2019 SPRING COASTMAGAZINE
Slow Down, You Move Too Fast Meander the Blue Ridge Parkway
Whispers from the Ancients Tour these Southwest ruins and walk where they walked
SPRING DESTINATIONS Bass Lake Resort Parish, New York
Ghost Mountain Ranch Pollock Pines, California Lake of the North Resort West Branch, Michigan
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Delight in the snowcapped mountains, awe-inspiring glaciers, majestic wildlife and discover the natural beauty of America's last frontier. Get up close and personal with 30-ton whales, zip-line through nature to the Mandenhall Glacier and more. Alaska Northern Glacier Cruise 7 nights from $879* Vancouver to Seward Itinerary Includes: • Vancouver, British Columbia • Inside Passage (Cruising) • Ketchikan, Alaska • Icy Strait Point, Alaska • Juneau, Alaska • Skagway, Alaska • Hubbard Glacier , Alaska • Seward, Alaska
Pristine Lands, Beautiful Beaches and Tropical Rain Forests
December 7, 2019
8 days from $2,474*
Deposit: $600/person - $100 non-refundable. Final payment: September 23, 2019. All payments are non-refundable. Pricing: Will increase after June 1, 2019. Documentation: A valid passport is mandatory, with the expiration date after June 20, 2020. Included: Roundtrip coach class airfare from Los Angeles (LAX) – Alternate gateways available upon request at an additional cost, arrival/departure transfers in San Jose, meals and sights as per the itinerary. Not included: Airline baggage fees, meals not shown, optional Devas Spa Treatment at Mountain Paradise Resort, optional post tour 4-day post extension to Tortuguero Jungle, airfare extension increase, personal/incidental expenses (room service, telephone, etc.), baggage handling for one bag at the hotel, and any visa charges. Costa Rica departure tax currently $13/person. Hotels: Are subject to change without notice. Land only credit: $600.00. Land only does not include any airfare or transfers in San Jose. Extension airfare surcharge: Those passengers taking the optional post tour will also have to pay additional airfare costs. This trip is a guaranteed departure. Accommodations Include: • Doubletree Cariari Hotel, San Jose • Nammbu Beachfront Bungalows, Guanacaste • El Establo, Monteverde • Mountain Paradise Hotel, Arsenal • Doubletree Cariari Hotel, San Jose
Price based on May 10, 2019 departure aboard Celebrity Millenium. Taxes, fees, and port expenses are $205.50.
Many more itineraries to choose from.
*Rates shown are per person, cruise only, apply to select sailings, lowest available fare stateroom category, based on double-occupancy, reflect any promotional discounts, and are subject to change and availability until booked. Oer subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Ask our personal vacation planners for more information. Non-refundable deposit: Non-refundable deposit booking (“NRDB”) cancelled prior to final payment due date will receive a future cruise credit in the amount of the deposit minus a 100 USD per person service fee. FCC is non-transferable and expires after 12-months from issue date. 100 USD per person service fee applies to changes to NRDB ship or sail date.
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CONTENTS
TRAVEL 12 A Trio of Destinations in Northeast Ohio Cleveland, Canton, and a Lake Erie Islands Adventure STORY AND PHOTOS BY RICHARD VARR 20 Whispers From the Ancients
GOOD SAM AND CAMPING WORLD CHAIRMAN AND CEO Marcus Lemonis MarcusVIP@goodsamfamily.com COAST TO COAST PRESIDENT Bruce Hoster CCRPresident@coastresorts.com
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MEMBER SERVICES 64 Inverness Drive E. Englewood, Colorado 80112 800-368-5721 info@coastresorts.com COAST TO COAST WEBSITE CoastResorts.com COAST TO COAST FACEBOOK Facebook.com/CoastResorts EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Dee Whited ART DIRECTOR Nicole Wilson
Tour these Southwest ruins and walk where they walked STORY BY EMILY FAGAN & PHOTOS BY EMILY AND MARK FAGAN
27 Slow Down, You Move Too Fast Meander the Blue Ridge Parkway STORY BY DEE LITTEN WHITED & PHOTOS BY WARREN LITTEN
DEPARTMENTS 4 From the President 6 Member Matters 7 Resort Updates 37 RV Review
RESORT PROFILES 8 Bass Lake Resort Parish, New York 9 Ghost Mountain Ranch Pollock Pines, California 10 Lake of the North Resort West Branch, Michigan
Volume 38, Number 2. Coast to Coast (ISSN 1093-3581) is published quarterly for $14 per year as part of annual membership fees, by Coast to Coast Resorts, 64 Inverness Drive E., Englewood, Colorado 80112. Coast to Coast Resorts assumes no responsi- bility for unsolicited manuscripts or artwork. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any method without prior written consent of the publisher. ©2019 Camp Coast to Coast, LLC. Coast wing logo is a reg- istered trademark of Camp Coast to Coast, LLC. The GOOD SAM ICON, and Dream. Plan. Go. are registered trademarks of Good Sam Enterprises, LLC and used with permission. Unauthorized use of Coast’s or Good Sam’s trademarks is expressly prohibited. All rights reserved. PRINTED IN THE USA.
