FamTrek

Disney Magic Western Caribbean Day 5 – Cozumel

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:39:38 -0500

Today's port was Cozumel, which we have been to before. Prior to the trip, we had not made official plans here, due to the fact we were not sure if we would actually be coming here due to the Swine Flu warnings. Instead we were just going to "wing it".

Yesterday I had talked to Brian (in the band) about recommendations for Cozumel. He and his wife mentioned a place called "Caribe", that would try out.

Trevor decided that he would rather stay on the ship, rather than go ashore, so after breakfast Jennifer, Brandon, and I headed out to do a little shopping. Then to meet the rest of our group at Margaritaville so the kids could play in the water, on their advertized "water trampolines".

It turns out that "water trampolines" means floats tied to a rope, to Margaritaville. So as soon as we got a table, we got back up and headed back. We decided to look into what Brian had mentioned, so we grabbed a map to figure out what "Caribe" we should get a ride to. It turned out there were four different ones, and we didn't know which was what he meant. So we just ended up heading back to the ship.

We spent the afternoon relaxing on the ship and in the pool.

Tonight was "pirate night", where you were expected to dress up as pirates for dinner and the "pirates in the Caribbean" party on deck. It took some convincing to get Jennifer to wear the wrench outfit, but she, and everyone else looked great.

After dinner, everyone but Trevor headed to the Walt Disney theater to see Up in 3D. It was by far the best 3D I've ever seen. The effects were not done simply for the "3D" effect, rather it was simply part of the story, in which you never really noticed it unless you thought about it.

Jennifer was feeling a little quezy during the movie, so she headed back to the cabin, while we finished the movie and then headed up for the pirate deck party.

We failed too get a good location for watching the deck party show, so we basically got to see the people watching the show. We did however, get to see Mickey fly across the deck on the cable and we had really good views of the fireworks show.

Highlights

Up in 3D
Fireworks at Sea

Disney Magic Western Caribbean Day 4 – Grand Cayman

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:33:04 -0500

My favorite part of any vacation is experiencing something new. Thus far in the cruise this has not been the case. But, today's port-of-call is Grand Cayman, which we have never been to.

Our day started out with a late breakfast in the Top Sider's buffet before meeting up for excursion in one of the lounges. Today's adventure will be a two stop snorkeling tour which would take us to a reef and a shipwreck.

We tendered to to docks, and were lead to our snorkeling boat, which was about 4 blocks away. There were about 35 people in the snorkeling group, which was much smaller than snorkeling excursions we've been on, on Carnival.

The excursion operators were the best we've ever had (short of Reggie's Cave Tubing in Belize). They really made the trip fun, and not like they were simply herding cattle from point A to B.

Our first stop was a gorgeous reef, between the cruise ships and the shore in town. They situated the boat, so that there were different depths off each side, ranging from 10ft to 40+ feet. The water crystal clear.

This was Brandon's first "open water" snorkeling experience, so it took him about 15 minutes to build up the courage to get off the boat. But once he did, he absolutely fell in love with snorkeling.

Our second snorkeling spot was the Callie shipwreck, which is just 100 yards or so from shore. We were honestly expecting a more ship looking wreck, but it was still interesting. The visibility was not nearly as good as the reef, but it still far exceeded anything we were used to.

After snorkeling the Callie, we headed back to town. We spent a little time visiting a few shops, and Brandon bought a couple souvenirs.

While Jennifer and the kids were shopping, I was up on the street with the camera playing around. I just happened to notice a huge line of people, which I zoomed in on. I quickly realized that this line was to get on the tender for the Carnival ships. As soon as they came out of the store, I told them we had better head back in case Disney's were the same.

While walking back to the pier we realized that Carnival's lines were actually longer than we initially saw. For one ship they were easily 6-7 blocks long, and 4-5 for the other. It must have been brutal to wait in those lines for that long, in the heat on concrete.

We arrived at the Disney tenders and saw a line of 10 people, cruise personnel collecting towels and serving cold water and lemonade. The "Disney Difference" shined! We were back on the ship in less than 15 minutes.

After returning to the ship, Brandon and Trevor hung out at the family pool, while Jennifer and I went to the adult pool until dinner time.

Tonight's dinner was in Animator's palate, and the first night the restaurant was "animated". All in all the concept is really cool of playing themes while the portraits are being colored, but the noise of the dining room made it really hard to hear the music hear.

The food was on par with everything we've had thus far on the cruise. But the dessert menu had so many good options, Shan ended up with four desserts.

After dinner, we all went to see the Alfred and Seymour family comedy show, and the Twice Charmed stage show. After the main show Brandon headed to the kids area, while Jennifer and I went to Rockin-Bar-D to see my friend's band Soul Drive and John Charles adult cabaret show.

Highlights

Snorkeling the Reef
Seeing the Disney vs. Carnival difference in port

Disney Magic Western Caribbean Day 3 – Day at Sea

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:46:29 -0500

Today was our first day at sea, therefore our first day to sleep in. Trevor was out past 2AM, so he didn't come to breakfast with us, in the Topsider's Buffet.

This being our first breakfast in the buffet and Brandon's favorite meal of the day, he LOADED his tray full of food. Including fruit, eggs, bacon, sausage, Krispy Kreme doughnuts (yes at sea), and more. Check out the picture to the right.

Today was another day of not seeing Trevor. After finally getting up, he headed to the teen area. We didn't see him until dinner.

Jennifer and I made great use of the day, lounging by the pool and sleeping for about three hours in deck chairs on deck four. It is by far the most relaxing place on the entire ship. No music, no crowds, great chairs, and the sound of the ocean.

