Cabela's fantasy outdoors stores

As you cross the limitless plains of the American midwest and find yourself drifting off into dreams of challenging exploits, tracking grizzlies through the Rocky Mountains, photographing moose and elk in the wild, or stalking rare birds along the Rio Grande River, Cabela's--every outdoor enthusiast's wish store--is for you . You can now find one of the twenty-nine Cabela's along the interstates from Reno, Nevada to Hartford, Connecticut.

Whatever your needs for outdoor adventures, real or fantasy, you'll find it here at one of the world's foremost outfitters. You can equip yourself with all the clothing, gear, gadgets, and tools for hunting, fishing, canoeing, and mountain climbing that you could possibly need.

Cabella's go-do-it staff consists of active and experienced outdoor people, so they will be able to help you in choosing just the right gear or clothing for that Alaska polar bear photo shoot or for rafting the Snake River gorge.

But that's not all, you can snap a picture of your spouse chatting with a brown bear, facing a threatening Bighorn, or staring down a bull moose--the real McCoys (stuffed, of course)--at their realistic outdoor displays, some that rise more than two stories above the sales floor.

Vinyard hopping near Jerome, Arizona

This time of year, as more RVs flock to the warmer climates, some wonder, "What's to do?" If you're a vino fancier, the red rock areas near Sedona beckon. Yep, it's hard to believe that this is wine country, what with all the press California gets, but this has been a "vintage year" for Arizona. No rain, perfect grape growing temperatures, and no late frost. As a result, the vintners are rejoicing.

In Jerome alone there are two places you can taste the miracle of the grape in wine tasting rooms right at the wineries. Clinging to the side of Cleopatra Hill is Jerome Winery. If you have a hard-to-please vino palate, they may have what you desire, producing 30 different handcrafted wines. Meanwhile, down on Main Street you'll find Caduceus Cellars, headed up by Maynard Keenan, the lead singer of a musical group called Tool.

Never heard of 'em? That makes several of us. But Keenan makes an interesting claim for his vino, if we may quote: "My art and music has been described as ‘thick, dense, rich complex, engaging, emotional, and spiritual,’ by those who are fans. And an ‘acquired taste’ for those kind others who are not." We'll let you sort that one out on your own.

Where to stay in the Jerome area? For the hardy boondocker, there's the Mingus Mountain Campground on US Forest Service land (Take Highway 89A south out of Jerome about 7 miles to Forest Route 104, thence roughly east about three more miles--inquire locally!). If you need something softer--with hookups, there's Dead Horse Ranch State Park near Cottonwood (about 8 miles away).

Dramatic desert cliffs, buttes, and rock formations at Red Rock Canyon SP

The 50-site campground at Red Rock Canyon State Park is tucked into the base of colorful desert cliffs where once the Kawaiisu Indians hunted rabbits and small game. I was reminded of this when I had taken no more than a dozen steps outside my motorhome and confronted a coyote stalking a cottontail. Suddenly the coyote made his move, startling the cottontail that darted off to its burrow—and right between my legs. The coyote hadn’t noticed me until then, and came to a sliding, dust-swirling stop just feet ahead of me, then disappeared off into the scrub.

The park’s prominent buttes, steep cliffs, and colorful rock formations served as signposts for the Native Americans that for thousands of years passed over this trade route. Twenty-mule

team freight wagons stopped here for water in the 1870s, miners worked the area in the late 1800s, and it has been the location of several movies. The cliffs, caves, and narrow canyons behind the campground are fun to explore and offer great views from the top.

The park recently removed the alien invader tamarisk trees, which soak up lots of water, and the stream now flows above ground again. Wildflowers are beautiful in the Spring. The park is 25 miles north of the town of Mojave on route 14 near Cantil, California. The no reservation, no hook-up campground has water and pittoilets but no dump station.

Check out my eBook, Snowbird's Guide to Boondocking on the Southwestern Deserts.

Ash Springs: A little known Nevada desert hot spring

We were boondocking at Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, about 15 miles to the south of Ash Springs, which we knew had a natural hot springs. We drove up and found the hot water bubbling out of some rocks and falling down into a couple of pools below in the shade of very old cottonwood trees and lush plants, all this in an otherwise dry, monotone desert. The only others in this beautiful setting were a young Hispanic family finishing a picnic and about to leave. They said they had already been in the water and it was nice and warm. We gingerly entered the hot water and were soon aahing and oohing as the heat soaked into our bones.

We sat for a while until all of a sudden Lynn felt a little tickle on her leg, then on her arm, then on her toe. The water was crystal clear and as she looked down she saw tiny little fish, swimming up to investigate her, giving her that little tickle. She was thrilled to share her bath with the little fish.

The springs are free and just outside the tiny town of Ash Springs seven miles north of Alamo, about 1 1/2 hours north of Las Vegas on US93.

Check out my eBook, Boondocking: Finding the Perfect Campsite on America's Public Lands, the RVers complete guide to boondocking.

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

Overshadowed by its neighbors, upscale Palm Springs to the south and Joshua Tree National Park to the north east, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is one of the ten largest cottonwood/willow oases in the California desert, a startling discovery surrounded by Mojave desert creosote and yucca. Nationally recognized for its migratory bird watching, this soggy riparian habitat is also home to numerous songbirds, great horned owls, raccoons, ringtail cats, coyotes, bobcats, red-tailed and Cooper's hawks, and is frequented by bighorn sheep who come out of the barren high canyon hills to drink.

Several trails of varied lengths lace through and around the boggy canyon bottom, revealing a burn recovery area from a 1992 fire, desert plants of the dry canyon sides, a boardwalk through the fresh-water marsh where plants have adapted to a life-time of living up to their knees in water, and a canyon trail skirting the marsh providing overlooks into the wetlands.

From Interstate 10 north of Palm Springs, turn north on Highway 62 (or from Joshua Tree National Park, drive south on 62) to Morongo Valley. Turn east on East Drive to the signed entrance. Adequate parking and turn around for big rigs.

Nook Farm: Home of 19th century liberal thinkers

Women's rights and the abolitionist movement, controversial and emotional subjects in the Victorian nineteenth century, sparked lively discussions at Nook Farm, an exclusive enclave in Hartford, CT, where some of America's foremost liberal thinkers gathered to confront these issues.

Harriet Beecher Stowe, a Nook farm resident, wrote Uncle Tom's Cabin, which became one of the turning points in the movement to abolish slavery. The Stowe Center Library's documents on African-American History trace the attitudes prevalent at the time, and even includs pro-slavery publications.

The library's extensive manuscripts and letters in the area of women's history illustrate how Harriet Beecher Stowe and her sisters, forceful advocates of women's rights, along with 100 letters from Susan B. Anthony, responded to the challenges facing young women of the day. The library includes an extensive collection of works by renowned ministers Lyman Beecher, Harriet's father, and Henry Ward Beecher, her brother.

Another famous resident, Mark Twain, spent 20 of his most productive years at his home on Nook Farm, where everyday brought new visitors and intellectual discussion, along with billiards, card games, and musical productions by his daughters.

A visitor center and the Twain and Stowe houses are open for touring, and you can stroll the grounds in the footsteps of some of America's great thinkers.

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, 77 Forest St., Hartford, CT 06105. (860) 522-9258. From I-84 take exit 46, Sisson Ave., north to Farmington Ave. Turn right to the parking lot opposite Woodland St.