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priceless: please take one May | June 2010
Durango
Colorado Operated by SkyWest Airlines
magazine
Paducah, Kentu cky
igan h c i M , n o Muskeg
Š Explore Minnesota Tourism Photo
Duluth, Minnesota
www.united.com
A change in perspective
exas T , a s s e d O Midland-
ramblings and recommends
Go!
A Call to Bear Bags! Dear Reader: Over the years I’ve published packing tips from the world’s most celebrated experts. At the same time, I’ve kept my own best advice to myself. Now, as I cringe watching flight attendants struggle to cram luggage into maxed-out overhead bins, I can be silent no more. My secret is simple: Ditch the roller bag! If this sounds like heresy, please read on. It may seem convenient to drag your worldly goods through air terminals but what happens when you have to dash to catch a flight? Maneuvering through the maze of suitcases on wheels becomes akin to navigating an obstacle course. When it comes to packing, the roller bag’s internal hardware takes up precious capacity that could be used for “stuff.” Plus, at a time when fuel efficiency is of utmost importance, rollers and wheels add to overall weight. Roller bags are too awkward to toss about easily. That’s why the boarding process has become a race for space, a wrestling match that turns otherwise polite travelers into enemy combatants. I am a self-professed carry-on queen, and I don’t—and won’t—own a roller bag. What’s the alternative? For the past 13 years, one, too-tough-to-die little soft-sided case has been my favorite bag. Together we’ve done the better part of four continents, dozens of countries and most of the 50 states. Smaller than a backpack and more compact, it slides easily beneath my seat and over my head. The capacity is astounding. (I’m assuming a rocket scientist designed it just for fun.) Deep compartments hold enough to get me through two-weeks in Europe. Toiletries fit in exterior pouches—one is just right for the quart-size baggie designated for liquids. With the judicious use of Ziplocs to compress clothes, I can go a week without laundering. I’m talking clean shirts and underwear every day! I do stash my flatiron and mini hair-dryer in my computer case. (Because I carry both
P U B L I C AT I O N S I N C O R P O R A T E D
president Kelly D. Coles editor in chief Colleen Birch Maile colleen@gopubinc.com art director Janie W. Budell janie@gopubinc.com copy editor Bethany Maile proof readers Anna Bierman Tatro | Becky MacDonald contributors Tony Banning | Amanda Bjerke | Lou Jurassic Laura Klarman | Connie Naylor | Mike Norton Carlton Tajni
director sales and marketing Teena J. Wright l 208-333-9990 teena@gopubinc.com
advertising managers MT, OR, UT, WA, WY, Canada: Wendy Rivers l 406-586-0439 wndyrivers@theglobal.net
My favorite travel bag easily fits beneath the seat and holds: A wrap dress, little black dress, sweater, workout clothes, bathing suit and cover up, nightgown, skirt, three slacks, two T-shirts, seven tops, seven sets of underwear, seven pairs of socks, a pair of shoes, makeup bag with mirror, tweezers, eyelash curler, hairbrush, plus the requisite baggie for liquids.
bags, I am careful to evenly distribute weight.) At home, I’m at the gym at the crack of dawn building muscles. On the road, I’ll take an upper body workout any way I can get it. The only drawback? I can’t find a replacement. My little stroke of “on-the-go” genius came to me with a Ricardo of Beverly Hills set in 1997. Its companion roller bags were culled from my life long ago. I’ve searched everywhere for a new one to no avail. In the name of common sense, I’m begging for help. Won’t some manufacturer take up the cause? Re-create my ideal; fill those overhead bins with a high capacity, compact little cube? I’ll make it easy. See the picture. Thanks in advance! Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter: CJknowsAmerica.
CO, NV, Northern and Central CA: Susan Vernier Garcia l 970-927-9599 susan@gopubinc.com for all other locations call: Teena J. Wright l 208-333-9990 teena@gopubinc.com SkyWest Magazine corporate office 208-333-9990 l fax: 208-333-9991 205 N. 10th St., Suite B100, Boise, ID 83702 email: info@skywestmagazine.com www.skywestmagazine.com SkyWest Airlines 444 S. River Rd., St. George, UT 84790 435-634-3000 l email: info@skywest.com SkyWest Airlines Stock Symbol: SKYW
SkyWest Magazine (ISSN 1527-4152) is published bi-monthly by Go! Publications, Inc. for United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines. The opinions expressed by authors and contributors to SkyWest Magazine are not necessarily those of the editor, publisher or of SkyWest Airlines. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services concerned. While every care has been taken to ensure accuracy of content, no responsibility can be taken for any errors and/or omissions. No part of this SkyWest Magazine may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. © 2010 Go! Publications Inc. All rights reserved.
Copies available for $6 each.
Happy Skies,
CJ Colleen “CJ” Birch Maile Editor in Chief
For reprints of articles in this issue of SkyWest Magazine, please call 208-333-9990. Visit us on our website at www.skywestmagazine.com.
This magazine assumes no responsibility for the safekeeping or return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other material. This magazine does not reply to queries without SASE.
contents Redding, CA Northern California’s Grand Adventure Page 6 | In the Golden State’s far-north country, the Shasta-Cascade Region is a wonderland of lakes, mountains and rivers. The charming city of Redding is at the center of it all.
20 | America’s Best Places Wausau, WI
22 | America’s Best Places Nashville, TN
24 | O’Hare Outbound
27 | SkyNews
Missoula, MT Big Sky Wonders Page 12 | Missoula is the place to make like a mountain man without sacrificing creature comfort. A location in the middle of some of the continent’s most impressive territory adds to this hip college town’s cachet.
28 | Beyond LAX
30 | America’s Best Events
34 | SPA-tacular Retreats
36 | Budget-Friendly Vacations
Durango, CO Take a Ride on the Railroad
38 | It’s Our Journey, Too
Page 16 | The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has been chugging along a heavenly slice of southwestern Colorado since 1872. Now a tourist train, it continues to carry passengers to places they can find in no other way.
40 | Crossword Puzzle
42 | Behind the Scenes
44 | Route Map
On The Cover This edition’s cover features a segment of Spud Mountain, an 11” x 14” plein aire oil painting by Durango artist Sharon Abshagen. See the painting in its entirety and learn more about the artist on page 18.
45 | About Our Aircraft
46 | Airport Maps
48 | Travel Challenge
Web Extras! If you like this magazine you will love our new affiliate-website www.americasbestplaces.com. operated by SkyWest Airlines
Welcome Aboard
Building on a Legacy of Safety and Service Dear Passenger: This June, SkyWest Airlines celebrates 38 years of flight. At this time of year I’m particularly aware of our company’s rich history—and ensuring its best parts become part of our future. If you don’t know SkyWest’s story, it’s a great one—beginning in the small Southern Utah town of St. George with three part-time employees, four aircraft and a passion for exceptional service. Today, as one of the largest regional airlines in the nation, we’re no longer the underdog. Yet as we’ve grown in an increasingly complicated industry, there’s simplicity in what we set out to do every day. SkyWest is built on home-grown values, hard work producing exceptional service, and a family of more than 10,000 employees. Though our route network spans across North America, our operation remains based in that small—albeit rapidly growing—town in Southern Utah. For us, work is an extension of life, and those we work with are family. It’s evident in the way we work. Recently, Vilma, Ricardo and May, customer service agents in San Francisco, went above and beyond to assist some senior passengers throughout their travel experience. Robert, one of our Portland captains, stayed behind at the counter to ensure his passengers were re-accommodated to their final destination when heavy fog cancelled their flight. And Dave, a first officer in Denver, left the flight deck to help his colleagues on the ramp load bags. These stories are just some of the many I hear across our system. While you’re with us, you’re part of our story. I know every flying experience isn’t going to produce a heartwarming event. Traveling itself can be a hassle, but flying is still the best and safest way to get from here to there. Though it takes an intricate system and numerous dedicated individuals to make it happen, our objective at SkyWest is simple: get you where you’re going safely, and to provide an experience that brings you back. We are a people business, and have been since 1972. If you have a positive experience you’d like to share, I’d love to hear about it. Likewise, we want to continue our legacy of service, and we’re open to suggestions on how we can improve. If you get a chance, thank a SkyWest team member for this flight. As we at SkyWest celebrate another year of service, we welcome you aboard. Thanks for sharing your journey with us.
Welcome Aboard!
Russell “Chip” Childs President and COO SkyWest Airlines
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Redding, California
Northern California’s Grand Adventure
by Tony Banning
“I consider the evening twilight on Mount Shasta one of the grandest sights I have ever witnessed.” -- Theodore Roosevelt, 1908 1.5057 in
Mount Shasta
T
eddy Roosevelt knew a thing or two about nature’s handiwork. The conservationminded president created the National Forest Service, signed into law a host of national parks, preserves and monuments, and was an avid world traveler. He’d seen the Great Pyramid as a child, climbed the Matterhorn as a young man and was the first president to travel beyond U.S. borders while in office. A jaded globetrotter? Perhaps. But, Northern California’s Cascades sent TR into a state of awe. He wasn’t alone in his admiration for the area’s stunning beauty. Mount Shasta is the centerpiece of the region, and in 1849 renown geologist James Dwight Dana described the 14,179 foot peak as a “vision of immensity such as pertains to the vast
6 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
universe rather than to our own planet.” Part of its grandeur lies in the fact that it’s a singular mountain, rising abruptly from the surrounding terrain. The sparkling white peaks of this dormant volcano dominate the horizon in a way that early naturalist John Muir said turned his “blood to wine.” The captivating view of Shasta is just part of this region’s allure. The same lakes, rivers, canyons and crags that impressed Dana, Muir and Roosevelt continue to inspire today. Modern opportunities for outdoor fun far exceed the wildest imaginings of 19th-century visitors. Windsurfers, water-skiers, ice climbers, mountain bikers and houseboaters all find plenty to love here. So do folks who simply want to emulate Roosevelt’s “strenuous” life by camping, fishing or taking a brisk hike.
A scenic 260-mile drive loops Redding is the epicenter of all from Redding through terrain the activity. The largest city beranging from forested mountains tween Sacramento and Eugene, to the rugged austerity of Lassen Oregon spreads from the foothills Volcanic National Park. It takes a of the Cascades to the farmland weekend to see a smattering of of California’s Central Valley. Its high points. They should be ample lodging options and conveenough to instigate plans for a nient gamut of retailers make it the longer stay. Repeat visits are perfect home base for adventure typical. As Roosevelt discovered, lovers. Nearby small towns offer this place possesses a relentless even more to see and do. grip on the soul. When it comes to Quaint Weaverville, 44 miles embarking on your own Califorwest of Redding, hugs the base of President Theodore Roosevelt nia Cascade adventure consider the Trinity Alps and serves as a gateway to the wilderness area of the same name. these possibilities: Much of the charming town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nineteenth-century Shasta Lake: Just eight miles north of Redding, structures have been converted to coffee shops, art the state’s largest reservoir offers 370 miles galleries and eateries. Cottonwood, 15 miles south of shoreline. Its cobalt waters, quiet coves and of Redding, also retains its Old West ambience, and mountainous pine and sage-covered shores Red Bluff, another 15 miles south on I-5, offers even provide an excellent setting for houseboaters, more entertainment. Redding, Red Bluff and water-skiers, swimmers and windsurfers in sumCottonwood all host annual rodeos and boast cal- mer and fisher-people all year long. The nearby endars full of special events. But the countryside is Shasta Dam is open for tours. Exhibits explain the lake’s creation. the real attraction. (continued on page 10)
Lake Shasta: Redding Convention and Visitors Bureau
Lake Shasta, California’s largest reservoir, is just eight miles north of Redding.
skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
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Redding, California
Castle Crags State Park
Castle Crags State Park features rough volcanic outcroppings that contrast dramatically with Mount Shasta’s regal presence. These glaciercarved landmarks rise to a mere 6,000 feet in the Shadow of Mount Shasta. Nearly 30 miles of trails wind through the park, including one that accesses the Castle Crags Wilderness Area portion of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. A nine-mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail runs through this haven for day hikers and backpackers. The granite spires and summits lure rock climbers. Bird watching, camping, picnicking and nature walks are popular. So are swimming and fishing in the Sacramento River.
Burney Falls
Mount Shasta’s great beauty is rivaled by its recreational options. Rock and ice climbers find exhilaration here. A ski resort operates throughout the winter. Typically the summer hiking season begins in June. It’s no wonder Teddy Roosevelt appreciated this mountain. The trails are, for the most part, rugged, the scenery stupendous. The easiest hike, to Everitt Vista Point, covers just a half-mile in 20 minutes of brisk walking. The Bunny Flat Trailhead, a gateway for rock climbers, rises 1,000 feet over the course of four miles and is meant for folks in good shape. Camping is allowed. Wildlife, including bear, deer and coyote, make their homes here. Campers should take appropriate precautions.
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park preserves a landmark Teddy Roosevelt described as the “eighth wonder of the world.” Burney Falls cascades 129 feet into deep turquoise green water. Eagle and heron sightings are common at the falls and on nearby Lake Britton. Motorboats, paddleboats and canoes are available for rent on the lake. The falls take their name from Samuel Burney, a settler who lived—and died—in the valley in the 1850s. (Local lore relates that initially the area was called “the place where Burney died.”) A nearby town, also named Burney, serves as fly-fishing central for anglers who come to ply nearby streams. The Pit River, Hat Creek and Burney Creek typically yield native rainbow and wild brown trout.
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Redding, California
Shasta Dam
The park is also named for the McArthur family who settled the area in the late 1800s. Their descendants donated the falls and surrounding land to the state in the 1920s. It’s been an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise ever since. Boating, sailing and other water sports are favorite pursuits on Lake Britton. Five miles of hiking trails ramble through the deep pine woods. They are open to horseback riders as well as hikers. Camping options range from comfy cabins to tent sites. Lassen Volcanic National Park contains all things pertaining to volcanic soil and erupting earth. Here you’ll find boiling mud pots, steaming ground, roaring fumaroles, gushing geysers and odoriferous gas. All the observable activity is the result of what’s going on in the molten rock deep beneath Mount Lassen, the park’s signature feature. The 10,000-foot volcano last erupted in 1915. But all the adjacent rumblings let visitors know it’s only a matter of time until it blows its top again. Until then, the park is as entertaining as it is educational. Most of the hydrothermal features can be easily reached by car. For the fitness-minded, more than 150 trails present a walk in the park for all abilities. Hikes range from a strenuous trek to Lassen Peak, to a gentle stroll around Manzanita Lake. Backpacking, bird watching, kayaking, fishing, swimming and stargazing are all favorite pastimes. n
Manzanita Lake
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Access all the wonders of the Shasta-Cascade Region with SkyWest United Express service to Redding.
skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
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America’sB est Places
Missoula, Montana by Amanda Bjerke
W
hen it comes to Missoula, Montana, don’t let words on a map taint your thoughts. It’s true that Hellgate Canyon just north of town once lent its name to this valley settlement. The Rattlesnake National Recreation Area sprawls beyond the city limits. The Bitterroot River flows nearby. These leftovers from early encounters with an inhospitable territory say nothing about the Missoula of today. Rattlesnakes are nowhere to be found. Marauders don’t lay hellacious ambushes in the mountain passes, and nobody’s trying to survive on native shrubbery. This pretty college town is as hip as it is civilized and makes a perfect launchpad for Big Sky adventure. continued on page 14
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Montana’s Flathead Valley. Gateway to Glacier National Park. Imagine no crowds, with abundant recreational and cultural activities. Contact us for a free Travel Guide. nie Sexton photo
Travel Montana/Don
The Northwest HoneyFest, in historic Stevensville from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sat., Sept. 11, 2010, is a celebration of the honeybee in Montana. Please join us for a day of fun, beekeeping education, honey tasting, music, “bee” art & craft vendors and more.
M O N TA N A 800.543.3105 www.montanasflatheadvalley.com | fcvb@fcvb.org
406.777.3773 | www.northwesthoneyfest.com nwhf@mainstreetstevensville.com
800.338.5072 G L A C I E R M T. C O M / S W skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
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This is the place to make like a mountain man without sacrificing creature comfort. Missoula sits smack dab in the middle of some of the continent’s most impressive countryside, yet it possesses an urbane attitude. The downtown is jammed chocka-block with historic Victorian buildings now housing restaurants, galleries and lots of drinking establishments. University of Montana culture spills off campus, so there’s plenty of live music, art exhibits and literary readings. The Children’s Theater consistently wins awards, and the riverfront park is a great gathering place offering weekly free concerts all summer long. Here are more straight-up facts on easy and economical things to do in the town formerly known as Hell Gate.
1. Take a Hike. Ability doesn’t matter in Missoula. There’s a hike for everybody. The Lolo National Forest, with its 1,800 miles of trails, surrounds town and merges with the nearby Rattlesnake Recreation area to the north. The Selway-Bitterroot wilderness area, east of Missoula, offers another 1.3 million acres of pristine outdoor fun. The Kim Williams Nature Trail is a wide, flat path that follows the river through town and is ideal for kids and those in less-than-top form. For a deceptively difficult trek, head for the letter “M” emblazoned on Mount Sentinel. It’s only a mile long but includes more than a dozen switchbacks and rises 620 feet in elevation. The views of Missoula, the campus, and the vast territory beyond make the climb worthwhile. 2. Go Fishing. Missoula’s located in the convergence of five valleys and offers tons of excellent fishing. The Clark Fork runs right through downtown and attracts urban anglers casting for rainbows and the occasional cutthroat. Six miles from town the Clark Fork gets much bigger as it joins the Blackfoot, immortalized in A River Runs Through It, Norman McLean’s consummate “fly-fishing as a metaphor for life” book. (The author’s boyhood home still stands in Missoula.) The Bitterroot also converges with the Clark Fork just outside of town. It tends to serve up big-fighting brown trout while 14 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
Rock Creek, 22 miles east of town in the Lolo National Forest, is a blue-ribbon stream favored by locals.
3. Ride the Merry-Go-Round. Local volunteers built and maintain a beautiful carousel with handcarved horses at Dragon’s Hollow in the riverfront park. It costs just 50 cents for kids, a buck-fifty for grown ups and a dollar if an adult shares a seat with a youngster, and it’s sure to bring a smile.
4. Make a Date With History. Hellgate came by its name honestly. For centuries Blackfeet warriors ambushed the Salish people native to the Missoula area as they traveled through the narrow pass on their way to hunting grounds. The crevice was littered with human bones for centuries, long before Lewis and Clark appeared on the scene. Lewis and Clark left a big mark on Missoula. In fact, while much of their original trail has become a blur of highways, dams, railroad tracks and other trappings of civilization, Traveler’s Rest State Park, just 11 miles from downtown Missoula, is the nation’s most authentic and easy-to-access link to the historic expedition. This is where the explorers camped before tackling the daunting Lolo Trail in the autumn of 1805. They rested here again on their way back. For more about the area’s fascinating history, visit the museum at Historical Fort Missoula. Founded in 1877, it was once home to the Buffalo Soldiers. Admission is just $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and $1 for students. To get a taste of Native American life attend the Powwow Celebration, held in Arlee, just 25 miles north of Missoula. Now in its 112th year, the event draws participants from throughout the country. It’s held June 30 through July 4 this year. 5. Explore Big Sky Country. Montana’s ultimate landmark experiences—Glacier and Yellowstone national parks—are at opposite ends of the state. But each is an easy weekend jaunt from Missoula. Glacier is three hours to the north by car. Yellowstone is about the same distance to the southeast. n
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This is the quintessential Colorado property with 518 acres of beautiful meadows, lush pastures, pine woodlands, ponds, rock bluffs and outcroppings, along with over one mile of the West Mancos River. The ranch includes a 3,577 SF custom log main residence, 1,000 SF log guest home, insulated custom-built horse barn, hay and equipment barns. The property has been meticulously maintained and has exceptional water rights including shares of Jackson Lake, Weber Lake and adjudicated Mancos River rights. This is an exceptional property offered at an exceptional price. $5,500,000
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RanchandRecreational.com morse@legacypropertieswest.com skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
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America’sB est Places
Take a Ride on The
Railroad! by Colleen Birch Maile
The Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad takes passengers places they can find in no other way.
L
ife is as good as it gets in Durango, Colorado. Nestled in the Animas River Valley and surrounded by the Rockies’ rugged San Juan Range, this high-country paradise sprouted as a Rio Grande Railroad town in 1880. Fortunately, the 19th-century technology that spawned Durango still works. The train continues to take passengers places they can find in no other way. Curator of the Durango-Silverton Railroad Museum Jeff Ellingson explained the benefits of the Durango-Silverton line. “Narrow gauge railroads are 36 inches wide; a standard railroad is 56-and-a-half inches. The narrow gauge lines were smaller, the trains lighter, so bridges didn’t have to be as big. There was less to blast out of the mountainside, and the curves could be a lot tighter. The six locomotives that pull DurangoSilverton trains were built in 1923 and 1925. They were state-of-the-art technology for their time. They are still very complex equipment.”
16 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
Ellingson understands their intricacies. As one of the railroad’s 80 year-round employees, he spends winters in the museum and summers in the cab of a vintage locomotive shuttling between Durango and the old mining town of Silverton. His onboard time is split between roles as fireman and engineer. The backbreaking labor often finds him shoveling coal in temperatures that typically reach 115 degrees. “It’s hard work. You go through six tons of coal a day, but we do it because it’s such fun. It makes you feel young. I was never a train buff growing up,” he said, “but I always loved our little train. After college, I came back here and went to work.” That was 26 years ago, back when the locomotives were merely in their sixth decade of use. Initially created to haul ore, the Durango-Silverton line soon doubled as a tourist train, according to Ellingson. “Back in the beginning everybody was so amazed at the area’s beauty. The railroad company hired well-known photographer William H. Jackson to come out and take pictures. He
Jeff Ellingson
WIN
a great summer or fall getaway for two. Imagine a three-night stay at the historic Strater Hotel, incredible dining at top-notch Durango restaurants and scenic excursions including a ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. This adventure package is valued at more than $1,000. For more information and to register to win visit www.americasbestplaces.com.
