RV+Homeschool, Campground Good News/Bad News

 Copyright Janet Groene 2025 To ask about placing your ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene@yahoo.com

What Homeschool Teachers Want

RV Full-timers to Know

    Is your children”s school schedule keeping you from going full-timing? Homeschool can get you Out There sooner than you think. 

    For answers I went to Shirley M.R. Minster, M.S. Ed., a Master Degree certified teacher with credentials in education, educational guidance, and counseling. A founder of Royal Academy Education and a long-time leader in the homeschool field, she works full-time as an online teacher.

    Learn more about Royal Academy and its individualized student programs  at (www.) Royalacademyeducation.com

    QUESTION: I am a single mother on a budget. I can’t afford a large RV. What space do I need for a school setting?

    SHIRLEY MINSTER. A child needs only  a flat space on which to write or draw. The table is fine, but so is a lapboard with a beanbag base. Have a quiet area (the bed space, for instance) so reading and writing can be more focused. A good reading lamp is helpful, too, and internet capability. Younger children  need art materials, which can be boxed up so they don’t roll around.. I recommend a math textbook and some reading books, but with the accessibility of textbooks online, and excellent choices of literature online, space isn’t as much of an issue as in earlier years.

    Children can work inside or outside. Keep one school box per child so school materials are all together.

    QUESTION: When leaving a homeschool program, how can I return my children to  public school?

    SHIRLEY MINSTER. Records are important. Keep a portfolio for each year that each child was homeschooled. It should include the child’s picture, a list of courses completed, names of textbooks and materials used, a list of literature read,  field trips taken includingphotos of places visited and proof of projects completed (e.g., murals, posters, science experiments). (If you keep these reports and photos on a thumb drive, make sure to have a backup.)

    If you kept grades for your child, write out your grading scale (i.e., A = 90-100, B = 80-89). If you didn’t use a traditional grading system, write a simple explanation of how you knew when your child was ready to move on to higher levels. I also recommend that you include an explanation about the many enriching opportunities your child had while Rving.

QUESTION; Is any financial aid available?

SHIRLEY MINSTER. Look for materials in used bookstores, Goodwill, and Salvation Army stores as well as online. Suggest to family members that they give gifts of books and materials, but be specific so you have what can be used that year. If you have more than one child, look for materials that can be re-used.

QUESTION: My son has ADHD and is now in a special program in public school. Is it fair to him to try homeschool?

SHIRLEY MINSTER: Often a child with ADHD is very successful in homeschool because he or she  can focus on one subject at a time for a smaller amount of time. The atmosphere is more conducive too. There is no classroom noise, no other students distracting him. Because you are celebrating what he is learning and his personal interests, he will enjoy homeschooling, too.

QUESTION; When I’m on the road, all alone, where can I get help?

SHIRLEY MINSTER.  First, go to state and national websites. They often list free, downloadable materials. Also, check out the state library. AAA and the National Park Service have  interesting materials, many of them free.

JANET GROENE ADDS: There are also online support groups for full-timers with children such as (www.) familiesontheroad.com and (www.) Homeschoolnewslink.com. Start your own group, website or space, specialized to your special situation on the road and in education. 

QUESTION: How far can my children go in homeschooling?

SHIRLEY MINSTER: You can continue through high school. Students who are considering college can take online courses. Some parents stay in one location for a semester so their high schooler can attend a local college on campus. If a student is considering a career in science, it’s important to have lab equipment and materials available. They can be purchased through supply companies. Your child can take an online course, do the experiments in the RV, and complete the course.

QUESTION; I don’t have a college degree. Can I handle homeschooling for my kids?

SHIRLEY MINSTER: One does not need a college degree to homeschool. If the parent does not feel qualified, either hire a tutor for that  subject or enroll the student in an online course. A LIVE-TIME course is better, in my opinion, than one that has been taped because the student can ask questions immediately rather than emailing questions and waiting  until the teacher gets back to him.

