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Winnebago Industries Receiving 13th Consecutive RVDA Quality Circle Award

Dorrie — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:07:00 +0000

Winnebago Industries, the top selling motorhome manufacturer in the United States is set to receive their 13th consecutive Quality Circle Award from the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) at a ceremony on December 1, 2008 at the National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

Winnebago has received the award every year since 1995, a feat not accomplished by any other manufacturer. Winnebago Industries Chairman, CEO, and President Bob Olson said, “We are extremely proud to receive the Quality Circle Award again this year. We are also very proud that Winnebago Industries has received the Quality Circle Award every year since 1995, an accomplishment no other motor home or travel trailer manufacturer in the industry has been able to attain.”

The winners of the quality circle awards are determined by a Dealer Satisfaction Survey conducted by the RVDA. It rates manufacturers’ performance in eight specific areas: sales support, sales territory, vehicle design, vehicle reliability/quality, competitive price/value, parts support, dealership warranty support and overall dealer communications.

While I personally never put too much stock into industry awards, I’m writing about this one because receiving a quality award for 13 consecutive years must mean a company is doing a pretty good job of putting out a quality product for consumers. Although I have never personally owned a Winnebago manufactured camper/RV, I’ve looked at lots of them over the years at camping/RV shows and at campgrounds when I chat with fellow campers where the conservation almost always turns to the type/brand of camping unit each of us has. And I have to say the Winnebago manufactured RV’s I’ve seen look like they are of good quality to me.

I am by no means an expert but I can spot shoddy workmanship and have unfortunately seen quite a bit of it in brand new camping units over the years. Winnebago products may be a little more expensive than some other brands out there but it’s like my Mom has always said “You get what you pay for.” But don’t get the idea that I crawl around under RV’s and rip apart walls just to see how they are put together. My “inspections” are on the surface only but when I see a countertop that was put on sloppily or an outlet that is crooked it makes me wonder what else wasn’t put together with care and pride. It’s kind of like when you go look at a house and it’s dirty or a window is cracked. It gets you thinking about what else the homeowner isn’t taking care of, whether or not you can see it.

To read the entire article, click here.

Congratulations to Winnebago Industries on their award and achievement!

Send A Christmas or Hanukkah Card To A Soldier

Dorrie — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:11:02 +0000

I know this topic is not camping related but I think it is important so I wanted to share it with you. Many of us are now officially in “holiday mode.” Thanksgiving is just a few days away and Christmas is only a month away.

In the spirit of the holiday season of giving…………

When you are doing your Christmas or Hanukkah cards this year, please take a few minutes to send a card to a soldier at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. to let him or her know how much you appreciate the sacrifices they have made for the United States.

Here’s the address:
A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center

UPDATE ON DECEMBER 7, 2008

I apologize for posting this information. I just found out it’s not accurate; but instead some sort of “joke” somebody thought would be funny. The Walter Reed Army Medical Center only accepts mail addressed to specific soldiers. Any cards without a specific name are returned. I am so sorry for posting this.

To send a message to a soldier, people are encouraged to post messages on To Our Soldiers

For other ways to support our military personnel check out information on the U.S. Postal Website or visit the USO website for information on donating a package of needed items to our soldiers.

A big thank you to “c suton” for calling this to my attention; and again - my apologies.

Jayco Closing Its Topeka, Indiana Plant

Dorrie — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:43:03 +0000

Signs of the tough economic times are everywhere. There are stories every day of companies cutting jobs and we all probably know at least one person who has lost their job recently.

In the last week the only reports of increased sales I heard about were those at WalMart, McDonalds and for several distilleries. I guess some people are taking the phrase “drowning your sorrows in a glass of beer” literally.

Even the “smaller camping unit” segment of the RV industry is feeling the pinch. Jayco announced Monday that it is closing it Topeka, Indiana plant where Starcraft products were manufactured, resulting in a loss of over 200 jobs even though the manufacturing of the Starcraft products is going to be transferred to a plant less than 20 miles away.

Sid Johnson, the director of marketing for Jayco said “We plan to move as many people from Topkea to Middlebury as possible…..But right now, I think that would be very few.”

If you are not familiar with Starcraft, they manufactured popups, truck campers, travel trailers and fifth wheels.

For more information about the plant closure, click here.

Pace American Trailers Announces Acquisition of Cargo Express

Dorrie — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:51:20 +0000

Pace American, Inc., the premier manufacturer of enclosed motorsport, cargo, and specialty trailers in the U.S., announces that it has officially completed its acquisition of Bristol, Indiana-based Cargo Express.