Jeff Ellingson: Yvonne Lashmett
caption??
captured it all, the canyon, the mountains, Silverton, Durango, Mesa Verde [the ancient ruins are 35 miles from Durango]. When those photographs got back east and the investors who created the railroad, many of who were British, saw how beautiful it was, they wanted to see this country for themselves. Word spread. Tourists started riding the trains,” Ellingson said. They still do. “By the late-1950s, any ore coming out of Silverton was being hauled by semi-trucks, and this became exclusively a tourist train,” Ellingson said. It’s owned by Heritage Railways now and enjoys immense popularity. In 1960 about 12,000 people rode the train. Now around 150,000 make the trip each summer. Special events such as a
Thomas the Train trip on Father’s Day weekend and a Polar Express train at Christmas attract an additional 25,000 to 30,000 passengers each year. Most passengers come for the thrilling ride and top-draw scenery. Glimpses of wildlife— moose, pronghorn, bear and mountain goats—are common. But not everyone climbs aboard to simply sightsee. Outdoor adventurers also benefit from the train’s back-country access. “There are two flag stops at two major trailheads,” Ellingson said. “We take in backpackers with all their gear; we carry kayakers and rafting companies with their boats to the Upper Animas. Rail provides the only access back into the river canyon. There are time schedules posted at the
skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
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train stops so they know when we’ll be back to get them,” he said. Many passengers repeat the experience. Ellingson promises that no two trips are the same. “I’ve probably made the summer trip thousands of times, but every time I still see things I’ve never seen before,” he said. “That’s typical of Durango. There’s so much to do here—kayaking, rock climbing, skiing, the Indian ruins. Within such a short distance the scenery changes so much from alpine to desert. I’ve lived here all my life, and there are still places within 20 miles of town I want to see; trails I want to hike. There are so many beautiful places that are simply timeless.” Just like the Durango-Silverton train. n Narrow gauge rail lines ably hug tight mountain curves.
ArtWatch
| Durango, CO
Sharon Abshagen
Capturing a World of Inspiration
S
haron Abshagen, the artist responsible for this edition’s cover, possesses an affinity for plein aire painting that occurred naturally. The lifelong Coloradoan has always enjoyed her state’s outdoor opportunities and art. “I love being outside so plein aire really suits me well. When I go camping, rafting, fly-fishing, I also paint. I’ve always painted in the studio, too. Those are typically larger works from field sketches.” Spud Mountain, shown in its entirety here, was created during an outing with the Four Corners Plein Aire Society. “We were up at the Durango Mountain Resort on a gorgeous July morning,” she said. “The light was just amazing. I painted it mostly in one morning. I may have worked on it a bit at home. But I work very hard to complete a painting quickly when I work plein aire. You can see that in the loose, fast, brush strokes. The spontaneity brings excitement to the piece.” Abshagen’s enthusiasm for her work is rivaled only by her passion for Durango, a place she’s called home since 1973. “I work in a home 18 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
Spud Mountain, an 11” x 14” plein aire oil
studio with a spectacular view overlooking Silver Mountain and a wildlife refuge. There’s this great northern light coming in the window. And the nice thing about Durango is its variety. We’re in the mountains but so close to the desert. So I am able to draw great inspiration from our surroundings here.” To view more of her work, visit her website, www.sharonabshagen.com. n
get on board!
Durango, CO
Welcome to the world next door.
We’re closer than you think — but you’ll feel like you’re a world away.
discoverthreesprings.com 970-764-6000
Art is my strength. But I like to get outside my comfort zone. That’s why
Life in Durango, Colorado begins at home. New homes start in the $$200’s!
I’m exploring philosophy and trying my hand at writing. Fort Lewis College brings out the best in me.
DURANGO, COLORADO 970.764.6432
www.fortlewis.edu A Southern Ute Company
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America’sB est Places | Wausau, Wi
Panex Quinquefolius (American Ginseng)
Capital of the World by Lou Jurassic
T
he farmland around Wausau does more than pasture cows and produce row crops. It also makes Marathon County a world-leader in production of the all-purpose herbal remedy ginseng. The primary market for the slow-growing root? China. If that seems a bit like selling coal in Newcastle, Butch Weege, executive director of the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin, can explain. “We have a different strain of ginseng. The Chinese consider our ginseng the cooling variety, and theirs the heating variety. It’s been established that American ginseng can be taken continually, while after three or four months users should take a break from the Chinese variety. When they [Asian producers] have tried to grow from our seeds, the results are different.” The highly prized herb is a mainstay of Eastern medicine and is credited with easing stress, improving energy and aiding in overall well-being. It is currently the focus of several major research studies by the likes of Johns Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic. Ginseng has been a small part of the local Wausau economy ever since well-traveled Jesuit explorers noticed the popular Asian herb growing wild in the Wisconsin woods in the 1600s. It’s been cultivated beneath manmade shelters in ginseng gardens since the 1880s. The industry is not for the faint of heart or impatient. It takes about four-and a-half years from planting to harvest. While waiting for the crop to turn to
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Ginseng garden at berry time
cash, growers face all the typical agricultural hazards plus another peculiarity. Ginseng will not thrive if planted in dirt that has ever supported a previous ginseng crop. “You have to do your homework to make sure that you’ve got virgin soil,” Weege said. Farmers typically lease fresh ground or buy new farms after just one harvest. The rigorous effort plus overproduction during the 1990s contributed to a decline in grower participation over the past decade. The Wisconsin industry, with its premium product, The genuine trademark has also been hard-hit by Asian tradecopied by Asian pirates. mark pirates. In 2004 on his first trip to China, Weege was shocked to discover counterfeit labels touting inferior Chinese ginseng as Wisconsin’s own. The Chinese government intervened on behalf of the Wisconsin growers. Now, with more than 40 lawsuits settled and others in the works, Weege is encouraged about future prospects for Wisconsin ginseng. Medical breakthroughs also help his cause. “The Mayo Clinic did a pilot study that indicates that our ginseng can be very helpful in alleviating the fatigue that plagues cancer patients. Now they’re doing a full-blown clinical study of the issue. Johns Hopkins is doing research on ginseng’s effects in preventing and treating breast cancer. The research has spawned a groundswell of interest in the product,” he said. sliced Ginseng: Souders Studio, Golden, Co
Sliced ginseng
Inspecting a garden 1930
Ginseng Images: Courtesy of the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin
The medical research, just like the piracy lawsuits, takes a long time to complete. But that’s okay, according to Weege. “Ginseng growers know the benefits of patience,” he said. Wisconsin ginseng is typically available in Chinese herbal stores or online from the Ginseng Board’s Co-op. n Did You Know?
Wausau’s Great for Growing Families
Wausau is good for ginseng. It’s also great for families, according to Butch Weege, executive director of the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin. Weege has lived in Marathon County since 1967. He married into a family of ginseng growers and entered the industry in 1982. “Wausau offers a great lifestyle,” he said. It’s a nicesized little town surrounded by wonderful four-season recreation, lots of open water and plenty of opportunities for quality higher education.
Mixing Business with Pleasure Encouraged!
There’s no reason you can’t have some fun when doing business in Wausau. There’s excellent outdoor recreation, a thriving arts scene, and a variety of shopping and dining to justify spending an extra day or staying over the weekend.
• Full Summer of events including the Balloon Rally, Blues Festival and Artrageous Weekend • World Class Whitewater Kayak & Canoe Course in Downtown Wausau • Spectacular Fall Colors • Woodson Art Musuem’s internationally acclaimed “Birds in Art” fall exhibit • The best in Winter recreation including Granite Peak Ski Area Request a FREE Official Visitors Magazine Today!
visitwausau.com 888-WI-VISIT skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
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America’sB est Hometown Hints
Singer/Songwriter Will Kimbrough
Shares Top Nashville Picks by Carlton Tajni
M
ost tourists know enough to hit Nashville’s high points. Must-sees include the Ryman Auditorium, the Mother Church of country music and former home of the Grand Ole Opry; Ryman’s successor in that role the glitzy Grand Ole Opry House; the Bluebird Café where Garth Brooks got his big break and hopeful newcomers still hope to grab the spotlight; and of course the Country Music Hall of Fame. For beyond-the-obvious Nashville travel advice we looked to singer/songwriter Will Kimbrough, who has spent more than two decades making his living and practicing his craft in Music City USA. As a multi-faceted music professional, he lives a “pretty typical” family existence with his wife and two kids in Hillsboro Village, a pedestrian-friendly downtown neighborhood near the Vanderbilt campus. His time on the road makes him acutely aware that Nashville is a very good place to be.
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“There’s tons of great music here, and it’s not just country music,” he said. “Bluegrass musicians are some of the most amazing in the world in terms of technical ability, and The Station Inn is one of the world’s great centers of bluegrass. It’s in an old cinderblock building in the 12 South urbanized area, a real anomaly in a neighborhood full of martini bars and sushi restaurants. You’ll hear people there who tour with the biggest acts with instruments that aren’t mic’ed up.” Norm’s River Roadhouse, 13 miles west of town, is another favorite musical showcase. “It’s a great little place where you might see some very unexpected music from Nashville or out of town. Then there’s The Basement, a club under Grimey’s Music Store. They’re pretty well known as an indie music store and definitely worth the visit,” Kimbrough said. Kimbrough, who has collaborated with big-name stars including Jimmy Buffet, grew up in
Will Kimbrough: CJ Hicks Photography
Kimbrough’s two most recent albums are about the balance between home and travel. He explained that Home Away, released in 2002, is about a person who has young children and struggles with being away from family. “It’s about working out how to strike a balance.” Wings came out in February and features a title cut co-written with Jimmy Buffet. “It’s about acknowledging that once the balance is struck you still have to make good choices for your family.”
Alabama listening to the Beatles and the blues. He performs his highly personal repertoire to audiences around the country and throughout the world, but while in Nashville he likes to spend time near home. “Hillsboro Village is a bungalow-kind of neighborhood built between the turn of the 20th century and the 1930s. There are some great places all within walking distance of my house. Fido’s is a diner sort of place where some pretty famous musicians hang out.” Breakfasts are a specialty. “Brown’s Diner is a great old-school burger and beer kind of place.” For a more refined dining experience Kimbrough likes City House restaurant in the Germantown neighborhood. “The owner picks all the food locally. The menu changes seasonally. The meat is organic. There’s what I term comfort food but it’s prepared in different ways. The sausage is homemade. Prices aren’t exorbitant.” City House’s twist on down-home cooking includes Tripp
Will Kimbrough’s multi-faceted musical career runs the gamut from songwriting to producing to performing.
Country Ham and Parsnip Pizza and Cornmeal Crusted Catfish with Celery Root Agro Dolce. Not your average Nashville meat-and-three kind of café.
Nashville is home to a full-sized replica of the Parthenon.
For educational family-fun Kimbrough suggests the Parthenon in Centennial Park. “It’s a full-size replica of the one in Greece and inside is a full-sized replica of the statue of Athena. I took my eight-year-old there last week. It was cool and not very expensive,” he said. “I love my work and I like to go out of town, but I love to go home to Nashville,” he concluded. n
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With more than 122 regularly scheduled departures each day, SkyWest United Express connects Chicago with an abundance of dynamic communities. Here’s insight into some special places just one outbound flight from O’Hare and some Chicagoland attractions, too.
| Cincinnati, Oh
I
n Cincinnati, clamoring for a cone, sundae or split means giving out a shout for Graeter’s Ice Cream. The family-owned business, now in its fourth generation, has been treating the Queen City to sweets (they make candy, too) since 1870. The ice cream formula has never wavered. Flavors like blackberry chip, blueberry pie and coconut are still made in two-gallon batches, still crafted from the century-old recipes, still delicious. It’s easy for visitors to partake of the old-fashioned experience. More than a dozen parlors are sprinkled around Cincinnati and franchises are spreading throughout Kentucky and the Midwest. The Columbus, Ohio, Bethel
Road store offers tours explaining the painstaking French-pot process that’s been churning out this delicacy for 140 years. It’s the secret behind an indescribable creamy texture and rich taste. The addictive dessert is also available online and claims a roster of celebrity fans. Oprah’s featured it on her show. George Clooney is reportedly a devotee. Graeter’s does the mail-order thing up right, guaranteeing that the product will arrive frozen. Prices vary depending upon where it’s shipped, but typically the minimum six-pint order costs around $70. In-store purchases are less expensive. Plus store visitors can boast that they’ve been to Graeter’s—the epitome of good taste in ice cream. n
Chicago by Any Other Name How well do you know the Windy City’s place in pop culture? Match these Chicago nicknames with the person who made them popular: 1. City of Big Shoulders
A. Richard J. Daley
2. My Kind of Town
B. Frank Sinatra
3. The City that Works
C. Carl Sandburg
4. The Miami of Canada
D. Tony Bennett
5. That Toddling Town
E. The Simpson’s Mr. Burns
Save The Date! CHICAGO, IL | THROUGH MAY 31 Seventh Annual Tulips on the Magnificent Mile features hundreds of thousands of tulips in a kaleidoscope of colors.
Scoring: 5 = As good as a native 4 = Regular visitor 3 = Average American 0-2 = In need of a culture class Answers: 1.) C 2.) B 3.) A 4.) E 5.) B or D
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ice cream image: Graeter’s Ice Cream
We All Scream for Ice Cream!
| Traverse City, Mi
Searching for Petoskey by Mike Norton
stones: Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau
E
very spring, before Lake Michigan’s waters warm to welcome swimmers, intrepid souls scour the beaches of Grand Traverse Bay. Oblivious to the jade-green waves washing over their feet and the surrounding golden dunes, they focus on the smooth wet sand left by the retreating surf. Their quest? The elusive Petoskey Stones. These bits of sand-buffed limestone don’t look like much in their native state, but when properly cut and polished, they take on an entirely different character. Michigan’s official state stone is beautiful and strange and instantly recognizable by its trademark pattern of sunburst hexagons. In shades of gray, brown or honey, they’re found in gift stores and jewelry shops throughout the state, cut and shaped into earrings, pendants, paperweights and more. Many people prefer to find their own. For more than a century, hunting for these odd-looking fossils has been a favorite summer pastime in this land of freshwater beaches and bays. “Living up here you tend to take them for granted because they’re not very hard to find if you know where to look,” said Christy Roman. “I had a collection of my own when I was little, but it wasn’t until I realized how impossible they are to find anywhere else in the world that I started to appreciate them,” she said. Roman should know— she’s the coordinator of the annual Antrim County Petoskey Stone Festival, which brings anywhere from 3,000 to 4,000 people each spring to the tiny bay shore village of Eastport for a day of stonehunting, stone-skipping and other merriment. This year’s festival will be held on Saturday, May 29. The timing is no accident. Spring is the best time to search for the stones since winter storms and ice floes push fresh ones toward the shore from deeper water, replenishing the supply that the previous season’s rock-hunters have picked over.
Detail of Petoskey stone
Petoskey stones are the fossilized remains of one particular species of prehistoric coral, Hexagonia percarinata. The stones take their name from the resort town of Petoskey, about 70 miles north of Traverse City, where they first attracted attention as a tourist curiosity. But they can be found on most area beaches and are especially plentiful on the eastern shore of Grand Traverse Bay. That’s why the festival is located in Eastport, just 33 miles from SkyWest service from O’Hare to Traverse City. n
Special Event! EASTPORT, MI | MAY 29 The Petoskey Festival celebrates the state’s official stone at Antrim County’s Barnes Park with games, boat rides, live music, food and all things Petoskey.
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O’hare Outbound
| Appleton, Wi
Taking it to the Streets
I
f you love a parade, Appleton, Wisconsin is your kind of town. In fact, each summer “the regular beat and tramping of feet” is a cause célèbre in this River City. Throughout the year, Appleton is known as the heart of the Fox Cities, a chain of communities hugging the banks of the Fox River. It’s a pleasant Midwestern community with an easy-to-navigate downtown, friendly populace and positive attitude. In any season, this outdoorsy place benefits from proximity to Lake Winnebago—the largest body of water in the state—and lots of woods ideal for hiking and cycling. In summer, Appleton’s fun spills into the streets. The annual Memorial Day Parade is a superb display of pageantry by any town’s standards. In Appleton it’s an opening act. Just two weeks later, this town of approximately 70,000 attracts 60,000 spectators to what has to be the nation’s largest Flag Day Parade. The procession of bands, floats and marching units stretches more than two miles.
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The event is also the nation’s oldest salute to Old Glory. A wave of Post-World War II patriotism spawned Flag Day in 1949. Appleton launched its event the very next year. It’s been going strong ever since. Future generations are already being groomed to carry on the tradition. Each July, Appleton’s kids rally for the annual Children’s Parade. Kids march in costumes, parents decorate strollers; homemade floats and gussied up bicycles are all part of the old-fashioned fun. In between parades and all summer, the downtown is a bustle with free concerts each Thursday, the region’s largest Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and art shows twice a month. Aside from all the urban fun, Appleton offers the heartland’s best—a day at the lake, an afternoon on the river, a walk in the woods. n
skynews
| Jackson, WY
Where Springtime in the Rockies Rocks Jackson Wyoming’s scenic location has lured the rich and richer for decades. This toney cowboy town hugs the sunrise side of the Grand Tetons, butts up against the national park of the same name and is a fine vacation destination in any season. For nature lovers, a springtime getaway to Jackson is really special. There are far fewer people and much better wildlife viewing. In summer the road linking Grand Teton with Yellowstone National Park just 55 miles to the north is clogged bumper-to-bumper. In spring it’s just as likely to be over taken by a clan of mama buffalo and their babies. Young elk, deer, and pronghorn also make their debut each spring as do bear and wolf cubs. Wildflowers carpet the mountain meadows splotched with snow. Jackson doesn’t become a ghost town in offseason. Nobody rolls up its wooden sidewalks. They’re just less crowded. You’ll be able to sashay
right up to the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, get a great table at a restaurant typically frequented by haute-season A-listers, and bed down in posh lodging for a fraction of the July-August price. Getting there is part of the fun. Jackson’s Airport is located right next to Grand Teton National Park. Landing is akin to a scenic plane ride in a jet! SkyWest United Express serves Jackson, Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks with daily flights to and from Denver. n
| Travel Tips
Road Warrior Advice from Up in the Air “You know how much time you lose by checking in?” George Clooney’s consummate road warrior Ryan Bingham asked new recruit Natalie Keener in the film Up in the Air. “Thirty-five minutes a flight. I travel 270 days a year. That’s 157 hours. That makes seven days. You willing to throw away an entire week on that?” Clooney’s performance as the type-A, methodical traveler earned him a Best Actor Oscar nod. You can take a page on how to save travel time with these top tips from his character Ryan Bingham.
George Clooney: Paramount Home Entertainment
1. Pack your belt; don’t wear it. You’re holding up the line for an accessory. Watching you fumble with a buckle makes my eyes bleed.
2. Your
watch won’t set off the metal detector. So stop putting it in your shoe.
3. Tourists
are amateurs. They carry way too much electronic equipment and their brains are on vacation. You see a sun visor—go to the next line.
4. Please, stop waving goodbye to your family as you’re going through the metal detector. Kiss your loved one at the curb and be donewith it.
5. Pick
up your trays on the other side of the conveyor belt. Don’t cause a traffic jam.
You don’t have to possess Ryan Bingham’s resume—or his ample attitude—to be a savvy traveler. In fact we’d like it if you’d cultivate a little patience and grace during your journey. But the movie was fun—and more than a little thought provoking. It’s out on DVD now. Take our Travel Smarts Quiz on page 48 and you could win a free DVD of the recently released, Oscar-nominated Up in the Air. n skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
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With more than 105 regularly scheduled departures each day, SkyWest United Express is among Los Angeles International Airport’s (LAX) busiest carriers. Many of those passengers find rest, relaxation and a world of opportunity less than an hour away—flying time that is. Here’s news you can use—just beyond LAX.
| Long Beach, CA
See Veterinary Medicine in Action at Aquarium’s New Animal Care Center
W
hat’s it take to care for a pregnant sea lion or a turtle with tummy troubles or an ailing lorikeet? Keeping members of the animal kingdom healthy is no small task— especially when they live in captivity. Beginning May 20, Aquarium of the Pacific visitors can gain insight into the complexities of tending to the facility’s myriad residents when the Molina Animal Care Center opens. The state-of-the-art, 14,000-square-foot facility features exhibition space that allows visitors to observe veterinary medicine in action with an emphasis on “action.” There’s never a dull moment here. Approximately 11,000 critters call the Aquarium of the Pacific home. They represent 500 species of birds, reptiles and sea life. The new $5.5-million care center accommodates all their needs with specific areas for mammals, reptiles and fish, and new state-of-the-art technology, including digital radiography equipment, non-invasive endoscopy and laparoscopy equipment and a high-powered microscope. More than 50 veterinary-staff members attend to the residents. Large windows enable visitors to watch as the on-site vets conduct a wide assortment of procedures. On any given day it may be possible to observe
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an otter having its teeth cleaned, a shark or eel undergoing surgery or the routine examination of a bird new to the facility. Overhead monitors make it easy for everyone to see. Interactive kiosks provide more in-depth information about the aquarium’s veterinary success stories and offer insight into the people and professions that make up the team. From time to time the public will have a chance to interact with veterinarians during special presentations. Animal health is linked to a healthy environment, and the Molina Animal Care Center was built according to Leadership in Energy and Environmental (LEED) Platinum standards. Construction was made possible in part by a $2-million gift from the family of the aquarium’s Chairman of the Board J. Mario Molina, M.D. The Aquarium of the Pacific is located on five acres just off Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach at 100 Aquarium Way. It is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, except Christmas and one week in April. Any time is a good time to visit. To beat the crowds, visit on weekdays after 2 p.m. Some special tours such as “Sharks Behind the Scenes” require additional admission charges. It is also possible to pay an additional fee for a tour of the harbor or the RMS Queen Mary, which is docked nearby. n
| ANAHEIM, CA
Disney’s New Marvel
World of Color
Images:Disney Enterprises, Inc.
J
ust when you were ready to believe that there really is nothing new under the sun, Disney’s creative genius breaks fresh ground. This summer the California Adventure Park unveils an unprecedented amalgam of water, light, and fire in its new World of Color nighttime extravaganza. The production merges the traditional magic of animated classics like Alice in Wonderland and the Lion King with groundbreaking special effects. More than 1,200 powerful and programmable fountains are part of the infrastructure. Their eruptions shoot up to 200 feet in the air. (By comparison, the Adventure Park’s best-known landmark Mickey’s Fun Wheel reaches a height of 150 feet.) Larger-than-life projections featuring film sequences and much-beloved characters appear amid a vast water screen. That liquid wall is 380 feet wide and 50 feet high. That adds up to a projection
surface of 1,900 square feet. Lasers, fire, fog and surroundsound combine with sensational images for an unparalleled sensory experience of extraordinarily pure color and light. Even the most jaded visitor should prepare to “ooh”, “aah” and gawk at the magic. All the wizardry sends special effects sweeping across the lagoon, soaring into the sky and rushing into the audience. World of Color consumes about an acre and has been in the works for more than six years. It takes some of the features of Disneyland’s Fantasmic and carries them to a whole new level. At the Adventure Park there should be no need to scramble for a curbside seat. There’s also a newly designed 9,000-capacity viewing area. The show takes 25 minutes. The memories last a lifetime. n
Business Profile
Gamma Knife – a revolution in neurosurgery Fresno may not be well-known as a tourist destination, but world-class technology like the Gamma Knife—available at Saint Agnes Medical Center—has put Valley health care on the map. Saint Agnes, a 436-bed acute care medical center in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, is proud to be one of only 200 institutions worldwide, including Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mayo Clinic, and UCSF Medical Center, using Gamma Knife; and is among a select handful using the newest and most precise version—the Perfexion. Considered the “gold standard” in radiosurgery, Gamma Knife is the most effective noninvasive treatment available for brain tumors and other abnormalities in the brain and upper neck previously considered inaccessible or inoperable. Contrary to its name, Gamma Knife does not use a knife at all. There are no scalpels
involved and no incisions made. Instead, 192 highly focused beams of radiation—delivered in a single high-dose—converge on the specific area where the tumor or abnormality resides. With the help of a computer and the latest imaging technology, physicians can identify the exact spot with pinpoint accuracy. This promising alternative to traditional surgery offers superior outcomes, fewer complications and quicker recovery times, giving Valley residents one more reason to be proud of the community they call home. For more information about Gamma Knife, call: 1-800-ST-AGNES | www.samc.com. skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
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America’sB est Events
Celebrate Good Times,
Come On! by Connie Naylor
A
ny place, any time, any way, Americans find plenty of reasons to celebrate. We salute where we come from and what we’ve done. Suburban communities pay tribute to longlost legacies with Dairy Days, Farm Days, Cowboy Days and the ubiquitous Old Home Days. A host of ethnic groups—Germans, Poles, Italians, Greeks, Jews and more—unite with friends and neighbors of varied backgrounds to serve up tasty tributes to tradition. Spring flings, summer soirees, harvest festivals and winter galas revolve around a season, while other events pay homage to a season in life. Senior citizens compete in Olympic-like games; children decorate bicycles and call it a parade. Schools sponsor fairs and carnivals. Old-timers trot out antique cars, tractors, wagons, model trains and other feel-good vestiges of the past. No excuse is too small to take our jubilation to the street. We recognize rivers, roses, rodeos and reptiles; we laud the arts, artisans and all forms of creativity, including fashions made of duct tape, sculptures crafted from mountains of ice, and an endless variety of painted fiberglass. All across the SkyWest route map there are ren-faires and county fairs, classic car rallies and
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hot air balloon jamborees. Musicians of every stripe gather and often compete in a cavalcade of bluegrass, country, Dixieland and jazz celebrations. Classical performers tend to congregate under white tents or beneath summer stars where they fill the world with dazzling sound. We like our entertainment al fresco whenever possible—thus the preponderance of Shakespeare in the park and rock concerts blasting forth from natural amphitheaters. Wine and beer get their fair share of recognition, so does regional produce—garlic in Gilroy, California; peaches in Palisade, Colorado; cherries in Traverse City, Michigan; ribs and fish all over the map. Some celebrations revel in peculiar pastimes. Yodelers still compete in places originally settled by the Swiss. Appalachians vie to see who can be the best hollerer in the hollers. From West Virginia to Iowa, hog callers test their vocal mettle. Most of these events are accompanied by a panoply of food and drink, plus an abiding sense of simple pleasure. So no matter where your travels take you find some down-home, local fun. You’ll be better for it. Here are a few of the many terrific happenings in SkyWest Country.
|May Yellowstone Park | May 9 Celebrate with the Mothers of Yellowstone Park. Spring brings bouncing baby bison, long-legged elk calves, and playful bear cubs to Yellowstone Park. This year, why not visit Yellowstone in spring? Wildlife watching, hiking and biking by day; warm meals and a comfortable bed each night. Visit our website for lodging options and activities.
TUCSON, AZ | MAY 1 – 2 The Tucson Folk Festival, a celebration in its 25th year brings nearly 120 acts and more than 20 hours of continuous live music and dance to downtown’s El Presidio Park.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT | MAY 6 – SEPTEMBER 19 Pablo O’Higgins: Works on Paper, among four exhibitions celebrating Mexican art and culture at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.
www.yellowstonedestination.com
HOUSTON, TX | ONGOING Magic: The Science of Wonder, at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, examines how science and magic are intertwined.
VENTURA, CA | THROUGH JUNE 20 Becoming Art at the Seams, a juried exhibition of art and contemporary quilts at the Museum of Ventura County features submissions from three California counties.
Sun Valley, ID | Sept 17-19 The Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival The Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the exploration of the human spirit through the medium of film and discourse. Our films are a distillation of unforgettable stories about lives well lived, and universal messages of faith, hope, love, forgiveness and meaning. Film is the vehicle we have chosen to raise the level of discourse about what it means to be human. www.svspiritualfilmfestival.org
KENNEWICK, WA | MAY 8 The Untapped Blues Festival, now in its 13th season, lures revelers with a variety of local microbrews and top blues talent from all along the West Coast.
SACRAMENTO, CA | MAY 16 – 23 The Amgen Tour of California, this bicycle race’s fifth annual running travels from Nevada City northeast of Sacramento down the state to Thousand Oaks and features Lance Armstrong.
MODESTO, CA | MAY 19 OVER 100 UNIQUE EVENTS A YEAR.
We never shy away from a reason to celebrate!
The Wild and Wacky World of Leigh Rubin, a free presentation by SkyWest Magazine’s popular cartoonist ignites everyone’s creative spark. Rubin’s hilarious and inspiring appearance is presented by The Modesto Bee.
Eagle, ID | June 24-27
GunnisonCrestedButte.com · 800.323.2453
AT THE RIVER presents jazz, fine art, food & wine during the annual fourday festival benefiting arts and music education. Free and ticketed concerts by world-class jazz musicians and student ensembles; free juried fine art shows, art and music education to all ages along with exquisite local food and wines from Idaho’s emerging wine industry. Go to our website to purchase tickets and learn more. www.EagleAtTheRiver.com
“Half Light” Oil by Gregg Russell
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America’sB est Events
|June PORTLAND, OR | JUNE 1 - 13 The Rose Festival’s festivities extend throughout the community all month long. The Grand Floral Parade, one of the world’s largest all-floral parades, is the highlight. Held Saturday June 12 this year, it’s expected to attract 500,000 spectators.
ALBUQUERQUE, NM | JUNE 4 – 13 Albuquerque Culture Week showcases the best of Albuquerque arts and culture including a flamenco festival and other events downtown.
BIRMINGHAm, AL | JUNE 5 Fifteenth Annual Juneteenth Culture Fest, presented by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, celebrates the end of American slavery with food, contests, a children’s village and great music. The event and admission to the institute are free.
FORT WAYNE, IN | JUNE 6 – 13 Germanfest draws throngs to enjoy essen, trinken und gemütlichkeit (eating, drinking, and a warm, wonderful time), at Headwaters Park and other area venues.
St. George, UT | October 4–16 Huntsman World Senior Games This October join over 9,500 athletes ages 50+ in St. George, Utah for the largest annual international Olympicstyle sporting event in the world for athletes 50 and over. With 27 sports to choose from, you’re bound to find one for you. Get details at www.seniorgames.net.
LOUISVILLE, KY | JUNE 10 – 12 Glass Art Society 40th Anniversary is an international collaboration of artists, educators, businesses, galleries, museums and collectors.
DULUTH, MN | JUNE 17 – 19 Grandma’s Marathon, a scenic 26.2 mile run along Lake Superior’s North Shore, is also a weekend festival the whole family will enjoy.
ASPEN, CO | May 20 - July 18 Restless Empathy Furthering its commitment to art in unexpected places, the Aspen Art Museum presents the work of eight internationally renowned artists— Allora & Calzadilla, Pawel Althamer, Marc Bijl, Lara Favaretto, Geof Oppenheimer, Lars Ramberg, Frances Stark, and Mark Wallinger—in both the museum galleries and throughout the town of Aspen itself.
Allora & Calzadilla, HOPE HIPPO, 2005. Installation View 51st Venice Biennale. Photo: Giorgio Boata. Image courtesy of the artists and Lisson Gallery
970-925-8050 or www.aspenartmuseum.org
AVON, OH | JUNE 18 – 20 The Duct Tape Festival is a Father’s Day Weekend celebration of the handy fix-all. It includes a parade, duct tape arts and crafts, a sculpture competition and fashion show.
JOSEPH, OR | JUNE 4 – 6 The Wallowa Valley Festival of the Arts showcases the work of more than 125 artists, deemed by jurors to create one of the Pacific Northwest’s finest exhibitions.
VICTORVILLE, CA | JUNE 18 – 20 The 34th Annual Huck Finn Country and Bluegrass Jubilee at the Mojave Narrows Park ushers in summer with old-time music, food and fun, including The California Arm Wrestling State Championship.
EUGENE, OR | JUNE 25 – JULY 11 Oregon Bach Festival celebrates the work and legacy of Johann Sebastian Bach with a slate of concerts, performances and education opportunities all sponsored by the University of Oregon.
JACKSON, WY | JUNE 30 The Grand Teton Music Festival kicks off the summer season with Origins of Jazz, a concert featuring pianists Keith and Pam Phillips held at the Walk Festival Hall.
