TrailBlazer Winter 2022
Magazine
I-10 ROADTRIP PLANNER
RV RENOVATION TIPS AND TRICKS WINTER IN OUR
NATIONAL PARKS
WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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Contents
TrailBlazer Magazine | Winter 2022
CAMPING
CAMPER FEATURE
TIGER
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TASTE OF THE SUNBELT A Dozen Top Food & Wine Festivals Below the 36th Parallel hike on in the US
I KNEW I WAS A TRAILBLAZER The Durell family
2022 YEAR OF THE TIGER 2022 Is the Year to Travel like a Tiger
IN THE KITCHEN
42 CAMPFIRE REUBEN Delicious Campfire Sandwich
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SUNBELT A Dozen Top Food & Wine Festivals Below the 36th Parallel
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I KNEW I WAS A TRAILBLAZER Durell Family
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
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2022 YEAR OF THE TIGER Travel like a Tiger
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INTERSTATE 10 Exploring the Sunbelt
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WINTER IN OUR NATIONAL PARKS Exploring the National Parks
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SUNBELT RENTALS Equipped for the job
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BIG CITY WILD WILDERNESS How to plan a trip for the whole gang!
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CHASE THE SUNSHINE Ditch the winter blues
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CAMPFIRE REUBEN Delicious Campfire Sandwich
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ON THE ROAD Danny MacAskill
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RV RENOVATION Fulltimers turned RV renovation business
26 WINTER IN OUR NATIONAL PARKS Exploring the National Parks
www.trailblazermagazine.net GRAPHIC DESIGNER Michelle Villadolid MISSION STATEMENT TrailBlazer provides exclusive news and information for the members and guests of Thousand Trails Family of campgrounds and resorts. Each issue enhances the recreational lifestyle of its readers through a lively mix of camping and travel features, campground profiles and product features. TRAILBLAZER (ISSN 0747-2293) January 2022 Vol. 60, Issue #1 is published quarterly by MHC TT Memberships, LP, c/o MHC Property Management L.P., Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and additional mailing 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 tbeditor@equitylifestyle.com TrailBlazermagazine.net PRINTED IN THE USA
THOUSAND TRAILS RESERVATIONS Call: (800) 288-7245 Canada: (228) 497-3594 Mon - Fri 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CST ThousandTrails.com Remember! Thousand Trails members get preferred rates at RVontheGo.com (877) 570-2267
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WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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ROAD LEFT UNTRAVELED
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
Palm Springs RV Resort
MESSAGE FROM MARGUERITE
I
‘m always inspired by a new year and a new season. We have the opportunity to determine how the rest of the year will go, what we’re bringing with us from the past year, and what we’ve chosen to leave behind. We have a clean slate and an exciting year ahead of us. And yet, there’s always a constant theme and trend regardless of any changes that may come our way. We get to experience the great outdoors and make plans to revisit some old favorites and check out some soon-to-be new favorites. I’m sure your RV is ready for another year of adventure, too! If you’re looking for ideas for trip planning this year, I encourage you to check out the feature on Big City and Wild Wilderness. You’ll find ideas for places to visit where you can get the best of both worlds. And, as an added bonus, all of the locations highlighted feature a lot of sunshine and blue skies, so if you’re in need of an escape from chilly weather (as so many of us up north are) you won’t want to miss this one. Maybe you’re hoping to expand your food and beverage palettes throughout 2022 with new bites and sips. We’ve rounded up the best food and wine festivals across the sunbelt, and some are held right near our campgrounds and RV resorts. Delicious meals, good drinks, and a great site? Sounds like the perfect recipe for a successful trip. Make 2022 the year you tackle the RV renovation projects you’ve been storing away in your “someday” folder. Check out the RV renovation and decor article in this issue. We were able to catch up with Wisco Flip and we’re sharing their top small space and RV design
tips with all of you. Their projects are beautiful and I’m pretty sure it’s the motivation you need to take on some projects of your own. Plus, a handful of their suggestions are simple, but make a big difference! However you choose to take on the year, I hope you prioritize the RV lifestyle and spending time in the great outdoors. The benefits of connecting with family, exploring nature, taking a hike, and making memories are numerous, though as avid RVers and outdoor enthusiasts, I’m confident you’ve all reaped the rewards of these things for many years and plan to continue for years to come. I’m looking forward to seeing your beautiful photos and reading about the memories made on our Thousand Trails social media channels throughout the year. Your stories on Facebook and Instagram range from first time RVer experiences to some of you sharing about the three generation family reunion you hold at our campgrounds year after year. And, I love seeing your videos on TikTok. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to check out our Thousand Trails TikTok account for some travel inspiration and entertainment. It’s a great way to stay connected throughout the year with a shared love of camping and the outdoors. Enjoy the year and get out and camp!
Marguerite Nader President & CEO WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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LaConner (WA): View at sunset. – Matt Dixon
Win $50 each Issue!
Winners will receive a $50 Virtual Visa® Reward 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, email address, city and state and sent to: TrailBlazer_photos@equitylifestyle.com
Turtle Beach (CA): Sunset at Turtle Beach – Rowe Orlando RV Resort (FL): Dog in bike. – Sean Marshall
or mail to: TrailBlazer Magazine Attn: TrailBlazer Editor Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800 Chicago, IL 60606 Emailed photos should be high resolution. Photos are not returnable and become the property of TrailBlazer Magazine 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 online at trailblazermagazine.net. Share your adventures in 3 easy steps! 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.
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Tropical Palms RV Resort (FL) Taking a walk through Tropical Palms. – Cindy Stone WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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T
ast
of the Sunbelt
A Dozen Top Food & Wine Festivals Below the 36th Parallel
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By Cele & Lynn Seldon
ste WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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TASTE OF THE SUNBELT
As we all start
coming out of Covid hibernation, there is a thirst for normalcy again. To revisit the old haunts, habits, and happenings from a better time. What better way to get a taste of those happier days than with a food and wine festival? Dive into these tasty dozen culinary celebrations across the Sunbelt.
Photo By: Austin Food + Wine Festival
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Photo By: Jonathan Cooper, courtesy of Charleston Wine + Food
Charleston Wine + Food Festival Charleston, South Carolina; March 2-6, 2022 Celebrating culinary togetherness again, the Charleston Wine + Food Festival brings together culinary artists, visionaries, craftsman, purveyors, farmers, brewers, vintners, and restaurateurs for Lowcountry excursions, brunches, lunches, dinners, how-to classes, street eats, nightcaps and a three-day reimagined Culinary Village on the lawn at Riverfront Park, complete with foodie neighborhoods, demos, live music, bites + sips, food trucks, and more.
Photo By: Walt Disney World
EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival Lake Buena Vista, Florida; July-November 2022 Walt Disney World’s Epcot International Food & Wine Festival offers up a full fall (during the 18-month “World’s Most Magical Celebration” honoring Disney World’s 50th) of global culinary creations, with highlights including: more than 20 global and specialty food kiosks and cafés throughout the park, focusing on the many countries of Epcot, dozens of beer and spirits offerings, and complimentary live music concerts.
Photo By: Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival
Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One Miami, Florida; February 24-27, 2022 Celebrating its 21st year, the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One is the grand poohbah of celebrity chef events, loaded with specialty dinners hosted by famed television chefs and personalities and walk-around tastings like Diners, Drive-ins and Dives LIVE with Guy Fieri, Asian Night Market, Art of Tiki Cocktail Showdown, and the two-day beachside Goya Foods Grand Tasting Village.
Photo By: New Orleans Wine & Food Experience
New Orleans Wine & Food Experience New Orleans, Louisiana; June 8-12, 2022 Celebrating its 30th year as one of the hottest festivals east of the Mississippi, NOWFE continues the tasty tradition with the Royal Street Stroll led by the Krewe of Cork, a two-day Grand Tasting, wine labs and tasting events featuring over 1,000 wines, amped up wine dinners showcasing top local and national chefs, and piquant special experiences that give new meaning to the Big Easy.
Photo By: Ray Kachatorian
Palm Desert Food & Wine Palm Desert, California; March 25-27, 2022 Located in the breathtaking El Paseo shopping district, Palm Desert Food & Wine is a gastronomic oasis featuring some of the nation’s top chefs, vintners, brew masters, and cheese mongers, as well as culinary celebrities, including Carla Hall, Fabio Viviani, and Curtis Stone. From a James Beard gourmet luncheon to grand tastings, cooking classes, and demos, the desert is delicious in March.
Photo By: euphoria
euphoria Greenville, South Carolina; September 15-18, 2022 Celebrating all things food, wine, and music, euphoria is a fourday fête de foodie in South Carolina’s sizzling hot Upcountry. Featuring a half-dozen Michelin-starred chefs (Greenville is the North American home to Michelin, after all), local and regional gastronomic gods, viticulture virtuosos and cocktail connoisseurs at chef and winemaker dinners, over-the-top tastings, Chef’s Table demos, how-to classes, concerts, and the ultimate Sunday Supper, euphoria is, well, euphoric.
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Photo By: Gabrielle Marks
Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta Santa Fe, New Mexico; September 21-25, 2022 A celebration of modern Southwestern cuisine for over 25 years, the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta showcases the region’s top tastes (including lots of chiles!) and sips with guest chef brunches, lunches and dinners; wine seminars, tastings and live auctions featuring local, national and international wineries; golfing; and a Grand Tasting with over 90 participating wineries and 60 of Santa Fe’s best restaurants.
Photo Credit: Bradley Schweit
Photo By: Las Vegas Food & Wine Festival
San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival San Diego, California; November 2022 One of the country’s most talked about festivals, the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is filled with some of the country’s most celebrated chefs and the city’s hottest tastemakers hosting illustrious dinners; legendary winemakers and Master Sommeliers pouring at Grand Decants; festive taco showdowns; and a gastronomic Grand Tasting on the Embarcadero with stunning views of the San Diego Bay and skyline.