QUESTION; Tell us more about your role as a teacher.

SHIRLEY MINSTER: Royal Academy is a full-time, internationally accredited, year ‘round school. Our staff will design the program that best fits your child. We work live-time (personally present) with each child .We also write courses to fit each student. Some classes have up to 5 students and they can interact, encourage, and have fun with others. Other courses are taught one-on-one. Our teachers and staff love to travel, too, so (RV full[timers) will be talking with like-minded folks!

  CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS FOR 2025

We troll local media, real state transactions, zoning hearings and such to keep an eye on where new campgrounds and RV parks may be built. This news may be premature or incomplete but is presented here to give RV-ers  an earlybird look at what may be happening in your neck of the woods. 


CAMPGROUNDS REOPENING
     Port Crescent State Park, Michigan opens its reservations window on January 7. Closed during 2024,  the park will reopen next spring after massive renovations including full hookups i the campground.
    Cape Lookout State Park, Oregon near Tillamook, has postponed its closure for campground  renovations. It will open in the spring as usual. Stay tuned for a closure date, possible by Summer, 2025.
                
    
CAMPGROUNDS CLOSING
    Oregon’s Nehalem Bay State Park has had delays in its construction projects, so it will remain closed through the spring and possibly until late summer. When it reopens at a date to be announced, it will have new restrooms, accessible campgrounds and improved traffic flow.
    Tar Hollow State Park, Laurelville, Ohio is closed pending extensive improvements that will include full hook-ups in the campground. Reopening is expected to be Spring, 2026.  Stay alert for the opening on the reservations window later this year.

NEW OWNERS
    California’s Lupin Lodge, a long-time nudist campground and resort is for sale and it’s expected that new owners will take it “textile”. Bring your hiking and pickleball outfits. The trend in California seems to be for fewer clothing optional campgrounds.
    In El Centro, California, the one-time KOA campground is now the Country Life RV Park under new owners.
    The 170-acre, formerly  family-owned  Riverbay Resort near Lincoln, Alabama has been purchased by large company. The lakeside resort has RV sites, tiny homes and mobile homes.  (205) 763-7732

NEW RV PARKS
    Bossier, Louisiana is about to get a massive  casino complex that will include a 31-acre RV park! The grand opening of Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana will be February 13. The casino will have 47,000 square feet of gaming space, an Event Center for concerts and meetings, a fitness center, restaurants and bars galore and a flashy resort-style swimming pool. Stay tuned.

The Turtle Creek RV Park at the Turtle Creek Casino in Williamsburg, Michigan is set to open in spring 2025. Call (800) 922-2WIN.  In the future a clubhouse, pool, hot tub and entertainment venue will be added.

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If you have late-breaking local campground news to share, email janetgroene@yahoo.com 

RV Updates for 2025 + Campground Good/Bad News

 

 

 

 Copyright Janet Groene 2024. To ask about rates for reprint rights to this content, or to place an ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene@yahoo.com

Mother DIDN’t always Know Best

 

Know child safety laws for RV's

 

     Most of us rely on things our mothers said and taught. With all due respect to Mom, however, some things have changed. Here’s what RV-ers need to know in 2025.

 

    Don’t Flush.  In Mother’s day the “safe” way to dispose of out-dated meds was to flush them down the toilet so children and pets wouldn’t get into them. Now we must dispose of them at pharmacies and other collection centers. 

We don’t want these  new, powerful compounds in campground septic systems, ground water  or in  municipal sewage treatment plants. Some compounds survive forever.  Disposal policies vary city to city, so ask a pharmacist. 

    Do Flush. To conserve water, Mother taught us, “In these isles of sun and fun, we don’t flush for Number One.”  However it’s best in an RV to flush often and use plenty of water. This keeps solids in solution in the tank. Road motion helps even more in keep things liquid enough to flush out thoroughly when you empty the tank. 

