Top Customer Picks for Valentine’s Day Gifts
I know, I know. The 2011 holidays have just ended. We're all finally getting adjusted to writing 2012 at the end of our dates and most of us have whittled our list of resolutions down to 1 or 2 that we might keep up for another couple of weeks. It almost feels like there might be some time to take a deep breath and relax for a few minutes. Until you look at the calendar and realize that Valentine's Day is less that 4 weeks away!
Lucky for you (and yours), we've got you covered with a roundup of our most popular Valentine's Day Gifts. Whether you're looking for a gift that will give them a memorable experience or something that the two of you can do together, we have something that fits the bill:
Five Favorite Customer Memories of 2011
Jim L. standing in front of the B-25 Bomber that helped make his dream come true
At each of our weekly company meetings we read aloud at least one customer comment we've recently received. Sometimes these comments make us laugh, sometimes they pull at our heartstrings, but they always inspire us to live life to the fullest.
Here's five of our favorite customer memories from 2011. Thanks, and we hope you all keep living out your dreams!
- "Took this ride to take my Father's ashes for a spin before we laid him to rest. He was supposed to do this with a friend so I took him instead. Everyone was very respectful of my wishes and I'm sure my Dad enjoyed it as much as I did. Thank you again." Colby Brown, Drive a Stock Car
- Since childhood, it had always been my dream to share part of what my father, a U.S. Army Air Corps pilot in WWII, had experienced. He was taken from us at a far too-early age, but I've always tried to emulate his life. My wife and family surprised me on my 64th birthday by giving me a Cloud 9 experience -- a ride in a B-25 Mitchell bomber, the same type of aircraft that my father flew. I was able to ride right behind the pilot and watched in awe as they ran through the pre-flight checklist and then lifted off for a most amazing flight. As I glanced to the left of my seat, I saw hanging on a hook, a WWII flight officer's cap ... just like the one my father wore. I was engulfed in an overwhelming sense that he was there on the plane with me. I will always be grateful to my family, the wonderful people at Cloud 9, and the Commemorative Air Force crew at St. Paul, MN for providing this incredibly meaningful experience. Jim Landerkin, North American B-25 Bomber Ride in Minneapolis
- "This was the second best birthday gift I've ever received (1st being the birth of my youngest son, who was born the day after my birthday)!!! I was at a loss for words. My instructor was Ted, and he ensured that I was informed and comfortable from the initial phone call. I have told everyone about my experience and all were in complete awe! I have always dreamed of flying, and you guys assisted with making this dream come true... THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!" Drake Booker, Aerobatic Thrill Ride
- "The bungee jump allowed me to conquer a fear of heights, a fear of the unknown, and a fear of commitment simultaneously. For me, all three of those were combined into a single moment. It was extremely difficult to take the leap, but I did it! Now I feel more confident in overcoming similar challenges, and I look forward to events like this in the future." Derek Padula, Bridge to Nowhere Bungee Jump
- "I am 64 years old, overweight and I had a hard time getting into the stock car but let me tell you about the fun I had. Absolutely one of the highlights of my life and I have had many!" Franco B., Drive a Stock Car
See more memories and pictures sent to us from experience participants on the Cloud 9 Living Wall of Fame
December 2011 Memory of the Month Winner
Thank you for sharing Colby. We're sorry for your loss and appreciate your style in remembering your father. As a winner of the Memory of the Month, you'll be receiving a $50 Experience Gift Certificate that can be used toward any of the over 1,700 experiences on our site.
View Colby's Experience here: Driving a Stock Car in Phoenix
Learn more about the Cloud 9 Living Memory of the Month Program
To send us your memories, head to the Cloud 9 Living Page on Facebook and post them there OR send us your memory in our post-experience survey that you complete. Extra credit for pictures and videos!
Driving Experiences – The Ultimate ‘Car Guy’ Gift
Classic car junkies (male varietal) observing object of interest.
When asked to pick up a carton of eggs and some toilet paper, they go cruising through the neighborhood, down the highway, to the next city. They rev the engine in the parking lot, at stop lights, eliciting long stares from nearby drivers. They peel out of driveways just to hear you squeal. They refer to their cars with gender-specific pronouns. In fact, they only rarely refer to these things as “cars”, but rather wheels, rides, machines, vehicles, as in, Oh, yes, that’s a beautiful vehicle.
