It Isn't All Peaches and Cream Part 4

It seems that through 2014 and now into 2015 here in the Northeast the weather has been the major factor in just about everything. Right now we have had week after week of snow and ice storms, multiples each week, and now recording breaking cold for this area with no sign that things will change anytime soon despite Spring being just weeks away. This past summer's rain has continued its pattern now with snow. Well, the Roadtrek is on the driveway and gets covered with snow and then it melts, only to be covered with snow again. Well, that is for another article but for now, we will go back in time to the end of July 2014.

We have an annual reenacting-related event that we attend during the last full weekend in July in Pennsylvania not far from Allentown - Dixon's Gunmaker's Fair. This is an outdoor event that I wrote about in 2013. Since it is an outdoor event the weather - once again - is significant to going or not. We attend for one day and combine this trip with a trip over to Hershey, PA where there is an annual quilt exposition held this same week. We plan to arrive in Pennsylvania on Thursday, go to the quilt snow on Friday, and then go to Dixon's on Saturday - home Saturday night. We meet some of the other members of our Revolutionary War reenacting unit at Dixon's. Weather reports, of course, for those days was dismal. I watched the forecasts and waited before making a reservation at the campground that is close to Dixon's. The afternoon before the event we finally called and made a reservation.

It was decent the day that we left - it had been raining in Pennsylvania the day before. We arrived at the campground (Pine Hill RV Park in Kutztown, PA) and went into the office for our space. This is a family owned and operated campground and we were greeted by the mother of the lady who is the owner. For some reason she seemed to think that we needed a space close to the restrooms - perhaps assuming that our Roadtrek had none of its own, though I don't know why as we were taking a site with full hookups, and she decided to give us one of the sites in the front of the campground near the office. When we were here last, we were in a site halfway into the campground and the site  was very good. We drove over to the site that we were just assigned and I saw quickly that this side of the campground was on a hill leading down to the area that we had been before. The sites went along down that hill - and while they were near level front to back, they were not even close to level side to side. I spent a half hour trying every possible position in the site before I gave up and sent Meryl back to the office for another site. They are always surprised when you say a site is not level and you can't get level in it. My theory is that the van is not big enough to find the footprint for a large trailer of Class A to get level - plus those RVs often have auto-levelers - push a button and it mechanically levels. Meryl returned with another site number which was not much better, but I was able to get into a diagonal position that was near enough level to be comfortable. (I will say this again - we don't need to be level for our refrigerator as it is all electric (condenser) but I am very sensitive to being on an angle and I need to get the Roadtrek as close to level as I can to be able to be comfortable inside. This is my problem and while I have spoken with others that experience the same thing, it is not something that everyone cares about - but I do.) While we usually get into a campground and find out spot on the site and check out the electric connections in twenty minutes or so, this time we spent over an hour.  We like to go over to the Pennsylvania Cabela's store in the town of Hamburg that is about ten miles away when we come to this area and we finally were able to get in the Roadtrek and go - but not before we marked the exact spot on the campsite using the reflective markers that I made to sit on the gravel along side the tire positions. If you are going to stay at Pine Hill in Kutztown, request a site in the lower half of the campground the section furthest from the office.

Cabela's is always fun and if you are any place where there is a Cabela's store go. It is what is called a destination store - a store people travel to just to go to the store. It is an outdoor store with everything including a walk through aquarium with local game fish. They sell clothing for various outdoor activities, camping gear, fishing gear, a very large firearms department with a museum where the museum guns are for sale, museum-quality displays of game animals both from the US and around the world, a restaurant, and a shooting gallery with laser rifles. There is also an archery range. Many Cabela's allow overnight RV parking and have a free dump station and water available for RVs. This Cabela's varies as to whether it is allowed or not. There are apparently regulations in the area that say no, but many say that this Cabela's will allow it.  There are often RVs in the lot when we have been to the store. We had a fine time at Cabela's before heading off for dinner and then back to the campground.

The next day we went to the quilt show in Hershey, PA. and that was good. Nothing exciting to say about it - unless you like quilts. It has a large sales floor for quilting and sewing supplies and related tools and items, sewing and quilting machines, and fabrics. As we are both fiber artists and Meryl is an embroiderer we both enjoy this show as it is one of the better quilt shows. The exiting part of the day with the Roadtrek came after the quilt show.