Pace American CEO Mitchell Bender says that with the acquisition they are continuing to further their ongoing strategy to strengthen and grow Pace American’s industry leading market share position. Bender also says that, like their other brands, Cargo Express has long been recognized for its superior product quality, comprehensive selection, and exemplary customer service, so, needless to say, Pace American is very pleased to welcome them to the their family.

In addition to retaining its own independent brand identity, Cargo Express’ existing dealer network and staff will remain unchanged. The brand will also continue to be managed by Cargo Express President and General Manager Lyle Miller to ensure a smooth, uninterrupted flow of product to the marketplace.

According to Miller, Pace American truly represented the best fit for Cargo Express. “Having watched my company grow over the past 15 years, it was personally important to both me and my family that we sold it to a purchaser that shared our values,” he says. “We’ve respected Pace American as our largest competitor from the beginning and I am proud to know that they will carry on the quality and integrity that have been the foundation of Cargo Express’ success.”

Pace American President Jack Cordan ultimately points out the underlying significance of this deal: “Although our nation is preoccupied with the current economic conditions, Pace American is in a stronger financial position than ever. We’ve steadily built this company, which is privately owned, over the past two decades and have now completed our first acquisition. To me, this speaks volumes about our level of confidence in our products, people, and business plan for the future.”

Pace American, Inc. is North America’s preeminent manufacturer of enclosed motorsport, cargo, and specialty trailers. Headquartered in Middlebury, IN, with additional manufacturing facilities located in Fitzgerald and Eastman, GA, Lebanon, OR, McGregor, TX, and Hurricane, UT, Pace maintains an extensive network of over 450 authorized dealers across North America offering sales, service and parts.

New Animal Planet Series, Living With the Wolfman, Premieres October 21, 2008

Dorrie — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:47:14 +0000

Okay, so you are probably wondering why I am promoting a new Animal Planet show on this camping blog. It is partially because even campers do other things besides camp, such as watch television. And it is also because Allison from the PR company Animal Planet works with wrote me because the thought readers of this blog may be interested in the show since it is an outdoors show.

So what is this new show? It is called “Living With the Wolfman,” and it is about a guy who literally lives with a pack of wolves. The guy’s name is Shaun Ellis. He’s a British wolf expert who has become famous for successfully infiltrating a pack of captive wolves at the Combe Martin Wildlife Park in Devon, England. He hopes to promote a greater human understanding of wolves and to help regrow wolf populations.

The show itself, is going to be about Shaun’s efforts to integrate his fiancee, Helen Jeffs, into the wolf pack. Helen will literally have to growl, bark, and bite her way to authority, along with changing her diet and hygiene habits. If Helen is successful, she will be the first woman to ever live with wolves.

The show sounds interesting and I think Helen is incredibly brave to try and do this. She must really love Shaun to go to the extreme of trying to infiltrate his wolf pack. I guess this is an example of someone “doing anything” for the person they love. I love my husband, but I guess I don’t love him as much as Helen loves Shaun because I would never go live with wild animals for him. I’ll wash my husband’s dirty underwear and put up with his snoring, but that’s where I draw the line. If he wants to go live with wild animals, well…he knows where the door is.

And I’ll say what you are probably thinking. Even though Shaun and Helen are obviously very brave and daring people, I think they are just a teeny bit crazy as well!

The show sounds intriguing enough that I’m going to check it out. It’s on Animal Planet and premieres tonight, Tuesday October 21 at 10 pm (ET/PT).

For a sneak peek, watch this video clip:

Check On Firewood Restrictions Before Lugging Firewood To The Campground

Dorrie — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:39:38 +0000

If you are like me and think a campfire is one of the best things about camping, then firewood is a necessity. But, before you pack up firewood and haul it to the campground, check ahead to see if there are any restrictions.

For example, here in Wisconsin the state has been trying hard to keep the Emerald Ash borer, a nasty little green beetle that kills ash trees at an alarming rate, out of the state. One of the ways the state was trying to keep the beetle out of the state was by banning firewood from out of state and by only allowing in state firewood from up to 50 miles away from the campground.

It was an effort that was successful until this summer when it was discovered in two Wisconsin counties. Now firewood restrictions are even tighter. I live in a county that has been quarantined which means I can’t take any firewood out of my county. In addition, the northern half of the state has banned firewood from the the entire southern half of the state.

