Tag Archives: camp

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2015 Pennsylvania Mountain Pie Championship

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PA moutain pie contest entriesGRATZ, Pa. — The first ever statewide Mountain Pie Championship was held on Sept. 26, during the Gratz Fair in Gratz, Pa., just north of Harrisburg, Pa. The championship was open to winners at privately owned Pennsylvania campgrounds that held contests across the state this summer.

The two contests, “Sweet” and “Savory,” were sponsored by the Pennsylvania Campground Owners Association and Lerch RV from Milroy, Pa.

Mountain Pie Championship held at Gratz FairThe “Sweet” category winner was Melissa Umbrell, Enola, Pa., representing Jonestown/ Hershey KOA, Lickdale, Pa. Her entry was a “Banana Split Mountain Pie.” Her recipe is as follows:

Banana Split Mountain Pie

Ingredients

2 slices of white bread
2 tsp butter
1 large sliced strawberry
1/8 banana – sliced
9 mini marshmallows
1 fun sized Hershey bar – broken

Optional Garnish

Chopped nuts, sprinkles, whipped cream, cherry

Preparation

Butter one side of two slices of bread
Place one slice of bread, butter side down, in mountain pie maker
Layer all ingredients on top of bread
Place one slice of bread, butter side up, in mountain pie maker
Close mountain pie maker and place in campfire
Cook until bread is golden brown
Place on plate and garnish
Serve with a smile

Second place was Braidyn Rumsey from Canton, Pa., representing Tanglewood Campground in Covington, Pa. His entry was called “Double Chocolate Delight” and featured a brownie and marshmallow cream garnished with cherry pie filling and peanut M&Ms.

The “Savory” category winner was Margie Wevodau from Carlisle, Pa., also representing Jonestown/Hershey KOA, Lickdale, Pa. Her entry was a “Reuben Mountain Pie.” This recipe is:

Reuben Mountain Pie

Ingredients

2 slices of rye bread – buttered
2 slices of baby Swiss cheese
2 T Thousand Island dressing
½ cup of sauerkraut
3-4 oz. corned beef – sliced

Preparation

Spread butter on outside of the bread
Place one slice, butter side down, in a warmed pie iron
Layer one slice of cheese, corned beef, Thousand Island dressing, and sauerkraut
Top with another slice of cheese
Place the other slice of bread on top, butter side up
Close and place in campfire until bread is golden brown.

Enjoy!

Second place was Rhonda Thomas from Preston, Md., representing Spring Gulch Camping Resort in New Holland, Pa. Her entry was a “Turkey/Bacon/Cheese Pie,” also featuring Thousand Island dressing.

Third place was Holly Seidel from Tyrone, PA, representing Pioneer Campground in Muncy Valley, Pa. Her entry was “Pie Iron Tacos” with a corn tortilla base.

The other three entries that were scrumptious, but did not place, were “Chicken Florentine, Pie Iron Style” by Steve Gallagher, Elmer, N.J., representing Keen Lake Camping & Cottage Resort in Waymart, Pa; “Sam’s Special Sammich,” a pork melt by Sam Ulrich from Pottsville, Pa., representing Rosemount Campground in Tamaqua, Pa; and “Alyssa’s Cheese Steak Pie,” by Charles Muller from Hammonton, N.J., representing Otter Lake Camp Resort in East Stroudsburg, Pa.

Mountain Pie Championship held at Gratz FairA panel of six qualified judges evaluated the entries based on the following categories: Flavor, Filling, Crust, Appearance and Creativity. Prizes were $500 cash for both first place winners, $100 in PCOA gift certificates for second place and a $50 gift certificate for third place.

A total of 37 campgrounds scheduled contests at their facility during the season. The Pennsylvania Campground Owners Association extends a special thank you to Lerch RV for co-sponsoring the contest, the Gratz Fair for providing their facilities and fair passes for the individual campground winners and Dutter Sound Services from New Oxford, Pa., for providing the sound system and acting as the official fire tender.

