In the News: Southwest Airlines Unveils Penguin One

Dallas-based Southwest on Thursday announced Penguin One. The Boeing 737-700 painted with images of penguins will help mark Southwest's 25 years of partnership with SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

Southwest and SeaWorld unveiled Penguin One in Florida at Orlando International Airport. Penguin One, of course, is not Southwest's first plane to bear a livery with ties to Sea World. The carrier's fleet also includes Shamu One and Shamu Two, which each feature likenesses of the famous SeaWorld whale.

The other theme-decorated Southwest jets are Arizona One, California One, Colorado One, Florida One, Illinois One, Lone Star One for Texas, Maryland One, Nevada One, New Mexico One and Triple Crown One, for Southwest customer service achievements.

Specially designed aircraft have become a regular promotion at some airlines, and a often a favorite of plane spotters.

Earlier this month, Alaska Airlines unveiled a Hawaii-themed aircraft in which the paint-job was designed in a competition of high-school students.

Call Rawhide Travel and Tours and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com.

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Unusual Places: Branson, Missouri

Branson has long been a popular destination for vacationers from Missouri and neighboring areas. It's called the Live Music Show Capital of the World.  On any given day, almost 90 music, magic and comedy shows run at 50+ theaters. You might catch into Tony Orlando, the Osmonds or Marty Stuart, all regulars. (Think Las Vegas without the casinos) Between shows, enjoy nature in the Ozarks.  You'll find great fishing, hiking, biking and water sports in the area.

In 1882, Reuben Branson opened a general store and post office in the area. Branson was formally incorporated in 1912 and construction of the Powersite Dam nearby on the White River which would form Lake Taneycomo was completed.

In 1894 William Henry Lynch bought Marble Cave (renamed Marvel Cave) and began charging visitors to tour it. Hugo and Mary Herschend leased the cave for 99 years in 1950 and began hosting square dances in it. The Herschend Family modernized the cave with electricity and concrete staircases, and in 1960, the Herschends opened Silver Dollar City which was a re-creation of a frontier town that featured five shops, a church and a log cabin with actors that played out the feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys.

Harold Bell Wright published his novel about the Ozarks, The Shepherd of the Hills, in 1907. The Old Mill Theater began its first outdoor production based on the novel in 1960. The show known as The Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama & Homestead still runs today. It is also the home of Inspiration Tower, the Sons of the Pioneers show, and other attractions. The Harold Bell Wright Museum is located within The World's Largest Toy Museum complex.

Branson has continued to add theaters (the most recent new theater is Sight & Sound Theatres) and shows. Theatres in the Branson area currently include the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre, New Shanghai Theatre, Jim Stafford Theatre, Hughes Brothers Theatre, Kirby VanBurch Theatre, Mickey Gilley Theatre, RFD-TV The Theatre (Buck Trent continues to perform his morning show at this theater), Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theatre (home to Legends In Concert and The Bretts), Baldknobbers' Jamboree Theatre, Sight & Sound Theatres, Hamner Barber Theater, God and Country Theatres, Dutton Family Theatre, Grand Country Music Hall, Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Drama, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede, The Mansion, Oak Ridge Boys Theatre, Pierce Arrow Theatre, Showboat Branson Belle, Yakov Smirnoff Theatre, Clay Cooper Theatre, Presleys' Country Jubilee Theatre, Black Oak Amphitheatre, Caravelle Theatre, White House Theatre, Branson Variety Theatre, Branson IMAX Little Opry Theatre, Circle B at Branson Central, and the Americana Theatre

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Besides the numerous entertainment theaters for which Branson is famous, other local attractions include the Hollywood Wax Museum, Silver Dollar City, White Water, Waltzing Waters, Mount Pleasant Winery, Stone Hill Winery, Ride the Ducks, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede, Ziplines, Cave Tours, National Tiger Sanctuary, Go-Karts, Mini Golf, Horseback Rides, Butterfly Palace, and Rainforest Adventure. Ripley's Odditorium is housed in a building that has been made to look as if it is cracked wide open by an earthquake or other disaster, while the Titanic Museum is a half-scale replica of the famous ship and iceberg.

Branson Landing opened in the summer of 2006 on the Lake Taneycomo waterfront in downtown Branson. The lakefront project includes retail space with Bass Pro Shops and Belk as anchors in an outdoor shopping mall of stores and restaurants and features a Hilton Hotel. The new Branson Convention Center, situated between the Landing and historic downtown Branson, opened September 7, 2007.

The Branson Scenic Railway is located in the old depot, across from Branson Landing.
Branson is home to America's largest Veterans Day celebration, "Veterans Homecoming Week."

Silver Dollar City features Outlaw Run, the world's most daring wood coaster. It features the world’s first and only double barrel roll on a wood coaster, with a 720-degree (double) barrel roll. In addition: 
Outlaw Run is the only wood coaster to twist upside down three times.
Outlaw Run is the world’s steepest wood coaster with a first drop of 162 feet (more than 16 stories) at 81 degrees.
Outlaw Run is the second fastest wood coaster in the world, reaching a top speed of 68 miles per hour.

There is so much to see and do in the Branson area for visitors of all ages either on land at a world-class theme park, on the water at Table Rock Lake aboard a dinner cruise or high in the air on a helicopter ride. Adventure seekers can choose from a wide variety of authentic attractions in this Ozark Mountain destination.

Looking for that uniquely different vacation destination. Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!

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Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100 
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Travel Tips: Travel Smart with Mobile Devices

Whether traveling for business or a vacation, forgetting one of the chargers/cables for your mobile devices can get you started on the wrong foot.  The best way to prepare for a trip is to get a cheap cable stash for keeping all the gadget chargers and cables in one place.

If you travel with a laptop and a tablet,  buy an extra power adapter for each gadget. These spare adapters stay in the cable stash, and at packing time just toss it in one of the pockets of the carry-on luggage.

In addition to a power adapter for the laptop, tablet, and phone, have a long ethernet cable in the stash. Some hotels still only provide wired ethernet connectivity so having an ethernet cable comes in handy. 

Many gadgets now have some sort of USB charging solution with a microUSB connector on the device. For this reason always have an extra USB-to-microUSB cable in the stash just in case.

Cable stashes can be found almost anywhere, and you don't need anything fancy. Make sure you pick up one that is big enough to handle all the adapters and cables you plan to bring.

For security is is better to have a a see through stash. the security people at the airport like this visibility, and it is less likely they search the luggage when they can see inside.

Many mobile power strips now include USB charging ports. This makes it possible to leave the charger for the phone (or other low power gadgets) behind and just bring the USB charging cable.

Traveling often presents various difficulties getting online and it is wise to prepare for that possibility. It is hard to believe but some hotels still offer no connectivity at all, while others charge an arm and a leg to get you online. Frequent travelers have no doubt seen that hotels may promote in-room internet connectivity, wired and/or wireless, but it can often be a mixed bag. Either the connectivity doesn't seem to work or is horribly slow.

The best way to prepare for this is to bring your own mobile broadband if at all possible. Many smartphones now have the ability to serve as mobile hotposts to tether laptops or tablets to them to get online. It may require activating the hotspot capability on the phone before tethering is allowed, so make sure that is done and tested before the trip. Note that serving as a hotpost for hours can eat into the data plan on the phone.

Having redundant mobile connectivity won't do any good if your carrier has no data coverage so be sure and check the carrier's online coverage map before your trip. These are accurate and provide a visual clue about what to expect with mobile broadband where you are going.

Call Rawhide Travel and Tours and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
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Colorado National Monument Colorado

Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. But this treasure is much more than a monument. Towering monoliths exist within a vast plateau and canyon panorama. You can experience sheer-walled, red rock canyons along the twists and turns of Rim Rock Drive, where you may spy bighorn sheep and soaring eagles. Its feature attraction is Monument Canyon, which runs the width of the park, and includes rock formations such as Independence Monument, the Kissing Couple, and Coke Ovens. The monument includes 20,500 acres (32 square miles), much of which has been recommended to Congress for designation as wilderness.

Most of Colorado National Monument rises more than 2,000 feet above the Grand Valley of the Colorado River. Situated at the edge of the Uncompahgre Uplift, the park is part of the greater Colorado Plateau, which also embraces such geologic wonders as the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Arches. It is a semi-desert land of pinyon pines and junipers, ravens and jays, desert bighorns and coyotes. Magnificent views from highland trails and the Rim Rock Drive stretch from the colorful sheer-walled canyons and fascinating rock sculptures to the distant Colorado River valley, the purple-gray Book Cliffs, and the huge flat-topped mountain called Grand Mesa.

Travel all 23 miles of Rim Rock Drive to gain a bird's eye view of the canyons. Stop at the scenic overlooks along the way for photo opportunities and interpretive signs.

Choose from over 40 miles of maintained trails. From short and easy to long and strenuous, find a trail that is just right for you! Serpents Trail, perhaps the most popular, follows the route of the original road to the top of the Monument. This trail is accessible by parking lots at both ends, both located off Rim Rock Drive. Serpents Trail is well-maintained and provides stunning views of both the Monument itself and the Grand Valley below. One of the shortest trails, also popular, is Devil's Kitchen. The trailhead is located near the eastern entrance of the park on Rim Rock Drive. This trail is about 1 mile long, and ends in a sandstone grotto. Devil's Kitchen trail is well suited for families with smaller children, as the hike is short and the "kitchen" itself provides plenty of opportunity for child-sized exploration.

The closest city is Grand Junction. Whatever the season, Grand Junction offers a host of outdoor adventures. From the majesty of Colorado National Monument to 20 wineries, Grand Junction and the surrounding Grand Valley in Western Colorado offer an abundance of natural beauty and activity. 

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.

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Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
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Let Us Help You Get Lost

Choosing the right vacation is an important decision. Choosing the right agent is an even bigger decision. Don't leave your vacation to chance. Insist on the best, Rawhide Travel and Tours.

Whether business or pleasure, Rawhide Travel and Tours delivers. Internet Travel sites list hotels and destinations, but offer little else. Our years of experience in the industry will help you design the perfect traveling experience. From romantic getaways to large events, our experienced agents will handle all the details. Traveling does not need to be stressful. You can count on us for great value and dependable service.

