Culinary Travel: Tennessee

Fifty-four state parks, covering some 132,000 acres as well as parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cherokee National Forest, and Cumberland Gap National Historical Park are in Tennessee. Sportsmen and visitors are attracted to Reelfoot Lake, originally formed by the New Madrid earthquake; stumps and other remains of a once dense forest, together with the lotus bed covering the shallow waters, give the lake an eerie beauty.

Easy to make delicious dessert.

Tennessee Berry Crisps

ingredients

3/4 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 quart fresh blackberries or raspberries, washed & hulled
2 tablespoons sugar

directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside. Place berries in a 10"x6"x2" baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar. Sprinkle crumb mixture on top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with cream or ice cream.

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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Best Romantic Skiing Destinations

There’s nothing more romantic than heading to the mountains for a high alpine respite with your dearest. A romantic ski trip provides couples with privacy they can’t experience on other vacations, plus, a laundry list of winter activities to experience side-by-side and, of course, plenty of opportunities to cozy up to the fireplace together. With the year’s most romantic day on the horizon, here are some ski resorts known for romance.

Telluride, CO - If escaping to a remote box canyon with your sweetie sounds like your kind of romantic getaway, Telluride ski resortwill fulfill that aspiration within your first glimpse of this incredibly beautiful mountain town. Boasting some of Colorado’s most breathtaking views and several on-mountain dining options that perfectly exploit the natural scenery, Telluride is the quintessential place to clink celebratory glasses to one another. Alpino Vino is a lovely little on-mountain dining hütte, reminiscent of a dining experience in the Dolomites of Northern Italy. Here you and your honey can cozy up with sheep skin blankets and experience an exceptional international wine list, with San Juan mountain views to match. Bon Vivant, an open-air, on-mountain dining patio, is another romantic spot to enjoy European Alpine fair, world-class wine and scenery.

Avon, CO — Glide around the Beaver Creek village ice rink hand in hand or grab an intimate—and memorable—dinner at Beano’s Cabin, which requires a romantic snowcat-drawn sleigh ride to access the high-alpine restaurant. Beaver Creek’s self-contained village is ideal for the couple looking to take the guesswork out of their romantic ski vacation. The village features a slew of incredible dining experiences, on mountain and off. Sure to keep energetic significant others busy, Beaver Creek offers plenty of activities like Nordic skiing at McCoy Park. Fine-dining lovebirds will enjoy an evening at the Ritz Carlton’s Spago.

Lech, Austria — Remote, exclusive, quaint and romantic are all things that describe a Lech ski vacation. Located in a box canyon abutted by Flexen Pass, this Alpine resort is a favorite among celebrities for its exclusivity and natural beauty. Just getting there is a romantic experience. Visitors drive, or take a bus, through steep valleys and 9,000-foot peaks which provide an unforgettable entrance. Because of its remoteness, you’ll hardly experience lift lines, which is not the case at nearby St. Anton, or even sister resort, Zürs. The skiing is truly world-world class both on-piste or off. Advanced and expert couples shouldn’t miss the chance to ski the “White Ring” off-piste ski routes together. Lech is a ski area that spares no expense—the chairlifts are heated and the many intermediate (blue or red) runs are manicured to perfection. The charming village features an ancient and beautiful Gothic church worth a visit.

Banff, AB, Canada — When you first visit Banff Lake Louise you’ll quickly understand why Canada has made serious efforts to protect the surrounding wilderness. Nature-lovers and lovers alike will be in awe of nearby Banff National Park’s pristine beauty. The park offers winter tours, and there’s nothing like experiencing nature in its purest form with the one you love. Banff Lake Louise ski resorts are great for a couple with differing levels of ski or snowboard ability. Sunshine Village is great for beginners and intermediates, while advanced intermediates will likely prefer Mt. Norquay, and advanced and expert skiers and riders can get their adrenaline kicks at Lake Louise. If you’re in town during Valentine’s Day, don’t miss Lake Louise’s Valentine’s Day Torchlight Dinner and Parade.

Call Rawhide Travel and Tours at (602) 843-5100 to book your holiday travel today. Check out 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

Plan Your Next Vacation With Rawhide Travel and Tours

Rawhide Travel and Tours with combined total of “75 years of travel experience" provides amazing deals for your dream vacation with experienced, friendly travel experts.

Services offered include booking domestic and international air travel, hotel and resort reservations, car rental and cruises for individuals, corporate, group and incentive travel. Also tour packages of every type from a weekend getaway, to San Diego or Disneyland to involved and detailed vacations worldwide.

Plan your next great vacation with Rawhide Travel and Tours. Call today (602) 843-5100 or email us at flythis@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: SkyMall May Fly Again After Potential Buyout

The company behind the SkyMall in-flight catalog filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy January 22. Once stuffed into the back of many domestic airline seats, the magazine was slain, apparently, by smartphones.

In its filing, Xhibit Corporation's acting Chief Executive Scott Wiley blamed a "crowded, rapidly evolving and intensely competitive" market for direct market sales. And consumers spending more time typing on their devices, especially after the airlines decided to allow them on planes, didn't help either.

A former advertiser known for technology-friendly apparel is pursuing an acquisition of SkyMall days after the in-flight catalog filed for bankruptcy protection.

ScotteVest, based in Sun Valley, Idaho, has signed a non-disclosure agreement with SkyMall and intends to bid for the struggling catalog's assets either alone or in a partnership, CEO Scott Jordan told CNBC Digital Wednesday. "SkyMall was doomed to fail by its business model," Jordan said. "But I know how to fix it."