    Treating Burns with butter is no longer the accepted way. According to MayoClinic.com, first aid for minor burns is to hold the burned area under cold running water for at least five minutes, or until  pain subsides. If this is impractical, immerse the hurt in cold water or cool it with cold compresses. Don't put ice on a burn, Mayo warns. Get medical advice, even if a burn seems minor. 

Forestry Management   When I camped as a Girl Scout, we knew that good citizens didn’t cut live wood.  However, we sometimes used the the old trick of shaving green wood when no dry kindling was available. 

 Now many state parks and campgrounds don’t  permit campers to pick up dead wood or even twigs.  Piles of brush are habitat for small creatures. It’s part of nature’s plan, they say, and it will decompose to feed  new growth. It’s also not allowed in many places to bring in firewood because of fear of spreading disease.

 

 

Smoke Detectors     Smoke detectors are lifesavers but they do NOT “see” carbon monoxide. This deadly gas is odorless and invisible. In addition to a smoke detector and other sniffers we  need a dedicated CO detector, preferably with all the newest features.  If it sounds off,  get out of the RV, even if you feel so sick you can hardly get out of bed.  CO poisoning feels like flu, so don’t take a chance.  Get treatment at once and in the future let doctors know that you once had CO poisoning. About 25% of victims suffer later symptoms such as memory loss, nerve damage, depression, anxiety, cognitive disorders, and even personality changes.  

 

State laws may vary according to age

    Child Restraints Child car seat designs, child seat recalls and state laws keep changing, so make sure you have the most current information on child safety as required in an RV.  Know what is required for each child’s age and know how to hook up the seat or restraint correctly. 

 

 

 

Bottled Water for Health      “Everyone thought it was so healthy to drink bottled water,” comments medical writer Lisa Stockwell, “But now  the plastic may make the water less healthy than what we get out of our tap.,” She also complains that discarded plastic bottles are wreaking havoc with the environment. Get canteens, refill as needed. 

 

 

 

 

Do you love your Kindle for travel? Snuggle up in your RV bunk with cozy mystery series featuring a widow who once lived on a boat and now sails virtually via her online charterboat booking business. She’s Farley Halladay, a salty caregiver, business woman, cook and crime solver whose stories take you virtually all over the world. Start with January Justice   https://amzn.to/2XqCl1y then you'll want to read them all. 

 

 

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IS 2025 THE YEAR YOU'LL GO FULL-TIMING? 

The 4th Edition of the Groenes’ book Living Aboard Your RV, A Guide to the Full-Time Life on Wheels, is available from Amazon at   https://amzn.to/3knbvll/

The book starts with making the decision to go full-timing, then leads you through choosing and outfitting the RV as a home, making money on the go,  home schooling, finding affordable campsites and more.  It ends with advice on easing out of full-timing, when and if that day comes. Want to give it to someone who will retire in 2025? Amazon can wrap and ship it for you if you like. 

 

        CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

 JUST IN!   These news items are gathered from local news, government and real estate sources and may be incomplete or premature . Check out each for yourself as the story develops. 

NEW OWNERS: A Dallas-based real estate firm has bought the Bluffton/Fort Wayne South KOA Journey in Indiana. New amenities and activities are being planned but no announcement of other changes has been made.

 The Cavendish campgrounds in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, Canada are expected to open under the Yogi Bear Jellystone flag for the 2025 season. Check ahead. 

A large fund has purchased a portfolio of campgrounds in southern Ontario that includes 2,800  campsites in more than a dozen campgrounds. 

UPGRADES AND EXPANSIONS  Port A RV Resort, Port Aransas, Texas has undergone updates that include free Wi-Fi., a heated pool, splash pad, laundry, new landscaping, cable TV at every site, a camp store and a clubhouse. The resort has direct access to the famous Port Aransas Beach and Gulf hotspots for birding, kayaking, fishing and more. Phone: (361) 416-1405 

HOT DATES Make plans ASAP for the Spies of the American Revolution program at Andrew Jackson State Park, Lancaster, South Carolina  on January 25. All ages are welcome but the program is designed for young ‘uns. The campground’s paved RV sites can accommodate rigs to 36 feet; the 20 gravel sites can take rigs to 30 feet.  Contact southcarolinaparks.com, (803) 285-3344. 

