Support Our National Parks

I have recently (within the past couple of years) discovered a true love for nature and the outdoors. Sadly, I had fallen into the trap of the past decade...You know the one, that true entertainment is found at home in front of the TV. Now, I do still enjoy a handful of TV shows, but I would much rather be outside looking at the natural wonders of our nation. I have had the fortune of having a job that has allowed me to travel and see some amazing places, all of them right here in the USA.
This weekend I have visited two of our National Parks in California:
Lava Beds NM in Tulelake, CA and Yosemite NP. I had visited Lava Beds NP last fall, but had gotten there when snow blanketed the ground. This time the snow was melted, so I got the see the lava flow much better, not to mention Petroglyph Point, which has over 5000 symbols carved into its side, making it one of the largest rock art concentrations in North America. It was an island throughout much of the history of Tule Lake. The artists would travel by canoe to the island and make their marks along the rock. It was truly amazing to stand at the bottom and look up the side and see the size of the rock and the markings carved into it.
No words or pictures can do justice to Yosemite. I took several pictures today, but the only way to truly experience it is to see it for yourself. Driving into the park I thought I was just seeing beautiful mountains covered in pine trees, but the best was yet to come! Yosemite Valley has the tallest standing granite formation in the US (El Capitan) and some of the most amazing waterfalls you will see. Not to mention it was littered with deer and even a coyote (which stopped traffic) crossing back and forth on the valley floor. If you ever make a trip to California, this is a must see. Some photos from both of my trips are on my Flickr page.
There are 388 sites that are a part of our National Parks System. It is our duty to preserve their history and beauty for our enjoyment and for future generations.

Crater Lake Lodge

Crater Lake Lodge
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

This is a piture I found in the internet to show how the lodge looks in the summer. You can still see a large pile of snow to the right. Just to give an idea of the snow...

Crater Lake Lodge

Crater Lake Lodge
Originally uploaded by l_stallberg.

This is a picture I took at Crater Lake Lodge. The snow pile to the left is the one I climed up to try and view the lake from.

Crater Lake

I went to
Crater Lake yesterday. It was on my way to Grants Pass, OR where I am tonight. It is the deepest lake in the United States and the 7th deepest in the world. On a clear day you could see the lake, but yesterday was not one of them. I was told it is a must see if you are in Oregon, and I did not make it last time I was near the area. The snowfall there averages around 42ft each winter. There are only 3 months of the year that the snow does not engulf the area. I tried to get to the top of a snow pile by the Crater Lake Lodge, but the clouds were too thick and I did not want to get too close to the top, because I did not know where I might end up. This is a place that is on my list of must see places before I die, and I would suggest that you too should place it on your list.

Drink of the Week

I was in Bend, OR this week when I stopped into a local Starbucks to get a drink to warm me up, since it is still cold and rainy in the Pacific Northwest. I found a new love with the White Chocolate Mocha, but I was offered a sample of a new drink. They offered me a shot of a Green Tea Latte. I had seen it in the past few weeks but was not intrested. Green Tea is an acquired taste that I had not acquired. But the drink was very good, and Green Tea is good for you. Stop by Starbucks sometime and give it a try. If you don't like it, tell me and I'll take you there and buy you a drink you do like.