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SOI
News
Spring 2012
Scamp Owners International
Volume XIV Number 2
Stanley Tibbs (Brookville, FL) is referbishing his 1973 13-foot Love Bug. They were built in the early
1970s during the same period that the Eveland family was getting started constructing Scamps. This
little fiberglass “egg”attracted lots of attention at the 2012 ScampCamp in Sebring, Florida.
Photograph by K R. Cranson
In This Issue
From The Editor’s Desk
ScampCamp 2012
Hints and Tips
Leon’s Logic
Recipe Corner
Free Days for 2012
Future ScampCamps
Scamp Turns 40
Questions & Answers
Book Corner
SOI Mailbag
Two Story Motorhome
What’s New
Canadian Dinosaur Country
Page 2
SOI News
From the Editor’s Desk
Rod Cranson
Editor
Visiting Kileuae Caldera in
Hawwaii Volcanoes National
Park on the Big Island.
Photograph by S.K. Cranson
Has spring arrived at your location yet? I Hope so. It arrived in Michigan in the
middle of winter!
Our family Holiday
trip to Hawaii was a great
adventure. We spent 10
days touring four of the
larger islands - we were
based on the Noregean
Pride of America, a large
cruise ship. Although we
didn’t see any Scamps, guess RVing is
not a popular activity in Hawaii. It sure
would be fun to have our Scamp on
one of the islands to spend more time.
This past January marked the 40th
anniversary for Scamp-Eveland, Inc.
The first Scamp was built in Backus,
Minnesota, in January, 1972. A couple
months ago, I talked with one of the
Scamp Salesmen to ask about any
plans they had to celebrate this landmark. At that time, there was nothing
he could report on this matter. For a
brief history on Scamp Trailers, check
the article on page 3.
The 14th annual ScampCamp was
held at Highlands Hammock State Park
near Sebring, Florida. The event was
organized and hosted by Dick and
Lynda Freed. The Freeds did an outstanding job and the gathering was a
great time with over a hundred SOI
members in some 60 trailers attending.
A big SOI THANKS to Dick and
Lynda - check out their report on page
6.
One of the highlights of the gathering was the opportunity to recognize
Alice and Jack Vernezze for their long
time service to Scamp Owners International. They have organized and
hosted the annual Sebring gathering for
Spring 2012
many years. Over the years, Alice has developed and established a number of creative activities what participants enjoyed.
Thanks for your outstanding work and service to SOI.
I received an E-mail question recently
regarding the availability of back issues of
the SOI News. Those published since 2006
are in PDF format and can be sent via Email. I have some of the earlier issues in
hard copy (paper) that can be sent via
USPS for a small fee plus postage. If you
are interested in back copies of SOI newsletters, let me know and I will provide information about how to receive them.
Florida weather was fine this winter
season. We headed south the first week of
February to attend ScampCamp 2012 and
stayed on through the first of April. During
one week of that time we hung out at the
Long Pine Key Campground in the Everglades National Park. It is always a fascinating place to visit with a wide variety of
birds and all the alligators and crocodiles.
Although the Long Pine Key Campground
has no hook-ups, there has been a significant upgrade at the Flamingo Campground.
One loop has electrical hook-ups now and
there are several new solar powered hot
water showers in all the loops.
With the summer “Scamping” season
just around the corner, I hope you have
some plans to use and enjoy your fiberglass “egg.” Our original plans were to drive
west to Oregon for a visit to my favorite
place in the world - Crater Lake National
Park. However, on our return trip from
Florida, we ended up paying $4.00 per
gallon for gas a couple times (and close to
that amount on many occasions). It sure
put the “damper” on our enthusiasm for an
extended trip. It is scary to think of the cost
of a 5,000 mile trip - it brought back memories of a similar adventure a few years ago
when fuel costs were high. That summer
Continued on page 4
Spring 2012
Scamp Turns 40
The Boler Trailer Company in
Canada approached the two Eveland
brothers, Duane and Gerald, with a proposal to build the little fiberglass trailer in
the U.S. The brothers formed a corporation in late 1971, then completed a contract with the Canadian company to build
1,000 Bolers a year. Gerald with several
other men visited the Boler factory to learn
about the process and brought the necessary fiberglass molds back to Minnesota.
In January, 1972, manufacturing began in
an old Ford garage in “downtown”
Backus.
The Eveland brothers could build the
trailers, but Boler had difficulty selling them
and fell behind in paying for the work. Finally, the contract was canceled later that
same year and the Evelands began building the trailers to sell themselves. In early
1973, the name was changed to Scamp
with a white and red color scheme. At this
time it was necessary to begin advertising
to a wider market, so adds were placed
in national magazines. Some dealers were
established, but factory-direct sales became more effective, so the dealerships
were eventually discontinued.
Scamp ad in the May 1980 issue of the
Mechanics Illustrated magazine
Scamp trailers, based on the Boler,
are a fiberglass shell mounted on a steel
tubular frame. The interior cabinetry provides the structural integrity, there is no
framework like most trailers require. All
SOI News
Page 3
the
components;
frames, fiberglass shells,
interior cabinets and furnishings, are made and
assembled in their
Backus factory. Over
the years, Scamps have
been sold in every state
and several foreign
countries. ScampEveland, Inc. is and has Early in Scamp’s history, their trailers were sold
been the major emunder the “Acorn” name due to a problem with
ployer in the Backus who owned the “Scamp” name. This 13-foot trailer
looks exactly like the Boler and early Scamps.
area with as many as 50
workers during times of high production
and an annual payroll of over half a million dollars.
