Travel Blog

Do you need travel insurance? The answer is definitely yes, however there are various types of travel insurance that you will want to consider depending on the type of trip that you are taking and where you are going. Like all insurance one has to ask themselves: What is the probability of making a claim; What will the cost be if I need to make a claim; What is the financial impact if there is a claim? Peace of mind when I travel? and what happens if I need to cancel my trip before I leave or during my trip? These are all valid questions to consider.

Travel Insurance – Types

There are several different types of insurance that the majority of travelers will consider. It also depends on your mode of travel as well.

• Lost and damaged baggage
• Trip cancellation
• Trip interruption
• Health claims
• Car insurance
• Private travel arrangements

We will discuss each one of these briefly for the reader, however if you have additional questions we strongly suggest that you speak to your travel agent and your insurance company. All insurance packages have conditions and it is important to understand what they are to make sure you are covered. For example the most publicized one is the “pre-existing conditions ” clause when it comes to health insurance. Basically they are saying that they will not insure you for any pre-existing conditions, so you are on your own. All insurance documents have these fine print conditions so read the details to make sure you are properly covered in all cases.

Lost and damaged baggage

This applies mainly to people who are traveling by air as well as on cruise ships, however the hotel can also lose your luggage. The airline might cover you for some damages if it is proved that they were at fault, however the money the generally provide is a small percentage of what you probably will have in your luggage. If you cannot take carry-on, then evaluate the risk of losing your luggage vs. the incremental costs of carrying insurance to make a decision. Some credit cards will provide this type of insurance, only if the trip has been charged to that credit card.

Trip cancellation

Trip cancellation can involve significantly more money if you are booking air plus a resort fee of some kind. Trips can be canceled for many reasons by customers due to illness or death in the family. Typically you cannot cancel just because you no longer feel like going. You will have to produce a doctor’s certificate or even a death certificate in order to get your money back. Again evaluate the risk of needing to cancel your trip vs. the incremental costs of carrying insurance to make a decision. Note that you must purchase the cancellation insurance at the time you book the trip and not afterwords. Some trips can cost thousands of dollars so a cancellation can have a far bigger impact on your finances.

Trip interruption

Some times a trip needs to be interrupted due to illness at home or some emergency which causes a traveler to interrupt their trip. Similar to trip cancellation, you will need to evaluate the risk vs. the cost to you to interrupt your trip and fly home.

Health claims

This is the big one, especially if you are traveling in the US from another country or need to be air lifted home. Even a visit to emergency for several hours can cost several thousand dollars and you can be out of pocket for tens of thousands if you need to stay at a hospital for any length of time. Not having health insurance with all of the coverages you need can have catastrophic impact on your financial well being. Purchase health insurance for your travel or do not travel. It is as simple as that.

If you have pre-existing conditions, you will need to fully disclose these conditions and evaluate what will be covered vs. what is not covered before you go. If you do not advise the insurance company about your pre-existing condition and you have a large claim they are going to investigate including checking with your doctor! Don’t be silly about this obtain proper health insurance when you travel.

Car/Van/RV insurance

Some people love to travel by car, van or RV. We have found that it is a good idea to check with your insurance company ahead of time to verify coverage. If you plan to go to Mexico with your car for example, most companies will charge an extra fee to add this coverage to your policy. While traveling in the US is usually included.

Private travel arrangements

Private travel arrangements are usually not insurable. This is a situation were you book a condo or hotel on your own and for some reason need to cancel. If you need to pay in advance, then you are at risk. The best insurance in this situation is to discuss up front with the person or company you are renting from. Determine what the arrangement would be if you needed to cancel for some reason. Make sure you get this in writing so there is no disagreement or confusion later on.

Travel insurance is a really important area ans should not be ignored if you plan to travel. Talk to your travel agent or to your insurance company. Many of the insurance companies have special departments that focus on providing these types of services.

Good luck and travel safely. Comments that will help our readers are much appreciated.

There are many rafting trips available in California. Some suitable for children from 4 years, seniors and those with special needs. There is also some of the wildest White Water Rafting in California or in the nation, so there are really thrills and challenges available for everyone.

If this is a first time rafting trip, or if you have a larger group, err on the side of caution to ensure everyone has fun. Choosing the most suitable White Water Rafting in California trip or American River Rafting trip for your group can be a challenge, however if you focus on everyone having a good time and some excitement, everyone will be more than satisfied. While more serious rafters may be disappointed, they should focus on the comradeship of a larger group and the enjoyment from watching the excitement of new rafters

White Water Rafting in California – Classes of Rapids

Class one and two trips are for beginners, children and seniors. Class one set of whitewater rapids are relatively easy to navigate, although you still need to be wearing a life jacket and you need to follow the instructions of the guides.

These can be very nice relaxing whitewater trips, were you can enjoy the scenery and the wildlife that may exist along the river. If you are planning to take on higher class rapids, make sure you read the requirements and the safety issues before you sign up just to make sure you receive what you expect in terms of whitewater thrills.

Class 3, class 4 and class 5 rapids are progressively more difficult and thrilling. You may need to pass a number of tests before going on some of these whitewater trips just to make sure that you can handle any of the potential upsets that could occur. Particularly in class 5 whitewater rapids trips, participants could be thrown out of the raft or the raft could even tip over. If this happens you need to be able to swim out of the rapids and get to shore were someone can pick you up.

If you are not up to the task of swimming out of the whitewater rapids, then this level of rafting trip may not be for you. You can still great thrills if you go on lower class rafting trips down whitewater rapids. Remember too that rapids classification are also dependent on the amount of water that is cascading down the river. Spring runoff will usually bring higher cascades than summer or late fall unless there are heavy rains in the headlands of these whitewater rapids.

White Water Rafting in California classifications

Whitewater rafting in California is classified from one to five to help customers understand the type of whitewater rafting experience they can expect.

Class one is usually the easiest and is acceptable for children, seniors and people with special needs. Class 2 is also easy and aimed at the beginner, first time whitewater rafters, groups. Also for bachelor parties and is ok for non swimmers. Class 3 is intermediate or adventurous and is generally aimed at people with previous experience, adventure Scout groups. This class usually requires good swimming ability. Class 4 requires class 3 requirements along with strong swimming ability. Class 5 is the most advanced and difficult of the whitewater rafting trips. They may require swim tests and you must have very strong swimming ability.

Nearly everyone can participate in a rafting trip at some level, but anyone with any medical condition, very overweight or in poor physical shape should always consult with their physician. Those with a heart condition or back problems should be particularly cautious. Each participant must fit into a life jacket with all buckles fastened. It is also important to let the guides know in advance about any conditions that may affect anyone from being fully able to participate to ensure your safety.

There are risks involved in any outdoor activity and accidents can happen. All participants will be required to sign an Assumption of Risk or Liability Release form prior to the trip.

Major White Water Rafting in California

There are five rivers that are must do California Rafting whitewater trips. We have listed them as follows:

1. The South Fork of the American: This is the most popular whitewater rafting trip in California because it has lots of Class III+ rapids, a long rafting season, and is relatively safe. Spring, Summer and Fall.

2. The North Fork of the American: Steep Class IV rapids in a tight gorge with crystal clear water. This is the premier class IV trip on the American River. This makes a great whitewater rafting trip in California for those of you that want a technical challenge. Spring and early Summer.

3. The Tuolumne: This river is the cream of the crop with famous Class IV rapids and “Wild and Scenic” scenery. Located near Yosemite National Park, most of the river takes advantage of the great hikes and spectacular scenery by spending a night or two in the canyon. Spring and Summer.

4. The Cal Salmon: This California whitewater rafting trip is for those of you that are hooked. Near the California-Oregon border, this river is well worth the drive for the numerous Class IV rapids and three famous Class V rapids. You’ll set up a base camp as you explore different sections of this river. Spring only.

5. Forks of the Kern: This three day trip has over 40 Class IV rapids and 3 big Class V’s. Granite boulders, breathtaking vistas, and huge waterfalls make this a spectacular rafting trip. You’ll have to hike two miles into the put-in and warm-up on some other class IV rivers first, though. Spring only.

This is a post by the administrator advising that this blog is now fully operational  for the Pablos Travels  to begin posting on this blog. There will be many posts of the months and years and we look forward to hearing from our readers about these places and others that they have visited.

Pablos Travels – Instructions

All plug ins are installed, including counters and formatting of the page.  All you need to do now is log in, click on posts, click on “add  new” , and begin blogging. We suggest the following checklist –

• add title first
• write your post
• check your post for spelling and grammar
• add pictures into your post if you desired
• set the publish date on the top right hand side of this page
• add a new category if needed or check off an existing category
• add tag words  in the tag area. These are typically words which you feel that anyone searching for this post would enter into the search bar of a search engine to search for this post

When ready click the schedule button to post the post immediately or schedule the post on the date you have selected. Note that the post is already preformed, formatted  and meets all Google Adsense policies. This is important for publishers who are interested in making some money with their web site. Google will pay publishers who abide by the rules that are posted by Google. Publisher guidelines are very specific and if you do not meet these guidelines, Google can and will stop delivering Ads to your pages as they load.

Writers can also upload pictures as well which can be added to each page. we urge writers to place the picture in the upper left hand location of the post to avoid conflict with any Google Adsense advertising that is on the page. Google has strict polices on this issue as well as many other areas. Pictures should be tasteful and should not violate any common decency issues nor should they be used without the owners permission, unless they are in the public domain.

Revising Existing Posts

Note you can also revise an existing post that has already been posted. Make the changes and then click update. WordPress is a pretty neet and user friendly blog system to use. Many people all over the world are using this particular blog management system to manage their posts. They also earn Adsense revenue from their blogging activities. It is all managed by Google once you have an account. Publishers must obtain the Adsense code from Google. Then install this code on their web pages with out making any modifications to the code.

Why would you want to make changes. It is already formatted properly and ensures relevant ads will be delivered to your blog pages every time they load.

That’s it , your ready to begin blogging! Hope you enjoy! Learn about all sorts of subjects related to travel on this web site. for example, click here

Many people, including this blog writer have preached that you must reduce your calorie intake and if you want to lose weight. You need to burn more calories than what you eat or drink on any given day.  While this is a true statement, as with all things the devil is in the detail and it is no different with weight loss. Exercise Diet and Weight Loss are linked and must be managed together to lose weight.