RUMORS The Village of Sunrise Beach at Lake of the Ozarks in Arkansas, may get a 75-unit RV park if it’s CUP application is approved. 

NEW CAMPGROUNDS & RV PARKS  Approved in San Luis Obispo, California is the 26-acre Del Rio Ranch resort with 98 RV sites plus glamping sites, cabins and on-site Airstreams. The destination resort will have retail and commercial spaces, a clubhouse, two swimming pools, a spa and more. An opening date has not been projected.

In Oklahoma, the  Cherokee Nation Sallisaw Creek Park on the Robert S. Kerr Reservoir plans to add 74 new RV sites with full hookups. The park has 14 miles of horseback trails, a boat ramp, restrooms and many more upgrades. Phase One is expected to be complete in 2025.

Gansevoort, New York is one step closer to having a new, 43- acre campground. The proposed Fox Head Trail Campground will have a trail system, well water,  a laundry and a small camp store. The seasonal camp will be open April to November.

CAMPGROUNDS JUST OPENED

In Branson, Missouri the Embers Glamping & RV Resort had a grand opening. The resort ha 50 RV sites with full hookups as well as tree houses with private hot rubs and glamping sites with and without private baths.

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RV Fixes & Duct Tape + Campground News

Copyright Janet Groene 2024. To ask about rates to use this content or to place an ad, email janetgroene@yahoo.com

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LATE BREAKING CAMPGROUND NEWS

Put yourself in this picture

 

And you are the queen of the road 

 

 

 STICKY BUSINESS:  RV FIXES WITH  GOOD OL' DUCT TAPE

 

 

By Janet Groene

We all use duct tape, right or wrong, in desperate situations.  So here are reasons for having a good supply of versatile, inexpensive duct tape in your RV’s tool kit.

 

Keep ticks and bugs out by taping garments at wrists and ankles

     > Lint on your black suede jacket? Wrap  tape around your hand, sticky side out, and use it with a blotting motion to surface-clean the garment. 

            > Need to tack up a drooping hem, make a temporary patch,  or close a seam? Duct tape will do a temporary fix.    

    > Do your curtains gap, making you feel too exposed in a crowded campground? Use duct tape to make a temporary closure for curtains. Or, make temporary curtains by taping large garbage bags over windows.

 

Shiny duct tape makes reflective signs

 

      > Working with tiny beads, buttons or spare parts that tend to scatter? Take a shirt cardboard and girdle it with one, two or more runs of duct tape, sticky side out. Now set it on your work table to hold tiny items securely while you work. Use tweezers to pluck them off the tape.

    > When a loopy carpet or knit garment starts to ravel,  use a crochet hook to pull ravels to the back side, and secure them with duct tape, thus stopping the “run”.

    > Duct tape does many things but don’t count on it to keep out water, roaches or rats.

    > Use duct tape as a temporary wrap to cover rough edges or broken strands of wire.

    > Need a jar gripper to help you open a bottle or can? Wrap the top with one or two layers of duct tape. Then get a firm grip.   

 

Wrap a leaky hose for a temporary fix. Or catch bugs by wrapping  cords and hoses every few inches, sticky side out.

    >In a pinch, reach for the duct tape in place of cellophane tape, adhesive tape,   masking tape  or non-skid tape. In first aid situations, keep in mind that duct tape can be a skin  irritant.

    > Duct tape is a substitute strapping tape for bundling items or making a temporary clamp. Do bugs use hoses, ropes or cords as a highway into your RV? Wrap them with duct tape, sticky side out. 

