Hi all, I have been blogging on this site for a couple of years now and have enjoyed very much the discussion with many of you on a number of issues. Please don't take this as a plug. As an RVer since 1979 and a park operator since 2001, I know a little bit about RVing and the RV Park business. I retired from a previous 30 year career with the Federal Government in 1998, and having my mother and father both still alive after retirement was something that I had never contemplated. They were also avid RVers and got me started in the RV lifestyle in the mid 1970’s. We began construction on our park in 1998 on land that had been in my mother’s family since 1900 and opened March 1, 2001 as a 4-way family partnership. I have enjoyed the RV Park business tremendously but have really missed the RV lifestyle. Since that time, due to family health issues, we have gone from a 4-way partnership to a sole proprietorship. In 2005 I bought a new 40’ Phaeton motorhome because it had a door wide enough to accommodate a lift chair for my wife who was terminally ill with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Unfortunately, she never got to take a vacation in her new motorhome, and it has gone primarily unused for the last 2 years. That is about to change. This Fall after our busy Summer season ends, the wheels on the Phaeton are going to turn. I am coming out and intend to tour the entire western half of the country. I would love to see some of you on the road, or if you are ever in our area (the Texas Hill Country), stop by and say Hi (with the stay on me in our off-season). This is sincerely offered in the interest of friendship with people I feel like I know on this forum. Hope to see you on the road. - Doug
Doug, Sorry to hear that life has not been fair to you. We also have had problems but we move on in life. Enjoy the RV life the same as we do. We also tour western half of the country a lot due to warm weather. Great places to see in west.
Have a great trip. You deserve it. Looks like we're in for a really hot Texas summer. At least your park is on a cool river. Take care. And be sure to stay at places with Wi-Fi so you can stay in touch.
Doug, Glad to see that you and the Mrs. are getting out there and enjoying life. While I don't see myself getting out west anytime soon, I thought maybe we should all just start putting in a thread where we are going to be. That way we could look out for each other. After reading everybody's posts over the past few years, it would be a shame to be in a park with some of y'all and not run into you. I'll start: June29 - at least July 3 (might stay longer) and July 27 - August 3 we will be at Davidson River CG in Brevard NC. Keystone Cabana Hybrid, pewter Suburban, Mount Pleasant SC sign hanging on the site post.
QUOTE(John Blue @ Jun 17 2008, 10:02 PM) [snapback]11923[/snapback] Doug, Sorry to hear that life has not been fair to you. We also have had problems but we move on in life. Enjoy the RV life the same as we do. We also tour western half of the country a lot due to warm weather. Great places to see in west. Hi John Blue, I didn't mean for anyone to be sorry for me. Life has been very fair and for the most part very enjoyable. The last few years have had a few bumps in the road, but I was very fortunate that I was in a position to take care of all of my loved ones when they needed it the most. No one had to go to a nursing home and no one was bankrupted by the medical bills. Yes, life has been very very fair to me. And I have a fantastic new family working with me at the RV Park. Thanks - Doug
QUOTE(Parkview @ Jun 17 2008, 02:49 PM) [snapback]11909[/snapback] ...This Fall...the wheels on the Phaeton are going to turn. I am coming out and intend to tour the entire western half of the country. Hope to see you on the road. - Doug Fabulous news! Sincerely hope we all see a plateau (if not a drop) in fuel prices by the time you need to top off the tank of the Phaeton... Should consider the RV Park Review Forum gang meeting up someplace in the future. Have to be considerate of everyone's work schedules of course. Just thinking out loud. Cheers! B)
FosterImposters, Great plan to have everyone on this group meet some place to get together. We will need a very large RV park or someone's farm land to do it. Doug, Happy to hear things have worked out for you all.
