VISTAS May/June 2009 What's Inside: Roadside Reflections 2 Coming & Going 2 Book Club Tackles Challenging Concept Of Authenticity 3 Downloadable Maps Add Functionality To Your Byway Website 6 The Colorado Scenic And Historic Byways Program Welcomes 2009 National Scenic Byways Conference Visitors 10 the Survey Says... We received a tremendous response to our survey regarding the future format for Vistas. We're still tabulating the results as this issue goes to the press, so watch for information in the July/August Vistas. Thank you for participating! Published in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration by: America's Byways Resource Center 394 Lake Avenue South Suite 600 Duluth, MN 55802 1-866-974-6403 www.bywaysresourcecenter.org America's Byways Resource Center is a division of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC) in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This material is based upon work supported by the Federal Highway Administration and Arrowhead Regional Development Commission under cooperative agreement No. DTFH61-08-H-00007. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the Author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Federal Highway Administration and/or Arrowhead Regional Development Commission. The Arrowhead Regional Development Commission is an equal opportunity employer. Share Your Story Online With An Effective Byway Website You have a great byway, and you want the world to know it, too. The Internet is an essential communication tool for sharing your byway story. According to a survey conducted by Longwoods International® in 2006, approximately 50 percent of touring travelers used the Internet to plan their trips, and 67 percent of those travelers booked their travel online. In the three years since that survey, it's likely that those figures have risen even higher. Your byway can compete for tourism dollars with a strong online presence. Whether you're starting from a blank screen or enhancing your existing site, leverage the immediacy and reach of electronic communication by thinking through the form and content of your website, as well as the process for maintaining it. This article offers some insights. Many books and online sources about website development are available, too. Know Your Site's Purpose Before You Start Host a brainstorming session with byway volunteers, stakeholders and guest travelers. Ask: What do you expect from this site? Why do you want a website? What do you hope to gain from creating this communication tool? Data collection? User interaction? Learning experiences? Most byway sites exist to inform and promote. So, what information would be available and what would be promoted? Make lists of every answer. Keep the list for reference later—when it comes time to gather and upload content. Then, with your purpose in mind, your byway group can begin to answer some initial questions: Who are the primary users? Travelers? Byway volunteers? Both? Of course, anyone can access your site, but your site should speak to your intended audience. Always consider the users first! How much is it worth to you to speak to those users? Set a realistic budget and include plans for ongoing costs. Do you have volunteers or know friends or partners who have Web development expertise? Who will manage/maintain the site? Ask them to assist on an ongoing basis. How much staff/volunteer time do you have to invest in site management/maintenance? Will the site include advertising? Grant-funded sites may have restrictions on advertisements or endorsements. Would the site's value to users increase if you partnered with another byway or a group of byways? For example, byways from a State may work together, such as byways in Colorado (www.coloradobyways.org), Idaho (www.idahobyways.gov) and Arizona (www.arizonascenicroads.com), to offer the user a broader array of information about many types of tours. This lowers operating costs, but increases the need for byway cooperation and consensus on development processes. Who will host the site? Check prices and plans. Organize From The User's Perspective Again, think of the user. Why would the site's visitor want your information? How will visitors navigate your site? Websites are not linear. Users access data from many angles. Navigation connects pages within the site and also connects to other sites. Organize your information resources by making a list of what you want to share on your site. Refer back to your brainstorming list. Review your corridor management plan for subjects, too, such as your history, vision, mission, goals, as well as your byway story and intrinsic-quality highlights. The information you choose should reflect your site's purpose. The refined list of information areas is like a table of contents—and it comes in handy as you continue to develop the site. First, use it to create a schematic that shows the connection points. Group similar types of information together. These are the primary navigation points, such as About Us, Attractions, Itineraries, etc. This is the site's architecture. Informational websites typically grow as new information develops; your site will need to accommodate simple updates. However, and this is important, the main architecture does not change easily! Additions and updates, like furniture and decor within a house, can come and go—but the home's structure remains essentially the same once its built. Develop Content For Your Users Refer to your architecture and your information list. Gather all of the information and prepare it for uploading to your site. Be very wary of reproducing existing articles or photographs! Request permission in writing to use any copyrighted images or text. Or better yet, create your own. Minimize