by Lee Foster

A few great railroad trips in the Americas truly inspire the imagination.

In Mexico, for example, there is the Chihuahua al Pacifico trip from Los Mochis to Chihuahua over the Sierra Madre Mountains.

So, what does the U.S./Canada offer that is comparable in rail trips?

One main contender is the Rocky Mountaineer rail tour from Vancouver on the British Columbia coast to Banff and Calgary in the Canadian Rockies.

The Canadians have done it right on this adventure in several respects.

First, this is one of the most historic rail trips in North America. The train tracks united East and West Canada, historically, with completion in the 1880s. The railroad opened Canada for tourism. Moreover, British Columbia and the whole of western Canada might have become part of the United States if the railroad had not been built.

Second, this train trip passes through some of the most stunning scenery in North America, the Canadian Rockies, which are fully as impressive as the U.S. Rockies.

And third, the Canadians have arranged this historic rail tour to occur during daylight hours, so you see all the scenery, spending the night at the midpoint, Kamloops. (There is nothing more frustrating that falling asleep in your rail car knowing that imposing scenery is passing you in the dark, as happens on some of the U.S. trains crossing the American West.)

This scenic train ride has a “season,” operating April to October.  The first burst of spring and the tree leaves turning color in fall are treats near the ends of the season. I took an October trip and enjoyed the brilliant yellow color of the larch trees.

I boarded the train at 7 a.m. in Vancouver after spending the night at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. This is the fitting lodging to stay at because it is one of the grand hotels of Canada built in conjunction with the railroad.

As the railroad builder William Cornelius Van Horne said, “If we can’t export the scenery, we’ll import the tourists.”

To achieve this goal the company needed both a railroad and grand hotels. On this trip I experienced both The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (built in 1939, the height of the rail era) and The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel (built in 1888, at the start of the rail period).

The train meanders out of Vancouver up the Fraser River, which is noted for its huge salmon runs. An upstream tributary, the Adams River, is said to have the largest red sockeye salmon run in the world, at over a million fish.

The train passes over the route that explorer Simon Fraser first charted in 1808 as he was seeking a trade route to the Pacific Ocean.

The most dramatic moment of the coastal-mountain passage on the Fraser River comes at Hell’s Gate, where the mountains squeeze together to make an opening only 110 feet wide, requiring the torrent of the river water, 200 million gallons a minute, to gush through with awesome force.

After passing the coastal mountain range, the train crosses a long stretch of high desert terrain along the Thompson River, with the most arid area around Ashcroft. This desert environment comes as a surprise to many travelers, who can see the mountain peaks from Vancouver and assume the route will be mountains all the way to Banff.

Finally, after the town of Revelstoke, following further tributary rivers, the train reaches the jagged peaks of the Canadian Rockies. Hour after hour of spectacular scenery in the Selkirk Range and the Purcell Range follows. One brief stretch of the trip passes along the Columbia River, which eventually empties into the ocean at Portland, Oregon. Near Lake Louise the train crosses the Continental Divide, the highest point on the trip, before descending into Banff, home of one of the premier hotels in all Canada, The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.

Along the way I became aware, partly through the informed commentary of railroad attendants, of the grand historic visions of the area. For example, an entrepreneur named C. E. Barnes persuaded a cluster of British aristocrats to locate in this remote region at Walhachin to farm apples. They built over 18 miles of wooden flumes to bring water from a lake to the apple orchards. The enclave flourished until World War I, when storms wrecked the flume system and the men were called away to fight the war. Eventually, the community collapsed.

The railroad line is still vital today because it ships west to Vancouver in the winter the huge autumn harvest of wheat and other grains grown on the Canadian prairies. Wheat is a substantial Canadian export to China and Japan.  

Eagles, osprey, and bighorn mountain sheep are seen many times during the trip. The osprey need about four pounds of salmon per day from the river, which is an easy matter during the spawning season.

I overnighted in a modern chain hotel at the city of Kamloops, which took its name from an Indian word meaning “meeting of the waters,” where the North and South forks of the Thompson River join. The overnight in Kamloops allowed me to experience the entire 600-mile rail trip, roughly 300 miles each day, in total daylight. The days began early and ended when I descended from my dome car at 5 p.m.

The dome car in which I traveled offered unparalleled mountain viewing as the train proceeded at a measured pace. Moreover, viewing areas between the cars allowed direct contact with the fresh air and the outdoors. The food was superb, for breakfast and lunch, on white table cloths, with menu items such as scrambled eggs wrapped in wild BC smoked salmon and succulent molasses glazed pork loin, all cooked to order on the train.

The luxurious dome car service, with a dining room and gourmet hot meals, is called GoldLeaf. More affordable options, with fewer amenities but the same scenery,  are called Silver Leaf and Red Leaf. 

I spent a few days in Banff, taking guided nature trips to look at the wildlife and scenery, all arranged by the concierge at The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel. The level of guide service available here is high. Guides provide the transportation and much insight into nature. The number of patrons on a trip is small, usually nine or less.

Caretakers for the Canadian Rockies are taking many steps to preserve the grand natural heritage, partly by restoring the checks and balances that man has disturbed regarding the large mammals. There are now too many elk, which are stripping the ground for food in winter, preventing the normal growth of new poplar trees, for example. The solution is to encourage the wolf and cougar populations. Highway animal overpasses now allow the free migration of large mammals, prey and predator alike.

I hiked around Johnson Lake, enjoying sightings of elk and mountain sheep as well as breathtaking views of Mt. Rundle reflected in the turquoise waters.

One evening in Banff, celebrating my rail tour, I had dinner at the Caboose Restaurant, located in the original rail station. This beef-and-salmon restaurant has walls lined with historic photos of the rail legacy. The photos of rail construction helped me appreciate what a feat of engineering was involved in constructing a rail bed through the Canadian Rockies. A couple of trains passed by, shaking the building, during dinner.

After my sojourn in Banff, I flew home from the Calgary airport, east of Banff.

The Rocky Mountaineer is one of the more satisfying rail trips possible in North America. The historic story, the scenery, the wildlife, the all-daylight itinerary, and the service are all superb.

***

If You Go: Rocky Mountaineer Rail Trip in Canada

Rocky Mountaineer rail trip details can be seen at www.rockymountaineer.com.

For tourism information on either end of this trip, contact the following:

Tourism British Columbia info is at www.hellobc.com.

Tourism Vancouver is at www.tourismvancouver.com.

Travel Alberta is at www.travelalberta.com.

Banff Lake Louise Tourism is at www.banfflakelouise.com.

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by Lee Foster

Is there an art to organizing a family reunion?

For a period of eighteen years my four sisters and I, accompanied by our parents, spouses, significant others, and children, gathered for an annual summer family reunion.

Our group of 15-20 people, ages 1-75, convened at some choice location, usually in California or the West, for a few core days of family camaraderie. Our family members come from Minnesota, California, and Indonesia for this annual ritual.

The original event that sparked our first family reunion was a sad moment–the death of our mother. The feeling of the five children coming together was so positive that we resolved to meet each year, rather than wait for funerals to unite us.

Over the years I have been appointed de facto family organizer of this event. After all, shouldn’t a veteran travel writer know something about good places to travel to? As the years progressed, I have been given broad discretionary powers, almost as a benevolent dictator.

The reunions have gone well, so I have decided to define some thoughts both on how to organize a reunion and where to go.

I’ll share with you my best judgments about the process and our favorite reunion locations.

So here goes:

1. Appoint someone in the family as chairman to take charge and make decisions.

Family reunions can’t be run by a committee. A family reunion needs a group leader with the time, patience, and tact to arrange the details.

Weigh all the expressed wishes of family members as to date, place, and activities. Everything from school schedules to desired budget limits must be considered. Then decide what the plan will be and communicate frequently to family members who will attend, building the anticipation.

2. Realize that the family changes and is never the same.

We try to emphasize that each reunion is an event in itself, a moment to be savored, for the here and now.

The reunion exists for those who choose to participate. Some family members inevitably will not be able to come.

The reunion is not a repeat of past years. We usually choose a new place every year to signal the freshness of the event.

Part of the fun of the reunion is the opportunity to embrace the evolving family scene.

3. Accommodate your family in the style to which they have become accustomed.

Don’t go too rustic, which will offend, or too posh, which will strain budgets.

If the chairman wants to commit everyone to a five-day rafting trip on Idaho’s River of No Return, the Salmon River, the question arises: is that everyone’s notion of a good time?

Our family has discovered in recent years how much we like to cook for ourselves. Your family might want to escape this task. We have some talented chefs, so our idea of a good time now includes creating a family feast. Our Kauai, Hawaii, and Bodega Bay, California lodgings proved excellent for this passion.

Around the dinner table or out on the trail, the one-on-one conversations and cross-generational bonds create the essence of a satisfying family reunion. If the lodging, food, and activities all work together, magic moments occur.

4. Balance the social intensity of the family meeting with some cultural activities that enhance the family.

Our Ashland, Oregon family reunion was particularly memorable because we all saw Shakespeare’s Richard III at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Besides the attraction of re-meeting family members, think of the reunion as a time when family members can enrich themselves culturally or in their awareness of nature. For example, at Ashland we also rafted the Rogue River together.

5. Plan some activities that everyone can participate in, regardless of age or physical prowess.

The glue that binds families together is the sense that being part of the family is all that is needed.

For example, at our most recent reunion, held at Waimea Plantation Cottages on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, I wanted everyone to see the fabled Na Pali Coast.

Previously, I had hiked the Kalalau Trail to see the beauty of this coast, but I ruled that out for the family, as too rigorous for some participants.

