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Sunday, June 29, 2008
Feature Book: The Strangest Town in Alaska...where locals walk their reindeer
I recently read The
Strangest Town in Alaska, which tells the true story about this
frontier town of Whittier that was built in a remote and beautiful area
around Prince William Sound.
For those who like the unusual and
travel, it's a very enjoyable read. Also, see our other recommended
travel books.
Our trip several years ago to Alaska
took us to the town and former military base of Whittier. Situated in
Prince William Sound among mountains, the only access for 50 years was
by railroad. Automobiles now share the one-way access through the 2.5
mile tunnel through the mountain to get to Whittier. Built during WWII,
the town has two of the largest buildings in Alaska, which is intended
to house military and civilians for emergencies. While we were there we
saw more than one local out walking their pet reindeer on a leash..
Most
of the 300 residents live in one of the buildings. We took a couple of
glacier tours in the area that took us up close to catch a glimpse of
orcas, sea lions, seals, even bald eagles, and also see calving
glaciers. This area of Alaska is stark and so beautiful.
This photo
was taken on the way to Whittier, with a view of fireweed in the
foreground, which we make delicious jelly from. Once you start to see
the fireweed wane, it's a sign that fall is on it's way with the long
winter.
Edited on: Sunday, June 29, 2008 6:23 PM
Categories: Destinations, Travel Books
Thursday, June 26, 2008
South Padre Island - A Texas coastal mecca
Coming up in July, our RV heads to South Padre Island KOA to feature the
great beach views and many activities to do there that makes it so
popular. Schlitterbahn Water Park is situated just across the street. We
also plan to highlight some of the other top attractions to see while
visiting the island.
According to the South Padre Island
Convention & Visitor's Bureau, here are just a few great reasons South
Padre is the place to be this summer...
•Men’s Fitness magazine
recently rated South Padre Island as one of 10 places worth visiting
this summer.
•Ranked No. 3 destination for 2006 Texas non-residents
travel and No. 5 for destination traveled to by overall Texas visitors.
•Designated
in 2007 as holding one of the Top 10 Sand-Castle Contests in the United
States by Coastal Living magazine.
•Designated in 2007 as one of the
World’s Top 30 Island Beaches by Condé Nast Traveler magazine.
•Designated
in 2007 as a top destination in the 100 Hot-City Guide on
Cosmopolitan.com.
•The boardwalk of the South Padre Island’s Laguna
Madre Nature Trail was listed in the state’s top 10 list by Texas Parks
& Wildlife, The Outdoor Magazine of Texas.
•Designated in 2006 by
National Geographic Adventure magazine as one of the top 10 destinations
for Trips with a Splash. Kiteboarding was recognized.
•Designated in
2006 by AOL’s SmartMoney.com as one of the top five destinations for
purchasing a vacation home.
•Designated in 2006 by MSN.com’s
CitySearch editors as one of the nation’s top 10 beaches.
•Designated
in 2006 by TRIPSO.com, a travel news Web site, as one of the nation’s
Top 10 Hot Spots for Spring Break.
•Designated in 2006 by the Travel
Channel as one of America’s Best Beaches for Families.
•South
Padre Island’s Bikefest named in the Top 10 Best in Texas Events for
2006 list by Ride Texas Travel Magazine.
•Designated in 2005 by
EscapeHomes.com as the No. 2 location to purchase an affordable vacation
home.
•Designated in 2005 by MSN.com’s CitySearch editors as one of
the nation’s top 10 beaches.
•Designated in 2005 as No. 1 on
the Top 10 Beaches for Vacationers by a travel industry authority,
TravelExperts.
•Received in 2005 a Top Restored Beach Award by the
American Shore and Beach Preservation Association.
•Named in 2000 and
2001 by the Travel Channel as America’s third-best beach, and ranked No.
2 for top Spring Break destinations for 2008.
With the price of gas, many are opting for shorter vacations. What better place to go than a trip to South Padre Island? Long overdue, we plan a special segment to highlight just what makes this Texas coastal area so very special. Have ideas for things you'd like to see? Let us know. Been to the island? What are your favorite attractions? If we use your suggestion, we'll send you a special travel book.
Edited on: Thursday, June 26, 2008 10:49 PM
Categories: Destinations
Sneak peak - new F-250 Super Chief Truck Hydrogen Powered
Ford has announced their new F-250 Super Chief will use the world’s
first Tri-Flex fuel engine and sport an innovative exterior/interior
design. The frontend design is said to be the direction for what other
Ford trucks will be patterned after.
The engine will operate either
with gasoline, hydrogen, or E85 ethanol, and get a reported 12 percent
better fuel economy, with 99 percent fewer CO2 emissions in hydrogen
mode and 500 miles between fill-ups according to Ford. The drawback
besides the likely hefty price tag? The new F-250 is set for 4 years
from now in 2012. 
With
a slant towards the upscale market, appointments will include a roof
made of glass, with a leather-wrapped grid and flooring (including the
truck bed...) lined with American walnut.
