Northeast Campground Reviews and Camping Information at That's Camping™

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Review: Crumpets Tea Room
Written on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

On our discussion forum, a restaurant review was recently posted for Crumpets Tea Room. They are located at 56 Water Street in North Andover, MA.

campnmomof4 was gracious enough to allow me to post her review on our site:

This is a small and elegant restaurant and everyone was very nice. We parked on the side of the road, there were signs that said 2 hour parking. Where we were seated, was a coat rack next to me and it had some fancy hats and boas on it. They allow the little girls to put them on and take pictures. I of course ran out of the house and forgot the camera, but did take some pictures on my husbands cell phone.

My daughter and I both had a side Traditional Caesar Salad- Romaine Hearts, Croutons, Parmesan Cheese, Tossed with Caesar Dressing, 1/2 Roast Turkey with Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, and Mayonnaise on whatever kind of bread you wanted. For Desert my daughter got the Raspberry Ice Cream Truffle (Vanilla Ice Cream with a Raspberry Sorbet Center, Covered with White Milk Chocolate and Drizzled with Raspberry Sauce), I had the Tartufo Ice Cream Truffle (Vanilla & Chocolate Ice Cream with Almonds and Cherries, Covered with Bittersweet Chocolate). And of course Tea, they have tons of Teas to choose from.

Everything was very delicious. I would definitely recommend this restaurant, but make sure you call and make a reservation to make sure that you get in. While we were there 3 women had come in together, but couldn’t stay because Crumpets were full. They had 4 tables for 2 people, 2 tables for 4 people and 1 table for 6 people, so they can only fit a total of 22 people. Their website is, www.crumpetstearoom.com

Photos can be found on the original forum topic.

It sounds delicious. I am craving that salad right now! Thanks for the review campnmomof4!

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Review: Polly’s Pancake Parlor
Written on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Polly's Pancake Parlor

Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill, NH
Open daily 7am - 3pm

You might have to wait up to 45 minutes (or more) for a table, but it is certainly worth the wait for those pancakes!

Polly’s Pancake Parlor offers a variety of pancake (and waffle) batter and fillings. For approx $8, you can get a “sampler” of 3 different style of 6 (3 in) pancakes.

For around $11, you can order the “sampler” combo, which includes the pancake sampler plus an order of meat (bacon, sausage, or ham) w/ a drink.

We both opted for the combo; I chose cornmeal blueberry, plain chocolate chip, and plain coconut w/ bacon and hot tea.  Mike chose plain blueberry and plain chocolate chip w/ bacon and coffee.

The cool thing about Polly’s is your server also makes your pancakes. I don’t know how they do it, but somehow they coordinate it so they can wait tables, plus head on over to the pancake grill, and whip up a batch of pancakes. It was great because they bring over 3 pancakes at a time, so the others don’t sit around getting cold, and then when you are ready the second 3 arrive.

By the time my 2nd three pancakes arrived, I was already pretty full, so I asked for a take out container right away. When I originally wrote this review (on my laptop), I was eating my left over 2 pancakes, and they were just as delicious warmed up in the microwave a day later!

My favorite was definitely the coconut filling. yum, I wish I got more coconut and skipped the blueberry. Not that the blueberry was not delicious (it actually tasted good w/ the cornmeal) the coconut was just so different. I also really liked the chocolate chip. Mike was happy w/ his blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes too.

Oh and the bacon...don’t let me forget about the bacon. This was probably the best bacon I have ever had...well definitely top 5. Tasted like it was right from the slab, not like the packaged stuff at the grocery. This was heavenly!

The only complaint I have is my tea arrived in a extremely hot-to-the-touch tea pot, but strangely the tea water inside wasn’t boiling hot, so my tea bag didn’t steep very well.

Some of the tables at Polly’s are “shared” so you might end up sitting close to another party. The tables are “pushed” together to make more room. The woman next to me ordered a fruit bowl, and it looked absolutely scrumptious. Loaded w/ strawberries, blueberries, and bananas.

Polly's Pancake Parlor

This year (2008) Polly’s celebrates their 70th year. And the restaurant showcases various historical photos and items from the past. While you are waiting for a table, take a look at the glass case (behind the seating bench) and take a peek at the big paper chronicling their timeline. For example, Polly’s decided to go “non-smoking” in 1987 (if I remember correctly). You can also visit their gift shop located next door.

Polly's Pancake Parlor - wooden horse

So, if you are driving through the Franconia, NH area, (before they close at 3pm) and are in the mood for delicious unique pancakes and waffles, then head over to Sugar Hill and Polly’s Pancake Parlor. You won’t regret it.

When we were leaving the Franconia area, and I tried to convince Mike to let me order a take out batch of pancakes so I can microwave them again the next morning! No such luck. But we will be back in the area in October, so hmm, we might have to make another trip to Polly’s.

http://www.pollyspancakeparlor.com/

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Review: Scorpio’s Pizza & Sports Pub
Written on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Original review: 9/9/2005 - see below for update.

Scorpio’s Pizza & Sports Pub is located in Lancaster, NH. They offer a full menu of pizza, pasta, seafood, burgers, subs, Mexican, and calzones. We arrived on a Wednesday night at 7:45pm and couldn’t believe how busy it was! They do not accept credit cards, so be sure to bring cash.

Mike ordered a Cheeseburger Plate - comes with french fries. Mike graded his meal “B+”

I had the Pasta with Homemade Chunky Sauce (garlic bread too.) I was in love with this dish - my grade is “A” For only $7, I got a huge bowl of pasta covered with a delicious tomato sauce made “chunky” by pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, onions, sausage, & tomatoes. I had to take most of it home for later. Oh and a salad was also included with my dinner (all for $7, it was a great deal) and this was one great salad. Peppers, cukes, tomatoes, romaine lettuce (no iceberg lettuce) and onions.

There is a small sit down dining area, with a bar area off to the side. Smoking outside on the patio where there are a few tables for dining as well. Lots of families, and as I said, it was busy on a weekday night at 7pm!

We liked it so much, we went back a second time for Mexican food. Mike ordered the Fajitas and I ordered the Taco plate. The Mexican choices were not the “best” we have ever tasted, but they were still good. The food is fresh, and homemade! And an excellent value for the price.

We recommend Scorpio’s Pizza!

UPDATED 2008-08-20

We were in the Lancaster NH again, and stopped by Scorpio’s Pizza & Sports Pub for dinner. Since we had our dog Mindy with us, we opted for Take-out and ate in the truck. I ordered the Pasta w/ Homemade Chunky Sauce again, and it was just as delicious as I remembered. I loved it. I saved my salad for the next day, and I even had left-over pasta too.