So I chartered a boat, the Na Pali Kai, for the day, and we motored up to see the beauty of the coast. We snorkeled in some choice spots, then watched the sea turtles and dolphins that swam by. The trip offered something for all ages, all physical abilities, and required no special clothes or equipment.

On other years I’ve chosen some zany activities that were great levelers. Think of activities that everyone can do, especially if you are a competitive group, as we are. At our Bodega Bay, California, reunion I bought kites for everyone and we flew the kites at Salmon Beach. With a kite in hand and a brisk wind blowing, everyone could participate equally.

What activities the family will want to participate in will change over the years. For example, when we started, there were only a couple of golfers in our group. Now there are only a couple of people who don’t play golf. A reunion site, for our group, must now include golf courses.

6. Emotional fireworks will occur, even if you never hear them explode.

Reunions are inherently volatile and incendiary events, even if the turmoil has little outward manifestation.

As everyone ages, the reunion becomes a time to evaluate ourselves and our clan, to take stock of our relationships. Elation, equanimity, and disappointment are only a few of the possible resulting emotions.

Frictions may simmer as all the generations compare success stories and evaluate each other’s achievements.

Sibling rivalries never die, but may mellow out.

The grief of a family saddened by death, divorce, and other possible traumas affects children and adults at a reunion, who realize that the traditional, once-complete family no longer exists.

Successful reunions require that family members extend to each other generous emotional space and support, especially if one or more family member is going through difficult times.

Emotional gyrations may take unusual forms. For example, the intensity of our family reunions, the anticipation of seeing each other, the pleasure in the core group is so strong that bringing a casual acquaintance along can be risky. Will this person, competing for valuable family attention, be around next year?

Family reunions are times when floods of happiness and sadness wash over people. Both emotional ranges can be overwhelming experiences.

7. Some final advice:

Go back to your roots, but also venture forth. We’ve enjoyed a return to our native Minnesota, an immersion in the lake cottage world of Grand View Lodge on Gull Lake. But we’ve also savored excursions into new territory, such as Hawaii.

Reunions get easier as the years pass. Reunions can be an extremely satisfying residual memory as life proceeds.

Consider creating reunion mementos. T-shirts, basbeall caps, and kites with your family name on them are good possibilities.

Everyone will protest the effort to do the family photo or video, but all will appreciate it later.

For the Fosters, the annual family reunion became a high point of the year, a time of celebration, sharing, and special events. Perhaps your own family will also have some memorable experiences if you practice the art of the family reunion.

***

FAMILY REUNIONS: IF YOU PLAN ONE

Here are my judgments on five good family reunion sites, the best we’ve experienced in our 18-year research:

1. Waimea Plantation Cottages, Kauai, Hawaii. We rented a large house, the Manager’s Estate, on this former sugar cane plantation. The house had five bedrooms. This may have been our best reunion ever. We could prepare our feasts, savor the wide lawns, indulge in the peace and quiet. Though somewhat rustic, the place had an excellent pool. We all saw the beautiful Na Pali Coast from a chartered boat. Some of us drove to Waimea Canyon and hiked the Kalalau Trail.

For further information, contact Waimea Plantation Cottages, www.waimea-plantation.com.

2. House rental at Bodega Bay, California. We rented a large, five-bedroom house on the coast, at Bodega Bay, north of San Francisco, from a local entity known as Vacation Rentals USA. The house was called the Harbor Master house, 1487 Bay Flat Road. We flew kites at Salmon Creek Beach. One of our best family hikes ever was a choice three-miler along the Pomo Canyon Trail, showing us both oak woodlands and redwood groves. We ate regional seafood at Lucas Wharf in Bodega Bay.

For further information, contact Vacation Rentals USA, www.vacationrentalsusa.com.

3. The Ahwahnee and Yosemite Lodge at Yosemite National Park, California. The natural splendors of Yosemite are a world-class treat. The Ahwahnee is posh. Yosemite Lodge is more reasonable. We did day hikes on the valley floor and explored some of the outlying areas by car, such as Glacier Point. We let the chefs at the Ahwahnee do our cooking.

For further information, contact Yosemite Concession Services-Reservation, www.yosemitepark.com.

4. Grandview Lodge on Gull Lake, Minnesota. This reunion allowed us to re-live our youth, those lazy summer days at cottages and lodges in Minnesota. Grandview is one of the best such lodges, with a choice lakefront location. The lodge price includes delicious breakfasts and dinners, plus plenty of watersport activities for everyone during the day. There’s also golf, something that has become more and more important to some members of our family over the years.

For further information, contact Grand View Lodge, www.grandviewlodge.com.

5. Buckhorn Springs Inn at Ashland, Oregon. This lovely rustic retreat, about 15 miles east of Ashland, was another great reunion site. The proprietors cooked delicious food from their large, organic garden. The setting was rural and peaceful, a former turn-of-the-century spa. From this base we rafted the Rogue River, bicycled around Crater Lake, and took in Shakespeare at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The Adventure Center in Ashland arranged logistics for our outings.

For further information, contact Buckhorn Springs Inn, www.buckhornsprings.org.

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That was this writer’s question, cast with a twinge of concern, as he boarded the Coast Starlight in Oakland for a 24-hour trip up to Seattle.

The twinge of concern arose because the last serious American train trip this writer endured was in the 70′s when trains sought to discourage passengers, a task they accomplished with skill.

Had the modern Amtrak reversed the remarks of the great railroad-builder, James J. Hill, who said, “Passengers, compared to freight, for a railroad, are as useless as the teats on a boar”?

Had modern food service on Amtrak erased this writer’s sorry rail memories of a particular trip in the seventies aboard the California Zephyr when his spoon, in the dining car, stood upright in the cream pitcher because the cream was so historic? That vertical spoon in a pitcher of curdled cream remained a symbol for the decline of rail passenger service in the U.S.

The natural bias of this writer was to champion Amtrak, based on favorable European train experiences, especially in the Netherlands. But fear that the truth, which the travel writer must report, might fall short of the ideal had caused the postponement of this test trip.

Now the time had come.

At 8:50 p.m. the Amtrak Coast Starlight pulled out of Oakland with this writer aboard, bound for Seattle.

The first pleasant surprise on board was the sleeping compartment. They are compact, even by cruise ship standards, but they are clean and private, with an attendant to make and unmake the bed. The upper bunk requires some athletic prowess to enter, which may exceed the abilities of some passengers. The upper bunk person, moreover, should be strapped in. All of this was explained by the courteous attendant, Richard Gocha.

This writer could not recall that the word attendant, and the verb “to attend,” had been a part of 1970s train travel, so this was a pleasant initial encounter.

The standard Amtrak economy sleepers come in 2 or 4 bed configurations. The 4 bed compartments are good for families. All can be reserved to insure privacy. Reserve far in advance because the demand exceeds the supply. Some deluxe rooms also have their own toilet and shower, as opposed to a toilet down the hall (which wasn’t bad, incidentally, and was relatively clean.) Tip: The closets in sleeping cars are so thin that slim airplane carry-on luggage is the most efficient way to pack.

A welcoming voice over the public address system then invited all the new arrivals from Oakland for a get-together in the Lounge Car. The voice was that of Barlow, the Lounge Car manager. This writer was to learn, in the next 24 hours, that Barlow in the Lounge Car and Scotty Watson, the waiter in the dining room, were providing both service and a constant comedy routine, doing double duty on a single salary. They are the kind of characters that make a trip memorable. As airlines restrict off-the-wall comments by flight attendants, and as a uniformed, businesslike mien characterizes travel, it is a pleasure to report that Amtrak still sees the value of characters.

This writer went to sample the camaraderie and a beer in the Lounge Car. While nursing a beer, a certain pang of loss registered because, inevitably, some of the American countryside that one would like to see from the train was going by in the dark. On any long-distance train trip, large parts of the country will pass in the night, so check actual daylight travel times carefully.

This writer then spent a so-so night sleeping. The bed was comfortable, but the experience of the slight constant rocking motion of the train takes some getting used to. The click click of the rails and intermittent nostalgic wail of the train whistle would have probably become familiar and restful by the second night.

About 7:30 a.m. this writer repaired, with high hopes, to the dining room. The pleasant surprise here was the menu and the quality of the food. Amtrak has wisely chosen a limited menu with a checkoff system. The passenger either has a voucher for the meal or pays on a per-item basis. Service was prompt. The Railroad French Toast and Ham for breakfast, Regional Sandwich (a turkey breast) for lunch, and Baked Half of Chicken for dinner, topped off with Pecan Pie, proved to be competent and pleasant fare. The Amtrak dining people proceed confidently to establish certain standards, good dependable food served on throwaway plastic plates. This is not gourmet cuisine or cruise ship embellishment, but the prices are moderate.

Over breakfast, this writer had an opportunity to meet some fellow passengers, part of the pleasure of train travel. In an automobile you meet no one. On a plane you meet people briefly. On a train the encounter is more leisurely. This writer shared breakfast with Tony and Fae Anton of Sequim, Washington. Where else but on an Amtrak train would this writer meet the man who had carved the left eye of Lincoln on Mount Rushmore? That man was Tony Anton, now 74, who had spent his 18th year hanging over a cliff, with a jackhammer in hand, drilling into the rock the prescribed inches, such as 4, 6, or 8, then filling the holes at end of day with blasting powder, then letting off the charge that blew away the rock and showed just how much progress had been accomplished in that shift on the left eye of Abe Lincoln.

