“Mr. Lund,” said the always cheery voice of Becky Otto when she called me from KELO a few weeks ago, “ Jay was wondering if you could stop down and see him at the station when you have a chance.”
Jay is Jay Huizenga..the President and General Manager of Keloland.
My ample stomach immediately began to churn as I pondered all the possible reasons why the boss wanted a meeting. Have they decided to pull the plug on my blog..or did I write something on there that I shouldn’t have?
So, I was a little nervous when I walked into his office the next day.
After the exchange of friendly greetings and a little talk about the upcoming golf season, Jay pulled out a brochure from his desk drawer which I recognized right away.
I’d seen similar pamphlets twice before in that very office in 1995 and 1997. They were from Holiday Vacations and it meant Linda and I were about to take the trips of a lifetime as hosts on a tour of Alaska and then to Norway two years later.
I couldn’t conceal my excitement when I figured out that, after 12 years, Linda and I were going to be invited to host another Holiday Vacations adventure..this time “Railroading through the Rockies.”
“Wanno go?” Jay said smiling.
He didn’t need to ask. The ear-to-ear grin on my face was answer enough.
Within a week, I was back in front of the Keloland cameras for the first time in a very long time recording ads for the tour..which when I last checked was really getting a lot of responses…many, I imagine from folks who have traveled with Holiday Vacations before because…as Linda and I can attest..they do things right. It’s first class all the way with everything taken care of..including air fare, baggage handling and many meals, so people can actually relax and simply enjoy the journey..with just enough free time to never feel rushed.
“Railroading through the Rockies” which runs from September 8th through the 17th, is really an experience of planes, trains and automobiles.(luxury motor coaches, actually) We fly to Seattle..take a ferry cruise to Victoria..then visit the famous Butchart Gardens..Victoria, provincial capital of B.C.Butchart Gardens, one of the most highly acclaimed horticultural exhibitions in the world.on to Vancouver..then it’s all aboard the “Rocky Mountaineer” for a two day rail adventure through the Canadian Rockies..staying overnight in hotels instead of the train. The Rocky MountaineerThe amazing Lake Louise one of just two natural blue water lakes in the world. Know what the other one is? Yup, Lake Okoboji.We’ll spend time in the mountain town of Banff and Banff National Park..visit beautiful Lake Louise..and later take in the Columbia Ice field aboard a special vehicle that takes you right onto the glacier.Buzzing about the ice fields in the comfort of a specially designed scenic bus.
Our adventure ends in Calgary for the flight home.
Sounds kinda fun doesn’t it?
If you want to find out more, I’ll be at the Country Inn and Suites in Watertown at 10 AM
and 1 PM on Wednesday, May 6th for a travel show in which Arlet Jorgensen from Holiday Vacations will be on hand with pictures and information about the tour. Then on Thursday, May 7th, Arlet and I will be at the Sheraton Sioux Falls & Convention Center for travel shows at 10 AM, 2 PM and 7 PM
If you can’t make it to the shows and would like more information about Railroading in the Rockies tour, call toll free, 1-800-826-2266.
Or, to check out the Holiday Vacations website CLICK HERE.