Happy June! Summer is here!

As Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, we're knee deep in the summer vacation season. May was another great month for Tracks & Trails and now we get to the time when most of our clients are hitting the road! Over the next three months we'll be shipping out our client's Adventure Kits, checking road conditions, looking at weather reports and providing assistance to our clients as they embark on their self-guided driving adventures.

We have a number of websites that we check regularly for road closures, construction delays and wildfire updates. While they are too numerous to list here, it's safe to say that we can get the latest information at short notice for our clients while they are in the midst of their trips. Also, each and every RV rental company that we work with provides 24-hour road assistance. So that way, someone is there to help with any problems with the RV along the road.

We also provide assistance with re-routing when necessary. Many of the destinations have remote roadways that can be impacted by weather, rockfalls, flooding and other natural impacts. We can help with changing routes, checking availability with campgrounds or help with notifying excursion outfitters with new information. One thing that is difficult once trips have started is to cancel stuff mid-trip. Cancellation policies kick into effect. This is why we strongly recommend trip insurance for all of our clients. We just had one client who had a child break an arm and this caused a major restructuring of their trip. If it wasn't for trip insurance, they would have lost much of the cost of their trip.

So, as we say to many of our clients (and to those on the road this summer!), "Happy Trails" and we hope to be able to help out if you run into troubles while on a Tracks & Trails road trip adventure this summer!

Progress on bridge near Hoover Dam

Currently a bridge is being built across the Colorado River to bypass the road that takes traffic over the Hoover Dam. To follow the progress, check out their website www.hooverdambypass.org. I had a friend pass along some pictures, albiet from January, but the one I've included here shows some of the massive scale of this project (Thanks, Debbie!). We always tell our clients that there will be delays in crossing over the dam because of security checks and traffic.

The planned completion of the bridge and associated road construction is June 2010. So another year of delayed traffic is ahead of us, but you still get to see the spectacular progress on the bridge and the engineering marvel that is the Hoover Dam.

Tracks & Trails on MSNBC.com!

Our friends at WeJustGotBack.com wrote an article titled "Of Geysers and Grizzlies: The Best of Yellowstone for Families" and we were mentioned prominently throughout the article. It also showed up on Frommers.com and MSNBC.com. Here are the direct links - all the articles are the same so pick your favorite:

http://www.wejustgotback.com/default.aspx?mod=yellowstone_bestof
http://www.frommers.com/trip_ideas/family
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30563277/

A big thank you to Suzanne Kelleher for writing the article and getting it published on great websites. Our web traffic doubled yesterday!

It's been a little crazy around here!

Just thought I'd let y'all know that we haven't fallen off the face of the earth - we're just very busy right now. It seems that many of our clients have waited to book their summer vacations. So April was a very busy booking month! We are very happy with the additional business and we are getting to the point in the season where we are building Adventure Kits for our clients. These 2 inch thick, 3-ring binders have travel tips, custom itineraries, vouchers for all components of the trip, hand-traced maps with routing and points of interest, our More Abouts (custom mini-travel guides), hand-picked brochures and other destination information.

We'll be back with some more tips, travel ideas and road information in the coming weeks as we get a chance to come up for a breath or two. In the meantime, there is plenty of availability for that great summer vacation that we can help create and make affordable for you and your family. Great destinations like Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and Yosemite await!!! 800-247-0970!!!

Best prices in the summer for RV rentals

If you are trying to stay within a budget for an RV trip this summer using a rented RV, consider that the best prices are either in June or the second half of August. You could save 20-40% on the cost of one of the larger components of your trip. With airfares cheaper than they have been in years in combination with a great rate on your RV, you can really save a bunch if you travel in the right time of the summer. And the crowds may be a little bit more manageable!

It's not too late to consider a National Park vacation out West. While we are seeing that some popular campgrounds are booked for certain dates this summer, we have had no problem getting rental RV's for our clients. Availability in Canada may be a little dicey during the peak of the summer, but there are still plenty of great dates available for visiting our neighbors to the north. And the exchange rates continue to be fantastic compared to last year.

So give our trip consultants a call toll-free at 800-247-0970 to find a great destination and a great time to save a lot of green with Tracks & Trails!

Looking for ways to save on Tax Day? Take a road trip!

This just in: From WBAL-TV11 Baltimore - According to the Energy Information Administration, regular gasoline is expected to average about $2.23 per gallon this summer, which is more than $1.50 cheaper than last summer. A recent AAA poll via the Internet reported that people are more likely to take a road trip this summer since fuel prices are lower than last year.

So what does this all mean? If you're from the eastern half of the United States and are looking to create a magical trip to the great outdoors of the western half of the continent, you couldn't pick a better time to travel. Airfares are at the lowest prices they have been in quite a while. Hotel rates in major cities are at bargain rates. Half the adventure of getting to a place like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon or Yosemite is the first leg of your trip. And with gas prices at a more reasonable level, that's just one more component of your trip that will be cheaper than next year.

And how can Tracks & Trails add to that savings? We research the best deals we can find for RV rentals while maintaining a high level of quality in the vehicles our clients will drive. We look out for our clients to ensure that their expectations are not only met but exceeded. And that means staying within your budget and creating magnificent trips to the most beautiful locales for all types of vacations. Give us a ring toll-free at 800-247-0970 or check out the website to start your adventure!

Great place to watch Old Faithful & a call for photos!

Looking for a unique place to watch the regular eruption of Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park? This picture is from a trip I took in September, 2007. On the second floor of the Old Faithful Inn, there's a large deck viewing area with benches. If you get there early enough like the folks in the picture, you can get a great picture of the geyser while sitting on a bench with a seat back (unlike the metal benches that form a half circle around the geyser). If you time it right, you can grab a bite for lunch either at one of the restaurants at the hotel or back in your RV.

Just thought I'd share a picture from a wonderful trip to our country's first National Park. We are in the process of redesigning our website and we're looking for great photos! If you have recently traveled to the national or state/provincial parks of the western US & Canada or Florida, please send them to us. To share your great shots, comment on this posting or send us an email through Contact Us on our website.