A new spin on pizza

I'm not worthy.
Who knew there was a pizza championship?
--pws

video of Visa Pizza commercial
video of North American Pizza Champion Juan Hermosillo

A new spin on pizza
By: John Bkila
Twirling pizza dough over his shoulder, behind his head and while holding a handstand, world champion pizza spinner Juan Hermosillo entertained customers at a Mississauga Pizza Pizza.  [complete article]

ici tout est en solde saufl' amour!

French homework: translate this sign for me.
--dad

from Photos of the economic crisis

Rue du Louvre, Paris, January 2009. Heidi Neubauer-Winterburn has been documenting the recession by photographing sale signs in Parisian store windows. Click here to see her full collection of images.

Canyon Country Vacation Tour

For many years we have been going skiing at Jackson Hole in February. Next year, the boys have to be here all winter for high school wrestling, so we are investigating alternative vacations for later in the year.

My current favorite is a tour of Canyon Country in Arizona. These parks are all a short drive from each other: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, Grand Staircase-Escalante, and the Grand Canyon.

The web site lays this out as a 5 day vacation, but that is if you drive from one scenic overlook to the next with some short hikes thrown in. Instead, I want to take two weeks and do some backcountry hiking with a couple of overnight backpacking trips.

from http://www.eastziontourismcouncil.org/zion-national-park-vacation.htm

Day 1 - Zion National Park - slot canyons

• Zion Narrows - Three options: (1) Hike into the narrow slot canyon and explore this gorgeous area. You will see a waterfall and a deep pool. (2) Hike from Chamberlains Ranch in East Zion to the Riverside Walk. This is a 2 day hike and you will need to obtain a a backcountry permit. (3) Hike through Orderville Canyon into the Zion Narrows. A backcountry permit is required for Orderville Canyon.
• East Rim - This incredible 10 mile one-way, 5-6 hour, hike begins at the east entrance of Zion National Park. Look for a small "trailhead" sign just south of the east entrance station. The adventure begins to get interesting at first sight of Echo Canyon. This spectacular trail travels along the side of Echo Canyon for much of the way. Soon the landscape changes and the path follows cairns along large slabs of slick rock. After the trail connects with the Observation Point Trail it's a steep descent into Zion Canyon. The trail ends at the Weeping Rock parking lot where shuttle service is available during much of the year. Many Zion National Park landmarks are seen from the last two miles of the trail, including Cathedral Mountain, the Organ and Angels Landing.

Day 2 - Bryce Canyon - unique rock landscapes

• Under the Rim Trail - 23 mile round-trip. This is a moderately strenuous and remote backpack . Begin the hike at the Bryce Point Overlook. A permit is needed for overnight hikes in Bryce Canyon. The rim trail is 11 miles, traversing the edge of the hoodoos from Fairyland Point to Bryce Point. Looking down into the amphitheaters. you will see fairy tale-like rock sculptures, called hoodoos.
• Mossy Cave Trail - an easy hike leads to a desert waterfall of jagged rocks and a small alcove.
• Hat Shop Trail - 3.8 mile round-trip. This trail is not as well traveled as many of the hikes in Bryce, but it is unique and beautiful. The climb back to the rim is steep, but worth it to see the many "hat" capped hoodoos.

Day 3 - Cedar Breaks - colors, pinnacles, fins, spires and buttresses
Cedar Breaks Scenic Rim Drive - four view points: Point Supreme, Sunset View, Chessmen Ridge and Specra Point

• Alpine Pond Trail - This easy 2.1 mile loop winds about the sub-alpine forest. Firs, Engelmann spruce and wildflowers galore adorn the trail.
• Cascade Falls Trail - unique desert waterfall situated in jagged red rocks

Day 4 - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument -

• Skutumpah Road - Skutumpah Road is an adventure in itself. This is not the quickest way to travel to Bryce Canyon from Zion, but it is certainly the most adventurous way. Venture into the wilderness of the Grand Staircase-Escalante and hike Lick Wash and Willis Creek slot canyons. If you want something a little more adventurous hike Bull Valley Gorge. The ten hour hike from Bull Valley Gorge to Sheep Creek to Willis Creek is one of the best hikes anywhere!
• Cottonwood Road - There are a couple of gems on Cottonwood Road including Grosvenor Arch and Yellow Rock. Cottonwood Narrows is a short slot canyon adventure where you can stretch your legs.
• Wahweap Hoodoos - The hike to the Wahweap Hoodoos begins in the small town of Big Water. These are a real treat and quite unique.
• Rimrock Hoodoos - This is more of a walk from the side of the road than a hike. From Big Water, drive 12 miles west on Highway 89. Start hiking from the kiosk on the right side (north) of the road.

Day 5 - Grand Canyon North Rim - an isolated paradise of canyons

• North Kaibab Trail - hike down to the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon, the Bright Angel Campground is an ideal place to spend the night. The campground is a half-mile from the river, along Bright Angel Creek. From the campground there are several day hikes.
• Tuweep - the most spectacular place in the Grand Canyon, but you need a high clearance vehicle for this trip. There is a washed out section of the road near then end that is more comfortable to navigate if you are traveling in a 4WD. There are no services at Tuweep or along the 61 mile dirt road. Make sure the roads are dry and stock up on food and water before going. There is a fee free campground at Toroweap.
• The Nampaweap Petroglyphs - etched into black basalt rock along what is believed to be a route the Anasazi and their predecessors took to travel in and out of the Grand Canyon.

I found more good info about national parks at utah.com. I'm psyched and ready to book my flight now!

Orderville Gulch in Zion is an attractive alternative to doing the entire Narrows. It is a tributary that is more narrow, more exciting and perhaps more beautiful. It is also easier to get permits. Orderville is a technical slot canyon and the hike covers about 11 miles. Check out Orderville Gulch video.

Misery Canyon in Zion is for hard-core canyoneers and requires specialized skills and gear to get through, rappelling into dark holes, scrambling over chockstones and sliding down ledges. See the video.

Arches National Park contains the world's largest concentration of natural stone arches. This National Park is a red, arid desert, punctuated with oddly eroded sandstone forms such as fins, pinnacles, spires, balanced rocks, and arches. The 73,000-acre region has over 2,000 of these "miracles of nature."

Obamas Prepare to Plant White House Vegetable Garden - NYTimes.com

Obamas Prepare to Plant White House Vegetable Garden - NYTimes.com

Source: www.nytimes.com

Michelle Obama is planning the first such garden since Eleanor Roosevelt's victory garden in World War II.