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Las Vegas Food & Wine Festival Las Vegas, Nevada; October 5-9, 2022 The Las Vegas Food & Wine Festival is a sensory celebration of the culinary arts, featuring a who’s who of locally renowned celebrity chefs, including Todd English, Katsuya Uechi, Francois Payard, and others. Feast on intimate chef dinners, an array of flavorful foods, sensational spirits and other luscious libations at the Grand Tasting at Tivoli Village, and only-in-Vegas surprise events.
Photo By: Austin Food + Wine Festival
Austin Food + Wine Festival Austin, Texas; November 2022 Everything is bigger in Texas, including the Austin Food + Wine Festival, where top chefs, pit masters, brewers, vintners, and mixologists from throughout Austin, Central Texas, and further afield converge for a tasty weekend. Whether you are grillin’ and chillin’ at a hands-on demo, rockin’ your taco, or getting advice from BBQ pros, it’s a delicious party, Texas-style.
Photo By: Bain Stewart Media
Highlands Food & Wine Highlands, North Carolina; November 10-13, 2022 With a stunning mountain backdrop, Highlands Food & Wine welcomes guests with four full days of mouthwatering morsels, luscious libations and smooth sounds at 4,118 feet. The intimacy and access to chefs, winemakers, brewers, food artisans, and world-class musicians at the Grand Tasting, Truckin’, Main Event and Sunday Shindig, along with sophisticated wine dinners, make this burgeoning culinary celebration a can’t-miss.
TASTE OF THE SUNBELT
Photo By: Raftermen Photography
Atlanta Food & Wine Festival Atlanta, Georgia; September 15-18, 2022 With a focus on the South, over 150 chefs, pit masters, sommeliers and beverage innovators from Washington, D.C., to Texas, descend on the ATL for the four-day Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. With an emphasis on tasting, tempting, and teaching, AFWF features two days of all-you-can-indulge tasting tents filled with edibles, libations, and entertainment; intimate brunches and dinners; and delicious demos.
Photo By: Raftermen Photography
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I KNEW I WAS A TRAILBLAZER
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
I knew I was a
TrailBlazer
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n this issue of the magazine, Trailblazer would like you introduce you to the Durell family! The Durells are a family of five who decided to go fulltime so they could spend more time together exploring the U.S. TB: How long have you been camping and RVing? Who introduced you to it? Tell us how it all began!
TB: What is one of your fondest camping memories? How about one of your fondest TT memories?
BD: Hi! We are the Durell family! We are a family of five that has been living full time in our RV for two years. We decided to sell our home, quit our jobs, pull our kids out of school, and hit the road. We were desperate to spend more time together as a family. My mother and father-in-law had both recently retired and decided to travel around in their RV. We thought it sounded like a great idea and would joke about traveling with them. We then found families on social media that were doing the same thing way before retirement age! We were instantly in love with the idea and very quickly made it happen for our family. I, Brooklyn, now work as a travel nurse and my husband, Clinton, homeschools our 3 boys: Brody, Kyler, and Dax.
BD: My favorite camping memory is when we took the RV all the way down the Baja California Peninsula to Mexico! We camped on some of the most beautiful beaches for 8 weeks. My fondest TT memory is when we were staying at Wilderness Lakes in Menifee, California. Our spot was right next to one of the playgrounds, so our kids were outside from sun up to sun down playing with all of the kids. They still talk about all the friends they made at that park!
TB: How did you first hear about Thousand Trails? BD: We first heard about Thousand Trails on social media. We did a ton of research about fulltime RV life and
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found that many families were staying in Thousand Trails campgrounds while traveling around the U.S. Once we learned that we could pay for a lifetime membership and then stay at campgrounds for weeks at a time, it just made sense to go that route.
TB: Any funny camping/RVing stories? BD: One of the first times we went boondocking we were so nervous about having enough water to last us five days.Our freshwater tank only holds 50 gallons. So, we would only turn the water pump on when we absolutely needed to use the sink for some reason. On the second day I checked our water level and it said we were already on empty! We were so confused because we knew we didn’t use that much water
I KNEW I WAS A TRAILBLAZER
the previous day. Come to find out, one of the kids left the sink on in the outdoor kitchen, so every time we were turning on the water pump it was all going down the drain in our outdoor kitchen! We have since learned to check all of the faucets and we purchased a water bladder to allow us to boondock for longer periods of time! TB: What type of camper are you/what equipment do you use? What do you prefer and why? BD: We have a 2020 Forest River Sabre 38DBQ fifth wheel. We pull it with a Ford F350 dually. We love this fifth wheel for our family of five. Each of the boys has his own bed in the bunkhouse. We have a king-sized bed, a residential refrigerator, and a washing machine and dryer! We have everything we need in our little home on wheels. Our boys even have their own bathroom with a tiny bathtub! TB: Where have you gone that you wouldn’t have otherwise, if it hadn’t been for your Thousand Trails membership? BD: Florida during the winter months! There is no way we would have paid campground prices in Florida during the winter months. So, staying at Thousand Trails campgrounds has Keep up with the Durells and their adventures on Instagram and TikTok at: @Durellsdownsize
saved us a ton of money. Florida during the winter is so much fun. The weather is perfect! TB: What is your favorite part about the outdoor lifestyle? BD: Getting to experience it with our kids! Raising three little boys is no easy feat, but we have learned that we are all much happier when we are outside exploring together. They get to burn off energy and we get to witness their childhood. That’s something we will be thankful for forever! TB: This is the question we will be finishing the feature with every issue. We want to know when you knew you were the consummate camper, a true Trailblazer. Can you finish this sentence? I knew I was a Trailblazer when… BD: I knew I was a Trailblazer when…. We pulled away from the house we had just sold in South Carolina to head out west. It was the most freeing feeling ever! We had our truck, the RV, and our kids. It made us realize that we don’t need much in life to be happy, just the ones we love. We don’t have any desire to ever live our old lifestyle again. Both my husband and I were working fulltime jobs. Our kids were at school all day, and weekends were spent doing chores. Now we get to explore new places together as a family on a daily basis. We get to learn together. And hopefully our children will have memories of an amazing childhood spent traveling the U.S. with their family! ■ WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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YEAR OF THE TIGER
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5 2 22
Tiger IS THE YEAR TO
TRAVEL LIKE A
By Joan Rykal
WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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YEAR OF THE TIGER
Natchez Trace RV Resort
Victoria Palms, TX
Where to go and what to see during the Year of the Tiger.
A
Spoiler:There’s a lot!
ccording to the Chinese Zodiac, the year 2022 is the Year of the Tiger, which officially begins on February 1, 2022. Birth years for tigers include 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 and obviously any babies born after February 1 in the new year. If you are a tiger, you are considered to be loyal, brave, and competitive. When it comes to travel, tigers have an unusual spirit of adventure and like to
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figure it out as they go. They also like to visit places slightly off the beaten path. The best directions for tigers are north, east, and south. So, if you are a tiger, here are a few ways to keep true to your sign when traveling this year. If you are not a tiger, but they are your traveling companion, keep in mind that tigers are most compatible with those born under the Chinese zodiac sign of the horse, dog, or pig.
Lake George Escape
But don’t let that stop you from tagging along with a tiger – they sure do sound fun. Directionally speaking, northeast travel means camping at any of our campgrounds in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Maine’s charming Bar Harbor, the Jersey shore beach town, upstate New York locations in and around Lake George, and Pennsylvania’s Lancaster County are definitely destination-worthy. Southern adventures might include trips to Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. People flock to Lancaster County for the serenity of the countryside, but a tiger might head to Lancaster to experience “The Buck,” a series of weekend events running from April through September that include monster truck rallies, demolition derbies, tractor pulls and plenty of flying mud. Now that’s off the beaten path. An Alabama oddity that’s just 20 minutes from the Hidden Cove Campground in Arley is the Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman. The Ave Maria Grotto is a 4-acre landscaped park that features over 100 miniature replicas of famous structures like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Adventure trips for tigers and their traveling companions can include parasailing in the Florida Keys, rock climbing in the Adirondacks, spelunking in Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave, or white water rafting in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. If a tiger goes to Texas, the twice-daily cattle drive at the Fort Worth Stockyards is a unique experience and certainly the thrill of trying to lure in the big one
fishing famous Lake Conroe will guarantee a rush. Pair that with warm weather and sunny skies and Texas becomes the perfect spot for a tiger traveler. Figuring it out as you go sure sounds like an extended road trip. Setting out and seeing where the road leads is a dream trip for a tiger. Road trips on iconic highways and byways can include the Blue Ridge Parkway, which runs through North Carolina and Virginia, the Natchez Trace Parkway that runs from Nashville, Tennessee, to Natchez, Mississippi, or Florida’s Overseas Highway in the Keys. Come fall, tiger travel could include a road trip along New Hampshire’s Kancamagus Highway for a colorful leaf-peeping trip. The Year of the Tiger is full of travel inspiration! ■
Hidden Cove RV Resort WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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INTERSTATE 10
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INTERSTATE
Cross-Country
ACROSS THE SUNBELT by Lynn & Cele Seldon
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INTERSTATE 10
Crossingeight states across the Sunbelt, iconic Interstate 10 provides a perfect way to take advantage of lots of winter sunshine, sightseeing, and activities in the southern half of the United States. Running about 2,460 miles from Santa Monica, California, to Jacksonville, Florida, I-10 awaits wandering wintertime snowbirds. I-10 is the southernmost cross-country highway in America’s road system and is the fourth longest interstate (following I-90 at about 3,020 miles, I-80 at around 2,900 miles, and I-40 at about 2,560 miles). Officially and partially opened in 1957, it was part of an originally planned network from 1956 (Dwight D. Eisenhower’s System of Interstate and Defense Highways), with the final section not completed until 1990. In 1994, the American Society of Engineers deemed America’s highway system one of the
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“Seven Great Construction Wonders of America,” joining the likes of the Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge. Fabled I-10 starts, or ends, at State Route 1 in Santa Monica, which is the Pacific Coast Highway, another legendary route. I-10’s eastern end is at north-south running I-95, which connects Florida and Maine along its approximately 1,908 total miles. Running about 243 miles eastward through the Golden State, I-10 intersects with I-5 in Los Angeles and I-15 in Ontario. The highway has various names along the way, ranging from the Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway at its start to the Sonny Bono Memorial Freeway in Palm Springs, which is a tribute to the Sonny half of Sonny & Cher, who later served as the city’s mayor and a U.S. Congressman.
