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Winter in Moab is happening. The word is, winter has not blanketed and chilled Moab like this since 1973. A quick outing to the Bar M Chuckwagon on north Highway 191 to the Brands Mountain Bike trails served to delight.

A previous adventurer left cross country ski tracks on the Bar M Loop and out under the bridge toward Gemini Bridges. The snow is healthy for skiing. A person can walk it too.

Snow walking advisory: Bring eye wear that wraps around the eye. The snow, the sun, it is bright out there.  Goggles were tucked into a supply bag left at the car. The fuller wrapping sunglasses for biking were snug in a purse at the car. The plain old sunglasses were not quite the right eye wear. The cool breeze, dried and irritated the eyes. With one of the options that were thought of, yet still left behind, the eyes would have been much more comfortable.

Bring poles. Get an upper body work out. Stabilize your steps. It is bumpy and uneven out there.

It is quiet once you get behind the hogback. It is sparkly. Bring a camera and good luck capturing the enormous frost flakes.

And enjoy.

Roomrates are reduced in Moab in Winter. Bring your Board Conference to Moab this winter.

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Four concerts were attracted to the Historic Star Hall in Moab to perform in 2009 as a result of divining a presence for community venues which were buried in city and county website pages.

During the year there was opportunity to attend the following Conferences: Exhibitor2009, Affordable Meetings West, World Education Congress (MPI) Salt Lake City, T.E.A.M.S. (Travel, Events, and Management in Sports) in New Orleans. Teeming with event professionals, conversations fortified better understanding of Event Planner objections to locate an event in Moab, Utah. Simultaneously, those objections have garnered solutions. Transportation concerned our planners. Direct flights arrive daily via Denver Colorado with capacity of 38 travelers. So Moab becomes the destination for board conferences, corporate golf retreats and such. We have alignment with three charter jet services for point to point flights. Moab is two hours or less away from the west coast Seattle to San Diego.

The Moab Utah Meetings and Events website's analytical statistics were monitored. Browsers of the world wide web were entering the website for the topic of weddings. Thus our destination thrusts to campaign that Moab is not purely an adventure and leisure destination, but a wedding and honeymoon destination on top of the effort to make Moab known for Meetings.

Wedding planners, brides,and grooms, especially of Utah and Colorado, Moab has representation of our wedding services and venues at the following shows:

January 2, 2010 at the Grand America hotel of Salt Lake City

January 26, 2010 at the Mile High Station of Denver

February 13, 2010 at the Provo High School in Provo, Utah.

Planners may want to attend to discover new partners for catering, officiates, florists, photographers, wedding destinations and venues. Moab cordially invites readers to share this news to enable Moab Visitors to meet face to face with a Moab tourism representative. Brides are eligible for gifts provided by the exhibiting vendors. Wedding planners please advise your bride and groom clients to attend these shows to generate ideas to help design the style of a wedding event.

Moab can be found on many wedding websites or find out directly about Moab Weddings. Plus, Moab's Facility and Event Promoter, Michele Hill, is available by telephone 435-259-1340 and email info@moabutah.info.

Cool weather camping

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Since Thanksgiving has just passed, take a look at this blog entry. http://bit.ly4Skakb. The impressive aspect of this adventure are the 4-6 year old bicyclists on Moab's famous Slick Rock, albeit not the slick rock trail, per se. It occurs to me too, that the Dead Horse Point State Park Intrepid Trails are another fine kid trail, since I know it was pedaled in May with a 6 speed  town cruiser.

Athletes are attracted to Moab. Read this runner's blog of the 2nd 50K Ultimate XC race http://bit.ly/62CJXj. The trails of this lengthy route exhibited Moab's finest outback sights, all taking place on durable trails usually for motorized vehicles, but this event it shared the trail with runners from a little bit of everywhere. See the race results.