Mike ordered a Chicken Parmesan sub and he enjoyed it as well.

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Review: Ramunto’s Brick Oven Pizza
Written on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Ramunto’s Brick Oven Pizza
Rt 5 St Johnsbury, VT - (802) 751-8500

We stopped at Ramunto’s Pizza while taking a day drive into Vermont.

They had an assortment of pizza by the slice, so I ordered a slice of tomato garlic white pizza with an order (6) of their famous garlic knots (soaked in garlic oil). Mike ordered a slice of onion pepper w/ a Sicilian slice of Meat Lovers.

garlic & tomato pizza slice
garlic knots
onion & pepper pizza slice

Awesome pizza. We both were stuffed - I couldn’t even finish my garlic knots, and took them home.

Besides any variety of pizza you could want, their menu also includes chicken wings, pasta, salads, calzones & rolls, grilled sandiwiches, hot & cold subs & wraps, onion rings, sweet potato fries, and other appetizers. They also serve beer and wine.

If you are ever in the St Johnsbury, VT area, and in the mood for pizza or pasta, take a quick drive North on Rt 5 and visit Ramunto’s Brick Oven PIzza.
http://www.ramuntos.com

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Review: Yianni’s House of Pizza
Written on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Yianni’s House of Pizza
155 Main Street, South Paris, Maine 04281
(207)743-6660

Looking for a quick take out dinner, we stopped at Yianni’s Pizza. It’s typical “Greek-style” Italian food - yummy. I ordered chicken parmesan dinner & Mike ordered veal parmesan dinner. Both with ziti and salad.

We drove back to the campground, which was about 20 minutes away. Our dinners were still very hot when we arrived which was great but the ziti was a little mushy, but that could have been due to the long drive. There was a lot of cheese and sauce. It was a generous portion, but no leftovers. The garlic bread was average, but again, it probably would have been better had we ate sooner. We were disappointed because they forgot to add salad dressing with the salad; we didn’t have any dressing in the RV, so we couldn’t eat it until we bought dressing the next day.

Yianni’s House of Pizza offers pizza, along with burgers, pasta, calzones, grilled subs, hot & cold subs, salads, and a variety of appetizers. I think if we were in the area again, we would give them another try. 

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Review: Elvio’s Pizzaria & Restaurant
Written on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Elvio’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
Lincoln Square Outlet Mall - Main Street, Lincoln, NH
(603) 745-8817

We stopped by for lunch; it wasn’t crowded when I placed my order, but within a few minutes, there was a line waiting to order.

The man (owner?) in the front was very busy. Taking orders, then running to the back to take subs or pizza out of the oven. There were two other workers in the back. One woman was making pizzas and she didn’t seem to be working very quickly. I don’t know what the other guy was doing, he just seemed to be walking around. They were definitely short of help.

After about 20 minutes, I finally received our order (to go): I ordered a meatball parm sub, and Mike ordered a veal parm sub ( I like to tease him that he is eating poor baby cow, but he doesn’t care raspberry ).

I brought the order back to the truck and Mike took a look at his sandwich, the sub roll was quite burned rather than toasted. My sub wasn’t as bad, but still over toasted. Mike’s was rock solid and dry.

He didn’t want to return it, since it would have taken forever to wait for a replacement, and he didn’t want to get his money back, so we ended up driving down Rt 3 (South) to find a quiet spot to eat lunch. By then we were hoping the steam from the hot sandwiches would soften the bread a bit.

We found a spot to stop, and Mike had to break off pieces of the burned bread, and he thought the veal parm part was alright, not the best he has had, but average. I was more pleased w/ my sub - the meatballs were excellent. I think the problem was a lack of help, so things didn’t get prepared as they should have.  Mike probably wouldn’t return, but I might...only if I knew that the subs would be toasted lightly.

So in conclusion, it’s a mixed review. I give a half thumbs up, while Mike gives a thumbs down.

Elvio’s Pizzeria menu offers pizza, salads, homemade soups, calzones, hot & cold subs, and pasta dinners. I think if I were to go back, I might try one of the pasta and meatball dinners.

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Blue Moon restaurant review
Written on Tuesday, September 02, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Blue Moon (Convenience Store and Pizza Sub Shop)
612 Ossipee Lake Road, Freedom, NH
603-539-1001

The Blue Moon is located down the road from Danforth Bay Campground in Freedom, NH. We heard from our inlaws that they enjoyed their pizza when staying at Danforth Bay in July, so we figured we would give them a shot on Sunday

At 6pm, Sunday night (Labor Day weekend), we phoned them from our campsite for an order of two small (2 topping) pizzas. We were told that it would be an hour wait, and that was fine. He did sound a bit frazzled on the phone.

We arrived early at around 6:45.  Others (frustrated) were waiting for their orders. People ended up leaving because they didn’t want to wait any longer.

After seeing that the pizza oven only had two large pizzas inside, at 7:10, we asked if our order was even started. They said no, so we canceled. It was probably for the best. I have to admit, I was pretty grossed out w/ their cleanliness, or lack of it. The owner was working the register, taking money, and he moved over to behind the deli counter to make subs without washing his hands. Not very sanitary.

The wife who was making pizzas was also answering the cordless phone, and when the caller hung up, she threw the phone onto the pile of papers used to wrap subs.

And the bickering between the owner and his wife and other worker was embarrassing. He was very cranky and made it known to everyone in the store.

Would we go back and give them another chance? Not sure, but it definitely wouldn’t be during a busy time, and I would think twice about ordering a sub or any uncooked food.

Note: As a whole, New Hampshire restaurants are horrible for sanitation and cleanliness. Rarely do they wear gloves (except for some “chain” food places like Subway, McDonalds, etc) and they don’t keep money handlers separate from food preparers. It’s something I notice a lot when we are traveling here. I can’t say that this place is any worse or better than another sandwich shop.

We ended up leaving and driving North on Rt 16 to Rosie’s Drive-in. We had enjoyed lunch there earlier this summer, so we figured we would give them a try for dinner. To read our experience, read my updated review of Rosie’s.

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

New Contest on the That’s Camping Forum
Written on Wednesday, August 27, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Miscellaneous

Attention all campers!!! New contest!