> Save old business cards. Stack two or three together  and wrap with tape, sticky wide out.  Place these bug traps around the RV.

     > Bind up a flapping sole on shoes or boots. 

    > Lastly, don’t use fabric duct tape where metal duct tape is called for, such as installing a bathroom vent. 

 Where to go next in your RV? See travel tips, trips, destinations and event dates at https://janetgroene.blogspot.com

 

GET IT IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS

The 4th Edition of the Groenes’ book Living Aboard Your RV, A Guide to the Full-Time Life on Wheels, is available from Amazon at   https://amzn.to/3knbvll/

The book starts with making the decision in the first place, then leads you through choosing and outfitting the RV as a home, making money on the go,  home schooling, finding affordable campsites and more.  It ends with advice on easing out of full-timing, when and if that day comes.

 

This week's latest news breaks from our local sources...

     JUST IN: CAMPGROUND  NEWS, GOOD AND BAD

Ring in the New Year. Many, many state parks schedule festive, ranger-guided  First Day Hikes for New Years Day. Check with your favorite state park, keeping in mind that the campground and other park feature may be closed at this time of year. Advance registration may be required for the hike. Note that many state parks also have First Day Hikes every month. 

* Reservations now! The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Carlyle Lake (Illinois) Project now takes, and in fact requires, reservations for all its campgrounds at the lake. Rates have gone up $2, $4 and $8 depending on their size and category.  Contact reservations.gov or call 1-877-444-6777.   For questions call the Project office at (618) 594-2484. First-come campsites are still available at the Illini Campground in Eldon Hazlet State Park.

* So far it looks good for the development of the Coal Creek Campground on BLM land near Cedar City, Utah. The 55-acre plot will be furnished with vault toilets, fire rings, grills, picnic areas and more. Get details at the Cedar City Field Office, (435) 865-3000.

Sunderland RV Safe Park in Portland, Oregon, will close by March 31. Never meant to be permanent, the park has been operated by the Salvation Army as a safe place for RV’s to rest overnight.

The Maryville (Missouri) Forum reports that the city campground will be expanding, thanks to a  tourism grant. New RV sites will have full hookups and  picnic tables. The existing 20 campsites will also get full hookups. See news of the park campground and other tourist attractions at (www.)VisitMaryville.org/

The rumor is that Nashville, Indiana may get a new RV park downtown despite local opposition. The city is an historic artists' colony in scenic Brown County.

The new Twisted Parrot Luxury RV Resort , which has already had a soft opening,  is due for its grand opening in February in Montgomery, Texas.  Features of the posh resort include an infinity swimming pool with swim-up bar, a hot rub, clubhouse, a restaurant on site, bicycle and golf cart rentals, a dog park, gym,business center, arcade and five laundry rooms. See (www.) Twistedparrotrvresort.com/


FREE ADMISSION. These are the dates in 2025 when national parks will allow free entry. Charges still apply for camping and special events.  

    Jan. 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
    April 19 – First Day of National Park Week
    June 19 – Juneteenth National Independence Day
    Aug. 4 – Great American Outdoors Act Signing Day
    Sept. 27 – National Public Lands Day
    Nov. 11 – Veterans Day

Only about 100 out of 430+ national parks charge an entrance fee at any time.

 Line Dancing lessons for beginners and all skill levels are offered every Monday from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Nevada Treasure RV Resort in Pahrump, Nevada. Bring water, sweat headband and happy feet. No special attire, shoes or boots required. Cost is  $5 per person.Ms.bootslinedance@gmail.com.  

 *Book your 2025 visit ASAP with the help of the Fairbanks, Alaska Visitors Guide, available free at www.) Explorefairbanks.com/guide or  1-800-327-5774. Plan your trip according to the city’s three seasons: Midnight Sun, Aurora and Winter. Fairbanks events include the World Ieskimo-Indian Olympics and the World Ice Art Champioinshiips. Go dog mushing, ice fishing, snowmobiling in awesome scenery. Hike, visit museums, try local cuisines.

