White Sands National Monument – Less Beaten Paths Travel Blog

April 29, 2017April 29, 2017

V is for Vistas – #atozchallenge

Vistas are the joy of back roads travel. Every corner, every crest of a hill, every mile offers a new vista. And this country has some spectacular and splendid vistas.

Over the years I have seen some amazing vistas. Whether they be in the deserts of the southwest, the high plains of Montana or on the oceans in the east or the west, the views are endless and inspiring. Following are some of the vistas I have enjoyed and their locations. Enjoy the ride and the views.

A view of the Portland Head Light in Maine

Hills of Shenandoah Valley in presunrise hours on Easter 2017

Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean as seen from Old Orchard Beach, ME

A lonely highway in south central Nebraska, near Overland

Spacious skies over the Grand Canyon in Arizona

The river into Juneau, Alaska as seen from a mountain top near Juneau

The mountains and the Yellowstone River as seen from US 89

The long straight highway near Cohagen, MT

Beautiful Highway heading into Virginia from Kentucky

Louisville, KY as seen from across the Ohio River in Indiana

The Oyate Trail highway in southern South Dakota

Fall colors from the Virginia Creeper Trail in Virginia

Beach at Clallam Bay, WA adorned with seagulls

New York City at night as seen from Hoboken, NJ

Sawtooths as seen from Lower Stanley, Idaho

Scenic cinder Hills and Shadows as seen on Idaho Hwy 33

Bison relax along Lava Creek in Yellowstone while pronghorned antelope look on from the background

Panoramic View of Pittsburgh from atop Mt. Washington

The Tetons as seen from near Drummond, ID

Sunset in the Sweetgrass, north of Dunkirk, MT

A view of the New River Gorge in West Virginia

Wind Turbines seem to blossom like flowers out of the corn fields of Iowa

Pennsylvania sunrise as seen from Boyce Mayview Park near Upper St. Clair, PA

Fall Colors from the Eagle’s Nest above Bancroft, Ontario near Algonquin

Texas Hwy 30 between Huntsville and Shiro

Hells Canyon in northeast Oregon is actually wider and deeper than the Grand Canyon

Three Sisters – nicknamed Faith/Hope/Charity near Sisters, Oregon

View of the Beartooths near Red Lodge, Montana from the highway was awesome

America the Beautiful – A scene near Glacier National Park

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April 19, 2017April 19, 2017

N is for National Parks & Monuments – #atozchallenge

The US National Park System has 417 official units throughout the country including 59 National Parks, 87 National Monuments, 19 National Preserves, 51 National Historic Parks, 78 National Historic Sites, 4 National Battlefield Parks, 9 National Military Parks, 9 National Battlefields, 30 National Memorials and a number of other National sites including National Rivers, National Seashores, National Lakeshores, National Parkways and National Trails.

Sumoflam and Cannons at Vicksburg National Military Park

Towpath Trail in Cuyahoga Valley NP, Ohio

Officially, the National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

Some of the scenic and colorful hills of Theodore Roosevelt National Park

A couple of my children at the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln in Kentucky in 1997

The NPS is a great blessing to the citizens of this country and all others that may visit. They have some amazing offerings and a road trip that passes by these is not a worthy roadtrip. These sites are the gems of our country!

Though I have visited all 50 states in the US, I have not been able to get to many of the sites. Of the 59 National Parks, for instance, I have only visited 28 of them and some of those were way before my travel blogging and photography days. Of all of the others, I have been to 77 of the nearly 350 sites. So, I still have a long way to go.

Visiting Shenandoah National Park on Easter Sunday 2017

Gettysburg Address Commemorative Sign, July 1998

That said, I have thoroughly enjoyed my visits to many of the National Parks, Monuments and other NPS sites. My personal favorites are Glacier National Park (Montana), Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming) and Yellowstone National Park (WY) — OK…I love the mountains!!

Following are some photos of some of the other NPS Sites that I have visited over the years. More are sure to come soon!! (In fact, just this past weekend — Easter weekend 2017 — I drove the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park and got photos of the Easter Sunrise!!)

Easter Morning Sunrise 2017 in Shenandoah National Park

Grave markers of the US Calvary Soldiers that died at the Battle of Little Big Horn in Little Big Horn National Monument in Montana

Sumoflam at Montezuma Castle National Monument in Arizona in 1983

Family at Sunset Crater National Monument north of Flagstaff in July 1993

The Washington Monument and the US Capitol in Washington DC in 2016

Visiting Craters of the Moon in Idaho in 2013

Entering Mt. Rainier National Park on WA 410 south of Greenwater, WA

Agate Fossil Bed National Monument in Nebraska

With some family members and a friend at Glacier National Park (May 2005)

Purple Mountain Majesties – Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Mount Olympus and Olympic National Park in Washington as seen from Hwy 104

One of the wild horses on the sand dunes at Assateague National Seashore in Maryland

Visiting the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona with some tourists from the Isle of Man in 1983

Family at the Lincoln Home in Springfield, Illinois, Summer 2001

Visiting Yellowstone National Park in 2014

Family at the George Rogers Clark National Historic Park in Vincennes, Indiana Summer 2001

Capulin Volcano – part of the Capulin National Monument in New Mexico

Some of the kids viewing the massive New River Gorge Bridge in New River Gorge National River, WV in August 1995

Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, NY 1990

Visiting Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos, New Mexico in 1979. I have always enjoyed visiting old Indian ruins.

Sumoflam at the Everglades in Florida in July 1990

My son Seth at Wupatki National Monument in April 1992

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April 17, 2017April 17, 2017

L is for Love Traveling With Grandchildren – #atozchallenge

I am rich…very rich. Not in money, but rather rich in experiences and rich in grandchildren. As the Proverb says “Children are like arrows. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.”

At age 60 I have been blessed to have 10 grandchildren (so far). These are my joy and I am so grateful. And, besides loving them to death, I have also passed on the fascination of wanderlust. Most of my grandchildren are already well traveled thanks to my daughters and sons that have continued the tradition of getting on the road and seeing the world.

With some family and geandkidz in Port Orchard, WA

I have had numerous opportunities to join my grandchildren on roadtrips. It is absolutely amazing to see their reactions to the world around them, to watch them scamper on a beach, to play with butterflies or to hold a baby gator.

Following are a few photos of my travels with the “grandkidz” as I refer to them. They represent travel all over the country from the past few years.

Grandkidz Rawk! Enjoy the Ride!