The Folk Festival occured at the start of the month. Anyone visiting the Grand County Library was treated to the lovely sounds wafting on the still November air. The signage indicated the multiple venues involved in the sum of performances. The Folk Camp preceded the arrival of the knock out musical line up and many local Moab residents took advantage of lessons in voice and instruments. Consider it for yourself next year.

The Big Horn Sheep Festival took place with an informative power point presentation at the Moab Information Center and then participants and biologists took the field with spotting scopes and binoculars to view these iconic desert - canyon creatures.

There were many other visitors from around the states as this facebook album attests to visitors from Minnesota and those who took to ropes to explore the Moab area http://www.bogley.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19237

I read one account of a Moab visit that was followed with some snow shoeing in Durango. The La Sal Mountains offer snow shoe and x-c ski opportunities. Locally, Gear Heads and Rim Cyclery rent snow shoes. Rim rents cross country skis, boots and poles. Just another winter enjoyment of our little community.

Michele Hill

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Mini Travel Trade Show and Reception to take place soon and Moab participates.

December 1, 2009 at the Boulder Marriot

December 2, 3009 at the Denver Warwick Hotel

December 3, 2009 at the Manor Vail Lodge

Travel Professionals receive free admission. Registration to attend and further details can be found upon http://www.travel-shows.com/Home.html

A variety of Travel Credentials can be presented for admission to the 5:30 pm - 7:45 pm tradeshow with refreshments, door prizes and prime one-on-one time to learn more about the destinations exhibiting.

Among the attendees: International Airlines Travel Agent Network (IATAN0), American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), Outside Sales Support Network (OSSN), National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA), Certified Travel Cousellor (CTC), Master Cruise Counsellor (MCC),  Travel Professionals Network (TPN), Distinguished Travel Professionals (DTP), Destination Specialists (DS), Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Certified Government Meeting Professional (CGMP), Certified Meeting Manager (CMM), Certified Corporate Travel Executives (CCTE), Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) and Corporate Travel Expert (CTE).

Moab Area Travel Council spreading the word: Moab Means Business (too)!

Moab Utah Meetings and Events Facility and Event Promoter will connect planners to Moab's Venues and Services. Michele Hill 435-259-1340.

Moab based businesses are invited to help announce: Another Reason to Love Moab: Meetings and Events! Link to the Meetings and Events website http://www.moabutah.info.

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Moab Utah – The Utah Society of Association Executives (USAE) meet at the Salt Lake City Hilton on November 17, 2009 for the Annual conference and Expo. Moab Utah will be exhibiting to announce Moab Utah for Meetings!

Associations with huge membership will necessarily organize a conference in a center like the Salt Lake Palace or similar national centers of vast space. Moab beckons to the Association board members to enjoy a head clearing sojourn across the vast open land of Utah. Abandon the surrounding populated places to convene in Moab. Committee meeetings, board conferences and annual meetings are welcome all year.

The Moab Area Travel Council has added to the staff, Michele Hill, Facility and Event Promoter. Need help with site selection? Consult Michele Hill to determine hotels, meeting space, accompanying outdoor pursuits and other conference logistics. A website, http://www.moabutah.info, is developed to itemize meeting facilities, catering services, event rentals and destination management services.

Best of all, Moab is available for meetings all year round. Should the Salt Lake Valley be bathed in the serious inversion of winter, Moab is likely to be experiencing clear skies and incredible views. The meringue topping of the occasional snow in southeastern Utah sweetens the journey visually. The cobwebs of daily life are swept away and replaced with fresh perspective and a fine (free) mind to collaborate with your committee, be productive.

Moab Area Travel Council regularly treads the path to Salt Lake City during winter to attend our own Association Conferences, exhibitions to profess Moab’s tourism qualities and will attest that the roads connecting north Utah to Southern Utah are more regularly clear than a traveler would imagine. The rewards of a jaunt to Moab will satisfy you. Look at Moab Utah Meetings and Events website, email or phone Michele Hill 435-259-1340.