Rosenbruch Wildlife Museum

Rosenbruch Wildlife Museum in St. George is a world class facility of over 25,000 sq. ft. allowing visitors to experience over 300 species of wildlife throughout the world in their natural habitat. Nearly a quarter mile of mountain pathway (suitable for handicap access) winds its way through the plains of Africa, the forests of North America, and the mountains of Asia.

A two story mountain with two live waterfalls, over 50 hidden speakers providing ambient sounds of different animals, periodic thunder and lightning storms, provide an experience to be remembered.

Each person is provided a personal radio for narration during their journey describing the various animals with personal experiences from around the world by the Rosenbruch Family.

Nearly every large mammal of the world has been collected by the Rosenbruch Family over the past 40-years. All animals were legally hunted which have provided substantial revenue for protecting animal habitat and anti-poaching for third world countries.

Some species may no longer exist in countries like the Sudan of Africa that has been embroiled in Civil War for over 20-years. Other countries in Central Asia are increasingly difficult to access due to political problems.

The Rosenbruch family is committed to educating the public of the history and contribution that managed sport hunting provides for governments to provide protection for critical habitat and management of their wildlife resources.

Visit their website at: http://www.rosenbruch.org/index.html

Rosenbruch Wildlife Museum • 1835 Convention Center Drive • St. George, UT 84790 • (435) 656-0033. The Museum sits adjacent to the Dixie Convention Center

These are poppin up all over town

These wonderful RedBoxes are becoming the rage around here. They are extremely popular and the best thing that could have happened in the world of movie nuts.

I remember when the first one appeared at the Albertson’s store by us. As people became aware of what they were, the line in front of them became longer and longer. Then the store ordered a second one and that helped tremendously. Other stores within the St. George area to find a RedBox is: Maverik, McDonalds, Harmons, Wal-Mart, Smiths.

You can’t beat $1.00 a night to rent the movies that are contained within the RedBox. It is very easy. You just press areas on the screen and follow directions to choose your movies. Then you swipe your credit card in a slot on the machine and the movie, which is contained within its own plastic case, comes out of another slot. Movies are then returned TO ANY REDBOX LOCATION by 9 pm the next night by way of the same slot on the machine. If you don’t return the movie by 9, your account will be charged another $1.00.

And so far, Monday is free movie day. A number code is taped to the front of the machine, you type in the code on the screen, and you receive a free movie. Can’t beat that !!!

Culture and Arts in the area

Whether you are looking to attend music concerts or plays; art shows, open air sculpture exhibits, or a museum....St. George and close surrounding areas offer what you are looking for. For more information, click on the following link:

http://www.stgeorgechamber.com/Culture%20&%20Arts.htm

Tuacahn Amphitheatre

TUACAHN is a spectacular natural outdoor amphitheatre just 10 minutes from St. George, in Ivins, Utah. The stage and high stadium type seating are surrounded by gorgeous 1500 foot red rock and vertical sandstone cliffs.

In 1993, Doug Stewart, noted playwright and St. George resident, stumbled upon the spot as he was searching for a location for an outdoor amphitheatre in the St. George area. “The stunning beauty and perfect surroundings stopped me in my tracks,” Stewart recalled. “I was brought to tears when I first stood there, and after taking it in for some time - envisioning an amphitheatre and stage with the awesome backdrop of 1500 foot red rock cliffs, and hearing the sounds of music echoing from the canyon walls - I literally flew back to town and straight to the county recorder’s office to see who the land belonged to.”

Through his efforts, a non-profit organization was established to raise funds for the construction of the Tuacahn Amphitheatre. Built on the 80-acre parcel at the base of Padre Canyon, adjacent to famous Snow Canyon, the facility is 42,000 square feet. The outdoor theater seats 2000 people, and opened in 1995. It is called the Broadway of the Desert, because every summer several musicals are performed on its stage.

The name Tuacahn comes from a Mayan word meaning "Canyon of the Gods."

Click on the link below..to take a unique virtual tour of Tuacahn and see a 360 degree panorama view of the stage and stadium seating area.

http://www.tuacahn.org/virtualtour.html

Utah's World Famous Bonneville Salt Flats

The Bonneville Salt Flats is located near the Utah-Nevada border, along I-80. It is one of the many unique natural features in Utah. It covers an area of more than 30,000 acres and it is administered by the Bureau of Land Management.

During the last Ice Age, about 15,000 years ago, Lake Bonneville was about the size of Lake Michigan. It covered one-third of present day Utah and parts of surrounding states. You can see traces of the shorelines, representing different levels of the receding lake, etched into the mountains surrounding the salt flats.

The Bonneville Salt Flats and the Great Salt Lake are what remains of ancient Lake Bonneville. Wind and water each combine to create the flat surface of salt. Every winter, a shallow layer of standing water floods the surface of the salt flats. Then during spring and summer, the water slowly evaporates while winds smooth the surface into a vast, nearly perfect flat plain.

The salt surface contains potassium, magnesium lithium and sodium chloride (which is common table salt).

Around 1824, Jim Bridger and other mountain men explored the Great Salt Lake desert region. The first recorded crossing of the desert was made in 1845 by Captain John C. Fremont's survey party, with scouts Kit Carson and Joe Walker. Early the next year, 23 year old Lansford Hastings retraced Fremont's trail across the salt plain. Joe Walker's writings warned emigrants not to attempt the untried route; however, Hastings convinced several emigrant parties to follow him.

Despite Walker's warnings, the Donner-Reed party, seeking a shortcut to California in 1846, attempted the "Hastings Cutoff". They failed to take enough water and lost a critical number of oxen. Four of their wagons were abandoned just 10 miles northeast of the salt flats. Time was lost, and the delay resulted in their late arrival to the Sierra Nevada Mountains and their tragic winter.

Later, in 1910, the first permanent crossing of the Bonneville Salt Flats was completed when the Southern Pacific Railroad was built linking Salt Lake City and San Francisco.

The Bonneville Salt Flats is named in honor of Captain B.L.E. Bonneville, whose expeditions in the 1830's proved the area was part of an ancient basin.

Try to imagine a place so flat you seem to see the curvature of the planet, so barren not even the simplest life forms can exist. Imagine the passing thunder of strange vehicles hurtling by on a vast dazzling white plain. This is not an alien world far from earth; it is Utah's famous Bonneville Salt Flats.

Thousands of visitors, commercial filmmakers, and of course, high speed auto racers, make the Bonneville Salt Flats a world famous destination. By way of information….one scene in the third film of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series was filmed on the Salt Flats (the scene was when the pirate ship Pearl was on this great white unending plain).

The salt flats' potential for racing was first recognized in 1896 by W.D. Rishel who was scouting a bicycle race course from New York to San Francisco. Rishel returned and convinced daredevil Teddy Tezlaff to attempt an automobile speed record on the flats. Tezlaff drove a Blitzen Benz 141.73 m.p.h. to set an unofficial record in 1914.

The salt flats drew international attention in the 1930's when Utah driver Ab Jenkins lured British racer Sir Malcolm Campbell to compete for speed records on the salt surface.

By 1949, the raceway on the Bonneville Salt Flats was the standard course for world land speed records. On this natural straightaway the 300, 400, 500, and 600 mile per hour land speed barriers were broken.

Since the first speed record attempts in 1914, hundreds of records have been set and broken in a variety of automotive and motorcycle classes.

Typically, speed trials are scheduled throughout the summer and fall at the Bonneville Raceway. Most events are open to the public. The annual Speed Week is usually held in mid-August.