Semi-Staycation on the Wasatch-Cache National Forest

With a few hours to enjoy ourselves and Woody, we ventured up Mill Creek Canyon into the Wasatch-Cache National Forest for an afternoon hike in the mountains.  The first plus we experienced was the temperature transitioning from 94 degrees in the valley to 70 degrees at the end of the road up the canyon.

This was a chance to escape weekly scheduling and the traditional "rat race" we all partake in on a daily basis.  I must say Kiefer and I have transended some of this scheduling and are taking advantage of  these mini-ventures more frequently these days...Well deserved on many levels...

Mill Creek Canyon is a very well maintained with the protection of the National Park System in conjunction with Salt Lake City monies to maintain and preserve this canyon gem...Bravo!!!

Greetings from Kiefer, Jack and of course Woody...

How govt. funding works in the real world

There was a Fund designated in 2001 for the National Park Service to use to upgrade the parks  throughout America and help support the infrastructure for the parks very existance.  This Fund is called the Land and Water Conservation Fund which is an annual fund amounting to $900,000,000.  In the nine years of it's existance, over 93% of those monies was diverted to other programs...THIS IS HOW IT WORKS...
There is presently a bill in congress to protect "all" these funds annually for the National Parks only...I guess someone forgot to read the fine print in the original bill...

Yellowstone Nat. Park

Kiefer, Jack and of course Woody...

 

Fee Free Days at the National Parks...

Starting today, the National Park Service is inviting you to visit a National Park of your choosing "fee free"...

Dates of fee free days are as follows:

Aug. 14th and 15th

Sept 25th

Nov. 11th (Veterans Day)

Enjoy the "Great Outdoors"...

Who is this lovely couple???

Alcatraz Island...Not Forgotten...

A history lost in the cinema depiction of this Island is now re-emerging under the efforts of the National Park Service who is responsible for this park...
Alcatraz Island




"Most Americans are familiar with Alcatraz Island as the former home of infamous criminals such as Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly. They might not realize that before it housed a prison, the island was used by the military during the Civil War and the Spanish-American War. In addition, the island was the site of a 19-month American Indian occupation that commenced in November 1969. Alcatraz Island become part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area in 1972, and it opened to the public the following year".


Alcatraz Island is becoming a very popular "visitors stop" while in San Francisco...It has a history beyond the age of the prison...

Jack, Kiefer and of course Woody...

National Trails System

Congress passed the National Trails System Act in 1968.  Today this system includes 11 National Scenic Trails.  There are also 16 Historic Trails and around 900 National Recreational Trails.  You can visit www.nps.gov/nts to view all these trails.  Kiefer, myself and of course Woody are planning to visit these trails in the course of our traveling the National Parks in the U.S....One of the most known of these trails is the Pacific Crest Trail and it's addendum the Pacific Northwest Trail...Upon visiting the Pacific Crest Trail booth at Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City last week, we discussed the volunteer programs available on this trail system.  We may me segmenting a portion of that trail in either N. California or Oregon this fall to volunteer our services to help maintaining this system...It has been a dream of mine for several years...
Consider the possibility of taking a vacation to one of these trails and see how you can help maintain these treasures of our great nation...

The Arizona Trail

See you Out There...

Jack, Kiefer and of course Woody!!!

America's Great Outdoors Initiative-Bob Abbey BLM and Ken Salazar Sec. of Interior in SLC

Salt Lake City received the "traveling show" by hosting President Obama' s America's Great Outdoors Initiative.  This event is traveling throughout America offering a "Listening Session" to both general audience and one focused on the youth of our country.  There was no coincidence that it paralleled the opening day of Outdoor Retailer International Show also in SLC.

The forum invites any individual in the audience to present issues and ideas to the panel and those attending.  Featured guests included Bob Abbey, Director of Bureau of Land Management, Ken Salazar Secretary of the Interior, Gov. Gary Herbert, Nancy Sutley Chair of White House Council on Environmental Quality, Ralph Becker mayor of SLC and others.  The major goal is to sustain and preserve our cherished outdoors for future generations and entice young and old and all in between to become more active in the great outdoors.  To this goal, we applaud loudly...Enjoy and Support...

Jack, Kiefer and of course Woody...