Now that Christmas and New Years are over it is time to pay attention to managing your weight over the year and to meet those goals you set for your self. The following points may be of interest to readers who are trying to lose weight and not having a lot of success for a variety of reasons. Exercise Diet and Weight Loss are something we all need to deal with.

Exercise Diet and Weight Loss

We will discuss each of them in more detail.

• Exercise is only part of the weight loss story.
• Exercise is a must for weight maintenance
• Food splurges may undo your efforts.
• Exercise machines may not tell the whole calorie story.
• One daily workout may not be enough.

Don’t get discouraged if you are not losing weight as fast as you would like. Like any problem, you have to dig into the detail before a solution will present itself.

Exercise is only part of the weight loss story.

If you are not seeing the results you are expecting, it is time to examine what is really happening in your life. Calories in vs. calories out is the principal mantra. If you are exercising but not reducing your intake or perhaps even increasing your intake because you are exercising, chances are you are not going to lose any weight. Embarking on an exercise program is an excellent thing to do, but you need to examine the intensity of the program as well as the amount of calories you are taking in. Cutting your intake by a 1000 calories, combined with exercise that burns a 1000 calories every week will have an impact. Exercise Diet and Weight Loss are linked and have to be managed together.

A healthy diet is important as well. Healthy foods, vegetables and fruit will also contribute to reduced calories. If you are starting in an over weight condition, you probably already know that it is difficult to exercise with all of the that extra weight that you are carrying around. Just watch the biggest loser to find out.

It is actually easier at this stage to start exercising slowly and cutting a 1000 calories out of your diet at the same time. Exercise at least 3 days a week. As you reduce weight, you will find it much easier to lose weight and to exercise as well to build muscle.

Exercise is a must for weight maintenance.

No matter how you lose those  extra pounds, most people will find that they are going to need to be active to keep the pounds off. While you may be successful at losing weight through diet alone, over time you are going to fall off the wagon sometime and if you do, the binge eating is going to be absorbed by your body. With a combination of exercise and diet you have a much better chance of maintaining your weight as well as being much more fit as well.

Food splurges may undo your efforts.

Let’s say you have adopted the program and are managing your weight through diet and exercise. We all have temptations and it may be in the form of parties we go to , special events, or a special food we just cannot stay away from. Chances are that if you succumb to these temptations, often enough you will start to gain that weight all over again.

In addition, many restaurants serve huge portions of food. We have been all trained to finish our meals and this alone can contribute to weight gain. Split portions, share them, use take home. Whatever you do try to get the portion size under control and avoid splurging on more food than what you can handle or are losing through exercise.

Keep track of all of the calories, not just at the table. Fancy coffees, soft drinks etc contribute a huge number of calories to our overall weight gain. If you have a desk job, you are not burning many calories during the day when you are consuming these calories. Try to drink water instead!

Exercise machines may not tell the whole calorie story.

Treadmills and other exercise gear often have monitors that estimate how many calories you’re burning. This is an estimate only and an indicator of the number of calories you are burning. They are not accurate enough to plan your food intake with.

Consider that you probably will burn 70 calories in an hour just sitting at your desk  or even watching TV. If you burn 300 calories on a treadmill or some other device in an hour, you are only actually burning 230 calories in this example incrementally. This is a much lower number than what you might have thought or planned with respect to food intake.

If you are looking for net calories burned as a result of exercise, subtract 70 calories per hour to obtain a better number for use in food planning.

One daily workout may not be enough.

Whether you exercise or not the real culprit is the sedentary lifestyle that many of us lead. For example, taking the car to work, riding the elevator, sitting at your desk all day, elevator can car on the way home, watching TV at night is a typical day for many people.

Leading a more active lifestyle will help you control weight gain and exercise sessions will also help. Consider walking to work, walking up the stairs, walking at lunch time, walking after work and doing physical activities around the home in addition to 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week will make a huge difference in your weight control battle.

The message is to “get active during the day” to control and lose weight. This activity will also assist in better sleeping habits and less stress as well all of which contribute to weight gain. Manage your Exercise Diet and Weight Loss as an overall package.

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There are over 3,000 rivers, 100,000 glaciers and 39 of the world’s most significant mountain ranges that dominate Alaska’s landscape. You probably have watched documentaries about Alaskan residents and how they feel about their state. In a word they are proud of the beauty that abounds every where and that is also why tourists go their year round. Whitewater Rafting in Alaska is also very popular.

There are many creative tourist trips from fishing and hunting to cruise lines that go up the coast to  Alaska rafting whitewater itineraries that combine drama with decadence and top-shelf customer service. With the recent publicity that Sarah Palin has generated and various National Geographic movies about Alaska, more and more people are going their every year. And Alaskan companies are responding to meet the demand.

Adding White Whitewater Rafting in Alaska Trips

Every year many more rafting trips are added by many Alaska Rafting whitewater companies. Alaska offers Heli-skiing, snowboarding, rafting, fishing, snowcat treks, and premier lodging .

Alaska rafting in whitewater conditions or along glaciers are available for the outdoor enthusiast. Many people do not have the gear for these sorts of trips, so  Alaska rafting whitewater companies will provide everything that you need. Just make sure you bring warm clothes and a change of clothes in case you get wet. Check in with your tour company and confirm everything that you will need to bring with you and also if you are rated for a particular trip.  Some rivers have ratings for people who must be able to swim out of a set of rapids in case of capsizing.

Canoe Beside Ice Bergs

Imagine canoeing beside icebergs and getting up close so that you can actually touch them. Depending on the time of year and the trip you book, your Alaska rafting trip can include one of these excursions.

Some Alaska rafting whitewater trips are actually quite physical, requiring the ability to portage and also to paddle with your other raft mates to control the canoes and rafts. If you are concerned about your abilities, discuss this issue with the tour organizers before you book your trip.

Example of a Rafting Trip

An example of an Alaska rafting whitewater trip starts on a train which can be boarded in Anchorage, Girdwood, or at the Portage Station. For those who depart by rail from Anchorage the train may travel south along Turnagain Arm for 50 miles. Guests get off the train in the ultra-scenic Placer valley at Spencer Lake. After a brief motor transport to Spencer Lake you may  have a deli-style lunch are launched in the raft.

Spencer Lake is full of icebergs that crumble in to the Lake throughout the season. The ice is so close you can touch it. However for safety reason it may not always be advisable to do so. After navigating through the ice-choked Lake the rafts make their way down the Placer River. Through spirited Class I (maybe II) rapids that are fun but mild. You shouldn’t get wet except for an occasional small splash. After this amazingly scenic float, you’ll get back on the train and return to your point of origin. This trip is really a lot of fun for the whole family!

This is only one example of a rafting trip. Others may require you to fly into a remote destination. Or go by 4 – wheel drive up and down old logging roads to get to the headwaters. Which can be a fun trip in itself.

Check the details with your tour guide before booking so you know exactly what you need to bring and what to expect on your trip.

For more posts about Alaska, click here.

When you go on vacation, you already know you are going to spend a lot of money and you may as well be resigned to this fact. After all you have a limited amount of time and you want to make the most of it. What if you are going on a 2 or 3 or 4 month vacation? Staying in hotels and eating in restaurants and the bills can really add up in a hurry. There are countless ways to manage your costs and one of those ways is to split restaurant meals.

Benefits of Splitting Restaurant Meals

There are multiple reasons for splitting restaurant meals and all of them have a significant benefit to you the consumer. Obviously you save money when you split a meal since the cost is now split between two people. Many restaurants do not mind at all especially if you are ordering a drink with your meal. For many restaurants this is where the profit is anyway.

Another benefit is that you are reducing the calories that you are eating. You might nor order the best food in terms of diet etc, however at least by splitting the meal you are actually eating a lot less than you would other wise.

One of the big benefits for long term travelers is that if you reduce your costs for meals by an average of $10 a day which is actually low considering that you can split lunch and dinner, you can save over $12oo on a 4 month trip, which is money you can use for other activities. Fantastic!

American Meals are Large

We have traveled in Canada and the US. We found that meals are generally larger in the US with portion sizes that are far more than many people should eat and sometimes can eat. We were at a Texas Roadhouse one evening and my wife ordered pork chops with mashed potatoes. The meal came with two large thick pork chops and a load of mashed potatoes. There was no way that she could have finished the meal herself and fortunately we were splitting the meal. At the end of it we were both full and glad we did not order a separate meal for each other!

Meals in Canada

Meals in Canada generally are smaller and they seem to be more expensive. We try to avoid eating out in Canada if we can since the value and the cost is just not there for us.

In addition the service level is really bad. It is almost as if the waiter cannot stand to be doing his or her job and they are not the least bit interested in providing good service. They still want their tip and if you tip according to the service level they gave, they get upset. You cannot win and so we do not eat out while in Canada if we can avoid it.

For more info about reducing travel costs, click here.

We rented a condo in Bullhead City from Laughlin Bullhead Vacation Rentals & Sales for the month of March 2011. The address is 251 Moser Ave, Bullhead city, Arizona. These are the red units shown on the picture below. Fantastic view of the Colorado River and the Casinos in Laughlin, Nevada.

We were not happy with this property for a number of reasons. We are placing this post to help other snow birds who might be considering this unit as a rental. Read on.

Picture of the Colorado river condominiums

We rented this unit through Laughlin Bullhead Vacation Rentals & Sales. The big issue for us was the unheated pool.  It never got above 61 F! And we spoke to a few people who were at this property last year. They had the same problem. There was a broken part.  Same problem this year? But there response when we complained was, well it is winter time, we don’t heat our pools in the winter!

Anyone who is trying to attract snow birds sure heats their pool. We have found a number of properties that do. They lost my respect and support right there with that statement.

If you rent from Laughlin Bullhead Vacation Rentals & Sales get everything in writing. There is supposed to be an inventory of everything in the unit with pictures. The pictures were there all right. But not everything in the pictures were in the unit! The response – we are just worried about the big things!

There also seems to be a lot of empty units. Probably is putting pressure on the HOA and their budget. If you happen to be considering a purchase, check this are out carefully. Make sure you do not end up on the hook for a large HOA special assessment.