Near Hershey, PA is the Hollywood Casino. It has been there for only several years. Before this trip, I decided that it might be nice to go to this casino - have dinner, etc. I had heard that there was no problem parking an RV here - especially a Roadtrek. Often these casinos have specific RV parking lots and I contacted the casino before the trip to find out about parking our Roadtrek. The main parking for the casino is an indoor parking garage and the Roadtrek is too tall to go inside. There are also surface parking lots.  I explained in my email to the casino that the Roadtrek was no larger than a passenger van and that we can easily fit in a regular parking space. The reply that I got back was that the Roadtrek must be parked in a lot that they have for trucks and RVs and absolutely may not be parked in any other lot. I was to follow the signs on the road past the casino to this special lot. Fine. No problem - I thought.

So we leave the quilt show and drive over to the casino. As we approach the casino entrance on what is not much more than a country road, we see a sign that says "RV and Truck Parking - 1 mile" with an arrow straight ahead. We pass the casino driveway and keep going. As we come to the end of the road there is a sign pointing to the right and we turn right on that road and about 500 feet further ahead there is a small sign to the right again into a poorly paved road that becomes dirt, gravel, and broken pavement. We see ahead of us a small field filled completely with tractor trailer trucks parked just about wherever they decided to stop. The lot was small and there were pot holes and broken pavement where there wasn't just dirt. Along side there were maintenance buildings and no one at all in attendance or in sight. Could this be it? Yes, it was. We drove around the lot twice looking for a place to park the Roadtrek. There were no other RVs - odd, as this was Friday night in July. Other tractor trailers were pulling into the lot and also driving around looking for a place to park and with their size they pretty much make their own spaces. Now, there was one spot that we could have put the Roadtrek - in between the front of one truck on one side and the back of another on the other side. I could just see that one backing up to get out - it was just too close. I looked at the large regular parking lot that was not far away, but the casino in there message to me about parking was very direct - don't or you may be towed. We finally gave up and left. We just about made it to another restaurant that we know for dinner some distance away. Well, it's not all peaches and cream...  With a Roadtrek, Hollywood Casino in Pennsylvania is not for you. When we returned home, I wrote to the casino about what I found and what took place - I got no answer back so I guess they just don't care.

The next day was Dixon's and we headed over there before noon. Parking for Dixon's for this event is in a large grass field and it had been raining a few days before. The field was soft and that gave me some concern. There are a few places in the field with some gravel and what once was a partially paved road. I had hoped for a space on one of those more solid spots but we had no such luck and I hesitantly parked the Roadtrek on soft, partially muddy spot. I tried to position one of back tires on a bit of gravel just to give some traction when we were leaving. The Roadtrek is heavy - much heavier than a standard van and you never really want to get it into mud. It was fine.

So what about the noises. Well, where the pavement is smooth, the ride is smooth and the noises are almost non-existent. Where the pavement is rough or bumpy the noises are there and at this point were still not identifiable as to source. It was no worse, and no better. It is not until the next trip that we start to find one big one.

End of Part 4
Part 5 next.

Dixon's Gunmakers Fair, Kempton, PA

We attend some unusual annual events and we took the Roadtrek to another one this year. We went to Dixon's Gunmakers Fair in Kempton, Pennsylvania. This fair brings in some of the finest muzzleloading gunmakers in the country. Muzzleloading guns are flintlock and percussion firing blackpowder rifles and smoothbores. This fair mostly attracts those in the reenacting hobby and those who blackpowder hunt, but there is a lot of interest here for everyone. The fair is held under a series of tents. 

The fair is always held on the last full weekend in July for three days starting on Friday and ending on Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm each day. The fair is free. Parking is $2.00. The fair is held on the grounds of Dixon's Muzzleloading Shop, one of the best stocked stores of its kind.

I had some hesitation about bringing the Roadtrek to Dixon's. Parking is on the grass fields that are in front of the shop. If it has rained these fields are muddy and become rutted. More so than others that I have parked the Roadtrek on. I could just imagine the Roadtrek sinking into the mud. Before we left the weather reports were fair and there did not seem to be much of a chance of rain. When we arrived at Dixon's it had rained there several days before and there was mud in the fields. When you arrive you drive past the parking field that says 4 wheel drive vehicles only and keep going down the road.

