2 comments about Scenic Driving Wyoming.

1. I've just spent some time driving all over the state of Wyoming. Before I went, I looked at every guide book I could find at local libraries and travel book stores. Laurence Parent's book is one of those that I chose to take with me, and I used it throughout the trip. Every chapter was filled with accurate, interesting information. Some of the best places to see in Wyoming are away from the major tourist areas and some are completely ignored by other (many larger) books that I had.



2. The author has researched the scenic drives described in this book thoroughly. There is information included for people of all ages to enjoy from scenic photography to hiking and fishing. Also included are listings of travel services on each scenic drive.

5 comments about Ultimate Service: The Complete Handbook to the World of the Concierge.

1. 
   I bought this book for my brother who is a Chef Concierge. As I was looking for a title, I came across some interesting findings about "Ultimate Service", which I share in this review. I am not a professional in the field, but this handbook seems indeed very comprehensive and effective. It is not about setting up a small business, but what the profession actually is and how it is managed on a daily basis. My two main points are as follows.
   
   First, nowhere on the internet I could find the content list showing the book structure. So, as I now have the book, regrouping its 17 chapters, these are the main topics in panoramic view: 1) philosophy and ethics; 2) the profession in general; 3) relationships and mentality; 4) routine management (huge part); 5) dealing with the press, and coping with stress and angry customers; 6) industry, technology and the future of the profession; 7) appendix with management forms.
   
   Second, you need to consider buying this book asap. I phoned Prentice Hall (publisher) to get the content list (above), and found out that the book is out of print, and that they no longer have rights over it. I then realized why the publisher has no memory of the book, when I came across one of Holly Stiel's websites: a very elegant, New Agey business project focusing on customer service, now selling a repackaged version of the same ideas in a book with CD-ROM for $3,000 (no typo here). So, think hard and answer: why pay $3,000 if you can get the essence for $30 (while it lasts)?
   
   In sum, I recommend this book, both for its substance and price.



2. The book is very useful especially for the professionals in the hospitality industry and guest services. Easy to understand and follow, full of real case studies. Can be referred in trainings of concierge clerks.



3. This is a good "starter" book for a new Concierge. I have been a Concierge for 10 years and purchased this book to keep me "fresh". It was not useful at all. If you want to become a Concierge, you can't learn what you need to know from a book - it takes A LOT of hands on experience in a busy hotel to be able to adapt to any Concierge situation. But, if you are starting up a new Concierge desk, the forms are helpful.



4. I found this book by chance as I was browsing titles and was very taken by its title. I was very pleased with its content. I found it to be textbook-instructional regarding concept and practice, as well as a general guide for setting up one's own concierge operation - whether that be in a hotel, corporate office building, or other high-profile "hub" service environment. After having spent more than 20 years as a NYC hotel manager, I found this book a refreshing read. It helped me reaffirm within myself the reasons why I pursued a hospitality career in the first place. I was additionally pleased to have discovered that I had actually worked with some of the hospitality professionals given credit by the author during my own career!



5. I believe this is the Bible of the Service Industry! I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to educate themselves on what it takes to become a true professional in any type of customer service field. Although the book is based on the "concierge" business, it should be read by anyone wanting to be the best in the industry. I am a personal assistant and found the book to have several hints and tools that I can utilize to better myself and expand my range of expertise to clients. Again, I truly belive this book is a MUST READ for customer service contingents.

3 comments about Rockhounding Wyoming.

1. I have found this book to be a useful tool in exploring sites in Wyoming. I would suggest anyone traveling out to Wyoming read the introduction fully. You do need to prepare for the wide open spaces. The book is copyrighted in 1996 so it's 7 years old at this writing. Many things have changed in the past seven years. Roads have been closed by both BLM and the forest service. Trail signs have been changed or vandalized. If I was traveling a long distance to collect I would check with local rock shops to see if the desired sites were still open. If I could change anything it would be to include GPS coordinates in the driving directions. At least for the main turn-offs and the main site starting point.



