2015 FIFTH WHEEL Coachman Brookstone GIFT IDEAS for RVers 2015 FORD Super Duty Refresh ‘NOT’ My Mother’s Turkey Dinner $5.25 www.rvgazette.com Publications Mail Sales Agreement #40064277 • November/December 2014 • Published and printed in Canada W November/December 2014 Christmas Crafts for All Kids RV destinations, tech tips and more... d lle ! i s F n- ay u D F y ing o j t En xci E .com to r d o n ie ghb r F i a Ne g in our r B Y be in this issue Canadian RVing .com Special Feature 6 Mail Bag 28 ‘Tis the Season The place for your comments, Here are some gifts suggestions questions, and hints. that might interest you! 27 2015 Explorer RV Club Special Interest National Rally 16 Product Reviews Come to Golden Lake and We tested these products experience a beautiful part of and found they worked as the country! advertised! 32 Solo 18 2015 Ford Super Duty Refresh Joei Carlton Hossack was not Ford has pushed up its payload prepared for what happened and towing numbers. to her husband in a campground in Germany. 36 Be Creative Have fun making these 38 Money Sense - The Nuts & Bolts snowmen that you keep inside. Of Tax Free Savings Accounts A Tax Free Savings Account can RV Test really work for you. 8 2015 Coachmen Brookstone BKF375FL 40 Gourmet the Healthy Way With innovative designs such ‘Not’ My Mother’s Turkey Dinner as a revolving pet food and Let’s try something new this year! water bowl holder, this Scenic Rio four-season fifth wheel offers 42 Camping News Grande Valley! all the comforts of home, and Read about the local rallies more. across the country. 8 8 18 Come Vacation With Us! FLORIDA Beautiful Sunny Florida! 22Come Vacation 7 Beautiful Resorts - Over 5,600 Sites! 10 Beautiful Resorts - Over 6,000 Sites! Southern Aire RV Resort Thonotosassa, FL • (813) 986-1596 Tampa Area www.Southernaire.rvresorts.com The Springs RV Resort Silver Springs, FL • (352) 236-5250 www.Thesprings.rvresorts.com Hawaiian Isles RV Resort Ruskin, FL • (813) 645-1098 www.Hawaiianisles.rvresorts.com Sundance Lakes RV Resort Port Richey, FL • (727) 862-3565 Fort Myers RV Resort Rice Creek RV Resort Riverview, FL • (813) 677-6640 Pioneer Creek RV Resort Lady Lake, FL • (352) 753-2026 Leesburg Area www.Fortmyers.rvresorts.com www.Ricecreek.rvresorts.com Bowling Green, FL • (863) 375-4343 Blue Parrot RV Resort Ft. Myers, FL • (239) 267-2141 www.Blueparrot.rvresorts.com Palm View Gardens RV Resort Zephyrhills, FL • (813) 782-8685 www.Sundancelakes.rvresorts.com www.Pioneercreek.rvresorts.com www.Palmviewgardens.rvresorts.com When in Florida, Stay at any of Our 10 Resorts Oak Springs RV Resort Port Richey, FL • (727) 863-5888 www.OakSprings.rvresorts.com Yes! Rush Me Color Brochures on Wilder Florida RV Resorts. Please make selection(s) below: Blue Parrot Ft. Myers Palm View Gardens Hawaiian Isles The Springs TEXAS With Us! Tropic Start RV Resort 40 Pharr, TX • (956) 787-5957 www.tropicstarrv.com Technical/Mechanical 14 The SAE J2807 Towing Standard Finally, there will be an even testing ground forRVtrucks Trophy Gardens Resortthat is Alamo, TX • and (956) 787-7717 all real-world on-road. www.trophygardens.com Alamo, TX • (956) 783-2600 Harlingen, TX • (956) 428-4414 www.alamoroserv.com www.parkplaceestatesrv.com 28 Texas Trails Park Place Name_________________________________ E-Mail______________________________ Address____________________________ City/State/Zip____________________________ Address___________________________ City/State/Zip____________________________ Phone__________________ Mail to: Wilder Corporation • 2536 Countryside Blvd., Suite 250 • Clearwater, FL 33763 Phone__________________ Mail to: Tip O’ Texas RV Resort • 101 E. Sioux Rd. • Pharr, TX 78577 Southern Aire Sundance Lakes Oak Springs Rice Creek Tip O’ Texas Tip O’ Texas RV Resort Pharr, TX • (956) 787-9959 54 Classifieds www.tipotexasrv.com Pharr, TX • (956) 787-6538 General Interest 4 Masthead and Editor’s Letter Name____________________________ ____ E-Mail______________________________ Pioneer Creek 54 Advertisers’ List www.texastrailsrv.com Destinations 22 European RV Adventure Part 2 Diana and Rick Russo continue Yes! their adventure at the Turkish Rush Me Color Brochures on Wilder Texas RV Resorts. border. Please make selection(s) below: Tropic Star 53 Marketplace 46 Recall Notices Here are the latest call-backs for and vehicles. Park PlaceRVs Estates Texas Trails RV Resort Alamo Rose MH and RV Resort Trophy Gardens Advertising Alamo Rose Winter Ranch Winter Ranch RV and MH Resort Alamo, TX • (956) 781-1358 www.winterranchrv.com When in Texas, Stay at any of Resorts On Our The7Cover The 2015 Coachmen Brookstone fifth wheel that Howard tested is loaded with features including a residential-sized bathroom! The test begins on page 8. November/December 2014 • RV gazette 3 Canadian RVing Editor Marcia Anderson Cover & Graphic Design Karen Hannivan Test Editor Howard Elmer PowerSports Media Contributors Jane Andersen Deborah Rankine Doug Barnes Diana Russo Phyllis Briercliffe Barry Sanderson Virginia Elliott Eleanor Schultz Joei Carlton Hossack John Savage Jim Lister Bill van der Valk Advertising Sales Beth Kukkonen [email protected] Tel: (905) 886-6640 Fax: (905) 886-6615 Administrative Office P.O. Box 800, 328 Mill Street, Unit 11, Beaverton, ON L0K 1A0 Tel: (705) 426-1419 Fax: (705) 426-1403 Toll-Free: 1-800-999-0819 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.rvgazette.com Newsstand Price: $5.25/issue Subscriptions One year: Canadian subscriptions for 2014: $22.00 + GST/HST U.S. subscriptions: $40.00/International: $60.00 (Canadian funds) The RV gazette is published by the Explorer RV Club. For the year of 2014, Explorer RV Club members pay the annual subscription rate, plus applicable taxes, when they remit their Explorer RV Club membership dues. Individual subscriptions are purchased directly through the office of the RV gazette, Subscription Department, P.O. Box 800, Beaverton, ON L0K 1A0. All submissions to the RV gazette are welcome. A self-addressed, stamped envelope should accompany each submission if return of material is required. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of artwork, photographs or manuscripts. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising. The RV gazette, its publisher and affiliate companies do not assume responsibility for any claims or statements made by its advertisers or columnists. No reproduction or redistribution, in whole or in part, of this magazine shall take place without prior written consent of the publisher. 2014 Explorer RV Club www.explorer-rvclub.com A division of Wayfarer Insurance Brokers Limited Canadian publications mail sales agreement #40064277 Postage paid in Toronto ISSN 1484-1339 Published and Printed in Canada Next issue: January/February 2015 Newsstand distribution by Disticor. Call Toll-Free 1-800-668-7724 for retail outlets. 4 RV gazette • November/December 2014 editor’s notebook ‘Tis the Season! C an you believe that this is the last issue of 2014? It doesn’t seem that long ago when we were all worried about Y2K in the year 2000! Life is flying by. We have to grab on to it, and not let go, no matter what! My school motto popped into my head today, “Carpe Diem” (seize the day). Let’s start now by seizing one day at a time. Live today. You will be a happier person. I know I always get a little reflective at this time of year, but I truly believe this, and I know I am a happier person! Try it! The weather played havoc with many people this past year, but that didn’t stop campers. We are a hardy bunch and always make the best of it. Did you travel to new locations this summer? We would love to hear about it! In the next issue, our young Explorer, JP, writes about his summer trip celebrating Stretch’s 30th birthday! Don’t miss it! We have some gift suggestions, beginning on page 28, that might help you out with your Christmas list! Also, please take a look at the products on page 16, as we did test them, and found they worked well. The Russo’s journey continues with European RV Adventure Part 2, beginning on page 22. What a fantastic trip they had, and I think it’s catching on! If you enjoy being creative, try making a snowman out of a sock or tea light! They are adorable, and the possibilities are endless! Instructions begin on page 36. To our Snowbirds who are gearing up for the trek South, I hope all of you have a safe and happy winter, and don’t forget to keep in touch. For those of you who are braving it out, let’s hope this winter is less severe than last winter. Get out and enjoy the crisp outdoors on beautiful sunny days! As 2015 begins, we should all be thankful for what we have, and try to help those who aren’t so fortunate. A little goes a long way. Have a wonderful Christmas season, wherever you may be, and a New Year that starts with a bang! Be safe, be happy, and keep smiling! GAINESVILLE 8 4 DAYTONA BEACH 14 16 15 TAMPA OR 3 1 13 2 5 FORT MYERS 7 6 11 10 NAPLES 12 OR 9 MIAMI 1 SAN ANTONIO 2 1 3 2 3 RIO GRANDE VALLEY Follow us on @ExplorerRV P.S. Please turn to page 27 for information on the 2015 Explorer RV Club National Rally. November/December 2014 • RV gazette 5