Sunny Arizona remains as popular as ever with sunbirds. The 392-mile stretch includes crossing I-17 in Phoenix, as well as the northern terminus of I-19. After heading through Tucson, I-10’s highest point is found 20 miles west of the city, at MM 320 in Wilcox, which is also the exit for the fascinating Amerind Museum (dedicated to Native American art, history, culture, and archaeology). The westbound lanes of I-10 here briefly rise above 5,000 feet. New Mexico is next, with about 164 miles of unique landscapes, as well as the southern terminus of I-25 in Las Cruces, near New Mexico State University’s campus. Trailblazers looking for a shortcut to an Albuquerque side trip adventure can take State 26 to I-25, before returning to I-10 and continuing east to Texas.
More than one-third of I-10’s total length is in Texas, where the interstate crosses the Lone Star State at its widest point. I-10 crosses into Texas at Anthony and includes the western terminus of I-20 in Scroggins Draw and crossings of I-35 in San Antonio and I-45 in Houston. When heading into Houston via Katy from the west, I-10 is known as the Katy Freeway, which sometimes features more than 25 lanes, making it one of the widest roads in the world. Ironically, El Paso is closer to I-10’s western terminus in Santa Monica than it is to Orange, on I-10 at the TexasLouisiana state line. With almost 275 miles, the drive through Louisiana is completely different from dessert drives out west. The pretty section of I-10 over the Atchafalaya Swamp in southern Louisiana remains an architectural wonder decades after it was completed. The southern terminus of I-55 is at I-10 in LaPlace, 30 miles west of New Orleans, which I-10 passes right through,
though it’s impossible to just pass through the Big Easy for most visitors. Those traversing this area should know about the “GATOR Trail,” which is part of the Gulf Alliance of Tourism Organization Representatives, a brand-new partnership sharing the unique culture of the Gulf Coast regions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. This classic southern road trip encompasses eight distinctive destinations in three states that are linked by one body of water, thousands of fabulous recipes, millions of residents who make guests feel right at home, and countless extraordinary experiences. From east to west, highlights of the GATOR Trail include Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Mobile, Ocean Springs, Biloxi, Bay St. Louis, Slidell, Mandeville, Covington, Metarie, Thibodaux, Houma, Lake Charles, and much more. Mississippi (about 77 miles) and Alabama (about 66 miles) present the shortest sections of I-10, but there’s
still lots to see and do in these Sunbelt states. Generally paralleling US 90 in Mississippi, I-10 runs along the Gulf Coast, including the northern outskirts of Gulfport and Biloxi, as well as skirting Bay St. Louis and NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Located on Mobile Bay, Mobile is certainly an Alabama I-10 highlight, where there’s also the southern terminus of I-65 and the George Wallace Tunnel under the Mobile River (which features what is likely the sharpest curve on I-10). Laser-straight driving, lush landscapes, and low populations generally await Florida explorers along I-10 through the pretty Panhandle. Running 362 miles, I-10 includes the crossing of Florida’s I-75, which runs about 1,786 miles from Hialeah in South Florida to Sault St. Marie, Michigan. I-10 ends, or begins, at I-95 in Jacksonville, which provides yet another opportunity for an interstate adventure in the United States. ■
I-10 is the southernmost
cross-country highway in America’s road system
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NATIONAL PARKS
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WINTER IN OUR
By Joan Rykal
WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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NATIONAL PARKS
ertainly you know families who spend their summer vacations hitting one or more of the 63 national parks in the U.S. parks system. After all, with so many to take in, a summer road trip can provide ample time to take in these splendid natural wonderlands. But have you considered a visit to a national park as a wintertime adventure? Think about it – the opportunities to explore these grand lands with smaller crowds is a real plus. Not to mention less crowds may also mean more glimpses of the not-so-into-crowds local wildlife. Plan a winter escape to check out some of these national parks.
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MT. RAINIER NATIONAL PARK (Washington): Truly a winter wonderland, Mt. Rainier National Park is a snow-lover’s playground. You can do a ranger-guided snowshoe walk, hike a woodland trail, sled, snowboard, ski, and snowmobile. Glimpses of wildlife at Mt. Rainier National Park could include foxes, deer, and elk. Don’t miss a visit to Longmire, located within the park, which was the original homestead land of Northwest pioneer James Longmire and has more than 50 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. SAGUARO NATIONAL PARK (Arizona): Winter is the perfect time to visit this 92,000-acre national park situated in the Sonoran Desert that is home to the giant saguaro cacti, the largest found in the U.S. Daytime temps average a mild 65 degrees. The park is split into two sections – Saguaro National
Park East and Saguaro National Park West, with the city of Tucson basically in the middle. You can choose to drive the 6-mile Bajada Loop, hike to see petroglyphs on the Signal Hill Petroglyph Trail (about a quarter mile round trip), or walk among the cacti on the Valley View Overlook Trail. DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK (Florida): This national park is actually made up of seven islands in the Gulf of Mexico. You can only reach it by boat or seaplane! Both seaplane charters and tour charters, as well as the Yankee Freedom Ferry, which runs daily, are available from Key West. November to April is considered dry season here as there is less than two inches of rainfall per month; this is also when the area experiences mild temperatures, ranging from the mid-60s to mid-70s daily. What to do here? Make your way to Garden Key to visit historic Fort
Jefferson, a military fort built in the 1800s, considered to be the largest brick building in the western hemisphere. Loggerhead Key is great for snorkeling and is the site of a shipwreck and also home to an abundance of sea turtles. YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK (California): Imagine taking a spin around the ice with a backdrop the of snow-covered granite peaks of Yosemite. Curry Village Ice Rink is open daily from December to March (weather permitting). Winter at Yosemite also brings the opportunity for snowshoeing, snow tubing, skiing (both downhill and cross country), and snowboarding. Hiking is always an option as is birding and taking great shots of the snow-covered scenery. Fun fact: 77% of the annual visitors to Yosemite come in the summer months, so if you go in winter, it just may seem like you have this majestic park all to yourself. ■
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It’s not about what you’re leaving behind.
Open New Doors
to a great community lifestyle.
Your new winter agenda consists of running outside, happy hours on the patio, and lounging by the pool. Trade in shoveling snow for shuffleboard and enjoy the day being right where you’re supposed to be. No snow boots required.
Take a Virtual Tour and make it yours! 30 TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
It’s about what you’re going to.
3 Ways to Explore our Quick Move-In Ready Homes VIRTUAL SHOWINGS
VIDEO TOURS
3-D TOURS
Our sales associates are ready to schedule an appointment for a private virtual showing at your convenience.
ideo walk through tours V of select home models are available online or upon request.
We invite you to enjoy a virtual walk through of our stunning model homes with our Interactive Model Home Tours.
Learn more at or Call (800) 274-7314 WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER 31
Get the job done with
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
Su
unbelt
Rentals Rent equipment from Sunbelt Rentals to finally knock out your home improvement list! By Lynn & Cele Seldon
WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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SUNBELT RENTALS
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
hen it comes to needing the right piece of equipment or tool, but not needing to buy it, Sunbelt Rentals is the to go-to hotspot to get equipped for the job. Whether it’s a small project or equipment need at your campsite or a large job at home, it’s likely that Sunbelt Rentals can help…and not just in the Sunbelt. With more than 900 locations in the United States, more than a half-million varied equipment and tool units in their rental fleet, and 15,000-plus passionate employees with a “get it done” attitude, Sunbelt Rentals really shines when it comes to equipment, customer service, training, and more. And, their offerings aren’t just for large companies. Many individuals are also long-time Sunbelt Rentals customers and fans. Of course, not every piece of equipment is something you’ll likely need for a project, but the long list of Sunbelt Rentals categories includes: general construction equipment and tools; lawn, landscape, and tree work; earth moving; forklifts; aerial work (think ladders, scaffolding, and lifts); generators and accessories; pumps; air compressors and air tools; compaction; concrete and masonry; floor preparation and floor care; maintenance and cleaning; and more. Individuals who find themselves wanting to own a certain piece of equipment or tool offered by Sunbelt Rentals will want to ask about the company’s sale of used equipment. It’s held to the same high standard as their rental fleet and can often provide a great deal for often-used equipment and tools. Plus, along with financing, there’s peace of
mind through their warranty programs. Safely and successfully using a new piece of equipment can sometimes be difficult, so the company’s Safety Training Team comes to the rescue. They offer an array of training courses to work safely and more efficiently. Sunbelt Rentals also believes in “giving back” in a big way, through a variety of support of time, talents, and financial commitments. For instance, through their partnership with the Gary Sinise Foundation, they support the Foundation’s R.I.S.E. (Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment), First Responders Outreach, Snowball Express, and Avalon Network programming. Sunbelt supplies the necessary equipment for each of the R.I.S.E. program’s projects to the contractors working on the home builds at no charge. They also donate a portion of rental proceeds from co-branded Gary Sinise Foundation equipment and organize various localized fundraising efforts to positively impact the lives of deserving defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need. Sunbelt Rentals also works with the American Red Cross through financial donations and sending equipment for relief efforts in times of need. Employees also volunteer with Junior Achievement of the Carolinas, which is dedicated to inspiring and preparing youth for the future through hands-on and experiential programs. Plus, there’s also the Sunbelt Rentals Employee Relief Fund, which was created in 2004 to support employees facing financial hardships – helping more than 550 employees and their immediate family members. For more information, visit www.sunbeltrentals.com. ■
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Your vacation plans may be tiny… but they will be mighty. From tiny houses and cabins to yurts or covered wagons, your next vacation will leave a big impression.
