You don’t get a lot of sleep when there are 5 people on the bus. But you do get a lot of laughs. Sleep you can find anywhere, so it’s a fair enough trade. All of us except Tim, who’s been fighting off something for the past few days, got up early. Robin, Kate and I dropped off Collin to go try and quickly download an iPhone app for his golf (in)ability before playing 18 and we headed over to the Lower 9th Ward, which is – if you don’t know – the hardest hit area of Katrina. Read More »

Kanab Utah Main Street

Many people call Kanab, Utah the Gateway. Kanab sits in Southern Utah along route 89 about seven miles north of the Arizona border and subsequently gets visitors on their way to the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon and the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park among many others. Summer finds the town packed with RVs towing boats and wave runners on their way to Lake Powell and family vehicles bursting at the seams with camping and hiking equipment. The winters in Kanab are not quite as busy but still full from people going to ski at

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Brianhead Ski Resort and snow tubing at Coral Pink Sand Dunes. The beauty to be found in Kanab and the surrounding area is breathtaking and you usually take a little bit home with you in the form of the red dirt that Kanab is famous for.

Kanab’s population is small, about 3,500, and the residents rely heavily on tourists as the largest source of income for the city. The slow-paced small town feel is a nice change from the crowded attractions and parks and the people are friendly as you walk down Main Street to check out the stores. Frontier Movie Town is a short walk away from downtown where you’ll see authentic movie sets and memorabilia from some great western movies made there. They also have the Pioneer Museum with classic western and pioneer artifacts. Read More »

I don’t know why I’m telling you this.

Perhaps because I am a really, really good person who is able to put my own selfish desires aside for your best interest.

Or maybe I’m hoping that you’ll reward me in the future by, maybe, offering to take me to Hawaii with you, for example.

I’m going with the idea that I am a really good person who you would gladly reward with a trip to Hawaii even if you don’t know me.  Because in my head, that makes total sense.

Anyway – let’s talk about getting you (and a friend) a free trip to Hawaii.

Of all the travel related internet happenings going on right now, the one I am most excited about is Marriott’s “Tweet Yourself To Hawaii” Sweepstakes.  (Now, before you click that link, let me warn you that this website has autoplay sound.  Which I loathe.  But keep your eye on the prize!)

And that prize is…

A vacation for two to Hawaii from Marriott!

Each week, Marriot Hawaii is giving away three island vacations.  The vacation packages include:

• Roundtrip airfare for two to Hawaii on Hawaiian Airlines from any of its ten U.S. West Coast gateway cities – Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles and San Diego
• A five-night stay at one of the following Marriott resorts in Hawaii: JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club, Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa or Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa
• Rental car, courtesy of Hertz
• Selected island activities and attractions

(In order to take advantage of this prize, you’re going to have to get yourself – and a friend - to and from one of the ten U.S. West coast gateway cities.)

All you have to do to enter is go to the contest web site and login to send a tweet about the contest.  A tweet is something you do on Twitter.  Twitter is some place where you should be following me.  You can get additional entries by submitting an email entry and connecting to your Facebook account.

The contest runs from the week of August 24th through October 23rd, and you can enter again each week.  If you win, you must take your vacation by December 20, 2009.  Oh, the burden!

Go to the Marriott Hawaii Tweet Sweepstakes website to enter.

And remember who loved you enough to tell you about it.

Photo credits: lazlo-photo on Flickr.