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Four Wacky RV Space Savers

Copyright Janet Groene 2024. To ask about rates for using this content or placing an ad email janetgroene@yahoo.com

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                CAMPGROUND GOOD/BAD NEWS

 4 Wacky RV Hacks That Save Space

MAKE A PET CUBBYHOLE 

Instead of storage drawers under the bed or sofa, could the same space be turned into a pet cottage or feeding station? Bonus points if you add a  door that turns the cubbyhole into a crate. 

ADD A SHEET PAN OR TWO

Think of a good quality stainless steel or aluminum sheet pan (usually about 13 X 18 X 1  inches)  as a sturdy, portable work surface that cleans easily, goes from oven to table and stores in a skinny space. 

I can open a drawer in the galley or bath, place the sheet pan across it,  and close the drawer enough to secure it tightly. It’s now temporary space where I can spread cosmetics in the bathroom, sandwich makings in the galley or sort socks in the bedroom. 

Use it as a tray to tote picnic items to the picnic outdoors.  Place it over cold stove burners and it’s a work surface. Line it with nonstick foil and cook sheet pan meals. Wrap it in foil to serve as a work bench for greasy tools, spare parts, hobby supplies.  

Use these pans too to contain messes. Try one as a boot tray, another as a feeding tray for pets.

ADD A WALL CLOCK

Buy a Blank and Make a Custom Clock

Add a custom clock anywhere in the RV where you can access the back of a thin cupboard or closet door. Buy inexpensive, battery clock works.  Use your art talent to design the clock face. 

Buy an inexpensive clock kit to mount YOUR CUSTOM CLOCK on a door or wall. 

CORK IT

Put up the largest cork bulletin board you have room for on an unused wall. Get a supply of attractive thumb tacks or pins and use the board for  lightweight items such as a calendar, coupons, oven mitts, baseball caps, checklists, keys. As a bonus, cork is also a great noise absorber. 

                CAMPGROUNDS GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

According to the Orange Observer, the Rex Groves RV Park will be allowed to go ahead in Winter Garden, Florida. No permanent residents will be allowed in the park, which will have a fenced dog park and a hoped-for 249 RV sites. We couldn’t find a website for the new RV park yet, so stay tuned.

Where to go next in your RV? See travel teasers for upcoming places and dates here and there, sooner and later, near and far.  (Hint: new exhibit at Country Music Hall of Fame; Nutcracker Ballet in Miami.) https://janetgroene.blogspot.com

Will the Gauley Tailwaters Campground in Glen Jean, West Virginia get a much needed rehab? A  hub during the Gauley River rafting season, the campground attracts whitewater fans from around the world. Proposed are better highway access to the park, 11 RV sites, picnic tables, fire rings, campsite markers, lantern poles, two miles of new trails and accessible restrooms. For now the NPS is accepting public comments. 

Proposed for Denali State Park, Alaska is an 85-acre  RV park near Trapper Creek with 40 RV sites, a convenience store and a helipad for a tour operator. Keep your fingers crossed.

The Mountain Times reports a a new manager at Mt. Hood Village RV Resort, Welches, Oregon.  The resort has 382 RV sites and frequent special events that will be increased under the new management  Call (503) 622-4011. 

* Seven state parks in West Virginia are closed or partially closed, through 2025 for improvements. It’s complicated because some facilities in each park may stay open when others close. Also, some  campground closures apply only to cabins, not campsites. Check ahead.  The proposed reopening date for all is May 1, 2026.  Parks affected are Bear Creek Lake, Westermoreland, First Landng, Claytor Lake, Fairy Stone, Grayson Highlands, Hickory Ride and Douthat. 