Before our nap, we attended a hypnosis self-help seminar put on by Ricky Kalmon. It was basically a "positive thinking" talk, supported by self-hypnosis. During the seminar, he put the entire audience under. While many do not "believe" hypnosis is real, I do. I did quite a bit of research on it and practiced self-hypnosis, a few years ago. Under normal circumstances, if I were to keep my eyes closed for a long period of time, I would fall asleep. but during hypnosis, they are shut, but I do not get that sensation or urge to sleep. Rather I'm in a more "aware" state. Jennifer described basically the same thing, and she had never tried it before.

Tonight was formal night and our dinner was in Animator's Palette. The rack of lamb that I had, was probably the most memorable dish of the entire cruise. I highly recommend it.

The main show today was "The Golden Mickeys". It was very Disney-esque, but entertaining. The real fun was the adult cabaret show with Ricky Kalmon in Rockin-Bar-D.

Disney Magic Western Caribbean Day 2 – Key West

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:37:31 -0500

This morning we arrived in Key West. I had prearranged to rent an electric car, with a GPS guided tour of the island. So we simply met up with others in the same excursion and Disney staff led us off the ship to the tour operator.

After a quick how-to lesson on both the car and the GPS devices, we set off on our own.

The GPS tour is basically a large clockwise tour of the island, passing by the touristy spots, like the Southernmost Point, Hemmingway House, etc. The rental didn't include any admissions to any of the attractions. So at $179 through Disney, it can be quite an expensive excursion. Additionally, the rental period was for only 3 1/2 hours which is not nearly enough time to drive the route, stop at the sites, and do a little shopping or lunch. Ideally, you would need at least five hours to do it all. A few weeks prior to the cruise, I tried to rent the car directly from the tour operator for a cheaper rate, but was informed that Disney reserves the entire fleet.

We ended up using the GPS tour more as a guide, rather than a steadfast route. We kind of just went where we wanted. I'll admit, driving the car is kind of fun, it would definitely be nice to rent full time, if you were staying on the island.

After we turned the car back in, we had the tour operator drop us off at the Pirate Museum. We didn't go in, as the price was a little much, but Brandon did do a little shopping in their store. I waited outside, between Ron Jons and Fairvilla...wait is this Cocoa Beach or Key West?!?

Our dinner tonight was in Lumiere's, and just as last night the kids headed off after and the adults went to the shows, after we played a couple of games of shuffleboard on deck 4.

While on the topic of shows, I have to say that each and every show far exceeded any others I have ever seen at sea, on any cruise line, especially the adult cabaret shows. Tonight's main show was the comedy and hypnosis of Ricky Kalmon, and the adult show was the ventriloquist Kevin Johnson Kudos to Disney, for keeping the adults entertained. They even had the NBA finals playing on the huge "Ariel" screen out by the pool.

After the show, we headed down to Rock'n-Bar-D, to check out the band Soul Drive, in which a friend of mine (Brian Jackson) from high school is a member of, along with his wife. Brian and I were "the" dudes who played electric bass in marching band in middle school. He kept it up, obviously, and totally kicks ass. Their band was bar none the best I've ever seen on a cruise ship. Everything they played sounded tight, and their set lists were totally unique.

Highlights of the Day

Organization of Shore Excursions
Navy submarine
Ricky Kalmon Hypnosis - Check him out on YouTube

Disney Magic Western Caribbean Day 1 – Leaving Port Canaveral

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:58:58 -0500

Today is our maiden voyage on a Disney cruise ship. While not our original plan for Summer vacation, it was simply a price that we couldn't pass up.

We have cruised on both Royal Caribbean and Carnival in the past, so it is likely I will be comparing a lot of this vacation to them. I apologize in advance.

Today we woke up at home and finished packing, and ended up getting to the terminal a few hours later than we normally do, so we didn't have the time to explore the ship like usual. But unlike RC and Carnival, our rooms were ready as soon as we got on board.

The first thing that I noticed about the ship, is its lack of wide open spaces. Most ships have large promenade areas, that are wide open to the decks above and below. The Disney magic is packed! Venues are squeezed into places you wouldn't think that they would fit.

We had lunch at the Top Sider's Buffet and headed to check out our rooms afterward. We had rooms next to each other, but not adjoining. Additionally, I was under the impression that all Disney staterooms had the tub and two sink combination, but this was not the case for our two rooms.

Our bags arrived at our rooms at about 5PM, just after the standard lifeboat drill. Just in time to get dressed for our early seating. Our first dinner in the restaurant rotation was Parrot Cay. Before dinner, we headed out to deck four to see the jetty as we pulled out of Port Canaveral.

After dinner, Brandon and Trevor both headed to their respective areas. The teen area was having a 10PM meet-and-greet and planning out their activities for the rest of the cruise.

Jennifer and I headed to the main show in the Walt Disney Theater, which was the "All Aboard! Let the Magic Begin" show. Also, two of the cabaret acts performed a teaser show.

Highlights of the Day

The ship - While it has been in service since 1992, you would could never tell. It is by far the best looking and maintained ship I've ever been on.
Stateroom - Missing that second sink didn't hamper the quality of the room in any way. It was easily four feet longer, and a foot wider than the next largest cabin we've ever had.

Great American Pie Festival

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:04:49 -0500

Yesterday, we all headed to the Pie Festival in Celebration to partake in Celebration’s Great American Pie Festival and the all-you-can-eat, pie buffet. If you have never been, I suggest you do next year. I’m personally partial to Rocky Mountain Pie’s Apple Crumb.

