| Out And About In Nature
As we compile this newsletter, stay-at-home orders are being lifted in various locales. Restaurants, campgrounds, and other businesses are reinventing themselves, as many have been given the green light to open.
Whether you're staying close to home or traveling a bit farther afield, infinite possibilities await for you to enjoy some entertainment and relaxation in the great outdoors. Explore parks, gardens, woodsy paths, and more. Maybe take up yoga or tai chi in your backyard or campground. Tote a sketch pad outside and draw what you see. Learn how to identify the countless birds who tweet and squawk nearby. In short, enjoy the nature that surrounds you.
We challenge you this month to get outdoors, get active, breathe in some fresh air with purpose. Some of the ideas below may help you get started.
The FMCA Team
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| Roadside Rescue® to the Rescue!
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"When we were camping in Misty Mountain Campground in Greenwood, VA, one morning our truck would not start. We called FMCA Roadside Rescue and the young lady told us we would have a tow truck there in 30 minutes. She explained the tow truck would take our truck to the dealership for repair. She was right on target! The tow truck was there in 30 minutes, picked up our truck, and took the truck and us to the dealership. This was a great experience for us compared to our last roadside assistance. Thank you FMCA!"
— Terry & Vickie Waggenspack, F492373
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| Travel with peace of mind knowing FMCA Roadside Rescue has your RV and passenger vehicles covered in the event of a mechanical breakdown - all at a discounted group rate!
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| Keep peace of mind and save on more than just roadside assistance when you JOIN FMCA!
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| Go Local
There are many ways to fuel your adventurous spirit while practicing social distancing and remaining responsible and safe. Although travel restrictions have made it difficult to take long-distance trips, we encourage you to explore your local area.
You can check out some local hiking trails and parks in your area with the website www.alltrails.com. It's important to respect your local area's rules, so always do some research ahead of time. If there are signs indicating the trails are closed, respect the rules and try a different trail/park.
If open trails seem more crowded than usual, understand that everybody else is trying to get out and enjoy their share of nature as well. Try to keep your distance from other hikers.
Another activity that can be combined with a hike is geocaching, the modern equivalent of the treasure hunt game, which incorporates GPS technolgy. To participate, you can go online and find thousands of coordinates for hidden caches in parks, on trails, and around small towns. FMCA even has a chapter dedicated to RVers who enjoy geocaching, the Eastern Area Geoc0achers. To learn more about this FMCA chapter or another, visit the Chapter Search Page on FMCA's website.
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| When it comes to RVing, it's likely most folks know the timeless mantra, "It's not about the destination, it's about the journey." With travel restrictions being lifted across the U.S. and Canada, it's time to start dreaming about your next journey. As you figure out where that adventure may lead, consider what you want to see along the way.
How about choosing the scenic route? It might take longer, but we promise it is worth it! And even as travel restrictions are being lifted, it might be a while before gatherings and events take place. So, scenic route it is!
We've come up with two separate lists to help inspire you. The first, The Most Scenic Roads in the U.S., spans from east to west, inviting you to witness some of the most iconic views in America. Our second list, The Most Scenic Roads in Canada, offers routes from the Atlantic to Arctic oceans, the Canadian Rockies, and more.
Whether you're an American or a Canadian trying to explore your own country, or you're looking to explore your neighbor's beautiful landscapes, we think anyone with a travel itch will enjoy reading about these scenic drives.
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| Remembering Gary Bunzer, The "RV Doctor"
It is still hard to believe that longtime FMCA contributor Gary Bunzer is no longer with us. Known as the RV Doctor, Gary devoted more than 40 years to his passion of educating and helping RV owners, as well as to training RV technicians. Gary will forever be missed. For those who would like to make a memorial donation in Gary's honor, his family has suggested Samaritan's Purse and the RV/MH Hall of Fame.
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Campground Vacancies
As each individual state and province begins to reopen retail stores, restaurants, campgrounds, and workplaces on its own time frame, FMCA has you covered with the latest campground and RV parks that are back in operation.
Did you know that FMCA has hundreds of commercial members that own RV parks and campgrounds? In the past few weeks, we have reached out to all of them to see whether they are open and have vacancies. You can find that information here on our latest blog post. (Please bear in mind that the information may continue to change.)
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| Free Classified Advertising
Are you looking to buy or sell an RV? Maybe you have an RV lot or RV-friendly home you want to sell, or an RV-related accessory or component you no longer need. Family RVing magazine's popular Classifieds section can help! The ad will run online at FamilyRVingmag.com simultaneously with the print ad. The rates are quite reasonable, and don't forget, all members of FMCA are entitled to 20 free words per calendar year in one issue in Classifieds, the classified advertising section of Family RVing magazine ($12 value).
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| JOIN FMCA today and stay on top of all the latest industry news to help keep you safe on the road.
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Spruce Lake RV Resort in Estes Park, CO — Spruce Lake sits along the Big Thompson River and even has its own trout fishing lake. Conveniently located, Spruce Lake RV Park is only 2 miles from the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park and 1 mile from shopping and restaurants in downtown Estes Park and even offers trolley service to both locations. Or stay on the grounds and enjoy the swimming pool, hot tub, mini golf, and other outdoor adventures.
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| RVs for MDs
Hats off to this all-volunteer group that assists health-care workers and first responders who are fighting COVID-19 on the front lines. The group connects essential workers who need temporary, safe lodging in which to quarantine between shifts with RV owners who are willing to lend their RVs at no cost.
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| Look Up!
The International Dark-Sky Association works to preserve the beauty of the night, and more. The group's website educates visitors about light pollution, which can affect wildlife, drain energy resources, and even impact human health. The site offers dark-sky-friendly lighting suggestions you might want to consider for your rolling or stationary home.
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| Ah... Outdoors
Whether you're home or on the roam, how about adding some outside exploration and exercise to your day? A list of favorite parks and gardens from TripSavvy.com may include one or more near you.
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Natural Bug Repellents
Now that Memorial Day has passed, and with it the unofficial start to summer, humans aren't the only species heeding our advice and venturing outdoors - out come the bugs, too! Whether you're on a camping trip, fishing, sitting around the campfire, or working in your garden, try these 11 all-natural bug repellents to keep those pesky insects away!
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