Construction of UFO RV Resort To Start In Roswell

Above, a new RV park will join Trailer Village RV Park in Roswell. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When we visited Roswell, New Mexico in July 2018 for the UFO Festival, we stayed at the Trailer Village RV Park.

Like many other Roswell businesses, the RV park had alien figures on the property along with souvenirs. The town's McDonalds restaurant is even designed to look like a flying saucer.

As things often happen, a new business capitalizing on UFO tourism is about to start construction in the town, UFO RV Resort. Yes, that's going to be the park's name.

KOB Channel 4 reported:

ROSWELL, N.M. — The City of Roswell is working to address its housing shortage while also boosting the tourism industry with an RV park.

The UFO RV Resort will be off Second Street — the perfect spot for both tourists and residents looking for a permanent spot for their RV. The owner of the property, along with city leaders, gathered at the site earlier this week to start construction on the project.

To read more, go here. 

UFO Sites To Visit In The U.S.

Above, an alien on display at the Roswell International UFO
 Museum and Research Center. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those who are interested in UFOs (or UAPs), RV Travel posted an article on "wacky, weird UFO sites to visit in the U.S."

One of the places mentioned is Roswell, New Mexico, which I visited during the annual UFO Festival in July 2018.

They begin with:

Recently, U.S. F-16 and F-22 fighter jets shot down three “UFOs” flying over North American airspace. The Pentagon recently reported that the U.S. government has received more than 350 reports of UFOs since 2021. (The government names these sightings as “unidentified aerial phenomena.”) Even if you’re not a UFO enthusiast, this news is certainly intriguing. It reminds me of the fascinating places you can visit and learn more about UFOs right here in the USA.

Since the article is from RV Travel, I should mention that we stayed at Trailer Village RV Park in Roswell.

Above, the office of Trailer Village RV Park in Roswell. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

How Safe Is An RV In A Lightning Storm?

Above, lightning storm clouds near Route 66 RV Resort in Albuquerque. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I bought The Beast seven years ago, I have experienced lightning storms while camping in it. Most notably, Route 66 RV Resort in Albuquerque and Trailer Village RV Park in Roswell (remember, a lightning storm allegedly downed a UFO there in 1947).

The question of whether an RV is a safe place to be in during a lightning storm is the subject of a new article in RV Life.

They begin it with:

Many of us have heard the advice that a car is a safe place to hide out during a lightning storm. But is the same thing true for RVs? Are these vehicles truly safe havens from lightning, or are they more dangerous than being outside? These are all fair questions, and it’s important for RVers to follow some proper lightning safety tips. 

To answer the main question: You are safe from lighting in your RV if it has an outer layer of metal. If lightning strikes this surface, it will deflect harmlessly away and will not hurt the people inside. If you are in an RV that is mainly made of fiberglass and wood, you would be safer inside your tow vehicle. These RVs will be more severely damaged by lightning strikes and could catch fire. 

To read further on, go here. 

Mistakes To Avoid On Your First RV Trip

Above, The Beast at Trailer Village RV Park in Roswell, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since people are generally avoiding air travel and sea cruises due to the coronavirus, RV rentals and sales have shot up through the roof. Many of these are first-timers to the world of recreational vehicles and mistakes will be made.

Travel + Leisure has an article on five mistakes to avoid while on a first RV trip.

They begin with:

If your vacation plans have shifted this year, chances are, you've entertained the thought of taking an RV road trip. And whether you're interested in renting a motorhome for a week or investing in one for years of future travel, there are plenty of factors to consider — and mistakes to avoid — when planning a trip to ensure you have the best getaway possible.

With that in mind, we consulted the experts at Outdoorsy, a popular RV rental service, about how to plan a perfect road trip. From choosing the wrong type of RV to forgetting to pack the essentials, there are several mistakes travelers can make along the way. Luckily, Outdoorsy's cofounder and CMO, Jen Young, helped us identify five common mistakes and ways to avoid them.

To read more, go here. 

What To Know About RV Travel

Above, The Beast at Trailer Village RV Park in Roswell, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Many people are opting to travel this summer by RV instead of by airline or cruises, and some of them are doing so for the first time.

National Geographic has an article on things people should know about RV travel.

They begin with:

TRAVELERS ARE GEARING up for summer getaways, but with more than 20 states reporting spikes in COVID-19 cases in June, vacations involving air travel and large gatherings are likely to remain on hold. If you’re driven to distraction by wanderlust, here’s a tip: Take a spin in an RV. 

The pandemic has fueled interest in recreational vehicles—RVs, campervans, and travel trailers. As a result, motor home sales and rentals have dramatically ramped up. While industry-wide data has yet to be fully compiled, RV dealers that reopened in early May report monthly sales are up 170 percent year over year; bookings through rental site RVshare for the Fourth of July weekend are up 81 percent over 2019. 

What’s more, the duration of rentals has increased. “We have seen an uptick in the amount people are spending because the average rental period has increased,” says Jon Gray, of peer-to-peer booking site RVshare. “Instead of a long weekend, renters are booking for an average of seven to 10 days.”