downloads—most of your information should be HTML code that appears as type on the screen. Downloadable maps are an exception (see Map article, page 8), because travelers will want to print directions for their trip. Also, some byways offer podcasts that travelers download to an MP3 player and hear while driving the route. See what the Meeting of the Great Rivers Byway and the Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway have done with their audio tours at www.greatriversbyway.com and www.paulbunyanscenicbyway.org/podcasts. Check For Accessibility Websites funded with National Scenic Byways Program monies must meet accessibility requirements under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794(d)). The Act requires that all electronic products be accessible to persons with disabilities, including those with vision, hearing, cognitive and mobility impairments. A good overview of the requirements can be found at: http://www.w3.org/WAI/gettingstarted/Overview.html. For complete information, visit http://www.access-board.gov/508.htm. Design For Easy Navigation You have only seconds to engage your website visitor. You're not there in person to show this online visitor where to find what interests them. Preview many byway websites and other travel-oriented sites to collect ideas. Using your site schematic, sketch the look of your site's pages. Create an intuitive and visually appealing navigation. Follow the two-click rule: It shouldn't take a user more than two clicks to get to the desire information, or to go back to the home page. Avoid busy site designs and stick with simple page colors. Once the site architecture is programmed, upload your content. Set a test period—at least a week—for your group members to click and read every link and every download. Skip nothing! Ask a few guests to try the site. Fix any trouble spots. Then launch the site for the public. Promote Your Site A website is useless without visitors. How can you reach your audience and drive them to your website? Try these affordable or free tactics: • Include your URL under your name in your e-mails (the e-mail signature) and on your byway documents. • Mention your URL whenever you're interviewed or participate in panels, conferences or other public events. • Use Google or another search engine to find appropriate online travel directories. Many accept free submissions. Search engine optimization, or SEO, increases the visibility of your site on the pages returned by Google, Yahoo or other search engines. An excellent introduction into this vast and ever-changing aspect of Web flow can be found at http://computer.howstuffworks.com/search-engine-optimization.htm. Check your library or bookstore, too. Here are three simple strategies to increase your ranking on a returned page. 1. Identify keywords about your byway. Include them in your metatag and sprinkle them throughout the headlines, subheads and text on your home page. 2. Submit your URL to Google, Yahoo, MSN and other search engines, as well directories, using their submission process. 3.Ask other sites to add your URL link, such as local chambers of commerce, partners, stakeholders, advocates, and other organizations friendly to your byway. Most likely, they will want you to add their links in exchange. The search engine sees multiple sites pointing to your URL as an indication of your importance, and your ranking on the return page increases. 4. Once you have tried these strategies, try typing your identified keywords into Google or another search engine. What comes up? Is your byway listed? Maintain Your Site Keep your site fresh. The content's accuracy becomes questionable if the website visitor suspects that your site is not regularly maintained. Timely news stories, changing photos or graphics, and an event calendar are great ways to show that a website is current. A three-month-old event still listed in the calendar, however, is a sure indicator that it's not. Some websites even have a footer that shows the date when the site was last updated. Woodward Avenue does a great job of keeping their site current. They mail e-newsletters frequently, and the dates of their news story posts are a sure indicator that the site isn't being ignored. Check them out at http://www.woodwardavenue.org/. Remember that developing and maintaining an effective website takes time. As your byway's most accessible promotional tool, it should be carefully planned, well designed, highly promoted and regularly maintained. Tap the power of the Internet to share your byway story with the world. Web Words As you develop your website, these are common words or terms you'll encounter. domain name – Part of the Domain Name System (DNS), the domain name is the registered name for the website address. e-mail signature – Most e-mail programs allow the user to create a unique signature that appears near the bottom of every e-mail sent by that user. HTML - HyperText Markup Language is used to create the text that users see on a screen. MP3 – This stands for MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, a digital format often used to store, share or play music or voice. SEO – Search engine optimization is an attempt to attract search engines, such as Google or Yahoo, to include your site on the return page for a user's query. PDF – Portable Document Format, introduced by Adobe Systems, allows computer users with different operating systems to view the same digitized document. URL – Uniform Resource Locator (URL) essentially means the full website address, such as http://www.byways101.org. webmaster – The person who monitors and maintains a website. About Byways.org As part of America's Byways®, your byway enjoys a competitive advantage online because it is featured on a significant and credible travel site at byways.org. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reaches out to the traveling public through this site. Travelers recognize the collection's Federal “stamp of approval” for your designated route through its America's Byways brand. Because byway groups often have more information than the format at byways.org allows, developing an individual website is a logical solution that strengthens your visibility online, too. FHWA will provide links to your website from byways.org. Conversely, by linking to byways.org on your site, you can tap into the credibility of the America's Byways brand and build exposure for both sites. Discuss Websites/Maps With Your Byway Peers! Do you have a byway website or examples of downloadable maps you'd like to share? Would you like some constructive feedback from your byway peers? Post your URL on the discussion forum at: www.bywaysonline.org/forums under the “National Scenic Byways Websites” section. Screen shots of some byway examples... www.woodwardavenue.org www.idahobyways.gov www.greatriversbyway.org Roadside Reflections by Michelle Johnson, Director, America's Byways Resource Center [picture: Michelle Johnson, Michelle Johnson, Director,America's Byways Resource Center] 10 Friends…And Counting A couple of months ago a friend of mine convinced me to join Facebook. She said it's a fun and easy way to stay connected with friends. She also said that our age group (35 plus) is the fastest growing user group (psst…she's way older than me). So far, I'm a tentative member of the Facebook community. I posted my picture and set up my profile. I have ten friends. A college friend, high school friends, and a friend from our local library, for example. My Uncle Paul requested me to be his friend. I accepted, and spied on his friend list. I was shocked to see my father's name. I didn't think my dad knew how to turn on a computer much less join Facebook! What was he doing there? And, more importantly, why didn't he ask to be my friend? I sent him a friend request and waited for a response. I was beginning to believe my suspicions that my brother was the favorite because it took seven days for a response. My dad had joined because his buddy had posted pictures of his new house and the only way to see them was to be a member. I'm a newbie to Facebook, but I see potential for creating dialogue and interest through these social media sites. Twitter, another popular site, has a tremendous number of users. They post “tweets” and twitter short sentences that answer the question, “What are you doing?” Celebrities twitter. Departments of Transportation twitter. Do you twitter? Should you? Kansas Scenic Byways Program uses Facebook to connect with people who love Kansas byways. There are almost 300 fans so far (including me). Kansas Scenic Byways Program staff asks questions, announces events, and shares products (maps, etc.) on this page. Kansas's site allows fans to send requests for maps and other information. Visitors easily and quickly share needed information. Sue Stringer, Local Byway Liaison for the Kansas Department of Transportation, explained to me (via old-fashioned telephone) that Facebook is a good resource to deliver travel and tourism information, especially to a new audience that may not have heard about the byways through traditional marketing. Also, using Facebook and Twitter allow the organization to appeal to a larger market and not spend huge amounts of advertising dollars. Rhode Island Department of Transportation also leverages technology to communicate news. Its Twitter page allows them to quickly communicate lane closures and incidents on the freeway, which helps reduce congestion and improve safety. Technology and the way we communicate are in a continuous state of evolution. But it's clear the Internet offers many ways to share information, network with peers and promote products and services. The use of technology today isn't just about being flashy and current—it's about adapting to the ways in which your audience finds, gathers and uses information. In this issue of Vistas, we're taking a closer look at what, how and to whom your byway websites communicate. We'll explore social networking in a future issue, too. Until then, will you be my friend? Coming & Going [picture: Duane Lula] Welcome, Duane Lula Duane Lula, a USDA Forest Service employee, is serving in a detail as the acting Federal Lands Scenic Byways Coordinator at the America's Byways Resource Center. His position is funded through an Interagency Agreement with the USDA Forest Service, USDI Bureau of Land Management, Federal Highway Administration, and the America's Byways Resource Center. His responsibilities include: • Assisting in strengthening the partnership between the America's Byways Resource Center and the Federal land management agencies participating in the National Scenic Byways Program • Better integrating the Federal Lands Scenic Byways Program into the National Scenic Byways Program • Providing technical assistance and support to Federal land management agency byway program managers • Encouraging information sharing, coordination and collaboration across Federal byway programs When not on detail, Duane works as the Recreation and Wilderness Program Manager for the Superior National Forest in Minnesota. He can be reached at 218-625-3302 or dlula@bywayscenter.org. Welcome, Duane! BOOK CLUB TACKLES CHALLENGING CONCEPT OF AUTHENTICITY Authenticity is inherent to America's Byways®, and it's integral to the visitor experiences byway providers are creating, enhancing and promoting. We've talked about authenticity in Vistas articles before it became trendy among retailers and service providers, but not in the concrete terms that you'll find in the book Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want by James H. Gilmore & Joseph Pine II (Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA 2007). Authenticity And Byways Is your byway experience authentic? How can you render authenticity among your byway sites? From October 2008 through January 2009, America's Byways Resource Center hosted a book club to discuss these questions as they related to the ideas in Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want, and connected the text to various byway-related challenges. Book club members met periodically via conference calls to talk about authentic visitor experiences on their byways, focusing on concepts covered in the book, such as: The Axioms of Authenticity Axiom 1: If you are authentic, then you don't have to say you're authentic. Axiom 2: If you say you are authentic, then you'd better be authentic. Axiom 3: It's easier to be authentic, if you don't say you're authentic. Source: Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want, James H. Gilmore and B. Joseph Pine II, Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 2007. Gilmore and Pine offer these axioms plus others, and provide thoughtful insights to many more concepts for rendering authenticity. Learn more about their ideas and reaction from their readers at the website http://authenticitybook.com/. The Byway Book Club Debates The club discussed and debated the book's axioms and many other concepts and premises from the text, including: • The Real / Fake Matrix • Placemaking • Additional Authenticity Axioms • How to Render Authenticity At times, our discussions were open and free-flowing, leaning toward the academic. Other times we focused on the practicalities of the concept, such as how the proposed concepts could be implemented on byways. We tried to answer specific questions about the concepts covered in the text. We discovered these are not simple concepts, nor are they easily implemented. Sometimes the answers were not clear, and the book club could not always achieve consensus. We often debated how to implement these axioms and other concepts on our byways. Some of the quotations we debated included: • Richard Justis, Logan Canyon NSB – "...With byways, (these axioms) made me aware of the fact that in marketing, sometimes we're trying to sell what the public wants; on the other hand, if you are concerned about your authenticity, then what you really want to do is sell what you are. Somehow we have to balance the two." • Janet Kennedy, Lakes to Locks AAR – "...I don't think you market authenticity; it has to exude from you and your offerings." • Debbie Divine, Byway Professional – "We need to tie authenticity to what your byway's key intrinsic qualities are." All of us quickly saw that this topic is inherent to the existence of America's Byways as reflected in the intrinsic qualities identified in the individual corridor management plans. Authenticity, too, is essential to the long-term success of America's Byways. Authenticity Discussions Continue The book club recommends that byway members talk about authenticity, even if you don't read the book. Encourage a dialogue. The book club agreed to continue this discussion with the greater byway community, and we'll start by hosting a Roundtable Session at the 2009 National Scenic Byways Conference in Denver, Colorado this August. Also, we'll also lead a classroom session at the conference about byway authenticity. Check your conference brochure and the Resource Center website for registration details. Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want © 2007 James H. Gilmore and B. Joseph Pine II. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Questions About Authenticity The Byway Book Club members pondered several questions related to byways and authenticity. Here are some of them. Pose them to your byway group—you might be surprised at the responses! • Do we market ideal or real experiences along our byways? • How do we use stories to enhance the byway traveler's authentic experience? • What does it mean to a business and/or to a byway or byway organization to render (to cause to be; to provide; to portray) authenticity? • In trying to create a legacy of authentic experiences on America's Byways, what are the next steps to instilling that legacy? The America's Byways Resource Center hosted this national forum for the byway community to provide a means for byways to discuss and define for themselves the concept of authenticity. The results of such a forum, while documented and available to the public, should not be viewed as an endorsement of any particular policy or Program direction by the Federal Highway Administration or the America's Byways Resource Center. Use of Authenticity, by James H. Gilmore and B. Joseph Pine II (Harvard Business School Press, 2007), is for discussion purposes only. Its use, or the use of any other resources, should not be viewed as an endorsement by the Federal Highway Administration or the America's Byways Resource Center. Visit http://authenticitybook.com/ to see more about the book's discussion of authenticity. Downloadable Maps Add Functionality To Your Byway Website As your byway develops its website in addition to your page on byways.org (see front cover story), you're likely to offer a downloadable map. Tech-savvy Byways Specialist Curt Pianalto, who has a strong interest in byway wayshowing issues and solutions, reviewed many individual byway sites. "My motive behind this activity was to get a big-picture feel for how byways are communicating with potential visitors online and to gauge if byways, which are geographic in nature, are providing downloadable maps," he said. "A map may be the one tool that acknowledges the geographic and sociological elements of