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| Across the valley to the Sangre de Cristo Mountains |
Road trips are not my favorite way to travel, so why do I go
on them? Generally I use this mode because I can’t see something
I’m interested in any other way. One really good reason is to gain an
appreciation of the natural world that surrounds us. Someone, and I can’t
remember who, said that if you’ve never seen something you can’t appreciate it,
and if you can’t appreciate it you won’t be moved to take care of it, and
finally if you don’t take care of it, it may be gone forever. This is
particularly true of the natural world. I spent a lot of years teaching about
the ecology and geology of our country and I never saw a student who wasn’t
moved to become a better steward of the land and perhaps inspire his/her students
and family to become stewards, as well.
In 1981 I visited Yellowstone National Park for the first
time. On the way there, we stopped at several other National Parks
or Monuments. These are the gems of the US and should continue to be
treated as such.
“The National Park Service
invites you to find
your park! In celebration of the 100th birthday of the National Park
Service in 2016, we are launching a movement to spread the word about the
amazing places we manage, the inspirational stories that the national parks
tell, our country's natural resources, and our diverse cultural heritage.”
~ National Park Service