The man who was directing us to park realized that we would be in trouble if he sent us out into the mud in the field where they were parking cars, and he pointed us down a partially gravel lane to a parking spot (not far from where a Class C RV was parked) that was mostly grass with a little gravel. As we got out of the Roadtrek to walk over to the fair he came over and told us to make sure we backed out onto the gravel and followed that along to the exit when we left and not to pull forward into the mud. Wise advice that I had already taken note of.

Our Roadtrek parked in the field at the end of the day.

 Dixon's Gunmakers Fair has more than just historically reproduced guns for sale. There are a variety of vendors mixed in who sell clothing for reenacting of various centuries, small items that would be period correct in an historic setting, history books, redware pottery, handmade knives, accessories for blackpowder shooting, and hand forged tomahawks. For most non-reenactors this is all interesting to see even if there is no interest in buying.

 

Also at Dixon's there are living history demonstrations set up  on the field above the hill from the shop. Here there was a Revolutionary War unit firing a blackpowder cannon on the hour and firing their flintlock muskets and rifles. Also right there were tomahawk throwing demonstrations and the public could take a turn throwing at the target.

Across the field there was a French and Indian War camp ->

Another camp had colonists from the 1600s ->

A cowboy chuck wagon is out near the cowboy camp demonstrating cooking on an open campfire - including tasting what is being cooked and sharing of the recipes ->

None of these camps are full encampments but just a small sample of what a camp from that era would have been like. All those who are demonstrating and interacting with the public in these camps are doing it for the love of the hobby and are not paid by the site.

Throughout the fair you will see gunmakers at work. Below the shop building you will see rifle barrels being rifled cut by hand using a long bench with a cutter on a long rod that is turned into and out of the barrel hundreds of times - pushing and pulling each pass with a crank. There is a blacksmiths forge turning out barrels and blackwork.

On the field with the living history camps there was a group that teaches muzzleloader making and they had several stations set up to show the process. This gentleman is carving a gunstock.

Some of their finished work- each was for sale and the prices were reasonable. Of course, reasonable is a very relative term.

Beside one of the fair tents this gentleman was turning end caps for powder horns on a foot pedal lathe.

In addition to all there is to see and buy, there are seminars that are repeated each of the three days. These include gunmaking techniques, horn making, and various arts related to this business and hobby. There is also a seminar area with topics of interest to the ladies including things like lye soap making.

A highlight of the fair for both visitors and those participating is a competition for the best built guns, powder horns, and leather pouches. Each entry is critically judged by a team of judges and prizes are awarded only to the best. All are on display on this building where the judging takes place.

A matched pair of flintlock pistols entered for judging. You can see the level of work that this event attracts. This is ALL handmade.

We had a great time at the fair. I only bought a few flints. I have purchased some significant things at this fair in the past but purchases like those are now behind me. I enjoy the fair just looking. Meryl enjoys it as well.

Dixon's is located at 9952 Kunkels Mill Road, Kempton, PA 19529 right off of PA Route 737 (exit from I78 to 737 North). Their phone number is 610-756-6271. Pine Hill RV Park campground is close by. Here is a link to Dixon's Gunmakers Fair. They update the site for each year's fair with the new dates in late winter.

Pine Hill RV Park Campground, Kutztown, Pennsylvania

We took a trip to two different events in northeastern Pennsylvania. One was a muzzleloader gun makers fair located in Kempton, PA which appeals to reenactors and muzzleloader hunters and the other was a quilt exhibition and vendors show in Hershey, PA.  We wanted a campground that would be convenient enough to both of these events. With some research looking at campgrounds and their reviews I found Pine Hill RV Park campground located in the town of Kutztown, PA. Kutztown is the home of the Kutztown Pennsylvania Dutch Folklife Festival that is an annual event at the beginning of July and it is also home to a university. This campground is perfect if going to the Kutztown Folk Festival or if visiting the university.

The campground is very easy to get to and is right off Route I78. There is an exit right by the campground and if coming from the east ignore the exit your GPS wants you to take and continue to the next exit which is Route 737 North. The exit sign says Krumsville which is to the south. Get off on Route 737 going north and go to the intersection and make a right. The campground is down this road on the left. There is a small lit sign for the campground and the campground is hidden from the road by large hedges. This is a local residential and farm road.

