance 13.2 EGAS ends once that you Sahuarita Road reach the gate at at mile 6.8 Las Cienegas is, instead (that (Passage #7) of continuin suitable as is g all the way onto Gabe an out and back trail. Zimmerman This easy trail Trailhead). is popular Passage #7 running, birdwatc for trail starts at Lakes Road and is a gentle biking, horsebac hing, mountain north climb past the Twin k riding, hunting, photography, Tanks. The landscape primitive camping is covered and scenic in creosote , bush, an oil drives. The commonly best months to used preservative visit for wood; this as a October throughthis trail are was once a area May. The cattle ranch trailhead is in the 1800s, but located 45 is now miles southeast of ▲ Hiking through creosote bush. covered in the Tucson, Arizona. the Sonoran Cattle no longer From Encore’s Desert roam here because the Resort & Hotel,Voyager RV creosote bush contains get on I-10 PASSAGE Vail and take E cannot ingest. oils the cattle #18: exit 281 from to On this passage Then, head of the AZT, south on State I-10 E. you’ll encounte REAVIS CANY Highway 83. varieties of r Near milepost ON cacti and wildflow turn east into 40, a number of ers, the ranch entrance bird species, To take the maybe a few . and easiest part You may want backpac of this kers traversing hiking sticks walking sticks or the entirety for of the trail. Reavis Canyon the moderate (Passage #18) as there are hike a couple of PASSAGE areas where you #37: will have to large group cross over water. The tours, some Reavis Canyon SOUTH RIM with mules an out-and-b hike as without. Along ack trail is TRAIL/ trail yousome this a short but stunning will inevitabl BRIGHT ANGE trail that takes y encounte massive cliffs through the r L and rock famous Sonoran you TRAIL formations. Desert. At Whatever you the top, you’ll not forget your do, do experience incredible camera! There water and your panoramic views of the Finally, you Superstition photo opportunare incredible cannot Mountains, ities at the Arizona National talk about the Picketpost viewpoints Mountain, and the Apache including Mather without mentioni Scenic Trail Leap Point, Yavapai Formation. Passage 18 ng the Grand is also known Canyon. As Station, and Observation you look a flash-flood as a the mile down path. Do not at one of the Lookout Studio Mary Colter hike “seven natural through this wonders of canyon if rain View Watchtow and her Desert the world,” probable and is er. Head up you’ll see layers and always Lipan Point layers check the weather double for the most to reveal thousand of rock that report before spectacular proceeding. s of years of sunrise or geological This sunset you’ve ever history. railroad tracks, trail also crosses seen over the Canyon stretches The Grand The mighty canyon. your surround so be aware of 18 miles wide Colorado River and over 270 ings formed this that miles long. for trains. Whitford and look out incredible The South Rim crevice in the Earth is Canyon is a Trail, also known great spot also visible. to turn back the Bright as To reach the trailhead Angel Trail, around as it will have , take is one of been about the most popular I-17 N to I-40 then take exit 5.2 miles W, of hiking by and most 165 accessible that toward Williams for AZ-64/I-40 hikes the trail continuepoint. Otherwise, /Grand Canyon Canyon. Along in the Grand s on until it from the Thousan reaches this well Rogers maintained Valley RV Resort. d Trails Verde trail at which point, Trough Trailhead, drinking water there is plenty of Alternatively, you will have you can take hiked 18.6 I-40 E from miles rest-houses. as well as covered Thousand the You will often reach the Picket one way. You can Trails Las see Vegas Post Mountain RV Resort. Trailhead by following I-10 from Encore’s W Voyager RV & Hotel. Resort

Find The Evergreen Tree

TB_October_2

016_V7.indd

OCTOBER

2016 TRAILBLAZ

9/12/16 4:44 PM

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!

Alannah Little & Renea Little of Morganton, NC

found the tree on Page 23 of the October Issue.

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

Two North Riverside Plaza Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606. Postmark deadline is Feb. 28, 2016 and remember –the tree could be a different color and size.

For each Eligible Referral (as defined) through December 31, 2017, you will receive a $25 Visa® Prepaid Card. In addition, for each Eligible Referral through December 31, 2017, 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 2018, 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, 2018. 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, 2017 and December 31, 2017 and (ii) lists you as the referring member. This offer is only for members in good standing of Thousand Trails and its affiliates. Due to legal restrictions, (a) residents of AZ, FL, NV, and PA are not eligible to participate in the drawing and you will not receive an entry in the drawing for purchases made by residents of AZ, FL, NV, or PA, and (b) residents of AZ and PA are not eligible to receive a $25 Visa® Prepaid Card and you will not receive a $25 Visa® Prepaid Card for purchases made by residents of AZ or PA. We reserve the right to extend, modify, suspend, or terminate this promotion at any time for any reason; however, any rewards earned prior to the suspension or termination of this promotion will be honored. Employees of Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. and its affiliates are not eligible to participate in this promotion. All local, state and federal income taxes are the responsibility of the recipient. Accordingly, we recommend that all participants consult a tax advisor about reporting rewards for tax purposes. We will issue the required 1099 to each participant and to the IRS when the total value of awards you are eligible to receive equal or exceed $600 for one year. This advertising is being used for the purpose of soliciting sales of resort campground memberships. This document has been filed with the Department of Licensing, State of Washington, as required by Washington law. Value, quality, or conditions stated and performance on promises are the responsibility of the operator, not the Department. This filing does not mean that the Department has approved the merits or qualifications of any registration, advertising, or any gift, prize, or item of value as part of any promotional plan. This promotion is sponsored by MHC Thousand Trails Limited Partnership, Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

PREFERRED RV DEALERS

Check out member specials on parts, service, and sales by visiting our preferred RV Dealer partners listed here.

USA A&L RV Sales TN - Christiana, Johnson City www.alrvsales.com A Great Outdoor RV Center TX - Canton • www.agorv.com Affinity RV AZ - Dewey, Prescott, Prescott Valley www.affinityrv.com All Valley RV Center CA - Acton • www.allvalleyrvcenter.com Al’s Trailer Sales OR - Salem • www.alstrailers.com Alpin Haus NY - Amsterdam, Port Jervis, Saratoga www.alpinhaus.com American Family RV VA - Chesapeake www.americanfamilyrv.com Appleton Camping Center WI - Appleton • www.appletoncamping.com B&B RV CA - Anderson • www.bbrv.me Bama RV AL - Dothan • www.bamarv.com Baydo’s RV of Chehalis WA - Chehalis • www.baydosrvs.com Big Country RV OR - Bend, Redmond • www.bigcrv.com Blade Chevrolet RV WA - Mt. Vernon • www.bladerv.com Boat-N-RV NY - West Coxsackie; SC - Ridgeland PA - Hamburg • www.boatnrv.com Braun’s Fun Time Campers IN - Indianapolis www.funtimecampers.com Browns RV SC - McBee www.brownsrvsuperstore.com 62

Burlington RV Superstore WI - Sturtevant • www.burlingtonrv.com Camperland Trailer Sales TX - Conroe • www.camperland.net Campers Inn CT - Union; FL - Leesburg, Jacksonville NC - Kings Mountain, Mocksville, Raleigh NH - Kingston, Merrimack PA - Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, MA - Raynham; SC - Myrtle Beach VA - Fredericksburg; GA - Macon, Atlanta www.campersinn.com Canopy Country RV Center WA - Ellensburg, Union Gap www.canopycountry.com Charlie Obaugh RV VA - Staunton • www.charlieobaughrv.com Chesaco RV MD - Joppa, Frederick, Gambrills PA - Shoemakersville • www.chesacorv.com Clear Creek RV WA - Silverdale www.clearcreekrvcenter.com Colerain RV OH - Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus IN - Indianapolis, KY - Lexington www.colerainrv.com Conejo Wholesale Auto and RV CA - Thousand Oaks www.conejowholesaleauto.com Country Camping Corner NC - Kings Mountain, Matthews www.countrycamping.com Crossroads Trailers NJ - Newfield www.crossroadstrailers.com Cunningham Campers, Inc. IN - Jeffersonville www.cunninghamcampers.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

Curtis Trailer Center MI - Schoolcraft www.curtistrailercenter.com Dunlap RV KY - Bowling Green www.dunlaprvcenter.com Economy RVs MD - Mechanicsville www.economyrvs.com Ellis Travel Trailers GA - Statesboro www.ellistraveltrailers.com ET Quality RV CA - Two locations in Yuba City www.etqualityrv.com Floyd’s RV OK - Norman • www.floydsrvs.com Freedom RV WA - Liberty Lake www.freedomrvusa.com Funtime RV OR - Tualalin • www.funtimervinc.com General RV Center IL - Huntley MI - Brownstown, Mt. Clemens, Wayland, White Lake, Wixom OH - North Canton www.generalrv.com Gibs RV Superstore OR - Coos Bay www.gibsrvsuperstore.com Grandview Trailers Sales VA - Bedford www.grandviewtrailersales.com Hayden’s RVs VA - Richmond • www.haydensrvs.net Haylett RV MI - Coldwater www.haylettautoandrv.com Jeff’s Couch’s RV Nation OH - Hamilton • www.couchsrvnation.com

Keystone RV Center PA - Greencastle www.keystonervcenter.com Lakeside RV Sales SC - Anderson • www.lakesidervsales.com La Mesa RV AZ - W. Phoenix CA - Sacramento, San Diego FL - Ft. Myers, Orlando, Port St. Lucie, Daytona Beach • www.lamesarv.com Lux-Liner LLC CA - Acadia • Lux-liner.com McKay’s RV & Marine Center ME - Holden • www.mckaysrv.com Media Camping PA - Media • www.mediacamping.com Mike Thompson RV Superstores CA - Cathedral City, Colton, Fountain Valley, Santa Fe Springs www.mikethompson.com

RV City AZ - Huachuca City • www.rvcity.net

Vancouver RV & Park Model Center Wa - Vancouver • www.vancouverrv.com

RV General Store OK - Newcastle • www.rvgeneralstore.com

Vogt RV TX - Ft. Worth • www.vogtrv.com

RV’s For Less TX - Bryan • www.rvsource.com

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

RV Source TN - Knoxville • www.rvsforless.net

Western Travel Sales WA - Lynden www.westerntravelsales.com

RVs Northwest WA - Spokane • www.rvsnorthwest.com RV Value Mart PA - Lititz, Manheim • www.rvvaluemart.com

Wilder RV WA - Port Angeles • www.wilderrvs.com

Safford RV VA - Thornburg • www.saffordrv.com

CANADA

Sahara RV NV - Las Vegas • www.sahararv.com

Action VR QC - Saint-Nicolas • www.actionvr.ca

Scott Motor Coach NJ - Lakewood www.scottmotorcoach.com

Véhicules Récréatifs JD QC - Sherbrooke • www.vrjdrv.ca VR Depot QC - Vaudreuil-Dorion • www.vrdepot.ca

Opelika RV Center AL - Opelika • www.opelikarv.com

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

Out of Doors Mart NC - Colfax • www.outofdoorsmart.com

Seguin RV TX - Seguin • www.seguinrv.com

VR Emond Plus QC - Sainte-Nicolas www.vremondplus.com

Patterson RV TX - Wichita Falls • www.pattersonrv.com

Simi RV & Off Road CA - Simi Valley • www.simi-rv.com

VR Prestige QC - Terrebonne • www.vrprestige.com

Paul Evert’s RV Country AZ - Bullhead City, Flagstaff CA - Fresno; NV - Laughlin OR - Coburg; WA - Fife, Milton, Mt. Vernon www.rvcountry.com

Sky River RV CA - Buellton, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach www.skyriverrv.com

VR Souliere QC - Lanoraie, Lavaltrie www.vrsouliere.com

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

GO VR QC - Ange Gardien • www.go-vr.com

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

Horizon Lussier QC - Maryville • www.horizonlussier.com

Phillips RV Center MI - Mount Morris • www.phillipsrv.com PPL Motorhomes TX - Cleburne, Houston, New Braunfels www.pplmotorhomes.com Princesscraft RV TX - Round Rock • www.princesscraft.com R.B.Taylor & Sons VA - Lynchburg www.rbtaylorandsons.com Recreation Plantation RV Sales IL - Lynwood www.recreationplantationrvsales.com

Sunbelt RV Center TX - Belton • www.sunbeltrv.com Sundown RV Center CA - Atwater • www.sundownrv.com Super Deals RV Inc. GA - Temple www.superdealsrv.com TAC Trailer and RV NC - Moyock • www.tactrailerandrv.com

JCS Entreposage QC - Trois Rivières www.entreposagejcs.com Leasure Days RV ON - Ayr, Kingston, Pembroke, Smith Falls, Sudbry QC - Buckingham, Gatineau, Sherbrooke NB - Salisbury NS - Truro www.leisuredays.ca Le Centre du Vr Victoriaville QC - Saint-Albert • www.vrvictoriaville.com

Roadhouse Camper & RV PA - Lake Ariel (Scranton) www.roadhousecamper.com

The Trail Center SC - North Charleston www.trailcenter.com

Roy Robinson RV WA - Marysville • www.royrobinsonrv.com

Toscano RV CA - Los Banos • www.toscanorv.com

Roulottes AS Levesque QC - Châteauguay, Saguenay, Sainte-Hélène, Trois-Rivières www.roulotte.ca

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

TravelTime RV TX - Sulphur Springs www.traveltimerv.com

Roulottes Remillard QC - Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu www.roulottesremillard.com JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

y l l a Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s R ! e m i T Calendar

CLUB JAN/FEB 2017 Bounders United (BUTTN)

Feb. 15-18..................Palm Springs, CA If you are interested in attending please contact wagonmaster Yvonne Codde at (209) 207-8184. BUTTN are members who own or have ownded a Bounder motorhome and belong to the Bounders United and Thousand Trails NACO.

TT SINGLES Central California

Jan. 27-29...................... San Benito, CA Feb. 24-26....................Morgan Hill, CA Mar. 24-26...................... San Benito, CA Contact Jane Davis at (209) 986-1088 or email janedjd@pacbell.net orJudy Rogers at (775) 772-1872 or email fifthwheeler61@yahoo.com.

TTWest/FMCA

Jan. 15-18..................Palm Springs, CA Mar. 17-19.................. Lake Minden, CA May 11-14...................... San Benito, CA Jul. 6-9......................Russian River, CA Sept. 7-10.........Lake of the Springs, CA Nov. 9-12........................ Ponderosa, 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.

RVers seeking RVers? Rally clubs from coast to coast love

to meet at our destinations. Join in on the fun! Lewis and Clark TTN

TT Travelers Southern California

Rolling Thunder of Texoma

TTN So Cal Weekenders

Apr. 19-23........................... Seaside, OR May 18-22..................Crescent Bar, WA June 15-19........................Paradise, WA July 17-21....................... Birch Bay, WA Aug. 14-18..............Bend/Sunriver, OR Sept. 7-11............................ Seaside, OR Oct. 12-16..................Whalers Rest, OR Roger Beausoleil: President Lewis and Clark TTN chapter of FMCA. Contact person, Roger Beausoleil (503) 390-4753 or rogerabeau@msn.com.

Apr. 6-9...................... Lake Texoma, TX Sept. 25-Oct. 8........... Lake Texoma, TX We meet twice a year in the north Texas area. For more information call Dianna Huff at (405) 641-8226 or visit rollingthunderfmca.com.

TT of Texas/FMCA

Jan. 6-8....................... Lake Conroe, TX Mar. 17-19...............Colorado River, TX May 12-14.................. Lake Texoma, TX Sept. 8-10.................. Lake Whitney, TX Nov. 17-19...................Medina Lake, 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: ttfmcaralliesandmore.blogspot.com.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

Jan. 9-11............................ Pio Pico, CA Feb. 6-8.............. Wilderness Lakes, CA Mar. 6-8................ Soledad Canyon, CA Apr. 3-5......................Palm Springs, CA We normally meet the first Mon, Tues, and Weds mornings of each month for coffee and those evenings for potluck and games. For more information, please contact our wagonmaster, Jim Brooks (805) 320-2588 or email at willys46@sbcglobal.net.

Feb. 3-5.............. Wilderness Lakes, CA Mar. 3-5......................Palm Springs, CA Apr. 7-9................ Soledad Canyon, CA May 5-7............. Oakzanita Springs, CA Jun. 2-4.............................. Pio Pico, CA Aug. 4-6............................. 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

Northwest

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.

Answers – Crossword puzzle can be found on page 60.

Answers – Sudoku puzzle can be found on page 61.

Show Your Love For Valentine’s Day, Adopt-A-Manatee® For a Loved One

Call 1-800-432-JOIN (5646) savethemanatee.org

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 TRAILBLAZER

Members always Save!

YEARNING FOR A KEYS ADVENTURE? Encore has two Keys locations that will surely please.

Fiesta Key RV Resort, located near Islamorada on Long Key, offers an on site marina and restaurant. With its incredible ocean views this is the perfect stop as you explore Long Key State Park and the nearby Dolphin Research Center. One more perfect Keys location awaits further south. Sunshine Key RV Resort and Marina is unique with its adjacent marina, tropical environment and proximity to Bahia Honda State Park. Fishing, kayaking, snorkeling all abound at this premier island in the Keys. Sunshine Key RV Resort is also just 45 minutes from Key West where you will want to plan a day or two to take in all the shops and restaurants.

Buy One Week Get One Week 50% OFF Valid at Fiesta Key and Sunshine Key RV Resort and Marina

Promo Code: TT17KEYS Valid 1/1/17 - 3/31/17. Book by 1/31/17. 14 day minimum and max length of stay.

Visit RVontheGo.com or call 888-443-7301 to plan your Keys adventure today! **Subject to availability. Reservations required. Rates based on a standard site, unless otherwise specified. Stays of 30 days or less are subject to $4 per day resort fee. Electric not included for stays of 30 days or longer. Rates do not include taxes. Amenities vary by resort. Cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. Rates exclusively for members of Thousand Trails, NACO, Mid-Atlantic, Leisure Time and Outdoor World. Offer not valid on holidays and special events; certain restrictions may apply. Valid on new reservations only.

GREAT COVERAGE

For Every Mile of your Journey When the road opens up and you’ve got nothing but adventure on your mind, you’ll have one less thing to worry about with us on your side.

for your RV geico.com | 877-434-2678 | Local Ofﬁce

Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. GEICO Gecko image © 1999-2016. © 2016 GEICO

Happy New Year TRAVEL SAFE

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

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

24 SEVEN 365. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

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

6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

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

800-679-2020

13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

www.skymed.com/thousandtrails

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