Admission to the festival is free, but the buffet is $10 for adults and $5 for kids, but it is well worth it. It includes all the pie, ice cream, coffee, and milk you could ever want.

While there, Brandon competed in the kid’s Pie eating contest, he didn’t win, but he learned not to get a berry pie next time. Check out the video below.

After gorging on pies, we headed to Macaroni Grill…well the Kings did. The rest of the group (lead by Dan), decided instead to take an auto tour of Osceola and Orange counties. Instead of following my instructions that would have taken 7-8 minutes to get to the restaurant, he decided to use the GPS, which he entered the address of the restaurant, with the city of “Orlando” instead of “Kissimmee” for the restaurant address. We were left sitting at a table for eleven for 45 minutes, waiting on them to return from (nearly) downtown Orlando. We all had a good laugh about it.

Photos

Video

Biking the Little Econ in Orlando

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (Joe) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:40:13 -0500

The boys both received new bikes for Christmas, so we thought we'd go for a family ride somewhere new. Anytime we drive to Orlando via State Road 50, we always notice the Little Econ Greenway bridge, so we thought we'd give it a try.

The greenway is a surprisingly wooded ride through East Orlando. It extends from Forsyth Road to Alafaya Trail. For most of the trail it follows the Little Econ river. It passes three parks, all of which are easily accessible. There are various parking areas and water fountains along the trail.

We first tried to to start the trail at the Eastern trail head, near UCF, but we were unable to find a place too park. So we drove to Blanchard Park, about one mile North of SR50 on Dean Road to unload. I happened to forget the trail map, so we stopped in the Ranger's office to pick a new one up.

After exploring Blanchard park for a little while, we rode West toward Forsyth all the way to Arcadia Park, which is just before Goldenrod Rd. There was plenty to look at on the ride, including alligators, turtles, birds and plenty of people to watch. The trail is 100% paved and for the most part level, which makes for a comfortable and relaxing ride.

The kids raced back to Blanchard park from Harrell Rd., with Trevor beating Brandon by a couple of minutes.

If you are looking for an easy place to ride, the Little Econ is great.

Little Econ Greenway Map [via Orange County Parks and Rec]
http://www.orangecountyfl.net/images/Maps/LilExonMap.pdf

2009 Summer Vacation - Quick Change of Plans

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (Joe) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:26:53 -0500

Every December we work diligently to plan for the following year's Summer vacation. We go over all the options, costs, ideas, etc. until we work out a preliminary itinerary. This year the plan was an adventure vacation to New England, to include rafting, kayaking, and more. But that all changed...

A few years ago, we took a weeklong cruise during the summer with the kids, on Carnival and had a great time. We and the kids would much rather cruise on something that is not so driven to get people into the bars. We have always wanted to cruise on Disney, because we've heard such good things about it. But a week long on a mouse boat, quickly depletes our annual vacation budget.

Every week or so, I check www.VacationToGo.com to see prices on cruises. I did my normal searches, not expecting anything, or so I thought. I Searched for 7 day cruises from Florida during the summer, then sorted the prices ascending, then I saw what I though had to be an error: seven day Eastern and Western Disney cruises for $599. Holy cow.

I immediately went to Travelocity to try to confirm it. After quickly verifying on there, I began to book it, but the price came up as $6000 for one room. Apparently, the $599 price is for rooms without pullman (folddown) beds, that sleep a maximum of three people. So, I had Jennifer call VacationsToGo directly and confirm the $599 price and get two cabins if it is for real.

Sure enough it was real, and we are now putting the New England vacation on hold for a year or so. We ended up getting two inside cabins for the only $2,600. Even the travel agents we worked with were blown away at the price, stating they had NEVER seen Disney this cheap. This price is actually considerably lower than I paid for our last seven day Carnival cruise, which I got dirt cheap with my veterans discount.

I tried to spread the word as fast as I could before the deal ended. Our friend also booked with her two daughters for the same cruise. My brother-in-law tried too, but no more cabins were available on that cruise. But instead of passing up the deal, he is cruising one week earlier for the same price.

The current price on this cruise is $1,400 for an inside cabin and brochure rate is $2,099. The current going rate of is about average for this cruise, which truly shows how good of a deal $599 is.

So in a few months we will be heading to Key West, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Disney's private island. So if you have any recommendations for shore excursions, please leave a comment. We've been to Cozumel, but the rest are all new territory for us.

Image: flickrized [via Flickr]

Last Minute Tips to Reduce your 2008 Income Tax

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (Joe) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:15:55 -0500

It is that time of year again. Time to start thinking about filling your 2008 tax return. It is also the time to take advantage of last minute deductions. Do not wait until you HAVE to look at your taxes. You may benefit from taxing steps prior to January first.

Here are some easy ways to reduce your income taxes...

Make your January Mortgage Payment Early

One of the quickest and easiest ways to add to your 2008 deductions is to pay your January 2009 mortgage payment during the month of December. By doing so, the interest on that payment is deductible on your 2008 taxes.

This has made a substantial difference a couple of times for me in the past by reducing my overall tax rate by a couple points.

Purchase those Business items Now

Have you been thinking about a new PC, laptop, backup device, or phone for your at-home business. Purchasing them before the end of the year will allow you to deduct its costs as a business expense. Obviously, you need to have a business to accomplish this, but anyone with a home and a skill can have a "business". In order for the IRS not to consider your business a hobby, you need to turn a profit after a couple years, and have the intent to make money.

Play your cards rights, and some of your Christmas gifts may possible be deductible.

Give to Charity

The Holiday season, but that doesn't mean you can't receive a little benefit from it. Many years we clean out the old toys from the kids room prior to Christmas, because is seems that every year new stuff arrives on the 25th. We donate these to a non-profit charity, which allows us to deduct it.

Also, this year we are donating the kids old bikes to the local Sheriff Office for the Bikes for Tykes program. Here they have prisoners from the local jail, get the bikes up to snuff to give to the less-fortunate.

Shelter your Bonus

If you are lucky enough to still get a Christmas bonus in the crap-tastic economy, and don't need it to keep the lights on, you should consider sheltering it from increasing your taxable income. You can do this by contributing it to your company's 401k or an IRA.

All in all, take the time to look at and estimate your taxes prior to the end of the year. Many years, I've been right over the line of a new tax bracket, and doing little things like above can knock me down a notch, at least for a year.

Brevard County Sheriffs Office Bikes for Tykes

Image: Paul Keleher [via Flickr]

Crash-a-Rama - A New Thanksgiving Tradition

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (Joe) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 18:35:58 -0500

The day after Thanksgiving, each year, Orlando SpeedWorld holds their semi-annual Crash-A-Rama event. Imagine normal round track races, with a twist.

Instead of simply racing, each race has variables added to them to make it more difficult for the drivers, and more entertaining for the spectators. For instance...

75 Lap, no yellow Race - If a car wrecks, it stays.
Flying Elvis - Stuntman who jumps a bus, then lands on top of/in a camper
Motorcycle Demolition Derby - Really, not kidding. They took six brand new Hondas and trashed them
Figure-Eight School Bus Races
Push Car Races - Teams of two cars have to work together to "push" the third, non-powered car through the finish line
Flagpole Race - Normal race around the track, but the drivers have to loop the flagpole (in this case Elvis' camper) after each lap
Sled Car Races - Front-wheel drive cars have their back wheels removed and replaced with metal sleds. Talk about "drifting".
Front Wheel Drive Demolition Derby
Full Size Demolition Derby
Camper/Boat Trailer Race - The highlight of the evening.

The event coordinators do an excellent job of planning the evening, so that there is a minimum gap between events. Additionally, the events are planned so that they are progressively more destructive. Which, by the end of the night, causes the entire race track to look like a war zone.

The highlight of the evening, by far, is the Camper/Boat trailer races. There is everything from boats without trailers to full airstream campers on the track. The only rule is that the winner, must be pulling "something" at the end of the race. Check out the video below.

Jennifer was not feeling good, so I took the boys. A few family and friends joined along. After the event, we all agreed, this is definitely going to be a new Thanksgiving tradition. Next year we are getting more people to come, and we are going to make more of an event of it, by tailgating beforehand.

If you are like me, and could honestly care less about racing, you will still have a blast. It is an event, that is easily worth the $20 admission price. See you next year, at Crash-A-Rama.

Crash-a-rama
Orlando SpeedWorld

50 Free (or almost free) Things to Do in Central Florida

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (Joe) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:35:00 -0500

In the "land of the mouse", it sometimes feels impossible to find inexpensive things to do. While I was bored one day, I wrote down as many free (or almost free) things to do that I could think of. Surprisingly, I came up with a pretty long list.

Below is a quick list of 50 or so things from that list....

Flying a Kite (Beach)
Nature Walks
Going to the Beach
Photo Scavenger Hunt - Watch for an upcoming post on this
Skatepark - Watch or participate
Geocaching - Free if you already have a GPS
Bike Riding (e.g. Canaveral National Seashore, Florida Trail)
Downtown Disney - Fun to window shop, people watch and see performances
Festival Bay (Bass Pro, Vans, Ron Jons)
IKEA Orlando - It is hard not to spend money, but it is fun just to go
Universal City Walk
Walk on Beach
Learn to Surf (rent surfboard)
Canoe (e.g. Thousand Islands, Econolockahachee)
Window Shop/Explore Downtown Mt. Dora
Antique Market (Semi-Annually in Mt. Dora)
Window Shop/Explore (Celebration)
Flea Markets (Daytona, Mt. Dora, Melbourne, Sanford)
Explore Old Town in Kissimmee
Waterplay at Municipal Pools (BCC Palm Bay, Cocoa Beach, Sebastian, etc.)
Learn to Skim Board
Racquetball - There are free or really cheap courts all over
Explore Disney Property (just pay for parking and use their monorail, boats, etc.)
BSO Family Concert (September)
Waterplay (Cocoa Riverfront Park)
Waterplay (Downtown Disney)
Explore/Window Shop (Downtown Melbourne)
Explore/Window Shop (Downtown Cocoa)
Craft Fairs
Art Festivals
Movie Screening (Di Kine Diegos, Indialantic)
Star Gazing (BCC Planatarium, Cocoa)
Sunset Cruise and Dinner (Casino Boats, Port Canaveral)
Window Shopping at area Lifestyle centers (AKA outdoor malls)
Frisbee Golf (Wickham Park, Melbourne)
Window Shopping (5th Avenue, Indialantic)
Driving Range (any)
Putt Putt Golf
Sun Bathing (Beach)
Tennis at various free/cheap locations
Thrift Stores Treasure Hunting
Garage Sale Treasure Hunting
Snorkling (Blue Springs)
Tubing (Blue Springs)
Exploring (Disney Property)
Walk/Bike (Lake Eola)
Baseball Game (Brevard Manatees)
Arena Football (Orlando Predators)
Shows/Conferences (Orange County Convention Center) Free stuff
Watch Wakeboarders (Orlando Watersports Park)
Factory Tour (e.g. Regal Boats, Orlando, Emergency One, Ocala, Nautiques, Orlando)
Zoos (e.g. Brevard or Central Florida Zoo)
Waterski Museum (Lakeland)
Ice Skating (Rockledge)
Parade of Homes

Image: r-z [via Flickr]

2008 Summer Vacation Day 8 - Loveland Pass and our return to Florida

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:31:00 -0500

Our official last day of vacation out West. We woke up to the sounds of life outside our condo, then ate breakfast and cleaned up.