In a filing for bankruptcy protection last week, SkyMall blamed an increased use of electronic devices for the declining popularity of its in-flight catalogs, which are often placed in seat-back pockets. It also said that the availability of Internet access on planes opened the door to new competition from e-commerce retailers. SkyMall CEO Scott Wiley didn't respond to a request for comment.

Jordan said he believes the catalog failed to adapt to Internet shopping but can do so by directing customers directly to retailers whose products are in its pages. "E-commerce needs to be done by the advertisers," he said. SkyMall sells merchandise from a variety of sources, including its own curated selection of items. It also has allowed advertisers like ScotteVest to place paid ads in the catalog. But in all cases, customers are encouraged to make purchases directly through the magazine (by phone or Web site) rather than directly through the manufacturer.

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (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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Off the Beaten Path: Mount Mitchell State Park, NC

There are a few places in the world that still stand apart from the ordinary. Rising more than a mile high, surrounded by the gentle mist of low-hanging clouds, Mount Mitchell State Park is one of these extraordinary places.

In the crest of the timeworn Black Mountains lies the summit of Mount Mitchell, at an elevation 6,684 feet it is the highest point east of the Mississippi. For those who ascend this mighty peak, what looms in the horizon is a feast for the eyes--breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, rolling ridges and fertile valleys. Forested and forever misty, 1,946-acre Mount Mitchell State Park will provide you with some of the most tranquil moments you'll ever experience.

Located off of NC 128 and the Blue Ridge Parkway near Burnsville, North Carolina, it includes the peak of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River. From the parking lot you can take a short hike to the summit which includes an observation tower and the grave of Elisha Mitchell, the professor who first noted the mountain's height. The old observation tower was torn down in Early October 2006. The trail leading to the summit has been paved, and a new observation platform was constructed and opened to the public in January 2009. The summit also features an exhibit hall with information about the mountain's natural, cultural and historical heritage.

The mountain was named in honor of Dr. Elisha Mitchell, an educator and scientist from Chapel Hill, who died while climbing the mountain in 1857 in his effort to prove it was the highest peak in eastern North America. The grave of Dr Mitchell lies next to the observation deck.

On the Mt. Mitchell trail proper, the climbing begins immediately. At this elevation, the forest is mostly cove hardwoods with a few hemlocks thrown in for good measure, though they are dead or dying. You are ascending through a small cove which is eating into Long Arm Ridge. Toward the back of the cove you'll bear right through the first of many switchbacks encountered along the way. The trail in this area heads generally north, though at any given moment you my be facing any of the cardinal directions due to the way it switches back upon itself. The trail climbs up the side of Long Arm Ridge.

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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6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
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Culinary Travel: North Carolina

Hatteras is best known as a fishing and vacation destination. This community offers visitors ample opportunities for recreation, sightseeing, and remote relaxation especially on its beautiful beaches.Watersports are plentiful on both the ocean-side and the sound-side of the village. Proximity to the convergence of the Labrador Current and the Gulf Stream result in the largest surf available on the East Coast. On the protected Pamlico Sound side of the island watersports such as windsurfing, kayaking, kiteboarding, and swimming are all readily available and accessible.

Hatteras Style Clam Chowder

"This is 'Hatteras style.' You can also use the bacon grease to saute the vegetables in. "

Recipe makes 8 servings

 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
 1 large onion, chopped
 5 stalks celery, sliced
 4 carrots, sliced
 4 cups peeled, cubed white potatoes
 2 (16 ounce) cans minced clams, with juice
 3 quarts clam juice
 1 teaspoon dried thyme
 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
 8 slices crisp cooked bacon, crumbled

Prep: 20 mins Cook: 30 mins Ready In: 50 mins

 Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion, celery and carrots in oil until they begin to soften. Stir in potatoes, clams, clam juice, thyme, pepper and bacon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (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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Best Skiing Destinations: Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Though it hosts one of Colorado’s largest and most well-known ski resorts, the town of Steamboat Springs, population 12,088, has a character that is unique in the state. Northern Colorado is ranching country, and Steamboat is still an authentic, working cowboy town that has evolved into one of the most important ski towns in America. You won’t find cutesy false-front stores here, but you will find the city-owned Howelsen Hill, the longest continuously operating ski area in Colorado, where the town’s Winter Sports Club practices on seven wooden ski jumps contoured out of the mountain. There’s also a Winter Carnival every February, when truckloads of snow are dumped on the town’s broad main street for ski-joring competitions and a high school band that comes through on skis.

Three miles away, rising high above the Yampa River Valley, is the Steamboat Ski Resort, spreading white ribbons across a forested massif of six rounded peaks. Though offering less puckering expert terrain than some areas in the state, what Steamboat does deliver is its signature light powder, world-class tree skiing, and snowboarding through endless groves of aspen. The ski school is considered one of the best in the country, and Steamboat claims to have produced 79 Olympic skiers and snowboarders, more than any town in America.

Like many of Colorado's most attractive towns, Steamboat Springs has great hot springs. The hot springs in Steamboat are down an adventurous drive north of town that brings you to a riverside canyon in one of the most perfect soaking settings imaginable.

In fact, the town got its name from its famed water works. Fur trappers who visited the area in the late 1800s heard the bubbling sound of one of the local hot springs and thought it sounded like a steamboat coming down the Yampa River.

Steamboat is known, also, for its long-standing Western heritage — with a more than 100-year-old summer rodeo — and deep-seated ski heritage. The town has two ski areas: Steamboat Ski Resort and Howelsen Hill, the oldest, continuously used ski area in Colorado and home to nearly 90 Winter Olympians.

Call Rawhide Travel and Tours at (602) 843-5100 to book your holiday travel today. Check out 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