More to the point, Tony and Fae Anton were returning to Seattle after spending 33 days and nights aboard Amtrak. This was their first trip, also, but they had plunged in. Were they happy with the trip? Yes. Would they do it again? Yes. They had traveled all over the U.S. and stayed a few days at hotels in various stops, such as Chicago, New Orleans, and the Grand Canyon, all on an Amtrak booking. Their only complaint was that late trains had caused them to miss a couple of connections.

What had it cost them, this writer asked indiscretely, in the interest of his readers? $1600 total, for the two of them. This was for transportation, food, and lodging, either on the train or in hotels, all pre-paid, for 32 days. Where else, this writer pondered, could a traveling couple experience so much for merely $1600. Amtrak was not a cruise ship, but neither was the price. Amtrak had delivered value for the Antons.

This writer then returned to ponder these weighty revelations in his sleeping compartment, only to find that the attendant (again, as in the verb “to attend”) was waiting with a bottle of complimentary screw-cap red wine and a cheese platter. Was this Amtrak?

Soon this writer made his way to the dome car, called the Sightseer Car, the glory of train travel. Under an alternately sunny and cloudy day the forests of southern Oregon, then the fertile farmlands of the river valleys draining toward the Columbia, and finally the seacoast and sea-commerce in lumber and trade south of Seattle presented memorable vistas. For the half-hour stop in Portland, one could get out and admire the old brick and red-tile-roofed Union Station, surrounded by rhododendrons and roses, now protected as an historically-preserved structure.

(Passengers not interested in watching the landscape joined in bingo games or watched videos. The video capability also became a children’s cartoon hour at one point.)

This writer compared these meditative moments over the landscape with the same trips he had made by car, from California to Seattle, barreling up Interstate 5 in a chancy Volkswagen Camper, pushing it flat-out at 60 mph, occasionally glancing at the scenery, as a lump of muscle in his left shoulder tightened into a knot, due to the strain of the drive. No knot developed this day. Of course, this writer was unable to tell the train to stop and let him get off to make a photo or to savor a particularly compelling view. You can’t have everything.

This writer then ventured back to the coach seats, where he hoped to meet another real-life passenger. The upright seat is fine for short trips. They are comfortable, padded, airline-type seats, comparable in comfort to “business class.” Some passengers take them for overnight also, with Amtrak providing a pillow, but that was more rigorous than this writer wished to attempt. However, the person he most wanted to meet was someone with children.

How often had this writer spent long drives through the West in his automobile with his wife and children? After a certain number of hours, the potential for sibling rivalry would become exacerbated. What was it like to travel Amtrak with children?

Marcia Gamble Guthrie had some answers. She was traveling with her son, Donald, age 3, back from Corvallis, Oregon, to home in Seattle. The trip to Corvallis had been a visit to grandparents. She had made the trip by car and now by train at six hours each mode.

“I won’t be going by car again,” she said. “Donald can see the landscape close-up from the train; landscape is so far away from the car on the highway. He finds so much to get interested in on the train that he doesn’t get bored. I get stressed out in the car, but I can relax on the train. Donald can draw and read on the train, but he becomes carsick from these activities in the car, so be becomes whiny. In the car or, worse yet, in a plane, I have to strap him down, but in the train he roams around and feels free. There are a lot of practical aspects that make the train trip more fun than the car. On a train you can always get snacks and something to drink. You have a toilet. All these little things make Amtrak a better choice for me when I travel with Donald.”

This writer vowed that his own children would soon share the drama of this new-found pleasure, train travel.

Amtrak today? Is it for you? It’s better than you might suspect.

***

AMTRAK: IF YOU GO

For information on Amtrak, call 800/USA-RAIL. Unlike some travel 800 numbers this writer could mention, Amtrak actually has informed human beings at the other end of the line waiting to take your call and dispense information. A travel agent can set up all Amtrak arrangements for you.

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The “dude” or guest ranch vacation continues to flourish in several western states despite the visible threat of urbanization and the invisible threat of skyrocketing liability insurance costs.

Foremost among these ranch destinations is the Tanque Verde Ranch in Tucson, managed by Bob Cote. Tanque Verde is the largest and oldest of the Arizona guest ranches.

Tanque Verde lies on the eastern side of the city, adjacent to the Saguaro National Monument and the Coronado National Forest. While retaining its rural feel, Tanque Verde has evolved to become a major destination ranch resort.

The traditional western ranch experience of horseback riding remains, with 107 horses maintained for guests. Tanque Verde’s fortunate location, next to vast public land holdings (almost a million and a half acres), insures that its riding trails will never be developed.

“Guest ranches have been a typical Tucson lodging tradition,” observes Cote. “But most have disappeared. We had 37 guest ranches in Tucson as recently as 1952, but only three remain today.”

Cote explains, however, that those three are secure because of their proximity to public land holdings.

“Guest ranches sold out to become subdivisions,” says Cote. “You can’t send people riding through housing developments.”

Ranches throughout the west that escaped the pressures of development have faced another challenge: rising liability insurance coverage. Putting an inexperienced guest on a horse in these litigious times is a risky business. Liability rates have increased sharply, when the insurance is available. Only well-financed operations, such as Tanque Verde, have survived.

The setting of Tanque Verde is choice, with many of the 59 rooms looking out over a desert environment dominated by large saguaro cactus and the mountain foothills. Rooms are spacious, with western-style decor and fireplaces. Arizona Indian-blanket motifs and the adobe construction style of Arizona define the ambiance.

“A ranch vacation will appeal to the traveler who likes western-style informality,” says Cote. “Plus good food, horseback riding, and peace and quiet.”

Tanque Verde has changed with the times to meet the interests of today’s traveler. Family members who don’t ride horses may want to swim, play tennis, take a sauna, or hike with a naturalist. The indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sauna-jacuzzi, and four tennis courts are as important as horseback riding. Sumptuous all-you-can-eat buffet meals, included in the accommodations price, have replaced the romantic image of a cowpoke throwing a handful of coffee beans into boiling water. Though the patio-style rooms and cottages appear rustic, they all have private baths, complete heat-air conditioning, and phones. Lodging, meals, horse riding, and the “resort” facilities are $130-215/day for two people to a room, depending on the season.

Despite the changes, Tanque Verde has not lost its soul. The children’s counselor, for example, organizes a daily “rodeo” where youngsters practice their horse skills on kid-size horses and ponies. Historically, Tanque Verde also has much to celebrate as a part of the Old West. In the 1880s, shortly after Rafael Carillo founded the ranch, the Butterfield Stage careened past here on the route into Tucson during the 24-day trip from St. Louis to San Francisco. Tanque Verde means “green pool” in Spanish, referring to the pools of water in the creekbeds, fed by underground sources.

The rural setting, with only the quail to announce the morning, contrasts sharply with other, more urban, Tucson lodging options. Due to its sunny climate, Tanque Verde remains open all year, without a transformation emphasizing winter sports, especially cross country skiing, as happens at more northerly guest ranches.

Cote has watched Tucson guest ranches evolve for several decades. Originally, guest ranches were cattle ranches in need of gentlemanly workers who liked to ride horses out to inspect cattle and fences. This was pleasant work. City slickers came out to do the work in exchange for lodging. So arose, in part, the name dude, as in dude ranch, which is now replaced with the word guest ranch so as not to reflect pejoratively on the person who is the patron. The guest ranch immerses the traveler in an outdoors, down-home, horsy world, suffused with the slower pace of country life.

“Guest ranches offer an authentic American vacation experience,” says Cote. “I believe we will see a comeback of them. Ironically, new hotels in a place such as Tucson help the remaining guest ranches. New hotels bring in visitors. The visitor looks around and finds the guest ranch. Some visitors choose the guest ranch for their next visit.”

***

GUEST RANCHES IN THE WEST

Here are good examples of guest ranches in the West, plus an information source where you can learn about additional guest ranches in the listed states.

Arizona:

Tanque Verde Ranch, Route 8, Box 66, Tucson, AZ 85748, 602/296-6275. To receive information on other Arizona guest ranches, contact the Arizona Tourism Office, 1480 E. Bethany Road, Suite 180, Phoenix, AZ 85014, 602/255-3618.

Oregon:

Rock Springs Guest Ranch, 64201 Tyler Road, Bend, OR 97701, 503/382-1957. The toll-free Oregon Tourism number for a list of other ranches is 800/547-7842.

Montana:

Lone Mountain Ranch, Box 69, Big Sky, MT 59716, 406/995-4644. The toll-free Montana Tourism number for a list of other ranches is 800/548-3390.

Wyoming:

Triangle X Ranch, Moose, WY 83012, 307/733-5500. For a booklet listing several other ranches in Wyoming, call the toll-free Wyoming Tourism number at 800/225-5996.

Colorado:

C Lazy U Ranch, PO Box 378, Granby, CO 80446, 303/887-3344. For a list of other guest ranches in Colorado, contact the Colorado Dude and Guest Ranch Association, Box 300, Tabernash, CO 80478, 303/887-3128.

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“You meet the friendliest people among RV enthusiasts,” said Cal Loomis, as he and wife Jean enjoyed a cup of coffee beside their rig, under the pinyon pine trees at Grand Canyon National Park ‘s Trailer Village . “If you look around this trailer park, you’ll see the wide range of people RV travel attracts. RV people are easy to meet, compared to patrons of a motel or hotel, where anyone greeting you is immediately suspect.”

Next to the Loomises, the family of Harold and Crystal Jenson, with four-year-old daughter Jeanna, mounted their bicycles.

“We enjoy bike riding when we get to a campground or trailer park,” said Crystal Jenson. “When we return to our RV, which Jeanna thinks of as a large dollhouse, she’ll pretend to cook while I make dinner.”