your region." Curt explained the importance of map in terms of the Five Stages of Travel (see diagram below) associated with effective wayshowing. Potential travelers experience various wayshowing needs during each stage, which byways can address. "Let's take a hypothetical situation," Curt said. "A family is traveling to another State for a relative's wedding. They want to see some of the local sites, so they arrive a day early at a local hotel. There, the family uses a guest computer to help find information and plan local activities. A query on a prominent search engine, such as Google, for the geographical region returns a byway website URL. Off-the-beaten-path exploring sounds great, so the family clicks the link. The byway website offers suggestions for day trips and places to visit, plus a downloadable PDF map to print on the hotel's 8.5-inch x 11-inch sheets. The family clicks again, and can receive a simple printout to help them plan the day's activities and take in the car with them." Clearly, after creating a strong online presence with your byway's website, providing a downloadable PDF map is a significant element in attracting visitors. Curt said, “Many byways have already created useful and detailed map-and-guide brochure materials. These are excellent reference sources for byway travelers. But if travelers don't discover that brochure until they're actually traveling your byway, it's too late. In the Five Stages of Travel, a byway brochure provides one planning element when it is available prior to arrival." Curt suggests that providing a downloadable map may be a highly effective way of enticing and persuading prospective travelers during the critical planning stage to consider visiting your byway. What's On That Map? Most often, website visitors expect to print one map on an 8.5-inch x 11-inch sheet of paper. This limits your content to a graphic of the route and perhaps a few key pieces of information primarily based on human need and travel expectations. If you add too much information, the map becomes busy and unreadable—unusable. Some possible things you could show on your map: • Geographic direction • Traveler services (rest areas, service stations, etc.) • Intrinsic-quality sites and descriptions • Distances to key sites on the byway • Directions to byway from Interstate or other major points • Other important roads with appropriate highway logos • Cities and towns • Important safety information (road conditions, etc.) • Designated Federal or Indian tribe lands (i.e., Forest Service, NPS, etc.) • Lodging / restaurants / shopping / attractions It's unlikely your one-page map can show all of that information. "Think strategically," said Curt. "Remember what the map is intended to do. Then choose appropriate information that meets that intention." Private businesses along a byway pose a mapping quandary, according to Curt. First, it's difficult to show them all—and if you show one, then all will expect to be included. Second, they may change names, locations, or merchandise/services. Third, some States or grants do not allow businesses to be advertised; however, some will allow a directory of basic information, such as name, phone number, address, website, and brief description. “Some byways have addressed these issues by only showing information on businesses that are official members of their organization,” Curt said. Check your State's or funding organization's policies and be consistent in your approach. Curt recommended that a clear, concise, professional and official-looking overview map should show: • The byway route with other key crossroads and important towns and cities clearly displayed • One to three key visitor stops that offer more information and a sense of place and location • Icons or symbols to indicate public rest rooms and/or important safety information •Icons or symbols to highlight your byway's intrinsic quality. "Can your visitor form an impression of what your byway is about and gain an idea or two of things to do by looking at your map?" asked Curt. He noted that byways may want to consider additional PDFs, such as a two-page brochure with short descriptions or close-up sections of the overview map on single pages. He cautioned that maintaining map scale consistency is important to byway visitors. "The byway's length and complexity dictate an appropriate scale," he explained. “Your entire byway may not fit onto an 8.5-inch x 11-inch map and still provide even a low level of detail. If that's the case, increasing the size of the map reduces the information so much that it becomes unreadable and unusable. You may need to split your byway map into two or three portions to effectively display it on letter-sized paper. Map scale is the first important decision you make in actually creating a downloadable map." Curt pointed to a few byways that he thinks effectively provide maps on their websites. “None of these examples are perfect, but what map is perfect?” he commented. “These websites show ways to deliver supplemental traveler information beyond what the America's Byways site can offer.” He noted that many more byways have also done an exceptional job in creating maps; their exclusion in no way suggests that their publications are not effective. [chart] Five Stages of Travel Pre-VISIT Available Travel Options Choose/Select Description: The point at which a propective traveler choose or sellects a particular byways trip opportunity from all available travel options Plan/Prepare Description: The stage when the prospective traveler begins to plan and prepare for the trip VISIT Travel/Visit Description: The 'event' itself and what will provide the core memories and authentic engagement for the byway traveler Post-VISIT Recall/Reflect Description: Following