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We’re looking for individuals who want to write! Please let us know if you would like to write for us.

Other priorities took place, and ORIM went on hiatus. However, that is changing. On July 1st, 2010, Open Road Int. Magazine is coming back with some great new articles. We’ll be exploring the central Cascades of Washington, and bringing you the best articles on some hidden drives, great destinations, interesting people, and the best of Open Road Int. Magazine.

As always, we’re always looking for folks to share their stories with us. We’ll edit and publish your story right here online. Contact us at brad@openroadinternational.org for more information.

Stay tuned, as in the next few weeks I shed some light on some projects I’m working on for Open Road Int. Magazine.

- Brad McGarr, Editor/Owner, Open Road International Magazine

You may have been wondering: Where has ORIM gone? The site is still here, but, no one’s around! Well, truth be told, I’ve ended up having to take a temporary hiatus from ORIM for the time being. I’m not gone for good by any means, just temporarily. Unfortunately I had become a victim of the economic downturn and am now part of that “unemployed” column. I hope to be writing again in a few weeks, but until then I did want to keep any readers of mine up to date on what is going on.

Now, as usual I am ALWAYS looking for anyone else who has the desire to write about travel experiences the ability to write and post their experiences on ORIM. If you or someone you know loves to travel and write about their experiences but doesn’t want the hassle of maintaining a blog themselves, invite them over!

See you all soon!

- Brad McGarr

A screenshot of Google Maps and Bing Maps in Google Chrome (McGarr\McGarr Media)

The discussion almost sounds like the marquee for a heavyweight title match, and when it comes to online cartography, it very much is. While there are plenty of other options out there, the two major contenders in this no-holds-barred cage-match of cartography are Google, an ubiquitous titan in the online world; and Bing (Microsoft), longstanding veteran and Champion of the software world. Both companies offer online and offline mapping software, and both are of great help to road trip enthusiasts and novices alike. Yet, for many, the question is: which is the best?

Ease of Reading

How easy a map is read is a key feature for any good map. For myself though, I find Bing often wins hands down. Bing Maps are more ‘map’ like, that is they have a paper map look and visual feel to them, where Google Maps are very flat. Bing Maps also clearly identify places like National Parks, National Forests, Military Bases, and something completely missing from Google Maps: Indian Reservations. Bing Maps also include the County and State title as you zoom further in, so you can find a county name just by zooming in on a certain part of the country. Bing Maps also has a elevation relief to it, so you can see the same shading and highlighting of mountains as good paper maps. On look and feel, Bing Maps wins the round.

Features

Another key feature of a good mapping system is, well, features. While both mapping systems allow you to draw on the map, creating routes and adding push-pins, Google has a few extra features available. Users can draw lines that snap to roadways, allowing them to create custom, road-by-road routes. Very handy if you like to customize routes on specific roadways without either having to research addresses, or, try to snap the automatically drawn route to what you want. One feature that Google Maps is missing that I prefer over Street View is Birds Eye View on Bing Maps. The images are often clearer, and I’ve been able to use the view more often to find businesses by reading signs on buildings. Even with that one step up over Google Maps, Bing Maps still comes into a second on features.

Who wins?

In my opinion it depends on what you are trying to do. I prefer Google Maps for routing or searching, but use Bing Maps almost nearly as often due to the features and information differences. If Google Maps adjusted itself to display things like Reservations, elevation relief, and county names, then I would most likely use them exclusively.

What do you think? Do you have a preference for your online mapping? Comment below and let us know!

This Article Also Appeared on Examiner.com!

While the site is still hoping to actually live up to it’s “Collaborative Magazine” mantra by showcasing the experiences by more travelers than just myself, we are getting noticed.

Starting today I am now the Phoenix Road Trip Travel Examiner for a site called Examiner.com, which is basically an online magazine showcasing experts from communities around the country. I’m happy to be writing for Examiner.com because that will increase the exposure to Open Road International Magazine.

I hope everyone gets a chance to visit my page on Examiner.com, and let me know how I’m doing. We’re still welcoming anyone and everyone who wants to share their experiences with ORIM!

The National Park Service has been hosting celebrations all month in anticipation of this extraordinary film highlighting the history and beauty of what could simply be the crowning achievement of the American Civilization, and set the standard for conservation of our natural places around the world.

We invite everyone to share their thoughts of each episode here, in the Parkway Forums: http://openroadinternational.org/gov/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=270

For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/

Starting in April of 2010, the America the Beautiful Quarters Program will begin producing quarters with reverse (tails side) designs showcasing a national park or other federally preserved area from each state, U.S. territory, and the District of Columbia.

“The new quarter program recognizes that public places of inspiration and recreation have always been important to Americans,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “The quarters highlight the diversity and magnificence of 48 National Park Service sites and two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuges cared for by the Department of the Interior as well as six national forests administered by the Department of Agriculture. Hopefully the coins will encourage people to learn more about each area and its significance to our heritage.”

A new quarter will be introduced approximately every 10 weeks for eleven years. The 56 coins will be issued sequentially in the order in which the featured location was first placed under the care of the federal government.

The first, Hot Springs National Park, was established as Hot Springs Reservation in 1832 and later became a national park. Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872, followed by Yosemite in 1890 and the Grand Canyon in 1893.