Our visitors are what makes That’s Camping so special, and I am so grateful to each and every one of you! To show our appreciation, Mike and I would like to send someone a $25 Amazon Gift Certificate

The contest rules are simple:

  1. To enter, you must be a registered member of the discussion forum. If you aren’t already a member, it’s easy to join. Fill out the registration form using a valid email address. Once your email address has been verified, you are all set to start posting. No personal information (such as mailing address or full name) is needed for registration. Just a valid email address.
  2. Post at least one message to our forum, and you will qualify for the contest. No limit to the posts, as long as what you are posting is relevant to the topic or board. If you are a new member, a good place to start posting is our “Introduction" board.
  3. At the end of approximately two weeks, a random post will be chosen and that forum member will be the winner of the $25 Amazon Gift Certificate. If by chance, a post from That’s Camping Admin is chosen, another post will be chosen. The winner will be notified by email. If within two weeks, there is no response from the winner, then a new winner will be chosen.
  4. Note: Only posts made within the two week span will qualify. The first post to qualify will be #8028.

Good luck everyone, and thank you so much for making the 2008 camping season awesome! 

Article Categories: Miscellaneous

Poison Ivy
Written on Monday, August 04, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Camping-Tips • Wildlife

Mike caught some poison ivy before our vacation last week. He was working w/ his friend, tearing down an old building, and he must have removed some old ivy plants. Luckily he was wearing long pants and work gloves.

He developed a rash on his left forearm. I went online briefly and found a web site that recommended Benedryl extra strength creme (containing Diphenhydramine hydrochloride 2%), so we got a tube of that. It definitely seemed to help a lot with the itch. He also wrapped his arm at night before bed. At that point, I was still unsure of how poison ivy spreads, so we didn’t want to take any chances. Note: about the Benedryl creme, do not take any Benedryl pills at the same time as the creme. There are warnings on the package!

Now, after doing some additional research online, I now know that poison ivy is NOT spread from the rash or from the “weeping” fluid from the rash. But it is very important to wash off all of the original oil from any clothes, shoes, toys, etc. Also, keep in mind, that dogs can carry the oil back to you if they walk through the plants. If you believe your dog has any poison ivy oil on his fur, then he also needs to be washed.

No product will make poison ivy go away; it will take about 2 weeks for it to run its course. The creams and treatments are only used to lesson the itch and pain, but it will not make it go away.

I won’t pretend to be an expert on poison ivy, so I will just list some helpful links that are much more detailed and experienced:

Hopefully you will not need to use these links any time soon, but it is important to know ahead of time what to do when you think you or a family member has been exposed to poison ivy.

Do you have any helpful tips for poison ivy? Post a comment here or join in on the discussion on the forum!

Article Categories: Camping-Tips • Wildlife

2008 New England Country Fairs
Written on Monday, August 04, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Northeast-Attractions • Country-Fairs

It’s time for country fairs! I love going to the big ones, but some of the smaller ones are so interesting as well. Are you going to any New England fairs this season? Which ones are your favorites? Post a comment below, or join in on the conversation on our discussion forum!

Specific Fair Links:

Other Fair Links:

Article Categories: Northeast-Attractions • Country-Fairs

Backyard Baby Hawk
Written on Monday, August 04, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Photos • Wildlife

UPDATED! see below

We have what looks like a baby hawk - possibly a Cooper’s Hawk, Northern Goshawk or Sharp-shinned Hawk. They all look very similar in my Sibley field guide (a book that I highly recommend).

Backyard - Baby Hawk
(More photos @ my flickr account)

Here’s the story: Last night (Sunday) Mike noticed something on the tar in front of the shed.  At first, he thought it was a piece of wood; Then he saw it move. He yelled to me to check it out, and I went onto the outside deck to look. Of course, I grabbed my camera. Its back was to us initially, and its tail looked a bit bent or sideways. Then he turned around, and we saw his profile. He was gorgeous. It was so thrilling to see.

I went to get a closer look outside on the grass nearby, and he didn’t fly away, which led me to believe that perhaps he was injured or wet, or maybe just too young to fly. We just had a very big rain t/-storm and I thought perhaps he was drying out.

It was going to be dark soon, and I didn’t want him to be injured or killed by the night creatures (fisher cats, foxes, coyotes, etc) so I went online trying to find information about wildlife rehabilitation; after leaving several messages on answering machines, at around 8pm, I got a return call from Jim Parks from Wingmasters.net.

He explained that it was very common to find babies that fall from trees. They are at the “branching” stage, and cannot fly yet. They walk out onto a branch, and a big wind or rainfall can knock them off the branch and onto the ground. Jim was very nice, and said that if he was still there tomorrow, to give him a call, and he could come out and see what’s up. But he explained that I shouldn’t be upset, because it’s just nature, and sometimes we can’t help what’s meant to happen.

Anyway, we watched him hobble / hop from the tar to the grass and in between a ladder and a big tree. He ended up moving himself under our utility trailer where he stayed for the night. Mike checked on him later and early Monday morning and he was still there.  I also checked this morning around 8am, and he is still under the trailer.

Latest UPDATE: I gave Jim another call this morning, and he said that from looking at the photos I emailed, it is a Cooper’s Hawk. He said they do not do well at all in captivity, and have never survived, so unfortunately he doesn’t want to take him in. He also told me that they are very secretive birds, and the parents wouldn’t be making any "noise" because they don’t want to draw attention to themselves.

Also the Cooper’s Hawk is becoming more popular, because of all the bird feeders, they feed mainly on little birds. I did throw the little guy some tuna, and he said that they do not "smell" food, but it might attract rodents that he could eat. He is not worried about him finding food, that there is plenty of grubs and rodents around.

When I arrived home this afternoon, I immediately checked under the trailer, and our little Coopers Hawk is gone! Our backyard is wooded, w/ lots of brush, vines, & leaves, so I am hoping that he either found a better hiding spot, or his mom came and helped him, or maybe he tested his wings and was able to fly.

I did check for loose feathers under the trailer, and there was none, so I am thinking only positive thoughts. I miss the little guy, silly, but it was one of the most exciting things to happen, and I am a little sad that it’s over.

At least I have some photos & I learned a lot about a wonderful creature!

Some links about hawks and Coopers Hawk specifically:


Article Categories: Photos • Wildlife

Larson’s Lunch Box in Damariscotta, Maine
Written on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Larson’s Lunch Box located @ 430 Main Street, in Damariscotta, Maine (207-563-5755)

We found a wonderful gem to stop for lunch on Saturday afternoon. Larson’s Lunch Box is a little take out “shack” located off Rt 1 on Upper Main St.

I ordered the Haddock Patty Sandwich ($4) with a 1/2 pint of NE Clam Chowder ($3.50). Mike ordered a pint of homemade American Chop Suey ($3) and the four piece Chicken Tenders ($4.50)

The chowder was awesome, homemade “from scratch” with fresh Maine steamers & clam stock. It’s not a real “creamy” base and if you don’t like fresh clams, then you probably will not like this.  It’s not like the more creamy commercial-like clam chowder, which I do love but I also loved this too, for a nice change. The only complaint was that the large chunks of potatoes were al dente, but it wasn’t bad.