Fiesta Key RV Resort s Long Key, FL
Visit petiteretreats.com to plan your getaway today!
COMING SOON!
We’re excited to announce our upcoming Natchez Trace Tiny House Village, located about an hour outside of Nashville, TN. These six tiny houses can’t wait for you to visit.
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
Leavenworth Tiny House Village s Leavenworth, WA
Lake Conroe RV & Camping Resort s Willis, TX
Tropical Palms Resort s Kissimmee, FL WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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FROM
BIG CI
Wild Wi TO
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
TIES
Wl derness By Joan Rykal
Skyline of Scottsdale, Arizona
WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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BIG CITIES
he age-old conundrum when it comes to vacations is how to plan a trip that pleases the whole gang. Unless you fly solo on your travel adventures, most likely there are compromises made for group getaways. Or maybe you’re lucky enough and you can take multiple trips so everyone gets a their turn for the perfect vacation each year. One trip may be to the beach and the other to the mountains. Or one trip is for seeing the attractions of any particular city and the other is for enjoying more active endeavors than just visiting museums, galleries, and historic locales. Of course, the perfect trip combines both and we’ve got a few places where you can go to enjoy the culture of the city and adventure in the wilder areas of your destination. Because everyone’s winter mindset right now is to have a warm weather getaway, we’ll take a look at a few places where your winter getaway has not only great weather, but the perfect mix of big city and wild wilderness.
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
Arizona
Great winter weather? Check. City attractions. Check. Wild wilderness? Check! Arizona offers fabulous winter weather with daytime highs averaging 66 degrees from December to February. Combine the mountains and desert landscape with the entertainment and cultural attractions found in Phoenix and the surrounding metro area and you just might have the perfect mix of big city and wild wilderness. In terms of museums, Phoenix offers the Phoenix Art Museum, the Museum of Musical Instruments, and the Shemer Art Center. Fashionistas will appreciate the current exhibition, Generation Paper: Fast Fashions of the 1960s, which explores the experimental trend of paper garments. This exhibit runs through July 2022. The Museum of Musical Instruments is the largest of its type in the world. Here visitors can see more than 8,000 instruments from over 200 countries. The interactive Experience Gallery allows visitors to play some of these
different instruments. Shopping in the area can range from antiques and high-end fashion to local made goods and trendy clothing shops. Fun dining experiences can include the Taco Guild – fabulous with tacos enjoyed in the setting of a converted 1800s chapel, pizza and pipe organ music at Organ Stop Pizza, or an Old West experience at Rustler’s Roost for great steaks and ribs and even better views. On the wilder side, head to Papago Park and tackle the Double Butte Loop and Hole-in-the-Rock Trail. A few of the buttes can be climbed (provided you’ve got the right shoes). Saguaro cacti, mountain views and an up-close-and personal experience with the Sonoran Desert are just a few reasons to visit White Tank Mountain Regional Park and try the Waterfall Trail. For flora and fauna experiences, options include the Butterfly Wonderland in Scottsdale or the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, where you can walk the nature paths and trails among the desert plants. Other ways to explore the wild side of Arizona is via a hot air balloon ride over the desert or by horseback.
Florida:
Of course, the wildest place in Florida is Everglades National Park, which is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. Covering 2,400 square miles, there is a lot to do here. Paddling, canoeing and kayaking the ponds, lakes, freshwater marshes, and the waters of Florida Bay are just a few of the options. If you prefer wheels to paddles, try any one of the five biking trails that run through the park. There are even ranger-led bike programs like Full Moon Rides and Meteor Shower Rides. To have a learning experience, try one of the guided airboat tours where guides explain the animals,
plants, and history of the area. Hiking trails are another option for great birding and wildlife watching while exploring this vast wilderness. The nice thing about the Everglades National Park being so large is that it is accessible from several large cities. If you plan to explore the Everglades and mix in a bit of city fun, book a stay at the Miami Everglades RV Resort, which is less than 60 miles from the Everglades. Miami has a thriving art scene, including more than 280 public works on display throughout the area. Don’t miss the Wynwood Walls, an outdoor exhibit of more than 35 hand-sprayed murals and two street art galleries (for details go to museum.thewynwoodwalls.com). Another way to experience the mix of culture in Miami is to attend the Culture Crawl, which is held on the third Thursday of every month and includes experiences like film screening in local parks, exhibit openings and other multi-cultural events. Dining in Miami is truly like no other thanks to the city’s rich mix of cultures. Cuban, Haitian, Pan-Asian, Greek – pick a country and you’ll most likely find that cuisine somewhere nearby. Try a Cubano at Sanguich de Miami, named one of the top restaurants in Miami, or feast on some delicious seafood at Joe’s Stone Crab, which has been serving some of the best when it comes to the fruit of the sea since 1913.
Texas:
At over 250,000 square miles, Texas has plenty of room for both urban landscapes and off the beaten track wilderness. There are large cities like Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio and wide-open spaces like the sprawling Rio Grande Valley, Texas Hill Country, and the wildlife and birding refuges of south Texas. There are more than 7,000 lakes and reservoirs prime for fishing, 127 million acres dedicated to farming and
cattle ranching, two national parks and 80 state parks. From a city standpoint, Houston has the Museum of Fine Arts, the Houston Zoo, and Space Center Houston. And, Houston also has the 52-mile waterway known as Buffalo Bayou that is great for outdoor adventure. In fact, the City of Houston was established in 1837 at the confluence of the Buffalo and White Oak bayous. Nowadays, visitors can enjoy hiking, biking, and paddling at Buffalo Bayou. Just about an hour outside of Houston, you can find some of the best fishing in the state at Lake Conroe, known for its largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish. A bit further north of Lake Conroe is Sam Houston National Forest, which is great for hiking. Big City Dallas has the Dallas Museum of Art and the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza (which is a great history lesson on the life of President John F. Kennedy), and nearby Fort Worth has the Cultural District, featuring multiple museums located within a single park-like setting. Don’t miss the Reunion Tower in Dallas, the 561-foot observation tower where the GeO-Deck offers visitors panoramic views of the city some 400 feet in the air! Of course, when in cattle country, a visit to the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District is a must-do. The area also has its share of offerings when it comes to the wide-open spaces the Lone Star State is known for. Pick one of the many hiking trails at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge and watch the wildlife roam free – bison also roam here but are not out during the winter months. Or spend the day exploring the mix of woodlands, wetlands, and prairies at the Trinity River Audubon Center which is located in the 6,000-acre Great Trinity Forest, the largest urban hardwood forest in the U.S. ■ WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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MEMBER DEALS THOUSAND TRAILS STANDARD DISCOUNTS:
20% OFF
Daily Rates for RV Sites & Rentals Use promo code:
TT20%
Restrictions/exclusions apply. Subject to availability. Reservations required. Rates based on standard site unless otherwise specified. 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 offer 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.
ook to B l l a C
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Min stay 90 nights, max stay 180 nights Valid at Araby Acres, Cactus Gardens, Capri, Desert Paradise, Foothill Village,
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a 3+ month stay
Min stay 90 nights, max stay 180 nights
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Valid on Standard RV Sites
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Valid until 5/31/22 – Book by 2/28/22
Use promo code:
Use promo code:
TT125
EBSP300
Restrictions/exclusions apply. Subject to availability. Reservations required. Rates based on standard site unless otherwise specified 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 offer or promotions.WINTER Rates exclusively TRAILBLAZER 2022 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.