Vacation Rentals & Sales in Bullhead, AZ

This property has a lot of potential. However, here are the items we did not like:

• They did not heat the pool.
• Pool was not clean.
• Ducks swam in the pool everyday
• Ducks crapped on the pool deck every day
• Hallways are dark and kind of dingy, especially the lower levels
• Rental manager does not respond quickly to issues
• Condo not well equipped with kitchen supplies
• Cannot really go walking and enjoy your self doing it in this area
• They did not fix the broken vacuum
• Units are not well insulated

Also we like the following :

• Great view of the river and the casinos
• Large balcony with sliding doors from the LR and BR
• Over 1600 sq feet of space, lot of room
• Lots of parking in a gated lot
• In addition the water taxi stops at the condo when called
• There are four  TV’s in each bedroom as well as LR
• Fairly clean

Comments

If you have had personal experience with Laughlin Bullhead Vacation Rentals & Sales or with 251 Moser ave. either good or bad, please leave a comment to help future snow birds avoid getting taken. For more posts about Bullhead and Arizona, click here.

We recently went to the restaurant called Tropicale in Palm Springs California. It is located at the corner of Amado and N Calle Encilla. The address is 330 East Amado Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262-6437.

They have a happy hour every day from 5 pm until 7 pm and if you have not tried happy hours at any local Palm Springs restaurants, you should. This is an excellent way to try out a restaurant to see its decor, service and food without having to spend too much. If you like it, then you can always go back again either for happy hour or for the main course.

Tropicale is definitely a place that we will go back to especially for happy hour. We had 6 beers and 3 appetizers all for a grand total of $35 including tax and tip. Not a bad deal alt all. Oh by the way, the food was great. The decor is great and the service is equally good as well. Highly recommend this place to visit and apparently it is written up in some of the better know restaurant reviews, although we have not been able to verify this.

They also have an outdoor area which has some shade, a bar you can sit at as well as seven or eight tables were you can spend a very nice evening or afternoon enjoying the atmosphere and the food with a few drinks.

We like to sit at the bar. You meet people this way and you get to chat with the bar tender as well. It is a great way to see just how well run the place is, attention to cleanliness and how liberal they are with drinks. Some bars will measure, others will gauge by eye when the fill a wine glass for example. Tropicale does it by gauging when your glass has enough.

Tropicale Restaurant – Meeting People

One thing that you risk when you sit at the bar like this, is that sometimes you end up talking to people that you really do not want to get to know. This was the case the night we went. One guy who was quite full of himself monopolized the conversation. He talked about how many cities and countries he had traveled to and how good he was at negotiation. I could not get rid of him. I was beginning to wonder if he was gay and trying to pick me up. After mentioning my wife several times and that we were leaving he finally left.

My wife also got caught by a women who was by herself and claimed to not be gay,  but wanted to go our further for drinks with us. We decided to leave the Tropicale Restaurant at this point and all was fine. Never the less this is a danger when you sit at the bar.

Finally this place is popular with gay men. There was maybe 50% couples i.e. men and women, while the rest were gay. This is something to be aware of if you plan to visit this restaurant and we really recommend that you do. It is one of the better restaurants in Palm Springs.

If you have been there and have comments, please leave a comment on this post to help our readers.

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Oatman is an old mining town on Route 66 on the western side of the mountains between Kingman and Bullhead City in Arizona. It is in the mountains and at one time over 30,000 people called it home, mainly miners, living in tents and shacks they built to survive the winters and the hot summer sun. Today there are about 100 people living in Oatmen, some in  RV’s, some in trailers and others in homes that have been fixed up.

They live there along with 100 or so wild burro’s that were let loose when the mining stopped. The minors could not take them with them so they simply let them loose. Today they wander the desert around Oatman and also look for handouts of carrots from the many tourists visiting Oatman.

Where is Oatmen Arizona

Oatman is about 25 miles from the Bullhead City / Laughlin area and there are several ways to get there. We followed our GPS which took us on a gravel road through the desert. There were a few times I almost turned around. I really do not recommend this approach unless you have an old car or a jeep.  My new car and the pot holes in the road, gravel wash board and narrow road made me wonder why I was going to Oatman. You can reach  Route 66 from Bullhead via Mohave City which is just down the road from Bullhead city on route 95. It is paved, winding, and narrow, but much more suited to cars!

Never the less, there are beautiful vistas to look at and when you get to Oatman, sure enough, there are lots of wild burros wandering the street looking for handouts!

There were various sizes of burros and they seemed to be everywhere. There were several babies, which you should not feed, since the carrots could get caught in their throats.! They even wear signs saying do not feed me.

Oatmen Arizona Bars

There is a local bar / restaurant in Oatmen. Everyone should visit this place even if it is just to take a look. You might stay and have a beer and something to eat as well. There is something really unique about this place that pulls tourists from far and wide.

The miners would spend there hard earned money in the local bars. Many were afraid they would loose their money so they started a custom were they would pin their money to the wall. When they had used up their funds from either drinking or food, the bartender would remove the money from the wall. This custom has extended to today. However now tourists will pin a dollar bill to the wall and write their names on the dollar.

We asked the waitress how much money was pinned to the wall and she estimated at least $65,000! Money is everywhere, on the walls, the ceiling, behind the bar even on the doors. The restaurant was basically a burger place, licensed, a place to visit once.

Of course they had to stage a local gun fight in the middle of the street. Interesting to watch with a few jokes thrown in. This is part of route 66 and part of the history of the western part of the US!

Oatman Button Lady

While in one of the casinos in Laughlin, the Aquarius, we met a couple who still had a relative in Oatman. The women’s mother still lives there and is known as the button lady. We never met her, but maybe we will look her up next time we go through there.

We will write more stories about our travels and route 66 on future posts. They are interesting. You really see the hardships that some of the settler and minors experienced trying to get rich or make their way to California.

If you have a special story about Oatmen, why not leave a comment for our readers. They will enjoy it.

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Did you know that your risk of death rises steadily with every overweight pound you gain? This was confirmed on  a huge study funded by the National Institutes of Health . There are lots of reasons for death rates or probability for death rates to increase. We have all heard about smokers and that they tend to die about 5 years earlier on average than every one else who does not smoke. Being over weight can have the same effect or perhaps even more so. This is a serious result, yet people do not listen! Excess Weight Increases Risk of Death and over 50% of our population is overweight.

Excess Weight Increases Risk of Death – Body Mass Index

Even if you don’t smoke and are in otherwise good health, your risk of death goes up 31% with every 5-point increase in BMI, a measure of body mass based on weight and height.  The normal range BMI is 22.5 to 24.9. The neat thing about BMI is that it accounts for height and if you are taller and carrying more weight, then your BMI is not going to be as high as you might expect.

Just being a little bit overweight increases death risk.

• A BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 increased death risk by 13%
• A BMI of 30.0 to 34.9 increased death risk by 44%
• BMI of 35.0 to 39.9 increased death risk by 88%
• A BMI of 40.0 to 49.9 increased death risk by 251%

Those figures above are for women who do not smoke and who have no underlying disease. Men will have similar percentages. These numbers are really scary and if this does not kick start you into losing weight nothing will! Being overweight can cause all kinds of problems which may trigger mortality. Heart attacks and stroke, asthma, diabetes, liver issues and infections are just some of the problems that people who are overweight must contend with.

Excess Weight Increases Risk of Death – Shorter Life Span

It is possible that other diseases unrelated to being over weight could have an impact. However there just seems to be too much correlation based on various studies to not pay attention to some of these figures. Excess Weight Increases Risk of Death is a proven fact.

Most people have heard that smokers can expect a shortened life span due to long term smoking and second hand smoke. Now people who are considered obese can expect a shortened life span as well compared to people who have a BMI that is below 24.9. Some studies indicate that the impact can be as much as 4 years although this is only a guideline. For some people they may reduce their life span by much more than 4 years while others not so much. Either way it is a good reason to get in shape and lose weight.

What Is a Healthy BMI?

A person with a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered to be at a healthy weight. A person with a BMI of 25-29.9 is considered to be overweight. A BMI over 30 is considered obese. A BMI of 40 or above indicates that a person is morbidly obese. This can increases a person’s risk of death from any cause by 50% to 150%.

What does a BMI of 24.9 mean in terms of height and weight? Well if you are 5 feet 7 inches tall and weight 190 pounds you have a BMI of 29.8 which is considered overweight and just on the edge of being obese, which starts at a BMI of 30. Someone who is 6 foot 6 inches and weighs 190 pounds would only have a BMI of approximately 25.5, where as someone who is only 5 feet and 190 pounds is off the charts or greater than 37 in BMI terms.

You can look all of these terms and BMI indexes up on the internet and we encourage everyone to take a moment to consider what their BMI is and what they can do about it in terms of losing weight.

One word of caution. If you are an athlete and have lots of muscle with low body fat, BMI may give you an erroneous indication, since muscle weighs more than fat. Also if you are an older person with lean muscle mass and more fat, you might show a lower BMI when really you are overweight.

Waist Circumference is Another Indicator

If you have a higher BMI and your waste size is larger than 35 inches you are at risk.This is a greater indicator of being at higher risk of heart disease and also diabetes. Men tend to store much of their excess fat around the waist. So this becomes a good indicator of how much you are at risk especially if your BMI is also high.

Imagine if you could extend your life by 4 or 6 years and be able to see your daughter married, perhaps hold your grand kids or do some of the things you always dreamed about in retirement. You can do all of these things or at least increase the probability that you will be able to if you lose weight and get your BMI and waist circumference in line with more normal levels for your height. Don’t wait, get a plan together and get started now!

Travelers whether in your own country or around the world enjoy seeing the sights and wonders of different places. Many travel  with only a backpack for all the things they need giving them the flexibility to go almost anywhere. Because they only have a pack on their backs, the possibilities of new sightseeing and activity adventures are limitless.

But of course, before you head for a faraway hiking adventure with your backpack, or are just going camping in the next town, you must make sure that you bring all the things you need to be properly prepared and they all must fit  in your backpack. Below is a checklist that will make your backpacking adventure a more pleasant experience and will apply whether you are camping or backpacking around the world. Remember the more you pack the more you have to carry and they can get very heavy after a long day. Here are some backpacking tips.