2. I HOUNDED ROCKS ALL OVER CENTRAL/WESTERN WYOMING ALL SUMMER IN 2004...COLORED PICS OF WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND WHAT KEN HAS COLLECTED WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT...WILL TRY TO FIND HIS # AND CALL HIM AS I COULDN'T FIND 'QUEBE SABE' ROAD BY SHOSHONI TO FIND AQUAMARINE!!!! I WENT 3 TIMES! BUT OVER ALL EVERY SITE WE DID VISIT WAS DOWN TO A 'T' FOR EXACT LOCATIONS...IN PROCESS EVEN FOUND MY OWN PLACES!



3. I worked in Wyoming for several months in 2004 and bought this book for my "weekend adventures in rock hounding". I was and still am grossly disappointed with the book. Many of the sites that this book stated where on BLM or Forest Service land were indeed on private property. I thought that a more fruitful use of my time would be to visit the rock shops listed in the back of the book. Again, I was grossly disappointed. Many of the shops closed down, changed hands, or moved. Although this book was published in 1996, Appendix B was already outdated per some of the Rock Shop owners I did find. My recommendation is to find a phone book when you pull into a town, look under "rock shops", and call to see if they are open (or will open for you).
   
   Lessons Learned: If the black and white photos in the book use wheatback pennys for scale, the information included in the book may be as dated.

No comments about Spectacular Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks (Spectacular National Parks).

5 comments about Best Easy Day Hikes Yellowstone, 2nd (Best Easy Day Hikes Series).

1. This is the perfect book if you are new to Yellowstone and looking for a guide on what hikes to take the family on. Accurate reviews of the hikes with good directions and maps.

   A must have.

   I personally have over 125 days in the park and I found the book very helpfull in planning family hikes.




2. This book was small enough to fit in a day-pack, but contained a lot of useful hiking information. It ranked the hikes on difficulty as well as letting you know how gratifying they were. It was nice to know what to expect along the way, and what to look forward to.



3. CAUTION! The maps in this book are terrible! You can almost read them in some areas but many spots are too dark gray to be legible.
   The maps look like a bad black and white photo copy of a good color coded National Geographic map. The book's maps loose information because of the colored background in the original map.
   We went on a trail walk (to fairy falls in Yellowstone) using only this book. We walked for about 1 hour then came to a junction in the trail which we couldn't figure out. As we were looking at the book another family came along and showed us they had the same book. We both were lost!
   After a while using another map they had we came to the conclusion that were were about 5 miles from were we wanted to be. So we laughed and started heading back to the car.
   On our way back we ran into another family using this same book heading for the same place. Obviously it was not just one's person's interpretation of the book.
   I'm disappointed that we wasted about 2 1/2 hours but more importantly, it could have been dangerous had any of these families continued on their path using this book!



4. My family and I used several of the hikes in this book on our trip to Yellowstone this summer. We are not an "active" family so the "easy" part of the day hikes were very appealing. The author outlines some very fun hikes and short trails that lead to truly breathtaking scenery. It was a great asset in planning our trip as well as a handy trail guide once we were at the park. The hikes are rated by difficulty level and length and are divided by sections of the park for easy planning and reference.



5. Our first "easy" day hike was supposed to be a 3.5 mile round trip hike to Fairy Falls. Following the trail head and directions in this book, my young daughters and I ended up on an eight plus mile adventure. Fortunately we had plenty of water, but it could have been disastrous. We showed the book to a couple of rangers who said the directions were flat-out wrong. The maps were small, smudged, and unreadable.

No comments about Hiking Wyoming, 2nd: 110 of the State's Best Hiking Adventures (State Hiking Series).

No comments about Fodor's Montana and Wyoming, 3rd Edtion (Fodor's Gold Guides).

3 comments about Outdoor Family Guide to Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks (Outdoor Family Guides).

