Tag Archives: Fall

Dutch Oven Cornbread Chili Casserole

21 Wednesday Sep 2016

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Cornbread Chili CasseroleNothing says fall like a big bowl of warm chili.  It’s the ultimate comfort food.  This easy and delicious recipe is bound to become a campfire classic.  It’s best when shared with family and friends around a cozy campfire.

Ingredients

  • 1 2.5 oz package corn muffin mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 11 oz can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained (Mexicorn)
  • 1/2 cup regular OR reduced-fat sour cream
  • 2 T. sugar
  • 1 15 oz can Beef with Beans Chili
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar-Jack cheese

Directions

  1. Lightly oil or spray 10-inch dutch oven
  2. In large bowl, combine corn muffin mix, eggs, corn with peppers, sour cream and sugar
  3. Spread batter in bottom of prepared dutch oven
  4. Spoon chili evenly over top of batter, up to 1/2 inch of sides of dutch oven
  5. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese
  6. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes
  7. Top with remaining half cup of cheese
  8. Bake for 10-15 minutes more or until bubbly and edges are brown.
  9. Makes 4-6 servings.

Source:  Everyday Dutch Oven

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Fall Foliage RV Road Trip – Blue Ridge Parkway

02 Friday Oct 2015

Posted by in RV Information

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Fall Foliage RV Destination

When you live in a two-season place like Florida or California, autumn colors seem like a privilege strictly reserved for East Coasters. Sometimes the only way to really know that it’s fall is by observing the latest shopping mall fashions! If you’ve never experienced a “real fall” and you have your own RV, there’s no reason to miss out on this once a year visual feast. Just pack up your gear and head across the country for a fall foliage RV road trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

Fall Foliage RV Road Tripping in Appalachia

Many RVers have a New England fall foliage excursion on their bucket list but if you’re not into crowds you can skip it. Instead, consider a meandering journey down the Blue Ridge Parkway, which offers equally beautiful scenery with more solitude, wide open spaces and open RV campsites. The best part is that you can take your time getting there; prime foliage viewing in this area begins a few weeks later than in the northeast. This allows you to extend your fall foliage RV road trip well into November, when other areas have already peaked.
Crooked Road - Virginia music trailStart your trip in Virginia at Shenandoah National Park and you’ll kick off your excursion with a 105-mile long, 300 square mile autumn showcase with three RV-friendly campgrounds to call home. If you’re looking for a more down-home, country feel, try taking a drive along the Crooked Road, Virginia’s music heritage trail. You’ll wind along country roads with lush fall canopies while enjoying authentic folk music that’s like nowhere else in America. Along the way, Virginia farmer’s markets and stands are stocked with autumn’s best produce and festivals celebrate the cooler days ahead.

Keep traveling south and catch the brilliant palette of North and South Carolina forests, where you’ll get many opportunities to enjoy the reds, oranges and yellows that blanket these gently rolling mountains. And last but not least you can conclude your journey in the hilly, treed mountains of North Georgia. These tall forests have such spectacular fall color that the Georgia state parks system even has a “Leaf Watch” website to showcase the best parks, viewing spots and other seasonal activities.

Before You Go to Appalachia

RV driving down road at Shenandoah National ParkMother Nature won’t make promises about when leaves will turn or which locations will have the best fall color. Do Internet searches for phrases like “Fall foliage report for (city name)” and you’ll find current information on places you want to visit. As you plan your fall foliage RV road trip destinations, keep an eye on the weather and remember that warm days and cool nights offer the greatest promise for colorful scenery. However if frost conditions occur, leaves will turn color faster so you’ll have to plan accordingly.

Something else to consider is that camping reservations are a good idea in the east. Despite the popularity of leaf peeping season, this is the time of year when many smaller RV parks shut down for the season. Always call ahead to the campgrounds you want to visit.

Finally, make sure your rig is prepared for changing seasonal conditions. From the air in your tires to the oil in your engine, don’t leave home without making sure your RV is ready because shoulder seasons like fall are unpredictable can hit RVers with any number of dramatic weather events. If the worst happens and you need help on the open road during harsh fall weather, having a Coach-Net Emergency Roadside Assistance plan in place gives you peace of mind wherever and whenever you travel off the beaten path.

 

About the Author:

Rene Agredano, a Coach-Net member since 2015, is a self-employed full-time RVer who enjoys writing, jewelry design and animal advocacy. Her adventures with a three-legged dog and husband Jim are chronicled at LiveWorkDream.com.