I
can only hope that Ford and other domestic car manufacturers will
release more hydrogen and mixed fuel vehicles without having to wait
four years. No word on what the F-250 Super Chief 2012 model's towing
capacity will be. Course, this upscale truck on the distant horizon is
not one that RVers will look towards to tow their fifth wheels...
Monday, June 23, 2008
Coming up in July - the Texas Coast
We return to the Texas coast in July, and will have numerous new travel
gems to share with our features planned so far.
From this news
report, we'll be taking our fishing gear for sure as it is expected to
be a record fishing season this summer for redfish, trout, and red drum.
Read
the full story here.
We
plan to visit the Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, and Padre Island areas
especially.
With 131 miles of beaches, Corpus Christi provides lots
of variety, including the historic USS Lexington, and the Texas State
Aquarium.
View a previous Feature Attraction on a flounder gigging trip we made at Aransas
Pass with Captain Dupnik.
Have
ideas or suggestions for what attractions you'd like to see in our new
Texas coast features? Let
us know. If we use your suggestion, we'll send you a special travel
book.
Edited on: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 8:10 AM
Categories: Attractions, Travel News
Sunday, June 22, 2008
3 Ways to Lower Gas Prices
With all the talk about high gas prices (not to mention diesel), there
will be some lively discussion in the upcoming Presidential debates.
Here
are some common sense ways to do something about it that should be at
the center of the debates.
As is referred to in the video by the
former Speaker Newt Gingrich (who has seen his share of hypocrisy), it
will take new leadership in Congress and government that is willing to
take bold action.
Otherwise, we can look forward to $5 and $6 per
gallon gasoline in the near future.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Coming Soon: Top Memphis Attractions
Next week, one of our travel writers with family in tow ventures to
Memphis to discover the wilds of the Memphis Zoo and provide unique
perspectives to the historic wonders of the Pink Palace Museum.
Designed
for the founder of Piggly Wiggly in the early 1920s, Clarence Saunders'
pink Georgian marble mansion is now the centerpiece for a family of
museums that includes an IMAX theatre, nature and science musuems, and
planetarium. It should be some interesting features.
View a video snippet of Memphis, with the music of Marc Cohn -
Edited on: Saturday, June 21, 2008 9:28 AM
Categories: Attractions
KOA San Antonio style
Recently, we stayed at the KOA in San Antonio. We were pleasantly
surprised with the amenities available, and also the roominess of our
camp site. Situated next to Salado Creek, our site was quiet, yet near
the KOA swimming pool, hot tub, and store.
Every morning I
picked up breakfast at their "Chuckwagon Diner," including some dinners.
The prices were very reasonable, good, and cheaper than getting at a
fast food place. There is a kids area, with basketball court and
playground. Our golden retriever had plenty of places to walk all along
the creek.
This campground has been here for over 40 years, and
for good reason. The city golf course is next door, and all the city's
other great attractions nearby. There are also several KOA Kabins
available. Free wireless Internet is included with your stay (glad to
see this now becoming standard!).
Give
KOA San Antonio a visit
and mention you heard about here at Southpoint.
Ways to help your community be prepared for an emergency
Recently, I attended classes to be a Community Emergency Response Team
(CERT) volunteer. This program was created by the Los Angeles City Fire
Department (LAFD) in 1985, and has expanded to communities nationwide.
The purpose of CERT is to educate the local community about disaster
preparedness that includes fire safety, light search and rescue, team
organization, and disaster medical operations.
With the training,
CERT members are able to assist others in their neighborhood or at work
after an emergency until fire, police, or emergency crews can respond
with their expert assistance. In a full scale emergency, such as a
tornado, hurricane, or flood, they will be called to areas that have the
most damage, which is why volunteers are needed to be able to assist
where they are until more help can arrive.
Fire
Academy classes encompass getting suited up in a fire suit, retrofited
with an oxygen tank, and going into a fire engulfed building to put out
a fire.
Although not a part of what's expected as a CERT member, it
provides an opportunity to find out what a fireman's job is all about.
Each
of these suits cost $1,800, but are worth every penny.
After classroom instruction one night a week during an eight
week period, a CERT Drill is held that simulates a real emergency where
team members work together to get injured persons to safety.
Besides
the knowledge learned, it is also a great way to meet local emergency
personnel on the front lines and see the vital role they play in your
community. I recommend the program highly.
Visit
here to find out more about CERT in your area or to volunteer.
With the recent devastating Iowa floods if you are looking to donate or
volunteer in some way, the best organization is the Salvation Army.
Please visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Monetary
donations are now needed to meet immediate needs. A $100 donation will
feed a family of four for two days, provide two cases of drinking water
and one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and
cleaning supplies.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
El Paso Steakhouse Serves 'Em as Big as Texas
In tasting the culinary delights that El Paso has to offer, my wife and I have dined at the Cattleman's Steakhouse about 35 miles east of downtown El Paso...twice. I will explain later. The first time was to try out their legendary TWO POUND T-bone steak. It had to be the best we ever devoured. Speaking of devouring, we were able to see several coyotes come right up to the windows while we ate. With large glass windows all around, the restaurant staff puts out scraps for the coyotes early each evening.
