Roughing It Smoothly - Tiffin Motorhomes

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Sometimes Margaret’s Allegrobecomes just a great place to reflectand have a quiet cup of coffee.O W N E R P R O F I L ETwo for the Road: Dorothy and CodeeStill enjoying the RV lifestyleat 80, this grandmother isn’tready to settle down! Herfamily numbers five children,nine grandchildren, a sister andbrother-in-law, and Codee, abeloved 8-year-old Doberman.Codee is the only one who seesDorothy Votava everyday.A Kentuckian by birth, sheand her sister, Mary, grew up inChicago. “As a family, we dida lot of traveling in the south,”she said. If there is a gene fortraveling, Dorothy inherited it.Dorothy and Edward Votavamarried in 1943 and began theirfamily the following year. Sixteenyears later their family includedCarol,Tom, Terry, Russ,and Patti. Outdoor recreation was always a part of raising theirfamily as they enjoyed boating in the warmer months on the manylakes in northern Illinois and Wisconsin.As a foundry consultant, Ed Votava’s work took him to manyparts of the country. In the early seventies, they bought a MiniMidas. “He had to travel and we made those trips in the motorhomewhenever we could. We enjoyed it together,” Dorothy remembered.It wasn’t long until they upgraded to a Class A motorhomeand began to take some very serious trips: the western states wereparticularly appealing along with many of the national parks. “Wedid Mexico by ourselves in the early eighties. Down the east coastand back up through the middle,” she recalled. “One of our mostmemorable trips was the California coastline on Route 1. We didit heading south so we wouldbe in the outside lane. As thepassenger, I got all of thepanoramic view as Ed drove.”“We could do things backin the seventies and eightiesthat you probably couldn’t getaway with today,” Dorothysaid. “We parked the motorhomein New York City’sCentral Park and had anEaster dinner with our grandchildren.With Patti and oneof the grandchildren, weparked on the beach nearSebastian, Florida, and hadThanksgiving dinner.”As with most committed RVers, Dorothy and Ed found afavorite winter spot at the John Prince Campground in Palm BeachCounty, Florida. The campground had a special appeal because ofits proximity to her sister and brother-in-law, Mary and Ed Palmer,in nearby Lake Worth.Sadly, the 17 years of motorhoming together came to an endin 1989 when Ed passed away. “After my husband died, my sonbrought me down to Florida in the motorhome and left me here atthe John Prince Campground. There were so many friends in thecampground who had been coming here for the same number ofyears that Ed and I had,” she said.Dorothy decided then not to give up the RV lifestyle. Shereturned home, sold her house, gave the children what they wantedfrom the home, and became a full-timer. “It was time to cut loose. Icould enjoy my friends at John Prince, travel to wherever I wished,and visit with my children and still stay in my own home. Havingmy sister, Mary, nearby for the winter months was a specialadvantage.”Dorothy and Mary enjoy the winter months by hitting the Saturdayyard sales in Palm Beach County. No big items—just specialitems like Waterford glass and a real pearl necklace. “Mary isgood; she can spot stuff,” she laughed.Up until 1996 Dorothy had her share of problems with motorhomes.But in visiting with other RVers in campgrounds, shekept hearing about the superb customer service that Bob Tiffinguaranteed his customers. “I bought a used 1995 Allegro and tookit to the Red Bay plant to have them put everything in perfectshape,” she said. “They were wonderful! I knew I had made theright decision after my first trip to Red Bay. Now when I leaveFlorida each spring, I head for my scheduled appointment in RedBay to get everything in perfect shape for the coming year.”Asked to recommend one of her favorite spots to other RVers,Dorothy immediately said, “Santa Fe!” Why? “The FOOD, theshopping, the jewelry,” she exulted.In 2000 Dorothy celebratedthe millennium bytrading for a new 36-footAllegro Bay. With a ChevyCavalier in tow, it is largerthan any rig she had drivenbefore. Did that bother her?Continued on page 36Codee has proven to be awonderful traveling companion.She also provides a degree offriendly security. As with mostfull-timers, Dorothy treasuresthe friends made in campgroundsthroughout the country,often over a morning cupof coffee.5D ASt. GeorgeLeedsMolly’s RestaurantNorma’s Country KitchenSilver Reef Mining TownJerry Anderson, sculptorZion National ParkMassive sandstone formationThe NarrowsWeeping Rock1.2-mile TunnelHoodoosBryce Canyon National ParkRuby’sKodachrome BasinThe Canyon LandsEscalanteBoulderTorreyHole-in-the-RockAnasazi State Park MuseumCapitol Reef National ParkFruita CampgroundFruita Historic DistrictWaterpocket FoldWildlifeGreen RiverJohn Wesley Powell MuseumRiver raftingRay’s TavernPriceNine Mile