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COVER PHOTO BY WARREN LITTEN CTC56326 - 0219
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FROM THE PRESIDENT PUTTING MEMBERS FIRST Win $100 by Telling Us – “Where has Coast taken you?” Coast to Coast is sponsoring a contest during 2019 in which members can tell us, “Where has Coast taken you?” We’re looking for testimonials about places that your Coast membership has taken you, whether in an RV, a cabin, a condo, a hotel, on a cruise ship or a houseboat, or even great savings you enjoyed using your Trip Plus benefit. You can enter one time per month, and each month we’ll award a $100 merchandise certificate good at Camping World, Gander Outdoors, or Overton’s retail stores. For more information see page 5 of this issue or visit www.CoastResorts.com/ContestRules. 2019 Directory Updates Directory update PDF available on CoastResorts.com As the result of a member suggestion, we created a PDF listing all the changes to the network since the publication of our printed 2019 Coast Resort Directory. This makes it easy for you to find all the resort and Good Neighbor Park changes in one convenient place. You can find this PDF on the www.CoastResorts.com website by clicking on “Find a Resort”, which will take you to the main search page for our online directory. The directory search page contains a link to the PDF, which you can either print or download and save. Keep checking back as we will continue to update this PDF throughout the year when we have additional changes to our network. We hope you find this a useful tool as you make plans to travel using your Coast membership. 2019 Rentals Directory Coast Rentals Directory and Rentals Video available on www.CoastResorts.com Last year we created a separate Rentals page on our website to make it easy for Coast members to find all
the information on Coast network rental availability in one location. This rentals page even includes a Rentals Video showing actual rental units that are available in the Coast network. We have just updated this page with a PDF of the 2019 Coast Rentals Directory so members can easily view rental availability online. To access the new 2019 Coast Rentals Directory, or the Rentals Video, just visit www.CoastResorts.com/cabinrental. Know Your Member Benefits Coast has created a series of videos to help members undersand how to use your member benefits. There is even a member video for your membership type that gives you a quick overview of the many benefits of your Coast membership. To view the videos, visit www.CoastResorts.com, log in, and then at the top of the page under Benefits click Videos in the drop-down menu. The first video will be an overview of your Coast membership, and the other videos will be more detailed “how to” videos on specific membership benefits. You can also view a list of your membership benefits by clicking Member Benefits under the Benefits tab, then click the “+” symbol at the right of each benefit to see details of each benefit and instructions how to use each benefit. Hopefully you have already made plans to travel this spring or summer using your Coast membership. If you need our help with travel plans, just call our Coast Member Service Center at 800-368-5721. Or you can use the travel planning tools on our member website, www.CoastResorts.com. As always, we welcome your feedback on ways that we can make your Coast membership even better. If you have feedback for Coast, just send an email to CCRPresident@CoastResorts.com.
MARCUS LEMONIS Chairman and CEO Camping World & Good Sam marcusvip@goodsamfamily.com
BRUCE HOSTER President Coast to Coast Resorts CCRPresident@CoastResorts.com
FROM THE PRESIDENT
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Simply send us a short testimonial of a great experience you had using your Coast to Coast membership.
Contest rules: Coast to Coast “Where Has Coast Taken You” SWEEPSTAKES ABBREVIATED RULES. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Begins 01/01/19 and ends 12/31/19. Enter by sending a testimonial of a great experience you had using your Coast to Coast® membership to ccrpresident@coastresorts.com or by mail to Coast to Coast, Attn: President, PO Box 7028, Englewood, CO 80155- 7028. One winner will be randomly selected each month during sweepstakes period from all eligible entries by the 10th of each month. For full Official Rules, by which this Sweepstakes is governed, gotowww.CoastResorts.com/ContestRulesby12/31/19. Voidwhereprohibited.ThisSweepstakesisinnowayaffiliatedwith,sponsored,endorsed,oradministeredbyFacebook®,andthereforeFacebook® assumes no responsibility or liability for its conduct or administration. Sponsored by Camp Coast to Coast, LLC, Englewood, CO. CTC55265 - 1018 You can even send us a picture with your entry, although it’s not necessary to send a picture to enter the drawing. Each month from the entries submitted that month we’ll draw a winner of the $100 Merchandise Certificate to use at Camping World, Gander Outdoors, or Overton’s retail locations. Send your entries, including your testimonial (and picture if possible) with your name and member number, to: Email: CCRPresident@CoastResorts.com Mail: Coast to Coast, Attn: Bruce Hoster, PO Box 7028, Englewood, CO 80155-7028 It could be about an RV stay at a Coast resort, a cabin rental, a condo vacation getaway or unique getaway booked through Hopaway Holiday, a trip or a cruise you booked through Coast Travel Services, or even savings you received using your Trip Plus Discounts. We will have a drawing each month during 2019 from all the entries submitted that month for a $100 Merchandise Certificate to use at Camping World, Gander Outdoors, or Overton’s retail locations. To enter, send us up to five sentences about your great experience using your Coast membership.
MEMBER MATTERS MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR COAST TO COAST MEMBERSHIP New Good Neighbor Park – Phillips RV Park Eight Decades of Hospitality in Evanston, Wyoming Since 1936, the Phillips family has provided a place to stay for weary travelers – many on their way to and from Yellowstone National Park – at Phillips RV Park. Back then, in addition to offering gas services, there were seven trailer spaces, tent camping, and 11 cabins available to customers traveling the Lincoln Highway, one of the earliest transcontinental highways for automobiles. The followingwas posted on the family’s 80th anniversary in 2016: “From 1936 to the present, the Phillips family has worked together. Every year the second-, third-, and fourth-generation Phillips’ family members have strived to improve and maintain Phillips RV Park, as well as welcome every customer.”