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Trick or Treat: Halloween in your RV

17 Friday Oct 2014

Posted by in Kids and Camping, Travel Destinations

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Halloween-headerFor many RV owners, autumn is a favorite time of the year to go camping. There’s a nip in the air in the northern states, perfect for evenings spent around a campfire. In the South, daytime temperatures have dropped to near perfect 70s and low 80s. It’s no wonder that families enjoy getting out in the RV on fall weekends. To add to the fun, campgrounds and RV parks all over the country are now holding Halloween-themed weekends in October.

Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park – Burkesville, Ky.

Halloween Campground: October 25 and 26, 2014

Activities include:

  • Games and ghost stories
  • Costume contest (at the Lodge)
  • Trick-or-treating in the campground
  • Evening hayrides  – (A nominal fee may be charged. Please check with the campground for further details)
  • Campsite decorating contest

If you want to avoid the ghoulish fun, enjoy boating and fishing (boat ramp and trailer parking available), hiking, bird watching and cave exploring. Horse owners can ride on many miles of paths and even camp in a separate equine campground!

Hagerstown/Antietam Battlefield KOA – Williamsport, Md.

koa halloween

Every weekend in October, including October 31 through November 2

Halloween fun:

  • Pumpkin carving contests
  • Trick-or-treat parade on Saturday nights
  • Activities, games and crafts with a Halloween theme all weekend
  • Creekside Manor Haunted House
  • Note: as Halloween approaches, the weekends get scarier!

Not a fan of Halloween? They also have cable TV and WiFi, a new walking path along the C&O Canal and canoeing and fishing opportunities right in the campground.

Eugene T. Mahoney State Park – Ashland, Neb.

Little Creek Campground: October 18, 2014

Activities include:

  • Costume contest (kids)
  • Pumpkin carving contest
  • Bonfire with s’mores (A nominal fee may be charged.  Please check with the campground for further details)
  • Free tram rides
  • Campsite decorating contest

After the Halloween fun is over, enjoy beautiful views of the Platte River from the Mahoney Grille restaurant at the park’s lodge.

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park/Sioux Falls – Brandon, S.D.

Sioux Falls Corn Maze

Corn Maze/Monster Mash/Fright Nights – October 2014

October weekend activities:

  • Seven-acre Corn Maze – every weekend in October, includes jumping pillow, wagon rides and visits from Yogi Bear™ and friends. Friday evenings, Saturday noon to 9 p.m. and Sunday afternoons.
  • Monster Mash – October 25, includes corn maze, games, music and activities
  • Fright Nights at the Corn Maze – October 31 and November 1: Extra spooky corn maze experience.
  • Note: A nominal fee may be charged for the Corn Maze. Please check with the campground for further details.

If you want some peace and quiet away from the excitement, this campground has WiFi, an indoor theater and a game room. You can also rent golf carts or pedal carts, play basketball, volleyball or mini-golf.

Normandy Farms Family Camping Resort –Foxboro, Mass.

Halloween Weekends: October 17 – 19, October 24 – 26 and October 31 – November 2

Activities include:

  • Costume contests (kids and pets)
  • Kid’s Halloween parade
  • Campsite decorating contests
  • Pumpkin carving contest
  • Trick-or-treating in the campground
  • Scary movies
  • Haunted house
  • Spooky hay rides
  • Adult costume party and best costume prizes
  • Note: A nominal fee may be charged for the haunted house and spooky hay rides with partial proceeds donated to charity. Please check with the campground for further details.

Tired of Halloween? They also have horseshoes, Bocce, shuffleboard, basketball, volleyball, fishing and a dog park.

If you’re looking for a truly spooktacular RV destination this October, give one of these great campgrounds a try. Remember to call ahead to check for availability, especially if you want hook-ups or other amenities. If possible, reserve your campsite ahead of time!

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Fall Foliage RV Destinations

05 Friday Sep 2014

Posted by in Travel Destinations

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Leafing-Summer-BehindIf you are planning a fall foliage trip with your RV, you might think your only good choices are confined to the Northeastern U.S., but that’s not true. There are great places to see autumn leaves all over the United States. Here are just a few RV destinations that you should try for leaf peeping.

