Published November, 2000
How did you like limes? As some of you already know, a great place to read about all the things you can do to a lime is at users.massed.net/~westgate/. This is where readers were directed last issue to see the fall foliage.
Oops! I should have directed those of you who wanted to see the colorful leaves of autumn to users.massed.net/~westgate/fall.html. What a difference a file name makes.
So now the weather is getting colder. There are flurries of snow to help brush the last of the colorful leaves from the trees. Are you still stuck in the northern climes? If so I just hope you have taken the opportunity to winterize your rig. If you don't take care, when you prepare to travel next spring you might find yourself with an RV that does not have a working water or disposal tank system.
There are several good websites that cover the issues you should consider. The Recreational Vehicle Industry Association provides a summary of the information you need at www.rvia.org/consumers/recreationvehicles/takingcare/Winterizing.htm. Winterizing is just one of the topics discussed by Harold, the RVMD at the RVing -- The Midwest Connection site found at walden.mvp.net/~vdrex/howto.htm. Just make sure you dispose of the antifreeze next spring in an environmentally safe way.
What! You decided to head south to avoid having to winterize your rig. Or were you quick on the trigger and are already sitting there in the warmer weather. You may be one of those who own a spot in the southern part of the country, or you may be one of the "affluent homeless" who drift around from place to place where the weather is warm. You can find something on the Internet for all of you.
Many people spend at least part of the winter boondocking. For you experienced or wannabe boondockers, here are some websites you will find useful. The best from my point of view is from Fred Tinseth at www.phrannie.org/boondock.html. Fred speaks from over 20 years of experience and covers most everything you might want to know about how to do it and what to watch for.
To sense the thrill of boondocking take a look at movinon.net/Guest/boondocking.htm, a guest article in the Movin' On website written by Ron and Judie Walker. Pat Waters offers a good summary of information about boondocking in the Long Term Visitor (LTV) Areas of Arizona and California at www.telusplanet.net/public/waters/. It is well worth the read before you head to Quartzsite.
Many RVers would rather stay in a campground with amenities, including a paved pad and full hookups and a swimming pool and Internet access. In the past most RVers carried those large, thick directories that listed all the campgrounds across the land. Nowadays, that information can be found on a CD-ROM, or for the latest information, you can look on the Internet.
The best of the directories for access and being able to select by location and amenities is the online Trailer Life Directory at www.tldirectory.com/. You must become a member (at no charge) and give them your email and mailing address to use the directory, but you can specify that you do not want to receive their notices. I don't yet know if they will honor their commitment to refrain from sending things, but I will find out soon.
The other two standbys of old are Woodalls, online at www.woodalls.com/campsrch.cfm and Wheelers, online at www.wheelersguides.com/newwork/. There are a number of other campground guides available on the Internet, but most offer limited selections or are specific to individual states or other localities. Direct your search engine to RV Campground Directories to locate these other websites.
While you are in the south this winter, there is a lot to do. Consider visiting Mexico. The city of Yuma, Arizona, offers a website that tells of their neighbor at www.visityuma.com/Mexico.htm. Try rockhounding around the Rockhound State Park near Deming, New Mexico. DesertUSA has a great story by Larry Lightner of what you can find there at www.desertusa.com/mag00/apr/stories/rock.html.
If the kids or grandkids you have along want to know where to find the water slides and theme parks in your area, look at members.aol.com/parklinks/parks.htm. There are over 1,600 links to check for thrills. The photos by Raphael Carter at www.chaparraltree.com/photos/desert.shtml give you some idea of the beauty you can find on a desert hike. And of course, there is Quartzsite. But that is for the next issue.
While you are surfing the Web and planning all you are going to do this winter, take the time to see what others have done. The Internet offers the opportunity to travel along with someone else who tells a good story and goes to interesting places. Carl Alhemeyer provides one of the neater travelogue sites in "Travels with the GTRV Westy" at pages.prodigy.net/chainnj/Journal.htm. He has driven across the United States several times and has collected a set of pictures to show you what our country is like. You will enjoy his very concise descriptions of his life on the road.
Well, that's it for this time. Hope these websites point you in some interesting directions. Drop me an email about other kinds of information you would like to see here. And take care driving down the road. Maybe we'll see you along the way.