CanyonPetroglyphsPictographsFremont CultureFarlino’s RestaurantTavaputs PlateauTavaputs RanchHigh country trail ridesWildlifeCirclevilleButch Cassidy’s cabinPinewoods ResortCounty Court HouseThe Country StoreY S S T A T E – B Y – S T A T EUtahUtah’s Scenic BywaysIt’s a fad among travel writers to choose a favorite highway and write about it. There’snothing wrong with that, especially for those of us who love the highways and back roadsthat ribbon their way through Color Country (also known as the state of Utah). A case inpoint is a giant loop that RV enthusiasts have for years been taking in their quest to exploresouthern Utah’s canyon lands. It’s a drive that can be enjoyed year round, with theonly caveat being to check the weather and road conditions during the winter months.The route begins in St. George, a delightful town that sits in the very southwest cornerof Utah. From here it loops its way through Zion National Park, over to Bryce Canyon,up through Capitol Reef Monument to Green River and Price, Utah, before headingsouth through the scenic town of Circleville where Butch Cassidy was born, raised,and perfected his skills as an outlaw. In fact, there’s almost a cult type following todayamong those who believe that Butch Cassidy did not perish in South America with theSundance Kid as historians would have us believe. Instead, Butch returned to southernUtah and lived out his life under an assumed name. In any event, the cabin where he wasborn still stands today.■ DAY ONE: ST. GEORGE AND LEEDS TO ZIONNATIONAL PARK (45 miles)St. George is a very pleasant city of 50,000 where many RV snowbirdsspend the winter months. But the outlying areas often go undiscovered.Near Leeds, Utah, only 14 miles northeast of St. George on I-15 at exit22, you will find one of the most scenic spots in the Old West, an old silvermining town (c. late 1800s) called Silver Reef. Housed in the originalstone Wells Fargo Bank is a museum that features artifacts fromthe area’s past, plus a gallery displaying the work of Jerry Anderson,one of today’s foremost sculptorsof Western subjects. Old buildingson the main street that onceteamed with lucrative businessesnow beg to be photographed.Looking to the east you will seethe distant ridges of HurricaneMesa and Zion National Park justbeyond.While passing through Leeds,stop and try out the cookin’ atMolly’s Restaurant, or head ondown the street to Norma’sCountry Kitchen, a shop thatfeatures freshly baked bread andother country goodies. In fact,you can spend the night here inby Jonathan RagsdaleThe original Wells Fargo Bank in Silver Reef houses the Jerry AndersonGallery which displays some of his 47 life-sized bronzes and many ofhis limited edition pieces. Shown above is Ancient Artisan, a half-lifesize bronze.20 ROUGHING IT SMOOTHLYPHOTOS COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR21
While you will find good country cooking atNorma’s, the items you can take with you areirresistable.Leeds at Zion West RV Park (435-879-2854). The facility offers 50-amp shorepower, a laundromat, showers, and a massivegrassy area shaded by giant cottonwoods.Don’t be surprised if you pull inafter dark and see deer leisurely feeding inthe hay fields immediately adjacent to thepark. This is good stuff!If the day is still young, drive five milessouthwest from Leeds on I-15 to Utah Hwy. 9,and begin a new visual adventure. Windingeast, Hwy. 9 takes you intothe small country hamlets ofHurricane, La Verkin, Virgin,and Springdale and intoone of America’s prime nationaltreasures, Zion NationalPark. Looking at themassive formations of NavajoSandstone that jut thousandsof feet into the air, it ishard to believe the area wasonce covered by an inlandsea. Pushed up over time bymovement in the earth’s crust,the sandstone was carvedby the sculpturing talent ofthe Virgin River, creating amagnificent geologic featurecalled The Narrows. Withwalls on either side that rise2,500 vertical feet, it’s amazingto see the Virgin River appear out of theface of the Navajo Sandstone.Watchman Campground provides anexcellent place to RV camp inside the park(Class A coaches up to 40-ft., $18/night in section E8, elec. hookup only, 800-365-CAMP). From here hiking and biketrails go off in every direction. If you visitin the off-season (September throughMay), you can drive your coach up to thelodge and enjoy excellent gourmet dining:breakfast, lunch, or dinner. A short hikeoff the paved road is a most unusual geologicfeature named Weeping Rock. Afterpassing through a thousand feet of sandstone,the water that was once rain or meltingsnow is blocked and redirected to theface of the cliff by a thin horizontal barrierof slate. Flowing laterally along theslate barrier, the water oozes out of the sideof the sandstone cliff, making the rock appearas if it is weeping.Continuing east on Hwy. 9, you ascenda series of switchbacks that lead to the entranceof a 1.2-mile tunnel that was builtaround 1930. Tell the employees at the parkentrance that you will be transiting throughthis tunnel in your motorhome. You willhave to purchase a tunnel pass for $10. Parkrangers lead single file caravans through thetunnel to the other side.On the east side of the park you will encountera totally different kind of geologicformation called “hoodoos.” These sandstonefingers poke a hundred feet or morestraight into the air. Covered with a cap ofmetallic minerals, rain and melting snowThe Narrows in Zion National ParkBryce Canyon in winter.are prevented from reaching the crown. Instead,the water runs off the metallic top anddown along the sides, carrying away thesoft sandstone material below and forminga stalagmite-type creation. At the junctionof Hwy. 9 and US 89 you make a left handturn and head north.■ DAY TWO: ZION TO BRYCECANYON NATIONAL PARK TOKODACHROME BASIN (122 miles)Named after Ebenezer Bryce who in the late1800s summered his cattle along the edgesof this spectacular canyon, Bryce Canyon isone of the most popular spots in the West.At an elevation of 8,000-plus feet, the wind,rushing up through the red-rock pinnaclesand breaking over the rim, sounds like surfas it washes the tops of the ponderosa pinesand cedars. Be sure to schedule a day hikeinto the canyon from Sunset Point, SunrisePoint, or Inspiration Point, places with verycolorful-sounding names. The canyon continuesto be sculptured by the erosive effectsof wind and water. The vibrant redsand pinks attract millions of visitors fromaround the world every year.Just before entering the park you willsee a lodge called Ruby’s. Named afterReuben Syrett who opened the resortin 1919, Ruby’s is still owned and operatedby his descendants. The food is excellent,with an all-you-can-eat cowboybuffet—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—forabout $6, $8, and $12, respectively. Insidethe lodge you can book canyon and rimhorseback rides, chuck wagoncook-outs, helicopter toursof the canyon, and ATV rentals.Ruby’s puts on a rodeo twicea week. There’s a great pettingzoo for kids of all ages (3to 103), shops, two service stationsand plenty of RV camping,both inside and outsidethe park. During the summermonths it’s wise to make a reservationwell in advance. Ruby’sRV Park & Campgroundcan be reached by calling 435-834-5301 (April–October)and 435-834-5341 (November–March). Call 435-834-5322 forreservations and informationfor the park campground.Spending just one day at BryceCanyon may not be enough.About forty-five minutes from BryceCanyon, and eight miles south off Hwy.12 at Cannonville, is Kodachrome Basin.Named by the National Geographic Societyin the late 1940s, Kodachrome Basinearned its name because of the brilliantcolors created by the ever-changing angleof the sun. Bring everything you will needwith you because it’s a long way back toa store. Permits: day use, $5; overnightcamping, $14. An arm load of firewood (literallyall you can carry) costs $3.50. Thereare hot showers, clean bathrooms, andtelephone service. A park ranger residespermanently on site. Camping reservations800-322-3770.■ DAY THREE: SCENIC BYWAY 12—KODACHROME TO ESCALANTE TOBOULDER TO TORREY(107 miles)The colorscreated inKodachromeBasin by thebrilliant westernsun leavestravelers in awe.A ribbon of pavement winding its waythrough awe-inspiring scenery, taking youthrough the towns of Escalante, Boulder,and Torrey, Utah Hwy. 12 takes you throughthe very heart of Utah’s Canyon Lands,showing you the nooks and crannies thatbeckon the motorhome enthusiast to comeand explore. Its rich history spans the earlydays of the Anasazis (Ancient Ones), nearthe time of Christ, to the Mormon pioneerswho settled this vast expanse in the 1800s.More visitors come each year to discoverthis magnificent playground. Even thosewho are casually interested may find it difficultto restrict their visit to one day.The BLM Office on the edge of Escalanteis a good place to plan your visit.Area guides will suggest places to visit andthings to see and do, and counsel you onroads where motorhome travel is not advisable.Keep in mind that the raw beauty ofthe Canyon Lands belies a message of caution:don’t wander off the highway on yourown unless you have the right kind of vehicle,plenty of water, and have told someonewhere you are going and when youwill return. If you are ready to make camp,the Escalante State Park offers 21 sites forRVs with a maximum pad length of 55feet. No hookups. Dump station and modernrestrooms with showers. $12/night. 800-322-3770.One interesting destination is a placecalled “Hole-in-the-Rock” that’s reached af-Traveling south through the high desert,determined settlers built a trail down animpassable cliff to lay claims to the richer farmlands in the Colorado Valley. The treacherousroute became known as “Hole-in-the-Rock.”22 ROUGHING IT SMOOTHLYFIVE DAYS STATE BY STATE/UTAH 23
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