The ranch includes many other animals that are on display including
Texas Longhorns, Buffalo, deer, Belgian team horses and others. There is
even a real rattlesnake pit. Oh, and don't forget to take a walk around
the lake, see an old gristmill, and an Indian maze. Kids will enjoy
taking a hayride and the Fort Apache playground. The property also
includes movie sets, where films such as "Lone Wolf McQuade", "Extreme
Prejudice", and "Courage Under Fire" were made.
If you're ever in El Paso don't miss out on this eventful dining experience, and tell them Southpoint sent you. The restaurant is located at Indian Cliffs Ranch. Come a few hours early to take all the sights in before dining at Cattleman's, all free for restaurant patrons to enjoy. Oh, and our second visit? It was to try out the massive, finger licking barbeque ribs dinner...
Edited on: Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:09 PM
Categories: Attractions, Restaurants
Monday, June 16, 2008
$50 gas card offered for Ms. Gulf Coast stays
With the price of gas skyrocketing at the pump, what better way to
reward vacationers than a $50 gas card?
In
rewarding those that travel to the beaches of the Mississippi Gulf Coast
this summer from June 15 and Sept. 1 for a 2 night stay at participating
hotels, they will receive a $50 gas voucher at check-in.
It's as easy
as that. To make reservations, call 1-888-216-1552.
The promotion is
a partnership between the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors
Bureau and the Mississippi Hotel & Lodging Association.
I spent many summers on the Ms. Gulf Coast during my youth, and am glad
that it is making a steady comeback after Katrina. Many casinos,
restaurants, and attractions have re-opened.
Noted Linda Hornsby,
director of the Mississippi Hotel & Lodging Association, “With all that
the Coast has to offer, we believe that the gas voucher incentive will
be the impetus for visitors to book their trip to the Mississippi Gulf
Coast, where they will certainly return many times in the future.”
Edited on: Monday, June 16, 2008 10:44 PM
Categories: Accommodations, Destinations
Titanic, the Exhibit now at Moody Gardens
Now for a limited time at Moody Gardens in Galveston see
the Titanic Exhibit up close.
Get
Moody Gardens Tickets now.
Fun for the whole family, Moody
Gardens features a large aquarium, IMAX theatre, scientific exhibits,
and rainforests, a beach,
plus restaurants and hotel. Read about in
our Galveston
feature.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
A song about the South - "Sweet Southern Comfort"
Here are a few of the lyrics -
Misty sunrise in my hometown, rows of cotton bout knee high. Mrs. Baker down the dirt road, still got clothes out on the line. Erwin Nichols there with Judge Lee, playin checkers at the gin. When I dream about the southland, this is where it all begins.
As I sit here I'm surrounded, by these priceless memories, I don't have to think about it. There's no place I'd rather be. In Carolina or in Georgia, smell the jasmine and magnolia. Sleepy Sweet home Alabama. Roll tide roll. Muddy water, Misssissippi. Blessed Graceland whispers to me. Carry on, Carry on, Sweet Southern Comfort...
Take a listen to Buddy Jewell's song and see what you think...
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Adventure along Route 66 in Arizona
By 1938, it was completely paved, the first highway of the kind in the
country. Businesses and tourism flourished along the route during the
1950s.It was further made famous by a TV series of the same name, and
numerous songs.
The
Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck was based around the highway (he also
penned the nickname "The Mother Road"). The majority of the road is said
to be still driveable within the town sections (we haven't driven it
all...yet).
Travel with us as we venture along old Route
66 in Arizona. Along the way to the Grand Canyon, we stop in at
Rod's Steak House in Williams, still serving juicy steaks since 1946.
Books
to Recommend:
Edited on: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 12:35 AM
Categories: Destinations
Monday, June 09, 2008
Cowboy Capital of the World
With its rich history, Bandera,
Texas is known today as the Cowboy Capital of the World, with
ranches all around. Fun for the whole family, ride along with us as we
visit the Running
R Ranch for an overnight stay and to ride with the cowboys. 
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Bob Bullock Texas History Museum in Austin
The Original Goddess of Liberty, circa 1888, looms large at
the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum. The statue stood over the state
capital for 100 years before being taken down and replaced with a
replica. There are 3 floors of history to venture through, dating from
the first settlers, battling for independence as a Republic, and
statehood. We will have to revisit when we have more to time to see all
the exhibits.
I enjoyed walking through the Dallas TV Show exhibit to
see memorabilia and listen to show snippets. I was a big fan of the
show, following it over the years from 1979 to 1991. The Dallas exhibit
is on display through September 1st. Be sure to read about our visit to Southfork
Ranch and the Southfork
Hotel near Dallas.
Sadly,
the day after our visit downtown, an arsonist set fire to the historic
Governor's Mansion, built by Abner
Cook (read about the master builder here), which was in the process
of being renovated. Thankfully, firefighters were able to contain it
from being completely destroyed, and many original items were not in the
Mansion at the time.
