The postcard reads:

Looking down Logan Canyon, near Ogden and Logan, Utah

Only a few minutes from the business center of Ogden, this canyon is one of the main scenic attractions of Utah. Fully paved, it affords a beautiful route to Snow Basin and Monte Christo parks in the recreational area.

Pub. by Ogden News Co., Ogden, Utah
Natural color post card made in U.S.A. by E. C. Kropp Co., Milwaukee, Wis. – (EAL)

The letter to Mrs. Natalie Donovan reads:

Hello Natalie,

Passing thru Utah now. Mountain scenery is gorgeous. Wish you were along with me.

Will write later, and tell you all about everything.

Love, Evelyn

Logan Canyon is still a pretty mountain drive, even today. You can read more about it here:

• Logan Canyon – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Where: Logan Canyon, Utah

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It reads:

Wonderful natural bridges and other wild scenery to be included in two new national parks.

It’s nice to see how people viewed our national parks one hundred years ago. Instead of complaining that the government is “stealing” our land, the press was excited to share the beauty of the areas that the parks protected. Because of that foresight, we can see these sites even now.

When the Vegas craze hit during the Sixties, it became The Sands Motel and outlived its namesake:

A few years ago, when we were driving through St. George, we took photos of it in all its glory:

You can see all the photos here:

• Sands Motel – a set on Flickr

Where:

Sands Motel
581 E Saint George Blvd
Saint George, UT 84770 Google Map

Phone: (435) 673-3501

• nakedjen: It’s Better Here

I took a straw. I took a sip. It was so thick, so creamy, it got stuck washing over my tongue and coated my throat like a warm, chocolate flavored river. I couldn’t help but think of Augustus Gloop slurping from the river in Willy Wonka. I thought perhaps that’s why Calvin insisted on the straw?! So I don’t slurp like Augustus Gloop and end up drowning in my eagerness to drink it all.

If you would like to try Hatch Family Chocolates, here is their information:

Hatch Family Chocolates: Hand-Dipped Chocolates, Hot Chocolate
390 4th Ave
Salt Lake City, UT 84103
Google Map
Phone: (801) 532-4912

Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-10pm

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My favorite highlights are:

• At the 3:38 minute mark, the dirt bike riders watch Dan drive up the trail and say, “It’s nice to see someone use a Hummer for what it’s for!”

• At the 6:55 minute mark, the Hummer is right on the edge of the drop off and is balanced on two wheels. Dan and Stacey get past the hard part and make it look easy!

• At the 13:57 minute mark, you can see some dirt bike riders make it up the hill. I used to think that dirt bikes would be easier than off-roading with the Hummer until I saw how tired these guys were.

• At the 18:45 minute mark, there is a photo of a Jeep that didn’t make it through the trail and went over the edge. Unable to retrieve it, the owners have left it to rot in the ravine.

• At the 18:57 minute mark, we are in the Hummer at the point where the Jeep went over the edge. It’s easy for the Hummer, but we laugh about it uncomfortably.

• At the 20:03 minute mark, Stacey asks us if we’re ready to do the Lionsback Trail. I unequivocally answer, “No, no, actually, this is our final, final trip.” Of course, two months later, I’m excited about it again and want to go on Lionsback!

• At the 24:00 minute mark, we are at the watering hole with lots of other people. Dirt bikes, quad-runners and Jeeps have only gone this far and stopped. The driver of the Jeep mentioned to us that he didn’t know it was possible to go any further. I guess you need a Hummer to get past that point.

We had a lot of fun on that trip and are looking forward to our next chance to go off-roading with Stacey and Dan in their H3.

Download this video for your iPod

When a drive to your destination is as harrowing as this one, it makes you start to wonder if leaving town is really all that worth it. It was sheer stubbornness that drove us to leave that morning with the huge flakes falling. My mom called in a panic when we were on the road, “It’s snowing like crazy here. You’re not really driving out today are you?!” I assured her that we were already on the road and well past the point of the mountain (we weren’t) and that the weather was much better in Provo than in Salt Lake (it WASN’T).

Of course, we’re fools.

If you are planning on leaving town and the snow is as bad as this video, don’t be stupid like us. Call your hotel and see if you can delay your travel for a day without a fee (fat chance, but it can’t hurt to try). A nervous and anxious drive to your vacation is the polar opposite of what a relaxing trip should be.

Here’s the front:

Here’s the back:

The postcard reads:

Timpanogos Cave National Monument Utah: A column guards the entrance to a lighted alove against the greenish flowstone and drapery-covered wall of the Big Room in Middle Cave. Photographer – William Hendricks

They write:

Dear Laura and Mike,

I opened the door to the cave.

Love, Jared

Please send me a postcard from your travels or your hometown. If you do and it’s interesting, I will publish your postcard on Starling Travel.

Send your postcards to:

Starling Travel
Attention: Laura Moncur
P.O. Box 522032
Salt Lake City, Utah 84152

It’s like sending a postcard to the whole world when you go on vacation. It’s like bragging about your hometown to the everyone on the planet.

Photowalking is getting a group of photographers together and walking around areas of town taking pictures. You don’t need a fancy camera or attitude. It’s open to anyone who wants to wander town and snap photos. It started in Silicon Valley, but Salt Lake City has an active photowalking group. They post their photos to the Flickr pool here:

• Flickr: Photowalking Salt Lake City: See photos of Salt Lake City, Utah

I’ve found a ton of other photography pools for cities and countries. Here are a few:

• Flickr: The SF Bay Area Shooters (sfbas) Pool: See photos of the San Francisco Bay Area in California

• Flickr: The Photowalk.at – Photowalking in Austria Pool: See photos of Austria

• Flickr: Grand Rapids, Michigan: See photos of Grand Rapids, Michigan

• Flickr: Duluth Flickr Photowalk: See photos of Duluth, Minnesota

• Flickr: Photowalk Cleveland: See photos of Cleveland, Ohio

If you would like to see if there is a photowalking group in your town, search Flickr here:

• Flickr: Search for a photowalk group

If you can’t find one for your town, it’s easy enough to create your own and start inviting people. Make sure you post the event on Upcoming.org.

Via: Photowalking SLC v2 | Thom Allen Weblog

• the.Inevitable.Org/anism » Desert Rocks Music Festival in Moab

It’s a short trip to Moab from the Salt Lake Valley:

We all piled into their Winnebago on Sunday afternoon, and we took the 4 hour drive down to Moab. The event was out in the desert about 13 miles south of Moab at Area BFE. It was a beautiful site, and the weather was great … not too warm. We arrived as one of the concerts had just finished, so we broke out the BBQ and got dinner going. As the sun set (which was incredible) we got our act together and wandered down to watch the Fire Dancers, and then head over to the main stage to see Kan’nal. I was impressed … they rocked!

All around you are small festivals like Desert Rocks. If you have been feeling trapped by work but don’t have any vacation time available, plan a quick weekend trip to a nearby festival. The change of scenery is refreshing and the experiences will help you return on Monday with a clear head. You don’t need to take a two week vacation to an expensive destination to get a boost. You just need to keep your eyes open for opportunities.

Mike says their Nitro-Stout is a pretty good imitation of Guiness. Looks like a rootbeer float to me. You get a bad surprise if you taste it. That’s not a rootbeer float AT ALL.

Hopper’s Pub and Brewery: 890 East Fort Union Boulevard, Midvale, UT
Google Map
Phone: (801) 566-0424