SOURCE: PCOA press release

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RV News and Tidbits

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* Thanks to Amazon.com’s “CamperForce,” Kentucky’s Green River Lake State Park stays open through December, instead of closing in November. CamperForce is Amazon’s description of its seasonal workforce who live in RVs to be near their shipping facilities, in this case a warehouse at Campbellsville.

* Kansas officials say they’ll close highway rest stops near Russell to save water. Water usage has doubled to 1.6 million gallons at the stops since 2011.

* U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) introduced legislation on Dec. 3 to increase the federal gasoline tax by 15 cents from 18.4 cents to 33.4 cents per gallon.
The bill, H.R. 3636, also known as the “Update, Promote, and Develop America’s Transportation Essentials (UPDATE) Act of 2013,” would phase in the increase throughout the next three years.

* Lippert Components Inc. (LCI) has partnered with Ashley Furniture Industries Inc. to provide designer furniture for RVs. LCI will offer a full line of Ashley sofas, sectionals, theater seating and recliners to the RV industry

* ROBERTSDALE, Ala. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Emerald Coast RV Center LLC of Robertsdale for nine serious safety violations following an inspection at the recreational vehicle sales and service facility on Highway 59 South. Prompted by a complaint, the agency initiated an inspection in August, resulting in proposed penalties of $41,000.
The serious safety violations include the employer’s failure to ensure workers utilized fall protection systems while working on top of recreational vehicles; train workers on powered industrial truck operations; provide proper machine guarding; ensure adequate guarding on electrical boxes; and use temporary wiring properly. Additionally, the employer was cited for failing to train workers adequately on hazard communication, provide a list of hazardous chemicals on-site, reduce compressed air for cleaning to less than 30 pounds per square inch and secure compressed gas cylinders properly. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

~RV News From The Weird~

* When a St. Helena, S.C., RV owner found his stored RV hooked up to electricity, he disconnected it. To his surprise, he found power hooked back up the next day. It was then he found a man living in the rig, who confessed to police he’d been holed up in the RV for two months after being kicked out of his mother’s home next door. The unwelcome tenant was charged with burglary and grand larceny.

* Turkey starts RV blaze: Firefighters called to a fifth wheel fire in View Royal, B.C., report it all started when a turkey was left unattended in the rig’s oven. In an understatement, the fire chief told the local paper, “It’s another ad for not leaving your cooking unattended. That turkey will be inedible.”

* An attempt to break the world record of how many marshmallows can be eaten in a minute will take place at the Central Illinois Recreational Show in Peoria, Ill. The show runs February 28 through March 2. The winner will need to eat more than 25 marshmallows to beat the record.

* A traffic stop Monday of a motor home on I-80 in southeast Nebraska led to the seizure of nearly 95 pounds of marijuana, according to North Platte Bulletin.
Nebraska State Patrol spokeswoman Deb Collins told North Platte Bulletin that a dog detected the odor of drugs coming from the recreational vehicle, and a search led to 94.7 pounds of marijuana in 43 bundles, located in an empty water tank beneath the bathroom floor of the motor home.

Safe Travels and Happy RVing!

** Information gathered from CampingPA.com

A Campground? Or not?

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I found this to be a very interesting story about RVing. What do you think of this particular event?

WASHINGTON — A Virginia county barred a landowner from allowing a friend to camp on his 86-acre farm for a hunting excursion, prompting a federal lawsuit, according to WND Politics.  WND Politics reports, Joseph Ferguson occasionally hosts friends for lawful hunting excursions on his property in Isle of Wight County, Va., explained the Rutherford Institute, which is representing him in the case.  The county, in southeast Virginia, contends that use of the camper would constitute an unauthorized “campground” in violation of local zoning ordinances, WND Politics reports.

To read the full story by WND Politics click here.
Found and shared from RV Daily Report.

Family Vacation…Did I really just see that?