Phillips RV Park, our newest Coast Good Neighbor Park, is located in the picturesque town of Evanston, Wyoming. The town is nestled in the Bear River Valley, and the Bear River flows through the community. Nearby is the Bear River State Park where elk and bison roam. To the south are the Uinta Mountains. Onsite, enjoy 56 full hookup RV sites with the majority being pull-throughs. Wi-Fi is available at all sites, as are picnic tables. Satellite reception is available at some sites. Bring your four-footed friends because there’s a convenient dog run area. Meet new friends at the horseshoe pits, playground, or while playing basketball or bocce ball. Bear River Greenway provides additional recreational opportunities including fishing, biking, walking trails, exercise stations, and paddle boat rentals. If you visit from June through September, take time to enjoy the Evanston Rodeo Series, which takes place every other weekend. Golfers, visit the Purple Sage Golf Course. Even if you’re not heading to Yellowstone National Park, make plans to visit Phillips RV Park, which is open April 15 to October 15. You can even visit from October 16 through April 14 with electricity only.
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RESORT UPDATES ADDITIONS AND CHANGES TO THE 2019 DIRECTORY The 2019 Coast to Coast Resort Directory is packed with everything you need to navigate the network of Coast to Coast Resorts and Coast Good Neighbor Parks. To keep members up-to-date, each issue of Coast magazine includes any updates that have occurred since the last issue. COAST DELUXE RESORT UPDATES TEXAS Holiday Villages of Medina - Texas Resort Company, Bandera (page 170) Email: hvmpoa@gmail.com
NEW GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS WYOMING
Phillips RV Park, 225 Bear River Dr, Evanston, 82930; Telephone: (307) 789-3805; URL: www.phillipsrvpark. com; Email: phillipsrvpark@nglconnection.net Directions: From Jct of I-80 & I-80 Bus Loop (E Evan- ston Ex 6): W 0.6 mi on I-80 Bus Loop/Bear River Dr, park on L. Note: Do not use GPS. Latitude: 41.27096; Longitude: -110.94778; Check-in 11:00 a.m.; Check- out: Noon; Maximum RV length: 40 feet; Max amps: 50. RV Notations: 2019 Coast rate: $34.50 - $37.25. Rate includes: 2 people per site, full hook-ups, 30 amp. Additional charges: Extra adult $2/night, extra child $1/night, 50 amp $2/night, extra vehicle $3/night, tax 8%. Open: April 15 to June 30; September 1 to October 15. GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS TERMINATIONS ARIZONA Turquoise Valley Golf, Restaurant & RV, Naco
Whitney Resorts, Whitney (page 175) Formerly: Sun Country; Email: whitneyresortsrv@gmail.com
GOOD NEIGHBOR PARKS UPDATES FLORIDA Luna Sands Resort, Orange City (page 203) Reservation telephone: 855-432-8457 OHIO Sandy Springs Campground, Stout (page 208) Telephone: 701-640-7858; Email: sandyspringscampground@gmail.com
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RESORT TYPE Coast Premier LOCATION Parish, New York SEASON May 1 – October 14 WEBSITE www.travelresorts.com
Bass Lake Resort This resort has helped make family memories for more than 30 years
If you’re looking for a place to stay that provides fun for every age, drive your RV into this gated Central New York resort. Bass Lake Resort, owned by Travel Resorts of America, opened in 1987 and features 244 acres of natural beauty. You don’t have to look far to find the lake. If you like fishing, boating, or just relaxing, head to the 30-acre private lake. According to management, the lake is an opportunity for a child to catch his or her first fish with mom, dad, or a grandparent. In addition to the lake, don your swimming suit and head to one of the two outdoor swimming pools. If water isn’t your dream activity, head to the family clubhouse or find some “me” time at the adult-only clubhouse. The size of the resort means there’s plenty of space to take long or short hikes. Although it’s a large space, the gated entry means you can feel comfortable and safe, which helps you gain a warm sense of community where you can take time to make friendships among the other guests.
Hang up your apron and take advantage of the restaurant and bar, which features delicious, large- portion homemade meals and desserts and the resort’s famous Sunday morning breakfast buffet. For incidentals that you may have forgotten, stop by the country store. Meet new friends on the miniature golf course. End your day at the nightly campfire, where you can toast your marshmallows to just the right amount of doneness. Bass Lake Resort is conveniently located just 25 miles north of Syracuse and 40 minutes south of Watertown and is easily accessible by Interstates 90 and 81. For a great day trip from the resort, travel 35 minutes northwest to Oswego, New York, and Lake Ontario— the 14th largest lake in the world. The city of Oswego features many interesting museums and historic sites. The harbor hosts many special events.
