Thursday, February 26, 2009

Winter driving, Yosemite

We get so many questions on this topic, let me give you the low-down.

Yosemite Winter Driving: When calling Yosemite's roads & weather hotline, 209-372-0200 when Chain Controls are in effect, you will get instructions of R1, R2 or R3. Here is what each of these mean:

R-1 Chains are required – snow tread tires are allowedPark road signs will show “AUTOS & PICKUPS SNOW TIRES OK”, “Carry Chains”. Tires must be rated for snow (M-S or M+S, All Season). Snow tires must have a minimum tread depth of 6/32 of an inch to be legal. You still need to carry chains in your vehicle. If your tires don’t meet these requirements you must use chains.

R-2 Chains are required on “All” vehicles except four-wheel drive vehicles with snow tires on all four wheels. Park road signs will show “4W DRIVE WITH SNOW TIRES OK”, “Carry Chains”. Four wheel drive vehicles meeting this requirement must still carry tire chains.

R-3 Chains are required – “All” vehicles – no exceptions. It might be a better choice on days like this to sit curled up with a book until tomorrow when the weather is often nicer.

The posted speed limit in the park is 25 mph when chain requirements are in effect. State Law requires you to carry chains in your vehicle when entering an active chain control area. Tire traction devices can be link chain, cable chain and/or spider straps. For more info: www.dot.ca.gov/roadinfo/wntrdriv.htm.

Word on the street is that Fox and Dollar car rentals allow chains on their rental cars and will rent chains to you. Consider these car rental companies when winter driving in the Sierras.

Clock & Sleep Package

This last year Victor has taken up the art of antique clock collecting and has learned the gentle trade of fixing most problems. His venture into the world of clocks has taken him on journeys throughout California as his searches of Craigs List and Ebay have turned up some interesting pieces. We even discovered half a dozen clocks on our Recipe Research trip to bring home with us. These of course were of the mantel style and not the wall hanging style so all we had to do to bring them home was to buy another suitcase.

Our dining room, salons and hallways, mantels and piano tops are now well decorated wtih timeless clocks, providing a really neat ambiance that goes well with our collection of historic building photographs.

As fevered as he is for the next discovery, I am to sell these clocks! We now have more than the hotel can hold. Please don't tell Victor, but if you want to buy a clock, I would throw in a complimentary nights stay (for purchases of $500 or more on stays completed by April 2nd, 2009. So don't delay, enjoy our clock and stay package today! Make buying an antique clock a get-away adventure. Call for details, some restrictions apply.

Get the whole story! www.HotelCharlotte.com/clocks.html.

Friday, February 13, 2009

While we were gone.....

While the Owner's Away the Parents Will Play
While Victor & I were away traveling in the Southern Hemisphere, my parents Jim & Marge minded the store (that is the Hotel Charlotte) for us. They're not afraid to exercise their authority, to take charge of things, to run amok a bit even perhaps. Rumors we've heard about what went on while we were away include:

They put Goose on a diet! (Poor little guy looks positively svelt now, hurry in to see him before he replenishes his treats and bones supply.)

Cleaning Binge catches fire... no they didn't burn the place down, but they did start an early-spring-cleaning movement that has continued since our return with Victor shampooing all the carpets in the hotel and at our rental units, poor fellow just got back from vacation and they put him right to work!

Clutter Clearing of a massive sort! Can you believe that on a recent trip to Helping Hands I discover long saved vases of many odd shapes, baubles and bits that I have had for years and a relished relic from high school that I figured would find a place in our home sometime. Upon exclaiming that these were all my items, the generous folks at Helping Hands offered to sell them back to me. Needless to say, I declined.

Apparently Jim & Marge even had guests in each weekend to take part in knock down games of Dominos. Rumor has it the sound of tiles being slapped down on the table could be heard for miles... really for miles!

Anyway, this little missive is by way of saying THANK YOU SO MUCH to Jim & Marge Upthagrove for taking such good care of all things at the Charlotte for us yet again, and to Tony and Linda Flores for keeping them company on the weekends with Board Games in the parlor.

Hugs & Kisses to my folks, Lynn.