1. I purchased this book as well as Top Trails' "Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park" by Andrew Dean Nystrom, and was disappointed with "Family Guide" as compared with "Top Trails". As I am using these books to plan a family vacation, I am especially interested in finding child-friendly hikes. The "Top Trails" book provides a good summary of the hikes (mileage, difficulty, terrain, and activities) at the beginning of the book, an overview missing from "Family Guide".



2. I was using an "Outdoor Family Guide to Yellowstone National Park" and "Top Trails" and I found Outdoor Family Guide to be much more up to date. Several of the trail guides in "Top Trails" were outdated when I actually arrived at the park. After several days in and around the park, my family and I left "Top Trails" in the car and only used the "Outdoor Family Guide." The family guide also proved more inclusive for other outdoor activities besides just hiking. It's a great all around book!



3. We just got back from our trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. This and Frommer's Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons were the books we took with us.
   
   We found this book to be right on target with each of the hikes we took. We appricated the overviews and descriptions of each of the hikes.
   
   Traveling with small children can be a challenge, but this book did a good job at helping us choose which hikes would be enjoyed by all of us. I like how they had a chart of which hikes are good for animal sightings, which for historical value and which for exceptional beauty.
   
   I was a bit disappointed that it didn't cover more aspects of each of the parks and things to do. Though it mentioned such things as horseback riding or rafting, it didn't offer any insight into what would be seen on a rafting trip or riding in the grand canyon of Yellowstone vs. in Roosevelt Lodge (for example). It stuck basically to the hiking trails, which was fine, but the title of the book would be more accurately called, "Hiking With The Family in Yellowstone and Grand Tetons".
   
   I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a good over-all hiking reference for the parks (you certainly don't need kids to appriciate it). It was easy to read, easily formated and easy to throw in a backpack.

2 comments about Frommer's Montana & Wyoming (Frommer's Complete).

1. I bought this for my son who is moving July 5 to Billings, MT. The local Border's store did not have this book in OHIO. Just what he needed to begin his life in there.



2. This book is packed with helpful information. Whatever region you find yourself in, you'll find helpful information for whatever you may want to do, whether it be finding the perfect place to eat, finding a place to stay, or even things to check out, trails to hike, etc. This book was an asset to my planning of my last trip to montana and wyoming. A very worthwhile investment, highly recommended!

4 comments about Hiking Wyoming's Cloud Peak Wilderness.

1. I live in Wyoming within 40 miles of the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area, and have been hiking in it off and on for the past 20 years. On the hikes I've taken since purchasing the book, I found Mr. Molvar's guide useful. The trail descriptions and ratings are accurate for the hikes I've compared to the text, and the author has a clear easy to read style.

   I recommend this book. It will not take the place of a detailed map or tell all that one may discover on a particular hike, but it is a useful tool.




2. I live in Wyoming within 40 miles of the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area, and have been hiking in it off and on for the past 20 years. On the hikes I've taken since purchasing the book, I found Mr. Molvar's guide useful. The trail descriptions and ratings are accurate for the hikes I've compared to the text, and the author has a clear easy to read style.

   I recommend this book. It will not take the place of a detailed map or tell all that one may discover on a particular hike, but it is a useful tool.




3. I lived in the Buffalo, WY area for ten years and bought this book to help plan a "homecoming" backpacking trip from afar. Erik Molvar's book covers all the classic trails in the Cloud Peak Wilderness area. In addition, the last half of the book covers hikes in the Big Horn Mountains outside the interior wilderness area. Apparently one reviewer who is not from the area missed this fact. This book is an excellent introduction to the Big Horn Mountains and will guide you through the marvelous scenery of one the the West's least visited but truly unique mountain ranges.



4. This a very helpful and informative book on anyone who should want to hike in the Cloud Peak Wilderness. It gives trails, elevation, distances from trail head to each connection on the trail for the end of the journey. I highly recommend this book to hikers.