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RESORT TYPE Coast Classic LOCATION Pollock Pines, California SEASON Year-round WEBSITE www.coloradoriveradventures.com
Set high in the Sierra Mountains nestled among tall pines, Ghost Mountain Ranch is the gateway to South Lake Tahoe. Originally designed by Paramount Pictures, this resort was once the set of the popular TV series “The Virginian” and perfectly captures the pure essence of Old West life. To add to the Old West life, saddle up your horses because Ghost Mountain Ranch has safe and clean corals on the property as well as miles of trails to explore. Or if you prefer, practice your tricks or teach your new riders in the Rodeo Arena. The area surrounding the 350-acre campground has dozens of trails and literally hundreds of square miles to explore by horseback. Hiking in the Sierras is a trail hikers dream come true. El Dorado National Forest has hundreds of miles of beautiful hiking trails all located nearby. Once onsite, you’ll love visiting the vintage ghost town complete with a saloon, ice cream parlor, and general Ghost Mountain Ranch From TV set to gorgeous camping resort
store with spacious campsites and rental cabins nearby. Don’t forget to pack your fishing poles, tackle and bait because it’s time for you to reel in the big one at the resort’s very own stocked fishing pond. If you need more water fun, swim in the crystal-clear swimming pool with a seasonal snack bar. Fill your days with activities at the pool, fishing at the pond, or hiking in the woods. Then spend your evening visiting South Lake Tahoe, where you can enjoy dining, skiing, boating, bike trails, casino gambling, or ice skating. Ghost Mountain Ranch is conveniently located halfway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. If you’re a history buff, the area around the resort is rich in Native American, Gold Rush, and Pony Express history. Located nearby are casinos, wineries, golf courses, white water rafting, and much more to explore.
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RESORT TYPE Coast Premier LOCATION West Branch, Michigan SEASON May 1 – October 6 WEBSITE www.outdooradventuresinc.com
Lake of the North Resort Back to nature at Lake George
Outdoor Adventure’s Lake of the North Resort is located on beautiful Lake George near the historic city of West Branch, Michigan. The quiet, back-to-nature atmosphere of Lake of the North is perfect for those who love camping in the peaceful outdoors. Nearby, you can enjoy outlet shopping, antiquing, arts & crafts, festivals, a summer music series, two 18-hole public golf courses, fishing, hunting, and much more. But you don’t need to go offsite to have a wonderful stay at Lake of the North Resort. Whatever you want to pursue, you can find it here. Set up your lounge chairs on your spacious site and chill, or take advantage of beautiful Lake George, an all-sports lake. Rent a boat, go fishing, take a swim, or sit on the resort’s private beach and enjoy the fun and the sun. Of course, if you want to mix with your fellow RVers, join in one or more of the resort’s planned activities. Meet your fellowcampers and the activity staff for a community
bonfire. Make new friends and more memories. And the s’mores are pretty awesome, too. Take your family to the onsite putt-putt course or play horseshoes or volleyball. Stop in the resort store for some forgotten items or for a snack. Check out what’s happening at the pavilion. You might find tie-dying outside, someone playing video games inside, or a song on the jukebox. Don’t hesitate to join in the fun. Offsite, hike or bike on the 13.6-mile Ogemaw Hills Pathway through the AuSable Forest. If you’re an off- road vehicle (ORV) enthusiast, then Ogemaw County has something for you—an ordinance that allows ORV riders to ride on streets and highways to and from the extensive trail system near the resort. Nearby, the historic city of West Branch is home to many great attractions including a Victorian shopping district, beautiful Iron's Park, and Victorian Park.
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Cleveland, Canton, and a Lake Erie Islands Adventure ATrio of DESTINATIONS in NORTHEAST OHIO
Explore the hidden wonders of Crystal Cave on South Bass Island.
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Shop or dine at the shops on Cleveland’s East 4th Street.
in part—the 1983 movie we can see every Christmas on television. “The film went to the theater and unfortunately it was sort of forgotten about after the fact,” explains A Christmas Story House and Museum tour guide Addie Wallo. “But in 1997, we can mark the debut of the Christmas-Eve-into-Christmas-Day, 24-hour TV marathon that I’m sure we all watch every single year and that’s why we’re all here right now,” she quips. The house is one highlight of my trip to northeastern Ohio, where I visit Cleveland’s historic squares, bustling markets, and revitalized neighborhoods and, needless to say, the iconic Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In Canton, I’ll stop in another Hall of Fame dedicated to pro football, and I’ll learn about one of the country’s pivotal battles while visiting the two most popular Lake Erie Islands. I’ll also see the mausoleums—both notable architectural achievements—of two assassinated U.S. presidents. My first stop is downtown Cleveland’s pyramid-shaped, scintillating glass and steel Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along a boat-filled harbor on the Lake Erie shoreline. Collections include everything a rock and roller might dream about—from Elvis Presley’s 1968 glittering gold suit and John Lennon’s 1964 Rickenbacker guitar, to the band Kiss’ drum set and the dress Tina Turner wore in her “Private Dancer” video. Exhibits span seven
Welcome to Cleveland.
A TRIO OF DESTINATIONS Story and photos by Richard Varr Cleveland
At first glance, it looks like any typical neighborhood home with a mustard-yellow façade, trimmed hedges and a shaded porch where I could easily pass the time enjoying a gentle summer breeze. But with a closer look, I realize I’ve seen this house before—not in person, but on television—over and over again. All of a sudden, scenes of a famous Christmas movie come vividly to mind. “You’ll shoot your eye out kid,” says Santa to young Ralphie Parker who squeamishly asks him for a Red Ryder BB gun. Inside, I see the shapely leg lamp draped by a fishnet stocking that Ralphie’s father gloats over in an awkward family moment. And around back is the door where a pack of hungry dogs escapes the father’s ire after devouring the Christmas turkey. This house in Cleveland’s blue-collar Tremont neighborhood is where A Christmas Story was filmed
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The Garfield Memorial is an impressive towered mausoleum designed in gothic and classical architectural styles.