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Just came across this awesome article and wanted to share it with our readers.  This is really, really cool.  Would love to see this going down the road.

national lampoons vacation motorhomeKeith Boreani started out about 11 years ago, renovating an old school bus.
As reported by the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Journal Gazette, raising the $5,000 to buy the bus was the easy part. Finding partners to help him do the job was a challenge. Nobody could quite grasp the vision that Boreani had for the old hulk. Boreani figured he could rent it out as a party bus, but the plan didn’t pan out.
You can’t keep a guy with crazy automotive ideas down, though, and Boreani, who’s in pharmaceutical sales, has a vision for a whole new fleet of vehicles that will never make a lot of money but will turn plenty of heads.  The first vehicle in the fleet has recently been completed. Boreani bought a 1971 Winnebago, with a big W on the side and 75,000 miles on it.  “It wasn’t the worst, but it wasn’t pretty,” he said.  But he had an idea to make it really outrageous. Working with an Angola airbrusher, Harry Martin of Hairydidit, he converted the old motor home into a combination of Clark Griswold’s hideous green station wagon and Eddie’s hideous motor home from the “National Lampoon’s Vacation” movies.  The green station wagon is painted on the side, complete with a dead grandma wrapped in a tarp and strapped to the roof. There are plenty of Walley World characters and tons of painted rust on the side, front and rear.

So if you see this unique motor home going down the road, be sure to wave hello to Sparky!

Safe Travels and Happy RVing!

RV News and Tidbits

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News Tidbits For 1/4/2014

*Next weekend, Pennsylvanians have 2 #RV shows to get to and enjoy. In the western part of the state, The Pittsburgh RV show starts January 11 and runs the entire week. Those in the east can visit the Allentown RV show Friday through Sunday. Winter RV shows are a great way to break the cabin fever.

*Crossing Pennsylvania via the state’s turnpike? Hang onto your wallet — tolls are increasing by a whopping 12 percent for those who pay with cash. If you hold an “E-ZPass” the rates will jump by a modest two percent.

*Ford F-150 truck fans, changes are in the works. The rollout for 2015 models will see all-aluminum bodies and a smaller 2.7 liter V-6 “EcoBoost” gas engine — so says Fleet Owner, but Ford won’t confirm.

*If approved, Canterbury, N.H., could become home to a 300-site RV park. The park would be built in stages, beginning this year, and would include four miles of hiking trails, a water park and access to a pond for canoes and kayaks.

*CarHistory.us.org is launching a comprehensive guide to purchasing recreational vehicles. It ill go through the ins and outs of different types of RVs, how dealers price them, and the best ways to negotiate when you are looking to buy.

*The Good Sam Club, a recreational vehicle organization with 1.5 million members, is hoping to bring in as many as 500 RVs to bolster attendance for the popular Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair. The Havasu (Ariz.) News reported that the festival, set for Jan. 17-19, already has 260 RV enthusiasts signed to camp out for the festivities, said Marquita McKnight, an executive director for this year’s event.

Safe Travels and Happy RVing!

– Information gathered from CampingPA.com.

Have you been to the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania?

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The Pennsylvania Grand Canyon in its Autumn beauty.

The PA Grand Canyon Often referred to as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania and the Pine Creek Gorge, the PA Canyon area stretches for over 45 miles with depths of nearly 1500 feet. It’s dynamic topography creates many scenic wonders, including steep canyon walls and waterfalls. The PA Grand Canyon is part of the Tioga State Forest, beginning just south of Ansonia, PA, near Wellsboro in Tiago County.

With numerous developed trails the Grand Canyon of PA is a hikers paradise.  Year round activities include floating, boating, fishing, hiking, and biking are all part of the area’s available outdoor recreational opportunities.  The Pennsylvania Grand Canyon State Park areas display spectacular views.  Colton Point on the west rim and Leonard Harrison on the east rim of the canyon are the “must see” vistas to visit.  Camping and picnic areas are also available here as well.

One of the most popular areas to visit in the canyon is the Pine Creek Rail Trail, a converted railroad bed that travels along Pine Creek at the floor of the canyon. USA Today cites the Pine Creek Rail Trail as one of the ‘Top 10 Great Places to take bike tour’ in the world.  Due to the gentle grade, the trail offers easy peddling, hence it can be experienced with minimal physical impact and basic biking gear and experience.  Why not add this bike trail to your biking ‘bucket list’?