Early on, completed trailers were
available or customers could assemble
Curtesy Photographs
from a kit. Over time, however, the kits
were discontinued due to the problems
many buyers had with the assembly. The
company also had contracts with the military to supply trailers for recreational use
of their personnel. There were many challenges encountered during these early
years and some good luck as well. One
unexpected lucky break was the energy
One of the experimental
Scamp Motor Homes built.
crunch in the 1970s. With the sharp inFew of these have survived.
crease in fuel prices during that period,
many people were buying smaller cars
that could still tow a relatively inexpensive lightweight Scamp.
The first trailers were 13-feet long
and lightweight (~1,000 lbs) and based
on the Boler. A 16-foot that weighed
about 1,300 pounds was introduced in
1977 and soon became
the most popular model.
Then, in 1982, a 5 th
wheel (19-foot weighing
about 2,000 lbs.) version
was designed that could
be towed by a small
Scamp Factory along U.S. Highway 271 before the
pickup. A couple years
January 13, 2006 fire.
later, several floor plans
Photograph by K R. Cranson
Page 4
Spring 2012
SOI News
and interior wood trim
options were made
available. An experiment was also attempted to produce a
Scamp Motor Home
on small pickups - but
only ten were ever
built.
During the early
This 13-foot Love Bug built in the early 1970s looks days, Scamps had
essentially the same as the early Scamps. Both were little competition for
based on the 13-foot Boler built in Canada. It was small fiberglass travel
being restored by Kent Wood when he attended the
trailers. Several other
2004 Sleeping Bear ScampCamp in Michigan.
companies have tried,
Photograph by K R. Cranson
mostly based on the
Boler model, to break into the small fiberglass market. Until recently only one
has succeeded, the Casita, began some
years later and is built in Texas. Over
the years, Scamps have been sold in every state and several foreign countries.
Scamp-Eveland, Inc. is and has been
the major employer in the Backus area.
For Scamps, a typical year’s production is between 300 and 400 trailers,
although as many as 600 Scamps were
built during some of their big years.
The Scamp factory moved from
the old Ford garage to a building just
View looking south of the total
outside of town along U.S. Highway
destruction of the Scamp main
371. Although it provided more space,
assembly buiding.
the production line did not flow effiCourtest Photographs
ciently. Then, on Friday, January 13,
2006, the Scamp Factory was destroyed by
fire. Although this was a
disaster, it did have a silver lining in that it allowed Scamp-Eveland,
Inc. to design and build
a new facility with a
much more efficient proView of the south end of Scamp’s final assembly
duction line.
building after the fire.
The new Scamp Trailer factory along U.S.
Highway 371 in Backus, MN.
Photographs by K R. Cranson
Duane Eveland
Kent Eveland
Both Duane and Gerald have retired
and Kent Eveland (Duane’s son) now runs
the company. It has been a family business since the very beginning and several
family members now work and have
worked in the Scamp-Eveland, Inc. factory over the years. krc
From the Editor’s Desk (con’t)
we spent $2,000 for gas! Maybe I should
not worry about the cost - its only money.
While going through the huge stack
of mail upon our return from Florida, there
were 14 SOI Membership Applications.
And, half of them were new members this amazed me. You would think after
nearly 15 years, everyone would have
heard about SOI? Apparently, that is not
the case.
“Remember to look up at the stars,
not down at your feet. Try to make
sense of what you see and wonder
about what makes the universe exist.
Be curious.”
Stephen Hawking
recorded speech on his 70th birthday
Spring 2012
Scamp Camp 2012 Report
By Dick Freed
One of the
biggest SOI
groups ever converged on Highlands Hammock
State Park for
the 14th annual
ScampCamp.
There were 61
campers from Lynda and Dick Freed
hosted the Scamp Camp
21 states and for 2012. Photograph by
Canada and a
P. Springer
total of 108 persons participating in the
event. Flat Stanley was on hand to remind campers of
the schedule for
the day.
A number
of persons chose
to come early to
the camp. On
Sunday night, Ed
Harris, (Our
sound and video
Flat Stanley kept all the
campers up to date on expert for the
week), surprised
the day’s activities.
Photograph by R. Cranson those in attendance by setting up a Super Bowl party
under the carport, with the game pro-
The Super Bowl party was an enjoyable way
to kick off the week. Photograph by D. Freed
SOI News
Page 5
jected on a 5 foot wide
screen. Everyone enjoyed the game. There
were probably 35 to 40
members and guests attending.
Monday was the
first scheduled day of
the camp. Many were
setting up their sites during the day. Monday
evening was the tradiDarald Springer & Tony Armstrong learn about
tional Chili Dump,
life as a chicken. Photograph by P. Springer
where
Scampers
brought their favorite Chili recipe and
dumped it into Alice Vernezze’s giant
chili pot. The recipes mixed together to
make a great tasting chili and, along with
the side dishes provided by the group,
no one left hungry. The evening campfire
was provided by Wayne Felker and
Kevin Johnson ended the evening on a
positive note.