Severance Hall is regarded by many music-lovers as one of the world's most beautiful concert halls.
A statue of U.S. President James Garfield who served only about 200 days as president.
floors with continuous music echoing within the “Rock Hall’s” atrium. The term rock and roll, in fact, was first mentioned in Cleveland in 1951 by local disc jockey Alan Freed to describe the rhythm and blues records he played. Downtown is an architectural potpourri, from the stately neoclassical architecture of the Cleveland Public Library and the Public Auditorium, to the Tower City retail and hotel complex’s Beaux-Arts Terminal Tower, the country’s tallest building outside New York City until the mid 1960s. Public Square is home to the Romanesque 1855 Old Stone Church with its elongated steeple, and the four-sided Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument showcasing sculptures depicting Civil War battles. The 57-story modern Key Tower is Ohio’s tallest skyscraper. A short walk leads to pedestrian-packed East 4th street, where on many nights you’ll find crowds swelled within its trendy bistros and cafes. Downtown’s streets stretch into Cleveland’s diverse neighborhoods, with some communities defined along historic ethnic lines—Slavic Village and Little Italy, for example. The craft beer sought-after Ohio City neighborhood—once a separate municipality—is awash in colorful street art murals and is anchored by the city’s popular West Side Market with its 137-foot clock tower, a Cleveland landmark. Inside,
sprawling deli counters also reflect the city’s ethnicity roots with foods like Slovenian sausage, Hungarian kielbasa, Italian pirogues, and Dutch Edam cheeses. With a strong manufacturing base, Cleveland became the nation’s seventh largest city during the turn of the 19th to 20th century due in part to John D. Rockefeller founding Standard Oil. “Cleveland having been a port city with the connection to the St. Lawrence Seaway and to the Atlantic Ocean, is what led to significant expansion during the industrial age,” explains Emily Lauer, director of Public Relations and Communications with Destination Cleveland. Lagging railroad and steel industries led to economic collapse in the 1970s and ‘80s, but in recent years Cleveland has earned the reputation as a “Comeback City” with renewed energy, revitalization, and growth. Today, it’s home to nationally-known Progressive Insurance, Sherwin-Williams, and the Cleveland Clinic. The city’s thriving arts and culture scene sits within University Circle, with world-class museums, educational institutions and performing arts venues packed within a square mile. They include the Cleveland Orchestra’s domed neoclassical and art deco Severance Hall, the Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland History Center and
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Tina Turner wore this red dress in her “Private Dancer" video.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s exhibits span seven floors with continuous music echoing.
Case Western Reserve University. Centered by green and treed Wade Oval, it’s where the stately façade of the Cleveland Museum of Art reflects off the still waters of scenic Wade Lagoon. My last Cleveland stop is Lake View Cemetery, the final resting place for such notables as John D. Rockefeller, FBI organized crime fighter Eliot Ness, and U.S. President James Garfield. The Garfield Memorial is an impressive towered mausoleum designed in gothic and classical architectural styles. Relief carvings decorate its outside façade, while a 12-foot statue of the bearded 20th president stands within the tower’s ornate domed interior. “This is a grand monument to one of the poorest president’s in U.S. history,” notes guide Bob Hook. Garfield was shot in Washington in 1888, serving only about 200 days as president. Canton Just over an hour’s drive from Cleveland on Interstate 77 South, Canton’s greatest attraction is yet another impressive presidential mausoleum—the domed William McKinley National Memorial. The 25th president died eight days after he was shot while attending the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo in 1901. The granite
memorial’s imposing exterior reaches 95 feet high. Halfway up the 108-step stairwell stands a statue of McKinley, a Canton native. “He is best known for leading the country through the Spanish American War in 1898, which established the U.S. as a global power for the first time in our history,” says Christopher Kenney, education director for the adjacent McKinley Presidential Library and Museum. Inside, I’m amazed at the talking mannequin likenesses of McKinley and wife Ida standing among some of his original furniture during his life as a soldier, congressman, governor, and then president. They include a baby grand piano, his law office desk, and front porch wooden-ribbed rocking chair. There’s also Ida’s diamond tiara that was featured on the reality TV show “Pawn Stars,” and a period revolver of the same model used to shoot McKinley. Aviation history steps up to a new level at the Canton area’s extraordinary MAPS Air Museum. From the primitive stick-like and wood-paneled design of the historic 1908 Martin Glider, to a World War II B-26 Bomber and a late 20th century “Tomcat” fighter jet, the museum is home to more than 50 aircraft housed in a former military hanger and 130 historical displays in two galleries. Particularly noteworthy exhibits include
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Canton’s MAPS Air Museum is home to more than 50 aircraft housed in a former military hanger.
This Blue Angels jet is one of more than 130 historical displays in two galleries at the MAPS Air Museum.
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A bronze bust of football great Jim Thorpe, just one of the many featured football greats.
