RV Home Yet?

Napa Valley decked out

I remember..... when nearly every house and business had Christmas lights. Then came the energy crisis and few places put up lights anymore. Christmas lights have made somewhat of a comeback, but are still more scattered than I remember them.

Before traveling to visit my son and family in Santa Rosa, I spotted an article about the Christmas lights in Yountville located right off Highway 29 that runs up the Napa Valley between Napa and Calistoga. A few wineries also decorate. My last day, Jenn, my daughter-in-law) and I did a mud bath at Golden Haven in Calistoga, then Jim and grandson Chris met us and we drove down Highway 29 to Yountville. We were not disappointed. As the sun went down, the lights came on until the whole main street was lit up.

After eating, we walked down the street, enjoying the display. Then, we drove back up Highwqy 29. While a couple of wineries had been mentioned as having lights when we stopped at the visitor center in Calistoga, only Peju was decked out. The entrance was lined with skinny trees wrapped in red lights that led towards the buildings. The tasting tower was the focal point of the display. Peju has a nice lot that will accommodate RVs.

Nothing like lights to get me in the spirit of the season! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Encouraging diversity

We don't see a whole lot of African Americans out camping and RVing or enjoying the outdoors. Rue Mapp, founder of OutdoorAfro blog, is calling attention to that segment of the population. At her blog, which has 7,000 followers, she tells about her trips and ways to get outdoors. One post talks about why we don't see much Black participation in national parks, hiking trail or activities like rock climbing, yet they do enjoy nature. Just in a different way.

Her upcoming trip with her family in an RV is to Big Sur. You can read more about it at her blog. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Sea kayaking in Muscongus Bay, ME

We were a colorful bunch even though we didn't go as far as we had planned. Yesterday, I kayaked in  Muscongus Bay, thanks to Spectrum, a nonprofit organization which sponsored the class and tour. We got a discount price and a fun afternoon.

 

Our guide, Katie, from Midcoast Kayak, matched us up with a kayak (and a partner, in some cases), outfitted us with skirt, paddle and PFC. A quick lesson in how to stroke and we lugged the kayaks to the put in. I was going to paddle solo but decided to paired up with Sharma, a woman from Southport, a small island off the tip of the peninsula that is Booth Bay. When the wind picked up on the way back, we were glad to have two of us paddling!

The original plan was to paddle over to Hog Island - which we could see- where the Audubon Society has a camp. However, we had some participants who had never set foot in a canoe and that open stretch of water looked daunting. Instead, we hugged the shoreline and returned. By then whitecaps appeared in Muscongus Bay and it was an effort to paddle back. We were relieved to get back to the sheltered harbor where wind was not a factor. We had heard (and some had seen) a pair of osprey. In the cove, we watched a Great Blue Heron stand absolutely still and blend into the background. He took off when we got too close. The rattle of a kingfisher helped us spot him flying from tree to tree. And we had come close to a cormorant out in the more open water. It was a fun introductory paddle.

The experience level was varied. Sharma had done a little kayaking and wants to get her own kayak. Another woman had paddled in Puget Sound. A man came along with his own kayak but had little experience and at least four people had zero experience. Everyone did very well and Katie was quite encouraging. She was quite the diplomat, too! Some of us were chomping at the bit to head over to Hog Island, but when you are with a group, you need to consider everyone. The goal was to make this a pleasant experience so we'd want more - not scare some people to death. In that, it was successful.

 

I was delighted to learn more about Spectrum Generations. They have seven community centers,including one not too far from me in Damariscotta. They offer all sorts of activities in the areas of health, computers, exercise and outings. They have games, clubs and programs at the center. They'll have a summer's end surf and turf lunch at the end of the month with very reasonable prices. There centers are north and south of here, so check them out if you are ever in the area. They have a fundamentals of kayaking in Damariscotta next month plus a trip to Monhegan Island. What a great way to find out more about the community and meet locals.

I am also excited to have found out more about Midcoast Kayak. I had checked with another company but Midcoast has a location in Damariscotta plus at Muscongus Bay. And, they'll deliver kayaks to your location if you want to rent them. Or, they offer several tours. My daughter and I and three grandkids will do the trip I had hoped to do yesterday- paddle out near Hog Island, see the shipwreck and hopefully seals and other sea life and birds. If the weather is bad on Saturday, we might be able to switch to Monday or do a river closer to home.