Across from the Loomises, John and Mary Reid could not help but smile as they overheard the conversation.

“We started out years ago with a folding tent camper, taking our kids and even the family dog,” noted John Reid. “Now the kids are gone and its just the two of us. We like to travel more comfortably now, but we want to return to all the wild and rustic places. For this our RV is perfect.”

These three family groups, gathered at the south rim of the Grand Canyon , are among the seven million American households with some kind of RV. The size of this slice of American travel is large, involving about one household in 12. Both the kinds of RVs available and the places where people take their RVs have changed in recent years.

“Cal and I have enjoyed six different types of RVs in the last 28 years,” said Jean Loomis. “They included folding camping trailers, motorhomes, and trailers. It all depends on your needs, preferences, and budget, which change as life proceeds.”

TYPES OF RVs

Terms describing RVs sometimes puzzle a layman. The Recreational Vehicle Industry Association divides RVs into various towable and motorized types: van conversions, travel trailers, motor homes, folding camping trailers, and truck campers.

Van conversions, the most popular current type of RV, combine maneuverable and economical size with careful outfitting for outdoor activity. Almost half of the RVs sold in a a given year are van conversions.

Travel trailers, units towed to the campsite/trailer park and then detached, were the second most popular type of unit sold last year. The popularity of travel trailers in past years makes them a third of all RVs on the road today.

Motor homes, including mini-motorhomes, are the luxurious segment of the business, with self-contained units ranging from 20-35 feet. Motorhomes allow passengers to move freely throughout the unit, even while driving. A popular new style in RVs is the “compact motorhome”, some with diesel engines that may get more than 20 miles per gallon.

Folding camping trailers are the relatively economical way in which many young families get into RV life. The characteristic pattern, shared by both the Loomises and the Reids, is that they “graduated” from a folding camping trailer to a larger RV.

Truck campers are the final category. The truck camper rests on the bed of a pickup truck and can be removed, leaving the truck free for other activities between trips.

All categories of RVs vary considerably in price, depending on whether the buyer seeks a basic or option-laden model.

DESTINATIONS

Just as the types of RVs vary, so also do the places where RVers go with their rigs.

“We like a range of destinations,” said Cal Loomis. “For one week we may stay at a luxurious RV resort. The next week we may choose a rustic National Forest campground, such as Bonito camp outside Flagstaff .”

The Reids, who were spending a month traveling the west, also savored the prospect of different destinations.

“What I like about our RV is that I always know what bed I’m sleeping in,” said Mary Reid. “In motel travel you have to adjust each night to a new bed. I always sleep well in my RV. Regardless of the destination, I know what my ‘room’ will be like. And I know what my ‘restaurant’ will be like, which I appreciate, because John and I favor a low salt diet with little fried food. In our RV, at whatever destination, we can eat what we wish.”

The Jensons, with their child, like water-oriented destinations.

“We choose lake destinations near our home in California ,” said Harold Jensen. “Jeanna loves the water, and many good RV destinations put you close to it.”

The Reids echoed his comment when they described their years of RV travel with kids.

“No motel or hotel can compete with an RV in putting you close to so many good water destinations for kids,” said Mary Reid. “Our kids loved RVing.”

The western states are, in many ways, the most favored RV region in the country. National Parks and National Forests are numerous in the west. Lakes, reservoirs, dams, rivers and the ocean shoreline offer many camping/RV destinations. The sometimes sandy, blowing winds of the desert make an enclosed RV space welcome.

Some RVers also select a stay in the city.

“Sometimes we like the change of pace that a city trailer park will offer,” said Mary Reid. “There’s a great RV park right in downtown San Francisco . With our RV we can enjoy the best of both worlds.”

One trend in RVing is the sophisticated RV resort, such as Outdoor Resorts in Palm Springs, where facilities include all resort amenities, even a private golf course. The difference is that patrons of RV resorts provide the “housing”, their RV.

In every western state there are first-class trailer parks offering full hookups (electricity, water, and sewer). Some destination trailer parks even provide cable TV and phone hookups.

Of the 16,000 campgrounds in the United States, about 5,000 are run by government entities, especially the state parks and the national parks and forests. The rest are private, with the Kampgrounds of America one of the large chains. KOA prints its own directory and has a Kamping Kabin feature at some camps. These log cabins, which accommodate four people, are for campers who don’t have an RV or don’t like to sleep in a tent. The cabins allow a family without basic camping gear to get into the camping-RV style.

Campgrounds and RV parks are listed in annual camping directories put out by Trailer Life, Woodall, and others, available at bookstores or RV stores. AAA also provides a camping book for its members.

One of the major clubs in RV camping is the Good Sam Club. Members get mail forwarding, routing services, and emergency repair assistance. Good Sam is short for Good Samaritan. Other RV camping clubs either encompass all RV travelers or include owners of particular brands of RVs.

SAFETY TIPS

After choosing an RV and heading for a destination, certain skills insure safe and pleasant travel. The bigger rigs require prudent driving, which takes some experience to acquire. Speeds should be kept at 50-55 and rigs should not be driven in windy situations.

“Remember to put out the pilot light in an RV propane system when you gas up at a filling station,” said Cal Loomis. “It’s another good safety precaution.”

Several basic systems that keep an RV operating demand some familiarization. The electrical systems for lights and air-conditioning use 110 volts at trailer park plug ins, but function on batteries or a generator otherwise. The refrigerator and hot water tank run on propane or electricity. The “black” water of the toilet holding tank is flushed first, before the “grey” water of the sinks and shower tank. Owners manuals cover nuances of these operations. When renting an RV, allow an hour for a thorough orientation to the vehicle. RV enthusiasts at campgrounds will also help you learn how to use your rig effectively.

“No one should feel intimidated by the skills needed to manage an RV,” said Cal Loomis. “Anyone can do it, but it takes some time and attention. You can’t expect to move into a new house and a new vehicle combined and anticipate knowing everything in the first few minutes.”

Once the basics are mastered, RV enthusiasts expound on the pleasures of RV travel. In every western com mu nity there are excited RVers who love to share tips. For example, in Newport Beach , CA , Ralph Helpbringer is an RV enthusiasts.

“We started back in the 1960s with the first RV units,” said Ralph. “I remember our first major trip. We planned to stay out three or four weeks. We liked it so mu ch we stayed out for six months.”

THE RV PLUSSES

The Helpbringers love to discover the United States. They have made many 3-4 month trips, sometimes with travel concepts, such as following the U.S. borders.

“Our approach is not particularly economy,” said Ralph. “Our approach is go where it is beautiful and go without a schedule. An RV can get you to some wonderful places. There is more foreignness, more diversity, and more beauty to discover right in the U.S. than most people imagine.”

Camaraderie runs strong among RVers, as the observations flowing from Helpbringer or that day at the Grand Canyon showed. RV fans are a fraternity of their own, like boaters.

“In an RV we don’t have to pack and unpack each day, as in motel-hotel travel,” said Mary Reid. “We can put full attention into enjoying the trip. We also have plenty of room to take all the sport and entertainment equipment we want. Besides our bikes, we take a TV and a VCR.”

“I like being far away from phones,” said Harold Jenson. “I’m so scheduled in my work that I really enjoy the freedom and minimal planning required for an RV trip.”

“With the RV we can go on vacations that follow the sun and the seasons,” said John Reid. “Once the vehicle is paid for, RV travel is relatively economical. The main cost is gas for big rigs, which get about 8 miles per gallon. Savings on hotel and restaurant costs quickly balance out the gas cost, when considering travel alternatives.”

“We find RV travel the most relaxing travel style,” said Cal Loomis. “If you are thinking of buying an RV, be sure to rent several models before, take them out for a weekend, and see how they suit your needs.”

The cost of renting depends on the type of vehicle, its size, and its furnishings. Arrange rentals from dealers or individuals in your com mu nity. Rentals from full-service companies range folding camping trailer to luxurious motorhomes, complete with housekeeping equipment. Details on rental offers of dealers, including one-way operations, are available from the Recreational Vehicle Dealer’s Association.

The most universal comment among RVers evaluating their travel style is that RVs have a positive effect on family life.

“RV travel has brought our family closer,” said Cal Loomis. “Our children and grandchildren enjoy participating in our RV trips or meeting us for an RV rendezvous.”

***

RV TRAVEL: FOR MORE INFORMATION:

The Recreational Vehicle Industry Association is at 1896 Preston White Dr., P.O. Box 2999, Reston, VA 20191; 703/620-6003; www.rvia.org. They are a helpful starting point for the RV enthusiast.

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2. RV Travel: Onward to Utah

To determine if RV travel style suits you, consider renting one for a vacation trip.

On one occasion I did just that, foregoing my vintage VW camper for a 24-foot Winnebago mini-motorhome.

(The Yelllow Pages in the phone book list under Recreational Vehicles-Rentals the entities that provide RV’s in your com mu nity. Check out also the helpful Recreation Vehicle Industry Association website at www.rvia.org.)

I decided to take my family of five in an RV from our home near San Francisco out to see Salt Lake and the five National Parks of Utah , plus Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado.

When you rent an RV, I found, allow plenty of time for the orientation check-out. The more elaborate the system, the more complicated are the details. It took me a good hour to get the basic information. I tried diligently to absorb the details. There are some intricacies in the electrical and propane system to become aware of.

“Don’t run the roof air conditioning off the car batteries if you aren’t moving,” said Roger Jollie, of Rolling Homes in Concord . “You’ll ruin the battery in a few hours.”

