RV Home Yet?

Buying on RV? Be on HGTV

HGTV House Hunters program is looking for people who are seriously considering buying an RV or have recently purchased an RV to feature on the program. They want a fun, compelling story. If selected, the House Hunters production team will spend three days with you to capture the story.

Anyone interested in being considered or with suggestions for the producers should contact Pie Town Productions at (818) 205-0600 or email lori_hirsch@pietown.tv or anne_nemer@pietown.tv.

RVIA is putting out the word and you can read a few more details here in their newsrelease. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

A visit with Bev and Oprah

Beverly and Jim live in an almost unpronounceable town along the Natchez Trace - Kosciusko. Though   the town has a couple of distinctions besides Jim and Bev, it is probably best known as the birthplace of Oprah Winfrey. Driving north on the Trace, we could not pass up a chance to see Bev and Jim. Not only was lunch included, but a tour of the town!

We first met on the Workamper Forums. Then George and I were stuck in Oklahoma, about halfway between Tulsa and Oklahoma City waiting for a part. Bev and Jim were Workamping in Tulsa so we met at the Barnes and Noble. In 2010 they managed an RV park in Quartzsite, AZ so we got to see them again. I knew they were in Mississippi somewhere but was excited to find they were right along our route.

William Dodd named both the county and the city. As to the city, according to their website, "Relatives say he also recalled the fondness an ancestor  had held for the Polish engineer on George Washington's staff during the Revolutionary War, Thaddeus Kosciuszko." Kosciuszko designed crucial fortifications at Saratoga and then later at West Point.

We had a delicious lunch then took a driving tour of the town.We went out to the place where Oprah was born. A sign marks the spot. The house is long gone. Just a short distance away is the church (now the Buffalo Community Center) where Oprah gave her first recitation.

We then drove downtown. The area around the square is attractive and looked like a nice place to walk around. Down that way is the huge boys and girls center Oprah had built for the town. What a nice a gift for the children of Kosciusko.

We also stopped at the Kosciusko Visitor Center and Museum. It has a permanent display about Thaddeus Kosciuszko (above right) and the Natchez Trace plus visitor information.

I doubt we would have stopped in Kosciusko had it not been for Bev and Jim. While Bev probably  won't offer to fix a delicious pasta salad for you, the town is worth a stop if you are driving the Natchez Trace. The visitor center is right off the Parkway so stop by and look around. My route on the southern part of the Natchez Trace Parkway with directions to Oprah's birthplace was published at RoadTripAmerica.com with some other ideas for the drive as well. Mississippi is a lovely state and the Natchez Trace a lovely drive - very pleasant for RVers since there are no big trucks and little traffic. Another thing to add to the bucket list! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Make one nite at Walmart the max

Cities and towns in some areas have banned overnight parking at Walmart and other parking lots. The main reason is that RV parks resent RVers staying for free when they have spots that are empty. If RVers couldn't stay at Walmart, they'd be in their park, is their reasoning. Of course, that's not necessarily true. Many of us drive on down the road because we are not looking for amenities, just someplace to spend the night and then leave in the morning.

However, another contributing factor to municipalities banning parking at Walmart is RVers who take advantage of it and either stay multiple nights or set up camp - put out their awnings or even barbeque grills. Some go so far as to put down their jacks or to dump gray or black tanks.

The Metro Edmonton has an article about St. Alberts in British Columbia, which is considering such restrictions. The article notes that one RV has been there all winter.

RVers - whether you are full or part-time RVer or a vacationer, limit your stay to one night. Otherwise, you jeopardize it for all of us. Ask permission first. Refer to the Escapees RV Club's articles. This link will take you to the Escapees Code of Parking Etiquette. Refresh your memory, then print them out and leave for RVers who may not know any better. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

RV McMansion sales up

Last year sales of RVs were up 3 percent while Class A's were up 7 percent. According to Kevin Broom, a spokesperson for the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association, luxury is in demand. Buyers want things like stainless steel appliances, flat-screen TVs and hardwood floor in their RVs, just like they had in their houses. Many of these motorhomes are bought for retirement instead of a second home.