The restrictions may seem a little over zealous, but I can understand them. The emerald ash borer has been in the state of Michigan since 2002 and has killed over 40 millions ash trees during that time, which is pretty devastating.

For me it means I now have to buy all my firewood when going camping.

Truthfully, I don’t mind buying it as much as I mind getting crappy firewood. It’s hard to find dry hardwood. Usually it’s wet wood that smokes and smolders instead of burning or wood that burns so fast it’s practically gone by the time I’ve grabbed a beverage and sat in a chair by the fire. But I guess that’s a small price to pay to try and keep the ash trees in the state from getting killed.

The bottom line with this whole story of mine is that other states, or portions of states, may also have firewood restrictions that you may not be aware of.

If you typically take firewood with you when you go camping, take a minute to call ahead and check for restrictions. Because if you bring firewood into a banned area, it will be immediately be confiscated and you could possibly be fined (yes, it’s one of those situations where ignorance of the rules doesn’t matter), although I haven’t yet heard of anyone being fined.

And, if you’re one of those people that think firewood restrictions are dumb and you want to smuggle firewood in anyway, keep in mind the price you pay for it could be high even if you don’t get caught. Because if there is a firewood restriction or ban due to an invasive bug or dry weather, and millions of trees are killed as a result, you’ll pay for it somehow because if the state or federal government has to replant trees the money will come from us - the taxpayers.

Right now the emerald ash borer is of a concern in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Missouri, Maryland and Wisconsin. The first North American infestation occurred in Ontario, Canada and was likely brought in from its native Asia via wood packing materials.

But, even if you don’t live in one of the currently affected states, the bug could spread. States that border any of the affected states are obviously the most at risk so if there are restrictions or bans in place where you live or where you camp, please observe them.

Visit emeraldashborer.info for more information.

Do You Want More Hiking, Biking, and Walking Trails In The United States?

Dorrie — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 21:08:34 +0000

For a lot of people, the opportunity to get outside and walk, hike, and bike is one of the greatest lures of camping. It is for me even though it also usually means I am going to be a buffet for mosquitoes.

And, a recent survey conducted by National Transportation Reform Groups that was conducted by Harris Interactive, seems to indicate that Americans are serious about wanting to see more trails for hiking, biking and walking in the United States.

Currently about 80 percent of transportation dollars in the United States are spent on roads and only about 1.5 percent are spent on walking and bicycling.

If people who voiced their opinion in the survey had their way, only 37 percent of transportation dollars would be spent on roads; 41 percent would be spent on transit, and a whopping 22 percent would be spent on walking and bicycling.

It makes sense. The high gas prices in the United States are enough to make a lot of people think twice before turning the key in the ignition of their vehicle with many instead turning to walking and biking.

And with national attention on childhood obesity (there’s plenty of chubby adults too - me for instance) it makes sense to start spending more money on trails for walking, hiking and biking so that it’s easier for everyone to have safe and convenient places to hoof it and pedal it.

So in the spirit of the “power of one person” the Rails To Trails Conservancy is asking people to get the word out and to also possible win a free t-shirt in the process (who doesn’t like to be rewarded?)

During the last week of August congressional representatives are going to be in their home districts campaigning for the elections and word is that one of the ways they find out what’s on the minds of their constituents is to read the local papers.

So here’s what Rails To Trails would like you to do: write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper asking for more walking, hiking, and biking trails. If your letter gets printed between August 25 and August 31, the Rails to Trails Conservancy will send you a free t-shirt!

It’s a win-win situation. You get the word out about wanting more walking, hiking, and biking trails and Rails to Trails rewards you with a t-shirt (that, yes you could wear while out walking, hiking or biking!)

For all the details, including some talking points and tips on writing the letter, click here to go to the Rails to Trails Conservancy website.

More dollars spent on trails is great for everyone, including campers because dollars tagged for trails will almost certainly mean more trails near campgrounds, state parks, and national parks.

4.42 Carat Diamond Found at Crater of Diamonds State Park

Dorrie — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:58:50 +0000

On Friday August 15, 2008 Dennis Tyrrell from Arkansas found a 4.42 carat diamond stone at Crater of Diamonds State Park.

I obviously do not camp in the right places because all I ever find laying on the ground when I go camping are beer bottle caps and cigarette butts, although I admit I am not diligent like Mr Tyrrell is. He searches for diamonds three or four days a week at Crater of Diamonds and has found smaller diamonds before.

If you are not familiar with Crater of Diamonds State Park, it has the only diamond mine in North America where the general public can search for diamonds and other gems and keep anything they find.