We checked out at about 9:30 and headed East on Route 6 toward Arapahoe Basin ski area and Loveland Pass.

We stopped at the pass and hiked up to the peak. Brandon and I were first to the top. Trevor and Jennifer finally made it to the top after taking a few breaks. It gets extremely hard to breath at 12,000 feet plus.

There was still quite a bit of snow on the North side of the peak, so the kids had a ball playing it again. One snow field was about 15 feet deep, and Brandon found a slide down it.

We headed to Idaho Springs, Colorado for lunch at Beau Jo's Colorado Style Pie. Again, this was one of those places that a few minutes of Internet research on my phone paid off. Their pizzas are ordered by the pound. They have a ton of fresh ingredients and about 7 different types of cheese you can use. Their crust is so thick and good, they have honey on the table to eat it with for a dessert.

After lunch we headed back to Denver to catch our flight back to Florida, which is where I'm sitting to write this.

Today's Highlights

Seeing the view of Loveland Pass
Hiking to the Summit
Lunch at Beau Jo's

Advice

Take the pass rather than Eisenhower tunnel if you have the time, the view is awesome.
Eat a Beau Jo's

More at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jking89/sets/72157606448670293/

Entire Vacation Travellog

2008 Summer Vacation Day 7 - Fun on Copper Mountain

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:31:00 -0500

Surprisingly, today was our first day to somewhat relax on the entire vacation. We slept our first of two nights at Expedition Station in the Keystone Resort.

I spent a lot of time searching for a hotel or condo in this area with AC, but we discovered that, it was all a waste of time.

Last night we left all of the windows open, and still needed a blanket. In fact when we woke up, it was 50 degrees outside.

While in Breckenridge the day before, we learned that neither the Keystone or Breck chair lifts were running. So that basically killed our original mountain biking plan. The altitude has truly had an affect on us, so everyone was good without biking.

Instead of biking, we decided to drive to Copper Mountain to ride their chair lift, do some hiking, and explore that resort.

As soon as we drove into the entrance of Copper, the kids spotted snow within a small distance from the lift base. Needless to say, they headed there first.

Brandon finally was able to make snowballs and play in the snow!

We then bought lift tickets for the American Eagle lift, and rode it to the top. Jennifer was a little apprehensive at first, because she didn't know that there was a safety bar that when doen in front.

Once on the mountain top, we at lunch at a small grill they have there. There were small snow fields around us, so obviously the kids ate quick.

After lunch we hiked a short trail that went almost to the tree line. There were numerous creeks and waterfalls on it.

We headed back down the mountain after the hike, and went shopping for a Keystone pin for Brandon's new collection.

We drove back to the Dillon/Keystone area for Ice Cream, then to the condo so the kids could go swimming.

For dinner, we decided to head back to Breckenridge rathan eating in Keystone.

I did some quick Internet research and found a local favorite called Rasta Pasta. We ate along the Breckenridge Riverwalk and had some great pasta dishes with a caribbean flare. I highly recommend it if you get the chance to eat there.

We headed back to the condo, the kids watched some TV and I caught up with the blog.

Today's Highlights

Brandon's First Snow
Coppermountain Chair lift
Great hike in Coppermountain
Relaxing by the pool
Dinner in Breckenridge

Advice

Eat at Rasta Pasta

More at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jking89/sets/72157606448670293/

Entire Vacation Travellog

2008 Summer Vacation Day 6 - Breckenridge and Keystone, Colorado

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:30:00 -0500

We started the day at 7AM with the great free breakfast at the hotel. I've officially got the kids addicted to Holiday Inn Express' cinnamon rolls.

After checking out of the hotel, we started our four hour drive from Moab to Breckenridge.

We arrived in Breckenridge at about 3ish, and we spent the afternoon exploring and shopping downtown.

Our original plans were to eat dinner in Breckenridge, but everyone was tired, so we decided to opt for dinner at the condo in Keystone instead.

We did a little "supply" shopping at the local grocery store, picked up our keys to the condo, then headed to Keystone. Our condo is only about 20 minutes from downtown Breck.

Jennifer cooked up steak for dinner, then we explored the Keystone River Run Village shopping area. We all played a couple games of pool before heading back to the condo for bed.

Today's Highlights

Cool weather - A welcome change from the desert conditions of Moab

More at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jking89/sets/72157606448670293/

Entire Vacation Travellog

2008 Summer Vacation Day 5 - Rafting Lake Powell and Flight from Hite

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:30:00 -0500

This morning we woke up to another great pot of cowboy coffee, fresh blueberry pancakes, and bacon. Last night's sleep was not as good as the night before, at least for me.

Jennifer, the kids, and I tried to get our camp packed up while we still had the shadow of the canyon on it. Other's didn't, and had to pack up in full sun.

After packing camp, we shoved off for our last day of rafting. As soon as we were floating down river, all four of our boats were lashed together to make a huge 28 foot rafting rig, for our float into Lake Powell.

The further we got into the lake, the more green and wildlife we saw. There were some amazingly high cliff faces, just beside us. Some were over 1,800 feet high.

Midday, the guides began taking orders for fresh BLTs and Club sandwiches made right in a makeshift kitchen on the raft.

