Utah Stories began reporting on David Siegel and his timeshare ripoffs beginning before the housing bubble in 2008. At that point Siegal was at the top of the world, looking to post $1 billion in sales with his company Westgate Resorts. We learned from attending a Westgate Resorts timeshare presentation that his sales associates flat out lied to customers. After we initially … [Read more...]
Wild Mustangs in Utah’s West Desert
A roan mustang stallion crests a hill in Utah’s range country. He views his herd of mares, paws the sandy desert ground and sniffs the air. He smells no predators, but he cannot smell the danger looming in the future. People travel from all over the country to Utah hoping to catch a glimpse of its wild horses. The mustangs are the descendants of horses brought … [Read more...]
Single Action Shooting Society
Lefty Pete has steel in his eyes and lead at his fingertips as he calmly says, “I aim to shoot you or see you hang at Judge Parker’s convenience.” Blam...Blam! Blam! Blam! Lefty blasts a fusillade at targets that represent nefarious desperados. When the dust settles, he is the only man standing. Welcome to Utah’s Wild West - where rootin’ tootin’ and six-shootin’ … [Read more...]
Wild West Beef Jerky Stand, Levan, Utah
Levan is the very center of Utah, which is why Levan is navel spelled backwards. Highway 28 leads to the navel of Levan which happens to be the Wild West Beef Jerky Stand. A sign outside reads, “You can beat our prices but you can’t beat our meat!” This is just the type of place I need right now. My stomach is rumbling. Another sign reads that they are open but will be … [Read more...]
Volkswagon Bus Camping and the Journey to Burning Man
For Coulson Rich, camping is indeed a lifestyle. “When I bought my bus, I was no longer comfortable paying rent. I wanted to live in my bus and have the freedom to move around and see the country.” Rich says he spent six years in his early twenties living out of his 1972 VW bus. He customized it with cabinetry, wood floors and upholstery. His first jaunt was a three-week trek … [Read more...]
Utah Happy Campers
Camping is finding a balance between enjoying creature comforts yet still feeling a connection with nature. The question is: Can you have it both ways? I was once a very hard-core backpacker, which made me anti-RV. I believed anyone who would consider it “camping” while maintaining a fridge, toilet, AC and in some cases a flat screen TV with a DVD collection at … [Read more...]
Utah Naturists not Nudists – find out the difference
What do you have to hide, if you al already naked? Utah’s one of the best states for being an independent naturist,” claims Ed Stimpson. Independent naturist? Sounds like it could be a new green movement political party, but what Stimpson, former CEO of the Utah Naturists Club, is talking about is being alone and in nature...naturally. Naturally, asin naked. Also referred to … [Read more...]
Trash Becomes Treasure—Utah artists with a found vision
Art is In the Trash Can of the Beholder. Ignore the critics. There is no line between art and trash in Utah. Junk art is not new, not as an art form or the works themselves. Comprised from landfill bound stuff, this style exceeds the sum of its parts. These mixed media compositions turn cast off items with no value into aesthetic fun. Art can be commentary, satire, … [Read more...]
Ogden Art House Cinema
Nestled quaintly on Ogden’s historic 25th Street, there sits the Art House Cinema 502. It is Ogden’s premier art cinema, showing first-run films that include hard to find foreign movies, documentaries, local shorts and far-from-center features at weekend late-night screenings. This cinema may have only 28 seats, and the “502” refers to its square footage, but it shows movies … [Read more...]
Old School Punk
Think the Metal scene is dead? Check out this old schooler who keeps the spirit of heavy metal alive. Heavy metal music is a lot like Chinese food. There are days when nothing else quite hits the spot. When local metal-heads feel the need for a full-course serving of thrash, the place they gravitate to is the Heavy Metal Shop at 63 Exchange Place in Salt Lake City. Owner … [Read more...]