Come experience the Pennsylvania Wilds, and enjoy the beauty of route 6 which traversed the top half of the state.  You will not be disappointed in the Autumn beauty of this particular region of Pennsylvania.

Safe Travels and Happy Rving!

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Apple Crisp the right way!

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This is the perfect time of year to take advantage of some of nature’s produce that is not as plentiful during the rest of the year. Among other things, this is apple season!

Here at your central Pennsylvania RV dealership, we are always looking for new recipes to help you enjoy the seasons. It is in that spirit we have found this terrific Autumn recipe to share with our followers, a Campfire Apple Crisp recipe. It is perfect over a campfire but you can make it in a regular oven as well. It is very similar to grilling “potato packs” over an open fire, but with apples instead of potatoes.

Apple Crisp the Camp Fire Way

  • You will need four apples, of your choice, chopped up
  • 1/3 cups of uncooked oatmeal
  • 3/4 cups of brown sugar,
  • ½ cup of flour
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup of butter
  • 3 tablespoons of white sugar
  • Foil

Directions: In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients with the butter until the butter is dispersed in the mixture. Then add the apples. Mix well. Then take three pieces of foil and add the ingredients to make three “pouches” that you will seal to go over the campfire. . squeeze the ends to make a boat shape. Put the apples in the center of the foil and fold the foil over to make sure you have nice, sealed foil packages.

Put a grate over the campfire and cook the package for 15 to 20 minutes. If you have no access to a grate, put the foil pack directly into the campfire a bit farther away from the heat and rotate it every 5 minutes. Check to make sure the apples are cooking evenly about half way through.

You can also use this recipe in your RV if the weather is not conducive to a fire by putting the ingredients in a casserole dish and putting it in the oven for about one hour at 350 degrees.

This is a great tasting, great smelling desert dish that is perfect for the season. If you are looking for an easy recipe to take advantage of the abundance of apples this fall, this can be it.

There are still some great fall RV weekends ahead. Safe travels and Happy RVing!

Unique ways to S’more

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Nothing says camping like roasting marshmallows over a campfire to create the perfect s’more. A traditional s’more recipe calls for sandwiching a roasted marshmallow between graham crackers with a couple of pieces of chocolate. But there is no “right way” to make a s’more. In fact, there are endless combinations and creative ingredients that can be used to create unique and fun treats. So the next time you’re camping in your RV, check out these recipes for a fresh spin on an old classic.

The S’more Dip

Ingredients
– Chocolate cream cheese

– Marshmallow cream

– Chocolate chips

– Miniature marshmallows

– Aluminum foil

– Parchment paper

Directions: Tear off a large square aluminum foil. Add a square of parchment inside the aluminum foil. Place scoops of chocolate cream cheese and a dollop of marshmallow creme in center on top of parchment paper. Wrap up and place on campfire for 15-20 minutes, until melted. Use tongs to remove packet from heat. Sprinkle miniature marshmallows and chocolate chips on top. Serve with graham crackers of course!

The S’more Cone

Ingredients

– Waffle ice cream cone

– Chocolate chips

– Miniature marshmallows

– Chopped fruit (bananas, strawberries, etc)

– Aluminum foil

Directions: Mix miniature marshmallows, chocolate chips and chopped fruit in a cone. Wrap cone in foil. Lay wrapped cones over your campfire for 5-7 minutes; rotating occasionally. Use tongs to remove cone from heat. When the foil is cool enough to hold, unwrap cone and enjoy.

The S’more Burrito

Ingredients

– Chocolate chips

– Miniature marshmallows

– Peanut butter (optional)

– Flour tortillas

– Aluminum foil

Directions: Spoon two tablespoons of chocolate chips or pieces, a dozen miniature marshmallows and peanut butter (optional) into the center of a flour tortilla. Roll up the tortilla, wrap it in foil, and set it on campfire coals for about 4 minutes, flipping it halfway through. Use tongs to remove the burrito from heat. When the foil is cool enough to hold, fold it down on one end and eat this sweet burrito treat.