Backpacking Tips

Backpack

Of course, you need a backpack, however this is really one of your most important purchases. It must be large enough to hold everything that you want to bring with you, while at the same time it must fit you comfortably with supporting straps and padding so that it does not chafe on days when there are long days of hiking or walking. Consult with someone at a store who has some experience and knows a thing or two about backpacking. Choose a backpack that comes with a detachable day pack for daytime excursions.

Quick Drying Towel

Widely available in many stores. You don’t want a heavy, damp, big  towel that takes up a lot of room and weighs you down. Add a face cloth to this as well for quick freshening when you get the chance. Again absorbent, but quick drying.

Walking Shoes

Clothing is a difficult topic. You really have to give some thought about the conditions you will be in while backpacking. Obviously you should pick comfortable shoes for walking but you may need something more dressy as well for the odd special location.

Underwear and socks

These go without saying. Quantity depends on were you will be and access to laundry facilities, even if you have to do a hand wash once in a while.

Long Underwear

Long underwear depends on the season and place where you are traveling. Long underwear can also double as pajamas when you stay in hotels that do not have adequate heating systems.

Pillow Case

Using your own pillow case is an essential thing to keep in mind when you stay in hostels and it can double as a dirty laundry bag as well.

Sleeping Bag

Select a lightweight sleeping bag. Down is the best type of sleeping bag.  Feathers are very light and you can compress a down sleeping bag into a very small package. If you are allergic to feathers, you will need to select something that is synthetic.

Passport

Most countries require a passport for exit as well as entry. This is a must have!

More Backpacking Tips

Wallet

Take several wallets, one that you use every day and one that you can conceal on your person. Always have some cash in case you are mugged. Better to give them something vs. losing it all or your life.

Camera

An electronic camera with large amounts of memory should be considered.  You will want tobe able to charge the batteries at times and download your pictures to an email program at internet cafe’s.

Journal

You will not be able to recall everything you do on your trip especially if it is along one. A journal is an excellent way to help remember some of the more interesting details.

Flip Flops

If you have to use a communal shower at a hostel or a camp site, flip flops are excellent to use to protect your feet. They are also great to use at the beach.

Traveler’s Checks

Always have some cash with you and the bulk of your money in travelers checks. You should also check with the countries that you are going to, to confirm which type their banks / hotels will accept.

Wet Wipes

A small pack is light weight and easy to carry.

Landry Detergent

Small amounts may prove valuable especially if you have to do a hand wash in the sink.

Rain Coat

A light plastic rain coat is always a good thing to have. The thin ones work well and do not take a lot of room, nor are the to heavy to carry in your back pack.

Lock

A lock that you can use to lock up your things in a container may also be useful.

Band Aids

A small medial kit that has the basics, bandages, scissors, gauze and disinfectant may become useful when you least expect it .

Travel Guide

Try picking a comprehensive yet easy-to-carry travel guide.

Personal items

The usual stuff such as toothpaste, deodorant, soap, and shampoo.

Clothing

A tip: The night before you leave, check all clothes that you need. Then take only half of them. Clothing simply weighs too much and can be washed anytime, even if you have to hand wash in the sink. Take only what you can carry at ease.

Hope these backpacking tips help. Select what you need based on the type of trip you are going on and how long you will be away. We appreciate comments about this post and anything we might have missed. Spam comments are auto deleted.

We recently stayed in one of the red condos pictured below during the month of March, 2011.  The unit itself inside was actually quite nice, although it did have a few negatives that unfortunately will deter us from returning in future years. Read more below and make up your own mind as to whether you would want to spend your money renting one of these units. The address is 251 Moser Ave, Bullhead city, Arizona. This property is located on the Colorado river across the river from all of the casinos in Nevada. There is a boat landing which can be used to catch a water taxi across the river to the casinos as well.

Picture of the Bullhead City Condos condominiums

The view from the 2nd floor balcony is really quite nice with the Colorado river in the foreground and the casinos in Laughlin across the river. They are especially nice at night when all of the lights are lit up. It really has a nice view of the river, the casinos and the mountains in the background. There are mountains on both sides of the river.

Pool Unheated

We were led to believe that the pool would be heated for March. The days were certainly nice enough to go swimming and we have stayed in other condos in this time of year were we have swam a lot. The pool not only was not heated, it was around 61 F, it was dirty and the ducks swam in the pool every day and crapped all over the deck. Not sanitary and not nice.

We spoke to a few fellow travelers and they also were expecting the pool to be heated. Bottom line get it in writing and do not believe what the sales person or the owner tells you. This property is experiencing financial trouble. They have problems collecting the HOA fees and have to cut back on expenses. Therefore the first thing to go I guess is the heated pool!

Not Well Equipped

As furniture goes, TV’s etc, this unit was very well equipped. We had to buy wine glasses, all of our spices , catsup, mustard etc, dish towels and dish rags. Most unit owners who rent to  snow birds make sure that even these basic things are provided. There was no hair dryer either.

Now before you suggest that we are being picky or expecting more than we should, let me say that we have been renting condos for over ten years and know what to expect. This unit ranked a 4 out of 10 in this area.

Laughlin Bullhead Vacation Rentals & Sales

Nice people, but not very good at following through with requests. For example, we did not have screens on the sliding glass doors for our unit. Apparently they were in the garage being stored. It took over a week for two of them to show up at our door and another 5 days for the remaining 2 to arrive. They were dusty and no attempt was made to clean them at all.

The vacuum is one of those types that has a roller for beating the carpet which is driven by an electric motor with a belt from the motor to the roller. This belt was broken, had been that way for some time because the motor shaft was rusty. We were supposed to receive a new belt, however have not seen anything from anyone in over two weeks.

These are not big things, but it reflects the level of service you can expect. Our unit was clean, I can only imagine if it had been dusty or dirty. What would we do then? The contract is all one sided so pay attention. If you want that pool heated, put it in the contract or do not go there!

Comments?

If you have stayed at 251 Moser Ave in Bullhead city in Arizona, and have had a great experience or not so good, please your comments to help other snow birds who are looking for a place to stay for the winter! We would really like to hear comments. They continue to advertise this property and it really does not measure up to what they are saying about the property. For more posts about Bullhead and Arizona, click here.

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Colorado river condominiums in Bullhead city, Arizona are just like the name says, right on the Colorado river. They are situated across the river from the casinos in Laughlin Nevada and provide a great view during the day and at night from your balcony.

These condos are nice, but there are some negatives about them that potential renters and snow birds should be aware of.

• Pool is not heated
• Pool water is at 61 degrees
• There is no beach contrary to some sites we have looked at
• The pool is not clean
• The ducks enjoy the pool and leave their droppings on the deck
• The area around the property is pretty run down
• The units while nice are not sound proof
• There are 6 barbecues, but they are a long ways from your condo.

Picture of the Colorado river condominiums

There are some good points about this condo that we would also like to point out. You may not be interested in using the pool at all in which case these units might be just what you want.

Advantages of the Colorado river condominiums

• Large units some with 3 bedrooms and 1600 square feet
• Nice large balconies
• Gated community
• Lots of parking
• Elevator to higher units
• Two hot tubs
• Storage for RV’s or boats
• Close to casinos
• Water taxi service available from the property
• Very quiet, except for the boats and seados on the river.

This property is located at 251 Moser avenue and we rented it for a month in March. We were given the impression that the pool was heated, although nothing was in writing and it is not on any advertising that we saw. Several sites did advertise a pool, but nothing was said about whether you could use it or not. Our fault for not verifying this before we signed the contract.

We are writing this post to warn people that if they want a heated pool, they should verify it, get it on the contract. Do not take the salesman word for it. They use words like – we think it is heated, it is usually heated, it is probably heated etc. be very careful about this if this is important to you.

Buying Colorado river condominiums

As far as buying one of these units, they are very nice and spacious, however again buyer beware. We were told that several were being foreclosed so you can probably pick one up pretty cheap, however the HOA fees will be unpaid. You want to make sure that you do not get stuck for these outstanding fees.

I think this is the other reason the pool is not heated, they are trying to save money because the HOA is not getting the cash flow they really need due to the condition of many of the owners probably not paying. During the real estate crisis these unit owners lost thousands of dollars and are having difficulty  meeting mortgage payments and HOA fees. With so many owners in difficulty and little cash coming in the HOA has to limit their services and conserve cash as much as possible. This is the reason we think that the pool is not heated and they do not cater to snow birds who are expecting a heated pool.

Check the Details

Check all of this out before you purchase if you plan to buy a unit. They do have great garages for storing RV’s and boats, cars etc so this will meet a lot of peoples needs. We also found that there is not a lot to do in the area. You can visit the casinos of course, go out to various restaurants, play golf, go hiking, water sports etc. But it is generally quite limited for the more senior snow birds who may not be interested in water sports or casinos for example.

We spent a month in Bullhead Arizona and Laughlin Nevada. By the end of the month we were really ready for a change of scenery. Our next stop is Palm Springs and there really is no comparison to Bullhead Arizona. Lots of restaurants, entertainment etc. to take in. Perhaps we did not give Bullhead and Laughlin enough of a chance. We do enjoy going to the casinos but only for three to five days at a time.

For more posts about Bullhead and Arizona, click here.

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251 Moser Ave Bullhead City AZ

These are the condos on the Colorado River in Bullhead city. You can see them from the river walk along the river from the other side in Nevada and from a distance they look great. In fact they have a great view of the river and the casinos. The view at night is spectacular with all of the lights of the casinos.

Picture of the Colorado river condominiums

The apartment we stayed in was large with 3 bed bedrooms, a large dining room and living room as well as a large patio. There are several sets of barbecues down by the pool, which takes some time to get to unless you are on that level, otherwise you need to take the elevator to get there.

Parking and Security

There is lots of parking as well and if you have an RV or a boat, I guess you could also rent one of the garages to leave it in. These are built to house RV’s so they are very large. The entire place is in a gated area, since the area just outside the gates is quite run down and I would not walk there at night. We had no problem during the day, although there is not much to see or to enjoy other than you are walking to get some exercise.

