Arthur of Seaview Garden Cottage, along with his human buddy Richard, stopped in the other day to pick up their new business cards.

The cards turned out great.  Richard’s counterpart, Susie, worked with local artist Don Nisbett to do a watercolor of the cottage, and she selected a nice paper that has a watercolor feel for the cards.

While Arthur and the Danes got reacquainted, Richard mentioned that he was having a great response to the website we developed for him and we were delighted to learn he is experiencing the return on investment we forecasted.  Richard writes:

Our vacation rental, Seaview Garden Cottage, is doing well and I think one very important reason is our web site.  I hadn’t thought too much about its impact on business until a few days ago when I analyzed our guest data. Most people find out about us through the web site, and except for repeat business, just about all future bookings are the result of contact with us through the web.

We all want a timely return on investments, whatever that means.  For me, the question was, when did gross receipts from web generated business equal the cost of the site?  We went live just before Christmas and had our first web booking a few days later, which was a good start.  By the end of February, typically a very slow period, total web generated business had almost paid for the site.  March took us way over the top.  By then we were getting reservations for the summer. Each month brings in more business and we now think of our web site as a money maker. For me, the answer is it took two very slow months to cover the cost of the site, and about three months to show a profit, if other operating expenses are considered.

The mere existence of a web site isn’t enough.  I knew we had to stimulate interest for potential guests by providing basic information in a concise, yet interesting manner.  Specifically, guests need to know  what we offer, the cost, and how to make a reservation.  This is where Sabrina Kent took over.  She turned my vision into a web site that draws praise from all visitors.  One brilliant touch, for example, was the addition of a “baby” picture of our St. Bernard, Arthur, to the bottom of each page.  I  can’t calculate that benefit.

The technology employed for our site has made it possible to easily add or modify content, which in turn, better informs our guests and brings in more business.  Sabrina has, in effect, partnered with me by making suggestions for improvement.  Her technical skills are very useful, but the interest that she and the rest of beachdog.com have taken in our site is what I really appreciate.  I think we have a great web site and it will become even better, thanks to her continuing participation in this very satisfying project.

Sabrina did an excellent job of working with Richard to co-design and develop the site while Kathy used her expertise to optimize it for search engines and Karl managed much of the technical back end work.

Does your web site need a tuneup?  An overhaul?  If you haven’t done serious work on it in the last year or two, it very likely does.  Give us a woof for a no-cost, no-commitment consultation to learn how we can  improve the return on your online investment.  360-642-4431

CONSTRUCTION:

SR 4 / SR 401 – Roadside Safety Improvements
Traffic Impacts:

• June 29-July 3: No traffic impacts are scheduled. Work has been suspended on this project until August 15, 2009 for wildlife nesting.

Project Description:

Contractor crews will make safety improvements on SR 401 by installing guardrail between US 101 and the SR 401 junction near Knappton. Crews will head north on SR 401 and continue safety improvements until the SR 4 junction in Naselle. Guardrail installation will continue on SR 4 between US 101 near Johnsons Landing in Pacific County and head east through Wahkiakum and Cowlitz counties, concluding at the SR 432 junction in Longview. Once complete, the SR 4 and SR 401 corridors will have enhanced safety to help reduce to severity of run off the road collisions in these rural areas. Construction began May 13, 2009, and crews anticipate construction to be complete in fall 2009. For more information, contact Denys Tak in the Kelso Area Engineering Office toll-free at (800) 545-1393, or visit the Project Web Page.

US 101 / SR 6 to Grays Harbor County Line (mileposts 58.49-67.18) – Paving
Traffic Impacts:

• July 1-3: Daytime shoulder closures on US 101 for sign installation activities. Work will conclude by 12 p.m. on Friday, July 3.

Project Description:

Contractor crews will resurface nearly 10 miles of US 101 between SR 6 in Raymond and the Grays Harbor County line (mile posts 58.49 to 67.18) and bring ADA ramps in Raymond up to current standards. Temporary ADA facilities will be available throughout construction. Paving work will begin at the northern end of the project area and crews will work their way south. Paving operations in the city of Raymond begin in August, and drivers will be directed to use local detours as crews work through a series of closures on US 101. Commercial Street and Franklin Street in Raymond will remain open. For more information, contact Colin Newell in the Chehalis Area Engineering Office at (866) 713-2412.

US 101 / SR 103 Fort Columbia Vic./Long Beach Vic. Paving and Chip Seal
Traffic Impacts:

• June 29-July 2: Daytime single lane closures on SR 103 for crack sealing work between Pioneer Road W and 255th Place (mileposts 2.53-10.77).