Tuesday afternoon was the road
trip to Henscratch Farms, where campFloyd Clark led the Tech Talk
ers enjoyed wine tasting, and picked
discussion at ScampCamp.
strawberries and other vegetables for use
Photograph by D. Freed
back at camp. Tuesday evening
was the first Pot Luck dinner of
the week, which everyone enjoyed in spite of the rain that began falling partway through the
meal. Thanks to Gerry Felker
for providing the tablecloths for the
dinner. The campfire followed,
featuring s’mores.
Wednesday was a busy day
at ScampCamp 2012. Activities
began with Floyd Clark leading
the traditional “Tech Talk.” People
who had problems or concerns
with their Scamp trailers could
Rain didn’t dampen the enthusiasm for
present their problems to the
Steve and Betty McAdams at the Pot
group, and then the group would
Luck dinner. Photograph by P. Springer
Page 6
SOI News
Spring 2012
One hundred and eight SOI Members attended the 14th Annual ScampCamp at Highlands Hammock State Park near Sebring,
Florida. Steve McAdams and Ed Harris served as official photograhers for the group photograph
brainstorm solutions. Following the
Tech Talk, campers opened their trailers to share what
modifications they
have made in their
Scamps to make
life a little easier.
That afternoon,
Lynda Freed led
a workshop on
how to make crocheted mud rugs
using Wal Mart
grocery bags. A
little later, Steve
Campers look over the treasures available at the great
McAdams and
give-a-way. Photograph by D. Freed
Ed Harris gathered everyone for the group picture.
Wednesday evening was the all-camp
pot luck dinner
at the Recreation Hall. Ed
Harris set up
a sound system at the hall
- Alan and
S u s a n
Schroepfer,
Dick Freed,
Craft session #2 (making spice wreaths) was led by Lynda and Wayne
Freed in the park Recreation Hall.
Collins proPhotograph by D. Freed
vided a short concert for the enjoyment of
those who stayed after eating.
On Thursday morning, campers found
donuts and many other breakfast items at
the rec hall. Thanks to Kate and Jim Filer
and the other park volunteer staff for their
graciousness in providing the extra activities for our group, and their willingness to
open the building for our use. Later in the
afternoon, the traditional “great giveaway”
was scheduled. That eveing, the park volunteer staff again opened the rec hall for
their traditional annual Soup Supper. After
the meal, Ed Harris again set up his video
equipment, and the camp enjoyed the movie
Dolphin Tale
which is based
on events that
occurred recently in the
Clearwater
Florida area.
Everyone enjoyed
the
movie.
On Friday morning,
Bob AnderBoB Anderson leads the
son led one of
annual nature walk along
his famous naone of the park trails.
ture walks to
Photograph by R. Cranson
Spring 2012
investigate
many aspects
of
the
vegitation and
wildlife in the
park. Later
that morning,
Lynda Freed
led campers in
a second craft
project, makJulia Cassaday presents a
ing a spice
special 2012 ScampCamp
handmade momentum to wreath. After
a short rest,
Sharon Cranson.
Photograph by R. Cranson
we all headed
to Homer’s Buffet Restaurant in Sebring,
where most
probably ate
just a little too
much! After
our return to
camp, Kevin
and Judy
Johnson
hosted the final campfire, Jack and Alice Vernezze
along with receive special recogniwine tasting tion for their many years
of hosting the annual
and snacks. ScampCamp at Highlands
Although a
Hammock State Park.
r a i n s t o r m Photography by R. Cranson
Susan and Alan Schroepfer play and sing at
the morning devotionals led by Dave Hirtl.
Photograph by R. Cranson
SOI News
Page 7
shortened the event, everyone had a good time.
Saturday morning
marked the end of programming for the week
and most of the group
began packed up to
head back home.
I would sincerely
like to thank our “staff”
highlighted in boldface Dick and Barb Bell make a special appearance to
above for sharing their entertain with their dulcimers at the final evening
campfire. Photo by D. Freed
talents to make the
week a success. I would also like to thank
Dave Hirtl for providing grace for our
meals as well as leading morning devotionals at the campfire circle. My apologies if I have missed any staff who helped
out during this annual camp.
The group voted to have the 15th
annual ScampCamp on February 11 to
15 (depart on the 16th) for 2013. Please
register ASAP, as of this writing (3/19/
12) there are already many SOI Members registered to attend next February.
Make sure to contact me after you register for your site. Please check the Future
ScampCamps for details.
Questions and Answers
Installation - I am planning to install a Thetford Aqua-Magic V permanent toilet in the bathroom of a Scamp
5th wheel. Can someone provide me with
details of the proper installation, supplies
and adapters needed? Thanks in advance
for your help. Kenny Lane, E-mail:
[email protected].
Wheel Rims - New Scamp owner
here. Went on a trip last August, blew a
tire and lost the original chrome rim that
covers the outer part of the rim. We found
The SOI Bird Sez “Can you
help these folks with some
advice?”
Page 8
Got a Great
Image?
The editor is looking for
some pictures of Scamps
(or other “Eggs”) to feature on the cover of future
issue of the SOI News. If
you have an image of your
trailer (or another you have
seen) and would be willing to share it with other
SOI Members, please
contact him. Unusual features, like designs or
decoration, and interesting
locations with scenic
backgrounds often make
the best pictures for the
cover. Thanks.
SOI News
the hub cap, but not the other chrome
rim. Would this discussion group be a
good way to find such a part. I am looking for someone who has upgraded to
new rims and still have the original
chrome. Let me know if this is a good
way to find my part. Thanks. Tony
Pember
at
E-mail:
[email protected]
Hints and Tips
Traveling Fridge - To help keep
your RV fridge cold when you are traveling without having it turned on, place
two or three frozen ice packs inside
before departing. When you arrive and
turn your refrigerator back on, place
the ice packs back in the freezer compartment to freeze for your next journey.
Watch the Weight - Be organized by spending a little time to stow
your gear in a neat and organized fashion will save headaches down the road.
And, while you’re packing your RV, be
conscious of how much weight being
placed in different parts of the rig. Making sure various item (by weight) are
distributed evenly is critical to protect
from tire damage/blow-outs. So, keep
in mind that how how you pack your
fiberglass egg can make a big difference.
Firewood - Don’t bring firewood
from home with you on your camping
trips. Many campgrounds do not allow the practice anymore because the
wood may bring along harmful bugs that
can get lose and harm the native habitat.
Spring 2012
Books of Interest
Ten
Minute
Tech - Volumes 2 and
3 - Here are two great
products packaged together to save a bunch
of money over purchasing them separately. The books 10- Minute
Tech, Volumes 2 and 3 are packed with
solid tips about how to fix, modify, troubleshoot or otherwise improve an RV. Aimed
at both the novice and the seasoned pro,
the information is drawn from Trailer Life
and Motorhome magazines’ “Quick Tips”
self-help column, written by and for RVers
and based on actual experience. The books
contain little-known tips that RVers
shouldn’t live without and hundreds of illustrations and line drawings to make
changes easy. Arranged in a straightforward
reference format for easy access to particular problems, the 10-Minute Tech
books provide the no-nonsense advice
readers have come to expect from this series. Learn, for example, how to keep roof
downspouts from leaving black streaks with
a simple clothespin. Learn how to flush out
your holding tank without dragging a water
hose through your rig. Learn how to wash
your rig without a hassle in campgrounds
that don’t allow washing. Learn how to
keep mice from crawling up your power
line. Yipes! Find a nifty way to pump your
TV’’s sound through your rig’’s high quality radio speakers, get a creative solution
to keep your wheel covers from blowing
off in high winds, learn a simple trick to help
you shut your screen door easier, learn how
to fit more shoes in a tight closet, get a
simple solution to help control grease spattering from your stove to kitchen walls.
These lists of things to do to an RV is like
the Ever Ready Bunny: it just keeps goin’
Spring 2012
and goin’ and goin’: And there’s a whole
lot more –– 600 illustrated tips per book.
These books are hot stuff, and every RVer
should read them and refer to them often.
Give these as a gift and make an RVer
yell, “Wow, this is swell!” Volume 2 published in 2003 and volume 3 published in
2006. Cost $ 19.77 (for both)
2012 RVers Friend - In the old
days, highway travel centers were called
truck stops. But after a few economic
downturns, truck stop owners saw their
revenues plummet. Time to attract new
customers. So the truck stops began adding services for RVers and they changed
their names from Truck Stops to Travel
Centers or Travel Plazas. One of the first
things many did was welcome RVers to
stay the night for free. Some designated a
separate parking area —— a “quiet zone”
away from the big rigs. As the stream of
RVs increased, some travel centers added
dump stations. RVers began stopping for
fuel or even to spend the night. Many
shopped at the travel store or dined in
the restaurant. The 2012 RVer’s Friend
lists every Travel Center in the U.S. and
Canada about 6,600 all together ——
and what services each provides to RVers.
RVers can determine if a travel center
welcomes them for an overnight stay, if it
has a dump station, if it sells propane, and
if it provides Internet access or utility
hookups. It also includes an Exit Order
section. And, also very important, the book
lists which RV mechanical services are
provided. Published, December 2011.
Cost: $14.95
“If a man does not make new
acquaintances as he advances
through life, he will soon find
himself alone.”
-- Samuel Johnson
SOI News
Here are two great guides to RV
Camping in State and National Parks
packaged together to save you $4.78
over purchasing them separately.
The National Park Service
Camping Guide, expanded and updated in 2010, is a wonderful resource
for anyone who enjoys camping in the
National Parks. The book describes
nearly 450 campgrounds in 123 National
Park Service areas, which alltogether are
home to more than 25,000 campsites.
Among other things, information for each
park campground profiled includes its
name and location, season of operation,
number of RV and tent sites, number of
sites with electric and water hookups, RV
length limits, length of stay limits, camping fees and campsite reservation information. You’ll also find a list of amenities
in each campground such as drinking
water, picnic tables, fire grills, restrooms,
showers, dump stations, laundry facilities
and pay phones. New to this edition are
two quick reference sections for finding
Free Camping Areas and RV Camping
Areas. 256 pages.
In RV Camping in State Parks,
you’ll discover nearly 200,000 campsites
in over 1,650 state parks, forests and
recreation areas in 49 states. A summary
for each state tells you how many state
parks have RV campgrounds generally
available. You’ll also find contact information including phone numbers and
websites for each state. The details for
each state park include location, general
directions, and contact information including each park’s phone number. You’ll
also learn how many RV sites are available, the number of sites that have water
Page 9
Page 10
Leon’s Logic
Have you found any good
books or videos that other SOI
Members would enjoy?
SOI News
and electric hookups, and sites with full
hookups. Also provided is each park’s
season of operation and availability of
showers and dump stations. Maps for
each state are included to aid you in finding state parks with RV campgrounds.
New to this 2nd edition are GPS coordinates for each park. The book is a
valuable resource for RVers who enjoy
state park camping. Published in 2010.
288 pages. Cost as a package is $27.12
Cartoon by Leon Greisen,
Medford, OR
From the SOI Mailbag
Thanks for the latest SOI news
letter. While reading it I came across
this: “ Some members have been talking about “what does our $20 pay
for now that you have no printing or
mailing costs?”
I think anyone who has tried to put
together a news letter knows the printing and mailing is the easiest part of putting one together. I would like to thank
you for your efforts. I enjoy reading
about you and Sharon’s adventures in
parks I have yet to visit or may never
be able to visit.So, what does my $20
pay for? - a great looking, information
sharing newsletter. Larry Baker,
Jamestown, OH
A Trip - I just sat down this afternoon and read the latest edition of the
SOI newsletter. Thank you for the dedication and effort you put into these informative and helpful publications. I
gleaned some ideas of places to visit,
picked up a few tips for caring for my
Scamp, and got a good taste of a
Scamp event. I’ve had my 1985 16foot Scamp for a year but have only
taken one trip in it. I had other things
planned during the year, my last as a
Spring 2012
full-time employee, and they didn’t involve
a trailer. However, in 2012, I’m partially
retired and am planning several trips. My
first major adventure will be to attend TED
Live in Palm Springs in late February. It’ll
give me a chance to meander from Nebraska southwest to southern California and
back. Plus, having my Scamp on site for
the week will save me a great deal. Again,
thank you for all you put into these informative newsletters. Well worth the $20 in
my book. Randy Bretz, Lincoln, NE
A Good Report - Earl was terribly ill
with cholangiocarcinoma and ended up
having chemo/radiation and a liver transplant up at Mayo Jax in July. It has been a
wild year! All seems to be well at this point
and he is healing nicely. Hope to see everyone in Sebring! Regards. Mary Brown,
Sebastian, FL
Thank You - Thanks for the winter
issue, we look forward to these and are
anxiously awaiting the camping season.
Hope everyone has a great time at Sebring,
we are still a couple years away from that
event. Steve and Coleen Hopkins.
Mission Trip - We are getting ready
for a trip to Nicaragua for a mission trip to
build a church. Keep the newsletter coming, we really enjoy them. Dennis and
Marilyn Duke, Jamaica, IA.
New Scamp - We will pick up our
2011 13-foot this Thursday at Backus.
Have had a couple used ones before, this
will be our first new one. Thank you Lee
and Lynda Dietrich, Duluth, MN.
Moving On - Thanks for thinking
about me. Actually, I sold my Scamp about
a year ago and that’s the reason I did not
Spring 2012
SOI News
renew my membership. I bought a 27foot Class “A” Fleetwood Motorhome
and I am very active in a Good Sam chapter here in Valdosta, GA. I certainly enjoyed my Scamp and camping with you
folks. God bless everyone and I hope that
you folks have a wonderful new year. Ray
Yody, Valdosta, GA
4 to 6 slices precooked bacon, cut in
small pieces
On The Road - I am Scamping(!)
and have been on the road since November 17, planning to hit home on January
29. . . I just love my Scamp and have just
spent a month in Florida and the Keys,
working my way home to NC. In Savannah tonight, off to Charleston tomorrow,
then on to Raleigh to see the Rembrandts.
Fran Tobin, Wilmington, NC
Small onion, finely chopped
In Alabama - We are in Gulf
Shores in a 20-foot Jayco JayFlight which
we bought used last Spring from someone in Gladstone. Our Scamp frame had
cracked on both sides just ahead of the
bend last winter. We had it welded in
Louisiana and then beefed up some more
in Manistique. It will probably be on the
market after we get home from here.
Have a good winter. Greetings to all in
Sebring! Doug and Ginny Smith, Garden, MI
Lentil Salad
Lentils are light to carry, quick to
cook and packed with nutrition. Serve
this salad as a main dish at lunch time or
as a supper side dish with steaks from
the grill. Serves 4.
Page 11
½ cup vinaigrette dressing
1 can chicken broth plus water
2 cups lentilsMedium carrot, finely
chopped
Large stalk celery, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
bag shredded lettuce
Add water to the chicken broth to
make 2 cups and bring it to a boil with
the bacon and vegetables. Add lentils.
Cover and cook over low heat about
20 minutes or until lentils are tender but
not mushy. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes then stir 2 tablespoons vinaigrette.
Make beds of lettuce on 4 plates (you
don’t need the entire bag), top with lentils and drizzle with additional vinaigrette.
Serve with crusty rolls. Variation: for a
heartier main dish top with grated
cheese.To see more of Janet Groene’s
camp and RV-tested recipes go to:
www.CampAndRVCook.blogspot.com
Alice Vernezze’s SOI
Cookbook - Scamp Owners Favorite Recipes is
still available. It is packed
with great recipes contributed by many SOI members. You can contact Alice
by phone: 321-794-3181,
or
by
E-mail:
[email protected], or at
610, Satellite Beach, FL
32937. Cost is $5.00 plus
postage/handling.
Two Story Motor Home
Yes, this is an honest-to-goodness
motorhome. Put a key in the ignition, turn
it, and drive this double-decker down
the highway, but be sure to watch out
for low overpasses. This “RV” was seen
in northern Nevada. You can see more
photos and learn more about this at:
http://tribes.tribe.net/neverwas/photosIt
is called “Neverwas Haul” and really
more a piece of art than functioning machine.
The posting spot for information on
“Neverwas Haul” and all the stuff in-
The Neverwas Haul RV
Courtesy Photograph
Page 12
SOI News
volved in building it, and it’s accessories. The Neverwas Haul represents a
reimagining of the victorian era, an era
when technology and exploration fueled
the imagination of the Continent, and
gentlemen and ladies of leisure set out
in pursuit of the strange and wonderous.
It is inspired by the works of Jules
Verne, the Neverwas Haul represents
a combination of the Victorian love of
comfort and imposition of its own values on to the primitive landscape of the
old and new worlds and pure, unadulterate belief in the overarching grace of
technology.
Free Days for 2012
Guyser in Yellowstone - the
first U.S. National Park.
Photograph by K R. Cranson
To encourage Americans to explore America’s natural beauty, rich history and culture, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has announced that the
National Park Service will waive admission fees on 17 days in 2012, when
the US Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and US Forest Service
(USFS) will also waive entrance fees
on certain days to encourage folks to
get outside and get active.
“From Independence Hall
to the newest national park,
our national parks tell the
story of America, from the
beauty of our land to our
struggle for freedom and
justice, Secretary Salazar
said. “Whether or not it’s
during one of the 17 fee free
days next year, I encourage
everyone to visit a park near
them and enjoy the
Spring 2012
remarkable landscapes and
historical and cultural sites that
are unique to our great
country.”
The fee free dates for 2012 are April
21 to 29 (National Park Week), June 9 (Get
Outdoors Day), September 29 (National
Public Lands Day), and November 10 to
12 (Veterans Day weekend). More information is available at: http://www.nps.gov/
findapark/feefreeparks.htm.
In addition, the BLM, the USFWS,
and the USFS will waive their entrance and
standard amenity fees June 9, September
29, and November 10 to 12. The USFWS
will also have a fee free day on October 14
in recognition of National Wildlife Refuge
Week. The Bureau of Reclamation will
waive standard amenity fees on September 29 and November 12.Many park-related hotels, restaurants, gift shops, and tour
operators will offer specials on fee free
days.
Recreation in national parks, refuges,
and other public lands fueled nearly $55
billion in economic activity and supported
440,000 jobs in 2009. There is something
for everyone at each of the country’s 395
national park areas. So, mark the dates and
come visit one of your national parks.
What’s New
A Clever Idea - When traveling
through an unfamiliar place, get a copy of
the local newspaper. You might learn about
a special event to attend that day or the
next, or an interesting restaurant, and maybe
even find coupons from the local grocery
store to save you a little money.
Interesting Newsletter - Thinking
about “Scamping” to Alaska? The drive
North to Alaska through Alberta, British
Columbia and Yukon is without a doubt one
Spring 2012
of the most
memorable road
trips you’ll ever
take. Additionally,
throughout these
northern territories, there are
many side trips
worthy of your
consideration for
fascinating travel experiences. Check it out
at: [email protected]. Go to the
site named North to Alaska - Media
Center and click on the Newsletter option at the bottom of the page to sign up
for their E-mail newsletter.
Wind Power - The Rover Series
Wind Turbine Kits are rated for 300
Watts, perfect for mobile power applications. Rover is great for charging battery
banks. The Rover is compact, easy to
deploy and handy for traditional applications as well as use on-the-go with your
RV! It is easy to maintain and built for
durability. The Rover may be useful to
supplementing your power needs, like
charging batteries for casual campers for
a few days of boondocking. The company
claims it will provide 300 Watts of power
at realistic wind speeds.The Rover is a
100% wind turbine kit, completely corrosion protected from the elements. The
housing is sealed aluminum housing and
comes with a mounting frame, tail - everything needed for assemble. It has 28inch HyperSpin aluminum wind turbine
blades, a 60 inch rotor, and self-lubricating yaw bushing for effortless tracking the
wind. The Rover has a 2-year warranty
on parts and labor. Listed on Amazon for
$499.
New Lubricant - It is important to
keep mechanisms and moving parts well
lubricated to keep them operating prop-
SOI News
erly - and to lengthen their useful life. Engineers at Boeing have designed and licensed a rust and corrosion shield waterproof lubricant for use in the aviation
industry. This product can be used on
your RV. The Boeshield T-9 lubricant is
designed to provide long term protection
of moving parts. It was designed to penetrate deeply into fasteners and fixtures,
displacing moisture and stops existing corrosion. It dries to a clean waxy film to
lubricate and protect for months. Potential uses include: awning hardware, RV
steps, door hinges, locks, windows and
more.
Future ScampCamps
Bemidjii Gathering - June 14th to
17th, 2012 at Bemidjii Fair Grounds. This
is a non-organized meet and it should be
great as there are no specified campsites
and we can park as close to each other
as we like. LOTS OF TOGETHERNESS. $10 electric or $5 non-electric
per night. Electric sites are limited, non
electric sites unlimited. Pay when you arrive, we will take checks or cash for the
fairgrounds - pay when you arrive. Three
and a half miles north of Walmart (Junction Hwy 2 & 71) on west side of Hwy
71. anyone coming from the south will be
welcome to camp on the 13th at the
Laney farm. Hosts Nancy and Fred
Hartman.
St Malo Provincial Park - August
th
17 to 19th, 2012, located 45 minutes
South of Winnipeg and 45 minutes North
of the Canada/USA border on Highway
59. This park has a nice beach area along
with hiking and biking trails. There are
modern washrooms and showers and the
small town of St Malo is only one mile
away. We will be using Bay 11 for electrical and Section A for non-electrical.
Page 13
Rover Wind Turbine
Curtesy Photograph
Page 14
Group of “Eggs” camped at
the 2011 Eggfest near
Duluth, WI
Photograph by D. Parr
Scamps along the lake at
Piney Campground in
Tennessee
Photograph by R. Byrne
ScampCamps
Gatherings of Scamps, and other
small fiberglass RVs that join in,
at various locations across the
country are organized and hosted
by SOI Members and others
who wish to share the attractions
of their area. These meetings
have become a tradition of the
group since the first gathering
over fourteen years ago. All
ScampCamps are independent of
Scamp Owners International,
with all arrangements made by
the individual(s) hosting the
event. SOI does not sanction or
financially support any gathering
or other activities conducted by a
Scamp owner. SOI’s involvement
is simply one of announcing
these events and offering
suggestions to anyone interested
in planning and hosting such a
gathering. These suggestions may
be requested and will be sent as
an attachment to an E-mail
entitled “Hosting a ScampCamp
Guidelines.”
SOI News
This is a popular park in Southern
Manitoba so please make your reservations as early as possible so we can
camp as close together as possible.
Reservations at the Parks Website will
start on Monday April 2rd, 2012 at:
http://prsasr.gov.mb.ca. If you plan
to attend the event please check the
RALLY CALENDAR on the http://
www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/ and
RSVP to me as there have been some
changes from what we did last year.
Hosts are: Rick Mooyman at:
[email protected] and
Rolland Hoffman. Note: You will
need a passport to cr oss the border.
Rocky Mountain Egg Rendezvous - 2nd Annual will be at Camp Hale
, near Leadville, Colorado on August
13th to 16th , 2012. This is a Group
Camp site with no hookups that only
cost $86 per night to reserve for up to
100 persons. Donations will be appreciated to cover this expense. More information can be found at: https://
sites.google.com/site/
rockymountaineggrendezvous/ Early
arrivals can be accommodated in the
same campground for $10 per night beginning on August 9th. Hosted by:
Thom Rowland, [email protected].
Eggfest Duluth 2012 - September 19th to 23rd, 2012 at Buffalo
Valley Camp near Duluth. Autumn
Color should be peaking along the
North Shore for a scenic drive opportunity. The Duluth Air show featuring
the Canadian Air Force Snowbirds is
planned for 22nd and 23rd. Other
Duluth and Superior activities are similar to those from our gathering last June.
A link to a website with details for this
event will be posted as soon as it is
Spring 2012
ready. Most arrangements will be similar to
those we used last year. The registrations
can be made by telephone after April 1st
with Darrell at 218-590-8774. Mark your
calendars and pass the information to fellow fiberglass RV travelers. The Eggfest
website is: www.site.google.com/site/
eggfestduluth For questions, contact
Dave
or
Diane
Parr
at
[email protected]
Land Between the Lakes
ScampCamp - October 4th to 6th, 2012
(Th - Sa). Tentative plans include a Campfire meet and greet on Thursday (no food
served), Friday will include a tech session,
group photo and Cindy’s Catfish Kitchen.
An open house is planned for Saturday along
with a garage sale, door prizes and potluck
dinner. A detailed schedule will be provide
upon arrival. If you have a Dutch oven, bring
it. Experienced cooks will be on hand to
assist with Dutch oven cooking. Reservations (six months in advance) in the Black
Oak Loop near sites B-25 and B27 (host
and co-host sites) in the Piney Campground
at: www.lbl.org or PH: 800-525-7007. After making your reservations, pleas send an
E-mail ([email protected]) to the
hosts, Dennis and Susie Archer.
ScampCamp 2013 - February 11th to
15th, 2013 (M - Sa). Plan to join us early
for this 15th anniversary gathering by calling early to make your reservation. Call:
800-326-3521 to make reservations, then
email or call Dick and Lynda Freed, the
hosts, to report your information. Even if you
have to cancel you won’t lose all your money
- the park withholds only one day’s fee.
Freed’s email is: richfreed@aol,com, Phone
number are: 814-449-9596 and their address is: 511 Lauterbach, Frostproof, FL
33843. Highlands Hammock State Park is
located at 5931 Hammock Rd, Sebring ,
FL 33872. Come join us for a great experience.
Spring 2012
Continued from page 16
original peoples of the northwest used the
word hoodoo, from English-speaking fur
trappers, to refer to an evil creature or
supernatural force. So, now it is applied
to the curious columns of rock seen along
the Hoodoo Trail.