At about 1:50PM we saw our first signs of civilization in three days, the Hite bridge. This also marks then end of our river trip. Our guides steered our rig to a ramp with a convoy of vans and trucks waiting for us.

Since it was only us and three others flying back to Moab, we had to quickly lighten our load for the flight. We said goodbye to our new friends and loaded into the van for the short drive to the air strip.

Upon arriving at the strip, we first noticed that the runway was neither straight or level. It also pointed directly to a canyon wall.

We went through a little flight orientation, and then loaded into the six passenger plane. Before long we were airborne and flying back over the river we had just rafted. What an awesome view. The ride was a little bumpy, but nothing major. In fact Brandon actually fell asleep. Trevor got a little quezy, and need to breath into his "bag" for a little while. The flight lasted about 45 minutes.

At Canyonlands Airport, there was another van waiting for us, to take us back to the river outfitters.

After getting back to Moab, we piled into the car, and headed back to the hotel for AC, washer/dryer, and more importantly showers.

Once the hotel's pipes were adequately clogged with sand and dirt, we headed out for dinner at Moab Brewery.

Today's Highlights

Enjoying the massive canyons and cliffs
Relaxing on the rafts
Showers
Clean Clothes

Advice

Take the flight, not the bus!! It costs more, but the view is worth it.

More at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jking89/sets/72157606448670293/

Entire Vacation Travellog

2008 Summer Vacation Day 4 - Rafting Cataract Canyon

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 23:28:00 -0500

After a surprizing good night of sleep, we woke up to great cowboy coffee and hot chocolate. The guide's made a egg, sausage, pepper, onion, and tomato scramble in the dutch oven.

After packing up camp we rafted down calm water, to about a 1/2 mile past the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers. The confluence is the point which splits Canyonlands National Park into its three distinct districts: Islands in the Sky, Maze, and Needles.

Riverside our guides began breaking up our rafting rig and preparing rafts for whitewater. Customers that took a two day trip met up with us at this point via jet boat. Our group grew from 12 to 28 really quick.

After all of the orientation and rigging, we loaded onto the boats. Jennifer, the kids, and I choose to ride the J-rig.

The rest of the day we traversed rapid after rapid, 30 in all. The best ones are "Big Drop 1" though "Big Drop 3", which are one right after another for about 1/2 mile and all class 5 rapids. During drop 1, a couple of private boaters followed us through and flipped their boat. We are all started looking for heads in the water. For a good 45 seconds they were stuck under their boat. They popped out just before drop 2. Our guide, who is a River First Responder, is yelling at them to get on top of their boat and ride it out. They ended up swimming their way through drop 2. Between drop 2 and 3, they were able to get on top of their boat and we tried to t-bone them through #3. After clearing the drops we pushed their boat to riverside, and our guide hiked back to their position with a supply kit to right their boat, while I held the J-rig in place.

During the drops, one of the men in our party in one of the row boats, had his foot crushed between the boat bottom and a diamond plate supply box.

The boat that flipped had another boat in their party at the top of drop 1, a couple of professional guides offered to ride their boat through for them, but they declined the offer. There is only one way out of the canyon, so they had to go down. With a large portion of supplies washed out of their capsized boat and them reluctant for help, we could do nothing but wish them luck.

After clearing the 30th rapid of Cataract Canyon, a few of us jumped out and floated the rest of the way to our camp. Once their we began setting up.

While waiting for dinner, a massive sand storm literally buried us. We had sand EVERYWHERE. Needless to say our steaks and mashed potatoes had a little "crunch" to them. For dessert our guide made Peach Cobbler in the dutch oven.

After the sun set, one of the guides presented Peter (the crushed foot) a crutch made out of drift wood. It was a great thing for them to do, and he was extremely appreciative. Before bed we had a ball playing with my camera's long exposure features, with flashlights and glow sticks. We took some really neat pictures.

Today's Highlights

Rapids, Rapids and More Rapids
Rescuing the Rafters
Riverside Caesar Chicken "Cones"

Advice

If you take this trip and get the option of the j-rig verses the row boat, definitely take the j-rig. Those in the row boats had to constantly bail the boats and didn't get nearly as wet as us. Additionally, because the j-rig was powered, we were able to do the rapid named "Repeat", well repeatedly.

More at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jking89/sets/72157606448670293/

Entire Vacation Travellog

2008 Summer Vacation Day 3 - First Day Rafting the Colorado

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:26:00 -0500

Our day began by getting up at 5:30AM, so that we could get checked out, eat breakfast, and get to the rafting company by 7:30. Everything we had packed from Florida, in addition to our four river bags were packed into the car. The only person who could see was Jennifer, because she was driving.

The drive to the river put in point at Potash, only took about 30 minutes. We stopped on the way to see Indian drawings on a rock face cliff. We pushed off by 9:45

Today was, as the guides call it "all about comfort". We all just found comfortable spots on the rig and lounged. At about 1:00 we stopped riverside for fresh lunchmeat sandwiches.

In the afternoon, we did a one mile (each way) hike up to some falls. The guide's suspected that it might be dry due to the lack of snow melt, but we made the hike anyway. The altitude and the 100% rocky terrain took its toll on Jennifer.

About 5:00 the guides began planning to stop for camp. A park ranger boat came up and gave us the situation of downstream camps, noting that the first couple were taken. We ended up in an extremely small camp, but everyone made due.

During the setup of camp, we were hit with a rain storm which lasted about 30 minutes. During it, we were getting heavy gusts of wind: one of which took hold of the kitchen canopy and knocked over the kitchen stove and the cake mix that the guides were working on. The prepared mix was on everything in the kitchen for the remainder of the trip.