Although Mr. Tyrrell’s diamond 4.42 carat diamond is large, the largest one found at the mine was 40 carats and was found in 1924.

Click here for the entire story about the diamond find.

Click here for more information on Crater of Diamonds State Park and then watch the funny 30 second video about the park by clicking on the play button below.

Reserve America Names Its Top 100 Family Campgrounds in America for 2008

Dorrie — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:03:46 +0000

Reserve America, the largest campsite reservation service in North America, has released its annual list of top family campgrounds. Criteria used to select the campgrounds included the availability of amenities family campers most often request such as hot showers, laundry facilities, hiking trails, family beaches, radio free zones, visitor centers, educational programs, events for children, and parks that are located within 100 miles of a metro location.

There are national parks, one of which is Channel Islands National Park in Ventura, California; state parks, one of which is Fishermen’s Memorial State Park and Campground in Narragansett, Rhode Island; KOA campgrounds, one of which is St. Augustine Beach KOA in St. Augustine, Florida; and two resorts, one of which is ViewPoint RV & Golf Resort in Mesa, Arizona.

The list doesn’t have many private campgrounds on it because Reserve America primarily handles reservations for Federal/National Parks and State Parks. The private campground it handles reservations for are Encore/ELS, KOA, and Thousand Trails.

Of the 100 campgrounds on the list I’ve only been to one, Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo, Wisconsin. It’s a nice state park but the downside is that the campsites are pretty far from the lake and if a family wants to enjoy a day at the beach it’s a long way to walk - especially when loaded down with food, beverages, sunscreen, towels, and flotation toys for the water.

Here’s the complete list of Reserve America’s top 100 family campgrounds for 2008.

LASKA
Brooks Camp Campground-Katmai National Park & Preserve-King Salmon, AK

ARIZONA
Mather Campground-Grand Canyon National Park-Grand Canyon, AZ

ARKANSAS
Hot Springs National Park KOA-Hot Springs, AR

CALIFORNIA
Channel Islands National Park-Ventura, CA
Columbia State Historic Park-Tuolumne, CA
Forks Campground-Sierra National Forest-Bass Lake, CA
Laguna-Cleveland National Forest-Mt. Laguna, CA
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park-Shasta, CA
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park-San Diego, CA
Richardson Grove State Park-Humboldt, CA
Van Damme State Park-Mendocino, CA

COLORADO
Steamboat Lake State Park-Clark, CO
Glacier Basin Campground-Rocky Mountain National Park-Estes Park, CO

CONNECTICUT
American Legion State Forest-Austin Hawes Campground-Pleasant Valley, CT
Hammonasset Beach State Park-Madison, CT
Housatonic Meadows State Park-Sharon, CT
Rocky Neck State Park-Niantic, CT

FLORIDA
Fort Clinch State Park-Fernandina Beach, FL
Oscar Scherer State Park-Osprey, FL
St. Augustine Beach KOA-St. Augustine, FL
St. George Island State Park-St.George Island, FL

GEORGIA
Watsadler Campground-Hartwell, GA

KENTUCKY
Barren River State Resort Park-Lucas, KY
Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park-Burkesville, KY
Green River Lake State Park-Campbellsville, KY
John James Audubon State Park-Henderson, KY
Nolin Lake State Park-Mammoth Cave, KY

LOUISIANA
Cypremort Point State Park-Cypremort Point, LA
Grand Isle State Park-Grand Isle, LA
Bayou Segnette State Park-Westwego, LA
Hodges Gardens State Park-Florien, LA

MARYLAND
Greenbelt Campground-Greenbelt Park-Greenbelt, MD

MASSACHUSETTS
Boston Harbor Island National Park Area-Hingham, MA
D.A.R. State Forest-Goshen, MA
Pearl Hill State Park-West Townsend, MA
Tolland State Forest-East Otis, MA
Wells State Park-Sturbridge, MA

MICHIGAN
Petoskey KOA-Petoskey, MI
Sand Lake Campground-Huron-Manistee National Forest-Manistee, MI

MISSISSIPPI
John W Kyle State Park-Sardis, MS
Lake Lincoln State Park-Wesson, MS
Paul B Johnson State Park-Hattiesburg, MS
Percy Quin State Park-McComb, MS
Trace State Park-Belden, MS

NEBRASKA
Eugene T. Mahoney State Park-Ashland, NE
Fort Robinson State Park-Crawford, NE
Ponca State Park-Ponca, NE

