CrossRoads RV, a manufacturer of travel trailers, fifth wheels and park models, unveiled the second phase of their new website today. It features an industry-first real-time inventory search will allow customers to find the exact floor plan, décor and options at a CrossRoads RV dealer located closest to their location, the company said in a press release. “Real-time inventory search, also known as 'Locate Your RV' is an industry first, customers can search over 380 dealer inventories and over 200 different floor plans in a matter of just a couple of minutes," said Nate Nickell, vice president of sales and marketing. “CrossRoads RV is committed in providing its customers with tools that are creative, technologically sound and easy to navigate. We want to bring our customer’s needs and the dealer inventory together. This state-of-the-art website does this,” said Nickell. "Phase 2 of the CrossRoads RV website offers retail customers and dealers “cutting edge” technology at their finger tips. CrossRoads RV is one of just a few companies in the RV industry with a high tech infrastructure that can be passed through to the web. The technology provides “real time inventory” information from each dealer on a daily basis. The company's website consistently tallies more than 50,000 visitors per month. "This tool will instantly direct these visitors to the exact dealer and floor plan they are interested in, instead of the painstaking process of multiple phone calls or driving miles only to realize the dealer has sold the floor plan you wanted to see,” said Nickell. “We have made the investment in this technology to reward dealers who have invested in CrossRoads RV," said Mark Lucas, president. "Stocking dealers will see pre-qualified and knowledgeable buyers looking to purchase from inventory, rather than ordering a retail sold unit. The end result will be increased closing ratios, elimination of aged inventory, higher turn rates, greater market share and potentially dealers will trade stock units.” Headquartered in Topeka, Indiana, CrossRoads RV manufactures a wide variety of aluminum-framed travel trailers and fifth wheels at five plant locations. More information can be obtained online at www.crossroadsrv.com.

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The 50th Annual Fort Wayne RV & Camping Show is set to run January 28-31 at the Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne.  Six local RV dealers are expected to display more than 200 RV’s and a special used camper center is back for a second year.    This event also features more than 40 exhibit booths including over a dozen campgrounds.  For more information, including a discount admission coupon, visit www.RVshows.org.   

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Renegade has announced it has expanded its motorcoach product line to include a new model targeting the RV market. The IKON by Renegade exemplifies luxury coach living and it’s built with legendary Renegade quality and fit and finish, the company said. The new IKON has unique, quality crafted baggage and compartment doors for easier operation and larger carrying capacity. Multiple air conditioning units, precise power leveling jacks, standard undercoating and other top features as standard equipment. IKON construction is the biggest advantage, said Danny Lagunas, with Renegade. The IKON’s aerodynamic exterior design means better fuel economy and the interior designs are functional and luxurious. The IKON is very customizable for those wanting a coach with individuality and it is built on a commercial duty chassis for years of service. IKON takes it up a notch with standard leather Flexsteel furniture and hide-a-bed, solid surface Corian counter tops, polished tile flooring, and more. Renegade offers a variety of floorplans with an almost unlimited list of options, appliances and accessories. Another notable advantage is that each IKON motorcoach is designed specifically for the individual customer’s use and need. This is how Renegade gained it’s reputation in the auto racing industry, said Legunas. Renegade designers and craftsmen build superior products in a state-of-the-art, 220,000 square foot manufacturing facility. A quality work environment and workforce allows Renegade to produce the finest coaches available, Legunas added. For more information visit www.kibbi.com.

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Easylife introduces the E-Z S'mores Box, a portable storage container that keeps marshmallows moist and graham crackers crisp from outing to outing. No more struggling with bags and boxes, the E-Z S'mores storage container features a patent pending freshness seal that keeps ingredients fresh. When done making treats, users simply snap on the lid and save the box until the next campfire. For more informationvisit www.ezsmoresbox.com. SOURCE: Easylife press release

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Carriage has moved its parts and service department to a new facility with more than 18,000 square feet, providing ample space for growth and improvement, according to Don Emahiser, president and CEO. “We expect this move to allow Carriage to be more efficient and operate in a more professional manner,” said Emahiser. The parts inventory is now centrally located, as opposed to being spread out across several buildings. Crating and packaging departments are now combined, increasing efficiency. A new, higher ceiling clearance also has the potential for increased shelving capacity and inventory. The Carriage Service Department has grown over the years from two fully-functional service bays to today's potential of having up to a dozen units in the service shop. There is now, at the new facility, a stationary roofing scaffold to compliment roll-away scaffolds, making any roof work easier for Carriage technicians. Also, a new rail-lift system, which will assist in slideroom work and other big jobs that require support and movement, is featured. “Carriage corporate and sales offices have also moved to larger buildings for a more comfortable and accommodating space for staff and visitors. All of these improvements should streamline processes and improve Carriage's ability to support its dealers and their efforts to garner and retain Carriage customers,” said Emahiser.

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Yellowstone National Park hosted a record number of visitors in 2009. Nearly 3.3 million people visited the world’s first national park last year, up 7.5 percent from 2008 and up 4.6 percent from the previous record of 3.15 million visitors set in 2007. All park entrances recorded annual visitation increases compared to 2008 levels. Double-digit percentage increases were recorded through the Northeast and East entrances. The West entrance continues to be the park’s busiest, which recorded over 1.3 million recreational visitors in 2009. Yellowstone National Park' top 10 busiest years for recreational visitors include: 2009 = 3,295,187 2007 = 3,151,343 1992 = 3,144,405 1999 = 3,131,381 1995 = 3,125,285 1998 = 3,120,830 2008 = 3,066,570 1994 = 3,046,145 2003 = 3,019,375 1996 = 3,102,171 Visitation to Yellowstone National Park for the month of December was up 10.8 percent compared to 2008. Of the 18,107 visitors to Yellowstone in December, 9,483 came by automobile, RV, or bus; 4,740 were passengers on snowcoaches; and 4,512 entered the park on guided snowmobile tours. Access to the interior of the park is restricted to oversnow travel from December 15 through March 15. The North Entrance and the road from Gardiner, Montana, through Mammoth Hot Springs on to Cooke City, outside the park’s Northeast Entrance, is open to wheeled vehicle travel all year.

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Free Service Lists Road Conditions, Construction Work on State Highways INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announces a dramatic expansion of its free TrafficWise traveler information service to include updated reports for all State Roads, U.S. Highways and Interstates around the state.  Starting today, motorists now have a new tool to plan their travels by visiting TrafficWise.IN.gov or dialing 800-261-ROAD (7623). "The new INDOT TrafficWise service is our first advanced technology deployment that covers both rural and urban state highways in all corners of Indiana," said INDOT Commissioner Michael W. Reed.  "As the busy Thanksgiving travel holiday draws nearer, INDOT encourages motorists to 'Know Before You Go' by arming themselves with information from the new INDOT TrafficWise service." INDOT's TrafficWise service is the first to launch new software, developed with pooled Federal funds from a dozen states, that provides more user-friendly Web and phone traveler information.  Motorists accustomed to dialing the Indiana State Police Winter Road Conditions Hotline at 800-261-ROAD (7623) will now reach the new INDOT TrafficWise service.  In addition to winter road conditions, callers will also hear year-round reports of traffic delays caused by roadway maintenance, construction or crashes. Controlled by a caller's voice or numeric keypad, the phone system provides traffic reports for individual state highways or those within major metropolitan regions.   Additional information is available on the INDOT TrafficWise Web site at TrafficWise.IN.gov, including reports of future road construction or maintenance.  Links to existing INDOT TrafficWise sites provide traffic speed estimates and snapshots from 80 traffic cameras within the Northwest and Central Indiana urban areas. INDOT's TrafficWise Traveler Information Service is part of an ongoing effort to improve the efficiency and safety of our highways using Intelligent Transportation Systems. Deployment of advanced technology helps route traffic to cut down on delays and its effects, including secondary crashes and pollution. This also helps maximize use of the existing road network, reducing the long-term need for costly and disruptive road expansion projects.

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DNR gift ideas for those who don't need more stuff The Indiana DNR has gift solutions for the person on your gift list who's more concerned about the state's outdoors than acquiring more stuff. Convenient contributions in that person's name can be made to support a number of outdoor causes.   Help schools fund field trips for children to Indiana state parks and reservoirs by donating to the Discovering the Outdoors Fund, administered through the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation at  http://www.IN.gov/ai/appfiles/inrf-donations/ and including "Discovering the Outdoors Fund" in the "In Honor Of/Memory Of" line. Support the care of birds of prey used in educational programming at Patoka Lake, including fund-raising for support for a new permanently injured bald eagle to replace C52, which died this fall. Donate online at http://www.IN.gov/ai/appfiles/inrf-donations/  and place "C52" in the "In Honor of/Memory of" line, or call (812) 685-2447 for more information. Support a person's favorite state park or reservoir with a financial gift in their honor by contacting Ginger Murphy, assistant director for stewardship in the Division of State Parks and Reservoirs, at (317) 232-4143, gmurphy@dnr.IN.gov, or writing to: State Parks and Reservoirs, 402 W. Washington St., Room W298, Indianapolis, IN 46204. Give a Friends Group membership to McCormick's Creek, Spring Mill, Lincoln, Falls of the Ohio, Indiana Dunes, Mounds, Turkey Run/Shades or Brown County state parks, or to Hardy Lake, Cagles Mill Lake (Lieber SRA) or the Upper Wabash Reservoirs by contacting Murphy at the phone number or address above. Support the Dwight Chamberlain Raptor Rehabilitation Center at Hardy Lake, where injured hawks and owls receive care and are released. Permanently injured birds are used in programming for schools and families. Contact Leslie Grow at (812) 794-3800. Support land acquisition and a variety of other projects throughout the DNR by contributing to Indiana Heritage Trust. For more information, contact (317) 233-1002, nheinzelman@dnr.IN.gov, or write to: The Indiana Heritage Trust, 402 W. Washington, W256, Indianapolis, IN 46204 Make sure to give your child or grandchild the gift of a time for a winter hike, a hunting trip or a nature center visit at a state park, reservoir or state forest trail in January. Written acknowledgments for donations can be provided, but may not be available until after the holiday season. For up-to-date information about happenings in the DNR, visit dnr.IN.gov.

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Annual Christmas Eve Trek at Pokagon SP Be sure to have the shopping done and holiday plans finalized before Dec. 24, so you can participate in Pokagon State Park's 11th annual Christmas Eve Morning Trek.   Participants need to meet in the Potawatomi Inn Lobby at 9 a.m. for the hike back to the historic Spring Shelter. At the shelter, relax around a campfire, enjoy refreshments, and share Christmas cheer.   There is no fee for the program. Park entrance fees of $5 per vehicle for Indiana residents and $7 per vehicle for non-residents will apply.

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