I love the colorful picture we made out on the water. We were like ducks paddling on water, staying fairly close to mama. George got some wonderful photos, as you can see.

If you RV to mid-coast Maine, this should give you some good ideas of things to do in the area. Park your RV and explore the real Maine! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak  Photos by George Bruzenak

 

Will your RV park pool be open?

It's a hot, sunny day. You are counting on a dip in the pool after a day's RV travels. But will it be open? There's a chance it will not.

According to a press release in RVDailyReport.com, as of March 15, all pools open to the public are required to be equipped with assisted entry systems. Swimming pools greater than 300 linear feet will require two means of assisted entry. Richard Pentoney, with Aqua Creek Products, says businesses that don't comply will face fines up to $110,000. A provision of the law indicates that "facilities should remove barriers when it is 'readily acheivable' to do so." Pentoney goes on to say that with the relatively low expense of installing a lift system and tax credits up to $15,000, RV parks won't have a valid excuse to not comply. There are other requirements that go along with the law.

Actually RV park owners will have a year to comply so it may not affect you this summer. How many parks, however, will choose to shut down their pools rather then go to the expense of adding a lift and possibly making other adjustments to their pool areas? The man who said it is a relatively low expense sells products that are a solution. A low expense is relative. What the government thinks is a low expense could be a hardship to an RV park or campground owner. Any wonder prices keep going up for a site?

So, if you are really counting on cooling off in that pool, when you call ahead to make sure they have a spot for you, also ask if their swimming pool is open. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

17 free days at national parks in 2011

Mark your calendars now so if your RV travels take you near a national park on one of these days, you can take advantage of free admission. The first ones coming up are January 15-17 for Martin Luther King's birthday. Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior, announced the free days a few days ago in a press release. The other days are:

• National Park Week (April 16-24)
• the first day of summer (June 21)
• National Public Lands Day (September 24)
• the weekend of Veterans Day (November 11-13)

Camping in an NPS campground with tent or RV is not included however some concessionaires will have special offers and discounts. You can find them listed here. Check back. More will be added as the year progresses.

Many smaller national parks never have a fee. Or, obtain an America the Beautiful Pass and, for one fee, visit any national park on any day for 12 months from the day you bought it. It also gives you free admissions at other federal recreation areas. The Pass is a great value if you plan to visit many in the coming year. With 394 national parks there is a tremendous variety. Include them in your RV travels. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Small truck? TruckTrends choices for towables

RV Daily Report linked to this article at TruckTrend Magazine identifying towables that can be pulled by small tow vehicles. Many trucks and SUVs have towing capacities between 2500 and 4000 pounds. That's not much capacity and certainly won't work for a big 5th wheel. Where there is demand, however, there is supply. If you have such a tow vehicle, browse through the selection at the website to all the RVs that could be a match for your tow vehicle.

Do be aware that you won't be able to put much in the trailer and that tank capacities are small. You will either have to be in a campground with hookups (or have restroom facilities available) or limit your stay. They could be just the thing, though, for weekend getaways or short trips for some. Families with several children can pack a tent and let the kids camp out alongside the trailer.

It's likely that if the RVing bug bites, you'll outgrow a small trailer like this pretty quickly. However, it can serve its purpose and help you get started and have fun! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Family off on RV adventure

The Gregory family, from the San Francisco area, have sold everything and are headed off for a year of RVing adventures with their children. They have 12 year old triplets and an 11 year old son. They plan to homeschool their children while they travel.

Bay News 9 has their story online. The comments are what I found interesting. A number are envious. Several have or are doing something similar. And, then there are the naysayers who have all sorts of reasons why it won't work.

All the issues raised by commenters can be dealt with. Most comments reflect the fear of the poster. What people sometimes forget is that a decision like this doesn't have to be a forever thing - or even one year. If it doesn't work the way they hoped, they could get off the road sooner. Or, they may love it and decide to extend their time on the road. I have no doubt that however long the Gregory family stays on the road that all will have memories that last a lifetime. They will have experiences they never would have had if they stayed in the Bay area. I say, go for it and don't listen to the peanut gallery! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak