Park Model Living Feb 2008

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“Retirement Living at its Best!”

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Advice From the RPTIA President

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Kitchen Tips

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Breckenridge

VOL. 2 NO. 1 JANUARY 2008

Getting There (is half the fun)




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Getting There (is half the fun)




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Park ModelLiving

M A G A Z I N EVOL. 2 NO. 2 FEBRUARY 2008

1st

Annive

rsary

US$4.99 CAN$5.99

Athens Park Homes builds many floor plans and elevations and will even custom design for your sales center, resort or development.

Soaring ceilings and beautiful interior appointments make Athens Park Homes the most innovative manufacturer in the industry.

Athens Park Homes uses Fiber-Cement Siding by James Hardie with a 25 year warranty stan-dard on all cottages. We also offer Cedar or Log siding on cabins.

With 75 acres and over 300,000 sq.ft. of manufactur-ing space Athens Park Homes has one of the finest production facilities in the country.

For the best in park model cottages and cabins call 800-738-0392 www.athensparkhomes.com

PO Box 1270 Athens, TX 75751

Park Models * Cabins * Lofts

Park ModelLiving

M A G A Z I N EVOL. 2 NO. 2 FEBRUARY 2008

Notes from the Boss 3

Letters to the Editor 5

Park Profile 6 - Elkmont RV Resort

Dealer Profile 8 - Recreational Resort

Cottages

Healthy Living 10

The Answer Guy 15

Manufacturer Profile 16 - Scenic View

Information Desk 19

Park Profile 21 - Benbow Inn RV Resort

DepartmentsFeatures

La Vie BohemeThe gloriously bohemian side of Park Model nightlife

Cover Story

17Web Models

A tour and analysis of web sites from around the Park

Model industry

11

Destinations

An overview of what to see and do in Kentucky

7

3 Park Model Living Magazine ParkModelLiving.com

We improve reader’s lives by providing ideas and information that maximizes their Park Model experience.

Publisher

Peter. F. [email protected]

editor-in-Chief

Kaeth [email protected]

features editor

Ed [email protected]

Columnists

Marie [email protected] Garpow, RPTIA ED

[email protected]

staff Writers

Ryan W. [email protected]

Contributing Writers

Golda WellbaumClaire Rogers

[email protected]

ProduCtion manager

T. Mason Brown

advertising exeCutive

Ryan W. Patterson

Webmaster

Marie Rotondo

interns

Carlie ShaughnessyAdministrative & Photography

E d i t o r ’ s C o r n E r E d i t o r i a l s t a f f

M i s s i o n s t a t E M E n tPark Model Living Magazine is an independently owned and produced magazine. The magazine, logos, & all original design copyrighted 2008, PML publishing, LLC. All logos, symbols, and aesthetic elements that are original and unique to this publication are the sole property of PML Publishing, LLC. Any unauthorized duplicaton is prohibited. Contact us at: Park Model Living Magazine, 60 S. Maple St., Akron, OH 44303 or call us at 1-866-766-0564

Park Model Living Readers,

Happy Anniversary! We have been publishing Park Model Living Magazine for one year. It has been a fabulous, educational and amaz-ing year.

Frank and Mason and I entered into the publishing business with a pas-sion to provide information to Park Model owners and potential owners. While Frank had owned a Park Model in Arizona, Mason and I had never seen one. While doing research we attended the RVIA show in Kentucky and were welcomed by Park Model manufacturers. People were eager for a magazine to entertain and educate about this wonderful lifestyle.

Thanks to all of the Park Modelers dealers and manufacturers who have invited us to visit, shared pictures and stories and encouraged us. Our subscription base has grown tremendously and we appreciate your suggestions and ideas.

We have learned a lot about you. While many folks fit in category #1 below, you have more diversity of ownership than we realized before we began.

Park Modelers include:

1) Snow birds who own their Park Model in a warm climate RV park with many social and entertainment options2) Campers and travelers who use their Park Model seasonally in the cooler climates, and close them for the winter3) Travelers who rent Park Models in a different location for each vacation time4) Multi unit owners who enjoy different climates and locations close to family and desirable vacation areas5) Wanna-be’s – You’ve seen the Park Models in the magazine, on websites and perhaps in person. You’re ready to buy.

Our mission is to continue to educate and entertain you. Because many of you own recreational vehicles and travel extensively, we will add more articles about destinations and ways to get there.

With our next issue, we promote Ed Buchanan to Editor in Chief. Ed came to us from the University of Akron as an intern and has excellent writing and editing skills. He’s been working with our designers to bright-en the look of the magazine and you’ll see some visual changes in this issue and the next.

Continue to let us know what you want to see in this magazine and we’ll keep growing. Thanks for a terrific year!

Sincerely,

Kaeth S. Gauthier Editor-in-Chief

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Thanks for your terrific publica-tion. I ordered all the back issues and a subscription. Your magazine is awesome!

Gloria C., Oak Harbor, WA

NEWS

Athens Park Homes, LLC, www.athensparkhomes.com is proud to announce the acquisition of the as-sets and intellectual properties of Flat Creek Lodges, Inc., www.flatcreek-lodges.com of Haleyville, Alabama.

Flat Creek Lodges is a park model manufacturer that specializes in the manufacturing and sale of floating cabins. Athens Park Homes is one of the fastest growing park model and specialty product manufacturers in the United States. APH controls over 300,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing area on 75 acres of land in Athens, Texas

70 miles southeast of Dallas.All manufacturing from the Flat

Creek Lodges plant in Alabama will relocate to Athens, Texas. Mike Bur-leson owner of Flat Creek Lodges will become a full time employee of Athens Park Homes as Vice President of the Flo Lodge division.

Phil Surles President and Manag-ing Partner of Athens Park Homes stated, “We are pleased and excited to have Mike Burleson join our grow-ing company with his knowledge of the market and potential of the ‘float-ing cabins’. This acquisition further adds to our expanding product line in the recreation industry that truly ex-emplifies Athens Park Homes trade-mark “INNOVATIONS IN RECRE-ATIONAL LIVING”.

Mike Burleson, President of Flat Creek Lodges stated, “I am truly ex-cited about joining the Athens Park Homes team with their tremendous manufacturing capabilities and facili-

ties. I can now concentrate entirely on the vast potential of the floating cabin market knowing that we have the manufacturing capacity to pro-duce the increasing demand for this product.”

Dick GrymonprezVice President of Sales and MarketingAthens Park Homes


l E t t E r s t o t h E E d i t o r

We’d love to hear from you!