"Glamping" is what appeals to  many who purchase RVs- that is being able to camp in a remote area, yet still have luxuries like big flat-screen TVs, a comfortable bed and even an Internet signal. People who can afford the higher end motorhomes may not be too worried about the price of fuel but find the convenience of an RV appealing. Typical motorhomes cost between $150,000 and $500,000 with some costing as much as $3 million.

You can take a look at some of the interiors of these highend luxury motorhomes in the slideshow at Smartmoney.com.

Thank goodness you don't have to spend that kind of money to get started in the RV lifestyle and you don't have to be rich. I've seen some of the top end motorhomes that pretty much need to be plugged in to operate. That sure limits your flexibility and does away with boondocking. It's all in what's important to you. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

RV Lifestyle Ezine- Workamping tips and RV gardening

If you missed the latest issue of RV Lifestyle Ezine, here is the link. Tom and Nancy write about gardening on the road as you travel in your RV. Read the last two tips from Mary D about dealing with emergencies. There's a cool tool for learning more about the night sky so you can pick out those constellations, five tips for Workamping and much more. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak 

Indian mounds

Near Natchez are two areas with large Indian ceremonial mounds. Built by ancestors of the Natchez Indians during the Mississippian Period between 1250 and 1600 A.D., land was built up, usually around a hill, to make a large platform or plaza. On the flat areas were often smaller mounds. These mounds were used for special ceremonial purposes.

At Grand Village on the south side of Natchez, one mound was where the Great Sun, or supreme ruler, lived. The Temple Mound (pictured on the right) at one end of the large plaza housed bones of former Sun rulers and was the scene of funeral rites when a Sun died. Grand Village not only has the mounds but an interpretative center where you can learn about the structure of their society. There was a strict hierarchy of classes, though the ruling classes did have to marry someone out of their class. 

Grand Village became the center after Emerald Mound faded away.  Emerald Mound is about 10 miles north of Natchez, off the Natchez Trace. We stopped there shortly after we started north on the Trace. This mound is much larger, or perhaps more intact. It is the second-largest Mississippian Period ceremonial mound in the U.S. It was built and used between the years 1200 and 1730. It is 35-feet high and covers eight acres. The secondary mounds bring the height up to 60 feet. The photo - above left- is taken level with the bottom of the main mound.

The photo of climbing the stmounds were huge. Imagine, a large portion of that dirt was hauled by hand, probably dragged on skins or carried in jugs. What a job.

The Natchez Indians were farmers. Their language was not similar to other languages in the area. That and these complicated ceremonies raises many questions for archaeologists. They were mostly wiped out by the French, between warfare and disease. They did attack the French but the French retaliated and the tribe had to leave their homeland. Eventually the ones who remained were dispersed to other tribes.

Mounds were built throughout the eastern half of the U.S. These are the first we've seen. Quite impressive and on a much bigger scale than I expected. Both sites have room for RVs to park while you walk around the sites. At Emerald Mound there are a couple of interpretative signs, but no visitor center or facilities. These mound sites are definitlely worth seeing. Put them on your RV travels list! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Watch out for sinkholes!

As if tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes weren't enough, RVers should be wary of sinkholes - especially in the Black Hills of South Dakota. One just "ate" a camper hookup pad at Whistler Gulch Campground and the opening is now fifty-feet wide.

Sinkholes are fairly common in this area and can be due to old mine shafts but also because of the nature of the ground. There are underground caverns in the limestone caves that underlie much of the interior of the Black Hills and sometimes these collapse. In this case it might also have resulted from damage to an underground drainage system installed at the campground, according to the owner Tom Blair. They plan to fill the hole in by Memorial Day.

This sinkhole has grown larger and larger over the past few days. The collapse of a large area can be sudden, however. According to the USGS, "The most damage from sinkholes tends to occur in Florida, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania."

Wow- that would be quite a shock - something out of a horror movie. What if you couldn't get out? I don't think I'll think about it or let that possibility disrupt my RV travels.Still...

You can read the full story at RVDailyReport.

 

Burbank, CA - another approach to getting rid of RVs

Burbank is taking another approach to getting rid of unwanted RVs parking on city streets. They are charging $5 a day for a permit for vehicles longer than 22 feet and taller than 8 feet. The fine is $55 for a violation.