Larson's Lunch Box clam chowder

My haddock patty sandwich was “square” - it was a frozen not fresh haddock patty, but it was so much better than a McDonald’s fish filet.

Mike’s fried chicken tender pieces were delicious. I didn’t get to test-taste them, so I had to take Mike’s word that they were very good. smile

Larson's Lunch Box chicken tenders Larson's Lunch Box american chop suey

I did sample his American Chop Suey, which was wonderful. Homemade with lots of tomato chunks, hamburg, and onions, it was filling and delicious. There was generous amount in that pint!

Their menu also included Lobster ($15) and Crabmeat ($11) rolls, burgers, hotdogs, chicken (all white meat) salad sandwiches, fried chicken sandwiches, french fries, onion rings, and chili.

While we were waiting for our order, we spoke briefly with another couple and they said Larson’s was very clean, with excellent food, and they always visit when in the area. They also made an observation that all the cars in the parking lot were “out of state” and that it was surprising how everyone finds it!

I guess I can only guess how everyone else found their way to Larson’s, but we were driving by, and saw a little line forming by a little take out shack. We were hungry so we stopped.

Larson’s Lunch Box is a reasonably priced, delicious stop for a quick take out lunch. We will definitely return.

Google Map link


View Larger Map

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Cell Phone Service Added to Camp Review Form
Written on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Miscellaneous

Besides a few minor adjustments to the campground review form, I just added a new category for cell phone service experience.

During a recent “Cell Phone Service” discussion on the forum, one of our regular contributors (Wersilly) suggested that cell information would be a good addition to the campground review form, and I wholeheartedly agreed.

While some may disagree, thinking it is unfair to rate something that the campground has no control over, I think it’s something that affects the camping experience, whether good or bad.

Do I think lack of cell service is important enough to discourage a camper from visiting a campground? No, I don’t think so, after all, it’s CAMPING. But if a location does not offer cell service then it’s helpful to know beforehand. This will allow the camper to be prepared, especially if they are expecting to keep in contact w/ their employer or family member. If it’s known beforehand that cell phone service is not available, then a camper can make other arrangements or let their contact(s) know ahead of time that they cannot be reached at the campground.

I hope review contributors will include this information on any new reviews sent in to us. It’s details like this that make our reviews so helpful to our visitors! Thanks for all your support!

Article Categories: Miscellaneous

Rosie’s Restaurant - Tamworth, NH
Written on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

We found a new place for lunch while in the Ossipee, NH area: Rosie's Restaurant - 1547 White Mountain Hwy (Rt 16) in Tamworth, New Hampshire 03886 - (603)-323-8611 See GoogleMap


View Larger Map

Rosie's Restaurant is located near the White Lake State Park, and directly across from Sammy's Inn. They offer breakfast and lunch, along with ice cream (Gifford's ice cream). We had a delicious lunch. I ordered the "Chicken Burger" which was described as a fried real chicken breast, not chicken patty. Mike ordered a Cheese Steak Sub w/ Peppers and Onions. Both our sandwiches came with a choice of chips, fries or onion rings (rings are an extra $2)

Both our lunch choices were delicious...although I did have a bite of Mike's steak sub, and it tasted a bit salty (like soy sauce) but he enjoyed it very much. The french fries were great, but I kind of wish we ordered the onion rings. yum, I do love onion rings. They serve Gifford's ice cream and the flavors looked so appetizing, but we were stuffed after our lunch, so we passed on the dessert.

I grabbed a menu from the sit-down restaurant, and they offer lots of breakfast choices, including omelettes, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, and interesting combo meals, like "3 silver dollar pancakes & choice of meat" for $8. They also offer "Healthier Options" like egg beaters, egg white omelettes, and turkey bacon or sausage. For lunch, there was burgers, hot dogs, fried seafood, steak subs, and salads to name just a few. Prices are reasonable.

The hours of operation were a bit confusing. There was a big sign outside that stated they were only open only until 2pm, but it appeared the the Take Out area was open after that, so I decided to phone the restaurant and ask them to clarify. I spoke to a friendly gentleman (the son of the original "Rosie") and we had a great conversation. He told me a bit about himself and the restaurant. He graduated from culinary school and worked at the Mount Washington Hotel restaurant for many years, before taking over the reins of his mom's restaurant, which she opened over 20 years ago.

So, here is the scoop (hehee ice cream pun intended): Rosie's Restaurant inside dining is open from 5:30am to 2:00pm (Breakfast and lunch). The outside Take-Out and Ice Cream area (where we ordered) is open from 12pm to 9pm (but closed on Mondays)

We enjoyed our lunch at Rosie's, and will definitely return. I found another review online that raved about their breakfast, so we will have to plan a morning visit next time we are in the area. Also, I would like to check out the ice cream for a early evening treat...

Yum, now I am hungry after writing this review! Do you have a favorite restaurant while camping? Visit our food forum and share!

UPDATE 2008-08-31

We had dinner at Rosie's Drive-in Restaurant on Sunday (Labor Day weekend). I ordered a cheeseburger sub with mushrooms (ala carte w/out fries). Mike ordered the fried scallop dinner (fries & cole slaw). We drove back to Danforth Bay with the order. My sub was fantastic, and Mike was very happy with his dinner too. He offered me a scallop and it was delicious. Only one negative, the frying oil might have been getting too old and needed to be changed, but it was after 7pm on Sunday night. It wasn't too bad.

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Danforth Bay-2008 Pets Weekend
Written on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Travel-Plans • Danforth-Bay

Sunday, we returned from a fantastic weekend at Danforth Bay Camping Resort in Freedom, New Hampshire. We love the theme “Pets Weekend” and have participated in 2 past years’ activities. A big hello and thank you to the Danforth Bay staff, especially Craig & Dina. They do a great job organizing the events. Every dog is a winner, and no one goes home without at least one ribbon. The dogs are happy and exhausted by the time the events are over!

I also must give a huge thank you to Bob, Patty and family (NewEnglandCamper) for organizing a special Friday night social for some of the That’s Camping forum regulars. It was so much fun to meet some of the great people that have made the forum such a wonderful place to hang out.

Shout outs go to:

It was so nice to meet ya’all with your families and pets.

To view photos from the weekend, please visit the Pets Weekend album in our Photo Gallery.

Mindy at Pet's Weekend

Article Categories: Travel-Plans • Danforth-Bay

Little Ponderosa Campground Closed (Boothbay, Maine)
Written on Wednesday, March 12, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Travel-Plans

The Little Ponderosa Campground in Boothbay, Maine has closed for business. What a shame. It is a fantastic campground. Very quaint and peaceful. About a week ago, we inquired about reservations, and we ended up choosing to stay at the Shore Hills Campground instead. It is good that they are returning deposits to their customers, in time for them to make reservations elsewhere. Plus, they could have just went out of business without returning any money at all. Very decent of them!

This is the message on their web site:

Little Ponderosa Campground in Boothbay Maine is closing for business

I don’t know if it is a permanent situation, I really hope that it is just for this year or two. Perhaps they can find a buyer. I really hope it stays as a campground, and doesn’t get sold for land to build houses or something. Some conglomerate hopefully won’t scoop it up for condos on the water.

Thanks to MaxFox, one of our web site visitors, for bringing this to our attention. We wish the owners of Little Ponderosa Campground good luck in the future!

Article Categories: Travel-Plans

New Hampshire Camping & RV Show
Written on Friday, February 29, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: RV-Camping-Shows

We went to the NH Camping & RV show this afternoon (at the Armory in Manchester) and I wanted to write my review right away, just in case others were wondering if they should go or not. It is a small show, but packed with lots of campground booths, and a few small trailers and pop-ups. It was nice to see the A-liner trailer, and so many of the “cute” smaller RVs that are usually missing from most of the larger shows.

If you can brave the snow, tomorrow would be a great time to head there. Since everyone will be stuck digging themselves out from the snow, the show should have the same intimate feel that we experienced.

We arrived at approximately 4pm (Friday); it really pays to go during the less busy time of day because you can really talk in depth with the campground owners and staff. We asked a lot of questions, looked at campground photo albums, and grabbed a bunch of brochures. It got me in the mood for camping and I am looking forward to this season. Problem is, there are so many campgrounds are interesting in, I don’t know how to choose.

Some intriguing campgrounds:

My review would not be complete without a shout out to my buddy Rocky from Papoose Pond - I see him (and his lovely wife) at most of the camping shows, and he always makes me laugh! We haven’t visited Papoose Pond since 2005 and maybe this year we’ll return.

I also would like to mention Flat Rock Bridge Resort in Lebanon, Maine. It was so nice to finally meet John in person. He is still working hard updating the campground, and I am glad to hear they are really doing well.

And to the person (you KNOW who you are!) that complained that my review of the New England Camping Show was too harsh (hehee, I believe “blistering” was the word you used), I hope you like this one better!!!

Check out the New Hampshire Camping & RV Show - running this weekend from Friday (Feb 29) to Sunday (March 2) - get an online coupon and get the directions to the Armory at the UCampNH website.

Article Categories: RV-Camping-Shows

New England Camping & RV Show - 2008
Written on Sunday, February 10, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Equipment • RV-Camping-Shows

At the last minute, we decided to check out the New England Camping & RV Show this afternoon. This year the show is in Foxboro, MA at Gillette Stadium. Easy access off Rt 1. Free parking. $9 adult admission.

The show was much smaller than when it was held in Boston; Mike estimated that it was only about a quarter to a third the size of past shows.

Quite frankly, we were disappointed, and I don't know if we will be back next year. The list of participating campgrounds has dwindled. In their place, were typical commercial advertisers, like gutter installers, Newpro, and financial services. Advertisers that really had nothing to do with camping or RVs. Danforth Bay (and the Bluffs) bowed out of the show, as did a lot of the other regular campgrounds. From the NAExpo web site, here are the campgrounds that participated:

There was a much smaller area reserved for the camping supplies store. (They had the same outdoor patio rugs and lounge chairs for sale.) The Pro Bass (Outdoor World) store had more reserved space than some of the RV dealers, showcasing their boats and ATVs. I believe there was only one dealership with pop-up trailers on display (Forest Marine), but the big thing this year seemed to be the Toy Hauler RVs.

Here are some observations and photos (click each thumbnail for larger view)

Why do RV designers put sinks and showers in the bedroom. I have noticed this consistently in 5th Wheel trailers over the past few years. I don't understand it. Yes, I know it saves space, but remove a few inches from the bedroom and put up a wall and door where it should be. There obviously must be some campers that don't care about this, but I would rather have a separate room for my bathroom.

This was a campsite display set up by Outdoor World (Bass Pro Shop) - I thought the mannequin models were funny, but a little creepy.

I like the Lance truck campers. Lance is one of the few RV manufacturers that make a good solid quality product. I think we would consider a larger truck camper to travel in our retirement years. The Lance model #1055 - (10ft 11in) looked good. Not a lot of storage, but fairly roomy for a truck camper. And the bathroom is full sized. Check out all the Lancer photos in our show web album.

The Lance Truck Camper model #1191 - (11ft 6in) is very large, with a slide out. Still not massive amounts of storage, but there is a lot of room to move around. You need a super super duty (450 or 4500) to carry this camper. Here is the dinette area. Check out all the Lancer photos in our show web album.

When we walked past one of the Sprinter bunkhouse RVs, we noticed that the bathroom was at the back with an external door. It's right beside the bunk room. I asked a saleswomen about it, and she said that families like it because kids don't have to traipse through the RV to go to the bathroom. They can open the door from outside and visit the bathroom without tracking dirt through the whole RV. Hmm, I am not sure how I feel about this. Do parents like this sort of thing? It might pose a security issue if someone forgets to lock the door when leaving the campsite. We also saw another manufacturer had the same option on their RV too.

Fuzion RV makes toy hauling 5th Wheels, but their decor is butt-ugly in my opinion. Mike loved it, but I thought the black & red was hideous. No offense Fuzion, because I really did like the layout more than any other toy hauler I have seen. The good thing about the Fuzion is the "garage" area is completely separated from the living space with a sliding glass door. Most toy haulers don't have enough room, and the toys are stored in the same area as you sleep and eat. If gas or oil is spilled, I can imagine how bad the RV will smell. Yuck!

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It really sounds like the review of the show is more negative than positive, and yeah, it was a disappointing day, but we ended up visiting the Outdoor World store next door, and that made the drive down to Foxboro worth it. More on Outdoor World in another review. smile

Be sure to check out all the show photos in our web album or the album slide show.

Article Categories: Equipment • RV-Camping-Shows

What Games to You Play While Camping?
Written on Friday, February 08, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Camping-Tips • Miscellaneous

We have a great conversation going on the forum. What games do you like to play while camping?

So far, we have:

Let us know what you play either by posting a comment, or joining in at the forum.
Thanks to Lucas for starting the conversation!

Article Categories: Camping-Tips • Miscellaneous

Snowmobile Museum (NH)
Written on Saturday, January 19, 2008 by That's Camping
Article Categories:

We visited Bear Brook State Park today, and were pleasantly surprised to find the Snowmobile Museum with many vintage snowmobiles on display. The museum is open on Saturdays from 1-3pm and is located in Bear Brook State Park (Allenstown, NH)

It was so interesting to view unique homemade snowmobiles, various vintage Polaris snowmobiles, and a whole row of Ski-doo snowmobiles from past years.

Check out the photos I took today at the Snowmobile Museum; here are a couple of my favorites:

Article Categories:

What’s the Temperature?
Written on Sunday, December 30, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Camping-Tips

I just found out this fun fact on Christmas eve, did you know that if you count the cricket chirps for 14 seconds, then add 40, that is the temperature. Now, obviously, it won’t work in winter, but it will be a fun activity to try in summer!

More info:

Article Categories: Camping-Tips

Restaurant Review: Yankee Smokehouse in Ossipee, NH
Written on Sunday, December 02, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Bob (newenglandcamper) recently posted this review on the forum, and has allowed us to post it as an article. We have enjoyed the Yankee Smokehouse several times while camping in the area, but I guess I never sat down and wrote an official review. Thanks Bob for allowing us to post your review!

Yankee Smokehouse is located at the Jct. of 16 & 25 in West Ossipee, NH 603-539-RIBS (7427) - Web site: http://www.yankeesmokehouse.com/

From Bob’s Forum post:

Patty, the kids, and I enjoyed a nice dinner with a new seasonal friend of ours at the Yankee Smokehouse in West Ossipee, NH. I shared a whole rack of ribs (~$20) with my company which in my opinions was enough food for 3 hungry men or a family of 4. The ribs were good, tender, and tasty and was served with a warm bottle of extra bbq sauce. However, during this visit, I realized that I’m not exactly a ribs lover and politely offered the left overs to our guest (which there was plenty). I also had ordered a side of cole slaw and a side of steak fries which was really too big for me to eat. The cole slaw was very good and had a light mustard season to it and the fries were excellent as well.  The kids enjoyed their chicken fingers ($5.99) and mozerella sticks ($6.99) but I thought the prices for the kids meal were slightly steep.

While I thought my meal was just good, Patty on the other hand really enjoyed her Smoked BBQ chicken dinner ($10.99). For sides, she had the baked beans, 1/2 ear of corn, and some french fries. Each meal was served with Texas Toast. Patty really enjoyed this and she knows her breads!

We visited in the off-season and found that the service was excellent (especially after compared to our last visit to a local establishment)!  Not only to us but to the couple that was sitting across from us. Very accommodating.

As expected, this is NOT a fancy restaurant (i.e., jeans recommended) but is very clean and warm (both for a cold night and to enjoy a pleasant evening with your family or friends). The decor is neatly decorated with cute little piggies everywhere: ornaments, wallpaper, curtains, etc. This place is EXTREMELY popular during motorcycle season and summer season.

If you want tasty BBQ food, BIG portions, at a good price the Yankee Smokehouse won’t disappoint! Just driving by and experiencing the aroma from your car makes you want to stop in. We did tonight on our way up to DB but already had dinner planned. We will definately go back!  I would like to try some of their beef and chicken dishes.

If I could change something—I wish they would shake up their sides dishes and offer some new items (e.g., fresh veggies, mashed or baked potatoes, squash, seasonal items, etc.)

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Review: Miss Wakefield Diner in Wakefield NH
Written on Thursday, September 06, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

We went to Danforth Bay for Labor Day weekend, and had a great time.

Sunday, we took a drive down the backroads toward Wakefield, NH. We figured we would check out the Miss Wakefield Diner. It was always so busy when we have driven by on our trips home from the Ossipee area, so we figured it might be a good spot for our dinner.

welcome to the miss wakefield diner in New Hampshire

It was not crowded when we arrived, so we immediately sat at a booth. The restaurant is an authentic old diner, with diner food on the menu. Breakfast, sandwiches, pasta, fried seafood, burgers, Salisbury steak, etc. I had been in the mood for Italian food for days, so I decided to give the lasagna & meatballs a try. Mike ordered fried scallops.

We normally order ice water for beverages, but it is clearly listed on the menu that they only serve bottled water (75 cents); so, I ordered a bottle of water, and Mike decided to go for their private label Birch Beer.

birch beer bottle

My lasagna included a salad, which arrived before our meals, and it was delicious. No iceberg lettuce (yuck) - just some fresh green romaine lettuce, with tomatoes, onions, and I think cukes. If I were to guess, I think the salad veggies were fresh from a local farm. Shortly after, our dinners were served. Mike’s scallops were a heaping helping, with french fries and cole slaw. I mooched a scallop and it was very sweet and tasty. Mike enjoyed his meal.

fried scallops with fries and cole slaw

My lasagna looked wonderful, and with my first bite, I was so happy. But the more I ate, the more I decided that the sauce was too tomatoe-ish. Or maybe they just put too much sauce on the lasagna. I am a huge lover of tomato sauce, but I really couldn’t put my finger on what I didn’t like about this. The garlic toast was so-so, basically just some thick butter toast. I didn’t taste garlic. I would have been happy if they sprinkled on some garlic powder even!

My conclusion is I don’t think they have a flair for Italian food, but I would definitely go back for a second trip. I wish they had more “diner” food on the menu, like a meatloaf dinner (they did have a meatloaf sandwich). There was a lot to choose from, and I think I would have been happier if I ordered a different meal.

miss wakefield diner in sanborntonville NH

The MIss Wakefield Diner is located on Route 16 in Sanborntonville, New Hampshire. Give them a try!

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Restaurant Review: Sammy’s Paw Print
Written on Thursday, August 30, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Sammy’s Paw Print @ Samantha’s Inn
Rt 16, Tamworth, NH - UPDATED!

UPDATE: We phoned Sammy’s to inquire about their Italian Buffet while we were camping in July 2007. They do not offer it anymore! Too bad.

(ORIGINAL review from August 12, 2006)
While driving on Rt 16 in Tamworth, NH, we noticed an intriguing outdoor banner advertising the Wednesday night $9.95 Italian Buffet.

Luckily, on Wednesday night I was craving spaghetti, so we decided to check it out. The menu is extensive: pastas, seafood, steaks, but the buffet looked good so we opted for that.

