Big Country 3700FL

To start out I have to say that we are not buying this beast.  Not now anyway...  It's always fun to poke around and look at what might be someday, and after shopping at our local Camping World we stopped in the showroom to see what was new and fun.  I'm posting this one because it has a lot of the features and floor plan that we would like if we were to go full-timing.

This fifth wheel is made by Heartland, and appears to be one of the larger varieties they make in the Big Country series.  From their website it would appear that this is a new floor plan for 2015.

One of the main things we like about it is the living area in the front and the sleeping quarters in the back.  I'm not sure if it's just how the rig is divided up, but we like the use of space. The front end of the trailer usually never has a window so having the TV/fireplace area there makes sense.  The slide on the left of the picture gives you some extra light with all the windows, and you could still sit in there even with the slide in. I'm not sure about the carpet, but I'm usually never sure of carpet in an RV.  Only pseudo-complaint is that it only has one reclining chair and there might be arguments over that - although the cats would love all the room on the couches.

I also liked the bedroom area with it's large king bed and ample storage space.  It doesn't look like one would run out of drawers any time soon.  It also had some nice MCD shades in there so you could sleep in as long as you want.  There is a large closet with a washer/dryer prep so that would be nice as well.  Looking back through and comparing what I remember to the floor plan online, I don't think the bedroom would be easily accessible if the kitchen slide was in (if accessible at all).  I think an important factor for full-timing or even traveling in an RV is how usable it is in a pinch without the slides out.  Not sure this would work so well...

The kitchen was quite nice with a full size fridge, nice layout, and a table with chairs (vs a booth setup).  It has all the comforts and conveniences of home including an oven.  Not a ton of counter space, but with the covers on the sink it starts to make up for that.  I think there was also an area by the table, but I'm not sure if it was useful for kitchen prep.

Like I mentioned this fifth wheel was a beast.  It weighed in at almost a dainty 13000lbs with a GVWR of 15500#.  This would require a serious truck to tow with.  It is billed as a 4-season trailer with R-38 in the floor and roof, R-11 in the walls.  Looks like dual pane windows are an option.

Overall a very nice fiver - nice layout, residential feel, and all the amenities one would want.  And if it's not included in this specific trailer it's an option.  Although the lack of access to the bedroom with slides in would give me pause, with them all out it would feel like quite a home.

Portage Lakes State Park - Nimisila Campground

I've been going to Portage Lakes State Park since I moved to Akron almost 20 years ago.  The great views of the lake, peaceful surroundings, and easy access to the water make it a great place to be.  It wasn't until years later that I discovered camping at the State Park, and it's still a place I love to go.

Portage Lakes State Park is actually three separate parks.  The northern most park has a marina and picnicking, the one in the middle is the one with beach access, a dog park, disc golf, and many trails and fishing opportunities.  The southern most park in New Franklin is the one with Nimisila Lake and the Nimisila Campground.  The campground is surrounded by the lake, has 6 electric campsites, and 68 more non-electric sites.  The campground has paved roads.  There are no modern amenities here except vault toilets, potable water, and a dump station.  But there is a playground and campground boat launch.

With fewer amenities comes fewer campers, and the campground is generally very quiet.  On weekends the electric sites are usually occupied, so if you want one of those I recommend that you reserve in advance.  But if you can boon dock you pretty much have your choice throughout the campground.  Many of the sites are nicely wooded, although just this year the park has cleared out a lot of the old, dead Ash trees.  Trees have been replanted, but it will be many years before you can sit in the shade under one of them.

Electric Site

For trailer campers like us the electric sites are perfect.  They are nestled in amongst the pine trees and are right near a small pond.  It's a near perfect location for late night campfires and relaxation.  If you need to fill with potable water you'll need a long hose because the water outlet isn't right near the road, and it's also located within the campground on the second road.  If you register onsite you will do so at the small (generally unoccupied) ranger station with an envelope in the registration box. There is a small restaurant, gas station, and ice cream stand nearby.  Go a little further and there are grocery stores, a Target, movie theater, and a Camping World.  AT&T 4G/LTE coverage here is good.

If you're looking for a quiet getaway in a nice, wooded campground surrounded by nature and less by other campers/trailers Portage Lakes State Park is worth a look.

Portage Lakes State Park website

more photos after the break

Review: Buckeye Lake KOA

After an eleven day stretch at work it was time for a break.  My pedometer said I had walked over 100 miles in those 11 days so my feet were definitely ready!  I got to sleep a little on the 2hr drive to the Buckeye Lake area which is just about 30 minutes east of Columbus, OH.  We had stayed there once last year, but it was later in the year - right around October I think.  So this was a little different experience.

I think there are several notable things about this particular KOA which is now re branded a KOA - Holiday.  "Holiday" KOAs are like the mid-level parks that are marketed as getaways.  One thing I noticed is that there are a lot of staff at this one.  There are folks in the office, others at the entrance, more around the campground...  and the owners are present and working as well.  Everyone was very friendly and accommodating.  We had a water/electric site so we needed to make a stop on the way out to dump the tanks.  The dump station was a little too high for our low camper so they had no problem letting us use a nearby site so we wouldn't cause a scene at the dump station. :)

The cleanliness at this park is impeccable.  The restrooms are VERY clean.  There are 3 shower houses/ restrooms.  The one at the front of the park looks like it belongs in a hotel.  One is a trailer-style restroom area, and the other one looks like it is brand new.  It shows that they care about the park and the experience the campers have there.  I don't think I've ever seen cleaner showers...

There are a lot of other little things that add to the experience at this park.  Mini-golf, a pool, activities, and my favorite - breakfast!  I noticed that one of the owners was working breakfast one morning which I thought was pretty cool.  There are some great areas for tent campers in the back of the park - very park-like areas.  They also have a nice store with the camping essentials and gifts and fun stuff for kids.

Buckeye Lake is not inexpensive - I think it's one of the more pricey campgrounds we've stayed at (I can actually only think of one more expensive and it's another KOA).  The KOA discount card helps a bit.  Other nit picks - no recycling so we hauled our recyclables home.  Sites are a little close together - maybe 15-20 feet between our travel trailer and the next one.  Wi-fi limited to one connection and was spotty, although it was Labor Day and there were a lot of campers there.

Overall, I would recommend this park to anyone for the good experience here.  Obviously a popular park for good reasons.  I commend the owners and staff for running such a great park

Review: Wood's Tall Timbers Lake Resort

Like many of our weekend camping adventures we left a little late. This of course also meant we arrived a little later than we expected as well. But as a rule if we arrive before sundown we're in good shape. We got to WTTL about 8pm, and were greeted at the entrance without even getting out of the truck. A staff member checked on our reservation, and then directed us where to park to take care of payment and things. It was a quick process. She then told us to follow her and she would escort us to our site.

We went through the beautiful campground which is mostly on the side of a hill. The campground roads go right up the hills. At the bottom of the hill and central to the campground is a small lake where there is swimming, boat rentals, and fishing. I noticed there are many well maintained retaining walls around as one would expect with all the hills. On our way through we heard live entertainment in one of the lakeside pavilions.

Once we got to our site the staffer, Amanda, helped us back into the site. She clearly had done this many times and knew what we needed to do to get us in properly. Once in she suggested ways to maneuver if we wanted the trailer in differently and offered to stick around and help us. We were good so she departed with an offer to help with whatever we needed. We've been to several campgrounds where the staff escorts you to your site, but this was the most helpful any of them has been.

The site itself is pretty nice. It has electrical, water, and a sewage hookup. There is also a nice concrete patio area, picnic table, and a nice fire ring. It looked a little shallow on the side of the hill, but there is plenty of room for the travel trailer plus the truck parked sideways at the end. We're fairly close to the neighbors, but only when they're out at their vehicles. (And they're nice too which is always good).

This morning we went through our usual routines which of course include sleeping way too late and then sitting outside enjoying the morning. We made breakfast and did the dishes. Then I went to take a shower. I thought at first something was wrong with the trailer because there was close to zero water pressure. After much troubleshooting we discovered through our neighbor that water pressure here is somewhat hit-or-miss. In the mornings and evenings it's ok, but in the middle of the day there are often problems.

We went into town this afternoon which is only about a 10 minute drive. New Philadelphia is a neat city with plenty to do including shopping, restaurants, and sites to see. We intended to get back to the campground at a reasonable time so we could spend some quality downtime. When we came back we had a round of mini golf on their 18-hole course. I stopped keeping score as it's never a good idea to outscore your spouse. :) There is karaoke tonight, and there are a few folks who are pretty good - others not so much.

So far, even without TV reception or any internet connectivity (darn you fake 4G signals!) we've had a nice time here. It's interesting to not be connected to the rest of the world for a few days, and if you're going to do so Tall Timbers is a good place to be

Review: Alum Creek State Park

I think this is the first time we stayed at Alum Creek State Park (in Ohio) so I thought I would just add my two cents for anyone who might be planning on visiting.

First is that it's in a great location.  It's just north of Polaris (which is a big retail area) so things you might need and stuff to do is close by.  Downtown Columbus is just a short drive down I71.  However, when you're at Alum Creek you certainly don't feel like you're in an urban area.  In fact, the park isn't really in an urban area.  It's nicely out of the way.

Keep in mind we stayed there in the very early camping season so the place was pretty quiet.  Although there was a camper nearby who seemed to think that everything said needed to be shouted, especially with their music turned up.  We seem to remember coming down here back in the tent camping days and were turned away because the park was full, so I think this one gets pretty busy during peak months. Facilities were functional and decent.  I would give them 2.5 stars out of 5 if I rated things like that.  Sites were nice sized and in the trees - didn't feel like I would be staring right at a neighbor.  It's a big campground with lots of trails right through it, and the lake is easily accessible.  Took a nice walk around one evening and watched the sun set at the lake.

Only downside I saw was when it rained and some of the campsites seemed to have some water issues.  Some were just muddy.  Others had standing water around the power post which I would find troublesome and/or shocking. Overall, I would recommend the park.  Great location, nice park and campsites.  Just be aware when it's raining to not play with electricity.

Campground Review: Cedar Brook Campground

I try to review the campgrounds that we stay at for two reasons: one is so others know what to expect when they are heading to a specific campground. The other is so I remember! Most of my reviews are posted on other camping specific websites, but I thought I'd double post this one.

First of all, the campground has been very quiet. We arrived on Wednesday the 13th and have been here through the weekend. Granted the main camping season is over, but the weekend was pretty quiet. There were more campers on the other side of the park, but it was never noisy or rowdy. I've been told that the campground gets much more busy on themed weekends when there are events.

Campsites are generally level - ours slopes down a bit in the back, but is nothing the tongue jack won't fix. Sites are a decent amount of space apart. Even if I had neighbors on either side I wouldn't feel like I was up in their business. Electric, water, and sewer hookups all work well. Most sites appear to have a concrete pad which is very nice

One of the main things I noticed was that the area we are in looks like a park. Some nice mature trees and well maintained. Facilities - they work! I say this not with sarcasm, but because I've camped at so many this summer where it takes some doing to get a decent shower. Showers are normal - that is they have normal knobs that work, no push buttons, and consistent, hot water. The main shower house/restroom is fine. The one back by the maintenance barn is a bit cramped, but functional.

The staff have been very hospitable, friendly, and knowledgeable about the area. On our first night in they made some good suggestions about where to go to eat. They deliver firewood which is always nice. There's even a little concession stand such I haven't been to, but it's nice to know I won't starve if I can't light my fire. Overall, a very nice park that stands apart from others in the great location, great sites, and overall feel of the park. It feels like a campground instead of an RV park. I would definitely recommend it to others and look forward to returning.