251 Moser Ave Bullhead City AZ – Pool Area

The back yard which is along the pool is nice, with two hot tubs and a pool overlooking the Colorado River. There are a couple of Palm trees and 6 or 7 lounges around the pool. Not many for the 80 units in this complex, however not many people go to the pool since it is not heated.

The pool is not heated from January to March and probably not in April or May either. The water was at 61 degrees, yet the outdoor temperature with the afternoon sun was more than hot enough to enjoy the pool on many days during March of 2011. The claim was that it cost too much to heat the pool and most people do not go swimming in the winter. Well for snow birds that is one of the reasons you come to a place like this and other condos to provide this service.

Anyway we will not be back. I would encourage anyone considering this place as a snow bird retreat,  looking for a heated pool to avoid this place. We talked to a number of fellow snow birds. They indicated they were not coming back for this reason alone.

River Front Condos for Sale

There are places for sale if you want to buy one. The price has dropped from around $600k to less than $300. Personally I would not pay more than $200k for one of these places. Be very careful of the HOA status. A number of places have been foreclosed. This means they are in arrears with the HOA fees. A new owner might be on the hook for these fees. Maybe this is really why they do not heat the pool.

Pool Deck not Clean

By the way the ducks like to sun themselves on the pool deck. Then take a dip in the pool. There is duck excrement around the pool on a regular basis and who wants to swim with the ducks?

If you have stayed at this place, leave your comments. Maybe you enjoyed it and are coming back. We are not! For more posts about Bullhead and Arizona, click here.

Apt 203, 251 Moser Ave, Bullhead City, AZ

We recently stayed at the Riverfront condos in Bullhead City. These are the big red condos that you see right on the Colorado river across from the Golden Nugget Casino on the Laughlin, Nevada side of the river. This Condo is located at 251 Moser Avenue #203, Bullhead City AZ. 251 Moser Ave  is in the 86429 ZIP code in Bullhead City, AZ.  251 Moser Ave #7 has 3 beds, 2 baths, and approximately 1,631 square feet

Do Not Book This Property – 251 Moser Ave

If you are looking for a vacation rental and plan to spend some time by the pool, do not book this place. The pool is not heated January to March! There were lots of days with the afternoon sun beating down on the pool deck and no one would go into the pool because it was at 61 degrees. Many of the days were truly spectacular with lots of sun and hot. The pool is located on the western side of the condos right on the river and gets lots of sun. You cannot sit there and not go in the pool, but who wants to go swimming in 61 degree water.

There are two hot tubs which are heated and you can use them. However again at some point you want to cool off. A few brave souls did go in the water but only for a few seconds. It is as if they are going polar bear swimming like they do on Jan 1st in the north!

Also the ducks like the pool and leave their excrement all over the pool deck. There were two ducks who were there most of the day every day and left excrement all over the deck. They swam in the pool and one day they were even copulating in the pool. The whole thing is disgusting. If you are looking for a place to go swimming, don’t waste your money unless you do not use the pool ever!

Picture of the Colorado river condominiums

Do Not Believe the Sales Person

One last thing. When we booked this place we were told it has a pool and the salesmen thought it was heated. Should have listened closely and confirmed. He knew it was not heated, but was not going to volunteer the information. We have stayed in a lot of other places and have had the pools at84 degrees all year long!

Moral of the story is buyer beware and don’t assume anything like we did.

The Condo

The condo apartment itself is large , well appointed and quite comfortable. The view on the Colorado is really great and we enjoyed these parts of our stay. The condo could have been better equipped in the kitchen department. We had to buy wine glasses, filters for the coffee machine and all the spices etc. Normally these sorts of things are provided.

All in all, we have decided that we would never come back to this location. We paid $2200 for the month of March 2011 and I would demand a much lower rate. Most of the units are vacant so there is lots to chose from contrary to what they tell you. The sales agent is easy to deal with, however just do not believe anything they tell you.

Poor Service Examples

For example, all of the other units had screens on the windows. WE asked for ours to be installed ( they were in the garage). It took two weeks before they finally got around to bringing them over. The belt on the vacuum was broken, had been broken long before we arrived and remains that way, even though we reported it over two weeks ago.  Don’t expect too much.

As I said earlier, we are seasoned travelers and know what to expect. This unit and the management did not come close to meeting our expectations! For more posts about Bullhead and Arizona, click here.

This is the fourth post regarding treating allergies and asthma. Our previous posts, “Asthma From a Patient’s Perspective”, “Allergies and Where You Live”, and “Allergy Season is Here”, may also be of interest to some of you who have an interest in this subject. Anyone who suffers from allergies knows just how much of a struggle it is. It can be the same as having a bad cold all spring or all summer long. It is not fun and consumers will do everything they can to minimize the symptoms.

We are posting this series of posts on this blog because often people who are suffering from allergies also have issues with diet and overweight due to their inactivity.

Treating Allergies

Treating allergies is really all about treating the symptoms. There is no magic pill that you can take that will cure your allergic reaction. Every year millions of over the counter as well as prescription medication is sold to consumers for the treatment of allergy symptoms. For the most part, they may help alleviate the runny nose etc somewhat, but they certainly will not cure the problem.  As with any medication, consumers should be careful about what they take, what the potential interaction is with other medications you may be taking and how much medication they take. Do not mix alcohol with many of these medications. If you have any doubts, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

If Resources Are Tight

Many people also do not have the money to pay for medications, either over the counter or prescription. Also air cleaners and air purifiers are expensive to install. So What do you do?

You do the same thing that actually all of us should be doing in the first place. That is focus on the cause rather than focus on the symptoms. What does this statement really mean? Well instead of buying expensive medication to try to treat your runny nose, coughing, wheezing, itchy eyes, why not try to deal with the cause of all of these allergy symptoms.

The cause for many people is pollen, which causes your body to produce antibodies which in turn causes your body to produce a powerful chemical which causes itchiness and swelling making your life uncomfortable. Reducing your exposure to the pollen in the air will go a long way to reducing your reaction to the pollen floating in the air. This applies to dust mites as well and anything else you might be allergic to.

Reducing Exposure to Allergens

Your home can become your fortress to keep away from pollen floating in the air. But first, you have to make sure that all of the windows are closed and your home is clean. If you have a central vacuum make sure that the exhaust is vented outside so that all dust and pollen that slips through the filter is delivered outside.

When you do go outside because you cannot stay inside all of the time, try to manage your schedule so that it is early in the morning before the wind currents begin stirring up the pollen in the air. Same thing at night. Windy days are going to be bad for anyone with allergies. If you can go straight to the car and straight to work.

Some of us need to work outside and exposure is going to be high. You will suffer all day but there is no need to suffer at night if you and your family are careful. Whenever you go outside, pollen sticks to your hair, skin and clothes. Going inside your home just drags this pollen into your home and especially onto your pillow as it transfers from your hair to your bed.

Start by undressing in the laundry room, then take a fast shower to wash all of this pollen from your body. This will stop the transfer of pollen into your home and continue the aggravation that you have to endure while outside.

Sleeping at Night

This has to be the worst time for many people. Your body is at rest while the pollen levels are the same if you have not taken the above steps to keep your home pollen-free. With pollen on your pillow from the transfer from your hair, you will itch and sneeze all night.

It is so important to decontaminate as you enter your home to ensure that this does not happen.

The big challenge is to also have your family follow the same rules. Otherwise they will defeat the purpose and make your life miserable. If you have pets that go outside, they will also drag a lot of pollen into the home. In fact since they are low to the ground and  lots of hair, they pick up a great deal of pollen that will be transferred to your home and eventually to you.

Avoid allowing any pets to sleep in your bed during allergy season. This will just make the situation so much worse for you since their fur will be like a magnet for pollen and dust mites which will only make your situation that much worse.

With these few steps you will not cure your allergy symptoms, but you can make them a lot better and at least tolerable at low or nil cost. Treating allergies does not need to be expensive.

Comments are welcome. Especially ideas about how to improve your symptoms without spending a lot of money. Spam comments will be auto deleted.

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We recently traveled to the Lake Havasu Resort and Casino in California for a short one day trip. We are staying in Laughlin , Nevada. My wife thought that it would be interesting to go to this casino. We had heard comments we received from fellow travelers the previous year. It sounded like a nice day trip with lunch included so we gave it a try and in the process made a small video which we also link to on this site. It is a very small casino and average food in the restaurant. The following is a short video of the front of the casino in Lake Havasu Camp.

Lake Havasu casino

We visited Lake  Havasu city for a day and we were told that you could take the ferry across Lake Havasu to Lake Havasu camp were the Lake Havasu Resort and Casino is located  on the shores of the lake on the California side. The ferry ride included lunch for the price of a ticket, which was a good deal at the time, but we were running late and decided not take it. So this year we drove by car to this Lake Havasu  Resort and Casino which actually is a bit closer to Laughlin than Lake Havasu city.

Lake Havasu Resort and Casino – Winter Season

We arrived during the middle of March and this is obviously off season, since many homes and trailers are closed up tight. In fact it was almost like a ghost town. There were a few people in the casino and quite a few who came over from Lake Havasu city on the ferry which runs every hour ( I think).

This is a really small casino with maybe 200 machines, located right on the lake. You can sit at the bar, enjoy a drink, play the slots and look out on the lake to watch the boats etc. I imagine in the summer months that it is quite busy. They have the usual slot machines, just not very many of them.

The restaurant is basic and small with lots of windows looking out on the lake. We got a nice little table against the glass and enjoyed the view. We order fish and chips and also chicken tenders which came with french fries. They were ok, not very good for you, but they certainly satisfied our lunch time hunger. The service was fast and we were quite satisfied.

I would not go back to this location unless I was into boating. There is a nice little marina on the side and many homes obviously were storing boats for the summer season. The following video shows the casino as well as the marina.

Camp Havasu Marina

Feel free to leave comments, especially if you have been there in the summer time and would like to describe what there is to do in Lake Havasu area.

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Have you ever traveled Historic Route 66? We have traveled over a number of sections and most of it is pretty boring.  One part through the prairies was flat and very long. Yet if you take a minute and imagine what it would have been like to travel on what was then a gravel road for the most part from Chicago to Los Angeles, you would be very impressed. Remember there were not many towns to stop at in the western USA and before cars, there were only horses and wagons traveling this route. This was a tough trip to take by horse, wagon, or even car.

Route 66 – Hackberry General Store

Much of the route goes through mountainous areas and was very difficult to traverse.

We traveled from Kingman to Valentine on Route 66 in Arizona the other day. Most of it was flat top through low mountains. Quite scenic, but not too exciting until we stopped at two places. One was the Hackberry General store.

Talk about going back in time. You really have to look at the pictures and the short video to really appreciate this place.  During the ’50s, pinup girls were more popular in garages across the country. They had lots of pictures dating back to the 50s and 60s displayed on the walls in the washroom.

It has been in operation for over 100 years and today mainly sells Historic Route 66 memorabilia. It also doubles as a museum with many items that date back to the turn of the century.

What caught my eye was the 1957 corvette in front of the store, which is still driven every day by the owner. He says it is worth roughly $100k. If it was in mint condition, they apparently go for $140k.

This place is a must-see if you are in the area. It is less than an hour’s drive from Kingman and interstate 40. The store is also equipped with Wifi, so you can do a quick check of your email if needed.

Check out the pictures and the video. Click on the following link to see the video –   Route 66 Hackberry General Store

Our next post will be about the Route 66 Frontier Motel and Diner. This place has seen better days, and if locals were not going into this diner, I don’t think we would have either. Turns out the food was really great and we had our first taste of “Fried Bread” which is a local dessert that they sell in the Arizona area. For Canadians, it is similar to “beaver tails” but puffier.

Feel free to leave us comments about the Route 66 – Hackberry General Store.

For more posts about Arizona, click here.

We dropped in at the Firehouse Coffee Company at the Riverview Mall the other day and we were really pleasantly surprised. We have not found any really good coffee shops in the area up til now. Even the local Starbucks coffee shops are not great. They are inside grocery stores or casinos and do not offer the ambiance that regular coffee shops offer. There is no outside seating at any of these coffee shops.

The picture on the left really does not do the place justice. It is an eclectic mix of decorations that I guess is suppose to remind of you an old firehouse, however I did not really see that. There is a lot to look at and take in. So be prepared to spend some time just looking around the Firehouse Coffee Shop in Bullhead City, Arizona.

WiFi

The Firehouse Coffee Company offers free WiFi. If you ask them they tell you it is $5 for an hour unless you buy a coffee, other wise it is free. There is no pass code so you can stand outside the door if you really need to and use the internet WiFi access for free. Strange!

Decor

The inside is really nicely decorated with tables for large groups as well as couples. There are really nice leather chairs and couches, perfect for a coffee and reading the newspaper or a good book or browsing the internet which I did. Click on the following link to see a short video of the inside of this coffee shop.

Firehouse Coffee shop

Coffee Prices

Coffee prices are about the norm, so nothing to report on that front.

Food

They were offering large cupcakes for $3, a bit expensive. They were really good, had real whip cream on top and they were laced with hot dried peppers. Hot!

There also was a red pepper, one of those hot ones, dipped in chocolate. These are for people who are really into hot stuff. This comes with the cup cake, but we did not try that. We like hot things, but that is a bit more than we can take.

They have a full menu of soups and sandwiches and other stuff, so we are confident that there is something there for everyone.

Location

It is located in the Riverview Mall area in Bullhead City along Highway 95. Great to do some shopping and then relax with a coffee or just visit for a nice place to share a coffee with someone.

We really liked this coffee shop. For more posts about things to do in Bullhead, Arizona, click here.

We visited the Starbucks at the Aquarius hotel in Laughlin Nevada on the Colorado River. It has changed to the Duet, run by the Aquarius casino. The Aquarius is one of nine casino hotels in this area and our favorite as far as casinos in Laughlin are concerned. If you would like to read more about Aquarius, click here.  The Aquarius is the old Flamingo Hotel which was purchased a few years ago.

We will also be adding posts about the Laughlin area and also about Bullhead, Arizona which is just across the river from Laughlin, so stay tuned.

Aquarious Hotel – Prices are Higher

Starbucks has been replaced by the Aquarius hotel’s own coffee shop, called the Duet. It operates the same way, with free WiFi and a 10% discount for those people with a slot card. It is much nicer than Starbucks and is kept pretty clean compared to Starbucks. All in all a good place to spend some time doing your email etc.

This post is all about Starbucks at this location. Regarding the menu, it is much the same as many other Starbucks, however, you should be warned about the prices. We have been paying $1.50 for a tall Pike roast cup of coffee, while at this location, the same coffee is over $2.00 and you have to pay for refills even if you have a registered Starbucks card. They will give you 10% off if you have an Aquarius slot card.  Refills cost fifty-four cents.

Lots of Room to Sit

One of the nice things about this location is that there are lots of places to sit and enjoy your coffee or read your email. Like most Starbucks, they provide free WiFi as well. In fact, I have been sitting in the casino, not too far away, and was still able to review my email and surf the net.  There are also lots of wall plugs to plug into your laptop, which is unusual for many coffee places.

Hours

They open at 6 am in the morning and close around 11 pm. Too bad they are not open 24 hours, since the casino is open all of that time.

For more reviews about coffee shops, click here.

We recently went to the Wynn hotel’s buffet in Las Vegas. We had one of the best meals that I can recall from a buffet perspective.  The only other one that tops it is the Mirage hotel buffet from last year.

We were with a fiend of ours who just a few moments before had won $5280 on a nickel machine so they offered to pay for us and of course we accepted.  By the way that is over 100,000 nickels ! They paid her in $100 bills, but still that is a lot of money to carry around. Anyway I am digressing from the main topic of this post.

Wynn Hotel – Buffet – Pricey

The buffet during the week is #35 per person which initially we found to be a bit pricey. However when you consider the food available and the types of food, it is well worth the money. Try eating as much as can of lobster, crab legs as well as all of the other standard food they have available.

Roasts, turkey, pork chops, Mexican food, Sushi and on and on. You can always find something a little cheaper, but they will not include such a sumptuous set of choices.

Wynn Hotel Location

The buffet at the mirage is easy to find and there was no line up the day and time we went. It was a bit late for dining by North American standards, around 7:30pm.  We were given a nice table in a corner which was great for us since we had some privacy and we could talk about all of our friends winnings. She was really excited as I am sure most people would be.

Wine With Your Meal

All of the restaurants including the buffet at the Wyn hotel offer wine service. A word of caution is in order. If you think the price for the buffet is expensive. The price of wine is even more expensive, especially when you consider what you can pay at the local grocery store for a bottle of wine.

Now I know that you are not at a grocery store, the decor etc, however I found the prices for a bottle or regular California wine pretty expensive.

A neat little trick for those who are cost conscious. Playing the slots is to order a glass of wine from the cocktail waitresses, carry it in with you and enjoy your wine with your meal. Tipping a dollar for a glass of wine is much cheaper than paying $10 for a glass of wine!

Wynn Hotel – Tipping at Buffets

I am never really sure what to tip at a buffet. After all you are getting yur own food. Still a good waiter will make sure your table is cleared of used plates etc and they will bring you soft drinks and coffee if ordered quickly. Refills were no problem as well, so they should be tipped, it is just the amount that is in question.

If 15% is the norm for full service with average level of service by the staff, then 10% is probably reasonable in a buffet. If anyone knows or has an opinion on this please leave a comment. I see lots of people not leaving a tip at all at buffets which I think is not right. Also leaving 15 or 20% is way over the top as well.

Comments are appreciated, especially about tipping at buffets. Spam comments will be auto deleted.

For more posts about casinos and slot cards, click here.

Rafting Trip – Verde river rafting Perkinsville to Beasley Flat – 55 miles

Description – White water rafters can put in their rafts at Perkinsville Rd and the last take out is at Beasley Flats. There is  about 55 miles of gorgeous river flowing through a beautiful and scenic river valley. Between Perkinsville and Beasley Flat it is characterized by desert riverbanks, willow and cottonwood trees, ocotillo, and Saguaro cactus. A verdant ground cover of desert scrub. The river flows as a Class I to II stream with usually gentle currents and a moderate gradient.

Paddle trips can be taken year-round if there has been sufficient recent rainfall around Sullivan Lake to keep the river flowing, or not at all during drought years. Check ahead to confirm sufficient water flow. This reach of the river flows past the confluence of Sycamore Creek on river left, the towns of Clarkdale, Cottonwood and Camp Verde, Dead Horse Ranch State Park and Camp Verde State Historical Park, ending in the “scenic” portion of the river that has been designated as “Wild and Scenic”. Adjoining land along this reach is private property, and care should be exercised to avoid trespassing without advance permission.

Places to Stay

The river is very remote, though access at the small towns is good where paddlers can find places to stay (other than the usual riverside camping, if so inclined). Hence food and supplies, restaurants and other services and amenities are available. Dead Horse Ranch State Park offers an excellent place to stop and explore the surrounding area. Permits are not required for private, non-commercial groups. But upon entering the “Wild” section of the “Wild and Scenic” area group size is limited to a maximum of 15 persons. Also o more than 15 horses, cattle or other livestock per group.

The area is popular for many outdoors recreational activities including horseback riding and camping. In addition hiking, mountain biking, bird and animal viewing, nature photography, hunting, fishing and other activities. Be sure to pack the camera. Because there is much to see and photograph along this river. For example this is a green oasis in the midst of a large desert state.

Verde River Rafting Summary

River Rating – I to II

Number of Rapids – Gentle rapids throughout

Minimum Age – all ages

Departure Dates – January through April and August through December

Boat Type – Canoes, Kayaks or rafts since this is only a class I or II rated river.

What to Bring – Standard rafting can camping gear if you plan to camp along the river.

Reviews – None yet

Outfitters – Permits are not required, there are no known outfitters along this river

If you decide to white water raft along this river, always go with someone. In addition always tell someone else where you are going. This is the golden rule of rafting and hiking. Ensure you remain safe and can be found if there is an emergency.

This is a 3rd post about allergies and asthma. We feel so strongly about this subject that we are devoting four posts to this subject. Our family has to deal with allergies and asthma on a daily basis and spring time is the worst time of year for us. You can also read “Asthma From a Patients Perspective” and “Allergies and Were You Live”, which were our two previous posts. Allergy season is here for us and we are dealing with it the best we can.