Sun Valley, ID | July 22 - 24 29th Sun Valley Center Wine Auction Twenty-nine years of supporting arts education in Sun Valley. Featuring over 150 wineries, intimate winemaker dinners in exclusive Sun Valley residences, a gala auction dinner, a gourmet wine picnic, Riedel Symposia, and an incredible wine tasting offering hundreds of wines. Tickets available online in May. 208-726-9491 www.sunvalleycenter.org
32 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
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skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
33
Spa-tacular Retreats!
Y
ou may have noticed. The year 2010 is approaching its midway mark. How are you doing with those fitness resolutions? Is it time for professional help? Whether you want to grow stronger, shed a few pounds, or discover strategies to improve your overall health, a spa vacation can help you de-stress and become your very best. Rejuvenating retreats throughout SkyWest country are waiting to meet your every need. Here are a few of our favorites.
The Biggest Loser Resort at F itness Ridge
Ivins, UT
Award winning as one of the top ten destination spas for Best Affordability, Best Fitness Program, Best Hiking, and Best for Weight Loss, The Biggest Loser Resort at Fitness Ridge offers the most affordable, comprehensive health and fitness experience focusing on exercise, healthy nutrition and education. Guests visit The Resort to achieve results to a healthy lifestyle with a structured program of fitness activity, caloriecontrolled spa cuisine, and education series. The Resort offers a boot camp style program for men and women of any fitness level and there is something for everyone with over 20 indoor and outdoor group classes, full-service salon, and retail shop. All meals are prepared by a trained executive chef with emphasis on creativity and flavor. Guests have access to trainers, registered dietitian, licensed counselor, and life coach who will teach you the tools to take home and incorporate into your new, balanced healthy way of life. The Resort is located in the beautiful southwest corner of Utah, well-known for its red rock canyon landscape and over 300 days of sunshine per year. Join the exclusive weight loss destination to NBC’s television show The Biggest Loser for a fitness jump-start or escape in a fitness getaway! n
888-870-2639 | re se rvation s@bigg e stlose rre sort. co m | www. bigg e stlose rre sort. co m 34 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
Red Mountain Resort & Spa
Ivins, UT
Find yourself between a rock and a soft place at Red Mountain Resort & Spa. Framed by towering cliffs and red rock formations at the entrance of Snow Canyon State Park, Red Mountain offers an amazing selection of quality activities for fitness and outdoor recreation enthusiasts. Renew your body and mind with over 50 fun fitness classes each week. Work smarter, not harder, with fitness testing using state-of-theart equipment. Or share an “Ed-venture” in creativity by participating in healthy living classes, cooking demonstrations and pottery classes. A soothing experience awaits with spa services at the Sagestone Spa & Salon. Treat yourself to a Desert Rain massage, or purify body, mind and spirit with the signature Four Directions treatment. Discover paths for healing and transformation with a Shaman Life Path Reading. Or simply meditate, surrounded by nature. Red Mountain is an affordably priced luxury vacation getaway, with a wide variety of activities included in your nightly room rate. The Red Mountain Resort & Spa chefs create three nutritious and delicious meals daily using fresh and natural ingredients. Whether you come seeking sports or solitude, spiritual sanctuary or spa offerings, Red Mountain offers a whole landscape of limitless possibilities. n
877-246-HI KE | R edMou nt a i nSpa. co m
The Spa at Viceroy Snowmass
Snowmass, CO
Designed by Jean Michel-Gathy, the 7,000-square-foot spa offers a selection of holistic wellness experiences, from Ute Indian-inspired therapies to contemporary beauty rituals. Located beyond a dramatic custom-designed brass gate, the spa sanctuary provides six luxurious treatment rooms— including a hydrotherapy Vichy showers room and a couple’s suite. A meditative relaxation lounge, awash in the soothing sound of falling water from an infinity pool and waterfall, centers the spa. A comprehensive fitness center adjacent to the spa includes Technogym™ cardiovasclar and strength training equipment. Personal training, coaching and sports therapy are available by appointment; please call to make reservations. Poolside and in-room spa services are also available. Please call for spa reservations. n
970-923-8007 | viceroysnow ma ss. co m/snow ma ss/spa-a n d-well n e ss skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
35
W
hether you’re looking for a luxurious spa stay, a mountaintop experience or a day at the beach, it’s easy to enjoy a great getaway without breaking the bank. In the midst of our economic recovery, resorts, lodges and even tour operators are luring guests with low prices and stellar package deals. If you’re ready to be impressed by exceptional service and amazing quality check out these options for fabulous—and economical—adventures.
You too can be this comfortable at the Candlewycke Inn! Ease the tensions of your daily life with a spa package at the Candlewycke Inn, Bigfork, Montana. Save 20% on a minimum 2-night stay with a minimum one (1) in-room massage for 60 minutes. Make an online reservation that includes one weekday Monday through Thursday May 1 through June 30, 2010. Type in “SWspa20” in the comments box to redeem this special discount. Reserve dinner at the Inn and soak in our Jacuzzi hot tub to complete your total relaxation getaway. www.candlewyckeinn.com | megan@candlewyckeinn.com 406-837-6406 or 888-617-8805
36 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
Orange County’s Newest Adventure! New to Dana Point is the 63-foot catamaran the OCean Adventure! This luxury catamaran runs naturalist-guided tours where you will experience exciting marine life that thrives in our warm coastal waters including blue whales, dolphin, sea lions, sharks and more! This eco-friendly vessel also runs the first ever Laguna Beach Sightseeing Tour on weekends! 949-496-5794 | www.danawharf.com
Let us be your home on the mountain this season. Our beautifully appointed residences allow you to experience Telluride’s adventure, relaxation and breathtaking scenery. For reservations, please call or visit our website. 888-728-0355 | www.fairmont.com/klammerlodge
The Leland House and Rochester Hotel offer unique historic accommodations in downtown Durango, Colorado. Within walking distance to all Durango attractions, the hotel is your launching point to many affordable outdoor activities including hiking, biking (free cruiser bike rentals offered), and rafting. Included is a full gourmet breakfast made-to-order, the perfect start to an adventurefilled day. Then, in the evening relax with homemade cookies and raspberry iced tea. For more information please call or visit our website. 800-664-1920 or www.rochesterhotel.com.
skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
37
It’s Our Journey, Too
Portland-Based Captain Chris Carson
Flies With a Song in His Heart by Laura Klarman
C
hris Carson wears two hats. He is a SkyWest Airlines captain flying Embraer Brasilias* and a music teacher. In fact his first career was as a school band instructor. After eight years of teaching, he became interested in flying and left the classroom to join SkyWest in 1989. Back then he was a first officer based in Yuma, Arizona flying Metroliners, a twin-engine airplane long since retired. As he progressed through the SkyWest ranks and became a captain, his love of music remained constant. “I am truly blessed to be able to do two things I dearly love—have my flying career and teach music. Because of SkyWest Airlines and the flexibility of my schedule, I am able to do both,” he said. His children have especially benefited from their father’s dedication to music. When Chris and his family relocated to Portland in 1999, his daughter was accepted into the Metropolitan Youth Symphony as a violinist. The prestigious organization began in 1974 with just 16 string players. Today it has ten performing groups including flute choirs and a jazz program. More than 400 young musicians hone their skills as members. Chris volunteered to work with the concert band as the band manager under the direction of Concert Band Conductor Bob Callison. In that position he helped with rehearsals, tutored a variety of students and assisted the conductor. He could often be seen (and heard) playing his trombone right beside a student to help him or her learn the music. This position was no small commitment. The symphony rehearses every Saturday, typically from 9:30 in the morning until 2:30 in the afternoon. All that practicing culminates each year in three major concerts as well as a variety of community outreaches in the Portland, Oregon/Vancouver, Washington area. Thanks to Chris, the trombone and trumpet sections are outstanding.
38 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
In addition to spending countless Saturdays working with the performers, Chris took personal time off from work in 2005 to tour Austria and Italy with the symphony as a chaperone for nine high school brass players. During the 14-day trip they played concerts in places such as Vienna, Salzburg and Florence where the likes of Hayden and Mozart either lived or performed. Chris was able to conduct concerts in the cradle of classical music. “We experienced history through the eyes of American teenagers which was really fun,” he said.
Several years later, his son joined the Metropolitan Youth Symphony as a trombonist and developed an interest in jazz. That’s when Chris’s commitment to fostering young musicians shifted to the organization’s jazz program. In that role he continues to rehearse with students and helps them learn their particular parts. He also teaches them the art of improvisation and fuels their creative artistic expression. Once again, his efforts pay off for his community and his family. Last year, Chris’s son was part of a jazz band that placed third in a national competition in Savannah, Georgia. At SkyWest Airlines, we are proud of our fellow team members and the many ways in which they serve their communities. Chris Carson is a shining example of their wonderful efforts! n *For more information about the Brasilia see “About Your Aircraft” on page 45.
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COTTONWOOD GRILLE: Inspired Northwest cuisine in an authentic Idaho setting. Serving local food with a global perspective and featuring an award-winning wine list. Celebrating ten years in business, Cottonwood Grille is offering $10 anniversary share plates, wine flights and more. Come and see us on the Boise River! 208-333-9800 cottonwoodgrille.com
Searching for the perfect vacation rental at the perfect price? Perfect Vacations can help! 12,000 vacation rentals Worldwide, each handpicked for quality and value. www.theperfectrentals.com or call direct 954-707-5573 for free membership. Part of the Force Group Network www.forcegroupnetwork.com
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Welcome to Medford, Oregon, the center of the thriving Rogue Valley. Savor award-winning artisan cheeses, chocolates, specialty foods, and nationally recognized wines. Enjoy great Northwest dining, eclectic shopping, and an endless list of activities and events. Get outside with fly-fishing, rafting and jet boating on the Rogue River, championship golf courses, and Crater Lake National Park. 800-469-6307 www.visitmedford.org
VACATION HOME available as nightly/weekly rental. 3 BR, 2 BA, sleeps 6-9. Ideal location on a quiet street in Ketchum. Walking distance to everything. 4 blocks from center of town and a one minute drive to River Run Ski Lodge and the new Gondola! Hot tub, pool table, ping pong, drum set and more. $250/nt or $1,500/wk. Holiday rentals available at $400/nt or $2,500/wk. 208-861-5232 or visit www.skywestmagazine/ketchumhome.com
Relax, Explore, Create on the Southern Oregon Coast. Pacific Reef’s #1 Rated Ocean Front Rooms is an ideal location to explore pristine beaches, take scenic drives, awe the Redwoods, jet boat the Rogue River or golf Bandon Dunes. Ask for “Skywest Offer.”
SOUTHERN UTAH
Golfing, Hiking, RV’ing, National Parks and Much More! Kane County, UT averages over 320 days of sunshine each year. That’s 320 days of sunshine and outdoor adventure waiting for you! www.thegrandcanyons.com
800-808-7263
www.pacificreefresort.com
skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
39
crossword
Do You Know June? June does more than kick-off summer. It’s also National Adopt-A-Cat Month, National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month, National Zoo and Aquarium Month and more. Clues in bold reveal other June observances.
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ACROSS 47 48 49 1 June 14 is ____ Day 50 51 52 53 4 Find fault 10 June is a month to celebrate this fragrant bloom 54 55 56 57 58 59 14 Fond du ____, Wisconsin 15 Nerve cell 60 61 62 63 16 Level 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 17 Beige 19 With 34 across June celebrates this admonition 71 72 73 74 75 to those with learner’s permits 76 77 78 79 80 20 Fruitful 22 Fishing net 81 82 83 24 Lyric poem 25 Pilfer 84 85 86 26 June 6, 1944 29 Place in bondage 31 Average 81 On sheltered side 32 Egg-shaped 33 Forfeit or sum paid into the pool 82 Places of contest 34 See 19 across 35 Whimsical 83 Extinct flightless bird 36 Not many 36 Bold 84 Drama 38 Epic poetry 37 Interlace 85 Capital of Armenia 40 Hawaiian goose 39 Tortoise compared to hare and cheetah 86 City in NW France 41 Possesses 41 Sharpened 43 Plural of 24 across 42 Stellar DOWN 45 Study of eggs 44 Wily 1 Samuel Butler’s The Way of 46 Nonsense 46 Cricket or baseball requirement All _______ 47 Monetary unit of Iran 48 Farm producing milk 2 Ornamental fabric trim 49 Against 51 17th letter of the Greek alphabet 3 Bitterly pungent 50 Undulating 52 Family member celebrated in June 4 Tomato and apple color 51 Republic in central Africa 56 Peevishly 5 Continental cash 53 Web-footed aquatic bird 58 Person, place or thing 6 Self-respect 54 Malt beverage 60 Purple dinosaur 7 Wander 55 Continuous dull pain 63 Ruse 8 Singleton 57 Secure 65 Cretan second city 9 XV 59 U.N. Secretary _____ Hammarskjöld 66 Hawaiian food 10 Mold again 61 Friends’ ________ Geller 67 Desert region in S Israel 11 Small egg 62 Fall 69 Swollen ankles 12 Monetary unit of Japan 64 Repeated from the beginning 70 Hebrew school 13 Conclusion 68 December log 72 Employ 18 Untie 71 Got up 73 Supernatural Polynesian force 21 Even (poet.) 72 Sew 75 Drug-yielding plant 23 Overhanging lower edge of a roof 74 Pertaining to a node 76 Faucet 27 Aquatic opossum 76 June celebrates this “love” sport all month 77 Building wing 28 Ned Kelly’s fate 78 Cheroot 30 June 5 kicks off a weeklong celebration 78 Automobile 80 Quick sharp bark of _______ and boating 79 Sought political election
COLORADO
SPRINGS, CO
PLEASE TAKE PRICELESS: 2010 MARCH | APRIL
e medals for tate sales,
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Not very high on the Google chain?
, OR | MEDFORD
magazine
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at the Little Nell.
Place your website information in front of our millions of passengers! Introducing our new SKYWEST WEBGUIDE
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Does not include
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(in every issue of SkyWest Magazine beginning July/August 2010).
Source: ABOR,
theby’s $425.4 : Morris & Fyrwald/So $275.2 million
d Place Company:
d Place Company:
1, 2009 through
be golden.
Aspen, Basalt
Answers to clues in bold relate to the month of June. Solution on page 44.
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40 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
Get Noticed!
Cenegenics Sky West 03-17-10 A.pdf
C
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3/17/2010
3:06:00 PM
behind the scenes
Aircraft Safety Comes First at SkyWest Airlines
“Safety First” is more than a mission statement at SkyWest Airlines; it’s a way of life. SkyWest’s impeccable safety record spans more than 35 years, beginning with the highest caliber of trained professionals and extending to a proven fleet of aircraft. The People: Each day, thousands of SkyWest employees are responsible for the safety of hundreds of thousands of passengers. SkyWest’s experienced mechanics, pilots, flight attendants and ground personnel have the know-how and ability to keep their passengers safe. In the Flight Deck: You also have the comfort of knowing you’re flying with some of the most experienced and thoroughly trained pilots the airline industry has to offer. It takes years of training and experience to become a commercial airline pilot, and many come to SkyWest well prepared averaging 1,500 to 2,000 hours of flight time. However, their training has just begun. Before they ever fly a passenger flight, SkyWest spends approximately $30,000 on their training which is geared towards safety. This is a two-month process beginning with three weeks of ground school followed by 50 hours of flight simulator training. The final stage of their training is called the Initial Operating Experience, during which they actually fly one of SkyWest’s aircraft accompanied by a qualified check airman instructor for another 50 hours. All pilots continue their training with mandatory recurrent simulator training for captains every six months and for first officers, every year. Additionally, each year both captains and first officers must participate in a two-day training session similar to ground school. All pilots are also required to undergo a comprehensive medical examination testing their vision and overall physical and mental well-being to determine if they are fit to fly for SkyWest. Captains do this every six months; first officers annually. In the Cabin: At SkyWest, a flight attendant’s first responsibility is your safety. Like pilots, SkyWest’s in-flight team undergoes comprehensive training before they take to the skies. Each SkyWest flight attendant must complete an intense three-week training program emphasizing onboard safety and security. They are well-versed in emergency procedures, evacuation protocol and passenger service. While at SkyWest, flight 42 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
attendants continue their training throughout the year and are required to recertify in First Aid and CPR annually. On the Ramp: SkyWest stresses safety not only in the air, but also on the ground. SkyWest trains its customer service personnel for two weeks, both in the classroom and on the job in ground safety issues. These agents become specialists in aircraft weight and balance. They know the best way to load and unload hundreds of pounds of cargo and luggage without damaging the luggage, cargo, the aircraft or injuring themselves. They are also trained to operate the various ground equipment and park the aircraft once it arrives at the gate. This navigation can often be challenging in airports with busy ramps. In colder climates, they must learn how to properly de-ice an aircraft allowing for a safe take-off and flight. Under the Wing: For every hour one of SkyWest’s aircraft spends in flight, one of their mechanics spends two hours servicing that aircraft. SkyWest maintains a strict maintenance schedule and undoubtedly, an experienced SkyWest mechanic has recently inspected or serviced the aircraft carrying you. All mechanics come to SkyWest with extensive training, including three years of A&P (Airframe and Power) training and certification. Also, every two years SkyWest mechanics undergo three weeks of mandatory training. Each day, all of SkyWest’s aircraft are given attention by a mechanic. Every third day, each plane receives standard service. On the fifth day, a more thorough service and inspection is conducted. Extensive maintenance is scheduled every 54 days with a major inspection every 540 days. Flight Control: This department consists of aircraft dispatchers, system controllers and customer service coordinators located in the Operational Control Center at SkyWest’s headquarters in St. George, Utah. All play an integral role in the airline’s operations. SkyWest dispatch personnel undergo six weeks of intensive training courses, learning in-depth aircraft systems, meteorology and flight planning to become certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. Upon arrival at SkyWest, their training continues with three weeks of classes followed by an average of eight weeks of on-the-job training, culminating with a two-day competency check.
The dispatchers are responsible for preparing the flight release, including fuel planning, route selection, Federal Aviation Regulation compliance and weather analysis, as well as monitoring flights to ensure safety. Before each aircraft leaves the runway, dispatchers and captains share responsibility for the safety of the flight. The system controllers are responsible for all coordination, cancellation, delaying and reflow of SkyWest flights. They ensure optimum coverage of and adherence to flight schedules, economics and utilization of the operation. The customer service coordinators assist the controllers, working closely with the stations to maintain a customer service advocacy, always keeping the passenger in mind. These highly trained individuals work with the rest of the SkyWest team to provide a safe flying experience with incomparable service and quality.
The Safety Department: SkyWest has a department wholly dedicated to the operational safety of the airline. Its team monitors all aspects of safety and ensures that the highest standard of safety is maintained. The safety department coordinates with all the departments involved with ground and flight operations and acts as a compliance liaison between the airline and the Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration. It is also responsible for the safety and well-being of all employees and equipment at the airline. The safety department conducts internal safety audits and evaluations of all operational departments. Additionally, SkyWest’s safety department voluntarily participates in the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP); a reporting program for pilots, flight attendants and dispatchers to flag potential safety concerns. n
P. James Nugent, M.D.
Richard Blanks, M.D.
Laura Duncan, N.P.
Christine Helsby, N.P.
Russell Biggers, D.P.T.
skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express |
43
Route Map
Edmonton
Saskatoon Calgary Winnipeg Regina
Vancouver Kalispell
Victoria
Spokane
Great Falls
Moses Lake
Seattle/Tacoma
Pasco/Richland/ Kennewick
Missoula
Bismarck
Helena
Houghton/Hancock
Fargo Duluth
Quebec
Billings
Bozeman
Ottawa
Portland Redmond/Bend
Eugene
Medford
Gillette
Idaho Falls Jackson Hole
Boise
North Bend
Eau Claire
Rapid City Sioux Falls
Cedar Rapids Des Moines
Crescent City Eureka/Arcata
Rock Springs Hayden/Steamboat Springs
Redding
Salt Lake City
Chico Reno Grand Junction
Sacramento Oakland San Francisco Modesto San Jose Fresno Monterey
Eagle County
Montrose
Moline
Omaha
Lincoln
Peoria
Denver
Kansas City
Aspen
Springfield
Colorado Springs Gunnison
Scranton Akron Allentown Columbus Pittsburgh Dayton Cincinnati Charleston Louisville Fort Wayne
White Plains
Lexington
Wichita Paducah
Las Vegas
Tulsa
BakersfieldInyokern
Northwest Arkansas
Oklahoma City
Albuquerque
Norfolk Nashville
Memphis
Knoxville Asheville
Huntsville
Little Rock
Birmingham
Dallas El Paso
Syracuse
Indianapolis
Durango
San Luis Obispo Santa Maria Santa Barbara Burbank Ontario Oxnard Los Angeles Palm Springs Phoenix Orange County Carlsbad Imperial/El Centro Tucson San Diego Yuma
Muskegon Saginaw London Grand Rapids Lansing Milwaukee Detroit South Bend Cleveland Chicago
Madison
Casper
Klamath Falls
Wausau Traverse City Green Bay Appleton
Charleston
Midland
Austin San Antonio
United - Regional Jet
Houston
United - Turbo Prop Seasonal Time Zones
Pacific
Mountain
Central
Eastern
Atlantic
8:00
9:00 (Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings)
10:00
11:00
NOON
EFFECTIVE April 2010 (may not reflect recent service updates)
Rubes®
By Leigh Rubin
SKYWEST AIRLINES CURRENT ROUTE MAP APRIL 2010 (updated monthly, may not reflect recent service updates)
F L E S H
L A C E
“I’m for a little treat, “I’mininthe themood mood for a little treat,Son. Son. How’d you like some baskin’ robins?” How’d you like some baskin’ robins?”
rubes@earthlink.net www.creators.com
Creators Syndicate Inc. © 2009 Leigh Rubin!
