Departures
Issue: January/February 2012
Tracing History
A landmark byway reveals wonders of the South
Before the days of the steamboat, President Thomas Jefferson ordered the military to widen a road through the Southern wilderness linking Natchez, Miss., to Nashville, Tenn., turning the Natchez Trace into one of the nation's earliest highways.
Today the Trace is a delightful 444-mile National Scenic Byway that follows the original historic route, crossing Civil War battlefields, Native American burial mounds and even two historic farms plucked from the early 1800s. It passes by or near everything exotic about the South: an alligator-filled swamp, antebellum mansions and a forest where tornados upended several trees last spring. In one swamp, ancient cypress trees grow directly out of stagnant water, with buttressed roots or "knees" that provide oxygen during floods.
Along the way, drivers can spend a few hours learning how early homesteaders lived at French Camp, Miss., see where Elvis was born in Tupelo, Miss., and step into the honky-tonks of Nashville. Don't miss world-famous barbeque at The Little Dooey in Starkville, Miss. The best time for a visit is during spring or fall when temperatures are moderate. Hiking trails and campsites are frequent along the corridor.
Our World in Numbers
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Seattle World's Fair and completion of the Space Needle this April, here are the vitals on Seattle's signature landmark.
4.5Cost, in millions of dollars, of building the Space Needle in less than one year.
20Cost, in millions of dollars, of revitalizing the Space Needle in 2000. The project included construction of the pavilion level, SpaceBase store, SkyCity restaurant, a deck overhaul and other improvements.
8,000Amount of paint, in gallons, needed to repaint the Space Needle.
605Height, in feet, from the ground to the top of the aircraft warning beacon.
848Number of steps, from the bottom of the basement to the top of the observation deck.
125Weight, in tons, of the track and wheel system that allows the SkyCity restaurant to revolve on its "turntable."
1.5Output, in horsepower, of the motor used to make the "turntable" revolve.
Travel Smarts: Know Your Rights When You Fly
The latest enhancements to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Airline Passenger Bill of Rights take effect on Jan. 24, and, barring further extensions, they will help reduce some of the least pleasant surprises that accompany air travel. The new guidelines require airlines to post full fare and baggage fee information (including all ancillary taxes and fees) on their websites and advertisements, hold reservations without payment for up to 24 hours and meet other passenger-friendly requirements (learn more at http://airconsumer.dot.gov). These follow the adoption last summer of such provisions as one that made foreign carriers adhere to the same tarmac-delay guidelines as domestic carriers. The DOT's passenger protections still don't go as far as those in the European Union, where, for example, carriers must provide meals and accommodations to passengers whose flights are canceled, even when bad weather is the cause. Beyond the DOT's rules, here are three things you can do to take the pain out of potential airport delays:
- You might snag that last seat on another flight by your carrier or another by skipping the airport customer service line and trying to rebook online or on the phone. Hedge your bets by working your smartphone while you stand in line.
- If a delay drags, request a meal voucher, a seat upgrade or a travel credit. Some airlines offer such perks, even when not required to do so by law, to keep customers happy.
- Consider springing for a day pass to an airline club or an independent lounge. Though these typically cost between $20 and $50, sometimes a snack, comfortable seat and attentive service are worth the price.
Trails With Tales
Storybook skiing awaits in Winthrop
Proving that you can never be too young to multitask, the StorySki cross-country trails combine Nordic skiing with reading for youngsters in the scenic Methow Valley. Picture-book panels line two ski loops (each 1 K/.62 miles long) accessible from the Town Trailhead in Winthrop and Mazama Corral Trailhead. Anticipation builds as you discover "Polar Opposites" and "Polar Polka," both illustrated by Winthrop's own Erik Brooks. Slide up to a panel, read it aloud with the kids and then head up the trail to the next one. There's no need to rush, though–the panels are up through March. www.mvsta.com.
Crave for Caves
Puerto Rico's Rio Camuy reveals underground wonders
The Rio Camuy cave park, about 60 miles west of San Juan, Puerto Rico, offers fun ways to feed your appetite for exploring the underworld. The 268-acre park offers a number of ways to peek beneath the earth's surface through caves and caverns carved by the Rio Camuy, the world's third largest underground river. A tram that travels through a sinkhole to the mouth of Cueva Clara offers the easiest introduction to this underground world, while guided tours through Cueva Clara and walking side trips to the Tres Pueblos Sinkhole are among the other options.
Of Mouse & Man
San Francisco's Disney Family Museum is all about Walt
You won't find any "It's a Small World"–style rides at the Disney attraction in San Francisco, but the facility's perspectives on the eponymous creator of the entertainment empire provide thrills of a very different—and more historical—nature.
Set in the Presidio, the former U.S. Army base originally built by Spanish settlers in 1776, the Walt Disney Family Museum utilizes anecdotes and artifacts from members of the Disney family as well as his friends and colleagues to present an inside look at the life and times of Walt Disney himself. The museum boasts 10 galleries that spotlight everything from Disney's experiences in World War I and his struggles to break into Hollywood to the development of Mickey Mouse and Disney's death in 1966.
One gallery, subtitled "The Big Screen and Beyond," showcases a model called "The Disneyland of Walt's Imagination." Another highlight: the Lilly Belle, the narrow-gauge train from Disney's estate in Los Angeles that inspired the trains at Disney theme parks today.
The museum also holds Disney's collection of Oscar Awards (Disney was the largest individual winner of Oscars), and the multiplane camera that gave Disney cartoons their distinctive depth of field. When you go, allow extra time to visit other parts of the revitalized Presidio: grab a bite at the French Bistro La Terrasse, and stroll along San Francisco Bay in Crissy Field for views of the Golden Gate Bridge that Disney himself would have deemed magical.