Ok, Parkview started this, and this current post has nothing to do with Parkviews original post, but I thought I would "hijack" the topic title and add my own stuff. (Is that against "netiquette? not sure.) Due to my kitty's urinary problems, I decided to put off going to Colorado in July. Instead, I'll do Colorado on my way back from Pennsylvania in September. Instead, in July, I'll take a shorter trip, as long as kitty doesn't have any more problems. Right now, I'm looking at going to Anaconda, MT. And before anyone says "there's nothing there...." well, that's exactly why I want to go! My motive is to go somewhere that won't have a lot of crowds. JJ
Hi JJ, Do you by any chance use Microsoft Streets & Trips? I've mapped as many of the campgrounds from http://freecampgrounds.com/ and can make them available to you if you do.] Hope you have a grand time. QUOTE(DXSMac @ Jun 22 2008, 09:51 PM) [snapback]11999[/snapback] Ok, Parkview started this, and this current post has nothing to do with Parkviews original post, but I thought I would "hijack" the topic title and add my own stuff. (Is that against "netiquette? not sure.) Due to my kitty's urinary problems, I decided to put off going to Colorado in July. Instead, I'll do Colorado on my way back from Pennsylvania in September. Instead, in July, I'll take a shorter trip, as long as kitty doesn't have any more problems. Right now, I'm looking at going to Anaconda, MT. And before anyone says "there's nothing there...." well, that's exactly why I want to go! My motive is to go somewhere that won't have a lot of crowds. JJ
Well then you can ask us all for our favorite campgrounds in each of your destinations. I know that I have spent more time on the east coast than the west but have been in many nice CG all over the west. There is loads to see and do as you know and your reviews of campgrounds as a park owner would be interesting to see. Have a great trip.
QUOTE(John S. @ Jun 23 2008, 05:06 AM) [snapback]12003[/snapback] Well then you can ask us all for our favorite campgrounds in each of your destinations. I know that I have spent more time on the east coast than the west but have been in many nice CG all over the west. There is loads to see and do as you know and your reviews of campgrounds as a park owner would be interesting to see. Have a great trip. Um.... I hope this was directed at Parkview and not my post. Parkview is the park owner, not me. QUOTE(pianotuna @ Jun 22 2008, 08:57 PM) [snapback]12000[/snapback] Hi JJ, Do you by any chance use Microsoft Streets & Trips? I've mapped as many of the campgrounds from http://freecampgrounds.com/ and can make them available to you if you do.] Hope you have a grand time. I don't use Microsoft Streets and Trips, but thanks anyway! I have a Magellan. I use freecampgrounds.com, too! JJ
Hi JJ, I've tried to put gps coordinates on freecampgrounds.com so far as I am able to. I'm slowly working my way farther and farther from home. I've had the worst luck with Idaho as the directions are cryptic or require local knowledge. Here's hoping the freecampground folks will revamp their form to include gps numbers! QUOTE(DXSMac @ Jun 23 2008, 07:55 AM) [snapback]12005[/snapback] I don't use Microsoft Streets and Trips, but thanks anyway! I have a Magellan. I use freecampgrounds.com, too! JJ
QUOTE(pianotuna @ Jun 23 2008, 10:21 AM) [snapback]12008[/snapback] Hi JJ, I've tried to put gps coordinates on freecampgrounds.com so far as I am able to. I'm slowly working my way farther and farther from home. I've had the worst luck with Idaho as the directions are cryptic or require local knowledge. Here's hoping the freecampground folks will revamp their form to include gps numbers! Idaho...... HA HA HA HA...... Wouldn't surprise me. The reason I'm laughing is when you go into a store to buy post cards, one of the big sellers there is.... pictures of people on crutches, broken arms, bandages.... and the caption is..... WE SURVIVED IDAHO HIGHWAYS! And what does that have to do with GPS coordinates? Well, somehow I twisted it in my head...... JJ
QUOTE(John S. @ Jun 23 2008, 07:06 AM) [snapback]12003[/snapback] Well then you can ask us all for our favorite campgrounds in each of your destinations. I know that I have spent more time on the east coast than the west but have been in many nice CG all over the west. There is loads to see and do as you know and your reviews of campgrounds as a park owner would be interesting to see. Have a great trip. Thanks John S., I have travelled the West many times in the past and have many favorite places. But, as a Park Owner on this forum, I refrain from reviewing other parks. I don't think the webmaster would allow me to review other parks, and I don't think my reviews would be looked upon as totally objective. I love participating in the forum and reading the reviews to see what people like and dislike in order to keep my park up to a level of quality that people expect, within my budget of course. I also get some ideas for parks to visit on my trip that I have not visited before.