To read more, go here. 

Grand Canyon Star Party June 22-29

Remember starry nights at the Grand Canyon with dark sky souvenirs from ShopGrandCanyon.com! From June 22-29, Grand Canyon National Park visitors and residents will explore famously dark skies during our annual Star Party. Free nightly astronomy programs and telescope viewing will demonstrate the wonders of the night sky for visitors of all ages. ShopGrandCanyon.com souvenirs feature Grand Canyon's starry nights on mugs, keychains, magnets, water bottles and more. Can't make the Star Party this year? Plan your visit any time during Grand Canyon National Park's centennial year in 2019 by visiting our Trip Planningsection. SHOP NOW     Grand Canyon Dark Sky Wide Mug $14.99   Depicting pristine dark skies over Grand Canyon, this solid ceramic mug also features a coyote and an elk in silhouette.   BUY NOW Night Skies of the American Southwest $19.95   You'll be dazzled by these full color photographs of starry night skies over public lands such as Grand Canyon, Zion and Arches National Parks.   BUY NOW Constellations Water Bottle $24.99   Remember your view of the darkest of night skies at Grand Canyon with this constellation water bottle. It may come in handy as a constellation reference on your next camping trip!   BUY NOW Want to know more about Grand Canyon National Park? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Need lodging for your Grand Canyon visit? Make reservations at Yavapai Lodge or Trailer Village RV Park at VisitGrandCanyon.com or call 877-404-4614.   877-404-4614 VisitGrandCanyon.com   Discover Grand Canyon Yavapai Lodge Trailer Village RV Park Plan Your Adventure Explore Desert View Dining and Shopping   © 2019 DNC Parks & Resorts at Grand Canyon 11 Yavapai Lodge Road Grand Canyon, AZ 86023

2019 Roswell UFO Festival

Above, the Roswell "welcome" sign. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The dates for next year's Roswell UFO Festival have been announced.

From the organizer's website:

In 2018 we hosted over 20,000 aliens in Roswell! We were so amazed! Our surveys indicated people from 43 states and 7 different countries. Countless media groups and live coverage network shows, and numerous printed stories. 

In 2018 we had some exciting additions including the NASA Space Suit and Alien Autopsy.  We are working hard on new additions in 2019 to make this festival even bigger and better than ever. Be sure to join almost 35,000 subscribers at the bottom of the page for updates! 

We have only begun, so much of the information you see now will be from 2018.  We are working on 2019, so be sure to check back periodically. 

This year the Festival will be held July 5-7, 2019 – make plans to attend now!  We encourage you to arrive a few days early to enjoy the City of Roswell July 4 Extravaganza.  Many hotels are already filling up with reservations, so we recommend making reservations immediately! 

The City of Roswell invites UFO enthusiasts and skeptics alike to join in the celebration of one of the most debated incidents in history. The three-day event will feature guest speakers, authors, live entertainment, a costume contest, parade, a pet costume contest, parade, family-friendly activities and more.

I attended the 2018 UFO Festival and had a great time. If the were any drawbacks to the event, it is so spread out that people need to prepare to do a lot of walking. Public transportation is limited. What would really benefit the festival would be a centralized convention center where events (panels, shows, etc.) can be held. About the nearest thing for a centralized location is the International UFO Museum and Research Center.

Above, the office of Trailer Village RV Park in Roswell. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Along with hotels, Roswell also has RV parks in the city. We stayed at the Trailer Village RV Park.

To read more, go here.

Still Unexplained: UFOs Over Wartime Germany

Above, an alien at the Roswell Trailer Village RV park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

U.S. airmen over World War II Germany in November 1944 spotted some strange lights. At first, they thought they were some sort of weapon the Nazis were deploying, which is understandable. But they were something else.

According to an article in History.com:

It was nearly the end of World War II. But for the airmen of the 415th Night Fighter Squadron, it felt more like the beginning of War of the Worlds. 

Lt. Fred Ringwald was the first to see it. He was riding as observer in a night fighter piloted by Lt. Ed Schlueter, with Lt. Donald J. Meiers on radar. It was a late November evening in 1944, partly cloudy with a quarter moon. They were roaming the Rhine Valley just north of Strasbourg on the French-German border when Ringwald said, “I wonder what those lights are, over there in the hills,” according to an American Legion Magazine story on the sightings from 1945. 

There were eight to 10 of them in a row, glowing fiery orange. Then Schlueter saw them off his right wing. They checked with Allied ground radar, but they registered nothing. Thinking that the lights might be some kind of German air weapon, Schlueter turn the plane to fight…only to have the lights vanish. 

At first the men said nothing, fearing they’d be ostracized. But then the sightings spread through the unit.

To read more, go here. 

How To Choose The Right RV and Dealership

Above, RVs of all kinds at the Trailer Village RV Park in Roswell, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you are in the market to buy a recreational vehicle, it is something that great thought should be put into before purchasing.

Those who are experienced RV owners already know (for the most part) what to look for when shopping (a RV show is the best place to compare units and brands) for a RV. Such was my case when I purchased my Winnebago Minnie Winnie. I previously owned a pop-up trailer (tent trailer) and a micro-mini Class C motorhome.

