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For those who truly love classic American cars, there is no better place to be than in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee during the Spring Grand Rod Run and the Fall Grand Rod Run. Held in April and September each year, this massive car show draws people from all over the country to show off their cars.
Workshops are also held throughout the event and vendors have tables set up as well.
For those who want to fully immerse themselves in the experience of the Rod Runs, the only lodging choice would one of the many hotels located on the main Parkway. This allows visitors to literally step outside of their hotel room into the car show. It also allows one to fall asleep to the sounds of engines revving all night long, so keep that in mind when choosing where to stay. ›Continue reading Rod Run Pigeon Forge, Tennessee – Hot Rodders Rejoice
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Versailles, a ritzy Parisian suburb, is the location of what was once the capital of France, even if not officially. You may have heard of this city, as it is world famous for the magnificent Chateau de Versailles, which has its beginnings in the hunting lodge built by Louis XIII in 1624. Louis XIV continued the work, employing Louis Le Vau, Andre Le Notre, and Charles Le Brun, an architect, landscaper, and a painter/ designer respectively, to expand and remodel the palace. Court was established there on May 6, 1682. From then on, Versailles was legendary.
Tours of various parts of the palace are available. Places which are available for visit include the King’s state apartments, the Queen’s state apartments, the King’s chamber, and the jewel of the castle, the Hall of Mirrors. In addition to these fine quarters, one can also visit the Queen’s Hamlet, which is a small country hamlet replica built for the queen; this is where Marie Antoinette could pretend she was a country maid. See the Grande Ecourie, which is the collection of Versailles stables; it once held more than 600 horses. Costumed horse demonstrations can also be witnessed here.
That is not all; other great places to tour include the Dauphin’s apartments, Le Petite Trianon, and the Grand Trianon. The palace is full of opulence and you will never see anything like it anywhere in the world. Shows, musicals, extravagant courtyards, courtly ceremonies, galleries, and a museum can all be found on the site.
I get asked about this quite a bit and I also see problems with it almost every time I go out camping in the forests as well as normal RV parks. Your canine companions traditionally have been welcome in most national forest campgrounds. The few rules that apply to dogs are meant to assure that you and other national forest visitors have an enjoyable outdoor recreation experience.
 Good dogs (but not on leashes) - Photo by ThreadedThoughts If you are camping with your pet, please practice the following rules:
- Leave vicious or noisy dogs at home. If they disturb or threaten others, they will not be allowed in public recreation areas and you will be asked to leave.
- At all waking times, keep your dog on a leash no more than 6 feet long or it must be under physical restrictive control at all times (36CFR2261.14j). That’s the law you agree to when you enter the forest. Domestic animals are not allowed to run loose in recreation areas where they can disturb others.
- It is a good idea to keep you dogs and other pets inside a vehicle or a tent at night.
- Please consider others if you have pets with you.
- Do not leave your dog alone. It may whine or bark while you are away. I don’t know how many times I hear people say, “my dog is quiet as a mouse, he never makes a sound.” Yeah, until you are not around. Then he barks non-stop until he hears your car or sees you coming back.
- Please clean up after your pet it will only take a few minutes.
Of course this post was inspired by my recent camping trip through some National Forests campgrounds in southern Colorado. First, I get out to check how level my site is when a big dog comes running towards me growling. I had to jump back in the drivers seat. Everybody’s dog is great and so sweet…Yes to their owners. You never know about strangers.
This same camper was having a little party at her campsite so more people come with their dogs. Pretty soon they have illegally parked cars all over the place with several dogs running all over the campground. All of them run loose, shaking water all over us, scaring my daughter and messing up our dinner, while the owners sit and relax. I had to shout at the dogs to leave and go home. The owners never call them or pay attention.
 Wandering dogs but not the ones I'm writing about here - Photo by David Hudson Floyd I just had a little dog run loose into my campsite and make waste right by the fire pit. The owners were inside their RV with the little bear appetizer running all over the place. I was already backing up out of the campsite so I didn’t go put it on the steps of the owners trailer like I should have.
What do you think about dogs in National Forests? Do you go camping with your dog? Do you have problems with others and their dogs?
This summer, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is offering a free camping night at a selection of 20 state parks.
You can get a coupon that entitles customers who rent campsites for two consecutive nights to another night’s stay for free, Sunday through Thursday.
The coupons, which are good through Sept. 30, must be printed off the department’s Web site, www.oregonstateparks.org.
Oregon State Parks are filling at an all time high as people getaway closer to home. Every park that takes reservations is filled for every weekend of the summer. So you at this point for many state parks, you have to look for cancellations, go during the week or just wait until school starts in the fall.
