Horizon Herald - July/August '99
New Horizons Owners Newsletter
Volume 1 Number 3 - July/August
1999
Bringing together New Horizons™
owners for sharing and fellowship
Published bi-monthly
Editors: Don and Helen
McAnally
PMB 11431
214 Rainbow Drive Livingston, Texas 77399-2014
email: horizonltr@aol.com
Contents
Notes from the Editors
Major event for us: Shari Haywood taking on the challenging job of Rally Organizer. We hope many of you will volunteer to help her make NH Rally 99 a smash hit.
The mailing list is up to 81 names now. So we continue to grow. And 28 states are represented. We are sure there are people from other states, since mailing address does not always tell where we are from.
Escapees—please check your mailing label and see if you need to update your address.
The publishing date for the newsletter is the 15th on odd-numbered months. Send your news, articles, info to reach us 10 days prior to publication.
NH Rally '99 Information
Yes! We have the dates, the place, already some people eager to come(12 rigs as of July 15), and best of all, a rally organizer/director!
Choosing dates for anything is difficult, but October 7-10 seemed to be the best fit. Milford Lake, in Junction City is a logical choice for the first Rally. You can buy that new equipment or get something fixed while you’re there.
Now to meet the person who graciously volunteered to handle the big, big job of Rally Organizer: Shari Haywood, from the land of Oz, who wrote the following:
Helen asked me to introduce myself. I am Shari Haywood and I live less than a mile from Horizon’s manufacturing plant in Junction City, Kansas. I’m not a New Horizon’s owner (YET), but I hope to be in the very near future (house has to sell first).
I am well-known to Harold and Ken at Horizons, and some of you know me because I readily stop and introduce myself whenever I drive by and see an Escapee decal on a vehicle in the parking lot. I’m a lifetime Escapees member, a lifetime RVCG member, a lifetime RV Club member (an Internet RV Club where I am a Community Leader), and a lifetime Good Sam member. So...you can see I have a little bit of interest in the RV community.
I have volunteered to assist with the upcoming Rally. I’ve had a bit of experience with RV rallies, hosting two for the RV Club. I have an advantage since I’m local. If y’all don’t mind having a future owner being involved with the first Horizon’s Rally...then I’m the person. I look forward to meeting everybody that comes to the Rally, and really want to see all the wonderful personalized options you’ve incorporated into your trailers.
Ed Note: Rally information, questions, reservations to:
Shari Haywood
3304 Old Hwy 40
Junction City, Kansas 66441-8410
(785) 238-3408
e-mail: shaywood@oz-online.net
We’re very grateful for Shari, her willingness and enthusiasm. She will need help—-volunteers welcome.
Your Turn
Comments and info about almost anything.
Quick response from Horizons when
electric jack failed; received a new one in four days
Re Goshen Escapade: Check BOF
area for meeting place, NH owners
Marty/Tony Sanders, “almost
purchasers”, want to see a NH. Anyone close to Garden Grove, CA willing to show
trailer, call (714) 893-6190 or e-mail KF6SZO@ARRL.NET
A rally would be so much fun!
Would be great to share knowledge, problems, etc.
We have looked at other brands,
but once you have owned a Horizons, you will never buy anything else
We’re delighted with our new 5th
wheel and medium-duty truck; a great pair
Went to factory for minor
maintenance, new items—Horizons worker bees swarmed around and completed work
in double-quick time. (We experienced this super efficiency, and seems many
others would agree (ed. note)
I would like to see boondocking
suggestions in the HH
We recently bought a used ‘97 36’ 5W. We did a lot of research and were
thrilled to find a used one
I like the suggestions for the
Rally. The one I want & need most is Backing 101.
(Ed. note: Need more items) WRITE US
How to Determine Your Weight
Weighty Matters
Confusion reigns when we talk about the alphabet soup of weight ratings. Me too! This is what we did.
We weighed our combined trailer and truck on a scale a few miles from Escapees Headquarters, Livingston, TX. I followed the procedure outlined in Weight Ratings Explained, from Woodall’s RV Buyer’s Guide, © 1997, which was obtained off the Internet.
With trailer attached, a weight was recorded with the front wheels of the truck on the scale. This weight is the front Gross Axle Weight (GAW). It must be less than the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). Results:
GAW (front) 3800 lb.
GAWR 4074 lb.
Next weight was with the four wheels of the vehicle on the scale. It was 9200 lb. Subtracting the front GAW of 3800 lb. gave a GAW for the rear axle—5400 lb. Results:
GAW (rear) 5400 lb.
GAWR 6084 lb.
Since both front and rear GAW were lower than GAWR, the truck axles were not overloaded.
The last weight was with truck and trailer on the scale, fully loaded, two passengers, full tanks. This gave the Gross Combined Weight (GCW). This weight was 20,100 lb.
The Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCRW) for 5th wheel towing for our vehicle is 20,000 lb. So we were 100 pounds overweight.
There are lots of other weight ratings, but enough of this boring, but important, topic. Comments? Any experts out there? (Don McAnally)
Potpourri
Boondock Site
Clear Creek Reservoir, 17 miles N of Buena Vista, CO on Hwy 24, then about 1 mile W on Rd 390. Strictly boondocking, no hookups, no water. We were able to park our rig just a few feet from the Creek as it came crashing down over the rocks. Visit the ghost town 12 miles further down the road. Saw lots of wildlife and signs of beaver activity. Try the great little cafe, “Country Peddler”, in nearby town of Granite on Hwy 24. (Roy & Sandy Hunter)
Favorite Parks - Suwannee Valley Campground,
White Springs, FL, (904) 397-1667 (near Lake City, FL). Lovely park right on
the Suwannee River—nice and quiet, no traffic noise. Clean, well maintained.
Pool, large clubhouse, chapel. On-site owners, members of Camper Club of
America, Good Neighbor Park, Escapee discount park. Busy on weekends, call
ahead. (Linda & Fred Lanoue)
Blanco River RV Park, located on Blanco River, 10 miles south of Pagosa
Springs, CO on U.S. 84. 1-800-280-9429. Five miles from Echo Lake, (CO record
black bass from here). New restrooms, laundry, activity center. Cool nights,
days in the 70’s. Reasonable rates; weekly, monthly. (Tom & Natalie
Andrews)
Previously Owned NH Trailers
1995 30RK 5th wheel, no slides. Purchased new, no smoking or pets, exc.
condition, weight—10K; trade for unit with slides. Tom Andrews, 507 Ivy Dr.,
Truth or Consequences NM 87901 (505) 894-6412
1998 28RK 5th wheel, no slides, $32K, available end Sept. Clean as new. Solar
system, washer/dryer, & more. Owners buying unit with slides. Call Hunters
at (409) 777-2372 or e-mail orion@escapees.mail.com
Tips & Information
The Rubber Mat Solution
I was tired of bringing dirt into the trailer, so I bought a small rubber mat from Wal-Mart. I measured and cut the mat to fit the steps. I drilled holes through the corners of the mat and the metal steps, then fastened the mat to the steps with large metal screws and washers. The amount of grass, mud and dirt brought into the trailer has been greatly reduced. The steps still fold easily. (Michael Erb)
A New Decor
Did you know you can wallpaper the walls of your trailer to create any decor you desire? Just be sure to use a good sizing prior to putting up the paper and it will hold throughout your journeys. (Pat Coyle)
Wise Saying
Domestic happiness depends upon the ability to overlook.
(Roy L Smith)