NEVADA
Hilltop-Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest-Charleston, NV

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Bear Brook State Park-Allenstown, NH
Crawford Notch State Park-Crawford Notch, NH
Franconia Notch State Park-Franconia, NH
Lake Francis State Park-Pittsburgh, NH
Pawtuckaway State Park-Nottingham, NH
Umbagog Lake State Park-Errol, NH
White Lake State Park-Tamworth, NH

NEW YORK
Brown Tract Campground-Raquette Lake, NY
Buck Pond Campground-Onchiota, NY
Cedar Island State Park-Clayton, NY
Coles Creek State Park-Waddington, NY
Delta Lake State Park-Rome, NY
DeWolf Point State Park-Fineview, NY
Hearthstone Point-Lake George, NY
Keewyadin State Park-Alexandria Bay, NY
Keuka Lake State Park-Bluff Point, NY
Mongaup Pond-Livingston Manor, NY

OHIO
Shelby/Mansfield KOA-Shelby, OH

OREGON
Nehalem Bay State Park-Nehalem, OR
Pine Meadows Campground-Cottage Grove, OR

PENNSYLVANIA
Seven Points Campground-Raystown Lake-Hesston, PA

RHODE ISLAND
George Washington Memorial Camping Area-Glocester, RI
Burlingame State Park and Campground-Charlestown, RI
Fishermen’s Memorial State Park and Campground-Narragansett, RI

SOUTH CAROLINA
Aiken State Natural Area-Windsor, SC
Calhoun Falls State Recreation Area-Calhoun Falls, SC
Hamilton Branch State Recreation Area-Plum Branch, SC
Keowee-Toxaway State Natural Area-Sunset, SC
Paris Mountain State Park-Greenville, SC
Table Rock State Park-Pickens, SC

TENNESSEE
Bristol/Kingsport KOA-Blountville, TN

UTAH
Bear Lake State Park-Garden City, UT
Fremont Indian State Park & Museum-Sevier, UT
Goblin Valley State Park-Green River, UT
Red Fleet State Park-Vernal, UT

VIRGINIA
Chippokes Plantation State Park-Surry, VA
Claytor Lake State Park-Dublin, VA
Douthat State Park-Millboro, VA
Fairy Stone State Park-Stuart, VA
Lake Anna State Park-Spotsylvania, VA (click here to view the Lake Anna webcam)
New River Trail State Park-Foster Falls, VA
Occoneechee State Park-Clarksville, VA
Smith Mountain Lake State Park-Huddleston, VA
Westmoreland State Park-Montross, VA

WASHINGTON
Central Ferry Park-Pomeroy, WA
Takhlakh Lake Campground-Gifford Pinchot National Forest-Trout Lake, WA

WISCONSIN
Roche-A-Cri State Park-Friendship, WI
Buckhorn State Park-Necedah, WI
Devil’s Lake State Park-Baraboo, WI
Wisconsin Dells KOA-Wisconsin Dells, WI

ENCORE RESORTS
Tropical Palms Resort - Orlando, Florida
ViewPoint RV & Golf Resort - Mesa, AZ

Have you been to any of these campgrounds? Do you have a different suggestion for one of the top 100 campgrounds? If you have, please share your thoughts about its ranking as one of the top 100 family campgrounds in America in the comments section below.

Personally, I think the best campground in Wisconsin, which is where I’m from, is Peninsula State Park in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. It has campgrounds very close to the beach, bike rentals, boat rentals, level hiking and biking trails, an outdoor ampitheater, a nice nature center, a lighthouse, a 75 foot high lookout tower, and a fun night-time Halloween walk in October.

The Great American Backyard Campout

Gary — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:46:51 +0000

Thursday, June 28th marks the date of the fourth annual Great American Backyard Campout, an event created by the National Wildlife Federation to help encourage people to explore the outdoors, starting with their backyard.

If you’ve never tried camping before, then this is the perfect time to give it a try. You don’t even have to leave the confines of your own yard. Heck, even if you don’t have a tent, you could borrow one from a friend or just head outside and truly sleep under the stars. After all, if things go south and it starts raining, then you can head inside.

This can be a great way to get your kids outside of the house and away from their computers and video games.

If you’d like to join in the fun, you can simply pitch a tent out in the backyard or if you’d like to be more official, you can viit the NWF’s official website and join the over 22,000 people who’ve already registered to camp out in the backyard on June 28th. Their site also has has a whole bunch of activities, camping tips, recipes, games, songs, and more.