Grand Canyon Trip

During Christmas 2007, the wife and I escaped to the Grand Canyon for two days. Throwing caution to the wind, we went for hotel rooms when the sun went down. The hotel rooms were booked solid at the entrance to the park and the rooms inside the park were pretty spendy. This is in the middle of winter!

The unplanned search forced us back to Williams AZ about 60 miles away. Williams turned out to be a nice little tourist town to spend the night in. Of course there were about 30 motels from various decades past and we didn't have much time to check them out. We got very lucky with The Lodge on Route 66. The rooms and staff were great and very reasonable for the touristy area.

If you find yourself looking for accomodations in that part of the world (Britt B I am looking at you) and the vacancies are scarce may I recommend this little place down the road. I can vouch for the Lincoln room.

Chamonix France

One of my favorite scenic places in Europe is Chamonix, France. I was lucky enough to spend a few days exploring it a few years ago and I remember two events fondly:
-- the cable car ride and walk around Aguille du Midi
-- the train ride between France and Switzerland over the mountains

Thanks to the wonders of You Tube, I can share them here. Let me know if they disappear from You Tube, I have lost one already.

Paul B, remember how awesome this ride was? Too hard to explain to folks afterwards. The video helps. Aguille du Midi is the day trip you missed. You will have to go when you take Natalie and the kids. If we get Mark and Heather there, I am sure they or William will just try to ski it ;)