Project Description:

Contractor crews will use hot-mix asphalt to pave US 101 between the Astoria-Megler Bridge and Fort Columbia vicinity (mileposts 1.85 to 2.46) and recently completed a portion of SR 103 between 15th Street SE and 13th Street NE (milepost 0.80 to 1.99). Crews will chip seal SR 103 between Pioneer Road W and 255th Place (mileposts 2.53 to 10.77). Once this project is complete, drivers will experience a safer, smoother driving surface. WSDOT will also enhance drivability with updated safety features such as ADA sidewalks and new curbing, signing, and striping. This project began construction on May 15, 2009 and is expected to be complete by late August. For more information, contact Denys Tak in the Kelso Area Engineering Office toll-free at (800) 545-1393, or visit the Project Web Page.

MAINTENANCE:

SR 105, Both directions between Raymond city limit and Tokeland Road vicinities (mileposts 1-14)
June 29-30: Daytime shoulder closure with buffer truck on SR 105 for roadside mowing operations.

US 101, Both directions between Raymond city limit and Elk Horn Road vicinities (mileposts 60-67)
June 29-30: Daytime shoulder closure with buffer truck on US 101 for roadside mowing operations.

US 101, Both directions at the Astoria-Megler Bridge (milepost 0)
June 30: Daytime traffic reduced to a single lane, alternating directions with flaggers on US 101 for signal sensor relocation operations.

All of this info comes from: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Regions/SouthWest/Construction/default#Pacific

Construction begins June 29 on SR 4 paving and guardrail project
Drivers will encounter closures, minor delays on nearly 28 miles of SR 4 this summer

SKAMOKAWA – Construction on a 28-mile stretch of SR 4 through Wahkiakum and Cowlitz counties begins this week as the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) begins work on another stimulus-funded project.

The SR 4 – Skamokawa to Coal Creek Road – Paving and Guardrail Upgrade project will enhance motorist safety along SR 4 by upgrading guardrail and cable barrier and retrofitting bridges with improved railings. SR 4 will also be paved, preserving the life of the roadway and providing motorists with a safer, smoother ride.

The $6.5 million construction contract for this project was awarded earlier this month to Lakeside Industries, Inc. of Longview. The project combines state funding with more than $900,000 in local funds and $200,000 in 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds provided by Wahkiakum County.

Beginning Monday, June 29, drivers will encounter daytime single-lane closures on SR 4 between Skamokawa and Coal Creek Road (mile post 27.5 to 55.0). These lane closures are necessary to allow contractor crews to install signs and temporary fencing, and to mobilize construction equipment into the area.

Throughout the course of this project, daytime single-lane closures will continue in order for crews to resurface the roadway, retrofit and install new guardrail, and restripe the pavement. In addition, crews will replace a damaged culvert pipe that crosses the highway just east of Stella Road (mile post 51.5). A continuous single-lane closure will be implemented for up to two weeks to allow crews to safely repair river embankment near the roadway east of County Line Park (mile post 42.3).

The project is scheduled for completion in October.

Want to know what’s up with our local roads?  Visit the Pacific County Construction Updates page at Department of Transportation.

Parents of the world, you send your progeny to tee ball practice, girl scouts, archery camp, and endless years of education.  Why not actually invest in your children’s future?

Every year more and more children are growing up without learning how to yodel. If we allow this to continue, we can look forward to a future in which the legendary art of yodeling will forever be lost. Lets not let what happened to Atlantis happen to this sacred art form.  Someone has to work up state in Leavenworth and, as it turns out, down here at Waikiki Beach.

Support the arts, but mostly support yodeling. After all, a human that never learns to yodel, is barely a yodeler at all.

Head on down to Cape Disappointment State Park this weekend and enjoy world-class Yodeler Larry B Wilder at Waikiki Beach.

Forbes Traveler recently chose the Long Beach Peninsula for their top-ten list of America’s Favorite Beach Towns.

Another summer getaway with a popular boardwalk is Long Beach on a scenic peninsula in Washington State. “People do love the boardwalk,” says Una Boyle, Executive Director of the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau. “It was designed to meander above the sand dunes, providing terrific ocean views. On the peninsula, it’s all about unobstructed nature—at Cape Disappointment State Park you can stand on a high cliff and see the waves of the Pacific Ocean crashing below you.” [Full Article] [Long Beach Peninsula]

The photo they chose from the funbeach.com press room is one of my favorites; a twilight image from Sea Images Northwest of the Ilwaco marina: