Along 89...News & Information from the US Route 89 Appreciation Society
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Logan Canyon National Scenic Byway

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Town of Clarkdale
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Page-Lake PowellTourism Bureau

Desert Caballeros Western Museum
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Issue 36
March, 2011 
US Route 89 Appreciation Society Online

by James Cowlin

First came the website. Then this newsletter. About a year ago, the blog appeared. And recently, a Facebook page. Just how much stuff about US Route 89 can we manage online?

That is a very good question. Part of the answer lies in how we differentiate them and in the goals we set for each one. We have come up with a set of analogies from the publishing world that make the distinctions clearer.

The US Route 89 Appreciation Society website is our reference book. The content is more or less static although we do add new photo galleries and attractions usually after one of our road trips. The website is most useful when researching and planning a trip.

US Route 89 BlogThe US Route 89 blog is our magazine. We post stories about places we have visited that we recommend you visit. There are also resources to use just before a trip or while you are on the road, such as an article on finding up to the minute driving conditions. Blogs are also a conversation. When you read a post you can comment and add information useful to your fellow travelers. There is an Event of the Week and a Website of the Week on the home page to let you know what is currently happening along the road.

This newsletter, Along 89, is our newspaper for insiders who want to know about our organization and what we are doing to promote tourism along US Route 89. We will also use the newsletter to report on important events in our professional lives. See the article below for a good example.

Like many people, we are still a little mystified by the whole Facebook thing. Nevertheless, we have joined in with a half a billion others and set up a Facebook page for the US Route 89 Appreciation Society. If you are a Facebook user, you can "Like" the page and join in the conversation there. Maybe we can figure this thing out together.

There is another very good question that we need to answer. Simply put, why?

We are artists. Jim is a photographer and Barbara is a painter. Traveling on US Route 89 takes us to some of the most beautiful places in the world. We make photographs and paintings from these experiences. The website and blog are a way for us to publish this work. We also offer fine art photography prints and original paintings for sale. I don't think there can be any greater motivation to keep going on this project than the opportunity to make art and present it to the world. (You can buy Jim's prints at http://jamescowlin.com and Barbara's paintings at http://barbaracowlin.visualserver.com.)

Between the national parks and big cities, there are many wonderful places and people who are striving to make a living offering goods and services to travelers. They are supported by local civic and cultural organizations. Our goal is to bring recognition to these places and unite them into an organization that promotes tourism along the entire 2,000 mile length of US 89. We sense that there is a demand for authentic travel experiences and we are guiding people to one of the best in the world. If that makes a difference to the businesses, museums, historical sites and other cultural institutions, then we have succeeded.

Finally, there are the many individuals and families who want something more than hopping from one park to the next. While the Interstate Highway System may get you there quickly, there is little opportunity to experience real American hospitality. So we recommend the slow road, where the journey is just as important as the destination. Stopping for a meal at a local caf� or shopping for mementos of your trip at a shop that sells local arts and crafts will make a family vacation unique and memorable. What will you remember most about your next vacation-the absolutely predictable hamburger at a national chain restaurant or the outrageous blueberry sour cream pie at Mom's Caf�?

Those are the why's; here are the wherefores.

Our primary source of funding has been out of our own resources. Like most artists, we can't not do what we are doing, so we put in the time to do it right.

Memberships in the US Route 89 Appreciation Society and our Corporate Sponsor have covered some of the out of pocket expenses of travel and internet publishing. We have received no compensation for the hundreds of hours we have dedicated to the project.

We are grateful for the support shown by individuals, business, civic and cultural organizations. We need many more of you who support our goals and take pleasure in traveling on 89 to step forward. If you are not already a member, see the chart below for the benefits of joining. Then click the link to go to the website and sign up through Paypal. If you are already a member, consider upgrading to a higher level.

This article has gotten longer than usual. If you have read this far, thank you. I hope that our efforts make all of your journeys on US Route 89 more enjoyable.

US Route 89 Fine Art Book Selected for U of A Library Special Collections
by James Cowlin

Tucson Festival of Books PaperWorks Exhibit
Our son, Mathew, and Barbara looking at some of the books in the PaperWorks exhibit at the Tucson Festival of Books
After our spring road trip last year, Barbara and I collaborated on the creation of a unique artist-made book. The book displayed thirty photographs selected from over 2,000 that I shot on the trip. I printed the photographs and Barbara used her skills as a bookmaker to craft a beautiful book to showcase them.

Barbara is a member the The Sonoran Collective for Paper and Book Artists, also know as PaperWorks. She responded to a call to display a book in the group's exhibit at the annual Tucson Festival of Books held on the campus of the University of Arizona. To Barbara's great surprise, but not to mine, her book was chosen to be included in the U of A Library Special Collections.

We are honored and pleased that a small piece of our work has a permanent home where others can enjoy it.

 

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