Parks, Forests and Monuments...

By category name, one cannot discern the difference between the NPS designations for areas of responsibility.  If you take a "by description" comparison you will notice that the biggest difference is the level of service for visitors.  Camping, driving, hiking, fees, etc. all are more enhanced at the "Park" level and are reduced in the Forests and least developed in the Monuments.  At least that is how it has been for the past 94 years.  Presently, the service element of the NPS has been diminished considerably because of the drastic reduction in funds allocated to them.  What has happened is there is a leveling of the service to a point that one experiences very little difference between the 3 designations.  This has been our experience thus far on our park'nwithjackandkiefer adventure.  Thus the need for volunteer service by one and all who want to pass on their experiences of seeing America through the Park System to the next generations.  Volunteering to help repair and maintain these American Treasures are essential...Give Back Now...
Jack and Kiefer...

Park'nwithjackandkiefer: Sunset with the "Ancients"...

Park'nwithjackandkiefer: Sunset with the "Ancients"...

Sunset with the "Ancients"...

As promised, Kiefer and I culminated our 35th Anniversary with a journey to the Parowan Gap to experience the summer solstice "sunset" as has been experienced by humans and others for millenia...
The beauty of the Parowan Gap is that it is way off the beaten path and if you are not "driven" to see this unique event it will stay pristene in nature for purpetuity...
Most locals know of the gap, but most do not know much about it and many have not even driven the 10 miles on dirt roads to experience it...WE WERE DRIVEN...
This is "Blue Highways" at it's best...Thank You William Least Heat-Moon...

Jack, Kiefer and Woody...

It's the Summer Solstice and off to Parowan Gap with the Ancients...

It is Kiefer and my 35th Anniversary and as always on the Summer Solstice...This celebration will feature the sun setting in the ancient Parowan Gap outside of Parowan, Utah...The sun sets exactly in the rock formation of the Gap on this day.  Since we are freaks for "sunsets" in general, we will take this event in nature to experience what the ancients did thousands of years ago...Then off to Zion to visit the Kolob Canyon...

J and K...

Here's Woody...

For those who are not familiar with Woody...Here he is...

Zion Here We Come!!!

Kiefer and I will be heading to Zion National Park, Cedar Break Nat. Monument and Dixie National Forest...
The difference is significant between a Nat. Park, Nat. Forest and a Nat. Monument, but all are under the direction of the National Park Service.  We are going to experience and blog what we see as a difference...
These are within 50 miles of each other and we will be camping at about 9,000 ft in snow drifts and very cool temperatures...
Woody gets to go along with this trip...Woody is our "Charlie" in "Travels with Charlie"...He will be the main entertainment.
We leave on June 21st our 35th anniversary as well as the summer solstice...
See you on our blog if that is possible...What app do I use for that???
Jack and Kiefer...

Park'nwithjackandkiefer: National Park Pass Books...It's a must have...

Park'nwithjackandkiefer: National Park Pass Books...It's a must have...

National Park Pass Books...It's a must have...

When you visit a US National Park do your self a favor and purchase a National Parks Pass Book...

Each park has it's own stamp and some very creative additional stamps reflecting the uniqueness of that park and the environment to which they belong.
You can keep a record of your visits over the years and in some cases visit a park along the way just to stamp your book and possibly enjoy the visit and slow down your journey just a little...
You may find yourself enjoying a beautiful sunset...

Reflections

This is the time when one looks back at the journey just taken and reflects on companions and experiences of the journey...Our journey to The Big Island Hawai'i with Duane and Delynn and the fulfillment of those "things" we wanted to experience...We took the time to acquire the "Island Life" or as the locals say, "Island Love"...This state slows down the body and mind and opens up the senses to everything around you.  We talked with many locals and were given directions to people, places and things we probably would have passed by looking for the "spectacular"...What we found "was" the spectacular...Local eateries, local beaches, local rainforests, local views of the sunset (mostly on the western side of the island) and the floral and fauna so pervasive on the island...
Experiencing these treasures with Duane and Delynn made it that more spectacular for they were in search of the same things...Thank you...
We visited 2 National Parks to view the protected remains of the original inhabitants of the island...
We saw spectacular sunsets and talked to amazing people...Thank You...

What will be our next venture...Stay Tuned...Jack and Kiefer...

Park'n In The Summertime...

Having returned from the Big Island, we have hugged goodbye to Duane and Dalyn who were great companions for our Hawaiian Journey, and we are sorting through all the great Pics of the Big Island and hope to return someday soon...Aloha and Mahalo...

Hawai'i The Big Snorkel...

We are completely absorbed with the water activities available on The Big Island...Again we snorkeled, but this time at a cove above Mauna Kea Beach... Coral Reef fish, turtles, eels, etc. 

The sun was plentiful and at 75 degrees was very bearable.  This was our last day in heaven...Tomorrow we return to "The Mainland"...

We have reached the level of "Island Life" which will always have a place in our hearts...

D, D, K and J...

Snorkeling in the Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Park-The City of Refuge...

We acquired Snorkeling equipment and Boogy Boards and ventured to the waters just outside this National Park to view the vast array of tropical fish along a vibrant coral reef. The marine life was abundant and as colorful as the island itself. We lunched at Big Jakes Island BBQ and had a pulled pork sandwich and fresh squeezed Lemonade...Big Jake was cooking a brisket which was taking 24 hours to smoke...Jake is the "budda of brisket" on the island...Made it back to the ranch just in time to view another fantastic sunset...See you tomorrow...J, K, D, D...

Hawai'i The Northern Point

Another "beautiful day" on The Big Island...We went north up the Kona Coast to Hawi which has a resturant called "Bamboo" which is a memorable experience. Beyond Hawi we went 7 miles east still on the point (which by the way is a rain forest) to the Pololu Valley and down to Pololu Beach. What an incredible experience and by far the most dramatic scene on The Big Island. From there we went over to the east coast to Akaka State Park and saw Akaka Waterfalls which is a 450 Foot waterfall...On the return trip to the west coast we caught our 4 straight brilliant sunset...They only get better...Back in Hawi we visited the site of the statue recoginzing the most famous and powerful King in Hawaiian history, Kamehameha The Great...

Alaho
Duane, Delynn, Kiefer and Jack...