* Save the dates for an old-fashioned family Memorial Day Weekend  camp-out in May, 2025  at Prince Gilletzin State Park, Patton, Pennsylvania.   During the Red White and Blue Weekend at the park’s  Crooked Run Campground,  campers will decorate their sites. There will be a 21-gun salute at the amphitheater, music, and a program honoring local veterans by name, branch of service, dates of service and a picture. Then there will be a Children’s Decorated Bicycle Parade. The park has 398 campsites, some with full hook-ups. This park has boating, a camp store, laundry, dump stations, showers, flush toilets and Wi-Fi for a fee.  (814) 674-1000

* Benzonia, Michigan may get a new casino community operated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians . The complex will include an RV campground.

GIFTS FOR RV'S + CAMPGROUND GOOD /BAD NEWS

Copyright Janet Groene 2024. To ask about reprinting this content or placing an ad contact janetgroene@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 
One Sze Fits All RV-ers:
GIFT IDEAS FOR THE RV TRAVELER
COPYRIGHT Janet Groene


    There’s a gift idea here for almost any gender, budget or age on your holiday list. 

 
    * Many RV travelers carry “business” cards to leave with new friends made along the way. Follow-up friendship last sometimes for years.

    * Dollar stores are a great source of inexpensive disposables, Buy a set of paper plates and matching tableware in the color scheme of the RV itself, the recipients’ favorite team or an upcoming holiday.

    * Did they name their rig? How about polo shirts or baseball caps embroidered with the name of the camper?   
 
    * A set of colorful insulated glasses will keep drinks cold longer and won’t leave rings.

    * Pick up a bouquet of a dozen solar stake lights. They are easily stuck in the ground around a campsite.  

* Do you have a great photo of the person with their rig? Order a photo- imprinted mug, canvas print, key ring or other token.

    * Luggage straps are good for more than suitcases. Use them to bind any unwieldy bundle such as a  bed roll, yoga mat, patio rug, pillows, down-filled comforts and clothing. Bonus points if it’s personalized. with the name of the rig or the purpose such as “Dave’s Duvet” or Diane’s Down Jackets.  

    * Any camp cook will welcome a bright new pair of fireproof gloves.
Bonus points if you add a barbecue apron. Double points if the apron is personalized.

 

* The campfire is the heart of the campsite-home. Give a cluster of fatwood fire starters, artificial logs, cedar planks for salmon or “magic” flames for a dash of color.  (Or have the kids make Grandpa a supply of homemade fire starters. You know, the kind made with dryer lint and discarded toilet rolls?)

    * Give the camp chef a basket filled with a cluster of bottled hot sauces from all over the world.  Passed at the table, the  colorful labels are conversation starters.

    * For rainy days, compact, simple games are found in every size and price range: cards, a bag of marbles or jacks, dominoes, ring toss, age-appropriate crosswords. Suduko, Word Search, adult coloring books.

    * Pocket compasses come in many price ranges from toy quality to expensive heirlooms.

* Walking sticks are trendy and can also be a fashion statement. Bonus points for exotic woods, carvings or walking sticks with a built-in compass and/or thermometer.

    * Everyone can use slipper socks to wear inside the camper, motorhome or tent. They come in a choice of colors. Find them online in S,M,L.XL and XXL.

    * A sleeping bag liner can be changed and laundered easily and often. Bonus points if it’s luxurious silk.
 
* Chemical light sticks are popular for parties but they are also practical, providing safe emergency lighting without batteries or a fire hazard.

    * Everyone can use more stuff bags in all sizes. They  stow flat, then come in handy for laundry, catch-alls, toting,  shopping, sorting, stowing. 

 

 

Bottom line: Keep RV gifts compact, practical, useful and perhaps disposable or edible.

 

    
CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

 

 

* Camp free in a beautiful Oregon,setting,  hookups included,  if you bring your own RV or boat for housing and are willing to act as a BLM campground host. That means light duties such as checking campers in and out and staying through the season, April through September. 