There were two buffet tables set up. The salad buffet was extensive and offered many choices; The hot Italian table offered at least two choices of pizza, fettuccine with tomato sauce & sausage, a ziti & pepper dish, extra tomato sauce, and excellent cheesy garlic bread. No, it wasn’t as large-scale as other buffets, for example a Chinese restaurant buffet, but sometimes the restaurants with lots of choices aren’t necessarily very appetizing. This buffet offered a few good choices, and it was delicious.

The two buffet tables are situated in an awkward location, one side of each table is a “dead end” so you have to back out of that side. If there are two people on one side, it could be difficult to maneuver around the buffet line. We had arrived around 7pm, and it wasn’t too busy, so there was no real trouble navigating the buffet tables.

Otherwise, the food was delicious, the staff was pleasant, the restaurant was clean, and we took a walk to the Inn’s lobby and it was very appealing.

If you are in the mood for Italian, steaks, or seafood, we recommend trying Sammy’s Paw Print in Tamworth, NH. Try their Wednesday Italian buffet too!

NEW REVIEW from Bob (NewEnglandCamper)

August 26, 2007:

After a bad thunder windstorm at Danforth Bay, we decided just to go out for a late dinner. We had company up so we decided to treat them to Pizza Barn for some good Pizza. Pizza Barn was closed due to the POWER outage from the storm. This led us to Sammy’s Paw Print in Tamworth, NH (which had power) - BIG MISTAKE!!!

Here are our observations:

* Extremely Poor Service:
- Got snickers from the Waitress when our niece was ordering a drink because she didn’t know right away.
- No hostess
- The one waitress in the entire resturant was very unfriendly and UN-Professional
- Bartender was not friendly either nor did she try to help the waitress out.  The bar area was not busy at all.
- Order for 2 pizzas, fries, onion rings, took well over 1 hour before we got the Pizza. Not fun with a whiny 3 year old.
- Our 2nd round of drinks was not filled for our main course. We had to ask for them to refilled and it took about 10 MORE minutes for them to be brought to us. By this time Patty went to the car with Cam (our 3 year old).
- 18% Tip automatically added to our bill because our party was 7 people
- This was a Saturday summer night and they only had 1 waitress!!!
* Bad Menu
- We got like 2 to 3 menus per person but there was no drinks
* Food
- Onion rings were really good
- French Fries were good
- Pizza was OK; They advertise as the “Best Pizza in Town”. Don’t believe it! Better than White Lakes but Pizza Barn has them beat hands down.
* Facilities
- Bathrooms were down right scary. They were dark, ugly yellow tiles 1960s era on the walls.
- Dining room was average but their was paint pealing in places
- Out table was sticky (not properly cleaned)
- It makes you think what does the kitchen look like?  Patty didn’t feel well after eating there the next day
* Overall:
- This place has potential but needs a refurbishment.
- They need new waitstaff, hostess, and a new bartender as well as an upgrade on their facilities.

The tip should have been more like 5 to 10% but I didn’t argue this.  Avoid this place if you are staying at Danforth Bay or the Ossipee area.

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

July 2007 RV Related Recalls
Written on Tuesday, August 21, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Equipment

The NHTSA RV recall list from the RVtravel.com newsletter - July 2007

http://rvtravel.com/publish/news/july07RVrecalls.shtml

Article Categories: Equipment

Camping Responsibility
Written on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Camping-Tips

I pose this question to all of you.

True or False? You are responsible for your own pleasant camping experience AND you are responsible for the pleasant experience of the other campground guests.

The campground owners and staff can only do so much, it is up to each camper to be courteous and respectful.

So, what to you think? Post a comment below, or on our discussion board!

Article Categories: Camping-Tips

Review: Jonathon’s Seafood Restaurant in Conway, NH
Written on Tuesday, August 07, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

One of our long time site supporters, Bowcamper, posted this restaurant review on the discussion forum; she graciously allowed me to add it as an article.

Jonathon’s Seafood Restaurant

Jonathon’s is located at 280 East Side Road in Conway, NH.

It is a great seafood place with local atmosphere. They have the typical seafood fare with Land Lubber choices as well. These are steak, charbroiled chicken and fried chicken tenders. For the kids they have tuna rolls, hot dogs, hamburgers and cheeseburgers and BBQ chicken sandwiches. They offer baked potato, linguine, rice pilaf or mac & cheese for a paltry 1.95. They will fry, broil or bake anything on the menu. The prices are great and they offer Market Prices for the lobster, scallops and clams. They have a full liquor license and take all forms of plastic. They have a great dessert menu—lemon meringue pie, strawberry shortcake, apple pie, blueberry, cheesecake, brownie sundae and vanilla ice cream! 

It is a clean, cozy place located just down the street from a covered bridge. We love Jonathon’s, but also saw a Real Estate flier within the restaurant. They are looking to sell it!

BTW, I got the lazy man’s lobster, my hubby got the baked three way. My daughter got the clam roll (pretty big!) and we all shared the fried calamari. The boys got chicken and hamburgers.... With the 5 of us, the bill came to $64.00. Not bad for seafood. Hope it’s still there next time we go!

It sounds like a terrific place, thanks Bowcamper for allowing me to add it to our articles section!

If anyone has a favorite restaurant, please share it with us on the Food Board!

Article Categories: Food • Restaurants

Camping Pets
Written on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Miscellaneous

We started a new board on our forum for pets. Come join us on our forum to chat about pets, whether they camp or not!


Article Categories: Miscellaneous

First Camping Trip of 2007
Written on Thursday, May 31, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Travel-Plans • Danforth-Bay

I am just about finished packing for our first camping trip for the 2007 season. Yay!

We’re heading out to Danforth Bay in Freedom, NH tomorrow afternoon for the weekend. Some of the folks from the discussion forum are also heading up for the weekend, so it should be a lot of fun.

I always dread getting prepared for the “first” trip; I feel out of practice with the whole camping routine, and I feel I am going to forget something important. This time, it didn’t do too bad. I printed out our packing list, and went out to the camper to check the “inventory” against the list. That way I will know what’s needed from the house.

Well, everyone have a great weekend! Stay safe!

Article Categories: Travel-Plans • Danforth-Bay

Storyland & Heritage-NH Have New Owners
Written on Monday, May 21, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Northeast-Attractions

Storyland in Glen New Hampshire will open on Memorial Day Weekend with new ownership. The new owners Kennywood Entertainment also purchased Heritage-NH, which just closed its doors in 2006. Unfortunately there doesn’t look to be immediate plans to reopen Heritage.

To read more,

Article Categories: Northeast-Attractions

WiFi (wireless) Access on the Road
Written on Thursday, May 17, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Camping-Tips

In regards to public wifi (wireless Internet), how many of us don't realize that we are allowing personal data to be compromised by prying eyes?