There is also a link to diet and allergies. When you are suffering from allergies, there is a tendency to be less active, which means you burn less calories and sit around more leading to weight gain. If we can assist you in managing your allergies, then maybe you will not gain weight.

Allergy Season is Here – Spring can Be Difficult

This post is being made live on our web site at the beginning of March. Which for some people will be in the middle of prime time for their allergies. While for others they will be just starting. People living in Florida for example may be already dealing with severe allergies. While those of you in northern Canada and Alaska, your season may be just beginning as the evergreen trees begin to pollinate. Allergy season is here for many.

We decided to provide a simple list of the things that people can do to make their lives a little more bearable during allergy season. Depending on how severe your reactions are you may want to apply all of them or only a few. It really depends on were you live. It depends how severe your reactions are to the local allergens in the area that you live or spend most of your time. Allergy season is here!

Allergy Season is Here – Here we go:

• Keep your home and office spotlessly clean
• Keep all windows and doors closed.
• Ensure that all furnace filters are changed on a regular basis
• Leave your outdoor clothes in the laundry room
• Avoid taking them into areas were you sleep
• Take a shower before going to bed at night to remove pollen from your hair and skin
• Request that members of your family and especially your spouse follow the same rules about clothing and also taking showers to avoid pollen / dust contamination
• Avoid strong perfumes / cologne / hair spray etc
• Drive to work
• Delegate out door gardening to other members of the family or hire someone
• Take prescribed medication as required and explained by your doctor
• Avoid being around pets and other animals if you are allergic to pet dander
• Install an in-room air purifier or have one on the forced air system
• Ensure there is no mold in your home
• Think about were your allergens might come from and try to avoid them
• In extreme cases
  • keep your bedroom door closed
  • cover your bed with a plastic sheet
  • wipe the plastic sheet off at night and then remove it
  • dress and undress in another room to keep your room clear of pollen
  • keep the windows closed
  • use an in-room air purifier

If  we missed something obvious, please leave a comment and let us know. It will help other readers improve their quality of life as well.

Living inside a Bubble

If it feels like you have to live inside a bubble then you are probably right. Basically you are trying to eliminate all of the possible exposure to the things you are allergic to. This will require some thought on your part and maybe even some work as well depending on what needs to be done. The good news is that you only need to do this when the allergy season is here for you.

It is always a trade off, even with the medication that you may be taking. There are side effects to everything, it just depends on whether the medications benefits are worth more to you that the potential side effects. This is also true when it comes to depriving yourself from going outside or spending money on air purifiers etc Is the expense worth the quality of life improvement that you are going to receive.

Did You Know that Allergens are Additive

What we mean by this is that if you are allergic to let’s say 3 different things and when you are exposed to only one of them, you may not react at all or only in a minor way. If you are exposed to all of them at the same time, you may have a significant reaction due to the cumulative effect of all of these allergens.

Even if you can eliminate one of the allergens from your environment, you may receive a significant improvement in your quality of life. Avoiding newly cut lawns for example might be all that you need to do when you are also allergic to tree pollen and mold.

Everyone has to work this out for themselves and attempt to make their own quality of life improvements. The immune system is very complex and the best way to deal with allergies is to educate your self and also experiment until you find the best approach for your particular situation.

If that does not work, then you may want to consider moving to a climate that is more suitable to your particular health needs. Comments are welcome, especially those that will help our readers deal with allergies and the management of the environment around them. Spam comments will be auto deleted.

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This particular Starbucks – Cathedral City location is quite close to Palm Springs and is located on Hwy 111 at  Canyon Plaza in Cathedral City. There is a Target and a Trader Joe’s in the same plaza so it makes it a great place to stop, do some shopping, and then have a coffee before heading home. There is also a drive-through if you are limited in time.

Starbucks – Cathedral City

This Starbucks location has a shaded outdoor area at the back of the store which actually faces Highway 111. It can be a bit noisy at times, however, it is a really nice spot to sit, enjoy the sunshine, and gaze at the mountains in the west. The only real negative about this location is the occasional noise from the highway and the occasional homeless person who takes advantage of one of the comfortable seats for a snooze. We only saw this once, but it really does not lend itself to an enjoyable relaxing coffee. Most of the time it is a really nice spot to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee.

Starbucks – Cathedral City – Trader Joes

If you have never gone to Trader Joe’s it is definitely worth the stop.  This is a relatively small grocery store with all of the basics at great prices. You can pretty much get everything that you need here unless you are looking for something special. They also have a great selection of wines and liquor at very competitive prices. They are known for the 2 buck chuck, which is a local California wine that is priced at $2 a bottle.

Now I would not normally write about wine, however, there is a story about this wine that I just have to tell. Most people will not admit that they drink $2 wine, after all how could it be any good? Well it seems many people drink it and serve it without anyone knowing.

My daughter and son in-law would not drink  it and even made fun of me for buying it and drinking it. They preferred to pay $12 for a bottle of wine which is a lot in California. When we got home we each opened our bottle of wine and made fun of each other of course. Well it turns out that they could not even drink their wine it was so bad. They were forced to try mine and what do you know, they actually liked it. They drank 2 buck chuck for the rest of their vacation!

Comments on Starbucks or Trader Joe’s are welcome. Strongly recommend that if you are in the Palm Springs area, to take in Trader Joe’s and their wine.

For more reviews about coffee shops, click here.

For the best burgers in Palm Springs, you simply have to visit Tylers Burgers Palm Springs.  Located at 149 South Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262-6603, United States it is in the central part of Palm Springs within easy walking distance of many motels, hotels and living areas. They are licensed so you can order a beer for example while waiting for your meal.

Get there early to avoid waiting in line. During busy seasons, Jan through March, the line forms around 11:30 am. The restaurant is already full at this point and people will sign the list to be the next in line to have one of the best burgers in Palm Springs. They are only open for lunch from approximately 11 am until 3 pm. They also close during the summer when the temperatures are just too high.

What is Unique About Tylers Burgers Palm Springs

There are several unique aspects about Tylers that brings people to this burger place in the middle of the desert.  Tylers is located in the middle of a side street between North Palm Canyon and South Indian Canyon.  Patrons eat under canvas rain or shine, although there is a small bar area inside that will seat about 4 or 5 people. Finally they are only open for lunch, serving burgers, fries, soup and other assorted items, however they are known for their excellent burgers and sliders!

Tylers Burgers Palm Springs – Get There Early

Tylers is so popular that people start lining up to get in before 11:00 am and the place is often full by 11:15am. We arrived at 11:30 the other day and had to place our names on a waiting list which lasted about 20 minutes. For the women there are lots of shops nearby to look at while you wait, while the men are unfortunately stuck weighting on the street or on the few benches that are provided.

During high season, the wait can be long and if you are impatient the best approach is to get their early. However if you are not in a hurry, the best approach is to arrive 20 to 30 minutes ahead of when you want to eat and place your name on the waiting list. Then you can relax and investigate the nearby shops. Unfortunately one member of your group will have to wait in case your name is called.

Burgers and Sliders

We have already mentioned sliders. In case you are not aware, these are mini burgers that are suitable for the smaller appetite. Many women will order these. They are just as good as the regular burgers and have all of the toppings that their larger cousins have. Add an order of fries or a soup and you will be more than satisfied.

Toppings include all of the regular items such as mustard, catchup, mayonnaise, lettuce and relish. You can also have your burger with either raw onions or fried onions as well which are very tasty!.

Tylers is only open for lunch, 7 days a week, so if you plan to go, get their early!

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The Match Box restaurant is another eatery that we like to go to for happy hour.  The Match Box has recently reopened under a new name called the American Brickworks Bistro. They have the same menu, and according to the owners better quality and presentation. We have not gone there yet and cannot comment directly on the menu and atmosphere. Check it out and let us know what you think of the new revamped restaurant location.

The Match Box restaurant is located on the second floor beside the Falls Restaurant and above Ruby’s Diner. Access is via the stairs or the elevator behind the out door patio on the street level operated by the Ruby’s Diner. By the way this diner is another excellent place to eat as well, especially their breakfast in the mornings. Sitting outside, enjoying the sun having breakfast, what could be better! However this post is all about the Match Box , so we will focus on this restaurant during this post.

Match Box Restaurant – The Fire Pit

One of the unique aspects of this restaurant is the fire pit that extends along the front of the bar area overlooking the alley and the street. This is a great place to sit, take in the view and to keep warm during cooler evenings. This is usually the first place to fill up in the bar area.

There are also tables to sit at in the bar area as well and during cooler days, the restaurant provides heaters to keep you warm. Sitting at the tables you have a view of the western mountains, which seem so close you could reach out and touch them. The only negative about the Match Box is that during windy days, the wind will blow through the bar area, since it is open at  both ends.

 Happy Hour

Happy hour at the match box is from 4 to 6, however confirm the times before you go since they do change from time to time. Most drinks are either half price or $2 off the regular price. Appetizers are half price and fairly large so you can easily make a meal of them while enjoying happy hour.

We have met a number of people during happy hour since almost everyone is a tourist and love to talk about were they are staying and the deals they come across.

The menu for happy hour includes burgers, salads or pizza, so there is lots to choose from.

Many restaurants have happy hours, some great, some average, however this restaurant ranks among the better ones to go to. We have been there many times and plan to go back again.

If you have been there and want to leave a comment, please feel free to do so. Spam comments will be auto deleted.

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Unfortunately The Falls Restaurant Palm Springs is now closed as of the spring of 2016. The Falls restaurant in Palm Springs used to be one of our favorite places to go for dinner as well as happy hour. The location is upstairs beside the Matchbox Restaurant and above Ruby’s diner. Both of these restaurants are very good as well, however this post is going to be all about the Falls Restaurant!

We got stiffed recently at the Matchbox with the restaurant adding $10 to the tip without our approval. The understanding was that our friends were picking up the tip, but the restaurant added $10 to our bill and charged our visa without our approval. be careful of this restaurant! For lots more posts covering restaurants in Palm Springs, click here.