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WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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CHASE THE SUNSHINE
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
Cha Suns this
se the shine Winter
We found the sunniest spots in the U.S. for you to ditch the winter blues and soak up warm temps! By Joan Rykal
WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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hase the sunshine this winter and go where the weather is guaranteed to offer more sun than clouds and a whole lot of fun in that sun. As for U.S. travel, there are several sunny (and snowless) destinations, but a few top the list when it comes to sunniest of the sunnies. For starters, Yuma, Arizona, is the sunniest place on Earth (yes, you read that right), whatever the season be, averaging a whopping 242 days of sun per year. Come winter, the percentage of sunny days in Yuma is 84%. Another fun fact about Yuma is the area gets very little rainfall. In fact, precipitation of any kind in
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
Yuma comes in at just 15 days yearround with little to no measurable snow to speak of. Temperature wise, winter days average 80 degrees! Aside from simply enjoying the fabulous weather (possibly the best on Earth), Yuma has a lot to do. If your 2022 bucket list includes taking one-of-a-kind selfies, then you’ll want to head to Imperial Sand Dunes National Recreation Area, which was listed on Bravo TV’s list of “22 Essential Places to Take a Selfie Before you Die.” Thanks to the massive dunes, some soaring as high as 300 feet, this is the place for some sand time. Specifically, this is great for offroading treks, and ATVs and other
off-roading vehicles can be rented from area outfitters. Another interesting activity is the farm tours offered in and around Yuma. With agriculture as the number one business in Yuma, it’s no wonder they want visitors to see how the growing thing works. Field to Feast tours are half-day guided tours of various farms capped off with lunch featuring local produce. For all the details on sunny Yuma, check out visityuma.com. Las Vegas, Nevada, tracks 79% of sunny days come winter. And temperature-wise, the winter weather in Las Vegas is very different from the hot summers. January daytime temps average
CHASE THE SUNSHINE in the high 50s while February’s daytime temps run near the high 60s. And Las Vegas is never short on things to do – from indoor entertainment, including magic shows, live music and more, to outdoor activities that include hiking, biking, and trips to nearby attractions like Hoover Dam and Lake Mead Recreation Area. Las Vegas is big for retirees and that includes the old neon signs that once beckoned visitors to The Strip. Visit the Neon Museum to see what iconic signs have been retired to the Neon Boneyard. There are also horseback riding opportunities of all kinds from sunrise and sunset rides to rides featuring good old BBQ and ultrascenic rides through the gorgeous Red Rock Canyon. Well, Florida is called the Sunshine State after all so what else would you expect but daily visits from old Mr. Sol when winter days are spent in Florida? A 2020 report from a local television station listed the six sunniest cities
in the state and they included Fort Myers, Key West, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. Which, by the way, are also home to some great RV and camping resorts worth visiting any time of the year! Fort Myers tops that list with an annual 74% of sunny days, followed by Key West with 71%. Not far behind is Miami at 68%, with Tampa and Orlando rounding out the list with an annual average of 67% and 65%, respectively. From beaches to botanic gardens, and bike paths to hiking trails, plus a few crazy theme parks, there is a lot to see and do in Florida. Maybe a road trip with a few days here and there, sampling all the Sunshine State has to offer is in store this year. Starting up north on the Gulf side, Tampa has Busch Gardens, the Riverwalk, the Tampa Zoo at Lowry Park, and plenty of beach options. Further south is Fort Myers with Fort Myers Beach and options for island excursions to experience the award-winning beaches of Sanibel and Captiva. Then there
are the must-see winter estates of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, two guys who really knew how to winter. The Florida Keys, and more importantly Key West, are a southern Florida destination, via the exciting Overseas Highway. Key West highlights include The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, lively Duvall Street, plenty of beaches, and more of that Florida sunshine. On the Atlantic side, there’s the fabled city of Miami; home to Miami Beach, colorful Art Deco architecture, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens and a one-of-a-kind entertainment scene. Finishing our sunniest of sunnies list, and located slightly inland, but still within driving distance of plenty of beaches is Orlando – where the theme parks are as abundant as Florida oranges. Disney, Universal, Legoland, SeaWorld, the list goes on for themed attractions here. But there’s also Bok Tower Gardens, the NBA Experience at Disney Springs® and outdoor fun like kayaking, biking, and birding. ■
WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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IN THE KITCHEN
?
Who is in the kitchen with
TrailBlazer 48
TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
Campfire reuben sandwich 4 Slices Rye Bread
1/2 cup Sauerkraut
4 oz. thin sliced corned beef, deli style
2 TBS Thousand Island Dressing
4 slices Swiss Cheese
Olive Oil Spray (or similar)
1.
Heat up your grill on high or build your campfire, whichever you are using.
2.
Spray the inside of the Pie Iron or butter your bread.
3.
Lay one piece of bread on each side of Pie Iron.
4. On one side of the bread, put your thousand island dressing. 5.
Top with sauerkraut.
6.
Fold the Pie Iron together carefully. Bring the cheese side over not to lose any sauerkraut.
7.
If making on a grill, place on grill and bring the cover down.
8.
Time for 2 minutes then flip for another 2 minutes.
9.
Repeat by flipping and timing for 2 minutes and then another 2 minutes on the other side.
10. The more you flip, the more evenly it cooks. 11. When making it in the campfire, flip every 30 seconds for a total of 2 minutes. The wood is hotter than a grill so it’s going to cook faster. After the 2 minutes open the Pie Iron and check to see if it’s done or it needs more time. Adjust accordingly. *A cast iron pan will work if you don’t have a pie iron.
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Ro ON THE ROAD
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
oad ON THE
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. For this issue, we chatted with professional street trials rider and cycling trickster, Danny MacAskill.
Photos by: Dave Mackison
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ON THE ROAD
B
orn and raised in Dunvegan on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, Danny MacAskill knew he was born to ride and spent all his time either cycling or repairing bikes as a bicycle mechanic. But all that changed in 2009 when he and his roommate and closest friend, Dave Sowerby, filmed and uploaded a five-and-a-half-minute video to YouTube featuring him performing a series of bike stunts. However, these weren’t just your everyday, run-of-the-mill bike stunts. These were heartpumping, death-defying, and utterly unbelievable feats of agility, strength, creativity, and amazing use of the natural landscape and manmade features of Edinburgh, Scotland. With hundreds of thousands of views overnight–and with more than 40 million views since 2009–he video went viral, and a new career was born for this then 23-year-old. Now, with upwards of 20 viral videos that can be found on the internet, corporate sponsorships from the likes of Red Bull, Santa Cruz Bicycles, Adidas, GoPro, Eberspächer and more, the founding of the Drop and Roll Tour of street trials riding, and stunt appearances in Hollywood movies and commercials, MacAskill is the iconic face of the relatively obscure, yet amazing to behold, cycling genre of street trials. We caught up with MacAskill by phone as he was driving from his hometown to London. We’ve read lots of descriptions of your biking style. How would YOU describe what you do on a bike? I’m a professional street trials rider and mountain biker. Street trials is basically a very specific style of bike with a low frame and seat and very powerful brakes. But it has to be very strong. I use that bike to jump up and over obstacles like railings. I also do tricks like back flips and front flips. I try to ride on the most interesting things you can ride a bicycle on. I’m also riding mountain bikes, as well. I’ve never been a competitive athlete. I’ve never entered any competition. I’m just lucky that a video I made back in 2009 about the riding I was doing at the time went viral on YouTube. And I was able to turn it into a professional career. The internet came along at the right time for me. I’ve been doing it now for 12 years. There were riders and heroes of mine that have been doing the style of riding that I’ve been doing. The internet was just a way of getting it out to more people. I was the start of the next generation of my heroes. You are like an artist on a bike. Where do you find your inspiration? I felt like I was doing the best riding I could do on my first film. But once the film went viral and the sponsorships for companies like Red Bull, Continental Tire, and Eberspächer came along, I realized that trying to one-up myself with the same genre was a difficult thing to do. So, I tried to theme the videos I was making. I recreated my bedroom as a kid, imagining what my 8-yearold self would play with, pretending I could do all these kinds of tricks. I’ve done rooftops, mountains on my home island of Skye. Each time I try to create something I can apply my skills to. Which is your favorite video? The Ridge is very close to my heart. We filmed it on the mountain
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range of the Black Cuillin. It was cool to show off my home island. It’s everything a modern viral video should be. It captures peoples’ attention right at the beginning; it has great scenery. It was amazing weather. Music is a big part of your videos. What’s your go-to music genre? The music for me is 50% of what makes the videos I’ve made in the past successful. The music is what brings the style and emotion to the project. It’s what sets the scene and makes people relate. Spotify is something I use every single day. I like a lot of electronic music for myself. For the films I make, it’s really music that is a lot more emotive. Where has been your favorite biking destination? The Swiss Alps. It’s like a dream land for riding bikes. Do you compete? There are no competitions in the kind of riding that I do. I’m not really an athlete. I ride my bike every day, but I don’t necessarily train. I just ride for fun. I’m not really that competitive. I’m just lucky that there is this niche where you can make these kinds of films and make a living out of it. There are more people out there making a living from making street trials films than there is in competition. You founded the Drop and Roll tour in 2014. How many events do you typically perform in a year? We normally do around twenty dates in a typical year all around the world, from Monterey to Jakarta. But we’re mainly based in Europe because we usually drive all over. Germany, Austria, Scotland. I quite enjoy the shows. I’m not necessarily a fan of performing in front of people, but I know what it’s like to be a kid in the crowd and getting to see riding in real life. It’s a nice feeling for me to be able to perform in front of fans of the sport, especially a younger audience and hopefully inspire them to get on their bikes or get into the sport.
it off a guy that was racing quad bikes (known as ATVs in the U.S.). I bought it to use as a base and accommodation for me and my friends who are working on the film projects with me. I also use it for some of the shows we do at festivals for Drop & Roll. Tell us about it. It’s 39-feet long, based on a Mercedes Atego chassis, with a custom-built cab. It’s a 2008 with about 26,000 miles on it. I’ve had it completely renovated for my own space needs. It has an 18-foot slide out with black leather sofas in the living room. I like to have gatherings in my camper. The most we’ve had was about 60 people. There is a dinette, a simple kitchen with a sink, storage, gas cooker, microwave, and refrigerator. When the slide is out, there is one bunk room, and a bathroom. There is also a bed above the cab. Beyond the bunk room is a storage area for bikes and camera equipment, and two additional berths that come down from the wall. We’ve renovated it twice. All new upholstery, we changed out the boot by removing shelving and adding the two berths, we took out anything that could easily break (when you have 60 people, you need it to be sturdy). I prefer it rough and tough. It’s had a lot of work.
bikes, the smoke machine built in under the cooker to smoke up the dance floor for a good party, and the sound system. What else do you do when you are on road? Only myself and Dave, who is a close friend and the photographer for most of the projects, have the license to drive the camper. So, we’re often driving. We’ll have an editing session. We make podcasts. We socialize. Do you cook onboard? We like to cook but we usually cook fairly simple things. We try not to make too many things that require a lot of washing up. Highways or scenic routes? We do everything. I come from a small island, which goes very quickly from highways to small roads. I personally like driving on winding roads. It’s just driving a big van. Did you grow up camping? Yes. I grew up in a rural place and we were camping a lot. I did a fair amount when I was younger. ■
What’s your favorite thing about staying on your van versus a hotel room? I personally like sleeping in the top bunk above the cab. The camper van is very well suited to winter. It’s got a great Eberspächer heating system. I love going on missions with friends and being able to ride out of the back. What are your three favorite things onboard? The boot space is pretty amazing. To have the space to dry your kit, store your stuff and
What are you traveling in now? I’ve owned camper since 2015. I bought WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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R V Renovation N
ew year, new aesthetic! We caught up with Renee and Brad of WiscoFlip, an RV renovation husband and wife who used to be fulltimers. With backgrounds in interior design, construction, landscape, and a love for RVing, an RV renovation business was the perfect project for this family. TB: Tell us a bit about yourself and your business, how did it all begin? WiscoFlip: I’ve been an interior designer for 22 years and my husband, Brad, was in construction. When we built our home, we were full-timers (5 of us and 2 dogs). Some of our favorite memories are in RV parks
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
with other RV families. We loved living tiny but when our house was complete, we moved in, renovated our rig and sold it. That was six years ago. When Covid hit, I wasn’t doing any interior design and we wanted a project we could both work on together at home. We purchased a fifth wheel and the rest is history. TB: How would you describe your RV renovation aesthetic? WiscoFlip: I personally tend to gravitate towards Coastal, Boho, and Modern Farmhouse but mostly our style is a mixture of clean spaces. TB: Can you remember your first RV
renovation? Describe it to us - was it a full RV renovation or one specific room? WiscoFlip: Our very first RV renovation was when we lived fulltime. We took out carpet, painted cabinets and walls, put up wallpaper, and styled it. Today, we find ourselves gutting them almost entirely and rebuilding spaces to fit the aesthetic or the client’s needs. TB: We all know projects often come with surprises along the way. Have you had any surprises come your way during a renovation project? WiscoFlip: Yes, absolutely. I think it goes without saying that every renovator has
RV RENOVATION 3.
Make sure you pick an RV with good bones. It’s impossible to know exactly what the bones look like until you start the demo process but you can certainly get a feel for it by how well the rig has been taken care of. Inspect everything and look for soft spots in the floor or ripples in the walls. Look for delamination on the exterior, as well. Starting with good bones will allow your project to move along without huge delays in repairs.
TB: Are there any common mistakes you see with small space or RV design? WiscoFlip: The biggest mistake I see is sloppy work. Paint peeling, trim not maching up, caulk not done properly.
experienced some sort of surprise at some point in their journey. The most recent RV we renovated had severe water damage. More than we’d ever seen but was hidden in the wall, etc. We gutted the entire bedroom down to the studs, replaced some of them even. We re-insulated, put down new subfloor, new walls, and started over. We also had to replace half of the roof, part of the kitchen floor, and the slide. Most of it could be avoided if folks would maintain properly recaulking and sealing every 1-2 years depending on the climate they’re in. TB: How does designing for an RV differ from designing for a traditional stick and brick home, or a home without wheels? WiscoFlip: So very different. There’s such a learning curve with an RV. Using lightweight materials and coming up with storage solutions can be a fun challenge. We almost always know somewhere in the rig we’ll have to do water damage remediation. So, unlike a sticks and bricks home, we have to fix the bones before we can begin the renovation.
Wisco Flip: 1. I would say get the paint right (put the prep work in, it’s worth it). It’s also very important to use the right paint on the right surfaces. 2. Be patient and don’t take shortcuts and get a mentor! The outcome of your renovation and the longevity of it depends on doing it properly so you don’t have to go back to fix mistakes. Of course that could happen anyway, but taking measures to ensure good work will go a long way. Having a mentor who’s gone through the learning curve is such a great resource. We did that when we first started and it was a monumental game changer.
TB: Your renovations turn RVs into even more beautiful spaces. Where do you find inspiration? WiscoFlip: I’m inspired by so many talented individuals. A few of my favorites are Trina at RVFixerUpper, Pure Salt Interiors, Studio McGee, Kelsey Leigh Design Co, & the Hillary Style, just to name a few. TB: Anything else you’d like to share with our readers? WiscoFlip: We just feel so incredibly blessed to be a part of the fabric of the RV community. You folks inspire, lift us up, and support our dreams all while living your own dreams. We are so grateful to have made so many wonderful connections. We’ve got some really exciting news we’ll be sharing soon that we hope will be a resource for the entire community to use. ■
TB: What three design tips would you give to RVers? Follow WiscoFlip’s beautiful RV renovations on Facebook at @WiscoFlip or Instagram @Wisco_Flip WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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TECH Let’s
take a look at some simple tips and thoughtful driving habits that will help you maximize your RV’s MPG (miles per gallon). Ready? Let’s get going! ENHANCING FUEL MILEAGE: One of the easiest ways to improve your RV’s fuel performance is a tried-and-true Old School RVer mantra: “Travel light!” You’d be surprised by the improvement you can make in your RV’s handling and its MPG simply by managing its loaded weight. It’s simple: lighter is definitely better. Resist the urge to overpack. Don’t carry unnecessary, heavy items in your RV or tow vehicle. Travel light and you’ll reap the benefits of better fuel mileage. Whenever possible, you want to choose tools and accessories that can serve “double duty” in your RV. Pack things like adjustable wrenches, all-in-one combination screwdrivers, and multipurpose RV cleaning chemicals to save space, time, and weight. It’s usually a good idea to keep your freshwater tank at ¼ capacity or less to save on travel weight, if you’re not planning to boondock (camp without hookups) that day. Another good strategy for lighter travel is to frequently dump the graywater and blackwater tanks during your trip. It’s quick and easy to dump your holding tanks before leaving camp to save weight for the day’s travels. This accomplishes two very worthy goals: it can improve your gas mileage and your rig’s handling. Just remember to leave a little liquid in the tanks to prevent residue caking. Another easy way to improve fuel economy is this: keep your tires inflated to their proper pressures. Remember to check pressures only when tires are “cold” and keep them inflated to your vehicle’s recommended levels (check
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
OPICS RVing is a great adventure and there’s always something new to learn! by Paul and Kerri Elders
the driver’s doorframe for a label that lists your vehicle’s tire inflation pressure info, or see your Owner’s Manual). It’s also a good idea to remove all accessory racks (ski racks, roof racks, etc.) when not in use. By reducing all unnecessary drag, you can improve your RV’s aerodynamics, enhancing your RV’s fuel mileage performance. DRIVE WISELY: Remember, we’re out here to have fun and enjoy life, not to win drag races. Accelerate gently, allowing your RV to take its time getting up to its cruising speed. Slow down on hills, select the right gear, keep the RPM in its ideal power range, and don’t drive “wide open.” Manage your speed and following distance so you don’t have to overuse your brakes. Downshifting and upshifting makes your RV a gas guzzler. The same holds true when you “floorboard it” to get up to speed, just to find that you have to hit the brakes because you’re going too fast for traffic. The extra fuel required to make these fast starts and quick stops is wasted fuel. Generally speaking, once you get up to highway speeds on a smooth stretch of road, the higher the gear you travel in, the less fuel you’ll use. You’ll also find that traveling on interstates helps maximize fuel economy on long trips. Try to time your interstate thru-city travel for off-peak hours. By timing your trips so you avoid big city “Rush Hours” you’ll avoid gas-guzzling traffic jams and save yourself the headache of unnecessary braking, accelerating, and idling. It’s also a good idea to keep passing to a minimum. There’s no need to compete with sports cars on the highway of life; just slow down, take your time, and remember to enjoy the trip and the scenery! When your RV meanderings lead you through the highways and byways
of smaller cities and towns, be sure to pay attention to your surroundings. Always drive within the posted speed limits. Speeding can put you out of sync with timed stoplights and excessive braking wastes momentum. Excessive acceleration away from lights as they turn green also wastes fuel. HERE’S ANOTHER EASY FUEL-SAVING TIP: researchers at auto website Edmunds.com found that using the cruise control properly can improve gas mileage by 14%. Sound insignificant? It’s not; think of it as a 14% discount on your fuel price, and you’ll sit up and pay attention. It’s best to use the cruise setting on flat terrain; using the cruise control in mountainous terrain can actually cost you MPGs as the engine revs to go uphill and then slows to control your speed while going downhill. Weather, too, plays a part in fuel economy. Headwinds cost you fuel mileage, while tailwinds can improve your MPG. Bad weather can be a physical stressor, too. If you don’t have to travel in windy, rainy, stormy, or snowy conditions, don’t do it! Stay an extra day at your favorite campsite if the weather reports point to a stormy day. Wind resistance from headwinds and sidewinds can sap significant fuel mileage. Remember that RVing’s all about recreation, first and foremost. So, don’t get in a hurry. Enjoy the pleasant sights and sounds of your trip from daylight to dark, making the most of every mile of gorgeous scenery. Just take your time and enjoy the journey. Remember, you’re making memories, not just racking up miles. HAPPY TRAILS! ■
Check out more tips & tricks on TrailBlazerMagazine.net
ROA D ON THE
By Jennifer La Follette
Q
: In the back of our Honda CRV, we lay the rear seats down for the dogs. The crew likes to walk from the center console to the back but we have struggled finding something that will keep them from slipping. There is a slight angle in the rear seats when they are lying down, so towels or pads slip. The dogs also scratch the center console and oftentimes slip when their feet are wet. We tried double sided tape and non-skid foam (same type used as drawer liners). It lasted about four passes before it shredded and came loose. We are full-timers and any affordable suggestions are welcome to help our three sibling Yorkie/Small Poodle crosses. And yes, they are as adorable as they sound! While we know our dogs are the most safe in a secure crate in the backseat, it’s just not an option for us. A great non-slip bowl I use in my car and highly recommend for dogs and cats is the Prestige Pets Road Refresher, No-Spill Slobber Stopper Water Bowl, found on Amazon.
the years, the best solution I have found is an inexpensive nonskid carpet that would be used to go around the base of a toilet bowl. The U-shaped flaps are long enough to fit ergonomically around the console and add additional protection from scratches. The rug is easy to wash, holds up well and comes in a myriad of different colors. The same type of carpet with non-skid backing is also my go to choice when my seats in the rear are laid flat. Used as a base, this keeps any dog beds or blankets from shifting and gives my pet a solid grip when bridging the gap between front & back. Both of these items can be found at Costco, Walmart, or Fred Meyer for less than $15 each. A great non-slip bowl I use in my car and highly recommend is found on Amazon, and works for dogs and cats: Prestige Pets Road Refresher, No-Spill Slobber Stopper Water Bowl: https:// www.amazon.com/dp/B07NQ3W7CF/ ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_ RZ019PFZ5RT1P4V4YD92
Thanks, Willard & Terry W. Livingston, TX
A
: I appreciate your inquiry about nonskid products to protect your center console as well as a liner for the back seat. I’m right there with you that a secure crate is the most safe for our pets and respect it’s not the first choice for everyone. I have gone back and forth on different ideas with trial and error to protect my center console as it is also used as a common pass-through from front to back for my dogs. Over
Q
: Hello, Jennifer! Plain and simple: We are truly wondering if it’s
acceptable that my dog and cat eat the same food for five to seven months. We’re trying to be creative while saving on space and this solution might really be helpful. My cat is ultra finicky and my dog will pretty much eat anything and is more than happy to eat the cat food on a regular basis. The real challenge is keeping the dog out of the litter box! Ugh…but thanks so much for the inspiration over the years!