Contact us at:

Park Model Living MagazineLetters Dept.60 S. Maple St.Akron, OH 443031-866-766-0564

Information: [email protected]

Suggestions or Letters to the Editor: [email protected]

Park Model Living Magazine ParkModelLiving.com 6

The winter months have started to come to a close and warmer, more spring-like weather is on its way. Now is a great time to plan your southern spring and summer getaways; before the hot and sticky summers of the south settle in and take over for a few months. An RV resort in the northeast corner of Georgia, near the border with the Carolinas and Tennessee could be your answer. Elkmont RV Resort is nestled between Cleveland and Alpine Helen, Georgia, in White County. At this time of the year, you can expect very mild temperatures in this area that is surrounded by the Blue Ridge Moun-tains. While I browsed their web site to learn more about Elkmont, I came across the weather forecast for Cleve-land, Georgia: 61°. The ten day fore-cast looks even better as the tempera-tures will start to climb higher into the sixties with plenty of sun.

Enough of the weather report, let’s talk more about this RV resort envel-oped in the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains. Elkmont promotes a fam-ily friendly atmosphere and has plenty of deeded lots available for RVs and Park Models. Every lot is quite spa-cious and each provides views of the natural mountain and meadow settings that surround the resort. Take your pick from creek side, mountain side or open meadow. Once you have your spot chosen, add a little flair to your lot with a screened room, deck or porch, storage building or even some original

landscaping. Make your lot truly yours at Elkmont and then relax in this laid-back, comfortable atmosphere. Your only worry is choosing activities to en-joy within or outside the resort.

Outside the resort the city of Cleve-land is a small, Georgia mountain town dubbed “The gateway to the North Georgia Mountains” according to the White County Chamber of Commerce. Small though it might be (Cleveland’s population as of the last census was around 2,000), the town has risen to become the economic center of White County. Do you need an activity for the whole family to enjoy? Cleveland is home to the Babyland General Hos-pital, birthplace of the Cabbage Patch Kids. Open for tours almost every day of the year, Babyland General Hospi-tal is a wonderful unique place you and your children can visit.

When you want more of the out-doors, several state and national parks with fabulous mountain scenery are located only minutes away. There is a bevy of activities available for all mem-bers of the family. Take a short hike and see the many beautiful waterfalls or, if you are more of an adventurer, you can take an all day hike through the mountains. Would you like to pan for gold, just like they did in many years ago? There are still places open today where you can relive this part of Cleveland’s past.

Do you enjoy the outdoors, but are not much of an adventurer? With more than a dozen public golf courses in the Cleveland area, including a Jack Nick-

laus course near the Birch River, you will be able to manage as many rounds of golf as you would like. Plenty of places to shop and eat in and around Cleveland will allow you time to enjoy what this Southern Mountain town has to offer. Seasonally, many festivals and celebrations occur in Cleveland. For example, there is the Easter Eggstrava-ganza Celebration, the Lighted Christ-mas Parade and the Gooseneck Pump-kin Festival as well as Oktoberfest and Gold Rush Days.

Inside the resort you are free to en-joy the swimming pool and pavilion with a fantastic view of the Blue Ridge Mountain Range. Truthfully, just about anywhere you are within the resort, a spectacular view of the mountains and surrounding scenery is provided (and it is complimentary!). Elkmont provides electric and water hook-ups at every site. The roads are paved and all utili-ties run under the ground. The resort is open all year to guests, even through-out the winter months, which are rather mild here. In total, there are 184 sites at the resort and as many as forty-six of them can be reserved and used for Park Models or other cabins. In addition to the deeded lots, rental sites are avail-able. The resort recommends that you make reservations in advance. Browse their website for more information and find out how you can enjoy, not just imagine, your very own mountain get-away.

by Kaeth S. GauthierPML Editor-in-Chief

P a r k P r o f i l E

Blue RidgeGetaway


Travel the Bourbon trail in Kentucky and visit the folks who make “America’s only native spirit.” Bourbon is named for the county in Ken-tucky where production began in the 1800’s. Today a drive through the rolling hills of Kentucky lets you watch Bourbon production and sample the wares at many distilleries.

The Jim Beam tour in Cler-mont starts at the Outpost The-atre and a showing of the film, “The First Family of Bourbon.” The grounds include a moon-shine still and the home of T. Jeremiah Beam. From the porch you can see a life size memorial to Booker Noe and his dog. At the distillery tour you are able to taste hand crafted small batch Bourbons.

Buffalo Trace is an ancient buffalo crossing that became part of the western trail for pioneers. It’s also the source of the name for Buffalo Trace Distillery, the oldest distilling site in the United States. Just north of Frankfort, they produce the most highly-decorated whisky of the decade. The warehouses use an original procedure of producing single barrel Bourbon, which began in 1983. You can taste the spirit of legends and see 12 of the largest fermenters in the industry.

Savor the smell of sweet aging Bour-

bon in white oak barrels at Four Roses where you can view bottling done by hand. Four Roses distills 10 Bourbon fla-vors each year. Their distillery is located

in Lawrenceburg and the distillery ware-house is in Bardstown.

How do you get to Heaven? Continue along the Bourbon trail to Bardstown, home of Heaven Hill Distilleries. Found-ed shortly after prohibition, this company has a new state-of-the art visitor center that

provides education and entertainment at the Bourbon Heritage Center. It includes high tech interactive exhibits about Bour-bon making and a unique barrel shaped

tasting room. After the guided tasting tour you can create your own personalized bottle.

One of the smallest distilleries is Maker’s Mark which crafts Bourbon in batches of less than 19 barrels. Established in 1805 near Loretto, this distillery has been named a National Historic Landmark. Maker’s Mark is hand made at every step from se-lecting the grains to hand dipping the bottles in red wax. When you make a purchase in the gift shop, you have the option to hand dip your own bottle.

Meander your way to Law-renceburg and view the unique 40 foot high column still at Aus-tin Nichols Distillery, makers of 101 proof Wild Turkey. You can watch Bourbon being poured into hand crafted oak barrels and tour the timber warehouses. An-other National Historic Land-mark is in Versailles at Woodford Reserve. Founded in 1812, the beautiful limestone buildings

have been restored to their original oper-ating condition. Woodford Reserve is the only Bourbon distiller who uses the tradi-tional copper pot still method. Samples are available for tasting

Visit www.kybourbon.com or call 859-336-9612 to plan your tour.

by Golda WellbaumPML Contributor

d E s t i n a t i o n s

An excellent way to explore a great American tradition

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d E a l E r P r o f i l E

There are many different ways to use your Park Model home. From vacation homes to hunting cabins; office space to weekend retreats, infinite options ex-ist for these cabins and cottages. Some full-time RVers use them as their “home-base” while they travel to other desti-nations. When you visit Recreational Resort Cottages in Texas, they help you discover the application that best fits your needs to put you into a Park Model that you love. In January 2007 the folks here started selling Park Model cottages and cabins nationwide. Initially, they want-ed to purchase an RV Park in Granbury, Texas and expand it to promote the Park Model lifestyle. From that idea, their re-tail sales center and full scale Park Mod-el dealership was launched.

Recreational Resort Cottages operate administrative offices and online sales in Greenville, Texas and a retail sales cen-ter in Granbury. They have additional Park Models on display inside American Homes in Rockwall, Texas on East I-30 and at the Lone Oak RV Park in Valley View, Texas. Valley View is a quiet RV park that overlooks the spectacular Lake Ray Roberts, a perfect and popular fish-ing spot. You will find the Ray Roberts model at Lone Oak; ready to move in. Just turn the key and unpack. In addi-tion, they have a rustic fishing cabin on display.

For more than twelve years, Rebecca Moore has been part of the factory-built housing industry. She has managed sales centers in the Houston and Dal-las areas with experience at all levels of

the business, in-cluding finance and insurance, delivery, instal-lation and ser-vice. Today, she manages Recre-ational Resort Cottages as she has for the past year. Re-becca explains, “Though new and exciting uses for Park Models are constantly be-ing proposed, we still see the majority of them being purchased for recreational and vacation use. Hunters and fishermen love our cabins and our contemporary cottage style makes the perfect beach house.” Use is an impor-tant factor as you make your decision to purchase your Park Model. What will you use yours for? These cabins and cottages can be a second dwelling, a lake or pool house or even rental prop-erty. Rebecca admits that when they opened their retail sales center, they originally thought the Park Models they sold would be placed in RV parks and resorts. However, recent numbers have shown, “the purchase (of park models) for private property versus RV parks and resorts has been surprisingly equal.”

The staff at Recreational Resort Cot-tages places high value on customer satisfaction. “We have staff dedicated entirely to quality control,” Rebecca

says. The value they place on quality and satisfaction is evident in the product they sell. Rebecca boasts, “We represent the Athens Park Homes Park Model be-cause of their high quality construction and commitment to build Park Models with the buyer and their specific purpose in mind. They will not cut corners to save a dollar and they custom build any-thing we need.” Beginning in March, Recreational Resort Cottages will fea-ture a new line of cabins. The Pine Mountain Cabin line, sold exclusively through Recreational Resort Cottages, is a very nice, high-end product with a cabin-like appeal without the traditional maintenance of other cabins. Accord-ing to Rebecca, “These cabins include a full lap of Southern Yellow Pine on the interior and cedar-stained, James Hardi Cemplank siding on the outside of the cabin.” The look and durability of this siding give the Pine Mountain Cabins

by Ryan W. PattersonPML Staff Writer

The Recreational Resort Cottages “Mill Creek Cottage”

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CottageLiving


the charm of a cottage without all the upkeep. These cottages are on display at their three different display locations. Plans are underway for additional dis-play sites in Texas, Oklahoma and other states.

Upon speaking to Rebecca, we learned of an interesting and unique method Recreational Resort Cottages employs to promote Park Model living. “The biggest challenge we face in Park Model sales,” she explains, “is that not every client interested in purchasing a Park Model has a place to put it.” Not only does Recreational Resort Cottages facilitate conventional Park Model sales, (i.e. online sales and tradi-tional dealerships), they also assist RV parks, resorts and campgrounds with the sale of these cottages and cabins. “We will tailor a program specific to the needs of the park or resort,” Rebecca states. For example, some parks and resorts would like a full-service sales program. In this instance, Recreation-al Resort Cottages will pro-vide the sales staff and mar-keting materials, implement the selling systems, consign the inventory and handle all aspects of the sale, including the financing. On the other hand, there are some places that only need help with the set up of the sales system within their own organization.

Rebecca offered two examples of the types of assistance they provide the parks and resorts. First, Lone Oak RV Park participates in the consignment program. Nick Kuklenski, the owner of the park, supplies accommodations in the park while Recreational Resort Cot-tages provides the Park Models. This is where the Ray Roberts model is avail-able. Recreational Resort Cottages dec-orated the interior of this unit and Nick skirted it, hooked it up to the utilities and landscaped the lot. The two companies work together to market and promote the Park Model living lifestyle.

Another example is that of Mill Creek Ranch Resort in Canton, Texas. Mill Creek contracts with Recreational Resort to handle all aspects of cottage sales. Rebecca remarks, “In this case, Recreational Resort Cottages acts as the realtor for Mill Creek Ranch Resort. Mill Creek owns the inventory and pays a commission for each cottage sold.” Recreational Resort Cottages provides the staff and marketing materials then facilitates all aspects of the sale from lot selection, contracts, titling and finance. “It is so exciting to see new RV parks and resorts like Mill Creek being devel-oped in Texas, and across the nation,”

Rebecca comments. “Not only do they capture and preserve the natural beauty of the land, but they provide a designat-ed place for Park Model living.” Once you have everything settled, Mill Creek Ranch will rent your Park Model when you are not there, so you can earn extra income from your rental; just another fascinating example of the versatility of use.

Without hesitation, when she is asked if there is anyone she feels she should mention within the company, Rebecca acknowledges Kaye Marr, sales man-ager at Recreational Resort Cottages. “Kaye not only meets with clients on a daily basis,” Rebecca exclaims, “but she represents Recreational Resort Cot-

tages and its park and resort clients at all RV and other trade shows.” More-over, Recreational Resort Cottages will coordinate the delivery and installation of your Park Model and Rebecca men-tions Roadmasters Transport, the freight company they use to haul Park Models. Roadmasters, located in Athens, Texas will deliver your new cabin anywhere na-tionwide. The delivery and installation regulations are different in every state. In Texas, Recreational Resort Cottages will tie down the hurricane straps at all six points and anchor them deep into the ground. Additionally, they will provide extra perimeter blocking underneath the

Park Model to give it more support and stability.

From start to finish Recreational Resort Cot-tages will assist their clients and customers in every way necessary in order to meet their needs. They provide invaluable services to their customers, either online or within the dealership setting as well as to the resorts and parks involved in their sales programs. Clearly, they work diligently to promote the Park Model lifestyle. Their website it loaded with information on sales, financing and insurance—

all services provided by this full scale Park Model dealer. In the future, Recre-ational Resort Cottages, along with Bud Surles (designer and developer of Mill Creek Ranch Resort) will provide in-struction on how Park Models can gen-erate income for RV parks, resorts and campgrounds; not only from retail sales but rentals too. Prosperous parks and resorts as well as current and hopeful park modelers should pay attention to the steps taken today by companies such as Recreational Resort Cottages, Mill Creek Ranch Resort and Lone Oak RV Park. When the future of this industry and lifestyle do happen, they will have brought us there.

One of many interior options available from Recreational Resort Cottages

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February – The Heart Warming Month.

Studies show heart disease to be the #1 killer among American men and women. The good news is that a healthy diet is one of the things you can control to improve your heart’s health and lower your risk for heart disease. Making relatively simple changes in your daily eating habits will pay off quickly.

Examples of these changes are:

• C h o o s efoods low in saturated fat.. These foods include fruits, v e g e t a b l e s , whole grain foods and low fat or non-fat dairy products. Saturated fat raises your LDL- “bad” cholesterol level more than anything else you eat.

• Cutdownon sodium. If youhavehighbloodpressure, your health care provider may tell you to cut down on sodium or salt. The daily recommen-dation for sodium is no more than 2400 mg .

• Watchyourbodyweight. It isnotuncommonfor overweight people to have higher blood choles-

terol. When you reduce the fat intake, you cut down not only on cholesterol and saturated fat, but on calo-ries as well.

• Maintain aregular exer-cise program. It is important to exercise even if you are not o v e r w e i g h t . Regular physi-cal activity will help lower your blood cho-lesterol, your blood pressure

and improve your overall health.

• Avoidrefinedsugarandsmoking

by Marie Rotondo

photo by Kimberly Vaicunas

Wheat Penne with Salmon and Vegetables

Ingredients:

Directions:Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, cut the red pepper and yellow squash. Place cut up vegetables in a 13” x 9” baking dishAdd the broth, 1 tablespoon olive oil, thyme, garlic and pepper. Place salmon fillet and sliced olives over the vegetables. Drizzle with lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Cover and bake 30 minutes or until the salmon is opaque and the vegetables are tender. Place the penne in a large serving bowl. Break the salmon into bite-size pieces and add to the penne with the vegetables. Use creativity and place it on a plate as a HAPPY FACE!

12 oz. wheat penne1 cup fresh baby spinach1 red bell pepper, cut into strips1 yellow summer squash, cut into ¼” slices¼ cup pitted black olives, sliced (op-tional)¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth2 Tbs lemon juice1 ½ Tbs olive oil1 garlic glove minced2 tsps dried thyme, crushed

1 salmon fillet (½ pound skinned) Dash of ground pepper

WarmYourHeart


h E a l t h y l i v i n g

Many consumers shop websites before they visit a store. I look at dozens of websites every day and have become a critic. I don’t want “razzle-dazzle” and noise. When I do product research there are specific things I want to know. I selected categories that should appear in Park Model web-sites. The analysis below shows you whether the manufac-turer answers basic questions. There are bonus items listed with asterisks. The “About Us” section includes a brief item from each website.

Athenswww.AthensParkHomes.com

About Us Athens Park Homes, LLC was formed in Septem-ber 2004 by a group of investors led by Phil Sur-les, former Chief Oper-ating Officer of Champion Enterprises. C h a m p i o n was the na-tion’s larges homebuilder during Surles’ tenure.Floorplans Yes Very crisp, black and white, can en-large a lot to see details.Photos Yes – Lots. Very clear, able to enlarge photos. Very nice scrolling photos in the header. Décor Choices divided by curtains, floor tile, carpet, counter top. Not able to see the options next to each oth-er. Standard features Yes Upgrade options No

FAQ’s NoDealers NoTestimonials Yes Factory Tour Power point, (didn’t load on my com-puter)Contact us Phone number, fill in the blank form to re-quest info*Employees – photos of sales team

Crossroadswww.CrossroadsRV.com

A b o u t Us Cross-Roads RV’s strong values for production performance is the foundation of our product promise. Since 1996, we have provided solid products and

have expanded our distribution base to a national level. Floorplans Yes. Include base price. Can click and en-large view Photos You can select by room. Photos can be en-larged Décor Currently shows only one countertop and one carpet selection. Indicates more choices are com-ing soon.Standard features Below the photo of the room, there is a list of standards and options. Also a standards and op-tions link for construction and exterior. This page repeats the room-by-room standards and options.Upgrade options Options are listed below photos of in-dividual roomsFAQ’s YesDealers Select the product, enter a zip code, and receive the info. There’s even a link to driving direc-tions.


WebModels by Kaeth S. Gauthier

PML Editor-in-Chief


Contact us Includes phone, fax and email form. Includes a link to directions *Buyer’s Guide Discusses construction, costs, items to compare*Virtual tour –lets you rotate 360 degrees and look at the ceiling. I had fun with this feature. You can actually make the room spin. *Construction Has a rendering of the Park Model that highlights interior and exterior construction. *Build your own You can choose your floor plan and décor. This feature is waiting for more décor options to be available. *Forum Crossroads owners club – Info about rallies, upgrades, modifications, product line specific links. In-cludes “off-road” info about places to visit and share sto-ries about your travels

Pinnacle Park Homes www.PinnacleParkHomes.com

About Us Pinnacle Park Homes began with five employ-ees building rustic cedar cabins. The company has grown from five to forty employ-ees.F l o o r -plans Y e s . Able to enlarge. Photos Gallery with in-t e r i o r and ex-t e r i o r shots.Décor S h o w s packages – curtains, carpeting, countertop. Nice harmony of colors. You can almost wiggle your toes in the carpet samples. Standard features Yes. Close up photos on interior and exterior options. Gives you a great sense of the grain of the wood. Upgrade optionsFAQ’s YesNew Yes. One article, more than a year old.Dealers No Contact us Page with phone, email, snail mail, map and directions, photos of national sales manager, Stacey Fer-guson, and business development team members. Nice to see the faces. *Finance Options Yes

*Manager’s Specials Yes

Superiorwww.SuperiorParkModelHomes.com

About Us In early 2005 Superior Park Model Homes began manufacturing and building Quality Park Models with the experienced team of John Sprague, Jim Sheehan and Kevin Forehand.Floorplans Y e s . Able to enlargePhoto Yes – Photo gallery by modelDécor Yes, drapery, for-mica, countertops. Includes photos of additional fea-tures.Standard features Yes – Divided by models and lists standardsUpgrade options Yes – Interior and exterior. Detailed photos of tile, draperies (which shows drapes on the window), furniture and other options.FAQ’s No, but they have “What is a PM?”News Photos, press releasesTestimonials YesDealers No. They have Factory Direct Pric-ingContact us Phone number and link for email*On Line Photo Tour of the factory. Very detailed with lots of close-up photos*Finance Options Yes*Manager’s Specials Yes*SPMH Family Photos of staff* Resorts and Parks US map that shows locations with PM

Chariotwww.charioteagle.comwww.charioteaglewest.com

About Us Starting in 1984, with just five employees, in a leased 10,000 square foot facility, the com-pany has expanded on four different occa-sions.Floorplans S e l e c t Park Models, then a specific model, then you can see the floor-


plans and click for larger viewPhoto Yes, although not very many and the resolution is not goodDécor NoStandard features Yes, structural and room-by-room de-tails. Upgrade options NoFAQ’s YesNews Yes – Includes info about shows they’re attendingDealers Search by stateTestimonials YesContact us Phone numbers and email form

North Parkwww.NorthParkMfg.com

About Us NoFloorplans Y e s . Very clear, easy to enlarge, shows basic floorplans with vari-ables. Includes side and front elevations.Photo Lots of interior, exte-rior and construction pictures. Easy to enlarge. Very crisp.Standard features Structural and room by room. *links at the bottom of this page to websites of interest including suppliers and the Wisconsin Assoc of Campground Own-ersDécor NoUpgrade options YesFAQ’s YesNews YesDealers NoContact us Email form. No phone number on this page*Design your model Has graphs with exterior measure-ments but I’m unclear what you’re supposed to do with it.

Fairmontwww.FairmontPark-Trailers.com

About Us F a i r -mont Park Trailers is a wholly owned di-vision of Fairmont Homes; quality builder of homes for Middle

America for over 35 years.Floorplans Yes. Easy to enlargePhotos Yes. Interior and exterior. Easy to enlarge. Very clear.Décor NoStandard features NoUpgrade options NoFAQ’s NoNews NoDealers Yes. Enter your zip code to locate. Includes link to a map. Contact us Fill in the blank email. No telephone number on this page. No telephone number on the home page. *Production Tour Descriptive text and a few photos*Become a retailer Able to download an application

Scenic Viewwww.ScenicView-RV.com

About Us NoFloorplans Yes I n color, easily enlarged.Photos Yes. Alter-nate with floorplans. Decor NoStandard features Not listed on the left side menu, however if you click on a photo, rather than enlarging, it takes you to more pho-tos. Below the photos are specs which I found impossible to read as they are dark gray print on navy blue backgroundUpgrade options YesFAQ’s NoNews NoDealers NoContact us Phone numbers and email address

Cavcowww.Cavco.com

About Us Based in Phoenix, Arizo-na, Cavco has built a reputation for quality and value since it opened for business in 1965.Floorplans Y e s . Able to enlarge.


Photos Grouped by model, easy to enlarge, very clear.Décor Finishes grouped according to color schemes (earth, umber or verde)Standard features Yes. Listed separately for each model interior, exterior, construction, Upgrade options YesFAQ’s NoNews YesDealers Yes. Shows all dealers in the state selectedContact us Link to phone numbers, and an email form

Bear Parkwww.BearParkModels.com

About Us Our manufac-turing plant is 68,000 square ft. but due to the growing demand for our products we plan to expand into an additional 30,000 square feet with two more buildings on the com-pany property.Floorplans In color, able to enlargePhotos Very few, can’t enlargeDécor NoStandard features Has a list of “amenities” with very few details Upgrade options NoFAQ’s NoNews YesDealers “currently updating” Includes a suggestion to phone them for information. Contact us Listed as “request a quote” and has phone number and email form

Heritagewww.HeritageParkModels.com

About Us Heritage Park Models, Inc. is a family owned business, exclusively building park model homes for over 20 years.Floorplans Yes Includ-ed as a separate file. Unable to enlarge the view.

Photos No Décor NoStandard features Yes Upgrade options YesFAQ’s NoNews NoDealers NoContact us Phone numbers and email form*Virtual tour of three different models

Chestnut Ridgewww.ChestnutRidgeLogCabins.com

A b o u t us Chestnut Ridge Log Cabins was founded in 2002 for the purpose of manufactur-ing and mar-keting top of the line RV Park Models in the tradition of authentic log cabins. Floorplans Yes, includes some front and side elevations.Photos Yes five pictures of one series, able to select and enlarge. Good quality. Décor NoStandard features YesUpgrade options YesFAQ’s Under ConstructionNews Hidden in “Brochures, etc”Dealers NoContact us Phone number and email address*Brochures, etc. Downloadable pdf files for brochures, catalogue including floor plans, standard features and op-tions, warranty, and cost estimator*Cost estimator Detailed spreadsheet that allows you to select desired items and get a total cost (dated 2005)*Virtual Tour In the upper right corner of the photo page is a link which is very hard to read. This invites you to take a virtual tour

All web site descriptions were accurate at time of printing. All graphics are copyrighted by their respective owners. The web site screen captures pictured in this article are only partial representa-tions of the web sites discussed herein.


t h E a n s w E r g u y

News & Notes on the Park Model Lifestyle & answers to

your questions from RPTIA

Executive Director

W.R. “Bill” Garpow

Are you a part of the typical American family? Do you have every minute of your day, your significant other’s day, and your children’s day all mapped out? Do you feel that the rest and relaxation that was at one time provided at your home has been replaced with a stressful target at-tached to your head? More and more, we see the media or advertising asking us the hard questions about the quality of our lives and suggesting that their particular product(s) or services might just be the ticket to free our families from the mental and physical exhaustion of ”rat race”.

For years, the breadwinner of our families ran this stress-filled race alone with their share of guilt and heart disease. As if it wasn’t bad enough to have one family member under a physicians care, we have now evolved into two-income households adding yet another family member to the hamster wheel. As the guilt of less quality family time piles high, parents begin to over-compensate by add-ing quality activities to fill the hours that they cannot be with their children.

An entire segment of a network morning TV show recently targeted the fact that our society has now added our youngest and most vulnerable family members to the “rat race”. What I gathered from the interviews is that the stress that our children (and grandchildren) are under by being over-scheduled is taking the “child” out of our children.

What, can we do to reclaim the precious family time be-fore our children (and grandchildren) strike out to establish rat races of their own? A family vacation is always a great idea, and it works, but the preparation in itself is stress-filled. Then you blink your eyes and the precious week is history and a sizeable chunk of the family budget has also been vaporized while we return to more of the same.

An affordable summer cottage from the days gone by was an ideal answer not so many decades ago but these seasonal units have all but disappeared. Now however, a viable and economically feasible replacement for the cot-tage that was popular during the days of our grandparents has been re-discovered and is growing in popularity.

A Recreational Park Trailer (Park Model) offers the perfect escape from the typical rat race that now seems to hold the entire American family under attack. Recre-ational Park Trailers (RPTs) are wonderful seasonal and vacation dwelling that provide us with all of the comforts of home while offering the family a chance to get away and change the pace to remove the cause of stress. They range between 320 and 400 sq ft in the set-up mode and may even have a loft that is less than five feet high where the kids can unwind in their own special place as well. Sited for long periods of time in RV parks and campgrounds these units are used not as a domicile but only as a vacation and seasonal unit ready for the family to use whenever their schedule permits. Nearly all RPTs are sited in RV parks and campgrounds where the amenities and locations vary but family fun and a leisure escape is always the order of the day.

Some 57% of RPT owners tell us that their RPTs are sited near water including 41% that are sited near an ocean while an additional 25% are sited in the mountains. Whether you “de-stress” while gazing at the ocean or mountains, while fishing or hunting, or reconnecting with distant family, the RPT lifestyle meets your needs. Some RPT owners have even discovered that more than one park model owned by the same family can increase the diversity several fold while providing themselves with the best of all worlds and even more chances to escape stress by diversify-ing their choices.

Do you and your family enjoy life with the perfect escape from the rat race? I thought so! With 98% of RPT owners recommending the RPT lifestyle to family, friends and neighbors, its time that you joined in the effort to shared the good times with your loved one’s by helping them to discover life away from the daily grind. Spread the good word.

To learn more about the incredible park model lifestyle including contact information for RPTIA’s Manufacturer Members, parks and dealerships go to http://www.rptia.com.

Family

RecReation


At Scenic View, building Park Mod-els is truly a family endeavor. Siblings Randy, Linda and Barb put their creativ-ity and talents to work and produce cot-tages and cabins for the discerning con-sumer. Company owner Randy Rush is an experienced business manager. He has operated businesses that include cargo trailers, recreational vehicles and projects including work for FEMA. His latest venture, Scenic View includes work-ing with his sisters, Linda Sissom and Barb Keller to create a family owned and operated business to pro-duce luxury cottages. Sce-nic View is division of T.L. Industries. Linda tells us, “I like our product and I be-lieve in it. We have taken a lot of options for other com-panies and made them stan-dard with us so ordering is much easier.”

Located in Elkhart, In-diana, the team at Scenic View is on the cutting edge in the Park Model industry. They pro-duce smooth finish, dry walled units with stomped ceilings and custom inte-riors. According to Randy, “Our goal is to make a product that your family will enjoy for many years. We look forward to meeting the customers and listening to their input about products. “

Standard features for their products include crown molding, ceramic floors in the kitchen and bath and low-E resi-dential windows. The fully equipped kitchen is furnished with full size appli-ances, Corian-edged countertops, track lighting and specially designed cabi-

nets. Interior designer, Carol Hayden, provides dramatic and enticing looks for the units. The residential finish al-lows you to paint or install wallpaper borders and decorate as you would at home. Optional furniture includes ex-tra tables, a pit group with sleeper, hide-a-bed or recliner.

The best indicator of quality in Park Models is construction standards. Sce-nic View hired the best in the field and

implemented a strict quality control program. Their thorough testing pro-cedures include a pre-delivery inspector at the factory. This ensures your unit is defect-free.

Their website has photos and con-struction details that help you under-stand the quality process that Scenic View uses to build Park Models. The frame is designed and engineered to be the strongest possible, with 8” I-beams standard. On models that will add a porch, a double beam is installed. A metal sheeted sublayer is used before the floor joists are installed. This seals the

floor and prevents access by rodents and insects. Scenic View builds transverse floors for better rigidity and plumbing access. This creates a “basement” area below the floor studs for the placement of air ducts and plumbing lines. Tongue and groove plywood floor decking is glued and stapled to create the base floor which is then secured to the frame with carriage bolts.

Wall units are built with full 2” x 4” studs on 16” centers, using special fastening techniques to prevent cracking and shifting during transportation. Wir-ing and electrical systems are tested three times during the construction of the unit. Af-ter the walls are placed and se-cured, the unit is packed with R11 insulation and sheathed in OSB to add strength and insulation. All Scenic View units include standard low-E vinyl thermopane windows and patio doors.

For the exterior, customers can choose vinyl lap, shaker, cedar log or cedar lap siding. Options include a screwless

metal roof, 56,000 BTU furnace, ten gallon gas/electric water heater with DSI spark, 27,000 BTU under air unit, 100 amp service panel, and two holding tanks. You may also choose extra in-sulation, and exterior patio and security lights.

Scenic View sells their product through campgrounds and dealers. The customers work directly with a dealer to make floor plan and decorating choices. “We have wonderful design options” says Linda. “Customers can get the look they want for this wonderful sec-ond home.”


The Cabin version of the Scenic View RR9

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One reason the Park Model lifestyle has become so popular is that minimal home maintenance equals maximum fun. It seems the sky is the limit when resort residents look for ways to spend their spare time. Think of resort living as summer camp for grown-ups, with-out the bugs.

Smart park managers hire full-time activity directors to keep residents happy with a full slate of fitness, social, hobby, educational and entertainment pastimes. What are these parks offer-ing?

Most sun seekers have a daily sched-ule to keep all the activities organized. Follow along as we snoop into a typi-cal day at any one of a number of Park Model resorts across the country.

Many residents choose exercise as the first order of the day. An early morn-ing workout might involve aqua gym, walking or aerobics. Some parks are see-ing an increased in-terest in special fit-ness programs such as Pilates, yoga and Tai Chi, because residents want to im-prove their flexibility and balance along

with keeping aerobically fit. At Winter Quarters Manatee Encore

Resort in Bradenton Florida, a yoga in-structor visits regularly from a nearby studio, according to Activities Co-Di-rector Judy Jervis. The new class already has over 30 participants. Peggy Amen-dola, activities director for Rancho Casa Blanca, in Indio California, has Pilates and Tai Chi in the activities schedule, in response to multiple requests.

After breakfast, resort denizens are ready to seize the day. At Far Horizons Tucson Village in Arizona, Monday golf and Tuesday hiking are long-time favor-

ites that extend past lunch time. Other morning groups are choir, crafts, sew-ing, and quilting and computer club. A

new club this year, in response to wide-spread ownership of user-friendly digi-tal cameras is the Thursday Foto Fun club. This group takes outings to scenic local parks for digital photo safaris.

After lunch, music and dance are of-ten just the right combination to spice up the afternoon. Musicians at Far Ho-rizons get together for a jam session two or three times a week.

At Bentsen Grove Resort in Mis-sion Texas, residents are big into line dancing, according to Activity Director Bonnie Newboles. In fact, many of the activity directors interviewed for this

story reported an increasing interest in line dancing. Several factors may be behind this rise in popularity: no partner is re-quired, recorded music works well and the dance steps can be useful at local watering holes. The steps are also fairly easy to learn and les-sons are available online.

To boost flag-ging interest in square dancing, organizers at

Tropic Winds Resort in Harlingen Tex-as hosted an afternoon of free lessons with root beer floats to entice newcom-

by Claire RogersPML Contributor

The Women’s Yacht Club having fun in the sun

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ers. According to Activity Director Dee Marshall, the ploy worked and a full class of new square dancers is learning Mainstream routines. Clogging is rising in popularity at many parks in Florida, according to Jervis.

Crafts and hobbies are always popu-lar, but the types of crafts seem to come and go. Quilting and sewing are ever popular but one surprise in fiber arts is Swedish weaving at Bentsen Grove. Paper quilling is also new on the scene at the re-sort, according to Newboles, because a resident is willing to share her knowledge with others. Scrapbooking has been in high demand for sev-eral years.