Hoodoos are fascinating rock structures ranging in height from that of a human to over a multiple-story building.
Those along the Hoodoo Trail are dramatic rock formations ranging from 16 to
25 feet tall. Conventional geological dating methods suggest they have formed
over the course of millions of years. Their
shapes are affected by the erosional patterns of alternating hard and softer rock
layers.
Each hoodoo is an eroded sandstone pillar that rests atop a thick base of
shale, with a resistant capping rock. Mineral deposits within different rock types
cause hoodoos to have different colored
layers throughout their height. They are
located primarily in the dry, hot desertlike areas - “badlands.”
Another major attraction, The Atlas
Coal Mine National Historic Site, is located near the southeast end of the
Hoodoo Trail. Visitors can wander through
the original historic surface buildings and/
or participate in several planned tours.
Stories of the men and the boys who
worked in the mine are recalled. Tours are
suitable for all ages, are moderately
strenuous and require a fee - there is also
an entrance fee.
Driving south a few more miles beyond the Hoodoo Trail is the Dinosaur
Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This Alberta badlands site contains important fossils from the Cretaceous
period - the “Age of Dinosaurs.” Many
of these specimens are now in 30 major
SOI News
museums, including some 150
complete skeletons. It also has
outstanding examples of major
geological processes and fluvial erosion in arid regions. The
park stretches for some16
miles along highway 36.
This dry colorful region of
canyons, ravines, gullies and
hoodoos has relatively mild
winters which allows an abundance of
native prairie animals to thrive, such as
pronghorn, mule deer and white-tailed
deer. In addition, over 150 species of bird
have been observed, even golden eagles,
falcons, hawks, and more.
Page 15
Several Hoodoos along the
Hoodoo Trail
Atlas Coal Mine National Museum
With more than 50 attractions along
the Drumheller Valley, there is plenty to
see and do. Moreover, Drumheller offers many services for RVers including
several RV parks, campgrounds, hotels
and B & Bs.
As a bonus, if you decide to take
this side trip north of the boarder, there
are beautiful parks along the
Canadian Rocky Mountains Banff and Jasper National
Parks. Of course, touring
these two parks would require
a significantly greater time commitment. Driving west on Canadian 1 from Calgary will take
you to Highway 93 that runs
north through the length of
Banff and Jasper.
Dinosaur Provincial Park
Page 16
Canadian Dinosaur
Country
Horseshoe Canyon
Curtesy Photographs
Royal Tyrrell Museum
Spring 2012
SOI News
If you have plans to travel to Glacial National Park or the Canadian
Rockies, you might wish to consider a
side trip to Drumheller, about a hundred
miles northeast of Calgary,
Canada. This town, often referred
to as the “Dinosaur Capital of the
World,” is located in the Canadian
Badlands - famous for the dinosaur fossils discovered there.
This area is home to some of
the most important dinosaur discoveries in the world. The drive
between Calgary and Drumheller
offers spectacular scenery along with a
number of dinosaur related attractions.
Horseshoe Canyon is a must stop
along highway 9 just west of Drumheller.
In addition to many types of dinosaurs,
fossils of mammals, reptiles, amphibians,
fish, marine invertebrates and plant fossils have been found here. You may wish
to make a stop at the “Worlds Greatest
Dinosaur Information Center” near the
center of town. It is good place for travelers to pick up maps, guides, and other
information about Drumheller and the
surrounding region.
Your next stop should be the
world-renowned Royal Tyrrell Museum,
located about four miles west of town
along the North Dinosaur Trail (Highway 838). Here you can explore the
fascinating displays and exhibits to learn
about the area’s history and dinosaurs.
One of the most interesting
activities is the Dinosite program. It
takes guests on a one-and-a-half
mile hike into the Badlands to observe an authentic dinosaur dig site.
The region has a long history associated that goes back to 1884 with the
first dinosaur fossil discovery.
A short distance from the museum is
one of the town’s major attractions, called
the “World’s Largest Dinosaur.” It stands
86 feet high with a steel structure that is
some four times as large as a typical Tyrannosaurus rex. Visitors can go inside
the structure and climb up into its enormous
jaws allowing a great view of the surrounding Badlands.
A 32 mile loop road, the North Dinosaur Trail (state highways 838) and South
Dinosaur (state highway 837) runs northward from Drumheller along the Red Deer
River. It passes The Little Church,
Horsethief Canyon (known as a “mini
Grand Canyon”), crosses the river at Bleriot
Ferry and Orkney Hill Viewpoint.
Driving southeast of town puts you on
the 16 mile Hoodoo Trail (Highway 10).
This route provides some of Drumheller
Valley’s most inersting rock formations
known as “hoodoos.”
One story claims the name hoodoo
comes from the word voodoo, originally
given to the geologic rock formations by
European settlers. Another interpretation
comes from the Blackfoot and Cree traditions. In this version, hoodoos are thought
to be petrified giants which come alive at
night to hurl rocks at intruders. Thus, abContinued on page 15
SOI News
Spring 2012
Volume XIV Number 2
Published quarterly for Scamp owners and
intended solely for their education, enjoyment and entertainment. Neither SOI or this
publication is sponsored or supported by, nor
is there any relationship with Scamp Travel
Trailers or Eveland, Inc.
Address communications and contributions to
SOI News
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