The guide's improvised with desert to keep the kids happy, by breaking open their personal stash of candy bars for the kids. So they made S'mores out of Snickers.

Highlights of Today:

Massive Canyons
Adventure of camp setup
Swimming in the Colorado

Advice/Lessons Learned

Bring a battery powered fan - It took quite awhile to get our body tempatures down to a comfortable level when going to bed.
Bring two pairs of Tevas - The hikes are not simple flat terrain walks. You are climbing over and through rocks. Wally World sandals will not cut the mustard.
Button-up Long Sleeves - Cheap ugly thrift store shirts would be perfect!
Bring your own water bottle - They provide cups, but you truly need a real water bottle that you can attach a carabineer to
Bedroll or SleepSock - There is sand EVERYWHERE. A simple sleep sock (sheet sewn like a sleeping bag) will greatly aid in your sleeping comfort.

More at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jking89/sets/72157606448670293/

Entire Vacation Travellog

2008 Summer Vacation Day 2 - Arches, Canyonlands, and Hummer

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:24:00 -0500

Today we had a great time hiking Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. It was about 100 degrees, but it was very comfortable.

After dinner we did a 2 1/2 hour sunset hummer tour on the Hells Revenge trail. This was definitely worth the money. We had a great guide (Cody) from Moab Tour Company.

Last night we picked up our river bags and camera cans, then spent a couple hours, basically, repacking everything we brought.

We are getting ready to grab some breakfast and get to the river company, to set out for the Colorado River. I'll post pictures from our rafting and camping when we get back to town on Sunday. Later!

More at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jking89/sets/72157606448670293/

Entire Vacation Travellog

2008 Summer Vacation Day 1 - Getting to Moab

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (joe) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:20:00 -0500

Our Summer adventure started with an early morning Frontier flight from Orlando to Denver. This was my first time on Frontier, and I was very impressed with the seats and service. There were absolutely no problems.

Upon arrival in Denver we picked up our rental car, (very nice new Malibu). We then headed out for a quick bite for lunch then our long drive to Moab.

Our day ended with dinner at Zax's Wood Fired Pizza in Moab and the kids taking a quick dip in the hotel pool. We are trying to get to bed early to be ready for tomorrow and to let our bodies adapt to the time change.

Today's Highlights

Brandon's first airplane ride
Brandon's first time West of the Mississippi
The ever changing terrain and landscape
Seeing the red rocks of Canyonlands
The mesas of the Western Slope
Snow still on the peaks

More at http://www.flickr.com/photos/jking89/sets/72157606448670293/

Entire Vacation Travellog

Getting Kids to Drink More Water

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (Joe) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:18:00 -0500

About six months ago I stumbled on some great personal finance tips on the Wall Street Journal, by Jonathan Clement. One tip we implemented immediately, and the kids love it.

One of my early tricks was the soda game, which I learned about from a reader. When my children were young and we went to restaurants, I would give them a choice: They could have a soda or they could have $1.

This is a total WIN-WIN-WIN. You end up saving money, because restaurants are charging $2-$3 for drinks now, the kids drink something healthier, and the kids make a profit.

I honestly cannot remember the last time that one of the kids ordered something other than water.

Sadly Jonathan left WSJ in April of this year.

12 Ways to Make Your Kids Financially Savvy [via WSJ]

Military Rates on Cruises

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (Joe) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:17:00 -0500

I'm constantly surprised how many "cruiser's" do not know about the military discounts most of the major cruise line offer. Carnival even offers the discount to non-retired veterans (like me).

If you are a veteran and are planning a cruise, be sure to check out the link below to see the published military rates, or call the cruise line directly.

Cruiselines and Qualifications for Discount...

Carnival - active, reserve or retired members, or veterans of the U.S.
Celebrity - active, reserve and retired members of the U.S. military and the Canadian Forces
Holland America - active members of the U.S. military and the Canadian Forces
Norweigian - active, reserve, retired, and veterans of the U.S. military, and active and retired members of the Canadian Forces
Royal Caribbean - active, reserve and retired members of the U.S. military and the Canadian Forces

If you are a veteran and are planning a cruise, be sure to check out VacationsToGo.com to see the published military rates, or call the cruise line directly.

http://www.vacationstogo.com/military_discounts_search.cfm

8 Day - Green River and Colorado Adventure (Sample Itinerary)

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (Joe) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:16:00 -0500

Are you looking for that ultimate vacation to remember? Rafting in Utah will surely meet that need. From whitewater rafting to hiking, hot to cold, 150ft to 14,000ft you will experience it all!

This itinerary is for a 8 day summer adventure tour round trip from Denver with stops in Moab, UT and Breckenridge, CO.

While the prices for rafting might seem expensive at first glance, they are truly very cost effective when taking activities, food and lodging into account. This (as do all of our) itinerary bases its air fare prices from Orlando. Adjust prices as needed.

Total cost per person/per day - $167.19

Highlights

Whitewater Rafting - 3 full day rafting the Green River in Desolation Canyon

Camping - Riverside camping along the Green

Hummer Tour - Sunset tour of Arches National Park

Rocky Mountains - If you are from the East Coast and have never been to the Rockies, then this in itself is worth the trip. People (in Florida) say "I've been to Tennessee, I've seen mountains"; ummm, sorry, no you haven't!

Itinerary

Day 1

Head to the airport for a busy day. Fly to Denver International Airport in the morning, then pickup your luggage and rental car and head out for some lunch. After lunch head West across the Rocky Mountains on Interstate 70, to Moab, Utah. Check into hotel in Moab, check in with rafting company, and grab some dinner.

