Poll after poll indicates Americans will continue to plan that yearly vacation despite gas prices that could reach $4 a gallon, or higher, by peak travel time. Many polls indicate families may opt for an all inclusive cruise or an airplane jaunt to their destination because of the gas prices but few say they will forego that American tradition.

A vacation is considered a “rite of passage” by most Americans, pollsters say. Tourism bureaus throughout the U.S. are counting on vacationers doing one of two things this year: stay close to home or opt for another mode of travel beyond the family vehicle.

Once Americans took family trips along the famed Route 66 to enjoy a cheap vacation and seeing the U.S. through one small town after another. Load the family sedan with a picnic basket and a full tank of gas and the adventure was on. Gas was cheap and expectations were simple. Along a scenic drive the family might enjoy the luxury of stopping at a restaurant designed to look like a hamburger or stay in a roadside “court” or cabin shaped like a tepee. In those days, the 40’s-60’s, capturing the family’s interest and vacation dollars was simple.

Today, families have come to expect entertainment and luxury. People want a vacation brimming with things to do and see—mountain lodges, desert resorts and soothing cruises on the open sea still capture those vacation thoughts for many.

Motor homes, with all the comforts of home, were in style in recent years but are less likely to garner enthusiasm at 8 miles to a gallon of $4 gasoline.

Resort owners are trying to entice reluctant travelers by focusing on the “don’t have to travel outside the resort” after arrival. Cruise lines can offer an all inclusive trip for one price with little car travel involved. Airlines, even though announcing price increases due to soaring fuel costs, are currently advertising cheap one-way tickets if you book in advance.

While some people say they will curtail all travel, most indicate they will simply research the various venues to come up with the least expensive way to go.

Think local - Vacation planning usually involves a distant destination but in today’s economy with a shrinking dollar and expanding costs on anything and everything tied to fuel has vacationers rethinking. One of the options is to plan a full vacation around things to do in your own backyard, so to speak. For Fort Bend County this is a boon.

Antique shops, weekend concerts in the park, the historically significant George Ranch and the magnificent nature preserve of the Brazos Bend State Park are all in that proverbial back yard. Add to this, a one-tank of gas trip to a Galveston beach or a jaunt to the downtown Houston offerings and what you get is a relaxed family who actually has more disposable dollars to spend in restaurants and souvenir shops.

For those planning to go further away, check with your local travel agent to secure special offers or last minute deals on summer trips. Or postpone the summer vacation and opt for an off-season trip which is less costly.

Planning is the key to an enjoyable week away from the hustle and bustle without a serious dent in finances.

The Original Trolley Company presently has three trolley cars ready for charter. Our Trolleys have been used for weddings, bachelor and bachelorette parties, Christmas light sightseeing, corporate outings, birthday parties, graduations, convention shuttles, trips to Kemah and Galveston. If this is too large for your party we also have a brand new 120 inch stretch Town Car that will be ready for rental by Mid-to late June. If you would like to travel in style aboard a nostalgic Original Trolley or a Luxury stretch limousine please call 281-491-4911 or visit our website at www.originaltrolley.com to view our gallery of photos.

Hundreds of families will travel by automobile this summer for the annual vacation and preparing for the trip is essential to a safe journey.

The American Automobile Association says it responds to almost 7.4 million breakdowns every summer. Making preparations to be prepared for a roadside break down is essential to a good trip.

Colony One is there to help you get your automobile ready for summer travel. Here are some tips from Colony One to insure you are prepared.

The most important thing is to take care of the basics. That means check your oil, fluids, and tire pressure. If you drive a long distance when any are low, you’re asking for trouble.

Second, get your ride ready for your chosen terrain. A lot of people do not realize that a trip through the mountains puts a totally different kind of stress on the automobile than a trip across country on flat terrain.

Here’s a brief rundown of the steps to take, depending on location:

Clean the underside of your hood. There’s probably salt and grime build–up leftover from winter. Added salt from sea air can damage electrical connections, and the fuel and brake lines. Wash and wax your vehicle with a UV protective to guard it from the sun.

