Posted by David Porter on September 8, 2010 · 1 Comment
Author Jackie Dishner
Book Review: Backroads and Byways of Arizona, by Jackie Dishner – Here is an extraordinary fact that we learned shortly after moving to Scottsdale a few years ago: a very small percentage of Arizona has been developed. I seem to recall less than 15%.
That means two things to visitors of Arizona:
- There are vast wide open spaces to explore.
- If you only visit Arizona’s metropolitan areas, then you haven’t seen Arizona.
Coming from Michigan, we were ill prepared to take in the incredible beauty, the unfamiliar long range views, the significant presence of mountain ranges, the massive reservoirs, the immense forest lands, the uniqueness of the Sonoran desert, the significantly different flora and fauna, the seemingly endless hiking trails, and the Grand Canyon for heavens sake!
I implore you, when you visit Arizona, get out on the backroads and byways and stand mute before the imponderable beauty of this land.
And when you do that, you must have Jackie Dishner’s Backroads and Byways of Arizona along with you.
Having Jackie’s book is like having Jackie in your navigator’s seat. Her book sets forth 12 proposed trips, and then she guides you all along the way with turn by turn directions, highlighting points of interest, recommending places to eat, places to stay, and things to do all along the way.
Carol and I are looking forward to exploring a few of her excursions. In fact, we intend to begin with her Wine Country North tour in just a few weeks.
After you spend a day with Jackie’s book, you can also continue the relationship by following her blog: B.I.K.E. with Jackie.
If you are planning a trip to Arizona, this is one book you will want to have in your hands.
Disclosure: Jackie’s publisher sent us a free copy of this book to review. I hope you know us well enough by now to know that you will always get an honest review from The Roaming Boomers, and any media benefit that we may receive will never, ever be enough to turn us away from your earned trust. Without your trust, we might as well stay home with our bags unpacked!
Posted by David Porter on September 8, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Back in February, I wrote an article about the newly created Corporation for Travel Promotion which was promulgated by the Travel Promotion Act.
From the US Travel Association:
“The Travel Promotion Act creates the Corporation for Travel Promotion, modeled after successful programs in U.S. states and other developed nations, with the mission of attracting more visitors to the United States. The initiative is funded through a matching program featuring up to $100 million in private sector contributions and a $10 fee on foreign travelers who do not pay $131 for a visa to enter the United States. The fee will be collected once every two years in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization. No money is provided by U.S. taxpayers.”
As noted, $10 of the money goes directly to the Corporation for Travel Promotion, while $4 remains behind for administrative purposes.
The thinking behind all of this is to play catch-up with other nations who spend millions of dollars promoting tourism for their countries.
What are your thoughts?
Do you think we will see the hoped for annual surge of 1.6 million new international visitors?
Note: Creative Commons Flickr photograph courtesy of Ludovic Bertron
Posted by David Porter on September 5, 2010 · 2 Comments
Nighty night. Sleep tight. And don’t let the bedbugs bite!
This was an oft heard phrase from my childhood. However, in my 53 years, I don’t think I have ever actually seen a bedbug. Nor, to my knowledge, have I ever been bitten by one.
They are actually quite ugly bugs. Don’t you think?
I was reading a press release from Terminix (the pest control folks) the other day, and they noted that bedbugs were nearly eradicated after World War II. However, with increased international travel, these little buggers have evidently taken our country by storm.
The 2010 most bedbug-infested cities include:
1. New York
2. Philadelphia
3. Detroit
4. Cincinnati
5. Chicago
6. Denver
7. Columbus, Ohio
8. Dayton, Ohio |
9. Washington, D.C.
10. Los Angeles
11. Boston
12. Indianapolis
13. Louisville, Ky.
14. Cleveland
15. Minneapolis, Minn. |
It seems that the state of Ohio wins the dubious award of being the most bedbug infested state in our nation.
Here are 10 tips from Terminix to protect yourself while traveling and at home:
Because of the bedbugs’ tendency to hitch rides from one location to the next, high-traffic areas such as hotels, motels, airplanes and cruise ships are especially susceptible to infestations. Travelers should use the following tips to protect themselves from bedbugs:
- Check headboards, mattresses and box springs for bedbugs and the dark blood spots they leave behind.
- Hang all clothing. Leave nothing lying on the bed or furniture.
- Avoid unpacking clothing and storing your clothing in the hotel’s furniture drawers.
- Store baggage on a luggage rack as far from the bed as possible.
- Vacuum suitcases when returning, and immediately wash clothing in hot water.
Consumers do not have to travel in order to bring a bedbug infestation into the home. According to Terminix data, reports of bedbug infestations in office buildings and retail shops are on the rise, and homeowners should use the following tips to protect themselves:
- Inspect furniture, antiques, used appliances or consignment items for signs of bedbugs before bringing them into the home.
- Never pick up used mattresses or furniture left curbside.
- Inspect clothing for bedbugs and wash (in hot water) new items in hot water after bringing them into the house.
- Use zippered encasements on infested mattresses and box springs.
- If you suspect you have bedbugs, have your home inspected by a trained professional. Bedbugs cannot be controlled by over-the-counter treatments.
For a further understanding of these pesky little bloodsuckers, here is a piece from Michael F. Potter, Extension Entomologist, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.
Now, you might want to go check your mattress.
Posted by David Porter on September 5, 2010 · Leave a Comment
This week we’re attending the Vine & Dine Valrhona Chocolate Dinner at the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North’s Talavera Restaurant.
Posted by David Porter on September 4, 2010 · 1 Comment
USA Today’s Barbara De Lollis is reporting that Wisconsin in July passed a statewide smoking ban that bans smoking in every hotel guest room.
From USA Today:
“In most states that have banned smoking in public places, such as Kansas, the legislation allows hoteliers to exempt a certain percentage of guest rooms.
But in Wisconsin, “there can be zero rooms” that allow smoking in sleeping rooms, Trisha Pugal, CEO of Wisconsin Hotel and Lodging Association told me in an interview.”
I, for one, can’t stand the foul smell of a smoking hotel room. However, we always stay in non-smoking rooms.
What do you think of this new law? Is this fair to people who choose to smoke?
The Roaming Boomers