The Daily Sentinel has an article on how to choose the right RV and dealership (not all are created equal).

They begin with:

Recreational vehicles are a great way to see the country and allow owners the freedom to travel, perhaps spending time with far-flung family or spending family time up in the mountains. 

They are great for fun and vacations, but they are a huge investment. And investing in one is a lot more complicated than buying in a car. 

Your first step in purchasing an RV is to ask yourself what you would like to do in your recreational vehicle. Are you using it to travel the country or do you want to be out in the desert away from it all? What sizes and styles do you prefer? Are you partial to purchasing a new or used RV? 

Are you planning on using your RV for weekend trips, week-long vacations or as a second home in the winter, where you'll be in an RV park somewhere sunny and snowless? Perhaps you're ready to sell your home and live full-time in an RV. 

The more time you spend in your RV, the more carefully you need to consider your purchase. For full-timers, it may feel like you're buying real estate.

To read more, go here. 

Trailer Village RV Park In Roswell Review Posted

Above, the front office of Trailer Village RV Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My review of Roswell, New Mexico's Trailer Village RV Park has been posted at RV Park Reviews.

Above, a view of the park from the front. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In a nutshell:

We stayed here for the UFO Festival and found the staff to be friendly and helpful. They have some RV supplies and UFO souvenirs in their office/store. We had a nice and spacious back-in site with shade. They have a laundry room near the rear of the park. There is no swimming pool. They escort guests to their sites and help with positioning your RV. The site we had was gravel with a grassy "yard". But these sites don't have picnic tables. Sites with concrete pads (in the center of the park) do have picnic tables. We would stay here again. We camped at Trailer Village RV Park in a Motorhome.

Above, the sites on the right have tables, the ones on the left do not. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Although the grassy sites don't have picnic tables, they were much roomier than the ones with concrete islands that did.

To read the full review, go here. 

Another Storm Approaching Roswell

Like yesterday, an approaching storm is coming in from the southeast towards Roswell, New Mexico. And, like yesterday, it is preceded by a rainbow. I can hear thunder in the distance.

I went out and took some photos of the rainbow.

Here they are:

Since yesterday's storm didn't bring down any UFOs in Roswell, maybe tonight's will?

2015 Shasta Airflyte 16 Reissue Travel Trailer

Above, a 2015 Shasta Airflyte 16 Reissue Travel Trailer. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At the campsite next door is a 2015 Shasta Airflyte 16 Reissue Travel Trailer. I always thought the Shasta trailers looked cool, in a retro sort of way.

According to Roaming Times:

For 2015, Shasta has created a nearly exact replica of it’s iconic 1961 Shasta Airflyte 16SC Travel Trailer complete with the legendary Shasta wings! Shasta started in 1941 and to commemorate their 75th anniversary they are producing a limited construction of 1,941 trailers and will be available in all three original colors; Matador Red, Seafoam Green, and Butternut Yellow.

I was talking to the lady of the trailer and I told her that it looks good. Her response was, "It's a piece of junk!" She admits that she's still learning how everything works. She admired my Minnie Winnie. I told her I've had no problems with it.

For more on the Shasta Airflyte 16 Reissue Travel Trailer, go here.

ECV Plate Drawing Some Attention

Above, my ECV plate on The Beast's front bumper. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My E Clampus Vitus plate on my RV seems to be drawing attention on this trip.

First, the owner of the Happy Trails RV Campground in Moriarty, New Mexico asked me about Clampers. I explained it to him.

Next, a few minutes ago, a fellow camper at the Trailer Village RV Park in Roswell walked by to use the dumpster. On his way back, he said that he didn't know there are Clampers in New Mexico. I explained that the Lost Dutchman Chapter covers New Mexico and Arizona. He said that he has relatives in ECV in the San Francisco Bay Area.

He said that he will look into the Lost Dutchman Chapter.

Made It To Roswell!

Above, yours truly with the Welcome To Roswell sign. Photo by Jess.

Jess and I made it to Roswell, New Mexico today.

It was a 160-mile drive from Moriarty, New Mexico. We got to the city at around 11:00 this morning.

Above, Jess with the welcome sign. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first stop we made after reaching the city limits was to take pictures at the Welcome To Roswell sign.

Above, Jess in front of the RV park office and store. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, one of the aliens in front of Trailer Village. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After the stop at the welcome sign, we headed down Main Street to get to the Trailer Village RV Park on Second Street. Along the way, we noticed many businesses with alien figures in front of them. Roswell has really embraced the 1947 UFO crash, which is all the more remarkable since the Army threatened many witnesses to the crash and their viewing of the debris and bodies. Trailer Village also has their share of aliens in front. They also have a gift shop filled with alien goods. Inside the office, is the famous front page of the Roswell Daily Record.

Above, the famous front page of the Roswell Daily Record. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Roswell Trailer Village RV Park is a nice park on Second Street, about a mile and a half from the UFO Museum (more on the museum in another blog post).

Above, our campsite. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The UFO Festival begins tomorrow.