The campground office is ahead to the left in a building that seems to be the home of the owners of the campground. The woman in the office was very friendly and welcoming. There is a small store in the office and there was a sign outside that said that hot fresh pizza was being served inside. This is not a restaurant but the pizza was convenient to take back to your RV.

The campground has sites with 30 amp electric hook ups or 50 amp electric hookups. The 30 amp sites can be selected with or without cable TV service. All of the 50 amp sites have cable hook ups. All of the sites have water and sewer hook ups. There are also a couple of cabins for daily rental. There are actually also four 20 amp sites.

Sites are gravel and our site was LEVEL. For a Class B and a Roadtrek this is very important. There was no problem getting level - the site was level. The sites are, of course, next to each other but not right on top of each other. There was a grass area between every site.

Many of the sites are pull though. There are 30 amp sites with cable that are backin sites along the edge of the campground. We had a pull though site.

While it was no problem, the electric box does not have its own circuit breaker for the outlet. Every so many sites had a large circuit breaker box for several adjacent sites.  

We were in a site with such a circuit breaker box (but our site did not seem to be in that box). So when you plug in, you are plugging into a live outlet. In the photo to the right you can see the small box at the bottom to the right. That is the 30 amp outlet. There are no other electric outlets at the site. The larger boxes are boxes for the circuit breakers and electric circuits that go to other sites.  You can see the water connection to the right. On the opposite side of this was an box with the cable TV connection which can be seen below.

 

The cable TV at this campground had the most channels of any campground that we have been to so far. When I scanned for cable channels 160 digital and analog channels locked in. Now, in that number there were duplicates and even triplicates of some channels but the selection to watch was broad and included many of the channels that you might expect at home - with the exception of the premium movie channels.

The wifi was not as good as the cable and the connection at our site was marginal. We were at almost the end of the campground so closer to the main buildings might have had better wifi. My tablet had no problem making a connection but my phone was not able to get a good connection to the wifi. Here in the mountains cell voice service is good but data service is marginal which has nothing to do with the campground.

The sewer connection at the site had a hands-free cover. The lid was on a foot pedal and lifted up without having to touch it. I have not seen this at other campgrounds that we have been to. The usual is just a screw on pipe cap.

The campground was very clean. There is a trash dumpster near the office and that is where garbage is placed. There is no trash pickup at site. The restrooms were small but very clean and well maintained. There are showers in the men's and ladies' restrooms. There is a large hall for parties, a recreation room/game room and an ice cream parlor on site (these were closed while we were there). There are shade trees but you are not in the woods - which is fine with us. There is a playground for children and there is a free miniature golf course.

The people who run this campground are very nice and are very attentive to their guests. We also found that the people in the other RVs here were also very friendly. We don't always find that. There were some very large Class A's here, trailers,  Class Cs and even a Class B other than ours.

The campground is located along I78 and there is traffic with trucks that travel along this route. We could hear the traffic OUTSIDE of the Roadtrek but could not hear any noise inside. A suppose a thin-walled trailer may hear some noise. This was not a problem for us in our Roadtrek.

We had a very nice stay at Pine Hill RV Park and we will be going back again. The events that we attended on this weekend are annual and we will happily stay here again to attend them. The gunmakers' fair at Dixon's was just down Route 737 from the campground. Hershey is about an hour away down I78. Right near this campground is a shop named Dietrich's Meats and Country Store that sells many unusual smoked meats and foods that are local to this region of the Pennsylvania Dutch. You can get sandwiches or buy by the pound here. It is not a restaurant. It is well known by any who come to this area. Also a little further west on I78 is Cabella's Outdoor store, one of their largest stores and a destination store to visit. Not only is this a great place to shop for items outdoors, fishing, and hunting but there is a room sized aquarium of local fish to walk through. This is not to be missed if you come to this area.

I definitely recommend Pine Hill RV Park. Rates for this area are reasonable.  It is located at 268 Old Route 22 in Kutztown, PA 19530. The phone number is (610) 285-6776. There is a toll free reservations number at (800) 217-6776. Their website is pinehillrvpark@verizon.net. They have a website at http://pinehillrvpark.com/

Just to note - if driving on I78 and you go through the toll for the Delaware River bridge, the toll is over $6.00 because the Roadtrek's weight puts it in the toll class with commercial trucks. The sign says a $1 for passenger vehicles but this does not apply to the Roadtrek over 7000 pounds.