I wondered how mu ch gas I would have to put into the vehicle, so I asked Roger about mileage.

“My VW gets about 20 miles to a gallon,” I said. “What can I expect from this 24-footer?”

“These big ones start at about six,” said Roger, laconically.

The cost of gas is certainly a factor to consider in any RV selection for rental or purchase when long distances are involved. A quick math calculation told me that my 3000 mile projected Utah trip would take 200 gallons in my VW and about 400-500 in the luxurious mini-motorhome. With fluctuating gas prices in the hinterlands, the gas cost is a factor.

RV COMPENSATIONS

However, the comfortable lifestyle of the RV had many compensations. Daughter Karin loved the whole idea of an RV vacation, living in a kind of enlarged doll house. Son Paul liked the idea of sleeping in the bed over the cab. Teenage son Bart liked the superior stereo system and all the room to stretch out in. Wife Anke, who had once been dehydrated during a trip in the heat of the Sonora Desert of Mexico, liked the air conditioning that would keep her well if the summer weather turned intolerable, as it did. I looked forward to a comfort level that would get the family to Salt Lake with ease while I pushed through on a 15-hour night drive.

As dawn put a pink glow on the mountains of central Nevada , I began to realize that the pleasure of the vehicle was altering my perception. The dependable heat to take chill off the Sierra night and the air conditioning to take the bite out of the desert sun somehow made me view the brushlands of Nevada in a new light. The vehicle had power also, so 55 miles per hour, even on the mountains, could be maintained at all times. The stereo mu sic in my ears somehow made the Humboldt River environs more verdant than I had remembered it on previous desert crossings. I was tempted to take out my cameras to make images of the region around Wells, which I had previously dismissed uncharitably as a wasteland. We arrived intact in Salt Lake with less sibling bickering than is part and parcel of family travel. Such are the pleasures of a luxurious 24-foot RV.

At first I had some misgivings about the size of the vehicle. Would it be difficult to get in and out of places that I wanted to see? The first day I did feel as if I were driving a large boat. But soon I became familiar with the vehicle and found it as easy to maneuver as my own car. I didn’t find myself excluded from any possible places that I wanted to see on the two-week trip.

As each day of the trip unfolded, at least one special pleasure of the large RV became apparent.

In Salt Lake our group wanted to split up to see different parts of the downtown area. Parking near the Visitor Center , we had a comfortable base to return to during the day or at our appointed rendezvous hour. We spent the entire day in Salt Lake , with family members able to use the vehicle for food, drink, coolness, a toilet, and a resting place. When traveling with a 6-and-8-year-old, these virtues are major.

NATIONAL PARKS

Leaving Salt Lake , we drove to Arches National Park . We arrived at Arches about 8 p.m. as a lovely Utah sunset bathed the red oxide rock in delicate tones. However, the campsite was full. Undismayed, we took the ranger’s advice and parked our vehicle near the scenic Colorado River Road a few miles from the park entrance. We were “self-contained.” Food, drink, sleeping space, toilet, shower, and air conditioning were available. I was even able to plug my computer into the car’s cigarette lighter to proceed on my editorial coverage.

The next day we explored Arches, which amounted to an all-day drive through the park, with stops for hiking and photography. Though temperatures hit the high 90s, our team of five enjoyed this outing very mu ch because, again, no one needed to rush back to the motel for our life- and comfort-support systems. We found that in the RV we were able to continue on long outings in comfort because our “home” was always with us. We could move through the landscape, perhaps take a mile walk to see a geological formation, and return to the complete support systems of the home.

During two days at Canyonlands National Park we used Moab as our base. The Canyonlands Camping Park there had a swimming pool, hot showers, and clean restrooms, conditions we found repeated at the better camps, such as some KOA camps.

Unless you have visited Utah , it is difficult to explain fully how mu ch open land exists out there. At Canyonlands National Park , for example, which has no services, you are about four hours from the nearest restaurant meal or motel. This is prime RV country.

At Cortez , NM , near Mesa Verde National Park , we were able to camp out on a mesa at an excellent KOA, soaking in a pool and spa while watching the Ute Mountain . Because we had our travel system with us, we were able to enjoy this scenic setting.

When we left Mesa Verde and passed southwest to Four Corners , we found ourselves that evening at Natural Bridges National Monument . This was an excellent place to be, with the bridges viewed at sunset and again in early morning light, but the only way to enjoy them in the heat of the desert was with an RV. The only service at Natural Bridges was a 5-gallon limit on available water. Forget about a motel or restaurant.

After the first week we had settled comfortably into the RV. Everyone knew the systems to make it function. Everyone had learned how to sleep comfortably in it.

At Capitol Reef National Park the campground put us in an old Mormon fruit orchard. Aside from the fact, again, that there was no motel lodging as an alternative, this was a camping park that encouraged patrons to pick the fruit. We arrived when the peaches were in season, and were happy to stock up.

At Bryce Canyon National Park , it occurred to me that no one had asked to eat at a restaurant yet. With a full gas stove and a microwave, cooking in our RV was easy. The full-size fold-down table sat four of us comfortably, with the fifth person sitting adjacent in the plush swivel seat. The years of experience that had gone into design of the vehicle were evident.

At Zion , as our trip came to an end, I realized that we had explored each day and then used effectively each evening of our trip. When tent camping or traveling in our VW camper, the day tended to end with the sunset. There was an urge to go to sleep rather than stay up in the cramped, ill-lit quarters. But the RV had plenty of room to walk around in, excellent lighting, and a level of comfort that encouraged reading or writing in the evening.

PRACTICALITIES

At the end of the trip, when I began to add up the experience of the individual days, the pattern of our RV travel style emerged. With the RV we always had a clean toilet, coolness while the summer temperature rose to 100, plenty of space for five people, comfortable sleeping accommodations, plenty of cool drink on demand, plenty of good food on demand, complete cooking facilities, and the freedom to be anywhere at any time, independent of the schedules or proximity of service providers, such as restaurants and motels.

The cost of the rental, aside from gas, was moderate. The campsites was also moderate in cost, including private camp with amenities such as a pool and hot showers, plus water and electrical hookups and the opportunity to dump holding tanks of sewage or grey water. Our 14-day venture for a family of five could be described as an affordable vacation, even though we chose a fairly luxurious model RV.

For family fun and a good way to see the magnificent National Park of Utah (and Colorado ), RV travel received our family’s enthusiastic vote.

If you plan to buy an RV, make several such excursions in different rentals to choose one that best suits your needs and budget.

Related Posts

1. Utah’s Arches National Park
2. Utah’s Capitol Reef National Park
3. Utah’s Canyonlands National Park

Nowhere on the planet is the railroad such a viable basis of travel as in Europe. The speed, efficiency, and pleasure of travel by train in Europe makes this option attractive. An American whose only rail experience is Amtrak will be pleasantly surprised to learn what train travel can be like.

On this journey I decided to explore Scandinavia by rail on a two-week trip. Foregoing planes or rental cars, I would train across the countryside, adding some other public-transportation side trips, such as a boat tour of the Norway fjords.

I wanted to see Norway, Sweden, and Finland, stopping at their capitals (Oslo, Stockholm, Helsinki), plus a smaller city in each country (Bergen for its Norway fjords, Göteborg for its Swedish design, and Turku for a glimpse at medieval Finland).

As a strategy, I started by flying from the United States to Copenhagen, the main gateway city to Scandinavia. Then I caught a local flight to Stavanger in southern Norway to start my adventure. All the details were possible with my tickets from Rail Europe.

THE TRAINS

Riding on the trains proved to be a tranquil experience. I avoided having to be attentive to winding Scandinavian roads, as a rental car would have required. I also found it relaxing to omit the hassle of further airport departures.

The trains, whether local or high-speed for longer stretches, were dependably on time and clean. I watched the small towns and green countryside pass before me, even enjoying food and drink service on some trains.

The development of high-speed trains in Scandinavia in the last decade is a pleasant part of the rail story. In Norway I took the sleek Signatur train from near Bergen to Oslo. In Sweden the X2000 train transported me from Göteborg to Stockholm. In Finland the Pendolino train carried me from Turku to Helsinki.

These three trains, traveling at 130 mph over regular train tracks, use a special “tilting” technology to negotiate curves. Such trains are sometimes called “premier” trains rather than “high-speed” trains to distinguish them from the 180 mph trains in France and Germany that operate on their own dedicated tracks. For me, 130 mph was plenty fast because I wanted to savor the landscape.

I found it easy to combine side trips with the trains, especially to see the fjords of Norway. From Stavanger I took a day boat to view the local Lysefjord. On the next day I boarded the Flaggruten boat up the coast to Bergen to see more of Norway’s rocky, mountainous shoreline. The most memorable day trip of all, not to miss, is the “Norway in a Nutshell” day tour out of Bergen, which took me to an arm of the Sognefjord, the longest and deepest fjord in Norway. This fjord offers some of the lovelier views on the planet of steep mountains plunging into the adjacent ocean, here a finger of the North Sea.

SCENERY AND DESTINATIONS

The mountains and fjords of Norway, the birch-and-pine forest interspersed with grain fields in Sweden, and the lonely gently rolling landscape of Finland were the nature treats by day on this trip. There was also a night nature delight when I boarded the Silja line night ferry, the Festival, from Stockholm to Turku, Finland. That treat was a star-filled night sky, absent any diminishing urban lights.

The fjords of Norway could occupy many pleasant days of exploring, especially the Sognefjord near Bergen. A train, bus, and boat is required for the full fjord tour, with stops at the most scenic spots. Bergen is especially blessed with mountains and fjords in its vicinity. There are seven mountains around Bergen, including two that are easily accessible. I took a funicular car up Mount Floyen to see a panorama of the city. A gondola takes passengers up the higher Mount Ulriken. Hiking paths proliferate in the forests.