Getting to The Falls Restaurant Palm Springs

You can take an elevator or walk up the stairs from the alleyway just past the Ruby’s diner outdoor patio. The Falls Restaurant is actually a fine dining kind of place complete with table cloths and  decor that provides for an intimate dining experience. The menu is excellent and the food measures up to our expectations, which are very high. They also have a happy hour available in the bar area, which is separated from the restaurant area. If you are spending a lot of money for a great meal, you will not be bothered by patrons in the bar area.  For excellent dining and a romantic evening, this is the place to spend some time.

The Balconies

There are 3 balconies that really put this place over the top for us. The balconies look out over Palm Canyon drive, they are two that are large enough for a table of 4 while the 3rd is really for 2 people. There is room for a small heater if needed as well on cooler evenings. We have dined here 4 times, on the balcony that is closed off to the rest of the restaurant by French doors so you can have a private dining experience, yet be part of the action overlooking the street below with the many strollers and hot cars on the street. For us this is the best place to really enjoy a beautiful evening.

If you order a Cesar salad, it is made from scratch right in front of you with the flourish that many waiters will provide. Their steaks are excellent!

The Martini Bar at the Falls

Before you enter the actual restaurant, there is a bar in the shape of a horse shoe. It has a waterfall  at the open end of the horse shoe. There are also tables for four situated around the bar as well. So patrons can choose seating at the bar or at one of the tables.

We like going here for happy hour. Smoking martinis, half price well drinks and beer along with wine. Also half price appetizers are on the menu during happy hour. The timing of happy hour does change from time to time, so you should check ahead of time, however usually it is from 4:30 to 6:30 in the afternoon’s. Lately they have changed happy hour to happy day, that’s right all day long to compete with Lulu’s down the street.

Everyone has a laugh over the smoking bubbling martini’s. They are entertaining, but they also taste excellent. There is a large selection of regular martini’s as well as fruity types as well. If you go to the Falls restaurant, you have to try one of these at least once.

The appetizers are unique and excellent. Presentation, taste and quantity are top of the line. For light eaters, two appetizers will likely be sufficient for your dinner. Anyone who needs something more substantial can always order off the menu.

As we mentioned earlier in the post, we have dined in the restaurant 4 times. We have been to the bar for happy hour numerous times. We have yet to be disappointed.

If you have been to the Falls, please leave a comment on your experience. We loved it and would recommend this restaurant to all of our friends.

There are two Starbucks coffee shops in the Mall. One is located on the strip right across the street from the Wynn Hotel and Casino, while the other is located inside the fashion view mall catering to shoppers and tourists who are taking some time out from the casinos. Both Starbucks locations have the usual coffees and pastries following the cookie cutter design that you will find across the country.

The Starbucks location on the strip is part of the mall. It has limited indoor seating as well as a small patio area with umbrellas. Patrons can sit outside and enjoy the early morning sunshine. They can watch people going to work or jogging by on the strip.

The only negative that we found with this location is that the mall is continually playing music that is just a bit too loud for us. It repeats as well so if you stay for a reasonable length of time you are going to hear the same song a couple of times.

What Is Unique – Fashion View Mall

What you will find unique about this Starbucks location is that there basic coffee is less expensive that any coffee you will purchase inside the Hotels on the strip. They all have coffee shops somewhere in the casino. And they charge an arm and a leg for their coffees and their pastries. If you are staying anywhere close to the Starbucks in the mall, it is definitely worth the trip over to buy your coffee.

In addition to less expensive coffee, you also receive the standard free WiFi at this location and if you use a Starbucks card that is registered, the refills are free for regular coffees. Now that is a much better deal than what you will get from any of the hotel coffee shops.

Going for a Walk

All of the hotels are huge and Wynn is no different, neither is Treasure Island Casino, which is also just across the street from the Fashion View Mall. At this location there are cross walk bridges including escalators for pedestrians to cross the Las Vegas Strip and Spring Mountain road.

These are very busy streets with approximately 3 lanes of traffic in each direction. You can only use these bridges to get across the street and it is not only safer but it also saves time in that you do not have to wait for cross walks.

By the time you leave your room, walk to the elevator and out to the strip, you probably have already walked for 5 minutes. These hotels are so large that literally you can walk that long. Walking to Starbucks at these locations will take more time since it is at least a 10 minutes walk from your hotel room, even if it is only across the street, but look at the morning exercise you get.

We used this Starbucks every morning while staying at the Wynn hotel across the street. Check out our posts about the Wynn Casino as well along with some pictures we included.

Comments are welcome about Starbucks or the mall. Spam comments will be auto deleted.

We recently stayed at the Wynn Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas and we are convinced that this hotel is by far above all of the other hotels on the strip and in Las Vegas. The atmosphere, the cleanliness, the decor, the ambiance and the richness of the designs and layout just surpass everything we have seen in Las Vegas. There are so many areas to review about the property, we will probably miss a few, so if we do leave a comment for our readers. The pictures tell the story and we have included a few to give everyone an idea of just how nice this property is.

Starting with the entrance from the strip, you encounter a mountain covered with trees and several waterfalls that cascade down the mountain into pools of water were you can throw coins as you make a wish for whatever you are dreaming about.

There are also restaurants that you access from inside the hotel and shopping areas that have patios looking out on to the mountain and the waterfalls. Who could imagine in the middle of the desert that you would be dining beside a mountain lake and waterfalls?

Shopping Center

Across the street is a modern looking shopping center with a master peace that dominates the skyline. This is a saucer that looks like a spaceship and can be seen from many block away. Obviously they built this attraction to attract people to the mall  and to match the stupendous designs of the hotels around it.  This picture shows the saucer as seen from in front of the Wynn Hotel.

On the four corners of the Las Vegas Strip and Mountain Spring Road you have the Fashion Show Mall, the Wynn Hotel and Casino. Also the Treasure Island Casino or TI as it is now called and the Palazzo Hotel and Casino which is part of the Venation Hotel and Casino. As you enter the Hotel, you actually are in an upscale shopping area. All of the stores that you would associate with movie stars and celebrities. Obviously they are way beyond our means. However it is always nice to window shop and look at the outrageous prices that some people will pay for things. For example , my wife saw a purse that she would love to have for $2500! Not in my lifetime!

The Rooms

We were given a standard room on the 23rd floor. The number of floors is around 60 so we were almost halfway. However the view was fantastic even from the 23 rd floor. We had a view of the strip and the western side of the valley and the mountains. Spectacular at night! A friend of ours was on the other side and looked out on to the championship golf course. Which is located immediately behind the hotel, the pools and the eastern mountains.

Our room had all of the state of the art electronics. A controller that at the press of a button allowed us to turn on and off any light, open and close the curtains. In addition to indicate that our room should not be disturbed when we retired for the night. There were also leather chairs and a leather couch. There was a desk to work at if you were so inclined.  Oh and there was a flat screen TV mounted on the wall. As well as a flat screen TV in the bathroom. Should have taken a picture, but I forgot. Next time !

The Wynn Casino

There is something about being in a really nice casino vs. one that is just average. Everything is sparkling, the employees all have neatly pressed uniforms and the cocktail waitresses are sexy and elegant. You really have to see this place to appreciate the difference.

It is bright and colorful with plants and flowers along one side of the casino. There is a bar to relax in while you take time away from your conference or the casino.

The drinks delivered by the cocktail waitresses are in actual wine glasses, along with mixed drinks. This is a classy place. We would recommend that anyone looking for an experience stay at the Wynn hotel any time.

Of course as with all of the hotels in Las Vegas, if they are busy the rates go up and if they are running a little slow the rates will come down or you may even be given a free room. Check often and if you are flexible in timing, you can always obtain a room at a reasonable rate.

Comments are welcome. Our readers will appreciate hearing about your experiences at the Wynn Hotel. For more info about casinos, click here.

American South Fork White Water Rafting – 21 miles of class III,III+ and IV rapids. Recommended for athletic users only. Other rafting trips involve shorter trips as well. There are half day trips, full day trips and 2 days trips available.

Description – The American River flows down the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and offers a blend of relaxing calms and thrilling Class III rapids. This is the absolute best rafting run for beginning rafters!

The American Rafting River Whitewater experience consists of the South Fork American River; the Middle Fork American River; the North Fork American River. There are rafting trips on each of these rivers. Customers can experience rafting whitewater river trips on all of them.

The South Fork American River flows down the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It offers a blend of relaxing calms and thrilling Class III rapids. This is the absolute best rafting run for beginning rafters!

Moving first among big foothills and later through a steep granite canyon, the South Fork struts out quickly, surging powerfully. Then yawns coyly before suddenly rushing headlong through the fabled American River Gorge.

American South Fork White Water Rafting

The North Fork of the American River flows down the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It carves a deep, sheer gorge, which plunges in a deep crevasse down the western slope of the Sierra.

The Middle Fork of the American River flows down the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains just east of Sacramento. A great run for hardy, adventurous first timers and experienced rafters alike.

River Rating

The 3-mile, Class II “Coloma to Lotus” stretch is an ideal introduction to whitewater. Intermediate boaters enjoy the increased challenge of the Class III “Chili Bar” and “Gorge” runs. Expert kayakers spend hours perfecting their rodeo moves in the world-famous Chili Bar Hole and other play spots.

Number of Rapids

Numerous class III, III+ and class IV white water rapids. The flow rates on the river can vary widely between spring , summer and fall. Also storms and rainy weather can change the flows quickly. Check with your outfitter for current conditions.

Minimum Age

8 years is the minimum age for going on south fork rafting trips.

South Fork White Water Departure Dates

California rafting starts early in mid-March and usually runs through the end of September and occasionally into October. Other times, after a major storm, whitewater rafting is available due to increased flows of the rivers in the late fall and winter months. Rafting schedules are at its peak during the summer months in California.

Boat Type

Rafts as well as Kayaks. Canoes are not recommended

South Fork White Water What to Bring 

In colder weather or spring time, we advise wet suit gear to keep you warm on the river. Check for local conditions and time of year with your outfitter.

If you are on an overnight camping trip, review the lists for what to bring on a rafting trip from your outfitter. Each one will have slightly different requirements.

In the summer, basics are needed. Swim wear, shorts, tennis shoes and lots of sunblock!

Outfitters

There are multiple outfitters for all 3 sections of the American River. Search for the section you are interested in or go to the American North Fork review or the American Middle Fork review. These reviews will be posted within two weeks of this post about the American South Fork River.