Copyright Janet Groene 2025.
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RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS
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Fit to be tried....
The RV Woman’s Wardrobe
Versatility. Easy care. Season-spanning. Flattering. Durable. All these and more go into choosing duds for the RV life. Except for “casual” there are no rules for dressing like an RV-er.
Women’s tastes , budgets and activities differ, so there isn’t a one-size-fits all wardrobe. Traveling or even living full-time in an RV you can follow the seasons. Follow the sun and live your entire life in swim suits and flip-flops. Or or hug the mountaintops where you’ll need ski togs most of the year. Some RV women in the work force need uniforms or business dress.
In any case we all have to deal with laundry, limited closet space and occasional surprises, emergencies and disasters. Here are thoughts on dressing up, dressing down, and dressing clean.
* We all have colors that work for us. For space efficiency it’s best to stick with that spectrum rather than chasing each year’s “hot” hues. Staying with one’s tried-and-true palette saves space not only on outfits but also on makeup, shoes and accessories.
* One color choice is to buy only black, white, or black and white outfits, then go wild with colored accessories such as scarves, belts, socks and shoes. I once worked with a woman who always looked so chic and colorful, it was months before I realized all her basics were black, white or black and white.
* Other one-palette choices are denim, camo or khaki. Everything goes with them.
* Barbara DesChamps, author of books on traveling light, suggests, “Jeans are bulky to wash and slow to dry so are not recommended.” Although jeans are a standard uniform everywhere these days and a safe choice for any occasion, I don’t follow the crowd. Jeans are too hot in summer and not warm enough in winter.
* When I broke my arm, I discovered how useful medical scrubs can be. They are full of pockets that made it easy for me carry things around the campsite. They are cool, tropic weight and a snap to launder. On the minus side, they are not ruggedly durable.
“Microfiber coats and jackets are compact and water-repellant. If they have hoods, you may not need umbrellas,” Barbara says. She suggests one basic, dark color (navy, black, brown) for coats, slacks and shoes. “Avoid pastel colors for these if you don’t want constant maintenance,” she warns. Once these basics are in place you can have shirts in all colors.”
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| Many revrrsibles are available |
“Fleece pullovers and jackets are more compact and easier to care for than sweaters,” continues Barbara. I’ll add that fleece jogging suits are another of those versatile wardrobes that many women find comfortable around the clock.
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Double-duty duds are always a plus. You can find jackets with zip-out linings or zip-off arms and hoods, slacks that zip apart to become shorts or pedal pushers, camisoles that double as a bra and reversible skirts, vests and shells. New fabrics may be no-iron, sunproof, waterproof, stainproof or bug proof.
* Get two looks from one pair of plain pumps. Shop for clip-on bows. Get a rainbow of laces for plain white kicks.
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| Look for removable shoe clpps |
* Use color grabber-type laundry aids that allow you to do light colors and darks in the same load.
* You can’t have too many tee shirts. They serve as nightwear, daytime tops, swim suit cover-ups, underwear and share wear for different family members. Fold, roll and tuck them in anywhere.
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| Both men and women wear sarongs |
* Buy or make a length of hemmed, no iron, lightweigh cotton fabric about 2 ½ to 4 yards by 36 to 45 inches wide to serve as a sarong, then have fun experimenting with all the ways to tie it. Or simply use it as a shawl, picnic table cloth or ground cloth. In many parts of the world, draped fabrics are everyday wear for both women and men. See websites that provide ideas for tying a simple length of cloth as a swim suit cover-up, skirt or dress.
DOES THE OPEN ROAD CALL YOUR NAME?
Do you dream of living and traveling in a complete home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? See the chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and also an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you. https://amzn.to/29XFEkq
RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS;
GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS
Locations are by city and state or province and are shown in boldface. Dates are in red. Confirm all details before you book.
RV PARK CHANGES, UPDATES
Jellystone Camp Resorts are one of the nation’s largest and liveliest chains, with eight locations in Texas alone. New to the Lone Star state’s Jellystone family is the former Jetstream Resort at Stone Oaks Ranch in Austin, Texas. It’s now known as Jellystone Park Austin North and it’s adding tons of new amenities such as wagon rides, many more water features, gem mining and a basketball court. (512) 641-1072.
Formerly family owned, the Waynesboro, Virginia North 340 Campground is now a member of the Team Outsider family. Contact (www.) TeamOutsider.com/
In the Es Kooteay Regional District of British Columbia, the new, 405-acre Wycliffe Park Campground is now open with 20 campsites, biking and hiking trails, horseshoe pits, fire pits, disc golf, ball fields and a picnic area. Reserve at https://letscamp.ca/camps/wycliffe/
After a year-long closure for repairs and improvements, the Green Bay Campground in Bonner County, Idaho (it’s southeast of Sandpoint) has five additional campsites, more vault toilets and a larger parking area. The campground offers swimming, boating, kayaking, and mountain biking. The $15 dry campsites are now reserved at recreation.gov/
EVENTS
Now through Labor day, get up close with hummingbirds at Lake Hope State Park near New Plymouth, Ohio in the Hocking Hills, . Thursday through Sunday at 1 p.m. hummingbird experts guide you through an unforgettable experience. Holding a vial of sugar water and sitting quietly, you’ll soon have a hummingbird literally eating out of your hand. The experience is free; donations are appreciated. (740) 596-4938
Jam bands, bluegrass and folk music are on the menu at the Hillberry Harvest Moon festival in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, October 8-12. Choose RV dry parking or a site with water and electric. Showers are available. Breathe country air on a 160-acre farm. Listen to live music from local and nationally known artists. . Play disc golf, go mountain biking and shop the general store. See (www.) IloveEureka.com/
Lakeview Terrace Resort,, RV Park & Camoground in Lewiston, California hosts the 2025 Fall into Music Festival September 26-28. Ten bands will perform in a world of food trucks, vendors selling arts and crafts, fire dancers, drum circles and events for the kids. For details and camping reservations call (530) 778-3803. Get details of the concert schedule including the Sunday brunch at (www.) TheLakeviewTerraceResort.com.
Bring your wading shoes when camping August 27 at Table Rock State Park, PIckens, South Carolina. Meet a park ranger and wade the creek while looking for critters, plants and other treasure in the cold, flowing waters. The wading sessions, also held on other selected dates, are free with park admission. The park has two campgrounds, both with water and electric hookups. For park information call (864) 878-7381, For camping reservations go to Reserve.southcarolinastateparks.com/ Most require a two-night stay.
SCUTTLEBUTT
After many years, free stays at Idaho forest service/BLM campsites may be over. Proposals are in the works to set rates for formerly free sites and raise rates at those that already charge a fee. Nevertheless, camping Idaho forests will still be one of the best buys ever.
Plans have been off again, on again to add a campground at the airport in Benner Township, Pennsylvania. Now things are looking hopeful again for a campground with 60 RV sites and 40 tiny homes. The project will also have bathrooms and a clubhouse/office. Aircraft parking would be adjacent. Stay tuned.
The rush is on to score a 25% discount on camping reservations at more than a dozen Alabama state parks. Use the code AUGUST25 and book a stay between between now and August 28. Parks offering the deal are Blue Springs, Buck’s Pocket, Cathedral Caverns, Cheaha, Chewacla, DeSoto, Jackson, Gulf, Joe Wheeler, Lake Gundersville, Lakepoint, Meaher, Oak Mountain, Richwood Caverns, Roland Cooper and Wind Creek.
Jefferson County, Iowa has a new county RV park with full hookups. Prairie Ridge Campground is for travelers with self-contained RV’s. There are no bathrooms. Payment is by QR code and arrivals are first-come only. Call (641) 472-4421.
In Chico, California, longtime landmark Scotty’s Landing on the
Sacramento River has new owners and is undergoing a transformation from mobile home park to RV park. For details of a proposed opening of the RV park next spring, try Scotty’s Boat Landing, (530) 710-2020 pr (www.)scottysontheriver.com/
COOKING ABOARD YOUR RV
For yourself or a gift, Janet Groene's timeless RV cookbook is packed with shortcuts, tips and 270 easy, delicious recipes to cook inside the camper or outside on the campfire, camp stove or grill.
https://amzn.to/3nNndWY
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