Woodcarving is active at many parks, including Bentsen Grove. Rancho Casa Blanca has over 60 members in its woodcarving club. At Far Horizons, wood-working is divided into carpentry at the power-tooled wood shop and hand-carved wood craft in the art room.

Rising in popularity at Rancho Casa Blanca are Spanish lessons, computer club and art class, with a resi-dent artist teaching weekly classes in water color.

Shuffleboard remains a strong game at most of the parks around the country. Other popular mid afternoon activities at many parks are games like ping pong, mah-jongg, bridge, cards, and bin-go.

“Bingo is king, as we say here,” said Jervis. So big in fact that the park sells and serves food at the weekly bingos. Card bingo became very popular when Mar-shall introduced it at Tropic Winds, and residents have been asking for it ever since.

One thing holds true among all parks: any activity involving food is a winner. For mornings, think pancake breakfasts, donuts and brunches. For lunch there are cook-outs, pizza and tailgating parties.

Afternoons at many parks are enriched by ice cream socials or wine and cheese tasting parties. Evenings may include a potluck, a spaghetti dinner, or baked potato pile-up. Residents like to eat out in groups also: raucous red-hatters raid the local buffets and roaming ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out) breakfast at nearby cafes.

At the end of the day, many residents

are ready to call it a day (from the spa) while others may want some entertain-ment. “It has to be good, or people won’t come,” said Marshall of the talent she brings into Tropic Winds.

Tours and travel are very popular among all the parks that offer trips. Bus tours to casinos are always full. At Rancho Casa Blanca, day trips to local attractions are as popular as extended

tours to places like the Panama Canal, Branson Missouri and the Mexican Riv-iera. Amendola also indicated that es-corted evening excursions to the theater are in very high demand.

The Recreational Park Trailer Indus-try Association has kept track of trends in the interests of new Park Model own-ers since 2001. Auto racing is showing a bump up in fans and so is boating. Look

for cruises to start showing up in the activity calendar as well; cruisers now account for 12 percent of respondents up from eight percent in 2001.

Though we already knew quilting was on the rise, statis-tics show a jump from seven to ten percent of respondents favoring quilting, while sew-ing remained flat. Computers are getting more user-friendly again after a lull in 2005 and 2006. Crafts are also on the rise after a brief break. Guns became a big hobby in 2007 when 12 percent of respon-dents reported being gun hobbyists. History has grown by two points. Perhaps an an-tique gun club is in order.

People are also finding their way back to music af-ter a lull in 2005 and 2006. Maybe it’s time to strike up a community band. Perhaps a trip to a music festival is in order.

“A lot of activities are cyclical,” said Jervis of the unpredictability of what will be popular from one year to the next. “We keep our eyes and ears open,” she said, “es-pecially at the Monday morn-ing coffee” As an example,

Jervis was recently asked about the pos-sibility of starting a lawn bowling club. She pointed out that it is up to the activ-ity director to be open to suggestions.

So if you’d like to join in on a club not running yet, or even better, have a talent to share, speak up. Create your fun resort adventure and remember, no bugs allowed.

A ship-shape display

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It is nice to say and read that spring and summer will be here before we realize it. It is especially nice to say (and read) this bit of information in northern climates such as Mon-tana, Minnesota and Wisconsin; in northeastern regions like Maine and New York; and really anywhere that the bitter cold and heavy snows of winter have visited this past season. Of course there are several regions of the country without dramatic seasonal changes; places the snowbirds know quite well. You SoCal folks, Arizonians, Texans and Floridians understand. As the seasons start to shift and you plan your spring and summer journeys, the weather will play a large part when you determine where you are headed and what you need to stay mindful of inside your Park Model.

Over time, the topic of weather has consistently been a strong conversation piece. We have all been in a discussion that has started with something like “How’s the weather look today?” or “This is some weather we’re having!” Sometimes, you might hear “Did you see that storm last night?” or “It sure is cold outside!” Whatever the dialogue, people enjoy small talk about the weather. In the United States, our varied land forms and bodies of water lend to a diverse and interest-ing range of climates and weather systems. Ohio has seen tremendous thunderstorms in the month of February. Deadly tornadoes surprised the residents of Tennessee and other parts of the south earlier this winter. Of course, no one will ever forget the catastrophes embodied by Hurricanes Ka-trina and Rita in the summer of 2005.

The National Oceanic and Atmo-spheric Administration (NOAA) is the federal agency that monitors the weath-er and climate in the U.S. and surround-ing waters and regions. According to the NOAA website, their mission is “To understand and predict changes in Earth’s

environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our

Nation’s economic, social, and envi-ronmental needs.” One division of the NOAA is The National Weather

Service (NWS). Part of the goal of the NWS, as stated on their website, is to

“Provide weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warn-ings for the United States for the protection of life and prop-erty and the enhancement of the national economy.”

When the NWS observes the potential for severe weather, they quickly broadcast this information, along with any pertinent severe weather warnings to those people in that part of the country. We at PML Magazine want to pass along to our readers the different types of severe weather that will most likely strike and what precautions you will need to take to maintain the safety of yourself and your family.

While spring and summer approach, the most common types of severe weather are thunderstorms, torna-does and hurricanes. Let’s begin with thunderstorms. Basi-cally rain storms on a much larger scale, thunderstorms produce lightning, strong winds, flash floods, hail and tornadoes. It is important to recognize when a thunderstorm approaches and what you need to do to remain safe. They occur most often during spring and summer when low-pressure and high-pres-sure fronts collide in the upper atmosphere. A severe thunder-storm, as defined by the NWS, “produces hail at least ¾ inch in diameter, winds 58 mph or stronger or a tornado.” Many of us like to listen to the loud rain and thunder and watch the lightning strike; however the danger is far greater than we realize. Many people die each year as the result of a lightning strike. Some of those that survive are inflicted with debilitat-ing symptoms that can last their lifetime.

What should do you do when a thunderstorm approaches? The most basic advice applies here: seek shelter. As soon as

you hear thunder, cease all outdoor activity and get into a large build-ing or enclosed ve-hicle. “Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles from the area where it

by Ryan W. PattersonPML Staff Writer

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Weather


is raining. If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance. Seek safe shelter immediately.” The NWS recom-mends this in order to avoid serious injury due to lightning. Once you are inside, stay away from any electrical equipment that puts you in the line of fire. Essentially, anything with a cord attached to it will be dangerous. You should avoid swim-ming pools and all plumbing as well.

More deadly and dangerous than the thunderstorm is the tornado, one of the most violent forms of severe weather found in nature. Tornadoes form quickly and in a matter of minutes can level neighborhoods and sections of cities. We have all seen pictures of these terrible storms and the destruction they create, but what exactly is a tornado? The NWS classifies a tornado as “a violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground.” The average rotating wind speed of a tornado is about 112 mph; however the strongest tornadoes have rotating winds that exceed 250 mph. How does a tornado form? The answer: a thunderstorm. Damp, warm air is usually lifted by cooler, heavier air. As this air rises, it cools then its mois-ture condenses and forms rain or hail. The air currents shift within this storm and rotating winds build speed and finally touch the ground as a tornado.

