clair034

Boulder City recently hosted the 24 Hours of Bootleg Canyon , a hardcore mountain bike race, but you don’t have to be that crazy to enjoy the more than hundreds of miles of bicycle-friendly routes, lanes and paths in the area, including the tough but easy-to-navigate River Mountains Loop Trail. Boulder City borders picturesque Lake Mead, the biggest reservoir in the country, and not only is there plenty to do on the lake itself, but Las Vegas is only about a 40-minute drive away, as is the funky, old-school Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino , which holds the oldest active gaming license in southern Nevada, in nearby Henderson. The view of Lake Mead from the River Mountains  Loop Trail. (roadtripster) But why would you spend time inside when there’s so much to do out in the nice, warm temps this time of year, especially if you come from somewhere cold? There was a bit of wind – ok, that’s an understatement; we nearly got blown off the trail – one day, but otherwise it was toasty enou...

So a bunch of us are planning a trip for next week that means four nights of camping, and it also involves hauling a lot of heavy gear on top of two small cars. It occurred to us that everything we need to take, including two inflatable rafts, probably won’t fit inside the cars, so we started to discuss loading the gear on top of the cars. (istock) It seems to me that the things we’re loading have a strong potential to scratch the vehicles’ roofs – neither car has a roof rack or side rails – and in Utah, our destination, it’s possible it’s illegal for us to simply strap the gear onto the roof the way we’re proposing. So I found  a site that sells inflatable racks that use the roof to stabilize the load .  But that triggered a heated conversation about spending money versus making do with what we have. Which is something that comes up a lot lately, in the face of downsizing and layoffs and a rough economy. I was raised to take care of the things I already own, which is why I wa...

I just came back from a group camping trip composed of people to whom I am not related (read: don’t rely upon me for financial support or otherwise legally don't have to put up with me), and once again, I’m amazed at how we all managed not to kill each other.                              You know what I’m talking about here. Every trip, there’s always somebody who gets up super early and beats his (or, um, maybe her) chest, coughing and clearing their throats – and often yelling something like, “Yep, yep, it’s great to be alive!” – so loudly that everyone else has to get up, too.  No one ever really looks like this when camping. (istock)  There’s always that person who somehow manages not to be around when the disgusting greasy cooking thing needs to be cleaned, and there’s always someone who is so over the top when it comes to cheerfully (franti...

We’re always looking for foods that the kids can help make, are easy to carry on a hike or to take to the beach in a small cooler, and that use up leftovers. If they happen to be relatively healthy, too, well, bonus! These veggie wraps fit the bill. We’ve filled them with everything from stir-fry leftovers to grilled vegetables to the toppings from homemade pizza, and it’s hard to go wrong. Most young ‘uns love cream cheese, and that provides the base and makes the tortilla hold itself together.  Kids can assembled their own, which gets them involved, and these are so easily transportable – just shove them into baggies (they stay nicer if you can wrap them in cling wrap first) and put them in a pack or a cooler for later. They’re a weekly lunch item for school for us. Lettuce or spinach adds extra crunch. Some fresh herbs, a little salt and pepper -- and if you have time, some sautéed garlic – all add flavor boosts, but aren’t necessary. These are just so user-friendly. The Chocola...

There you are, surrounded by 12 hungry campers in various stages of sweaty, cranky exhaustion after a day of hiking through the woods, all eagerly awaiting the famous Goulash on a Stick that you’ve been promising to flambé over a roaring campfire all day. The food has been prepped, the plates and utensils sit on a checkered tablecloth ready for action. And you would fire up a grill or a stove or some wood, if only…you hadn’t forgotten to pack the lighter. Or some matches. Or something, anything that would ignite and turn your culinary creation into something edible. Sigh. It’s another reminder that pack lists are the bomb, although they certainly aren’t a guarantee. Proof: a trip to a ritzy resort area where one of my daughters confessed just before we headed to the swimming pool that she’d forgotten her bathing suit, even though, as I pointed out repeatedly as we traipsed all afternoon from store to store, that she had checked it off her list as packed. That was a costly one, because ...

