ADVENTURE SPORTS BY WINA STURGEON 5/14
FOURTH ANNUAL "BE A TOURIST" TWO-FOR-ONE
Want to go at two-for-one prices to Snowbird, Utah Olympic Park, Thanksgiving Point, or a bunch of other local tourist spots?
Download your free coupons at the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau web site: www.VisitSaltLake.com/backyard.
The promotion, called "Be a Tourist In Your Own Backyard" hopes to entice locals to visit sites, like Tracy Aviary and Boondocks Fun Center, that we Utahns may leave to visitors.
People who live in New York may never visit the Statue of Liberty. People who live in Hollywood may never ride the attractions at Universal Studios. But the Visitors Bureau hopes that we who live in the land of the 2002 Olympics will take advantage of our own commercial attractions, especially when two can go for half price.
MUFFY DOES GOOD
Salt Lake's Muffy Davis put paralympic skiing on the map when she dominated the sport during several Olympic Games and World Championships.
Retired and married, she is now the face behind the 2007 GAIN Utah Inclusive Golf Tournament, where disabled golfers play off against each other. The event takes place June 4, at Thanksgiving Point Golf course in Lehi.
Muffy, who has a distinguised career at the University of Utah, is still looking for corporporate sponsors. If you or your company is interested, telephone her at (801) 581-2526.
SKI TEAM LEAVES FOR MAMMOTH
If you've still got the ski bug, and want to be on the slopes with the besst, head for Mamoth Ski Area in California. The U. S. ski team racers are there right now, training.
It's the first of the summer on-snow camps for the racers. There's no time off when you want to ski at a national team level. From Mammoth, the team will head to Oregon's Mt. Hood (provided the road has been fixed), then to Australia, New Zealand and South America.
Join the ski team and see the world!
RESORTS STILL RUNNING
Most of the snow may be gone, but the two "S's," Snowbird and Snowbasin, are still open for business. The 'Bird is still running its tram, and skiing is still good on Little Cloud, PR director Laura Schaffer says.
"We had a couple of thousand people come up for the final day of the regular season (May 13). It was a festive atmosphere, and everyone fights to get on the last tram. You won't be able to ski down by this weekend, but it will still be good on Little Cloud. We will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday," she said.
Snowbasin does not have any gondolas running, but there is fine dining at Earl's Lodge for breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekends.
The 'Basin's PR Director, Mary Rowland, says the resort is getting ready for its first race, a 5 and 10 K. The annual "Flying Moose" uses the same course as the X-Terra.
The events are $20 each, or $25 on the day of the race. There will also be a children's obstacle style challenge race in Wildflower Meadow for $5. All participants will be entered into a drawing for a winter season pass.