Cheers, T. Christensen
A
: I love the plain and simple approach, so I’ll give that back to you with this answer: No, your dog and cat should not eat the same food. Dogs and cats have vastly different nutritional needs. For one, cats require more protein (taurine) and Vitamin A than dogs, two vital nutrients cats require to thrive. Dog food is deficient in arachidonic acid and lacks the adequate meat-protein levels that cats, being obligate carnivores, need to survive. While these animals more likely than not can have a few little pieces of each other’s food and not have a problem, if a dog eats a lot of cat food on a regular basis - or if you are feeding your dog a diet of cat food instead of dog food - complications will arise as cat food is lacking the proper balance of protein, fiber, and specific nutrients a dog needs to stay healthy. Dogs would technically do better on a cat food diet than a cat on a dog food diet, but your dog could suffer gastrointestinal issues, obesity, and very probably a bout of pancreatitis. It’s just not at all the best decision we could make for our feline and canine companions. I do understand that space is limited in small, confined spaces so what I recommend is that you simply purchase smaller bags of both cat and dog food than you might when you are at home. Overall, this is a good choice as pet food will stay fresh and diets can be regulated by only feeding each pet twice a day to be sure your fur kids stay out of one another’s tempting plates! Be sure to keep clean, fresh water available at all times. ■ WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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INVITE YOUR
FRIENDS
YOU receive a $25 Visa® Virtual Reward when your friend purchases a Thousand Trails Camping Pass!
Your referral also enters YOU into our 2022 drawing for a chance to win these great prizes:
GRAND PRIZE SECOND PRIZE
7-Night Cruise or Trip to Hawaii ($4,000 value)
4 Nights in Las Vegas, San Francisco or Orlando ($2,000 value)
THIRD PRIZE Free Dues for 2023 10 Winners Selected (Up to $630 value)
Contact Us Today! (888) 808-8925
or visit ThousandTrails.com *Details and qualifications for participation in this promotion may apply and are set forth on page 61 of this magazine.
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
WANT TO BE A
LUCKY WINNER? Our winner for the Winter Issue is... The Butler Family from Emory, TX. The Butlers were camping at Lake Tawakoni RV Campground when they were given the news! Thousand Trails is offering members the opportunity to win a $1,000 Virtual Visa® Reward Card. Gift Card Smaller Family photo below, left to right, the following: Amanda Butler, Hadley Butler, Jace Butler, Charlie Butler, Michael Bay (Park Mgr) In the Team Tawakoni photo at the top, left to right, the following: Wanda Custred (Activities Coordinator), Gina Bigham (Housekeeper), Michael Bay (Park Mgr), Amanda Butler, Hadley Butler, Charlie Butler, Jace Butler, Earl Armstrong (Maintenance Supervisor), Rachel Hill (Business Administrator) When you pay your annual dues for 2022 in full, you will be entered into our quarterly drawing for a $1,000 Virtual Visa® Reward Card. There will be one drawing/one winner each quarter from January through December 2022. In addition, once you pay your dues in full, each time you camp at a Thousand Trails campground in 2022, 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 quarter. Winners will be notified by mail, phone or in person if camping at a Thousand Trails campground. 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. Accordingly, we recommend that all participants consult a tax advisor about reporting awards for tax purposes. We will issue the required 1099 to each recipient and to the IRS when the total cash payments and value of awards you are eligible to receive equal or exceed $600.00 for one year. 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, 2022. This promotion is sponsored by MHC Thousand Trails Limited Partnership, Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606. The Virtual Visa® Reward will be sent via email to the email address provided. The Virtual Visa® Reward will come from reward@virtualrewardcenter.com. The Virtual Visa® Reward can be used to buy what you want, when you want it. Because it is so flexible and convenient, the Virtual Visa® Reward makes it easy to treat yourself to something special or to help cover your everyday expenses. The decision is yours. The virtual reward is issued by Sutton Bank, member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and can be used wherever Visa® Debit cards are accepted. Terms and conditions apply. Your Virtual Visa® Reward may not be used outside of the U.S. and District of Columbia, nor may it be used with merchants located outside of the U.S. and District of Columbia for online, mail or telephone orders. Any purchases made with the Virtual Visa® Reward must only be in U.S. currency.
WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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C rossword
Across
1 Babism founder 4 New York canal 8 Down with (Fr., 2 words) 12 Where (Lat.) 13 Wheel 14 “Dream Girl” playwright 15 Compass direction 16 King Atahualpa 17 Apple 18 Ice pinnacle 20 Legal title 22 Salt 25 Muslim deity 28 Rumor personified 31 Court cry 33 Hawaiian frigate bird 34 Soft drink 35 Poke 36 Reek 37 Buddhist column 38 Samoan port 39 Pharaoh 40 Collect
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42 Alberta (abbr.) 44 Excavate 46 Irish writing 50 Fahrenheit (abbr.) 52 Verily 55 Alabama (abbr.) 56 Mine (Fr. 2 words) 57 Horseshoe gripper 58 Manuscripts (abbr.) 59 Pretensions 60 Buddhist monk 61 Kentucky bluegrass
Down
1 Kiss 2 Priest 3 Beer (Ger.) 4 Heath evergreen 5 Tenth of a sen 6 Incorporated (abbr.) 7 Old-fashioned oath 8 Russ. co-op 9 Ornis (2 words) 10 Unit
11 Bishropic 19 Sayings (suf.) 21 Wane 23 Successful stroke 24 Land of Croesus 26 Fr. month 27 Jap. shrub 28 FDR’s dog 29 Parent of Seth 30 Figure of speech 32 Equal (Fr.) 35 Nose (pref.) 39 Wilt 41 Silk tree 43 Pleasant-smelling bean 45 Sodium chloride 47 Cordage fiber 48 And 49 Cornmeal 50 Federal Aviation Admin. (Abbr.) 51 Male friend (Fr.) 53 Sheep’s cry 54 Tree
SUDOKU
Answers can be found on page 67.
F i nd T he E v er g reen T ree An evergreen tree is hidden somewhere in this issue. Send us a postcard telling us where you found it, and if your card is drawn you’ll win a $25 Virtual Visa® Reward Card.
Kathy Kisiel Gillette, WY Found the tree on Page 34 of the Fall Issue 2021.
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 March 31st, 2022 Please include an email address on the post card to be considered. The Virtual Visa® Reward Card will be sent via email to the email address provided. The Virtual Visa® Reward Card will come from reward@virtualrewardcenter.com. The Virtual Visa® Reward Card can be used to buy what you want, when you want it. Because it is so flexible and convenient, the Virtual Visa® Reward makes it easy to treat yourself to something special or to help cover your everyday expenses. The decision is yours. The virtual reward is issued by Sutton Bank, member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and can be used wherever Visa Debit cards are accepted. Terms and conditions apply. Your Virtual Visa® Reward Card may not be used outside of the U.S. and District of Columbia, nor may it be used with merchants located outside of the U.S. and District of Columbia for online, mail or telephone orders. Any purchases made with the Virtual Visa® Reward Card must only be in U.S. currency.
Terms and Conditions for 2022 Referral Promotion from page 58. For each Eligible Referral (as defined) through December 31, 2022, you will receive a $25 Virtual Visa® Reward Card. In addition, for each Eligible Referral through December 31, 2022, 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 round trip 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 round trip 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 2023, not to exceed $630 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, 2023. 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, 2022 and December 31, 2022 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 Virtual Visa® Reward Card and you will not receive a $125 Virtual Visa® Reward 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 MHC Property Management, L.P. 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. WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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NEW MEMBERSHIP OFFERING LIMITED TIME | LIMITED QUANTITY
NEW UPGRADE
NEW RECIPROCAL PROGRAM
Your Adventure Starts Here Introducing a new upgrade for you to choose from! Choose the
Adventure
upgrade and expand your options!
Most Flexible
Best Reciprocal Program
Only Available to Adventure Members! 100+ Campgrounds and Resorts 90 Day Advance Booking Window 21 Day Stays Park-to-Park Access
ThousandTrails.com/adventure-upgrade 62
TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
Newest Reciprocal Program Only Available to Adventure Members! Incredible Getaway Benefits! Adventure Includes 10 Free Weeks in a Getaway Cabin and discount rental rates.
