Local Travel Tip

When I first arrived here in Utah, one of the first things I heard about as a “must see/do” was the Heber Creeper. The Heber Creeper is an old fashioned train ride around the Heber Valley/Provo Canyon area. It features two 1907 Baldwin steam locomotives and three vintage diesel electric locomotives. Over 95,000 passengers ride this attraction per year. Passengers are allowed to move between cars on most rides. Some cars are open to the air, while others are not.

I had a chance to go on the Provo Canyon Limited, which is a scenic three hour train ride. Provo Canyon is quite beautiful at certain times of the year. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the older train and being able to relax and enjoy the nature going by. I was able to go with my Aunt and her family, including two of my cousins who were between ages 2 and 5. While a little unsure about the whistle at first, they loved the train! It was so much fun to be able to spend time with them.

For those of you who more action oriented the Heber Creeper does offer several holiday related events through out the year however. Right now, they are offering the family friendly Haunted Canyon Ride. On this ride passengers are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes, but dress warmly.

Also upcoming are the December related events including the Bells’ n’ Whistles, The Polar Express, and the Tube n’ Train. In Bells’ n’ Whistles passengers ride the train for awhile and then take a horse-pulled sleigh ride up to a ranch where warm treats are enjoyed. The Polar Express is a special treat for any child, including Santa, elves, story reading, and warm treats. Tube n’ Train is popular among the young adults, where the Heber Creeper is taken to a location where snow tubing complete with tow services are provided. More information can be found at: http://www.hebervalleyrr.org/excursions/pcl.php

 The trees turn vibrant colors and begin to fall to the ground. The wind picks up and the sky becomes overcast. Many families face a dilemma when the cold weather picks up. Outdoor activities are no longer an option for families with small children, at least without snow. So what kinds of family activities are still available in the Utah valley? Here are a few ideas for cold weather, local vacations:

I recently took 2 friends of mine with me to the pet store when I went to buy crickets for my pet tarantula. The excessive amount of cute puppies, birds, fish, and gerbils influenced them that it was time to fulfill there dream of having their very own pet. After a lot of consideration they decided that a gerbil would be a good option.

When we were standing in line a nice veteran (not veterinarian) very easily convinced these 2 girls that a rat makes a much better pet. They picked the most timid and pale of the litter and spent $40 on accessories to make their $1.50 rodent comfortable. While looking at Borat (thats his christened name) I remembered a story about some naive tourists who brought an overgrown sewer rat home from Mexico because they thought it was a Chihuahua.

I did some research and found several variations of the story. Some where duped by a man selling baby chihuahas, others rescued a drowning dog in San Francisco Bay. Some versions claimed that they took it to the vet for shots and the vet broke the news and others said that they came home from work only to find that their pet cat had been eaten. Even though there is alot of material online I still wasn’t convinced. I have always called chihuahuas rats but are there really any rats that could be mistaken for a dog, or tourists that are stupid enough to confuse them? Check out the pictures and tell me what you think.