RV Home Yet?

We coulda had a job!

We are in Taos, NM, staying at the Taos Valley RV Park & Campground. It's a very nice park with spacious pull-through sites and only a couple of miles from the plaza. When we registered, I noticed a sign: Workampers Needed.

Later I asked about the sign and was told that they would like to find an RV couple to work in the park- so many hours in exchange for their RV site plus pay for extra hours. They could use someone in the office, someone outside. They have a local working for them but she just doesn't have a feeling for how a campground operates.

Actually staying in an RV park before you work in it is a good way to see how it runs and if you'd like working there. We don't always have that luxury, especially if we are in the West and want to work in the East or vice versa. But as you stay at parks, check them out. Talk to the owners or managers about working there. You may even be offered a job on the spot!

See Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road for lots of ideas for finding out about jobs as you travel.

Free 72 oz steak at the Big Texan! How's that?

In 2003, traveling with the Hampton Inn's Save-A-Landmark campaign Route 66 caravan, my late husband and I stopped at the Big Texan Steak House in Amarillo for a meal and to put up a sign. Jim, Guy and Kevin tried to eat a 72 oz. steak plus the rest of the meal in one hour. Jim lasted barely five minutes. Kevin lasted longer. Guy ate more than half his meal before giving up.

George and I ended up stopping in Amarillo a few days ago for the night. We stayed about a mile from there at the Amarillo Ranch RV Park using our Passport America membership to get a discount.
Turns out the Big Texan will send a free limo to pick up diners from nearby RV parks, which meant we didn't even have to unhitch. The park made our reservation and we even had a coupon from the park map for a free strawberry shortcake dessert that was huge!

We didn't even think about the 72 oz deal, which costs about $75 if you don't finish it. Instead we got smaller meals and I even brought home half of that. The 72 oz steak and trimmings would have lasted me a week! The "eatertainment" was a trio of cowboy musicians who serenaded the diners; they even played "Ring of Fire" that George requested. Heads of trophy animals overlooked the dining area. After eating, we tried out the Texas-size rocking chair and stopped in the gift shop before taking the limo home.

Wednesday night, no one sat on the raised platform to try the 72 oz challenge, but the cook boomed out the table numbers to the waiters/waitresses as he finished a dish. It was a fun evening.

Tulsa's art deco

Downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma has a number of art deco-style buildings intermixed with the new. Some are quite ornate. Stop at the visitor center at 2nd and Boulder and pick up a guide. I printed one out online, though when printed, it was difficult to read.

Before we started down Boston St., where a number are, we walked to the "Center of the Universe" just past the old Union Depot. Indeed, when you stand in the center and talk, your voice reverberates from all sides. George had asked a security guard in the nearby Williams Center building where the center of the universe was. His answer? "About 100 miles from here." While locals are supposed to call it this, we were lucky to find one local who could tell us where it was and didn't look like we'd totally lost it!

Tulsa's first skyscraper, the 16-story Cosden, still has a lovely stained glass mural of the Tulsa skyline in the lobby:
The Pythian Building has one of the most elaborate art deco interiors of any building:
The exteriors were quite interesting too. The Minkes-Adams Hotel has Tulsa's most elaborate and ornate rocco terra cotta facade. The Atlas Life Building includes a monumental Atlas supporting the globe on the roofline. Its pink and green vertical neon sign is a Tulsa landmark.
We only did part of the walking tour, but enjoyed seeing these old buildings preserved. Tulsa was on Route 66. Many of these buildings were constructed around the same time as the original Mother Road. Tulsa has a Route 66 Festival each year in June. If you are in the area, it would be a fun event.

Sherry Geddes Solo RVer

My column, "More Than Beautiful Scenery," in this month's edition of RV Lifestyles is dedicated to full-time solo Rver Sherry Geddes, who drives a 40-foot motorhome. I watched her effortlessly park it in a tight spot in an Elks Club parking lot.

It's interesting how we respond to people who do things we haven't. When I tell non-RVers I drove my little 22-foot Lazy Daze for two and a half months, they are amazed and I say, "It's really nothing." But when I met Sherry. I was impressed!! She's a model for all of us.

Happy travels,
Alice

Heber Springs: Home of Workamper News

Traveling through Arkansas, we detoured a bit to visit with Steve and Kathy Jo Anderson, owners of Workamper News, and the staff in Heber Springs. Heber Springs is on one side Greers Ferry Lake, formed by a large Corps of Engineers project, so it mainly serves boaters and vacationers. We stayed at Wagon Circle RV Park, outside of town a bit- nice park along the Little Red River that was quiet and pleasant.

I had met Steve previously on several occasions at Workamper Job Fairs. We had stopped to talk about the seminars we will offer at the two upcoming job fairs in Lakewood, FL and Mesa, AZ in January. We also talked about the exciting things happening at the Workamper.com

Steve is a former teacher and was in charge of hiring at Adventureland in Iowa. At Adventureland, he developed the Workamper program. When he left after purchasing Workamper News, Adventureland was using 400 Workampers a season! He brings experience, plus many skills and new ideas to Workamper. Jody, pictured with Steve and I, is an Anderson too and a very talented graphic artist. The magazine is looking good.

Workamper is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. And these new features give Workampers even more tools for finding jobs. If you are even thinking of working or volunteering on the road, a subscription is a must. (Photos- By George)

Loretta Lynn's Hurricane Ridge

Traveling across I40 in Tennessee George and I were looking for a place to stop for the night and saw signs advertising Loretta Lynn's RV park. Though I'm not a country western fan I do like some of her songs and we thought it might be fun to see. Turns out it is quite a big operation. We got bumped to the 50 amp, paved sites at the 30 amp price because the lower campground was filled with horse trailers and riders here for a week-long trail ride.

Her musuem is about a mile down the road in a cluster of gift shops, snack bars and a post office near the Plantation House and a recreation of Butchers Holler. You could take a tour of the houses and visit the musuem. We opted for the museum and were astounded by the collection of photographs, dresses and awards of Loretta's and those of family and friends. A couple of favorite autos and a tour bus were also housed in the huge building. We heard "Coal Miner's Daughter" at least a dozen times! (I like that one!)

The grounds were lovely and the campground nice. You could even rent her 1985 MCI tour bus, used in the movie Coal Miner's Daughter, for the night. Amenities included a pool and paddle boats. In the lower RV park I was amazed at the horse trailer/RV combos with slideouts and awnings that had to cost a mint. A 30 amp site was $36.50/nite. The Good Sam discount we got almost covered the 12% tax!

Finding work where you'd like to play

We are currently in Paw Paw, West Virgina, right across the border from Allegany County, Maryland. A mile or so up Hwy 51 is a spot where you can park and hike or bike the C&O Canal. You can also access the Potomac River for canoeing, floating or kayaking. We hiked and biked a bit of the C&O canal. You can bike 184.5 miles from Georgetown (D.C.) to Cumberland, MD. Several other hiking/biking trails can be accessed off the canal. In fact, there are many recreational opportunities in Allegany Country. It would be fun to spend several months in this area.

Workamping® is one way to spend time in this area, have a free or low-cost RV site and have days off to explore. Check Workamper News® for ads, and here are some other ideas for finding a work or volunteer postion for the season.

• Volunteer for the National Park Service or a MD state park
• Check your campground directory or an Allegany travel planner for campground that might hire.
• Check listings of businesses in the Chamber of Commerce for possible employers.>
• Post at Workamping forums like at Workamper News to see if anyone else knows of employers.

If you find a nice area to play, being proactive can net you a job or volunteer opportunity. It not only gives you time to explore an area, but you'll make new friends and locals will tell you all the special places to visit and good restaurants.

Jaimie's book, Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, 2nd ed., will give you all kinds of ideas for finding work as you travel as well as the how-to's and legal issues. See RVHometown for details.