Canton is home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
a sliver of the USS Arizona salvaged from the wreck at Pearl Harbor and a flag signed by Amelia Earhart in a plaque that was once auctioned off to raise money for the Olympics. There’s also a piece of charred metal from the Hindenburg zeppelin from its 1937 fiery crash in Lakehurst, New Jersey. Canton is also home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, tracing the game’s beginning when the American Professional Football Association was founded in Canton in 1920. It was later renamed the National Football League. Housed in an impressive glass-and-steel- fronted building, the attraction traces football’s roots from legendary Jim Thorpe, when protective gear was only simple pads, to the latest Super Bowl winners in their emblem-emblazoned colors and helmets. A particular highlight is the striking rows of bronze busts of the game’s best through the years, from the Chicago Bears’ Mike Ditka and Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry to Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw, to name only a few. New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath comes to life in a hologram presentation. Lake Erie Islands Sandusky—a gateway to the Lake Erie Islands—is also just over an hour from Cleveland on Interstate 80/
Interstate 90 West. From there we catch a ferry, first stopping at the colossal Cedar Point Amusement Park, sometimes referred to as the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World”—and for good reason. It’s a cityscape of super-sized roller coasters, their twisting tracks looping up high above the waterline. Located on the tip of a skinny Sandusky peninsula, the park features more than 150 rides, shows and attractions, including 18 world- class roller coasters. When arriving on South Bass Island, I can’t help but notice golf carts crisscrossing island streets as the main means of transportation. And driving them is all part of the fun. Visitors quickly snatch up some of the 1,500 available golf cart rentals—yet trying to find one during busy summer weekends can be a challenge. “On a Tuesday there are two for everybody, and on a Saturday there’s not enough for anybody,” jokes South Bass Island Ambassador Peter Huston with the Put-in- Bay Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center. Put-in-Bay—South Bass’ main village, often used synonymously as the island’s name—is centered with DeRivera Park, named after Joseph DeRivera St. Jurgo, the island’s original owner. It’s a grassy and shaded lakeside stretch of green space with a gazebo and picnic
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Golf carts provide the best way to navigate the Lake Erie Islands.
Colorful signs point the way to various island venues and city destinations.
Weekends mean wall-to-wall golf carts.
Travel to the islands means a comfortable trip on a ferry.
areas. Restaurants and shops line the park’s adjacent street, with parked golf carts bumper-to-bumper along curbsides. Cannonballs in the park mark the original gravesites of six officers—three American and three British—from the pivotal 1813 Battle of Lake Erie. Those graves were later transferred to the island’s most spectacular site, the Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial. Topped by an 11-ton bronze urn, the imposing granite Doric column soars 352 feet high and dominates the view along flat South Bass Island. The monument commemorates the Battle of Lake Erie, a key victory for the Americans in the War of 1812 against the British, British Canada, and their Indian allies. Views from the top stretch across South Bass to Middle and North Bass islands and beyond. A Visitor Center diorama showcases how the Americans captured an entire British fleet, despite Admiral Oliver Hazard Perry’s flagship USS Lawrence taking a beating. That’s when Perry signaled “Don’t give up the ship” and transferred the battle flag to the USS Niagara to continue the fight. When the two largest British ships collided, the Niagara broke through the British line leading to victory. “We have met the enemy and they are ours,” Perry later wrote. “The magnitude of being a hero was
unequaled—other than George Washington in his time,” says Huston. The U.S. Brig Niagara is a replica and sits berthed along Put-in-Bay’s shoreline, where visitors can walk its sturdy wooden decks amidst its replica cannons, curled sails and stringed rope ladders. SouthBass Island is alsohome toCrystal Cavewithquartz- like Celestine crystals—the largest Celestine geode in the world. On the grounds of Heineman Winery, the cave opened to the public in 1900. “My great-grandfather was digging a well for the winery and accidently broke into the Crystal Cave,” says owner Edward Heineman. Some weigh 200-300 pounds, he says, adding that some crystals from the cave are on display at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington D.C. My next stop is Kelleys Island, just a short ferry ride away toward the mainland. “We always tell people, if you want to be entertained, go to Put-in Bay. But if you want to entertain yourself and get back in touch with nature and family values, come to Kelleys Island,” says Jeni Hammond, office manager for Portside Marina and Missy Magoo’s, an old-fashioned candy shop that still sells bubble gum cigarettes that I haven’t seen since childhood. Golf carts are again the way to travel Kelleys Island’s
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While visiting South Bass Island, be sure to visit the U.S. Brig Niagara replica.
On Sandusky peninsula is Cedar Point Amusement Park, sometimes referred to as the “Roller Coaster Capital of the World.”
rustic neighborhoods, where streets seem to weave in and around pastures and forestland with more hiking and biking trails than any other American island in Lake Erie. The island’s must-see attraction, however, is the Glacial Grooves Geological Preserve, where a great ice sheath 18,000 years ago carved out long, smooth tracks through sedimentary rock and limestone creating some of the world’s largest glacial grooves. But most come here to relax, recalling what Jeni Hammond told me earlier. “Go to a beach campfire, sit down with your family, and play games,” she said. “That’s what Kelleys Island is all about.” While most visitors use passenger ferries, RVers who want to bring their vehicles to Put-in-Bay should use Miller Ferries (millerferry.com), and for Kelleys Island, Kelleys Island Ferry (kelleysislandferry.com).