Blue Ridge Parkway

blue ridge parkway

photo credit Brian Leon

It’s difficult to beat the Blue Ridge Parkway during leaf season. This isn’t just a road through a lovely, rural area – it’s a road that was created specifically to be a beautiful scenic drive! Winding for 470 miles through Virginia and North Carolina, the Parkway travels through open farmland and high into forested mountains. Look for the leaves to be at their peak from mid- to late-October. Changes in elevation and angles of sunlight give you a better chance of seeing good leaves if you drive farther along the Parkway. If you want to relax overnight among the leaves, there are plenty of campgrounds along the way as well.

The Gold Coast of Michigan

Michigan fall foliageThis Great Lakes RV destination begins at Traverse City, Michigan, where you head north to first visit the Old Mission Lighthouse set on a peninsula in the middle of Great Traverse Bay. After that there will be wineries, sand dunes, more lighthouses, apple picking, and of course, fall foliage amidst evergreens. The leaves should be at their best from mid-September to mid-October. If you want to relax in a beautiful spot, try one of the campgrounds at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Lake of the Ozarks
lake of the ozarksAnother fall foliage destination that’s made even more beautiful by the presence of water is Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks. A man-made body of water, Lake of the Ozarks is approximately 92 miles long with more than 1,100 miles of shoreline. Adjacent to the lake are rolling hills and the Ozark Mountains, made all the more beautiful by turning autumn leaves. Lake of the Ozarks State Park – the largest state park in Missouri – surrounds an entire “arm” of the Lake. Why not make yourself a nice little home in the center of all this beauty at one of the four campgrounds at the State Park. The Section 4 campground is located right on the water, plus it’s adjacent to a marina and boat ramp. You can take a fall foliage tour from the water – with your own watercraft or a rental. Just remember to make your reservations for Oct 26 through Nov. 5 for optimal leaf viewing.

Vermont
vermont fall foliageYou can’t seriously discuss autumn leaves and forget Vermont. In Vermont, you will get the full range of fall colors – yellow, orange, red and red-purple – set against the quaint backdrop of rural, semi-rural and historic America. Of course, the good people of Vermont didn’t invent the fall season, but they’ve done a great job of making Vermont a beautiful place to come back to again and again! If Vermont is your fall RV destination, you’ll want to start at Waitsfield at the Mad River Byway. Enjoy your drive all the way to Stowe, Vermont. Stop and have some cider along the way. Remember, you’ll want to be in Vermont from mid-September through late October for prime leaf showing.

Wherever your journeys take you this fall, share your pictures with us! Join us on Twitter or Facebook. We’d love to live vicariously!

http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=142

http://www.michigan.org/road-trips/

http://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

http://mostateparks.com/map/lake-ozarks-state-park

http://www.vermont.com/foliage.cfm

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Favorite Fall Recipes

28 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by in Favorite Recipes

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RV Travel Recipes

No matter where your recreational vehicle takes you, food is part of the travel plan. With many fall activities to enjoy, fast and easy recipes will keep your vacation itinerary right on time.

Steak Kebabs

  • Cube a 2 lb rib-eye steak. Set aside.
  • Mix 1 tbsp. brown sugar and 4 tbsp. soy sauce in a large bowl. Add 1 clove of garlic, squeezed and pressed. Mix in 1 1/2 tsp. cumin, 3/4 tsp. ground coriander, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, 3/4 tsp. grated orange zest, and a dash of cayenne pepper.
  • Gradually add 2 tbsp. olive oil.
  • Set aside at least 2 tbsp. of the marinade.
  • Place the cubed steak in the marinade and coat. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes turning the meat frequently.
  • Place meat on skewers leaving space between each cube. Cook over a medium hot grill for approximately 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove from skewers and drizzle with the extra marinade and garnish with mint sprigs or cilantro and serve.

Zesty Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are a delicious and versatile item. Serve as an accompaniment to any meal, as an appetizer, as a snack, or use leftovers to make egg salad for sandwiches.

    • Boil or steam 4 large eggs. Once cooked, place in a bowl of cold water. Peel and shell under a cold stream of water. Set aside on a platter until eggs are at room temperature.
    • Once cooled, slice lengthwise. Scoop out the yoke, place in a separate bowl and mash with the back of a spoon.
    • Add 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 3 tbsp. mayonnaise, and a dash of salt and pepper. Optional: 1/2 tsp. of finely diced onion or green pepper.
    • Mix until smooth. Add more salt and pepper, if necessary or desired.
    • Spoon egg mixture into the round recesses of the egg whites.
    • Here’s the zesty part: instead of sprinkling the top with traditional paprika, use cayenne pepper.
    • Don’t overdo it. Add just enough to spice up the egg.
    • Garnish with diced chives.
    • Alternative: top half the eggs with cayenne pepper and the other half with paprika. Provide a bottle of hot sauce for those who prefer extra zest.

