TXH, The rebel as made from a plastic body, they have magnesium alloy bodies, solid as a rock - weigh as much too! The larger the sensor the larger the lenses have to be as well. When a digital sensor is the same same size as the old 35mm standard, it is referred to as full frame(FF). I had the D50, got rid of it within 3 months. It had horrible banding issues. I was given the Canon Rebel XT, and I bought the Olympus E500. Canon had better low light performance but other than that the Olympus just blew out of the water. I keep finding myself grabbing the Oly instead of the Canon. The dollar for dollar the Oly was better as well. I needed (wanted) a rubber sealed camera, to deter dust and water. I chose the Oly E-1. I was able to get the E-1, with battery grip for $450. I couldn't pass that up. Magnesium exterior, weather sealed and battery grip - no brainer. The only draw back was that it was 5 MP. Again the IQ of the sensor was(is) so good that I am printing 16x20 inch print from it. Oly is introducing a new "pro" camera, the E-3. It should be at the stores any day now. I am drooling over the D80 right now, though. I played with that camera awhile back. If I didn't already have lenses for the Oly system, I might be the owner of a Nikon. I don't think Nikon is going anywhere. Canon is #1 one in sales and Nikon is #2, Oly being #3. Sony is trying to get into the game but I am not convinced just yet, they aggressive about making improvements, though. Where are you located? Visit the forums at dpreview.com, lot of knowledge there. Zjoe

I just travelled from London Ontario via Port Huron, then Flint, through MI via I-75 to their UP, WI, MN, and ND to Saskatchewan and later to Edmonton in Alberta in Canada, source of much of the oil and natural gas that the U.S. gets from Canada ... and was surprised at the low volume of traffic on that route - in tourist season. I used the method described above along much of that course, especially at night, when traffic was lighter. I have no idea how many miles I travelled with the engine not running, but it was substantial. And hardly ever did I interfere with the travel of anyone else using the road. Same strategy on the return trip. Last evening I started from near London Ontario and came down through Detroit, then down I-75 to Knoxville TN, then across on I-40 to Lake Junaluska, near Asheville, NC to a reunion of over 200 former missionaries and development workers to Korea, arriving just before the dinner hour. Though traffic was somewhat heavier, especially at rush hour, than on the northern route, I was able to coast dozens of times, without interfering with the rate of travel of people following me. Sometimes on a long downhill slope with rather light gradient, I'd re-start for a short speed-up of travel, part way down the hill, then coast again. I really appreciate the great effort that was expended to build that highway through the rocky hills/mountains of Kentucky, Tenessee and North Carolina: through the Great Smokies. More than I did earlier ... and I think that's an added benefit to my increased awareness of the importance of conservation of our resources, especially petroleum, plus reducing global warming and pollution. This profligate lifestyle that we've self-centredly carried out for three generations or less can't continue. And now, we have the gall to tell the rapidly industrializing countries, especially China, India, Brazil, etc. that tey've got to take an important role in decreasing pollution ... when we have three cars in every driveway, and they have about 1 car in 200 driveways (or is that 100)? Where do we get such gall? Many of us in the U.S. and Canada claim to be Christian. I wonder what God has to say about such heedless, greedy selfishness? ole joyful

Hmmmm, 3-4 days is a short time to stay in Yellowstone. Yellowstone is my favorite location on the face of the earth (and I've seen a lot of the world)!!!!!!! When are you going to Yellowstone? Do you want to stay within the park itself? Lodge, cabins, camping, hotel? The time of year you choose to visit is important in determining where you can stay. Many of the lodges, cabins, etc close up after Labor Day and don't open again until after Memorial Day. Yellowstone is enormous and most people don't realize how many miles you need to drive to get from point A to point B if they have never visited before. The figure 8 ring road is 184 miles and driven at an average of 30 miles an hour. In in summer, with heavy traffic, the drive is slower. There is always road construction going on within the park because the snow covers the roads at least 7 months a year. Asking what the vital areas to see in Yellowstone is like asking people their favorite breed of dog. . . everyone will tell you something different. Here is a list of my own personal favorites of Yellowstone, moving from north to south and then again movng from west east. Mammoth Hot Springs, Lower (Norris) Geyser Basin and Upper Geyser Basin (area where Old Faithful is located) and West Thumb, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone which include the lower and upper falls. This is what I would concentrate on seeing in a 3-4 day visit. Also, I would choose to go during elk breeding season in mid September (just after the summer season has ended) and stay in the cabins at Mammoth Hot Springs. I absolutely LOVE being able to open my cabin door in the mornings, step outside and see elk wandering through and the steam from the geothermal activity going on in the park. AND, as my husband told me that I would be, I LOVE the smell of Yellowstone with all that sulfer in the air. Then, if at all possible I would plan on a return trip for during the winter. My husband and I got to go during February one year and there is NOTHING in the world like standing watching Old Faithful erupt without a single living soul in sight! Dead of winter is the only time you can experience this.

I'm not quite sure how many kids you're thinking of taking with you. I just 'googled' and here are the recommended number of chaperones to students (based on age). I guess one of my concerns would be how much help will you and your husband will have chaperoning the kids once you're there? Based on the following info, if you have approximately 14 kids, then you should be ok (if you and your husband feel comfortable handling 1-7 ratio, ) if there is sufficient support once you arrive onsite. Obviously, and I know you've probably already considered this, but if there is an emergency requiring one of you to be one on one with the student, (hospitalization, medical care, etc.), will there be sufficient backup for the remaining chaperone? For professionally led student tours, the ratio of chaperones to students is usually as follows: 1-3 (elementary school) 1-7 (middle school/junior high) 1-10 (high school) Of course, this does not include the tour director if there is one. For 13-17 students, you'll want 2 chaperones and one group leader/teacher/guide. end.