See some of the world’s largest glacial grooves on Kelleys Island.
FOR MORE INFORMATION www.thisiscleveland.com • www.visitcanton.com www.shoresandislands.com
Special ferries are designed to transport RVs to the islands.
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WHISPERS FROM THE ANCIENTS Tour these Southwest ruins and walk where they walked
The sunsets in the southwest are spectacular.
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Tonto National Monument has two cliff dwellings open to visitors. The steep hike up is well worth the effort to see them up close.
Aztec Ruins National Monument Aztec Ruins National Monument, near Farmington, New Mexico, is a fabulous 400-room Great House that dates back about 900 years. The ruins were named by the early Americans who first explored it, and the name is a misnomer because these buildings were actually built by the Ancestral Puebloans, also known as the Anasazi, and not by the Aztecs. The Aztecs lived much further south and had their stronghold just outside of modern- day Mexico City. The ruins consist of a huge maze of masonry stone walls with occasional tree limb rafters and floor joists remaining. We were enchanted as we wandered freely from room to room. Archaeologists theorize that many of the rooms were used for food storage, and a few may have been used as living quarters. While some doorways are standing height even today, we had to stoop to pass through others. We were intrigued that several doorways are "T" shaped like the doors the Mayans built into their structures 600 years prior and thousands of miles south. Like other Ancestral Puebloan communities in the Four Corners region of the Southwest, there are many Kivas in these ruins. These circular rooms may have been used as gathering places for meetings or ceremonies. The Great
The Ancestral Puebloans built a huge community at Wupatki. Several smaller villages lie along a 65-mile drive.
SOUTHWEST RUINS Story by Emily Fagan Photos by Emily and Mark Fagan
Today, Arizona and New Mexico are beloved by RV travelers for their beautiful scenery and exciting outdoor adventures. Back in the 1100s to 1500s, this part of the continent was just as popular among the ancient peoples for farming, making pottery and tools, and living in tight-knit settlements built into cliffs and constructed from hewn stone. These people later abandoned their communities, and they left behind enticing fragments of their homes and crafts that provide some clues as to who they were and how they lived. For those of us fascinated with the mysteries of the ancient people that came before us 500 to 900 years ago, there are several places in the American southwest where you can wander through the rooms they built and even see their fingerprints in the adobe walls.
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The natural holes in the volcanic tuff and the soft stone made an ideal back wall for the vast complex of two- and three-story buildings at Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico.
At Bandelier National Monument the ancients built mortared brick walls up against a towering rock wall.
Built by the Ancestral Puebloans at about the same time as the buildings at Aztec Ruins National Monument, these structures are thought to have included both storage rooms and living quarters.
The side and front walls were constructed of bricks made from the volcanic tuff.
Kiva at the entrance to the monument has been fully restored to include a roof and, as we passed through it, Indian music played softly over speakers, evoking a haunting feeling of how this room might have sounded in its day. Bandelier National Monument While the pueblo community at Aztec Ruins National Monument was built on open plains, the settlement 170 miles away at Bandelier National Monument, near modern day Los Alamos, New Mexico, includes not only a maze of stone masonry buildings but also a fascinating cliff face that was once the anchoring wall of a huge community of two- and three-story "cliff dwellings." Built by the Ancestral Puebloans at about the same time as the buildings at Aztec Ruins National Monument, these structures are thought to have included both storage rooms and living quarters. The best thing about Bandelier National Monument is that timber ladders have been placed outside many of the alcoves, and visitors are encouraged to climb up and have a look. These ladders are a blast for kids and for people like us that are kids at heart. Scampering up and down these ladders made our heads spin with questions and imaginative musings about how these ancient
people lived. Bandelier National Monument is so popular that a mandatory free shuttle bus takes visitors into the monument during peak times because there is very little parking available. We went to the monument just as it was opening so we could be among the few allowed to park their own vehicle in the parking lot. This put us on the hiking trail half an hour before the busloads of tourists began to arrive and gave us a chance to explore the ruins without any crowds. The Main Loop Trail took us past the 250-room masonry settlement of Tyuonyi built on the open plains and then on to the Long House cliff dwelling. Most of what remains of Long House is the towering cliff wall that formed the back side of the multi-story pueblo community. The area around Bandelier National Monument is the sidewall of an enormous caldera—a vast depression in the land created by a volcano that exploded and then imploded into itself a million years ago. The cliffs are made of soft volcanic tuff that is pockmarked with thousands of closet-sized holes. The ancient people used these holes to create the back wall or back room of their buildings. The side and front walls were constructed of bricks made from the volcanic tuff. Timber rafters and floor joists were held in place by boring a hole in the
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Reaching the Alcove House at Bandelier National Monument requires several long climbs up very steep ladders, great fun for kids and kids at heart.