We arrange travel air, land and sea. We can arrange the perfect destination package including, resorts, conference rooms and meeting locations, special events, and attractions.

Call us and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
 rawhidetravel.com

In the News: Space Shuttle Atlantis

Opening June 29, 2013, at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Space Shuttle Atlantis is the new $100 million home of the priceless, historic spacecraft that tells the incredible story of NASA’s 30-year Space Shuttle Program. The 90,000 square-foot Atlantis attraction is the marquee element of the Visitor Complex’s 10-year master plan.

Space Shuttle Atlantis features state-of-the-art multimedia presentations and more than 60 interactive exhibits and high-tech simulators that bring to life the complex systems and components behind this incredible feat of engineering. One of the most complicated and sophisticated pieces of equipment ever built, the shuttle is a vehicle that launched like a rocket, flew in orbit like a spacecraft and landed on a runway like a glider.

The immersive experience also shines a spotlight on the astounding achievements made over the course of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program, most notably, the building of the International Space Station and the launch and maintenance of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Also celebrated are the thousands of people who took part in creating and maintaining NASA’s five space-flown shuttles – Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour – and how the shuttle program has paved the way for NASA’s next generation of manned spaceflight programs.

Space Shuttle Atlantis: The Building 
The stylized shape of the new home for Atlantis features two sweeping architectural elements or “wings” in hues of orange and gold to represent both the heat and the bright colors of re-entry. Special gray colors tiling has been incorporated into the building’s design to represent the space shuttle tiles that protected the orbiter from the heat of re-entry. Space Shuttle Atlantis

Entrance
Guests visiting Space Shuttle Atlantis are greeted by a full-scale, upright, replica space shuttle stack, including external tank and two solid rocket boosters. The 184-foot-tall assembly gives visitors a true sense of the awesome power used to thrust the shuttle into orbit.

Call Rawhide Travel and Tours and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com.

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
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Unusual Places: Wall Drug Store, Wall, South Dakota

Wall Drug - 2008

Wall Drug Store, often referred to simply as "Wall Drug," is a tourist attraction located in the town of Wall, South Dakota. It is a shopping mall consisting of a drug store, gift shop, restaurants and various other stores. Unlike a traditional shopping mall, all the stores at Wall Drug operate under a single entity instead of being individually run stores. The New York Times has described Wall Drug as "a sprawling tourist attraction of international renown and takes in more than $10 million a year and draws some two million annual visitors to a remote town.

Original Wall Drug

The small town drugstore made its first step towards fame when it was purchased by Ted Hustead in 1931. Hustead was a Nebraska native and pharmacist who was looking for a small town with a Catholic church in which to establish his business. He bought Wall Drug, located in a 231-person town in what he referred to as "the middle of nowhere," and strove to make a living. Business was very slow until his wife, Dorothy, got the idea to advertise free ice water to parched travelers heading to the newly-opened Mount Rushmore monument 60 miles to the west. From that time on business was brisk. Wall Drug grew into a cowboy-themed shopping mall/department store. Wall Drug includes a western art museum, a chapel based on the one found at New Melleray Abbey near Dubuque, Iowa, and an 80-foot  Apatosaurus that can be seen right off Interstate 90. It was designed by Emmet Sullivan who also created the dinosaurs at Dinosaur Park in Rapid City, SD and Dinosaur World in Beaver, AR.

Wall Drug earns much of its fame from its self-promotion. Billboards advertising the establishment can be seen for hundreds of miles throughout South Dakota and the neighboring states. In addition, many visitors of Wall Drug have erected signs throughout the world announcing the miles to Wall Drug from famous locations, treating it as a geodesic datum. By 1981 Wall Drug was claiming it was giving away 20,000 cups of water per day during the peak tourist season, lasting from Memorial Day until Labor Day, and during the hottest days of the summer.

Wall Drug has over 500 miles of billboards on Interstate 90, stretching from Minnesota to Montana. 

To date, Wall Drug still offers free ice water, but as they have become more popular, they have started to offer free bumper stickers and signs to aid in promotion, and coffee for 5 cents. Some popular free bumper stickers read "Where the heck is Wall Drug?", "How many miles to Wall Drug?", and "Where in the world is Wall Drug?".

Antarctica – Free Ice Water, 9,333 miles

Back when the U.S. Air Force was still operating Minuteman Missile silos in the Western South Dakota plains, Wall Drug used to offer free coffee and donuts to service personnel if they stopped in on their way to/from Ellsworth AFB (50 miles west on Interstate 90). Wall Drug continues to offer free coffee and a donut to honeymooners, veterans, priests, hunters, truck drivers, and other travelers.

Ted Hustead died in 1999. The following day, the governor of South Dakota began his annual State of the State address by commemorating Hustead as "a guy that figured out that free ice water could turn you into a phenomenal success in the middle of a semi-arid desert way out in the middle of someplace."

Looking for that uniquely different vacation destination. Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona  85308-3793
(602) 843-5100 
rawhidetravel.com