Congress authorized the America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008 to celebrate the nation’s legacy of conservation. The legislation recalls noteworthy steps in the nation’s preservation movement and quotes Theodore Roosevelt who said that nothing short of defending this country in wartime “compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendents than it is for us.”

Salazar and the United States Mint selected the places based on recommendations from the governor or chief executive of each jurisdiction. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner approved the list on August 25, 2009.

In addition to the coins for circulation, the Mint will produce collectable items including proof sets, silver proof sets, a five ounce silver bullion coin, coin bags, and coin rolls for each quarter. For more information about the America the Beautiful Quarters Program, please visit http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/NSQuartersProgram/index.cfm.

Statue of Liberty

Ellis Island

New  York,  NY  (September 9, 2009) – To kick-off the National Park Service and  the  National  Park  Foundation’s celebration of the national parks on September 26 — National Public Lands Day — the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island will for the first time, open to the public for a special  evening  tour and program event on September 24 and 25, 2009.   As part  of  the festivities, attendees will experience a sneak preview of Ken Burns’s  new documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea premiering on PBS the following evening.

“This  is  a  tremendous  opportunity for people to experience these iconic monuments  in  a  new setting,” said Dave Luchsinger, Superintendent of the Statue  of  Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island. “We hope that these two  special  events  will  help to illustrate how unique our National Park system is.”

Ellis Island will be open on Thursday, September 24 and Liberty Island open on  Friday,  September  25.  Both nights boarding will take place at Statue Cruises’  boarding  locations  in  Liberty  State  Park  in Jersey City and Battery Park in Manhattan at 6:00 PM. Vessels will return at 9:00 PM.

Tickets  are  $29  per  individual  and include a voucher for a meal on the island.  Meals  will  be  distributed  at  each islands’ dining facilities. Vegetarian  options  will  be  available.   Tickets  can  be  purchased  at www.statuecruises.com/night-tour.html or   by   calling   877-LADY   TIX (877-523-9849).

The  Great Hall on Ellis Island will be open for visitors who would like to explore  the  exhibits.  On  Liberty Island the Pedestal, Museum and Statue will not be open, but rangers will be stationed around the island providing interpretation and answering questions.

The  special  evening  events  on Ellis and Liberty Islands will kick-off a nationwide  day  of  service  and  celebration  on September 26th, National Public  Lands  Day.   Together,  the National Park Service and the National Park  Foundation  are  inviting  the public across the country to help make America’s  Best  Idea  –  the national parks – even better.   Together, the national  parks  will welcome visitors and volunteers for this special day, and  as  thanks,  present  as  sneak  preview  of Ken Burns’s new film, The National  Parks:  America’s  Best  Idea.   A  full listing of park events – updated daily – is online at www.nps.gov/september26.

Statue Cruises is the concessioner authorized by the National Park Service, Department  of  the  Interior, to serve the public at the Statue of Liberty National  Monument  and Ellis Island. Over 3.5 million annual visitors from around  the world visit these two icons of freedom and hope. In addition to providing  daily  ferry service, Statue Cruises also operates special event cruises,  private  charters  and  the  narrated  Liberty  Harbor Cruise – a 75-minute  tour  of  the  New  York  Harbor.  For  more  information visit: www.statuecruises.com/pressroom.

The  National  Park  Foundation  is  an independent charitable organization chartered  by  Congress  in  1967  to strengthen the connection between the American  people  and  their  national  parks.  As  the  official  national non-profit  partner  of  America’s  National  Parks,  the Foundation raises private  funds, makes strategic grants, creates innovative partnerships and
increases  public  awareness  about  the  need  and  opportunity  for  park philanthropy.  In  its  2008  fiscal  year,  the  National  Park Foundation distributed  grants  and  program  support  of $27.3M. To learn more, visit www.nationalparks.org.

Keep in mind this is someone whose entire job is ensuring the safety of passengers traveling Southwest Airlines as a Flight Attendant. Sadly, he also has his backers. Visitors to AZCentral.com bickered with some referring to him as a patriot with connections to the Boston Tea Party thrown in for good measure.

VonTesmar, states on his Facebook page that “I am Southwest Airlines! Take that Beeeeeyotchs! Oh yeah, The opinions expressed by me on my page are MINE and protected by my constitutional rights and guarantee of FREE SPEECH.” Seeing as how Mr. VonTesmar is all for the first amendment, he should have no problem with ORIM expressing it’s freedom of press and freedom of speech.

VonTesmar, your shenanigans on the highways shows to us that you have no regard for others. Excessive speeding, and reduced visibility from wearing a mask while driving is making our roadways dangerous for everyone. We encourage you to grow up, as a 46 year old Flight Attendant, your behavior is reprehensible. Do the right thing, and burn the monkey mask and take responsibility for your actions. You may not agree with photo radar, but the fact of the matter is you were caught breaking the law. It’s time to act like a man and take the $6,500 punishment, and enroll in defensive driving courses. It is obvious you know your actions against the law, otherwise you would not go to great lengths to conceal your identity.

In our opinion, a ride on a Southwest flight with you as flight attendant is less than safe, and as such we cannot from this point forward recommend Southwest to our readers. We’re sure VonTesmar will understand that our freedom of press allows us to decide what services we recommend and why. We may be a small collaborative travel magazine, but we cannot good conscience recommend our readers place their lives in the hands of someone who not only ignores, but openly mocks the law in a way that puts us all in danger.