Check your brakes and replace worn pads. Your brakes will overheat on the down side of the mountains as can be attested to by all those trucks and cars parked on the side of the road.

Replace old wiper blades in the event of wet mountain weather.

Test your battery’s remaining charge and check for corrosion.

Flush your coolant and replace it with a fresh supply. Used coolant loses a lot of its protective properties and can cause overheating.

Inspect your belts and replace any that have significant cracks.

Make sure your tire treads aren’t worn. High heat can be brutal on old and new tires alike.

Make an emergency box for the trunk for potential problems. What should you have on–hand in case you do run into trouble? :

Fresh bottles of coolant, engine oil, and water (to mix with the coolant), jumper cables, a flashlight, and radiator hose clamps, a screwdriver, pliers, and a roll of electrical tape, a jack and a lug wrench, flares or reflective sticks, a towel to clean up with and water in a plastic jug.

If you commute from Fort Bend County to Uptown/Galleria or Greenway Plaza here’s a way to beat the high gas prices. Ride the TREKEXPRESS. You will save lots of money on gas and instead of fighting workday traffic, you’ll have time to relax, read, chat, daydream – or even nap while we do the driving.

The TREKEXPRESS commuter bus service runs Monday through Friday from two Sugar Land locations: the UH Sugar Land campus and the AMC Theater at First Colony Mall. The TREKEXPRESS Greenway Plaza route also serves the West Bellfort Park & Ride lot, allowing riders to transfer to METRO for a trip to the Texas Medical Center or downtown Houston. And of course, the TREKEXPRESS gets you back home to Sugar Land with plenty of spring in your step in the evening.

The morning ride begins by accommodating our riders’ wide range of schedules. The TREKEXPRESS departs the first stop in Fort Bend County as early as 5 o’clock am and as late as 8 o’clock am. In the afternoon, the commuter service leaves the Greenway Plaza or Uptown/Galleria area as early at 3:15 pm and as late as 6:40 pm every 15 to 25 minutes, five days a week.

Riders can save even more money and avoid the hassle of paying cash by purchasing discounted ticket books that never expire. Ticket books are available at the Kroger’s store on Sweetwater Blvd. at Highway 59 and at the Transportation Center in Greenway 4 Underground. It is a sweet deal for all! Start daydreaming by calling 281-633 RIDE for more information or go to our web site www.trekhouston.org.

The TREKEXPRESS is funded by Fort Bend County Transit and managed by

TREK, the transportation management organization for Uptown/Galleria and Greenway Plaza.

Anson Air - One of the jewels of Sugar Land Airport

One of the jewels of the Sugar Land Regional Airport is its FAA Approved Pilot School, Anson Air. Very few flight schools achieve this elite status. To earn and maintain its FAA Air Agency Certificate, Anson Air must pass on-site inspections by FAA Operations and Maintenance Inspectors. Those inspections cover course curriculum and syllabus, Pilot School staff, flight training documentation and grading systems, aircraft maintenance practices and documentation systems, along with the condition of airplanes and facilities.

The result of all this organization and quality control is top-notch training and airplanes for area residents. This high level of quality is essential for the business plan that charts the future for Anson Air. According to Anson Air’s president, Dana Atkinson, “We are really a lifestyle business. The mission of Anson Air is to give our customers everything they need to use personal airplanes for practical transportation. Our customers have recently flown for business and pleasure to cities from the Florida Keys to Colorado. In the process of providing great instructors to support this mission we are also preparing professional pilots for long and successful careers in aviation. Our ProPilot course is designed to jump-start aviation careers right now while professional pilots are in tremendous demand.”

The quality of Anson Air’s staff, airplanes, facilities and programs is further confirmed by Cessna Pilot Center status. To achieve and keep this elite membership in the world’s largest network of Flight Training organizations, Anson Air must also meet the rigorous standards of Cessna Aircraft Company. Its Pilot School uses Cessna’s best-in-class computer-based integrated training systems to help customers achieve high levels of proficiency in the shortest possible time.