M E D I A L
For more of Leigh Rubin’s humor check out his new, 2010 Rubes Zoo in a Box daily desk calendar, available at your favorite neighborhood or online 64 bookstore, visit www.rubescartoons.com or call 800-850-9453.
44 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
F O R W A R D A
A C R I D W E A V E
C A T E N A L E P L A
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R E P R N E U R O U D R I V N E O D E D A Y E O V A L S E P O S S O O L O L K O Y R W A A C H E B R O S S A P O T R O S E H N I S C I E L A R Y Y E R E
O O F N I E F E S T E H E N A F E N E N E G Y I D N D A G A I N D R O N Y U E M N G A R E N A S V A N
Solution to Crossword on page 40.
R E C A S T
O V U L E
H B O A N T E D P L E O D Y E M C A
S E E N N D R F I A S S H T I R N A G L U A L L P O A E N
about your aircraft
The Aircraft Lavatory
Galley
Emergency Exits
Lavatory
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13 14 15 16 17 18 Emergency Exits
Emergency Exit
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(FORWARD GALLEY)
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(AFT GALLEY)
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SkyWest has safely been flying the EMB 120, commonly CRJ700 referred to as the “workhorse” of the regional airline industry, since 1986. Don’t be fooled by the propellers you see; the same technology that powers jet aircraft actually powers the EMB 120 as well. Like jet engines, the EMB 120 is powered by a gas turbine design, allowing for the superior reliability and power that jet engines enjoy. The EMB 120 is also economically sound, allowing it to serve communities that may not support jet service. Additionally, the EMB 120 possesses state-of-the-art technology allowing for maximum passenger safety. Each SkyWest EMB 120 is equipped with a Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS). GPWS is a warning system designed to alert pilots when the aircraft is not in landing configuration or is getting too close to the ground. GPWS detects terrain ahead of and below the aircraft and warns pilots when there’s an obstruction ahead. Each EMB 120 also has an onboard Global Positioning System (GPS), which uses satellites to calculate an aircraft’s position on the earth’s surface. Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS) are also included for your safety. A more advanced radar system, TCAS in the flight deck is similar in theory to the equipment used in air traffic control towers to detect the position of all aircraft in the area.
Emergency Exits
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EMB 120 AIRCRAFT
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While SkyWest’s employees are truly what set the airline apart, the equipment used also plays a significant role in passenger safety. SkyWest’s fleet of 280 regional aircraft is CRJ200 one of the industry’s newest. The average age of an aircraft is under seven years. The fleet consists of three different airCRJ200 craft types: the 30-passenger Embraer 120 Brasilia (EMB 120), the Bombardier Canadair Regional Jet 200 LR (CRJ200), and the CRJ200’s sister aircraft, the Canadair Regional Jet 700 ER (CRJ700).
CRJ AIRCRAFT SkyWest has operated the 50-passenger CRJ200 since 1994. And in 2004, SkyWest welcomed the CRJ200’s sister aircraft, the nearly identical 66-passenger CRJ700, with a two-class cabin and United’s explusSM service. The CRJ200 and CRJ700 offer a balance of the best economics in their class and outstanding performance with the Collins Pro Line 4 Avionics Systems. This onboard technology allows pilots to better observe the flying environment. Both regional jets have the ability to monitor performance of aircraft systems as well as track nearby aircraft and terrain clearances. The aircraft are also equipped with a weather Galley Lavatory radar system which helps pilots see potentially treacherous CRJ200long before it is encountered. weather Passengers can rest easy knowing that the technology on1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 1 12 13 board SkyWest’s aircraftMain provides for a safer, smoother flying Entrance experience for both passenger and pilot. That’s safety first! n Emergency Exits
Emergency Exit
Galley
Lavatory
Emergency Exits
Galley
CRJ700
CRJ200
Emergency Exits
Galley
Main Entrance
5
6
7
8
9 10 1 1
12 13
Galley
1
Lavatory
Emergency Exits
2
3
Main Entrance
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 1 1
12 13
1
2
3
4
2
7
8
9 10 1 1
12
3
13 14 15 16 17 18
Emergency Exits
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 11
Lavatory
3 16 4 17 5 6 12 13 142 15
7
8
9
Emergency Exit
UNITED FIRST
CRJ700
6
Emergency Exit
Main Entrance
Emergency Exit
5
Main Entrance
A
Emergency Exit
1
EMBUNITED 120ECONOMY PLUS
UNITED ECONOMY
Lavatory
Emergency Exits
1 Main Entrance
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 1 1
12
13 14 15 16 17 18
Galley Main Entrance
11
A
(FORWARD GALLEY)
A
Galley
10
B C D
4
B C
3
C D
2
A B
1
200
Lavatory
Lavatory
Emergency Exits
C D
Galley
Lavatory
Emergency Exits
Emergency Exit
Emergency Exit
skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express | Emergency Exits
Lavatory
45
United Red Carpet Club United First International Lounge
Airport Maps
United Arrivals Suite International Arrivals Suite
Denver (DEN) Concourse C US Airways
Inter-Terminal Shuttle Bus Stop
United Arrivals Suite
United Easy Check-in
International Arrivals Suite
Medical Center
Concourse B Power Charging Station
57 39
37
77
Inter-Terminal Shuttle Bus Stop
57
49
38
36
26
50
35
Portland (PDX)
United Easy Check-in
H
60
Medical Center 81
Concourse A Air Canada Continental TLufthansa ERMINAL
Power Charging Station
United First International Lounge
United Premier Check-In
25
16
United Premier Check-In
United Red Carpet Club
PDX
28
15
United Gate Area
41
80
91 92
CONCOURSE E
3
TERMINAL 2 Air Canada Air New Zealand
TERMINAL 1 US Airways 12
C
E1 D
E2 E3 E4 E5
4B TERMINAL WEST
E6
TERMINAL EAST
B
E7
Ticket Lobby
A E
Parking
Los Angeles (LAX)
United Gate Areas United Express (SkyWest Airlines)
SEA 71A
67A
64
TERMINAL 4 TERMINAL 3
TERMINAL 5 TERMINAL 2 Air Canada Air New Zealand
Seattle (sea)
72
75A 69A
80
70A
68B
88
76
TERMINAL 6 Continental
TERMINAL 7
TERMINAL 8
N11 Main Terminal
TERMINAL 1 US Airways 12
N1
way
N8 Ro
N7
NORTH SATELLITE
ay
w
Ro
ad
Parking
ad
SOUTH SATELLITE
N15 N16
N10 N9
D
A
4B
TOM BRADLEY I N T E R N AT I O N A L TERMINAL Lufthansa Thai Airways ANA Singapore Asiana Swiss
N12 N13 N14
C
B
N6
N2 N3
NORTH SATELLITE 71A
67A
69A
TERMINAL 5
United Gate Areas
72
75A
TERMINAL 4
80
70A
64
68B
United Express (SkyWest Airlines)
88
76
TERMINAL 6 Continental
TERMINAL 7
TERMINAL 8
San Francisco (SFO)
Chicago/O’Hare (ORD) F14
Concourse F US Airways
F11
F10 F6
E3
TERMINAL TWO
C1
Concourse E Air Canada
F4
C8
Concourse C
E1
C17 B6
Pedestrian Tunnel B9
F14
F6
E3
C1
Concourse E Air Canada
C8
Concourse C
E1
C17
TERMINAL THREE
B6
B14
C18
B1 C19
Pedestrian Tunnel
Elevated Airpor t Transit System (ATS) B9
C24
C32
TERMINAL ONE
Concourse B Continental Lufthansa
88
80
89
81
76A
72
International Terminal Secure Connector
73
C32
C9 C16
F1
C24
TERMINAL ONE
F10
F4
Concourse E Air Canada
71
C19
Elevated Airport Transit System (ATS)
TERMINAL TWO
78A
C18
B1
F11
79
C16 F1
Concourse F US Airways
TERMINAL 3
Concourse F
C9
B18
Concourse G United Air New Zealand ANA Lufthansa Singapore
B14
TERMINAL FIVE International Arrivals
Concourse B Continental Lufthansa
B18
Shuttle runs between Gates C9 and E3.
Concourse M
Shuttle runs between Gates C9 and E3.
46 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
TERMINAL 1
B22
B22
Concourse A Asiana
Concourse B Continental US Airways
Travel Challenge
Test Your Travel Smarts
Up in the Air, starring Academy-Award nominees George Clooney, Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmin. The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt, an engaging documentary by Harrison Engle. (Roosevelt did create the Forest Service, after all.) Kung Fu Magoo, the classic cartoon bumbler confronts evil in this kid-friendly title. To enter go to www.americasbestplaces.com and register the correct answer to this Travel Challenge. While you’re at the site, share your own experiences at www.americasbestplaces.com. This contest runs May 1 through June 30, 2010. It is not open to employees of the airline or this magazine, members of their families or previous winners and is limited to residents of the United States. Void where prohibited. For complete rules, visit www.americasbestplaces.com. 48 | skyWest Magazine May/June 2010 united express
Up in the air: Paramount Home Entertainment
Correctly identify this place and enter a random drawing (to be held June 30th) to win a copy of a recently released DVD. This edition’s offerings include:
The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt: Infinity Entertainment Group
Need a hint? It’s in a U.S. national forest. Hmmmm. That might not help much. After all, there are 155 national forests spread over 190-million acres of public lands. That’s a lot of wide-open recreational opportunity. How about another clue? The place in this picture is accessed by SkyWest service to a destination featured in this issue of the magazine. While you’re contemplating the possibilities, also consider the wonders of regional air travel. Air service to our nation’s mid-sized cities and small-resort markets makes it easy to embark on extraordinary adventures. Exploring new places does more than make memories. It also makes us smarter. Your travel savvy can also earn you a recently released movie. See details below. n
Kung Fu Magoo: Classic Media
Can you identify this idyllic location?
Waiting for a flight? SEE thE SightS. Take a FREE shuttle and a tour of historic Temple Square—in less than two hours. Pickups at Terminal 1 (door 1), Terminal 2 (door 12).
When you come to Utah, be sure to visit
TEMPLE SQUARE in the heart of Salt Lake City Tours are available in more than 30 languages
•
Many venues to choose from, and all are free
© Busath.com
Your tour group can:
Listen
to the glorious music of the famed Mormon Tabernacle Choir, rehearsing and performing in the Tabernacle on Temple Square. They also perform in the 21,000-seat Conference Center. See visittemplesquare.com for details.
Discover
your roots in the FamilySearch Center, where helpful volunteers can assist in retrieving family history information from the world’s largest repository of genealogical records.
Meander
through two upscale visitors’ centers that include the Christus statue by Danish sculptor Thorvaldsen. Visit the interactive map of ancient Jerusalem (kids love it!) and much more.
For information on these and many other fascinating venues on Temple Square, go to visittemplesquare.com, lds.org/placestovisit, or call 1-800-537-9703. © IRI. PD50021647
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