For the past 15 years, the Audubon Society has ranked this area as one of the top bird-watching sites in the nation.
Matagorda Bay RV Park, a new 70-site facility managed by Recreation Resource Management, is now open year-round not far from the beach. It features full-hookup concrete pads, modern bathrooms with showers, a coin-operated laundry, and a convenience store. The main preserve and RV park are ADA-accessible.
During March, April, and May the preserve hosts birds on their spring migrations and welcomes them back on their fall travels in September, October, and November. Migrating butterflies stop by from late September through November. January and February highlights include raptor breeding displays.
Matagorda Island-Mad Island Marsh has recorded one of the highest species totals in the United States since the bird count began there 15 years ago, according to Geoff LeBaron, Christmas Bird Count director for Audubon Science. More than 250 varieties of birds have been counted in a single day. The preserve is a protected estuary located on the central flyway “” one of four principal North American migratory bird routes and part of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. More than 300 species of birds call Matagorda Bay home, either full-time or during their migratory travels.
With 22 miles of Gulf of Mexico beach to explore, and miles of Colorado River frontage, there’s plenty of room to off-road or hike. Four free public piers “” three river and one oceanfront “” provide places to fish, and all of them are right on the beach and easily accessible. Other features include a beachfront bird-watching tower, miles of walking paths dotted with shaded critter-watching stations, covered picnic shelters, and a group pavilion.
Matagorda Bay Nature Preserve is located just south of Matagorda, Texas. For details about the preserve or RV park, visit www.matagordabayrv.com or call (979) 863-7120.
Liberty Coach Celebrates 30 Years With Prevost
On July 9, Frank and Jeanne Konigseder, founders of luxury coach converter Liberty Coach, based in North Chicago, Illinois, were honored by Gaetan Bolduc, president and CEO of Prevost Car, for their 30-year association with the bus shell manufacturer. The presentation was made in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, during the gala dinner for the Prevost Quebec Rally, held to coincide with the city’s 400th anniversary celebration.
Mr. Bolduc presented the couple with an Inukshuk stone sculpture created by the Canadian Inuit people to commemorate this milestone. Also on hand were the Konigseders’ sons, Frank Jr. and Kurt, along with their wives and families. Helping to present the award to the couple was their eldest grandchild, Taylor Konigseder.
What began as a family hobby for the Konigseders in 1968 “” creating motorhomes out of old buses “” grew into a business in 1970. With the introduction of the Prevost motorhome shell in 1978, the business expanded.
Liberty Coach remains a family-owned company, with most of the daily operations handled by Frank Jr. and Kurt, along with approximately 150 employees. Frank is a mechanical engineer and also handles the factory sales; Frank’s wife, Carolyn, is involved with marketing and rallies; and Kurt and his wife, Kim, an interior designer, work together to develop new designs and floor plans utilizing 3-D computer-aided design technology.
In 2001 Liberty Coach opened a factory sales and service center in Stuart, Florida. This 16,000-square-foot indoor showroom includes a six-bay Prevost factory-authorized service center and an on-site campground for clients.
For more information about Liberty Coach or Liberty Coach of Florida, visit www.libertycoach.com.
Thetford Unveils “Green” RV Care Products
Responding to customer demand for more environmentally friendly products, Thetford Corporation is using new vegetable-based detergents in its RV-care product line. The company has replaced petroleum-based detergents with corn-based cleansers in more than 10 popular products. The new cleaning products are said to be equal in performance to the petroleum-based cleaning agents but milder to the skin and derived from 100 percent renewable resources.
Thetford’s new Premium RV Care products contain wetting agents made entirely from corn. Developed at the company’s research laboratories in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the new cleansers are 100 percent biodegradable. In addition, Thetford product containers are made with 25 percent post-consumer recycled high-density polyethylene and also are recyclable.
“Green” products currently in Thetford’s Premium RV Care line include Premium Awning Cleaner, Premium UltraFoam Awning Cleaner, Premium Rubber Roof Cleaner, and Premium Wash & Wax. Mary Burrows, manager of chemical development, noted that the company hopes to incorporate an environmentally friendly base into its other Premium RV Care products within the next year.
For more information about Thetford products, visit http://www.thetford.com/.