Wifi (wireless Internet) at Home

In your home, you might have a wireless router, so your laptop can connect to the Internet while you are lounging in the yard, watching TV or eating dinner. If you are security conscience, you enabled the router firewall, enabled WPA and set a good strong password so no one outside your family network can access your connection or hack into your computer. As long as your security is strong, you are probably very safe surfing wirelessly in your home.

To learn how to configure the security settings on a Linksys router, read the tutorial I wrote.

Wifi Away from Home

On the road, whether accessing the Internet from a Starbucks Coffee Shop, hotel, airport, or in an RV Park, chances are there is no security between your computer and the Internet. Access is left open, so it is easy for anyone to use. Keeping access open also allows data sniffers to grab any un-encrypted data you send over the air.

You might say to yourself, oh who cares? I am not surfing anywhere special so if someone wants to view my activity, let them!

Let's talk about why you should be concerned.

Now before you get too worried, let's look at what IS secure.

Any https (secure/locked) site. That means purchases made on Amazon.com (or other secure shopping sites) are safe no matter where you are browsing. Take a look at the address bar in your browser, if you see the https: as part of the URL, then you are safe. There should also be a little "lock" icon at the bottom in the status bar.

NOTE: don't assume you aren't secure, if you don't see the https displayed in the address bar. For example, it might not be a secure page where you type your member info at Amazon.com. But as soon as you hit the "Sign In" button, a script on a secure page is processing the data. You will then see the page url display https. Your member name and password have been encrypted and cannot be compromised.

How Can You Safely Access Your Email?

I think I have found a good email solution for when we are away from home. Gmail from Google.com offers free web mail, along with a secure connection to access the mail. As long as you connect to your account using the https://gmail.google.com URL (and not through the http://gmail.google.com URL,) the connection remains secure and you can safely receive and send your email. Just keep checking the address bar for the https in the URL.

So how would a Gmail account help you? Well, if you set up your home mail account to forward a copy of each email to gmail, then you can access your mail through gmail.

When sending email, you have a choice to send as your home email or the gmail account. Click the Settings link in gmail. Navigate to the Accounts tab, and add the address of your main account to the "Send Mail As" list. Gmail has to verify the validity of your email, so make sure to complete this process when you are home and have access to your email accounts. After your email has been verified, you can compose a new message using any of your email addresses. Back in the Settings>Account tab, you can set which of your emails should be the default choice. Very handy I think.

Since Gmail offers over 2.5gb of file space, I am already using it as a backup for several email accounts. Gmail also offers POP Access, so when you are home, you can access your Gmail with Thunderbird and Outlook Express.

How to Safely Blog

So how do you post new entries or images to your blog without compromising your user name and password with an insecure connection? Some blogging software offer a moblogging feature, which means that you can post entries through email instead of through the admin area of your blog. Set up your account to accept an email entry from your gmail account, and use Gmail's secure URL to post your new entries. (See above for gmail information.)

Uploading to Web Site with Secure FTP (SFTP)

If you have your own hosting account (for your own domain web site), ask your hosting provider if they offer Shell Access (SSH.) If so, it could be possible to access your web site through SFTP. I have not personally used SFTP on any Windows software, but Filezilla is one client to look into, along with WinSCP. Both are free to download and use. For Mac OS X users, I recommend Transmit and also CyberDuck.

Full Time Secure Browsing

If you are a geek that likes to mess with deep complex projects, then configuring your own VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a great way to securely access the Internet while away from home. This subject is much too vast and complicated for this article, but if you check out the podcast mentioned in the next section below, you will find a ton of information.

In the meantime, there are commercial companies that allow you to sign on to their networks for secure surfing. Some of these companies are Anonymizer, HotSpotVPN, and PublicVPN.

Personally, I have used the services of HotSpotVPN and it worked very well. It was inexpensive, and I didn't experience any trouble browsing the Internet. It gave me peace of mind.

In Closing

If you are curious to learn more about securing your wifi connection and general computing security, I highly recommend listening to the Security Now podcast. In plain English, Leo Laporte (of TechTV and Call For Help fame) and Steve Gibson (highly regarded security expert from GRC) explain how to keep your system safe on and offline. Besides the audio podcast, there are links to show notes and transcripts. I have learned a tremendous amount of information from listening to their shows each week. You do not have to have iTunes or an iPod to listen; you can listen to the audio right from the web site.

Bottom line, I am not saying that your data is going to be grabbed every time you browse the web using public wifi; in fact, you might be absolutely safe. But since there is no way for you to know when someone is sniffing for data, why take the chance? Keep your computer safe. Whether you are on a Windows or Mac system, always keep a firewall running, and disable file sharing for all programs and applications. Windows uses MUST keep their anti-virus and anti-spyware programs up to date.

That's all for now!

Articles on the subject

(Updated from January 29, 2006)

Article Categories: Camping-Tips

RV Recalls April 2007
Written on Saturday, May 12, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories:

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued several RV recalls including

Read a few more details from RV Travel, along with a full list of all vehicle recalls on safety-recalls.com (click the alphabetical links at the bottom of the page)

Article Categories:

Extended Comment Time
Written on Monday, May 07, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Miscellaneous

I have extended the time to post comments. Now, there is a full year to comment on any article or review.

EDIT: Wow, I am so glad that I extended the comment time, so many more comments are being posted on older reviews now! Thanks to all who participate! We do appreciate it!

Article Categories: Miscellaneous

Will the High Price of Gas Deter RV Travel?
Written on Saturday, May 05, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Equipment • Travel-Plans • Miscellaneous

RVTravel.com has posed the question: $4 a gallon gas may be coming. How would that affect your RVing?

With over 3800 responses, approximately 23% stated that higher gas prices will have no effect on RV travel. According to RVTravel.com, their poll results are the opposite of the findings from the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA). The recent RVIA press release states that RV travel will increase this spring and summer.

Last April, we discussed the high gas prices on the That’s Camping forum, and even though we only had 13 poll votes, 70% stated that they would camp about the same.

Personally, our camping plans are substantially less this year, but it was not due to the hike in gas prices. I guess it will be a mixed blessing; we have so much to do around the new house, and keeping close to home will ultimately save us money. But truthfully, if circumstances were different, our plans would probably be the same as any other year.

So what are your thoughts? Whether you are a seasonal or transient camper, will your travel plans change due to the high gas prices? Please post your comments here, or (even better) participate in this years forum poll.

Article Categories: Equipment • Travel-Plans • Miscellaneous

Danforth Bay Extends Camping Season
Written on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 by That's Camping
Article Categories: Travel-Plans • Danforth-Bay