S’more Golden Graham Treats

Ingredients

-1/4 cup butter
-1 (10 oz) bag regular marshmallows
-1 box of Golden Graham cereal
-1-2 cups Chocolate chips

Directions: Combine marshmallow and butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave for approximately 1 minute. Stir mixture together until combined, microwaving in 30 second intervals until completely melted. Add Golden Grahams to bowl and stir until they are all well coated. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour mixture into a greased 9×13 pan and press evenly. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares and going to town!

The Banana S’more

Ingredients

– Bananas
– Chocolate chips
– Miniature marshmallows
– Graham crackers

– Aluminum foil

Directions: Slice banana lengthwise and slightly open. Place on a square of aluminum foil. Insert marshmallows and chocolate chips into the sliced banana. Wrap each banana up in foil and cook on the grill for 5 to 10 minutes. Use tongs to remove the banana from heat. When the foil is cool enough to hold, unwrap the bananas and top with a few tablespoons of crushed graham crackers. After the banana s’more has slightly cooled grab a spoon and dig in.

Any ways to eat s’mores that we missed? Let us know in the comments. We’re always looking for new, delicious ways to get our favorite camping dessert!
Safe Travels and Happy RVing!

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Fall camping in Pennsylvania is great!

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Summer and the family camping season has come to a close. Don’t give up on the idea of a fall camping trip. Before putting away your camping gear until next summer, think about another camping trip. Those of us without kids are free to camp during the week, but families shouldn’t miss the opportunity to do some quality camping with their kids on weekends at local parks and campgrounds.

For those of you who are not blessed with children, it’s a good time to start planning a fall camping trip to one of those previously over-crowded, summer destination hot spots. After Labor Day, the visitor traffic to the State Parks, National Parks and National Forests slows down considerably, due primarily to the fact that kids are back in school.  Days aren’t as hot, and nights are just cool enough to cuddle under a blanket for a good sleep. And another blessing to fall campers is the fact that parks are less congested. Autumn colors can be magnificent, and wildlife could be active, offering opportunities to glimpse them as they prepare for winter.

The cooler nights are perfect for sitting around the campfire eating S’mores and banana boats and sharing stories and songs with your family, long time friends, and new acquaintances. When the leaves start changing colors the experience is even more worthwhile. So grab a sweatshirt, your tent, and head on out there to enjoy one of the most favorite seasons of the year!

Fall camping considerations

  • After Labor Day, many campgrounds reduce their fees, so one fall camping advantage is reduced costs.
  • Although daytime temperatures in the fall are still warm, take some heavier clothes and bedding for those cooler evenings.
  • As the seasons change, so to do the weather patterns. Be prepared for severe weather in the fall. If you are camping in hurricane alley, know your evacuation routes. If you are camping in high country, take appropriate snow gear. And, if you are in monsoon country, take necessary rain gear.
  • Make campground reservations. Popular campgrounds will still fill up on weekends, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Most campgrounds don’t require reservations in the fall, but even if you should call and find that you don’t need a reservation, you’ve at least saved yourself the worry.

 

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Safe Pennsylvania RVing

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Being in the thick of nature while RVing or camping, offers a wide array of benefits for the avid RVer. In addition to spending quality time with loved ones, being out in nature offers the chance to participate in activities in a less crowded area, or even offers the chance to do activities specific to nature. For example, snowboarding or skiing, atving, snowmobiling and hiking. However, being away from the crowded areas has its own set of cons. The biggest being the mere distance from medical care in the case of injury while RVing. Because of this, we’re filling you in on some basic injury prevention tips:

  1. Carry a first-aid kit and invest in basic first-aid training.
  2. Use the buddy system. If you plan on going for a long hike or ride, bring a friend!
  3. Carry a cell phone or two-way receiver whenever you’re away from your RV or campsite.
  4. If you are experiencing the ‘wilds’ on your own, let someone know where you will be and when they should expect you to return.
  5. Know your limits. While a healthy challenge can be a good thing, don’t get in over your head.
  6. Get familiar with the American Red Cross and Center for Disease Control websites. Both are great resources for preparedness.

We encourage you to have fun while RVing and camping, but always use common sense.

Safe Travels and Happy RVing!