Day 2

Wake up early and eat at the hotel's complimentary breakfast. Check out and head to the rafting company. Take a small plane from Moab to Sandwash, located at the North end of Green River. Hike down to the river and head out. Raft the Green River and hike the canyons, stopping in the afternoon for lunch. Setup camp riverside, while the guides cook up dinner.

Day 3

Wake up to the smell of fresh coffee and breakfast thanks to the river guides. Pack up camp and head out rafting. Hike at various spots within the canyon. Have a riverside lunch buffet. Setup camp riverside, while the guides cook up dinner. Play a game of volleyball, tell stories and star gaze.

Day 4

Wake up to fresh coffee and breakfast thanks to the river guides again. Pack up camp and head out for a final day of rafting. Hike at various spots within the canyon. Have your last riverside lunch buffet. After arriving in Green River, Utah you will be transported back to the rafting facility in Moab. Say goodbye to your new rafting friends and check back into your hotel. Take that MUCH NEEDED shower and then head out for a celebratory dinner in downtown Moab.

Day 5

Wake up early and eat at the hotel's complimentary breakfast. Put on some comfortable hiking clothes, then stop off to pickup a picnic lunch from a local sub shop. Explore Canyonlands National Park until mid afternoon. Head back to Moab, to Moab Adventure Center for your Sunset Hummer tour of Arches National Park. After returning to Moab, head out to dinner, then back to the hotel.

Day 6

Wake up early and eat at the hotel's complimentary breakfast. Check out of your hotel and head back toward the Colorado. Stop in Aspen for some lunch, then continue on to Breckenridge. Explore downtown Breckenridge before checking into your hotel. Head out to dinner at one of the many reasonably priced restaurants (e.g. Breckenridge Brewery, Downstairs at Eric's, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.)

Day 7

Wake up and eat breakfast at the hotel bar. Spend the day doing any of the many activities in Breckenridge (e.g. mountain biking, hiking, gondola ride, mountain slide, hanging out downtown, rafting, etc.). This is a good day to have separate boy/girl activities if you want to. Head out to dinner in Breckenridge. Pack up for tomorrow's trip home.

Day 8

Wake up early, check out of the hotel, then grab some breakfast. Head up Route 6 to Loveland Pass/Continental Divide. Take some pictures, then continue on SR6 back to I-70. If you have a late flight get off at Idaho Springs and make the drive up to Mt. Evans on the world's highest paved road. With it's peak over 14,000 feet, chances are you will see snow year around. Head back to Denver International for a one night stay over, or a late flight home.

Rough Cost Estimate

Airfare	$1,300
Rafting	$1,900
Car Rental	$250
Hotels	$550
Hummer Tour	$200
Dining	$450
Gas	$200.00
Misc	$500.00
Total	$5,350.00
Per Person	$1,337.50
Per Person/Per Day (family of four)	$167.19

Ways to Save Money

Hotel Breakfasts - Look for hotels which offer a free breakfast with a variety. Personally I recommend Holiday Inn Express, as they have a varying selection daily as well as pre-made to-go bags. In Breckenridge there are not a lot of hotel options with breakfast, but you might look into hotels in Dillon or Frisco.

Rafting - There are a ton of rafting companies. Be sure to check them all out. Many times they will have package deals or specials on their website. Check back often.

Gas - While their might be only a $3/day difference between the midsize and the full size, be mindful of the gas mileage. This itinerary has over 850 miles of driving.

Airfare - Salt Lake City is closer to Moab than Denver is, be sure to look at flights into there, especially if coming from the West coast.

Learn More

Adrift Adventures
Located in Moab, Utah invites you for the whitewater rafting vacation of a lifetime on Utah's Colorado and Green Rivers. Join us for an unforgettable whitewater rafting journey through geologic time. You'll find what you want-whether it's unexcelled excitement, quiet serenity, or a bit of both.

Moab Adventure Center
The Moab Adventure Center is your one-stop resource for outdoor adventures and vacation packages in Moab. Utah features some of the most famous landscapes and terrain in the world.

Sheri Griffith River Expeditions
Sheri Griffith River Expeditions is the premier white water rafting outfitter offering "A Touch of Class" to all of our river rafting adventures on the Green and Colorado Rivers since 1971.

Our Travel Logs of this Trip

Coming Soon!

New Website Helps Validate Deals while Shopping

noreply.nospam@nospam.famtrek.com (Joe) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:11:00 -0500

Do you ever find yourself in a store looking at what you "think" is a deal, but you are not really sure if it is?

Let DealValidator.com help you!

This cool site allows you to simply enter a item and price and it will analyize it by searching and aggregating online retailers, to determine how good of a "deal" it is, or even if it is one at all. Deal Validator will rank your deal on a scale of 1 to 100. The higher the score, the better the deal.

DealValidator can validate and verify a deal using a model number, description, even the UPC code and a price...and that's it! No more searching website to website for reviews, prices, compaints, etc. This site looks at all of that for you, evaluating it all, and giving you a simple score. Best of all, if you do find a "good" or "excellent" deal, it lets you share your deal with the rest of the DealValidator community, without any long registration or submittal forms. Just select the merchant and your done!

Use it at home via the main website (http://www.dealvalidator.com/) or via your mobile phone at (http://mobile.dealvalidator.com/). The mobile site is made to be quick and easy and to require the minimum amount of bandwidth possible.

Deal Validator is definately one to bookmark on your iPhone, SmartPhone, or any other web accessible device.