Get More Locations
Travel Club & Reciprocal Program
Stay Longer
Explore New Accommodations
Plan Further Ahead
Family Benefits
Upgrade to Adventure Today! Check out our newest Reciprocal Program Only Available to Adventure Members • 100+ Campgrounds and Resorts 90 Day Advance Booking Window • 21 Day Stays • Park-to-Park Access Ask how you can camp all year long with our Thousand Trails Camping Pass! Our Thousand Trails Camping Pass is offered by MHC Thousand Trails Limited Partnership, Two North Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606. This 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. The filing does not mean the Department has approved the merits or qualifications of any registration, advertising, or any gift or item of value as part of any promotional plan. The Trails Collection Plus is a reciprocal use program operated by Encore Royalty Club, L.L.C. (“Encore”) that allows participating Thousand Trails Adventure members to use campsites and other facilities at the RV resorts affiliated with the program. Encore is an independent company and does not own any of the resorts affiliated with the program. Encore provides access to these resorts through agreement(s) between Encore and the owners of the resorts.
WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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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 GA - Lake Park TN - Christiana, Columbia, Johnson City, Seveirville VA - Richmond alrvsales.com A Great Outdoor RV Center TX - Canton agorv.com Affinity RV AZ - Dewey, Prescott, Prescott Valley affinityrv.com All Valley RV Center CA - Acton allvalleyrvcenter.com Alpin Haus NJ - Oak Ridge NY - Amsterdam, Port Jervis, Saratoga alpinhaus.com American Family RV VA - Chesapeake, Salem americanfamilyrv.com Bama RV AL - Dothan bamarv.com Baydo’s RV of Chehalis WA - Chehalis baydosrvs.com Big Country RV OR - Bend, Redmond bigcrv.com Blade Chevrolet RV WA - Mt. Vernon bladerv.com Braun’s Fun Time Campers IN - Indianapolis funtimecampers.com Browns RV SC - McBee brownsrvsuperstore.com Camperland Trailer Sales TX - Conroe camperland.net Campers Inn AL - Madison CT - Union FL - Jacksonville, Leesburg, Jacksonville, Ocala, North Jacksonville, Saint Augustine GA - Acworth, Atlanta, Macon, Richmond Hill IA - Davenport
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
Campers Inn continued IL - Naperville KY - Louisville MA - Raynham, Tyngsboro NC - Kings Mountain, Mocksville, Raleigh ND - Bismark, Minot NH - Kingston, Merrimack PA - Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, SC - Charleston, Conway, Myrtle Beach VA - Fredericksburg campersinn.com Canopy Country RV Center WA - Ellensburg, Union Gap canopycountry.com Charlie Obaugh RV VA - Staunton charlieobaughrv.com Chesaco RV MD - Joppa, Frederick, Gambrills PA - Shoemakersville chesacorv.com Clear Creek RV WA - Sequim, Silverdale, Puyallup clearcreekrvcenter.com Cleveland RV GA - Cleveland • clevelandrvsales.com Coastal RV VA - Carrolton • coastalrv.com Conejo Wholesale Auto and RV CA - Thousand Oaks conejowholesaleauto.com Country Camping Corner NC - Kings Mountain • countrycamping.com Crossroads Trailers NJ - Newfield • crossroadstrailers.com Economy RVs MD - Mechanicsville • economyrvs.com Ellis Travel Trailers GA - Statesboro • ellistraveltrailers.com ET Quality RV CA - Two locations in Yuba City etqualityrv.com Funtime RV OR - Tualatin • funtimervinc.com Gerzeny’s RV World FL - Bradenton, Nokomis gerzenysrvworld.com Gloucester RV Sales & Service VA - Hayes • gloucesterrv.net Grand View Trailers Sales VA - Bedford • grandviewtrailersales.com
Halterman’s RV WA - Arlington, Burlington haltermansrv.com Hayden’s RVs VA - Richmond • haydensrvs.net Haylett RV MI - Coldwater • haylettautoandrv.com Hitch RV DE - Milford NJ - Berlin SC - Cloumbia PA - Boyertown hitchrv.com Indian Valley Camper Center PA - Souderton • ivccrv.com Jeff’s Couch’s RV Nation OH - Hamilton • couchsrvnation.com Johnson RV OR - Sandy WA - Fife • johnsonrv.com Keystone RV Center PA - Greencastle • keystonervcenter.com La Mesa RV AZ - W. Phoenix CA - Sacramento, San Diego FL - Ft. Myers, Orlando, Port St. Lucie lamesarv.com Lakeside RV Sales SC - Anderson • lakesidervsales.com Lazydays RV AZ - Mesa, Tucson CO - Denver, Loveland FL - Tampa, Ocala IN - Chicagoland, Elkhart MN - Minneapolis NV - Reno OR - Portland TN - Airstream of Knoxville, Knoxville, Nashville WA - Vancouver WI - Milwaukee • lazydays.com Lee’s Country RV IN - Batesville Marjon RV CA - Moreno Valley • marjonrvs.com Mike Thompson RV Superstores CA - Cathedral City, Colton, Fountain Valley, Santa Fe Springs mikethompson.com Mount Comfort RV IN - Greenfield • mountcomfortrv.com
CANADA
Opelika RV Center AL - Opelika • opelikarv.com Open Road RV Center WA - Arlington, Monroe openroadrvcenter.com Patterson RV TX - Wichita Falls • pattersonrv.com PPL Motorhomes TX - Cleburne, Houston, New Braunfels pplmotorhomes.com Princess Craft RV TX - Round Rock • princesscraft.com Recreation Plantation RV Sales IL - Lynwood recreationplantationrvsales.com Rec Van CA - Fremont www.recvan.com Roadhouse Camper & RV PA - Lake Ariel, Scranton roadhousecamper.com Roy Robinson RV WA - Marysville • royrobinsonrv.com RV City AZ - Huachuca City • rvcity.net RV Country AZ - Flagstaff, Lakeside, Mesa, Showlow CA - Fresno NV - Laughlin NV - Sparks OR - Coburg WA - Buckley, Fife, Mt. Vernon, Bonney Lake RV Source TX - Bryan • rvsource.com RVs Northwest WA - Spokane • rvsnorthwest.com RV Value Mart PA - Bath, Lititz, Manheim, Willow Street rvvaluemart.com San Angelo RV TX - San Angelo • sanangelorvs.com Scott Motor Coach RV Center NJ - Lakewood • scottmotorcoach.com Scenic View RV Superstore VA - West Point • scenicviewrv.net See Grins RV CA - Gilroy • seegrinsrv.com Seguin RV TX - Seguin • seguinrv.com Sky River RV CA - Paso Robles, Pismo
Beach,Atascadero skyriverrv.com Snyder’s RV VA - Virginia Beach • snydersrv.com Strickland Marine & RV SC - Seneca • stricklandmarineandrv.com Stoltzfus RV’s & Marine PA - West Chester • stoltzfus-rec.com Sundown RV Center CA - Atwater • sundownrv.com Super Deals RV Inc. GA - Temple • superdealsrv.com TAC RV NC - Moyock • tactrailerandrv.com Tonie’s RV VA - Salem • toniesrv.com Toscano RV CA - Los Banos • toscanorv.com Vancouver RV & Park Model Center WA - Vancouver • vancouverrv.com Vogt RV TX - Airstream of Dallas Fourth Worth Two other D.F.W. Vogt locations vogtrv.com Waterdog RV OR - Dayton • waterdogrv.com Wisconsin RV World WI - DeForest • wisconsinrvworld.com Wilder RV WA - Port Angeles • wilderrvs.com
Action VR QC - Saint-Nicolas • actionvr.ca Camp Out RV ON - Stratford • campoutrv.com Canadream AB - Calgary BC - Vancouver ON - Toronto NS - Halifax QC - Montreal YT - Whitehorse canadream.com GO VR QC - Ange-Gardien • go-vr.com Horizon Lussier QC - Maryville • horizonlussier.com JCS Entreposage QC - Trois Rivières • entreposagejcs.com Kustom Koach RV Centre BC - Aldergrove • kustomkoachrv.com Lardner’s Trailer Sales SK - Saskatoon • lardners.com Le Centre du Vr Victoriaville QC - Saint-Albert • vrvictoriaville.com Leisure Days RV ON - Aylmer, Kingston, Pembroke, Smiths Falls, Sudbury QC - Buckingham, Gatineau, Sherbrooke NB - Salisbury NS - Truro leisuredays.ca Leisure Trailer Sales ON - Tecumseh • leisuretrailers.com O’Connor RV BC - Chilliwack • oconnorrv.com Ottawa Camping Trailers ON - Ottawa • ottawacamping.ca Roulottes AS Levesque QC - Châteauguay, Saguenay, Sainte-Hélène, Trois-Rivières roulotte.ca Roulottes Remillard QC - Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu roulottesremillard.com Véhicules Récréatifs JD QC - Sherbrooke • vrjdrv.ca VR Depot QC - Marieville, Vaudreuil-Dorion vrdepot.ca VR Emond Plus QC - Sainte-Nicolas • vremondplus.com VR Prestige QC - Terrebonne • vrprestige.com VR Souliere QC - Lanoraie, Lavaltrie vrsouliere.com WINTER 2022 TRAILBLAZER
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Sudoku can be found on 61.
Crossword can be found on 60.
Did you know that Thousand Trails members receive discounts on popular brands? Visit our Member Benefits page and check out our exclusive partner deals!
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TRAILBLAZER WINTER 2022
BrANCHING OUT... Seeking a Safer Tomorrow Help the manatees, Adopt one Today!
savethemanatee.org
Are you a photographer or videographer, or aspiring to be? Submit your high quality photos and videos about your stay at one of our Thousand Trails campgrounds for a chance to be featured in TrailBlazer or on our social media pages! Submit your work to tbeditor@equitylifestyle.com Please submit photos or videos with a short description about your stay, and the name of the campground you visited. Must be a Thousand Trails Member in order to be considered to be featured.
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Wherever the road takes you, We’re there for you! 800-475-9633 www.skymed.com