The landscape contributes much to the character of the people in each country. The spare and somewhat forlorn terrain of Finland is said to encourage a reflective quiet and measured gravity of the Finnish people.

The destinations on my itinerary offered many cultural pleasures.

Stavanger boasts a Petroleum Museum that tells the story of the bonanza in North Sea Oil, which makes Norway an important oil exporter. Oil contributes hugely to the secure prosperity of the 4.5 million Norwegians.

Bergen was a major trading city when the Hanseatic League flourished (1350-1760). I walked the historic waterfront, the Bryggen, to see the brightly painted wooden warehouses that the traders used.

Outside Bergen is the home of the beloved composer, Edvard Grieg, where you can see the hut in which he wrote his music. Jean Sibelius is the comparable composer in Helsinki, honored with a striking outdoor monument of shining musical pipes.

In Oslo, the Viking capital, the Viking Ship Museum, contains three authentic oak ships used as burial vessels in the Viking period (850-1050). These three burial vessels, covered with a preserving clay, were discovered in the 19th century. The ships epitomize the swift, light craft that the Vikings used to dominate the sea lanes from Newfoundland to Istanbul.

Art lovers will want to see in Oslo the huge sculpture park displaying more than 600 people in 200 groups by Gustav Vigeland. All of Vigeland’s figures, depicting the universal cycle of life, are nude, so as to be timeless, not dated by clothing. The National Gallery in Oslo displays Edvard Munch’s famous The Scream painting.

The Norwegian Folk Museum in Oslo shows one of the 28 wooden stave churches from medieval times that are still extant in the country. Stave churches mixed pagan Viking motifs of dragons with Christian symbols.

Göteborg, Sweden, is a friendly, western-facing port from which 1.3 million Swedes (out of a total population of only 5 million), migrated to America, especially to Minnesota, between 1860 and 1910. The Swedes of that era were impoverished by crop failures. Göteborg is noted for its flower gardens, especially roses, as well as its innovative Swedish designers, such as the cement-table maker, Mats Jonsson, whose studio is in a cave by the harbor.

Stockholm has a dense number of design shops, where a traveler can explore the vaunted Scandinavian passion for transforming all the mundane objects of everyday life into lovely designs. Furniture, glassware, fabric, and kitchenware are some categories for this design energy. Some say the design passion originates partly from a desire to bring the beauty of the outdoors indoors. Other observers believe that beauty in design is a kind of antidote to the long dark nights of winter, especially designs using light-colored birch wood or mirrorlike reflective metal.

Stockholm is an imperial architectural monument, the most substantial stone city in Scandinavia. The stately buildings happen to be decorated in warm yellow and reddish-brown colors, typically Italian, as was required by a 17th-century royal architect. The city is scattered over islands. Water between the islands allows the buildings to be displayed with pleasing spatial relief.

Stockholm residents love to be outdoors as much as possible, hiking and boating in summer, skiing and skating in winter. Outdoor cafes on Stortorget Square provide blankets, as well as coffee and hot chocolate, so patrons can enjoy the outdoors in cool weather.

Every prospective head of state should be required to tour Stockholm’s Vasa Museum, which depicts the folly of a king named Vasa, who would not listen to the wise counsel of his advisors. Vasa decided in 1628 to build the most impressive wooden warship ever imagined. His ship designer said that 40 cannon were the maximum reasonable number, but King Vasa declared there should be 64 cannon. His ship designer said that two levels of deck was as high as was prudent, given the need for stability, but King Vasa overruled that judgment and required a third level, partly for his many extra cannons. The ship was lavishly decorated with carvings and paint, and was named after the king, of course. This warship might be seen as the ultimate psychological warfare vessel, meant to thoroughly intimidate the king’s opponents, who happed to be in Poland, where the king was constantly fighting. The day came for the Vasa to sail out of Stockholm harbor on its way to Poland, where the delighted king awaited the arrival of his masterpiece. Twenty minutes into its maiden sailing across the Stockholm harbor, a slight wind caught the side of the Vasa and turned her over. The ship, with all its cannon and crew, sank to the bottom of the harbor, where it lay for more than 300 years until recovered intact in 1956 and installed in the museum.

Turku, Finland, was a special surprise on my trip, totally unknown to me from earlier travels. Turku was the medieval capital of Finland. The restored Turku Castle (started in 1280) offered an engaging tour. Several hundred years of Finnish existence as an eastern shadow of Sweden is the main story. The Handicraft Museum in Turku gathers craft re-enactors, such as needlepoint workers, in several wooden houses, some with sod roofs, such as one might have found 200 years ago throughout Scandinavia. Fire was the great enemy of wooden structures, as one learns again and again while touring the region.

To understand Helsinki, Finland, take a ferry out to the islands in the harbor that house the Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress. The Swedes built this huge fort, naming it Sveaborg, or Swedish Fort, along with an accompanying fleet to defend it. The edifice, spread over several islands, was the most defendable structure in the Baltic and was meant to blunt the ambitions of the Russians, gazing at the west from St. Petersburg. Building the fort transformed the wooden-house peasant town of Helsinki into a respectable capital. The history of the fort is the tortured tale of Finnish national development, caught eternally between the Russians on the east and the Swedes, French, and English on the west.

From Suomenlinna Maritime Fortress you can look back at Helsinki and view the elegant Senate Square, Helsinki’s architectural center. The ferry to the fort departs from Market Square, which proved to be the liveliest outdoor market of my trip, selling everything from produce to knit hats.

Helsinki offered the most complete Scandinavian design experience of my trip. I took a tour to the Designor Group complex, which encompasses four Finnish design companies that are worlds onto themselves (Arabia, Iittala, Hackman, and Rorstrand). The complex has a showroom with museum-quality examples of the best in Finnish design for the last 75 years. A visitor sees original vases by designer Alvar Aalto, the most popular kitchenware of all (Teema), and sleek knives by Hackman. An on-site factory for ceramic manufacturing presents a fascinating factory tour. There is also a huge factory outlet store with the full line of Designor Group products, including affordable “seconds” with barely detectable flaws.

Food and drink in Scandinavia offer many regional pleasures. Each city has its local beer. Salmon, trout, deer, reindeer, sheep, and goat appear on the menu. Young potatoes are a specialty, along with other root vegetables, such as carrots and parsnips. Pea and vegetable soups are frequent. Luscious berries, whether sweet blueberries and raspberries or tart lingonberries, abound. Every major city has its upscale restaurants where inventive chefs are doing world-class fusion food.

RAIL SCANDINAVIA: THE DETAILS

Several tips for a Scandinavia rail trip became obvious from my trip.

*Timing is important. June-August is the main travel season, with museums and attractions open for extended hours. This is also the busiest time. May and September are the shoulder seasons. I enjoyed going in September, which was relatively uncrowded. Beyond the shoulder season, travel would be a different kind of experience here, blustery and robust, wintry and dark, not to everyone’s taste. However, as has been observed, “For taste, there is no accounting.”

*Scandinavia is expensive. The region is costly, especially if you buy major components, such as hotels, on the spot. Plan ahead and buy in advance packages with as many of the elements of your trip as possible, such as air to get there, rail transportation, hotels, special tours (fjords of Norway), city tours, and museum/attraction entrance cards. Good deals on packages will blunt the pain of high prices and let you know the major costs in advance. Your hotel price includes a hearty buffet breakfast, so dinner will remain the major extra expense.

*When using trains, travel light. Pack with a rolling piece of luggage of manageable size. You will need to handle your luggage entirely by yourself and walk considerable distances with the luggage, loading it on the train yourself. Lodging adjacent to the railroad depot is often a wise choice, partly because taxis are expensive. The Grand Terminus Hotel in Bergen, Clarion Royal Christiana Hotel in Oslo, Radisson SAS Scandinavia in Göteborg, and Sokos Vaakuna Hotel in Helsinki are examples of lodgings proximate to the train station.

*Reservations are necessary. Be sure to reserve high-speed trains and hotels during the busy summer season. Reservations are particularly critical in the small villages along the “Norway in a Nutshell” tour out of Bergen if you want to linger in the area for overnights.

*Get tax refunds. Sweaters in Norway and designer housewares in Sweden and Finland are among the main shopping items in Scandinavia. Quality sweaters in Norway may cost $100-$300. Always ask at stores for a tax refund form for the VAT (value added tax) as well as your purchase receipt. The tax receipt can be cashed in at the airport when you depart. There are some complexities in this tax refund matter. One company devoted to assisting you in getting your tax money back is Global Refund (www.globalrefund.com).

*Everyone speaks English. Travel in Scandinavia is language-comfortable because English is part of the curriculum in all the schools.

*Credit cards are widely used in Scandinavia, even for small food purchases. A credit card is preferable to a big wad of cash and will give you the best exchange rate for purchases.

For a restful leave-the-driving-to-others Europe trip, trains are an intriguing option. Even for the fairly large expanses of Scandinavia, the high-speed trains cross the landscape with relative efficiency. This carefree manner will appeal to anyone tired of the harassment of air travel and the tiring attentiveness required for rental cars.

***

RAILROADING THROUGH SCANDINAVIA: IF YOU GO

Rail Europe provides full rail travel information, reservations, and ticket sales by phone (888/382-7245) or on the web www.raileurope.com. Rail tickets must be purchased in the United States before a trip to get the full benefit of a reduced price and assured reservations, definitely necessary for the summer season. With an advance purchase ticket, no time is wasted during your trip standing in line to buy tickets.