These are not toys, not to them. No matter how shiny, how sleek, how excessive (Excessive? Don’t be ridiculous—this is genius at work), these are not toys. These are expertly crafted, immaculately maintained machines. No, you may not bring your soda into the car. Wipe your feet, please, and—is that strawberry jam on your palm? Uh-uh, I don’t think so…
Congratulations to our Fantastic Father’s Day Giveaway Winners
Happy Father's Day!
First of all, a big thank you from all of us here to everyone that entered our giveaway this year. We were completely blown away by the number of people that entered!
While all of you are winners in our books, unfortunately we can't give everyone a prize. So without further ado, here are the winners of our 2011 Fantastic Father's Day Giveaway:
GRAND PRIZE - Drive a Stock Car (2 winners) -
If I Had A Day in Santa Barbara…
Isn't she beautiful?
With its Spanish Colonial Revival-style architecture, brick arches framing views of the Santa Ynez Mountains, with its coastal breezes and world-class university, the question is not so much what to do in Santa Barbara, but what not to do. But that’s not a very upbeat post, now is it?
Instead, take a look at this list of things to get you out the door and under the brilliant California sun, taking in Santa Barbara’s famous scenery.
Cycling, scenery and wine tastings... Easy, breezy.
Wine Country Cycling: Easy on the eyes, easy on the joints. A leisurely cycling tour through Santa Barbara’s famed vineyards leads you to wine tastings, picnics, and the rolling hills of chaparral this region is famous for, led by professional guides.
Kayak to Dinner on the Dunes: Seals, sea lions, and otters, oh my! Paddle alongside these furry sea creatures on your way to dinner on the dunes at Morro Bay. A professional, experienced guide leads the way and prepares your beach-style grilled dinner for you while you take in the views and meander in the sand dunes, sipping on a local brew or wine.
Drive a Stock Car at Fontana: For the NASCAR enthusiast, hit the track for an afternoon learning how to drive a stock car. Participants learn the basics of racecar driving first, then get strapped in by a crew member, then off they go, tooling around in 500-h.p. Sprint Cup-style cars.
Kayak to a grilled, beach-style dinner on the California dunes.
Bridge to Nowhere Bungee Jump: Bungee jumping never sounded quite fulfilling enough? This full-day excursion leads you along a meandering river through five-miles of canyon-studded Angeles National Forest. The jump site, Bridge to Nowhere, suspends you ten stories above the raging river with nothing but air and steep canyon walls around you—nothing but nature’s best.
Joshua Tree Jeep Tour: With California’s Joshua Tree National Park just around the corner, it’d be a shame to miss these unique tree-like yuccas and some of the nation’s most interesting geological formations. Outfitted in a brand new Jeep® Wrangler, explore this national oddity with a tour guide to fill in all the blanks.
Paragliding Lesson in Malibu: Take advantage of the clear coastal air and learn to fly with a paragliding lesson. No motors, no jumping out of planes, and no tandem instructors. This half-day lesson teaches the basics of paragliding, followed by a trial flight and landing to help you get your wings.
So, there you have my choices for a dream day in Santa Barbara. Which of our Santa Barbara experiences would you most like to do?
December Experience of the Month: Race Car Driving
This December, Cloud 9 Living's Experience of the Month is Race Car Driving. Although images of a roaring 500 horsepower stock car may not come to mind when you think about a Christmas Winter Wonderland, every year without fail nothing makes our customers happier than finding one of our amazing Race Car experiences under the tree on Christmas morning.
Here's just a few customer responses from Christmas past:
"All I can say is WOW! What a ride! This is one Christmas gift I will never forget!" Dennis Burford, Race a Corvette, Texas Motor Speedway
"Best Christmas Gift ever!" Tony Duvall, Drive a Stock Car, Richmond Speedway
"I had a great time cashing in my Cloud 9 Christmas gift from my parents at the Texas Motor Speedway" Ashton D., Corvette Thrill Ride
Learn more about our amazing Race Car Driving Experience Gifts.
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