If you have another favorite fall recipe- share it with us! The convenience of Coach-Net and its network of roadside assistance affiliates keep RV enthusiasts cooking from one coast to another.

Fall Foliage in your RV

18 Friday Oct 2013

Posted by in Travel Destinations

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One of the most satisfying RV adventures singles, couples, or families will enjoy, involves traveling along scenic highways, little known back roads, and miles of country roads off the beaten path in search of brilliantly colored fall foliage.

With your RV packed with all the comforts of home and a fridge stocked with plenty of tasty morsels, experiencing the visual imagery of fall colors is the icing on the cake of a leaf-covered excursion.
Plan your itinerary and make your way through the south and the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee for October and November leaf looking. Follow the colorful paths through Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains and walk the Appalachian Trail in North Georgia.

Visit Aspen and take in the yellow and gold hues of Colorado’s best-known tree or see the rolling hills of Vermont and hike the red, orange, and yellow trails of Mt. Mansfield. Oregon has its own fantastic fall features along the Columbia River Gorge where travelers can hike, kayak, or go whitewater rafting along the shore lined with the brilliant colors of fir, cottonwood, big-leaf maple, pine, and ash. Another great location you can visit is the Catskills in New York, also known as “America’s First Wilderness” – where the colors of beech, maple, birch, and oak peak during mid October. There are many great places all over the United States and Canada where you can take in the colors of autumn as well as participating in great fall activities such as corn mazes, hayrides, apple picking, and harvest festivals among other events.

While you’re out exploring the highlands and the lowlands in search of the perfect fall landscape, take advantage of all the beautiful scenery, snap some amazing pictures, and enter the Fall Foliage Photo Contest sponsored by Coach-Net.

Pick out the most colorful and expressive photos and submit your favorites. If your picture is chosen as the winner, you’ll receive a $100 prize package. That’s a nice reward for doing something so enjoyable.

The contest is open to members of the Coach-Net network with October 31st as the deadline to submit entries.

Get snapping and take that award-winning picture, because nothing says fall like the rainbow of leaves that creates a picture worth more than a thousand words. Remember you can always contact us at Coach-Net to answer any questions or on Facebook and Twitter.

Fun Fall Activities for You and Your Family While on the Road

23 Monday Sep 2013

Posted by in Tips & Tricks

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Autumn is one of the best times of the year to enjoy attractions and outdoor activities. The weather is cooling off, which means that summer activities are coming to an end. Don’t worry though; there are still plenty of great fall activities and events to enjoy. Be sure to consider a few of these fun autumn activities while you’re out and about on the road.

Fall means changing leaves and pumpkin patches. If traveling with children, bring along some craft supplies such as construction paper, glue, safety scissors, notebooks, sketchpads, and markers. Stop along the way and collect different sizes and colors of fall leaves. The kids can make colorful collages to take back home.

Before leaving, look for area pumpkin patches near your anticipated destination. Head to the patch and pick your own. Carve a creative jack-o-lantern face or a cool design, place a battery-operated candle inside, and get your RV into that fall spirit with a great decoration.

Hiking the interesting trails across America will never become dull. Depending on your destination, stop along the way at state or national parks. Pack a backpack with snacks and water, and head out for an hour or two. If you prefer boating, rent a canoe and explore the many lakes and rivers across the country. Be sure to take lots of pictures of all the beautiful fall colors along the way.

At all the interesting places you visit while traveling, create an ongoing journal or scrapbook by taking pictures or collecting small mementos along the way. You can also try drawing the scenes to create a one-of-a-kind art piece.

Visit towns that are ‘off the grid.’ Some of these out-of-the-way places have interesting museums, historical battlefields, vintage shops, and local festivals and attractions.

If traveling in the mountains, stop along the way at the scenic overlooks. Explore any trails available to see lakes, waterfalls, and panoramic views. Don’t forget to take some pictures.

Bring along bicycles, if possible. If not, choose a campground with rental bikes. Get the family together and head out for an excursion. Pack sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and water and stop by the roadside for an impromptu picnic.

A campfire is part of the camping experience. Make it special with everyone gathered around toasting marshmallows, making s’mores, and talking about the day’s adventures.

Next month, Coach-Net is having a Fall Foliage Photo Contest. So get out there, enjoy nature, take pictures, and share them with us. What are you going to take a picture of?