The “buy two, get one free” offer is limited to one per customer per stay, and excludes yurts and cabins. The parks honoring the coupons rent sites exclusively on a first-come, first-served basis and are as follows:
Ainsworth, Viento, Cascadia, Cascara, Alfred. A Loeb, Carl G. Washburne, Cape Blanco, Humbug Mountain, Goose Lake, Collier Memorial, Jackson Kimball, Catherine Creek, Hilgard Junction, Lake Owyhee, Minam, Jasper Point, Ukiah-Dale, Unity Lake, Clyde Holliday, Red Bridge
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If you are thinking about buying an RV or new car for that matter, there are even more benefits right now than just stimulating the economy. You don’t have to live in a state without a sales tax to benefit a little when you buy an RV this year. If you do buy your new RV or vehicle in a state without sales tax, you can even deduct some of the local taxes and fees to save even more.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides a deduction for state and local sales and excise taxes paid on the purchase of new cars, light trucks, motor homes and motorcycles through 2009. The deduction is available regardless of whether a taxpayer itemizes deductions. ›Continue reading Tax Credit for New RV Purchases
After recently proposing to ban trucks and RVs from parking in Hobart, Indian, the city council voted to shelve the ordinance for now. The city council voted 5-1 to postpone a final vote after getting a flood of phone calls and e-mails from RVers and truckers who would have been affected by the ordinance. It would have banned parking overnight in town at retail places including Wal-mart and Sams Club.
Proposals like this do not welcome RVers to stop in town and spend money. It does not welcome truckers to want to come into town and deliver their merchandise to the stores and stay for breakfast. Instead drivers will bypass the town or get out of it as soon as they can. In this economy, why deter people from spending money in your town. ›Continue reading Hobart Indiana Overnight Parking Ban
Italians are famous for their lemming like attraction for being drawn into the sea. The boot shape of the peninsula means that virtually everyone is within a two hour drive of the Mediterranean. But one of the most favored destinations when it comes time to slather oneself with oil and lay tranquilly on the sand is Sardinia. The beaches that Sardinia is home to are some of the most beautiful in the world and the euphemism “picture postcard perfect†is no exaggeration. Water so amazingly clear that when it is 40 feet deep you can see all the way to the sandy bottom and sand so white it can hurt your eyes when the sunbeams are reflected off of it.
 Sardinia - Photo by cristianocani When self-exiled British author D. H. Lawrence said that Sardinia was, “lost between Europe and Africa and belonging to nowhere,†he could not have been more accurate. A distinct dialect of Italian is spoken here that is difficult even for Italians to understand. The western side of the island is more prone to the qualities that inspired the quote. Rugged beaches facing Spain and a less densely packed population offer not only a sense of slipping back in time, but also a number of National Parks and protected areas that are fantastic for viewing sea life and having a slowly paced trip. In the northwestern portion of the island both the Cap Caccia Marine Protected area and the Asihara National Park boast amazing natural beauty. As you slip further down the coastline to the west portion, you come across Piscinas Beach. The beach is appropriately named because the water is as clear and sparkling as a pool.
›Continue reading Sardinia: Beauty and the Beach
A male hiker died from a fall off of Yosemite’s Half Dome on Saturday June 13th, 2009. He was climbing the granite monolith in the late afternoon when he fell to his death. The reports state that we was using the cable handrails provided on the 17 mile round trip that starts in the valley and ascends nearly 5,000 feet. The weather conditions led to a couple dozen other climbers being guided down by Rangers.
This is a sad reminder that nature is both wonderful and beautiful yet real and dangerous at all times. From a bear in your campground to a slip of the foot on a trail, from a sparking campfire to a falling tree eaten by bark beetles, nature is real and we need to stay alert and cautious at all times.
I observe people almost on a daily basis while out in the wild that appear to think they are in a theme park. They seem to think that there is no danger and that someone will help them up at any moment. They have a truck, a SUV or 4WD and feel invincible so they speed on blind curve mountainous roads putting others at risk. I’ve noticed in recent years that every vehicle I see off a road, stuck in bad weather or in a ditch is one of those aforementioned invincible ones. People pose for pictures in precarious spots. They let their kids and house pets run around by themselves like there is a large fence keeping out nature’s predators. They start a hike in the summer like they expect a water fountain and bathrooms along the trails. They’ll complain about paying a tax while sitting at home but then feel safe in nature at all times because they are just a helicopter rescue away from their couch and the Discovery Channel.
If this man from Yosemite could tell you something now, he might tell you it’s just not so…
Traveling in Africa can be a wonderful experience, but it s not without it’s challenges, risks and frustrations. For this reason travelers are sometimes hesitant to travel with their families, especially if they plan to do a game viewing safari. Here’s some inside information on child friendly destinations that will offer you a great family vacation.
Top of the list has to be South Africa, with its extensive transport infrastructure and variety of touring options it’s a firm favorite. For affordability, your best option is to do a self drive tour which will be both economical and allow you the freedom to accommodate the whims of younger travelers. Good quality guesthouses offer a home away from home and many larger hotels have a free child policy if they share a room with parents.
›Continue reading Family Friendly Africa
Madeira is a volcanic island off the coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. It is known for its steep roads and its woven basket chairs. When the two come together, you get one must-do experience. The biggest thrill ride of all is to ride down a steep street in a wicker basket loveseat on runners, and you can only do it here in Madeira.
›Continue reading A Toboggan ride in tropical Madeira
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