I stumbled upon the May 2011 issue of National Geographic while enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon at my grandmother’s. When I scanned the cover my heart dropped, my knees weakened and my hands got all clammy. Staring back at me was an image of a climber, standing on the aptly named “Thank God Ledge” of […]
Read MoreArchive for the "Miscellaneous" Category
Celebrating Women’s History Month in our National Parks
This month we look back & reflect upon those women in our history who have made historic achievements. This month, we seek to honor them and their legacy. Through our National Parks, we can learn more about those who have affected the lives of millions of Americans, yesterday and today. Our parks commemorate their achievements, […]
Read MoreFederal ‘Shutdown’ Possibility & What It Means
Come Friday, the goverment will (hopefully) have come to an agreement regarding budget spending and proposed cut-backs, putting an end to the mounting tensions in Washington and nation-wide and officially stomping out the possibility of a federal shutdown. In late 1995 and early 1996, the US experienced their last two major federal shutdowns – in what […]
Read MoreAmerica’s Great Outdoors
This afternoon, President Obama delivered a much-anticipated speech – a report on the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, a program which was launched just last year in an effort to preserve America’s park lands and open spaces. It was brief but delivered a strong message. It was, as I understood, a call to action – not […]
Read MoreSaving our Parks
Today, we hear more and more about the effects of “climate change”. Scientists tell us there is little doubt that human activities are having a major impact on the atmosphere and ecosystems or our planet. Glaciers and snow packs are melting, stream and lake temperatures are going up, coastal erosion is increasing, and changes in […]
Read MoreSaving the Sound of Silence
It’s always so interesting reading about new initiatives taken on by the National Park Service to help preserve different elements of a park especially when it does not necessarily involve those elements that are tangible. It proves to be a difficult task, but an important one nonetheless. At Zion National Park they are rolling out […]
Read MoreHerrin Happening
The past two weeks at the H Bar G Ranch in Estes Park, Colorado has been an unforgettable and memorable experience. Being away from my own family has been a challenge but the Herrin family was more than welcoming and loving. I feel as though I am now blessed with 30 additional family members. The 2010 […]
Read MoreHappy Trails to You
The past two weeks we’ve been stationed in Estes Park, Colorado, staying at the H-Bar-G Ranch which is owned today by my aunt, and her mother and sister. The ranch has a storied past. It was once a dude ranch, a girls horse-back riding camp, a hostel, and today, just a great place for family […]
Read MoreEstes Park Colorado & The H-Bar-G Ranch
Estes Park, CO is home to the infamous Stanley Hotel (The shining), the never forgotten Big Thompson Flood, the ever-popular H-Bar-G Ranch, and of course, Rocky Mountain National Park. We arrived in Estes on Saturday morning to blue skies and only a few scattered clouds. We headed for The H-Bar-G Ranch, a family-owned property that […]
Read MoreGarden of the Gods, Colorado Springs CO
En route to our next stop, Estes Park, CO we stopped off at the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Garden of the Gods is a beautiful city park run by Colorado Springs. The name of the park dates back to 1859 when two surveyors helping to set up nearby Colorado City were […]
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