You must go into the city's permit counter which is only open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to purchase your permit, though online sales will eventually be set up. You can park for three days in a row with a maximum of 96 days per calendar year.

According to the article in the Burbank Leader, only 10-15 RVs should be affected. However, raised pickups could exceed the height limitation but traffic engineer Ken Johnson did not forsee them being a target for citation. (Selective enforcement?)

I guess there won't be a flood of RVs moving from other cities to Burbank so the city council will accomplish its goals, plus raise a bit of revenue in the meantime. Actually, I don't think Burbank is a hot RV destination anyway so few of us will be affected. Still this move is indicative of steps cities are taking to keep RVs off the streets, particularly those who live in their RVs on the street. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

New Oklahoma Visitor Guide

Oklahoma is an interesting state to visit and travel through. If you are a Route 66 afficiando, Oklahoma has more miles you can drive on than any other state and lots of interesting Route 66 icons along the way.

You can get more information at the TravelOK.com website or order a printed guide. On the website you can find discount coupons that could save you money. Take a look before RVing through the state. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Tapestry- Vicksburg-style Pilgrimage

During our first few days in Vicksburg, we found out that Vicksburg has an event akin to Natchez's Spring and Fall Pilgrimages. In the description they say, "Some of Vicksburg's most historic properties will tell their stories from antebellum grandeur to the Siege of Vicksburg to the turn of the 20th Century. Together these stories weave the Tapestry of who we are today." Hence the name.

While not as elaborate as the event in Natchez, we were told the emphasis was more on history rather than the furnishings. We were able to visit two of the houses on tour. One was the Jacqueline House African-American Museum. No longer used as a house, it was crammed with every sort of artifact possible: photos, books, artwork, all sorts of items. Yolanda Robbins, curator, spent part of her life in this house after her parents moved here. It was a neighborhood store. It is named after Yolanda's sister who passed away. Yolanda lives next door in a larger house that is also a funeral home started by her parents, which she runs.

Interesting things included a nine-foot long cotton sack, pulled and filled as the person picked cotton. I tried it on. Pickers would receive $1 or 2 a day for filling this giant sack two or three times. There was a golf tee - that had been invented by a black man. Hair implements for styling hair were among the many items.

We also visited the Baer House, a few streets from the Jacqueline House (photo top right). Besides a house tour, we were treated to refreshments and lovely quilts on display made by local women. We learned more about quilts and an interesting book, Hidden in Plain View: A Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad by Jacqueline Tobin and Raymond Dobard. Their thesis, though disputed by others, is that quilts gave messages to slaves seeking to escape their masters. Quilters would enjoy this book.

The Baer House is a beautifully restored Eastlake Victorian home, now a bed and breakfast. Built in 1870 by Leona and Lazrus Baer, Leona insisted on many modern features including a kitchen inside and privies on the first and second floor. A two-story outhouse was the result and quite interesting to see! It later had the first flush toilet in town. Lazrus Baer was a Jewish immigrant from Germany and made his money with a dry goods store. The house was in Leona's name: Mississippi was the only state where a woman could own property in her name. Later an 1840s brick house which was next door was incorporated into the original structure. You can see the difference and where they were joined.

These two houses show the diversity of cultures found in Vicksburg. There was quite a large Jewish population that settled here and a large community of free blacks. While we only visited the two places in Vicksburg, I did like the emphasis on history we found here. Melrose, run by the National Park Service in Natchez, did emphasize the history, but the owners of private homes told us more about the furnishings. Part of the reason for that is related to the fact that Natchez houses were built prior to the Civil War, mostly by wealthy plantation owners. Natchez was taken over quickly by the Union without a fight, plus most of the plantation owners voted to stay in the Union because it was better for business. Vicksburg, on the other hand, endured a dreadful siege before surrendering so their history is more convoluted and colorful.

Like Pilgrimage, Tapestry has several houses and historic buildings open on a rotating schedule throughout the month during the month of April. See here for more information.

I noticed other towns also have their own pilgrimages. I recommend taking advantage of the chance to see homes not ordinarily open to the public if your RV travels take you in the area when one is happening. Natchez is the granddaddy of pilgrimages and has some amazing houses. And, I would also highly recommend Tapestry. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak