Occassionally, it is necessary to close a mountain pass. Here are the most likely reasons that would happen.

Road Clearing
When snow comes down hard or if freezing rain has caused a fast build up of ice, it may be necessary to close the pass so that plows, graders, and other equipment can clear the roadway.

Collision Clearing
If traffic becomes severely congested due to multiple collisions and the roadway is blocked, the pass may need to be closed to clear the stuck or damaged vehicles that are there.

Avalanche Control
Many areas have the ability to do avalanche control which essentially means closing the road and purposefully causing an avalanche of snow to come down onto the road. Crews then clear the roadway so it can be opened to traffic without the danger of an avalanche coming down on them.

Traveling through mountain passes these days is not hard and can be convenient and easy. During winter though you should be prepared for anything, including an unexpected closure.

#1 Leave extra room between you and other vehicles you are sharing the road with.

#2 Use your headlights at all times. Even in daylight, headlights can help others see you in bad weather.

#3 Slow down. Odds are, wherever you are going can wait a few minutes. Most winter collisions occur because of drivers driving too fast for conditions.

#4 Turn off your cruise control. Cruise control is a nice feature, but not on icy roads when you should slow down but it keeps making your wheels spin.

#5 Be realistic about the capabilities of four wheel drive. Four wheel drive vehicles are great, but when the roads are slick the roads are slick. You still need to slow down and be cautious.

#6 Be careful near chain up areas. When driving through the mountains or even other areas, you may come across a pull out or widening specifically meant for putting chains on tires. Be careful in these areas as cars are entering and leaving the roadway at slow speeds and they may become obstacles.

#7 Watch for typical icy spots. Even when road crews have taken care of a highway, there can still be some spots where ice builds up faster than in others. These include shaded corners, bridges, offramps, onramps, and dips where water may have built up before it froze.

#8 Be cautions around snowplows. Snowplows are out there making the roads safer for everyone. In really bad weather, the safest place to be is following a plow driver. Still, every year there are a lot of collisions involving passenger vehicles who have decided to pass snowplows, only to find the roadway in the passing lane or in front of the plow is not in as good of condition as back when they were following the plow. Be patient and settle in behind those big brightly painted vehicles… it can really pay off over the course of your trip.

The Piccadilly Circus, known as The Fun Circus, is a traveling circus that could be coming very near you sometime soon. Kids love getting out and seeing all the great sights there are to see there. This high quality performance circus features animals like white tigers and elephants, along with a number of other classic circus features like clowns and acrobats too.

You can check out the schedule of the circus here and find out if they are going to be near where you are anytime soon: Piccadilly Circus Schedule

Parents love seeing the looks of amazement and wonder on their children’s faces when they take them to the Piccadilly Circus. But it isn’t all about the kids as there are plenty of things there that will entertain adults too. The Piccadilly Circus really does have something for everyone. You may even see something you never thought you would too like daredevil motorcycle riders or a boxing kangaroo.

This is one entertainment option that can really be counted on to deliver some fun times and memorable experiences.

So, if the circus is coming to town… you better be ready to have a good time… especially if it is the Piccadilly Circus, the Fun Circus!

#1 – One Account Fits All
Motorists can set up prepaid accounts that include every car that they own. This means that all of their vehicles can go through any toll area in the state and pay from one convenient account.

#2 – Less Cost To The Taxpayer
Though setting up the infrastructure up front can be expensive, once the system is in place then electronic tolling costs less to operate. In fact, some studies show that collecting funds electronically costs half what handling the cash from each motorist costs.

#3 – A Better Driving Experience
Congestion around tolling areas without electronic transactions can be pretty bad. This not only slows the trip for those stopping at the place of payment, but also for those lined up behind them. Most electronic tolling systems allow the driver to pass through the tolling area at normal speeds, including highway or freeway speeds, thus making everyone’s trip a lot faster.

Electronic tolling is the wave of the future and so far it looks like a pretty good one when compared to the system we had.

Adopt-A-Highway programs allow citizens, groups, and businesses to get out and pick up litter on sections of highway that they have signed up for. These programs are administered at the state, county, and local levels in many areas and offer a number of benefits.

The number one benefit is that after the clean up has been done, the area is much more pleasing to look at. This is also a good way to get out and get exercise while performing a great service to the public. Another great benefit of the Adopt-A-Highway program is exposure. Usually the trade off works like this: in exchange for picking up litter a few times a year, you or your organization get a roadsign sign with the name of your business on it. This is great advertising considering the amount of people who pass by daily.

All the way around, the Adopt-A-Highway program is beneficial for everyone.

This program allows a driver to purchase a pass for going through toll areas. They electronically deposit the dollar amount of their choice on the pass and then when they pass through the toll area, the pass is scanned and the toll amount deducted. They don’t even have to slow down as this can all be done at normal highway speeds.

Currently, there are only a couple of busy bridges that are set up on the Good To Go! system, but as the system is expanded and perfected other toll operations may be included as well. Other states have identical or similar systems and they have really proven to be a good way to keep traffic moving through and around toll areas.

Washington State’s Good To Go! system should be a benefit to pretty much everyone in the more congested areas of the state.

The Iowa Corn Cam

Check back often and see how this year’s crop comes in.

Road conditions can change fast. When temperatures are low and there is a low fog or morning mist, it is not uncommon for the roads to be slick. Drive careful in these situations, just like you should at all other times, and everything should end up fine.

Check out some of the other Telluride webcams too!

Minneapolis, Minnesota is a fun city with a whole lot to offer the traveler who is heading to or through the area. Here is a look at five awesome museums that are offered by this great destination.

Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Located in the Whittier area of Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts covers more than seven acres and features some of the best cultural attraction in the state. It also is absolutely free to enter, making it not only educational and entertaining, but one of the best bargains in the city too.

The Bakken
A great niche museum that travelers can visit in Minneapolis is the Bakken: A Library and Museum of Electricity in Life, known to locals as The Bakken. Exhibits in The Bakken detail the progressive use of electricity on the planet dating back to 1200 A.D. Children and adults will both love the time they spend in this wonderful facility.

American Swedish Institute
The American Swedish Institute is dedicated to the exploration and presentation of the history of Americans of Swedish heritage. This museum has some of the more interesting material of any museum in the area because it really is focusing on something different. A traveler doesn’t have to be Swedish to love the time they spend in the American Swedish Institute.

Minnesota Children’s Museum
One of the best places in Minneapolis to go to for anyone either with children or who is traveling with children is the Minnesota Children’s Museum. This amazing facility features tons of hands on exhibits and wonderful multimedia displays. Between seeing the actual exhibits and watching the children interact with them, there is a lot for the parents to enjoy too.

Minnesota Transportation Museum
The people who run the Minnesota Transportation Museum should be commended for putting together a wonderful collection of historic methods of travel. The museum, through a number of scattered properties that include restored railroad stations, houses a good many streetcars, buses, and other modes of transportation that were actually used in Minnesota long ago. This can be a very fun way to spend part of a day as it is easier to picture daily life from years gone by when you can see examples of how life was lived.

Minneapolis is a fabulous destination for anyone with a love for history, and the museums that are there make it so. Some of the other great museums in the city include Minnesota Historical Society, Bell Museum of Natural History, Walker Art Center, Weisman Art Museum, Science Museum of Minnesota, Hennepin History Museum, and the Minnesota Zoo.