First and Second Class are possible on the trains. Even Second Class is pleasantly upscale. First Class affords more amenities of space, food, and drink.

Each of the three Scandinavian countries has a website for potential visitors. They share a phone (212/885-9700) from which packets of information can be requested. The countries are:

Norway, Norwegian Tourist Board, www.visitnorway.com.

Sweden, Swedish Travel and Tourism Council, www.visitsweden.com.

Finland, Finnish Tourist Council, www.finland-tourism.com/us.

SAS (Scandinavian Airlines, www.sas.com) is the dominant carrier in this region. To start in Norway, travelers usually fly from the United States to the major SAS Europe hubs in Copenhagen and Stockholm, then catch a local flight to other cities.

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2. Cruising Norway’s Coastal Fjords

Mexico entices with one of the great rail adventures on the planet. Starting from the Sea of Cortez coastal city of Los Mochis , the train—the Chihuahua-Pacifico Railway or Chepe—climbs through the mountains, known as the Sierra Madre Occidental, passing through the awesome Copper Canyon complex, ending up at Chihuahua . Some opt to board the train at El Fuerte, a charming colonial city which is 60 miles east of Los Mochis .

This adventure trip has three main pleasures, each of which would be sufficient reason for recommending it.

THE RAILROAD: AN ENGINEERING FEAT

First, consider the railroad itself.

Skeptics jeered in the 1880s when utopian dreamers, led by Albert Kinsey Owen, proposed this railroad, which traverses 8,000-foot passes and links, potentially, the grain-rich U.S. Midwest with the tropical fruit-growing region around Los Mochis , the most northerly site for tropical fruit agriculture. Owen’s vision was one of trade, grain for fruit, plus access to a deepwater port in nearby Topolobampo and the markets of the Orient beyond.

Los Mochis is actually 400 miles closer than San Francisco to Chicago . Owen established a large utopian colony of Americans in Los Mochis , but the railroad bankrupted several companies attempting to penetrate the mountains.

Rugged terrain strained the expertise, ingenuity, and capital resources of each company. The Mexican Revolution of 1910 and the Depression of the 1930s were further obstacles.

Finally, in 1961, the Mexican government completed the railroad, which winds through 86 tunnels and across 39 bridges with never more than a 2-1/2 percent grade. A switchback at Temoris loops the train over itself. Even if you are not a rail buff, you will appreciate the engineering feats required.

SCENERY OF THE COPPER CANYON

Second, this rail trip is worth making for the scenery alone. The train passes through a rugged region known as the Copper Canyon , which consists of the Urique Canyon and other canyons, parts of which form a Mexican national park (Barrancas del Cobre). It is home to Mexico ’s second-highest waterfall, 807-foot Basaseachic.

The Copper Canyon area is greater than Arizona ‘s Grand Canyon . At the rim you are high in a pine forest, but looking down, as much as 5,000 feet, you see a tropical world of mangoes and papayas. You enjoy all this scenery from the comforts of your rail car, perhaps with cervesa in hand.

As the elevation changes, the vegetation alters. You witness granite prominences that bear some resemblance to the Sierra of California. Dress warmly for the mountains because the tropical lowlands of Los Mochis or El Fuerte don’t prepare you for the high-altitude chill.

The train stops for 20 minutes at the Divisadero overlook, allowing for a glance into Urique Canyon . However, if you have the time, arrange in advance lodging and meals at one of the several hotels and posadas (inns) that are found in Divisadero, Barrancas, or Creel, the other mountain stops. You can stay for a day or two in the mountains and then catch the train onward to Chihuahua or back to El Fuerte or Los Mochis .

THE TARAHUMARA INDIANS

The third major experience here is the people, the Tarahumara Indians, living in the mountain fastness.

At various overlooks and at every train stop, you will meet some of the Indian women and children, who sell crafts made of wood, wool, reeds, and pine needles. At Creel you can hire a guide or rent a vehicle to see Tarahumara caves and villages, as well as the beautiful lakes and waterfalls of the region.

The Tarahumaras are legendary distance runners, known to hunt deer by running them to exhaustion. During Holy Week festivities they engage in three-day ceremonial runs, sometimes kicking a small ball around the mountains. Mexico entered a Tarahumara in the marathon run of the 1928 Olympics, but he only came in second because he paced himself to the end, thinking the race was just beginning.

The 50,000 of so Tarahumaras are a gentle and mannered people, who appear shy around visitors. They prefer a self-reliant life in the mountains, living in small huts and ranchos, and sometimes in caves, harvesting patches of corn, beans, and squash, minding herds of goats, cattle, and sheep, and farming tropical fruits on the canyon floors.

One researcher has catalogued their expertise as botanists. The Tarahumaras gather the fruits, nuts, and seeds of some 70 wild plants, the edible leaves of another 60, and the roots of 20. They garnish this food with 12 kinds of fungi and use 53 wild herbs for seasoning.

Whether you wish to experience the train, the Copper Canyon , or the Tarahumaras, this Mexican Copper Canyon Railroad adventure promises a memorable trip.

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MEXICO’S COPPER CANYON RAIL TRIP: IF YOU GO

For further information on Mexico , contact the Mexican Tourism Board at 800/44-Mexico. They can send a packet of information on the country. The Mexican tourism websites at http://www.visitmexico.com and http://mexico-travel.com are also useful, providing links to many regional tourism websites.

Although Mexico only requires a picture ID and a birth certificate to enter, the United States now requires that you have a valid U.S. passport to travel between the U.S. and Mexico in either direction. You cannot leave or return to the United States without a passport.

For further information on the train or to make reservations, contact: Chief, Traffic Department, Chihuahua-Pacifico Railroad, Apdo Postal 46, Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico; phone 011-52 (614) 439-7211 or 7212. You can send them an email at chepe@ferromex.com.mx. The website is http://www.chepe.com.mx/.

In Los Mochis , dependable lodgings include the Hotel Santa Anita and El Dorado . In El Fuerte, accommodations are found at Posada del Hidalgo Hotel, Hotel Rio Vista, and Hotel Torres.

In the mountains, lodgings at the town of Creel include Best Western The Lodge at Creel Hotel and Hotel Villa Mexicana Lodging Resort & RV Park . Places to stay at the Divisadero stop include Hotel Mansión Tarahumara and Posada Mirador, both perched on the rim of the canyon.

A reliable tour operator, which emphasizes Copper Canyon cultural attractions, is Canyon-Paradise Tours, which is located in El Fuerte; phone 866-989-8687, http://canyon-paradise.com.

Another major tour operator, also based in El Fuerte, is 3 Amigos. Visit their website at http://www.amigos3.com.

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A luxury train, the American Orient Express, offers an enjoyable strategy for seeing the annual Fall Color pageant in New England and Quebec.

The train winds its way from Montreal to Quebec City, then down through New York state, Massachusetts, and Vermont, returning finally to Montreal.

October 1-15 is the choice fall color time, but you never know which week will be best, depending on the sunlight, temperature, and moisture levels of any given year.

THE TRAIN

The American Orient Express travels year-round through various parts of the U.S. and Canada, celebrating the optimal seasons and sites available. For the fall color period, the train is in New England.

Think first-class when contemplating the American Orient Express.

Rooms are cozy but comfortable in historic rail cars from the 1940s-1950s that the train has refurbished. Passengers sleep and dine on the train.

The itinerary of the train takes a passenger through select fall-color locations.

Food on the train is exquisite, with no expense spared on variety and ingenuity. Service in the dining car is designed to exceed expectations, and does.

The train has a dome car that is an optimal viewing platform.

At each destination, such as Quebec City, local tours are offered with knowledgeable guides.

On board the train, a lecturer gives talks. On the New England trip the subjects are Canada, French-English Canadian relations, and the natural history of fall color.

THE FALL COLOR

While fall color occurs in many locations, New England is certainly one of the most notable. The reason is the extensive hardwood forests and the chill autumn climate. The color change is triggered by the shortening of daylight hours as fall approaches. All creatures in nature are affected by this constant and predictable change in diurnal variation, which causes not only leaves to turn but also gives a Canadian goose or a Monarch butterfly the restless urge to migrate south. Beyond that, the weather will determine which week has the most brilliant fall color and how mundane or extraordinary a particular year’s palette will be. In summer the abundant sunlight causes the constant manufacture of green chlorophyll in leaves.

By autumn the reduced sunlight causes less chlorophyll production, allowing another pigment, the yellow carotine, to show through. Cold nights and warm sunny days produce the most brilliant fall color. Red or cyan pigment, which is not found in the leaf but is chemically created, is manufactured in the largest amount under these conditions. Sugar maple and red oak are among the species that contribute the reds. Birch and poplar add the yellows. In the forest understory, the sumac adds a splash of red.

THE ITINERARY

The itinerary begins and ends in Montreal, the fly-in city. The train winds its way to Quebec City, turns south to Saratoga Springs in New York state, Lenox and the Berkshires in Massachusetts, then returns up through Vermont, with a stop in the capital, Montpelier.

Montreal is the largest French-speaking city on the planet outside of France. Though founded by the French, Montreal also became the base for the English-Scottish entrepreneurs who developed Canada to the Pacific Coast. Montreal was the principal Canadian city until WWII, when Toronto overtook it as the financial capital. Quebec City was the historic site where the fate of Canada was settled. On the Plains of Abraham, in Quebec City, the English under General Wolfe defeated the French under General Montcalm in 1759. The resolution of the war meant English dominance of Canada, but gave special concessions to the French, protecting their control over their own language, worship, and civil laws.Saratoga Springs, New York, was one of the first U.S. regions to benefit from tourism.

