Thomas the Tank Engine

All Aboard! Thomas the Tank Engine rolls into Williams, Ariz., May 11 through 13 and 18 through 20 for “Day Out With Thomas 2007: All Aboard Tour.” Families can take a 25-minute ride in the 15-ton replica of everybody’s favorite engine, Thomas. They can also doff their caps to Sir Topham Hatt and take advantage of photo ops with the aptly named railway controller.  The ride includes stops at interactive stations along the way, which will feature a variety of Thomas-themed activities. The Thomas and Friends Imagination Station will have stamps, temporary tattoos, hands-on arts and crafts activities, coloring, storytelling, videos and music. Other entertainments include a bouncy castle, magician, balloon artists and a hay bale maze as well as Operation Lifesaver, an educational program highlighting train safety.

If you go:
Tickets
866-468-7630
thetrain.com

Grand Canyon Railway
800-THE-TRAIN
More info:
thomasandfriends.com


Feel the force
Here’s your chance to dust off that light saber. Mark the 30th anniversary of George Lucas’ classic saga at the official Star Wars Celebration IV, May 24 to 28 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Movie screenings, a 24-hour fan shop and surprise meet-and-greets highlight the event. starwars.com/celebration.

YOU GO? iGO
Your cell phone, your spouse’s blackberry, the kids’ games, everyone’s iPods — bring them all on vacation and you need a separate bag just for chargers. And what happens when your sitting next to the town talker on a long flight and your iPod runs out of juice an hour in? The new iGo powerXtender ($15.95) runs on two AA batteries and can extend the life of your electronics for six to 28 hours, depending on the device. Instead of carrying multiple chargers, you just buy tips for each of your gadgets
($9.99 ). Notebook, wall and car chargers are also available, with a handy travel case. igo.com.


(Nearly) Free Pass
Rawhide at Wild Horse Pass, Arizona’s premier purveyor of frontier family fun makes the case for westward migration all over again. And you don’t have to strike gold to tear this time capsule town apart like a lucky miner on leave. For the first time in its 36-year history, Rawhide introduces a Town Pass that allows visitors to enjoy unlimited attractions for just $12 per person. Sure, in 1880 when candy came a penny a pound, $12 was tantamount to a week’s pay. But in modern currency, this key to Main Street costs about the same as a couple of grande mocha lattes. With 16 attractions ranging from a mechanical bull to gold panning and shows and livestock thrown in along the way, you can bankroll an entire day of western-themed diversion for less than the cost of movie tickets for two. 480-502-5600, Rawhide.com.


Taste History
Tour historic Arizona from your kitchen table with savory recipes and colorful stories gathered from Arizona’s longest-standing establishments. Through the pages of Tastes and Treasures: A Storytelling Cookbook of  Historic Arizona ($24.95, plus shipping), you can learn to make El Chorro’s famous sticky buns and signature dishes from other historic Arizona eateries. The cookbook, which is produced by the Historical League, includes family recipes from Arizona history-makers from Barry Goldwater to Erma Bombeck. Proceeds support the Arizona Historical Society Museum at Papago Park. Visit historicalleague.com to order or for retail locations.

Vegas eats
Prefer Monterey Jack to Black Jack and a crab puff to a crap shoot any day of the week? From May 17 to 20, the entire strip is your dining hall when the Culinary and Wine Focus sets up shop in sin city. Start with lobster at Caesar’s, stop in at the Bellagio for some decadent dessert and finish with a Cocktail Smackdown at Wynn. Bon Appétit magazine brings their roving feast to Vegas complete with celebrity chefs, workshops and concerts. 888-34-FOCUS, bonappetitfocus.com.

X-Ray Vision
Backscatter technology, a new security measure that could be implemented nationwide, is undergoing operational testing at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The technology allows security officers to detect weapons, explosives and other threat items (metallic or not) concealed under layers of clothing, without physical contact. Achieved by applying low levels of radiation, the backscatter scan is a low intensity x-ray just strong enough to penetrate clothing.

TSA has implemented multi-pronged safeguards to address privacy concerns that have arisen with the advent of the backscatter. The image produced by the scan is privacy-filtered to look like a chalk outline of a person’s body. Furthermore, the officer viewing the image will be remotely located and unable to associate the image with the passenger being screened. Likewise, the image cannot be stored, transmitted or printed. Passenger participation in test operations at Phoenix Sky Harbor is on a volunteer basis only. For more information visit tsa.gov.