a byway visit, travelers yearn for ways and things that will help recall sites, stories, and experiences Repeat/Share An important stage when people decide to: 1. Revisit 2. Travel to another byway 3. Encourage someone else to visit Thinking Of Creating A Map? Think, Think, Think! Tremendous thought, planning, testing and technical computer skills go into producing a downloadable map. Drawing a route is just one part of the process. Most map projects require outside assistance of some kind. You can jump-start the process by thinking through some important points: • Is the map a downloadable PDF? A map integrated into the website as an HTML page or as a JPEG image are fine. However, for printouts, a PDF seems to be the most universal and usable format. Many websites translate your files into the PDF format free of charge. A PDF means that a traveler can save a copy to his computer to view it anytime, without connecting to the Internet. If you create the map from scratch, perhaps you will want to copyright it. • Does the map print easily? Test your map on many printers. If it is intended as a color map, does it function when printed in black? Refrain from using color differences to symbolize essential information on your map. Blues and greens may appear too similar on some printers, for example. Some color is nice, but check that the map functions without it. How is the legibility and clarity? Does it use the whole page without spilling onto another page? • Is the map a manageable download size? Generally, a file less than 2MB is easily downloaded and easily e-mailed. Some visitors may not be able download a file larger than that, nor print out large quantities of pages. You needn't abandon large, multiple-page files, but provide an option with a map and a brief brochure that use less than three pages and 2MB. • Has the map been double-checked? Ask a professional resource to vet your map, such as a local road management authority or a local land management agency. The State DOT, county highway department or Forest Service office (to name a few) usually has experts that work with maps. They may provide valuable insights about how your map looks and functions. They may also share official icons to add to the map's credibility and professionalism. Also, have you vetted your map with people who are unfamiliar with your byway? Ask a visiting family member or friend if they could use this map to help plan a day's activities. Ask your Byways Specialist at America's Byways Resource Center for its test to help you assess the usefulness of your downloadable map. • What about interactive maps? Several travel websites offer an interactive map, an engaging and informative online tool that allows visitors see, move about, zoom in and out, and navigate through the map using the cursor and mouse. Unfortunately, many of these maps are difficult to print. The National Park Service uses a very interactive yet printable map. Check out the Natchez Trace Byway on the NPS website at http://www.nps.gov/natr/. Click on the “View Map” tab on the top of the page. This map allows the user to be able to print any view or zoom level. • What about Google Maps? It's important to develop an effective map specifically for your byway. Google Maps won't show travelers your byway's off-the-beaten-path gems. However, Google Maps has value in helping travelers find your byway and it's a familiar tool for them. • Is the download option clearly visible? Keep the “download” button on the top of every website page. It suggests to viewers that you think the map is important—so it must be important to them, too. Make navigation clear and easy for your visitors, just as you do on your byway. EXAMPLES Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway (New Mexico) www.turquoisetrail.org Curt commented: Click and download the map and brochure. You'll see download buttons on the top of the home page—and on every page on this website. The Turquoise Trail has done a great job of creating a map and accompanying short guide that presents an incredible amount of information in an engaging, yet informative way. Granted, this is a relatively short byway and one that does not have a complex route system. As a traveler, I would be very comfortable with this printed copy, assuming I could print in color. It shows how to get to the byway, and about how long I could expect to stay on the route. Not too much information clutters the map; instead, there is enough information to inspire me to make this trip. Standing Rock National Native American Scenic Byway (Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation; North Dakota & South Dakota) www.standingrockbyway.org/index.asp Curt commented: This represents a great example of a professional yet simple-functioning website. This website is easy to navigate, and it's very clear what's important to this byway experience. The design also features easy-to-find download options for a map and an accompanying brochure. Click on “Map & Directions” and you can download a one-page PDF map. Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway (Illinois) www.illinoisriverroad.org/downloads.cfm Curt commented: This byway website provides a handy “Links & Downloads” button that remains on the top of all the site's pages. Once you get to the Downloads page, you can download a brochure or a nicely detailed overall map. The “Illinois River Road Map with Site Lists” is a download that uses 11MB (megabytes) of memory, which is fairly large and may be difficult for dial-up users. However, this byway has also created gateway experiences along the route. The Illinois River Road then provides very detailed close-up PDF maps at smaller memory sizes, showing the major byway sites within those gateway experiences. A traveler can choose a potential gateway excursion and easily print the appropriate map. Two more examples to check out: – International Selkirk Loop (www.selkirkloop.org/pdfs/mapprint.pdf) – Seaway Trail (www.seawaytrail.com/05_maps.asp) 2009 National Scenic Byways Conference Elevate Your Expertise Denver, Colorado August 23-26 Exciting learning and networking experiences focus on core byway topics: Finances, Byway Organization, Corridor Management, Visitor Experience, and Marketing. See the full brochure and more details, plus links to register and book your hotel room online, at www.BywaysResourceCenter.org. You'll also find information about pre-conference tours presented by the Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways Program and descriptions of informal gathering options. Join the byway community in Denver this summer, and reach new heights! [logo: America's Byways Resource Center] [logo: National Scenic Byways Program] [logo: U. S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration] byways.org bywaysresourcecenter.org bywaysonline.org The Colorado Scenic And Historic Byways Program Welcomes 2009 National Scenic Byways Conference Visitors The Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways Program, one of the country's oldest formal programs, is especially excited to host the National Scenic Byways Conference in Denver, August 23-26, during our 20th anniversary year. The Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways program is a Statewide partnership intended to provide recreational, educational and economic benefits to Coloradans and visitors through the designation, interpretation, protection, infrastructure development and promotion of a system of outstanding touring routes. There are currently 25 designated Scenic and Historic Byways located across the State, totaling 2,524 miles. Ten of these byways are also part of the collection known as America's Byways®, designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation as All-American Roads or National Scenic Byways. Colorado Byway leaders will roll out the welcome mat to people from all over the U.S.A. Before, during, and after the conference, help us celebrate 20 years of success stories as we showcase a few of our outstanding achievements and offer a wide variety of truly unique byway experiences. Enjoy Learning On The Road During the 2009 National Scenic Byways Conference, you can choose one field workshop to provide an up-close look at one of four State-designated Scenic and Historic Byways here. Ever stood on top of a 14,000-foot mountain? Field workshops visit the Mount Evans Scenic and Historic Byway, which extends from the historic mining town of Idaho Springs to the summit of 14,264-foot Mount Evans. The 49‑mile route is the highest paved highway in North America and offers spectacular views of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. It also provides a wide variety of challenges in the placement and maintenance of interpretive facilities. You'll hear about those issues and also have a chance to visit Idaho Springs as this historic town celebrates the 150th anniversary of the discovery of gold in the area, which lead to the Gold Rush in the Rocky Mountains and Colorado's eventual Statehood. The nearby Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway, which travels between the historic towns of Georgetown and Grant, offers another high-mountain experience. From the top of this 11,669‑foot mountain pass, marvel at panoramic views, maybe catch a glimpse of bighorn sheep or a mountain goat and see remnants of the historic gold and silver mining era. Learn about the heritage tourism and historic preservation efforts within the Georgetown-Silver Plume National Historic Landmark District with a stop in the picturesque mining town of Georgetown. What do Dinosaurs, Buffalo Bill, and the Beatles all have in common? Find out on the Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway. Four different field workshops travel along this 40-mile route connecting Golden, Lookout Mountain, Evergreen and Morrison. Stops include the Buffalo Bill Museum & Grave and the world famous Red Rocks Amphitheater where the Beatles played. This byway is also a gateway to the Denver Mountain Parks and Jefferson County Open Space systems, all within sight of downtown Denver. Rustic architecture, winding canyon roads, and dinosaur tracks—this byway has it all. One field session follows in the footsteps of a Pope and a President and travels on the Peak to Peak Scenic and Historic Byway. This byway connects Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park with the historic mining towns of Black Hawk and Central City. In between, you might even spot a steam shovel used to dig the Panama Canal. Less than an hour's drive from Denver, this 55‑mile route offers numerous recreational opportunities and remnants from the late 19th-century mining boom. Register Early For Special Pre-Conference Tours! For people interested in spending a few extra days exploring and learning in Colorado, three pre-conference field workshops will visit some of the State's nationally designated byways. All three workshops will focus on partnerships and how these byways have addressed wayfinding, interpretation, resource protection and marketing in terms of their intrinsic qualities. A three-day tour of the Western Slope, starting on Friday, August 21 from Grand Junction, visits three distinct byways in and around Colorado's Wine Country. The trip begins on the 138‑mile Unaweep/Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway, which passes through the geologically mysterious Unaweep Canyon, and the high, narrow Dolores River Canyon, and reaches the high plains of the Colorado Plateau. Stops may include the Gateway Car Museum and the historic Hanging Flume, a unique interpretive project. The moving workshop also travels a portion of the San Juan Skyway, an All-American Road situated in the spectacular San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado. Participants cross the Dallas Divide, a picturesque mountain pass in the shadow of 14,150-foot Mt. Sneffels that borders some of the country's most scenic high mountain ranches. The final stop is on the Grand Mesa National Scenic Byway, between I‑70 and Cedaredge. The stunning 63‑mile route begins in the scenic Plateau River Canyon, and climbs through forests and meadows full of wildflowers to the Grand Mesa, with its splendid panoramic views. The workshop ends in Denver on Sunday, in time for the opening events. Two pre-conference field workshops leave from Denver on Saturday August 22 for overnight stays along two of Colorado's America's Byways. One travels the Gold Belt Tour, a 131‑mile National Scenic Byway between Florissant, Cripple Creek, Victor, Florence and Canon City. The route follows the historic Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad grade through Phantom Canyon; the Shelf Road, providing access to the Garden Park Fossil Area (Florissant Fossil Beds) and the High Park Road with scenic views of Pikes Peak. Learn about the byway's innovative interpretation products and ongoing preservation program. Also choose from a float trip, museums visits, a melodrama and walking tours. And finally, one pre-conference workshop features the Top of the Rockies National Scenic Byway, 115 miles of high-mountain splendor connecting Leadville, Minturn and the Copper Mountain Resort with Twin Lakes, Independence Pass and Aspen. This route offers the visitor an abundance of Colorado history, including stories of early-day, fortune-seeking miners and the brave men of the 10th Mountain Division. An overnight stay in Aspen is part of this workshop, along with an in-depth look at the historic ghost town of Independence, and a trip over the spectacular 12,095-foot-high Independence Pass. Sign up early! Seats are limited on all of these Colorado adventures. For more information on these and other designated scenic byways in Colorado, check out our website at www.coloradobyways.org or visit www.colorado.com for help in planning your trip to Colorado. [picture: Guanella Pass Scenic and Historic Byway] [picture: Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway] [picture: Mount Evans Scenic and Historic Byway] Calendar Send calendar entries by the 5th of each month to center@byways.org 2009 JUNE June 1-3 ITS America's Annual Meeting & Exposition National Harbor, Maryland Intelligent Transportation Society (ITS) of America For more information, please visit: www.itsa.org/annualmeeting.html June 14-19 NCAI Mid Year Conference Niagara Falls, New York National Congress of American Indians For more information, please visit: www.ncai.org/Conferences_Events.7.0.html June 18-28 The Gettysburg Festival: Celebrating America's Cultural Arts Gettysburg, Pennsylvania For more information, please visit: www.gettysburgfestival.org/ JULY July 8-10 It's Tourism Time Phoenix, Arizona Arizona Governor's Conference on Tourism From more information, please visit: www.aztourismconference.com/ July 9-12 Southeastern Equestrian Trails Conference Gainesville, Florida Southeastern Distance Riders Association For more information, please visit: www.southeasternequestriantrails.com July 27-30 The 27th Annual National LTAP/TTAP Conference: Building Bridges in the Iron City Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania PennDOT LTAP/Region 3 LTAP Centers For more information, please visit: www.dot7.state.pa.us/LTAP/Public/ RegistrationInfo.aspx AUGUST August 18-22 OCTA Annual National Convention: Cherokee Trail to the West, 1849-1859 Colorado-Cherokee Trail Chapter of Oregon-California Trails Association For more information, please visit: www.octa-colorado.org/ 2009_convention.htm August 23-26 (Resource Center workshop) 2009 National Scenic Byways Conference: Elevate Your Expertise Denver, Colorado America's Byways Resource Center For more information, please visit: www.bywaysresourcecenter.org August 23-27 National Rural ITS Conference Seaside, Oregon Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Oregon For more information, please visit: www.nritsconference.org/ September September 20-23 American Indian Tourism Conference Santa Fe, New Mexico American Indian/Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) For registration, please visit: www.aianta.org OCTOBER October 11-14 Rally 2009: The National Land Conservation Conference Portland, Oregon Land Trust Alliance For more information, please visit: www.landtrustalliance.org/learning/rally or email: rally@lta.org. October 11-16 NCAI 66th Annual Convention Palm Springs, California National Congress of American Indians For more information, please visit: www.ncai.org/Conferences_Events.7.0.html October 13-17 National Preservation Conference: Creating The Future in Harmony with our Pasts National Trust for Historic Preservation Nashville, Tennessee For more information, please visit: www.preservationnation.org/resources/ training/npc/ October 25-28 8th Annual Mid America Trails & Greenways Conference Kalamazoo, Michigan For more information, please visit: www.michigantrails.org/news/ mid-america-trails-greenways-conference/ Change of Address? Just e-mail your name and new address to center@byways.org to receive Vistas at your new location. SHARE THE NEWS Contact Vistas Editor: Leah Kohlts Direct: 218-625-3301 lkohlts@byways.org VISTAS is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper, processed chlorine free. America's Byways Resource Center 394 Lake Avenue South, Suite 600 Duluth, MN 55802