Open positions are in the Alder Glen, Clay Creek, Sharps Creek, Shotgun Creek, Whittaker Creek and Wildwood recreation sites. For more information and to apply, go to https://www.volunteer.gov/s/     To find specifics on each Oregon locale,  go to www.blm.gov/

 

 

 

* HersheyPark, Hershey, Pennsylvania is the sweetest place on earth, especially during the Christmas holidays when guests can see reindeer up close and camp in a winter wonderland of five million lights plis a dazzling light show synchronized to music. Shuttle service from the campground’s front entrance takes you to attractions throughout the complex. Ask about the Candyland Camping Package for RV visitors on selected dates between now and January 1.  (888) 710-0917

       * A luxury RV resort is coming to the souther edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. New near Kenesaw, Georgia will be the DiVine Village with 260 RV sites, 110 acres, a lake, resort-style pool and long-and short-term rentals. Construction is expected to begin early in 2025. For updates on reservations go to https://www.instagram.com/divinevillagega/

* The Columbus, Ohio Zoo & Aquarium will have its own campground and it’s going to be a 75-acre  doozie.  The Hellbender RV Campground at The Wilds, due to open next June, will have 26 full hookup RV sites plus primitive sites, hiking and biking trails, a playground, camp store, dog park and more. Located in Powell, Ohio the zoo’s phone is (614) 645-3400.  

* New owners plan massive upgrades for the  Marble Springs Campground in Allen, Michigan. The family campground has a swimming pond, Blue Hole spring,  a dump station, pavilion and more to come.  Seasonal campsites are now being reserved at: (517) 869-2522.

    * Lizella, Georgia will welcome the new Claystone’s Campground at Lake Tobesofkee. It’s the start of an overall improvement project at Claystone and Arrowhead parks. Old RV slots will be replaced with 64 new concrete pads with hookups and modern electrical pedestals. The parks will also get new docks and picnic areas. Closed for the winter, the campgrounds will reopen in spring, 2025.

* Love’s Travel Stops  added another location with six RV hookups. It’s in Jasper, Missouri and has showers, food venues, fuel, laundry facilities and a dog park.

 

* Be the first kid on the block to one of the first to discover the new Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort on Watts Bar Lake, Louden, Tennessee. Reservations are now open for when the resort opens officially on February 7, 2025. Here you’ll find RV sites with full hookups plus plenty of water spectacles, ball courts,  a dog park and organized activities. There’s a restaurant, camp store and a jumping pillow. In February, special sports events will be organized to coincide with the Super Bowl weekend. Reserve ASAP to get earlybird specials.  www.wattsbarlakejellystonepark.com/attractions-amenities/deals/

 

Bigger than ever for 2025!

* Save the date! Next year’s three-day Night in the Country concert with camping is scheduled for July 24-26, 2025 in Yerington, Nevada. The lineup will be even larger next year than in '24, so follow the story as it shapes up. Camping on various areas in  the farmland will be open July 22-31,  and requires a concert pass as well as camping reservations. 

Live music plays nonstop from the Full Moon Saloon to The Parlor, Be here for food, drinks, good times and good vibes, Proceeds benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Mason Valley, Go to https://nightinthecountrynv.org/ phone 1-775-463-5114; email nevada@nightinthecountry.org/ 

 

 

 * Join a park naturalist on a  1.5 mile, 1 1/2-hour round-trip hike to the Amicacola Falls waterfall.  It's on the  Appalachian Approach trail in Amicalola State Park, Dawsonville, Georgia.  Along the way you will learn local human history and natural history, discover flora and fauna, find photo ops galore.  Register for the hikes, to be held December 6 through 31  at (706) 344-1515. The cost is. $12 plus $5 parking. The park has “pull thru” or “back in” sitex with power, water, picnic table, grill and fire ring. Note that the road to  the campground is steep, best for mderately size RV’s with good pulling power. The park also tent sites, glamping and has a lodge with restaurant. Camping reservations (www.) gastateparks.reserveamerica.com/

 

 

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