What important steps should you take to remain safe when a tornado warning is issued? If you are in a Park Model or any kind of travel trailer, motor home or RV, you should leave it immediately; even if the trailer or cottage is securely tied down.

Underground shelter is generally the safest place so head to the RV Park’s office, recreational center or community build-ing and get in the basement. If the park has a tornado shelter, use that. If none of the above options are available and you cannot get to some kind of large, site-built structure (like a school or a church), and must therefore remain in your cot-tage or trailer, get into the bathtub and lie down or find some-

thing sturdy and get underneath it. The Foremost Insurance

Group insures manufactured homes and their website, www.mygreathome.com is a tremendous source of information for those who live in Park Models, cabins, cottages or any other type of manufactured home. Here, they advise you to “wrap yourself in coats, blankets or sleeping bags for protection against flying debris.” Keep clear of exposed walls and all windows and doors. Always cover your head.

Hurricane season begins in the late spring and lasts through November. This seems almost as long as the winters

in Wisconsin or Ohio! Hurricanes are dangerous just because of their size. Although the winds of a hurricane are not as strong as those of a tornado, when combined with the sud-denly rising tides these storms become much more destruc-tive.

The hurricanes that hit land in the U.S. begin in the Atlan-tic Ocean, off the coast of West Africa. As they move west-ward across the ocean they pick up speed and strength. After they move upward through the Caribbean Sea, they generally strike the United States in Florida, Texas, the Gulf Coast and the Carolinas. However, many other Eastern seaboard states have been affected by these massive tropical storms.

Technological advances in weather forecasting allow watches and warnings to be issued far in advance. Now, residents are able to act more quickly as these storms ap-proach. Plan ahead. Build a survival kit for you and your family so you will have what you need when disaster strikes. A basic survival kit should contain non-perishable and food items, bottled water, baby food, a radio, flashlight and batter-ies, a first aid kit and whatever other neces-sities you feel are needed should you find yourself stranded or otherwise out of touch with the rest of the community. Make sure you have cash on hand. ATMs and banks will be out of commission when a hurricane strikes. Because of this, you will probably not be able to use your credit or debit card.

If you live full-time or part-time in hurricane rich areas of the U.S., an evacuation plan will be essential. Listen to your local government when they tell you to evacuate. You and your family need to understand where you plan to go in the event of one of these storms. Discuss this plan with your family members, even those that do not reside in your area. They should know where you will be when the next big storm strikes. Always make sure your gas tank is full when there is the potential for a hurricane.

Finally, secure your dwelling. Reinforce and protect your tie-downs, roof and windows. Remove lawn ornaments and furniture from your yard and trim dead branches from any trees that are near your home. Plywood and plastic sheeting will help to protect your exterior from objects tossed about by the raging winds. Inside your dwelling, you might want to place items of high value on elevated shelves to keep flood waters away.

Thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes pose the largest threat, as far as severe weather is concerned, to most loca-tions in the United States. Take the necessary precautions in advance and seek shelter when the time comes. Keep you and your family safe first, the material items are secondary. Next month, we will explain the difference between a “warning” and a “watch” issued by the National Weather Service.


The Benbow RV Resort in California is a year round destination where, “Most people come to see the redwoods,” ac-cording to Sales and Marketing Direc-tory Toni Dailey. “We’re ten miles from Avenue of the Giants and close to the Lost Coast, one of the last wilderness ar-eas in the country. This is a great place to get away.”

The RV Park is in the heart of the Redwoods, Humbolt County, close to Eureka and Ferndale. Whether you want tranquil-ity or entertainment, both are available here. The resort has more than 100 pull through and back-in RV sites and sev-eral Park Models for rent. Fabulous redwood covered mountains can be seen from the property. All the sites are paved and have cement patios, lawns, picnic tables and full hookups, including cable TV and complementary WiFi. Prime sites are avail-able with special options that include 50 amp power, patio furniture, newspaper delivery directly to the site and complimentary tea and scones. You know your animal friends will be welcome because the site map shows the location of the dog wash and playground.

Benbow’s website is first class and has terrific photos as well as audio with soothing bird chirps. You can view the RV resort, cottages, the Benbow Hotel accommodations as well as amenities. The RV site map will help you pick your favorite location. In 2004 the RV resort won “Best of the West Award” as the top RV park in the western United States. Dailey tells us they have a Four Diamond

rating from AAA and top approval rat-ings from Good Sam and Woodall’s.

When you want to rent a Park Model, Benbow offers very detailed informa-tion about the cottages and their ameni-ties. Table service for four is included as well as a cookware set, coffeemaker and toaster. Sleeping options include a Queen size bed and a sofa bed that sleeps two. The map shows you the exact loca-tion of the cottages.

One of the charming options here is

the adjacent Benbow Hotel which opened in 1926 and offers Tudor elegance and the gracious ambiance of an earlier age. The guest rooms are shown on the web-site and are quite enticing. Daily says, “The inn is known for featuring roman-tic getaways.”

When your vacation goal is spend-ing time with nature, there are many op-tions.

Avenue of the Giants is a 31 mile scenic drive and a living museum of the world’s largest trees. The Lost Coast is one of the last wilderness areas in the country. You can hike through this area

as well as through state parks and nation-al parks.

If the beach calls to you, it doesn’t require a flight to Hawaii to experience black sand. Shelter Cove offers walks on the black sand beaches, surfing and a chance to watch sea lions and seals on the coastline. When touring museums is more your style, travel to Scotia, home of the Pacific Lumber Company. The mill is adjacent to the Eel River and you can tour the logging museum at one of the

last company-owned towns in America.

The Benbow website of-fers a unique feature. They have planned a four day itin-erary that organizes your stay and takes you through redwood forests, beaches, historic structures and of-fers food recommendations. They include local links with more than a dozen selections to help you learn more about this area. Their insight saves your time and maybe some family wrangling.

There are so many op-tions at the Benbow that you could stay on the property

for weeks and be well entertained. Be-cause the Eel River winds through the resort, river swimming is an option as well as non-powered boating on Benbow Lake. They’ll even loan you a bike and helmet. The resort includes a 9-hole par 35 golf course, swimming pool and hik-ing. Planned summer activities include ice cream socials, picnics, wine tasting and holiday celebrations. Whether you want to experience steelhead fishing in the winter, black sand beaches in the summer, or magnificent redwoods in any season, the Benbow RV Resort and Ho-tel welcomes you.


An interior shot of a rentable recreational cottage at Benbow

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Park Model Living Feb 2008

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