Visitors came to drink the supposedly healthful spring waters, which are high in selected minerals. Today’s traveler can still sample the water at Congress Springs. Saratoga Springs also became a famous site for thoroughbred racing, and now hosts the National Museum of Thoroughbred Racing. Lenox, Massachusetts is in the Berkshires, another notable place where the swells came to build 20-room “cottages” near the end of the 19th century and entertain their rich friends. At Lenox, besides viewing the fall color of the hardwood forests, you tour a museum devoted to Norman Rockwell’s works and see his studio. Another famous Lenox artist, whose estate and studio can be savored, is sculptor Daniel Chester French, best known for carving the seated Lincoln for the Lincoln Memorial.

Montpelier, Vermont, puts you in the heart of what may be the most dazzling fall color. The tour here takes you to the Shelburne Museum and Farm, a large and historic property devoted to environmental education and the making of excellent cheese. The state capitol building in Montpelier is a gem to tour.

If you want to experience fall color in a fully supported and luxurious manner, watching the chromatic parade of autumn scenery pass by your railcar window, the American Orient Express is worth considering.

**

IF YOU GO: THE AMERICAN ORIENT EXPRESS TRAIN

For further information, contact American Orient Express, 5100 Main Street, Suite 300, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515, 800/320-4206, www.americanorientexpress.com.

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“Our ranch used to hibernate in winter, like the bears,” says Cliff Montagne of Montana’s Bohart Ranch, formerly the Crosscut Ranch. “We’d just rest from December through April while the snow fell. We’d come back to life in June when the summer fishing and horseback riding crowd returned.”

Today all that has changed. The Bohart Ranch (seven rooms) and the Lone Mountain Ranch (20 cabins), both near Bozeman in southern Montana, do a booming winter business for cross-country skiers. They are two of a dozen Montana ranches catering to this growing sport. Visitors often come for a week’s stay.

For a quiet ranch vacation, emphasizing cross-country skiing, gourmet food, plus a visit to nearby Yellowstone Park to see animals and thermal activity, southern Montana ranches have much to offer from December 1 to April 15. Montana’s terrain is interesting for cross-country skiing. The ranches with their gourmet chefs are well established. The snow is dependable and excellent.

Vacation pace in Montana is more relaxed than in similar destinations outside Denver or Salt Lake, largely because the air flight to Bozeman takes a little extra time and trouble. Tourists are fewer here, so your travel dollar goes farther in Montana.

GETTING TO MONTANA

Major carriers fly into Bozeman. You can drive there from the west or midwest over interstate freeways.

HISTORY OF MONTANA CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

The proprietors of these ranches have watched as interest in cross-country skiing soared.

“People are looking more toward lifetime sports,” says Cliff Montagne of Bohart. “You can cross-country ski at any age. It’s good aerobic exercise. The rhythmic movements of the cross-country skiing over crunching snow is a satisfying aesthetic experience. Moreover, there are no wait lines at a lift, and of course, there is the economy of no lift ticket to buy.”

“The typical cross-country skier also has a special rapport with nature,” adds Bob Schaap of Lone Mountain. “We emphasize some naturalist-led ski trips. Cross-country is a minimum impact sport, ecologically. The solitude of the forest and the lack of frenetic pace are appealing in cross-country.”

Though cross-country or “nordic” skiing has existed in Europe for countless generations, it has flourished in the U.S. in a prominent way for only the last decade, and boomed only in the last few years. Most cross-country skiing occurs on trails that are “set,” using a tool, pulled by a tractor-like snowmobile, that cuts two tracks for your skis and compacts the snow so ski poles won’t push through it. The set track is then groomed, as necessary, to keep the tracks defined. Though most cross-country occurs on tracks, some skiers proceed also over open terrain without tracks. This is difficult, however, in deep snow.

MAIN CROSS-COUNTRY SKI ATTRACTIONS IN MONTANA

Bohart Ranch lies 15 miles northeast of Bozeman in the Bridger Canyon. A van from Bohart can meet you at the airport. The ski center, located right outside the lodging, can rent you ski gear at a nominal price and arrange guided ski lessons. You can also simply take off on your own over the 23 kilometers of set and groomed trails, leading through a forest of lodgepole pine that is gradually giving way to subalpine fir. Trails circle below Sacajawea Peak and several adjacent mountains.

Evening dinner at Bohart put me in the capable culinary hands of an outstanding chef. Expect a meal that might begin with Mushrooms Bohart (mushrooms sauteed and then flambeed with sherry), proceed to Montana Filet Mignon (charbroiled and served with a mustard sauce), and conclude with a copious selection of homemade pastries.

Lone Mountain Guest Ranch, managed by Bob and Vic Schaap, lies 40 miles south of Bozeman. Like Bohart, they can arrange transport from the airport. Lodgings consist of classic log cabins made from lodgepole pines. Lone Mountain has a complete cross-country rental shop for gear and lessons. Their 60 kilometers of set and groomed trails lie at the base of Lone Mountain. A wood-fired hot tub beckons skiers after a day on the trails.

The gourmet dining at Lone Mountain is created by chef Neil Navratil, who is known for his Friday noon on-the-snow lunch out on the trail. Navratil has eclectic and nuanced offerings, such as whole wheat rolls with turkey and vegetable soup. Each week, one spare ribs dinner includes a horse-drawn sleigh ride to remote North Fork cabin, site of the dining and later banjo entertainment.

Cross-country skiing offers a wonderful opportunity to savor the Montana landscape, which is called Big Sky country because, as you look at the horizons, your eyes are carried from vast planes upward to mountains at almost every edge, making the sky seem huge. Southern Montana consists of numerous semi-arid valleys used for cattle grazing, heavy forests of lodgepole, englemann spruce, and douglas fir, and a dozen mountain ranges. Through the valleys run several “blue ribbon” trout streams, such as the Gallatin. Dry fly fishermen match wits with the brown trout in summer.

At these ranches, especially over the leisurely dinners that are a tradition, or out on the trails, you’re bound to meet a few Montanans. The Montanan, typically, is a cordial person deeply interested in tourism, now the fourth largest industry (after mining, agriculture, and manufacturing) and second largest employer. A Montanan, with his Wrangler jeans hiked up high to reveal a prominent buckle, tends to drive a pickup truck with a blue heeler sheep dog in the back and a rifle rack in the cab. The Montanan is an independent breed of outdoor person who has the same intense passion towards the land found in the paintings of Charles Russell (Montanans call him Charlie). He is a fisherman and hunter for whom gun control is anathema (One bumpersticker: “You will take my gun away when you uncurl my cold dead fingers from the trigger.”) He likes to do what he wishes with his land and resents planning or zoning. He’ll favor the local state beer, called Kesler, and will indicate with pride a Made in Montana label on his wool sweater. He will vote Republican in the presidency, but has a populist streak, and has supported liberal Democratic conservationists, like Senator Mansfield, in the past. His family may have been ranch people for generations, carving out a marginal existence, but too proud of their land to sell out and move to warmer, more southerly climates. His impassioned dinner table conversation on Montana issues focuses on water rights (whether Montana water should be shipped to Texas and California), the coal severance tax (whether it is best to stimulate or curb the coal companies), the proper management of the forests (timber cutting vs wilderness, especially near Yellowstone, where clear cutting of forests has diminished the elk herd), and the fact that the northern part of the state has enough megatons of Minutemen missiles to make Montana the third largest nuclear power, after the U.S. as a whole and Russia.

NEARBY TRIPS FROM MONTANA

Both ranches are close to the Gardiner and West Yellowstone entrances to Yellowstone National Park. Both can arrange day trips in to see the impressive thermal activity at Mammoth Hot Springs and the animal life between Mammoth and Tower Junction. There are many miles of cross-country trails in Yellowstone near Tower. West Yellowstone, which calls itself the Snowmobile Capital of the World, has numerous rental businesses that allow you to use a snowmobile for an hour, half day, or day.

Both ranches are adjacent to major downhill ski runs, allowing visitors to combine cross-country and downhill if they so desire. Bohart lies at the foot of Bridger; Lone Mountain is a few miles from Big Sky. Big Sky is a major resort focused around the Huntley Lodge, started by broadcaster Chet Huntley. The lodge is located right at the base of the ski runs. Downhill ski enthusiasts rank Bridger and Big Sky highly for excellent snow. The relative isolation of Bozeman (compared to Denver or Salt Lake) shortens the lift lines and reduces the lift ticket prices.

In summer, both ranches turn to guided fishing trips, horseback riding, naturalist walks, and chuckwagon barbecues as major draws. Lone Mountain organizes extensive pack trips into Yellowstone.

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MONTANA: IF YOU GO

For a winter vacation, if you’d like to sample the growing sport of cross-country skiing, Bohart and Lone Mountain Ranches near Bozeman are excellent choices. Vacations and skiing in Montana are a little like vacations and skiing used to be, meaning friendly, relaxed, and uncrowded.

For Montana travel information, call toll free 800/548-3390. They will send you their Ski Montana brochure, which includes information on a dozen cross-country ski ranches and lodges, plus data on the downhill ski areas, such as Bridger and Big Sky.

Consumers will find moderately priced the nightly rooms at Bohart Ranch Cross Country Ski Center, 16621 Bridger Canyon Road, Bozeman, MT 59715, 406/586-9070 or a week package with meals and trail fees at Lone Mountain Guest Ranch, Box 160069, Big Sky, MT 59716, 406/995-4644.

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