Campground Spotlight
Expanding Florida Campground Welcomes Winter Rallies
RVing and Florida and winter — they go together. So much that most Florida campgrounds can’t keep up with the demand. Among them was Wild Frontier Campground in Ocala, Florida, which had to turn down 25 campers every day during peak season.
But now they are doing something about it.
Wild Frontier Campground in Ocala, Florida, is tripling its number of campsites.
The FMCA commercial member campground already had 115 sites, and it will open up 230 more soon, for a total of 345 full-hookup spaces. Each new campsite includes 20-, 30-, and 50-amp electric, and electricity at the campground is not metered; it’s included. The co-owner of the campground, John Hopke, said the entire facility also has cellphone coverage, solid Wi-Fi (with his high-tech background, he installed the system himself), and 120 channels of digital cable television.
Like most Florida campground owners, John will be counting on people who will stay seasonally and long-term. But not all sites will be that way. He knows that RV rally planners need spaces for winter get-togethers that usually last less than a week. “Most campgrounds are turning rallies away; they are going for permanent campers instead,” he said. We’re going to have the space, and extend an invitation to rally groups.”
FMCA chapter rally planners will especially want to note that.
Further Info
Wild Frontier Campground, C12323
3101 N.W. 16th Ave.
Ocala, FL 34475
www.wildfrontiercampground.com
email: info@wildfrontiercampground.com
App File
Plant Identification
Is it a weed or a flower? Harmless or poisonous? These apps aren’t perfect, but they may be able to clue you in to what’s growing in a campground or in the woods.
Apps can assist travelers with plant identification.
Garden Answers relies on image recognition technology and a database of more than 130,000 entries to instantly identify plants that you photograph with a mobile phone or tablet. Free for iOS and Android.
PictureThis delivers results in less than a second and claims an accuracy rate of 90 percent. The app combines artificial intelligence and an interactive community of plant experts help to determine what plant, flower, or tree you’ve found. Free for iOS and Android.
PlantSnap claims to recognize 90 percent of all known species of plants and trees. After you take a picture of the plant, the app shows possible matches, which you can accept or reject. By helping grow the app’s database, you’re helping it “learn” to ID more plants. The app is $3.99 for iOS and free for Android.
Travel Tip
Down To The Wire
Vinyl-coated wire racks can be employed in an RV as baffles, organizers, or dividers.
Vinyl-coated wire racks or “helper shelves” are sold for household use. In the RV, turn these strong, lightweight racks upside down and use them as baffles, organizers, and dividers. Place one inside a cupboard, closet, or refrigerator, or on a bookshelf. A rack can secure rolls of plastic wrap and foil, or hold vertical stacks of trays, cutting boards, or pot lids. Plus, it can be repositioned as needed. These inexpensive racks are available in several sizes.
— Janet Groene, F47166
Live Oak, Florida
Bookshelf
Living The RV Dream
No matter the specific vehicle or mind-set, “camper culture” takes many forms, as one author discovered.
RVers know there’s nothing quite like the open road, filled with renewal, possibility, and plenty of adventure. This is borne out in The Camper Book: A Celebration Of A Moveable American Dream (Chicago Review Press, $24.99), released in June 2018.
Award-winning journalist and Chicago radio host Dave Hoekstra slipped behind the steering wheel of a 2015 Ford Transit Type B, which he nicknamed “Bluebird,” to explore the appeal of RV travel firsthand. From June 2016 to April 2017, he logged more than 24,000 miles. Veteran professional photographer Jon Sall accompanied him during some of the trip to chronicle his experiences.
Even before readers vicariously embark on this trip, they’re entertained by a humorous foreword by actor-musician-playwright — and avid RVer — Jeff Daniels, which sets the tone for an enjoyable outing.
Readers can relax in the passenger seat and read Mr. Hoekstra’s stories about the people and places he encountered at campgrounds, attractions, landmarks, and more. He immersed himself in the community, meeting fellow camping enthusiasts and drawing out quirky stories from seemingly every type of RV-loving nomad — including downsizers and social media influencers, contract workers and homeschoolers. Ample photographs, sidebars, campsite recommendations, and even tips on fixing up a van from scratch help round out his homage to “camper culture.” No matter the type of RV one owns, his observations should ring true.
A Little Bit Of Everything
“I thought I might discover the meaning and boundaries of place through my travels. But I learned that place has no borders in the camping world. Place can be as far as the horizon or as near as a memory-poem carved in a picnic bench,” he wrote.
Just like any good, meandering RV journey, the book contains a little bit of everything. In the postscript, after Bluebird’s wheels stopped turning, Mr. Hoekstra looked back on the experience: “Getting lost in travel, you free yourself from expectations.”
Park It
Get Into America’s State Parks
This year has brought higher entrance fees at popular U.S. national parks, and more sites will see increases in 2019. Don’t forget that thousands of beautiful places around the United States can be seen for free, or for a small fee — America’s state parks.
Oklahoma’s Red Rock Canyon State Park features dramatic scenery.
Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee currently do not charge entry fees at their state parks. In Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and other states, you pay to enter only certain parks. Of course, even at free-entry parks, you may have to pay to enjoy a particular activity once you’re there.
Some states favor residents when it comes to entrance fees. In Montana, for instance, a Montana license plate on your vehicle gets you a gratis entry. Other states charge nonresidents the same daily entry as residents.
Of course, the rules keep changing, so it’s good to keep up with the news. For example, starting in November 2017, veterans pay no entry fee at Alabama state parks. West Virginia has recently started collecting fees at some preserves that used to be free.
Like national parks, some state parks have a designated free-entry day (or days) to promote tourism. Or, to join in a trend. In November 2017, several states took the price tag off park admissions on Black Friday (the Friday after Thanksgiving). Outdoor retailer REI is credited for sparking the idea; its CEO decided to close the stores that day and urge employees and customers to enjoy the outdoors instead.
So, check the websites of state parks you may be near, and don’t forget them as you plan your next trip. They can be much less expensive than national parks, but equally as beautiful.