Thank heavens companies keep coming up with ideas for keeping kids occupied on camping trips, although a recent river camping trip found the adults trying to muscle out the kids to play a game I’d never seen before. Called Tailgate Toss , this simply constructed item involves two large, wooden boards with legs on one end that hold each board up at an angle. Teams divide into two groups – two to four people usually play – and each side then throws beanbags into the hole in each board. The scoring initially seems complicated, as it’s more involved than regular old bean bag toss, which is what this resembles, but eventually you get the hang of it. Tailgate Toss, or "Corn Hole," is a big hit with all ages. Some of the people in our group knew this game as “Corn Hole” –apparently it depends on what part of the country you call home –but the result was a hotly contested battle that got so involved, we stuck flashlights under the holes and played it well into the twilight hours. You...

My friend Pete swears by crockpot meals on RV trips, plugging one in before heading out for the day so there’s a hot meal ready when everyone’s too tired at the end to throw anything together. RoadPro makes a 1.5-quart, 12-volt slow cooker that plugs into the cigarette lighter and works like a charm. The stoneware insert is dishwasher safe, and there’s a stretch cord that keeps the lid on so that you can drive while it’s cooking, too. Cost: $28 Get it here: amazon.com Speaking of cooking, if you find yourself at a campground with fire rings and are looking for a more efficient way to put your food over the flame to cook, the Tripod Pioneer Grill by Rome is great. The tripod is adjustable and breaks down for storage, and the rack one which you set the cooking pans, Dutch oven, coffee pot or even some foods directly is completely adjustable via chains, so that you can raise and lower it to control the amount of heat. The contraptions sometimes swings around a bit, but works especially we...

So you're going to do it – you're going to drive a vehicle the size of your first apartment to some cool part of the country, maybe with kids in tow, and there's a chance you're a little bit nervous about that. And understandably so...RVs are large, a bit more complicated than your car and come with a lot of bells and whistles. Here are a few handy hints that may help the first time out. Rent the right RV for your trip type and group size Talk with the folks at the place where you’re renting about how many people you are taking, what you plan to do on the trip (such as whether you’ll be hauling bikes or other toys) and where you’re headed (for instance, will you be driving on a lot of narrow roads?). Try to avoid the common pitfall of renting too large an RV for your needs. It’s fun to have space, but the truth is, you don’t spend as much time moving around in it as you think – when you’re driving, you’re sitting, and when you’re parked, you’re sleeping the majority o...

Packing for a camping trip often feels like a no-win situation. Half the time it feels like you’re hauling along everything you own – it seems as though it would make more sense to watch a video of a fire on the TV and save the gas money, because at least then you could reach into the fridge and all the beers would always be cold. And then there are those trips where you wonder what you were thinking about when you loaded up, because every ten minutes you remember something you forgot. What to do? Well, the best thing is to make a pack list. I know, it sounds so…organized. But think about it: Wouldn’t it be nice if every time you went on a camping trip, all you had to do was print out a tidy little list of all the things you needed to take, so that you could check them off as you pack? There are several websites that offer pre-assembled pack lists, and those are great starting points ( Go Camping America has a printable PDF that works nicely). You will probably find, as I did, that ...

When the weather starts to warm up, but it’s not yet so humid that you feel like you’re walking around in the armpit of a hairy man in a Turkish bath, a weeklong jaunt through Napa Valley wine country is just the ticket. And, let’s face it, the chance to drink some wine, especially if it’s free, can’t hurt. There are more than 300 wineries in Napa, so it’s a good idea to pick a few that really interest you for sampling. Then base the trip on hopping from one charming town to the next, starting with Napa and ending in Calistoga (with Yountville and St. Helena between). You can fly into San Francisco, rent an RV, towable or car there and drive up – it takes about an hour on either Interstate 80 or U.S. 101. There are several campgrounds and RV parks situated around the towns. A few tips to make your visit more enjoyable: Visit the vineyards before May, after November or midweek – The crowds pick up in the summer and steadily increase through the “crush,” or harvest, which is late August...

The decorations have been taken down and put away with care, the company’s gone and you’re back to your regularly scheduled programming. Like many folks perhaps you made New Year’s resolutions…and if you’re anything like us, front and center is to go camping and RVing in 2011. And why not? Where else can you experience the beauty and abundance of nature, enjoy healthy outdoor activities, cook up a feast over the campfire and make family memories that will last forever…all on a budget any family can afford? Whether you are looking for an epic adventure across the continent or a close-by weekend retreat, you’ll find the perfect RV park or campground on the find a park page at GoCampingAmerica.com . Book your camping adventure online or play it by ear. Stay in a tent, a motorhome or travel trailer, a yurt or a cabin. Visit a full-fledged resort offering planned activities and events or go back to nature in a quiet, reflective campground. Get away to the mountains, a lake, the desert, ocea...

If you're anything like me, you want to hold on to summertime as long as you can. It's this time of year that gardens are lush with the last of the year's fresh produce and basil plants everywhere are working overtime. To help you take advantage of the summer's bounty and offer you a quick and delicious dish to bring to any gathering, I'm tickled to share this episode of the RV Cooking Show - White Bean Pesto Dip and Pine Acres Family Camping, MA. We stop and visit with Jeff Howard of Linabella's Gourmet Garlic Farm (an awesome pesto master) then spend some quality time with Denise Packard making this party pleaser for their park's 50th Anniversary celebration - Pine Acres Family Campground in Oakham, MA . Lookin' good? Learn more about the Oakham-area and print this recipe (plus a good RV recipe for pesto) at the RV Cooking Show website . Summer’s fleeting…take advantage of every opportunity to Go Camping America , meet ...

For some families the kids are already back in school; for others the start of the school year is just around the corner. Either way, all across the country the upcoming Labor Day weekend is a big summer weekend to go camping America. Plan to enjoy quality together time hiking and exploring , geocaching if that’s your thing, grilling some mighty tasty chops , and capping the perfect day around a roaring campfire (find campfire tips here ). Top it off by trying a delish fireside treat that’s sure to be a hit... doughboys . These little toasted tubes can be filled with your choice of fillings - chocolate syrup, jelly, pie filling, whipped cream - you get the picture - and enjoyed on the spot. Here’s how to make your own doughboys: You’ll need a “stick” about 1 ½ inches in diameter and about 2 feet long (pick up an untreated wooden dowel at your local home improvement store and cut to length). Decorate the holding end with permanent markers (this makes a great campsite craft). At the cam...

One hundred…what a birthday! Three prominent RV-historians - renowned RV collector David Woodworth, RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum archivist Al Hesselbart, and Smithsonian Institution curator Roger White - have cited 1910 as the start of the RV industry. The mass-produced, manufactured auto campers and camping trailers first built that year were the forerunners of today’s RVs and we imagine that RVing’s early pioneers were just as excited to go RVing as we are today. The RV Centennial has swept the nation with the national media tour, RV mascot Centennial Charlie’s cross-country trip (and stint as an RV Undercover Boss), and the upcoming RV Industry's Centennial Celebration being held at the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum in Elkhart, Indiana. In fact, both the US House of Representatives and the Senate have passed resolutions declaring June 2010 RV Centennial Celebration Month: The United States House of Representatives adopted a resolution May 26, “recognizing and honoring the 100 y...

When you were a kid did you dream of being a famous movie star or sports figure, invited to exclusive parties to mingle amongst the elite? Visit the Hearst Castle estate and, with some imagination, you might get a taste of what it was like to be part of that crowd. There are several tours available including their newest – a self-guided Gardens and Vistas tour – complete with guides standing by to answer your questions about Hearst and “The Enchanted Hill”. Interestingly, rather than a rote tour talk, each guide is permitted to develop their own spiel focusing on their interest in the Castle and it’s art, people, grounds, history, and more. Well, at least for now, allow me to be your personal Hearst Castle tour guide in this episode of the RV Cooking Show – Three Crepes and a Castle – then join  me in my RV kitchen. In honor of National Strawberry Picking Day I'm going to show you how to make delicious crepes. Though I use jam, curd, and nutella in this episode you can easily ...

Picture yourself lounging by the pool or relaxing at your campsite, lazily enjoying a really good book. It’s so good you finally finish it with a smile but that smile soon turns to dismay…you’re only into the 3rd day of your camping vacation and you've already used up your reading material. Enter the RV park / campground book exchange. Yep, most parks offer a “library” worthy of your attention. Locate the library (sometimes in the laundry room) and you may find magazines, books, videos, games, puzzles, newspapers and more. It works like this – take one, leave one or borrow and return one. At the very least, book and magazine exchanges can be found at many, many RV parks and campgrounds. The titles you’ll find in the camp’s library may be as diverse as a big city library – magazines from National Geographic to Cooking Light to Smithsonian to Highways, both fiction and non-fiction books - medical, travel, suspense, romance, etc. and often puzzles of every challenge level. In some par...