A trip to the Alcove House at Bandelier National Monument requires several long climbs up very steep ladders.
cliff to support one end of each beam and resting the other end on the opposite stone wall. The cliff dwellings stood two and three stories high, and timber ladders were used to climb from one story to another. The rooms along the Long House cliff seem to go on forever, with rows of divots showing where the roof timbers were held in place. The ruins of the stone walls present a floor plan of the original structures. In a few places the entire wall and roof structure has been stabilized and recreated to show what the community looked like when it was intact. Most fascinating to us was the discovery that not only were these ancient people fine potters and craftsmen, but they liked to decorate the interior walls of their homes. In a few places a kind of painted plaster is visible on the cliff walls. One alcove in particular sports a painted geometric pattern that is bright red. Petroglyphs adorn the cliffs outside the pueblo homes as well. Further down the trail we visited Alcove House, which is a huge cave perched high up on a cliff face accessed by a series of very long ladders. Although there was little to see in the cave besides a covered kiva that is currently being reconstructed, the view was beautiful. Whiletherehasbeenalotof stabilizingandreconstruction
work at both Aztec Ruins and Bandelier to give visitors a sense of what the ruins looked like hundreds of years ago, at Tsankawi Ruins just a fewmiles from Bandelier we felt like archaeologists ourselves because no rebuilding has occurred at all. Outlines of foundations are hard to make out in the grass, and painted pottery shards with matching patterns were scattered on the ground here and there. Tonto National Monument In the late 1800s, Swiss born scholar Adolph Bandelier explored many ancient ruins of the Southwest, and the evocative cliff dwellings at Bandelier National Monument bear his name because he was the first person to study them. We were intrigued to learn that he also spent a lot of time studying the cliff dwellings that were built by the Salado People 460 miles to the southwest at Tonto National Monument outside of Phoenix, Arizona. Whereas the pueblo communities at Bandelier and Aztec Ruins were both built in the early 1100s, the people at Bandelier thrived until about 1550 while those at Aztec Ruins abandoned their community after just a century, around 1250. It is unknown exactly where these people moved, but it is intriguing that just when Aztec Ruins was abandoned around 1250 another group of people
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Hiking up to the cliff dwellings at Tonto National Monument the views become more and more dramatic.
Room with a view: The ancient community at Tonto National Monument has a stunning view of Roosevelt Lake
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The ancients built a community into a deep cliff high on a mountain at Tonto National Monument near Phoenix, Arizona.
There are fascinating paths dug into the soft stone at Tsankawi ruins.
began building the cliff dwellings that are now preserved at Tonto National Monument. Those people have long been referred to as the Salado People because they lived along the Salt River (Rio Salado in Spanish) in Arizona. However, it is now thought that they may have had roots among both the Ancestral Puebloan people and in the Sonoran Desert people (or Hohokam people) who built sophisticated irrigation systems to farm the baking hot desert lands around Phoenix. There are two cliff dwellings open to the public at Tonto National Monument, and both involve some steep grades on the hike to reach them. The Lower Cliff Dwellings are open to anyone willing to huff and puff up the paved path to get to them. The views over Roosevelt Lake become ever more stunning on the hike up, and the thick stands of noble saguaro cactus, many of which pre-date the modern discovery of these ruins, make this hike especially scenic. The cliff dwellings are built into a massive cave that offered natural protection from hot sun and rain. Many of the tiny rooms have soot on the cave walls from ancient fires. The Upper Cliff Dwellings can be seen only on guided tours with a ranger, but the thrill on these tours is seeing true evidence of life lived here 700 years ago. Ancient corn husks are visible in the mud walls and can be seen
scattered about the grounds, and grinding stones are still in place. The juniper branch ceilings are fully intact and, with the guide's vivid commentary, it’s easy for us to imagine what life was like so long ago and at such a height. Wupatki National Monument One hundred-seventy-five miles north of Tonto National Monument, outside of Flagstaff, Arizona, the Ancestral Puebloans built several small communities that resemble themasonrybuildings of AztecRuinsNationalMonument. These are now part of Wupatki National Monument. Built by a group of Ancestral Puebloans that archaeologists call the "Sinagua" people (a Spanish concatenation of sin agua meaning without water), these building were also constructed in the 1100s and feature round kivas and stone walls. Wupatki National Monument encompasses several pueblo ruins along a 65-mile drive. Wupatki is the largest ruin and was home to perhaps 100 people and features a big kiva, while Wukoki, Lomaki, Nalakihu and others are smaller stone structures that were built into box canyons and on the plains. Nearby Sunset Crater is the remains of a huge volcano that erupted 100 years prior to this ancient construction boom. The eruption
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The ruins at Aztec National Monument in New Mexico have been carefully stabilized to give a feeling of what the place was like centuries ago.
Little visited Aztec National Monument has endless small adjoining rooms that housed both food storage and living quarters.
The circular Kivas may have been used for meetings or ceremonies.
deposited a layer of volcanic ash across the plains, and it is thought that it helped hold the moisture in this dry land, making it possible for the ancients to farm successfully. However, like their brethren at Tonto and Aztec Ruins National Monuments, the people of Wupatki also abandoned their homes after just a century, around 1250, possibly because of a massive drought. All of these ancient ruins are fun to visit and there are many places to stay in an RV nearby. If you are heading to the Southwest and want to take a few walks far back in time, these four National Monuments are a must see!
FOR MORE INFORMATION www.nps.gov/azru • www.nps.gov/band
www.nps.gov/band/planyourvisit/tsankawi • www.nps.gov/tont www.nps.gov/wupa • Here is a link to a map showing the locations of these ruins:https://goo.gl/maps/UVtRraJBuvB2
Some doorways at Aztec National Monument are “T” shaped, reminiscent of the Mayan doorways hundreds of miles south and built hundreds of years earlier.
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