Category: Places & Travel

Fly away with me

NewMexiKen ran across these two books about flying.

More than ever, air travel is a focus of curiosity, intrigue and anxiety. This year, some half a billion passengers will ride aboard the ten largest US airlines alone. Fair to say each one has a question, a doubt, and a lingering fear in the back of his or her mind. We take to the air routinely, yet few of us understand the how and why of jetting from New York to London in six hours. Patrick Smith, an airline pilot and author of Salon.com’s popular air travel column, unravels the secrets and tells you all there is to know about the strange and fascinating world of commercial flight.

* Insights into safety, security, and the nuts and bolts of how planes fly

* Straight talk on turbulence, air traffic control, windshear and accidents

* The history, color and controversy of the world’s airlines

* The awe and oddity of being a pilot

* The poetry and drama of airplanes, airports, and travelling abroad

Patrick speaks eloquently to our fears and curiosities, incorporating anecdotes, memoir, and a life’s passion for flight. He tackles your toughest concerns, debunks conspiracies and urban myths, and in a rarely heard voice dares to return a dash of romance and glamour to air travel.

Talk about a fresh perspective! Perched 35,000 feet in the air, Window Seat decodes the sights to be seen on any flight across North America. Broken down by region, this unusual guide features 70 aerial photographs; a fold-out map of North America showing major flight paths; profiles of each region covering its landforms, waterways, and cities; tips on spotting major sights, such as the Northern Lights, the Grand Canyon, and Disney World; tips on spotting not-so-major sights such as prisons, mines, and Interstates; and straightforward, friendly text on cloud shapes, weather patterns, the continent’s history, and more. A terrific book for kids, frequent flyers, and armchair travelers alike, Window Seat is packed with curious facts and colorful illustration, proving that flying doesn’t have to be a snooze. When it’s possible to “read” the landscape from above, a whole world unfolds at your feet.

Both reviews from Amazon.com.

The 57 National Parks


State

Park

Year

Alaska Denali National Park 1980
Alaska Gates of the Arctic National Park 1980
Alaska Glacier Bay National Park 1980
Alaska Katmai National Park 1980
Alaska Kenai Fjords National Park 1980
Alaska Kobuk Valley National Park 1980
Alaska Lake Clark National Park 1980
Alaska Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 1980
American Samoa National Park of American Samoa 1988
Arizona Grand Canyon National Park 1919
Arizona Petrified Forest National Park 1962
Arizona Saguaro National Park 1994
Arkansas Hot Springs National Park 1921
California Channel Islands National Park 1980
California Death Valley National Park 1994
California Joshua Tree National Park 1994
California Kings Canyon National Park 1940
California Lassen Volcanic National Park 1916
California Redwood National Park 1968
California Sequoia National Park 1890
California Yosemite National Park 1890
Colorado Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park 1999
Colorado Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve 2004
Colorado Mesa Verde National Park 1906
Colorado Rocky Mountain National Park 1915
Florida Biscayne National Park 1980
Florida Dry Tortugas National Park 1992
Florida Everglades National Park 1947
Hawaii Haleakala National Park 1916
Hawaii Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 1916
Kentucky Mammoth Cave National Park 1941
Maine Acadia National Park 1919
Michigan Isle Royale National Park 1931
Minnesota Voyageurs National Park 1975
Montana Glacier National Park 1910
Nevada Great Basin National Park 1986
New Mexico Carlsbad Caverns National Park 1930
North Dakota Theodore Roosevelt National Park 1978
Ohio Cuyahoga Valley National Park 2000
Oregon Crater Lake National Park 1902
South Dakota Badlands National Park 1978
South Dakota Wind Cave National Park 1903
Tennessee Great Smoky Mountains National Park 1930
Texas Big Bend National Park 1944
Texas Guadalupe Mountains National Park 1972
Utah Arches National Park 1971
Utah Bryce Canyon National Park 1928
Utah Canyonlands National Park 1964
Utah Capitol Reef National Park 1971
Utah Zion National Park 1919
Virgin Islands Virgin Islands National Park 1956
Virginia Shenandoah National Park 1935
Washington Mount Rainier National Park 1899
Washington North Cascades National Park 1968
Washington Olympic National Park 1938
Wyoming Grand Teton National Park 1929
Wyoming Yellowstone National Park 1872

The year indicates when the park was established or when an existing area was redesignated as a National Park.

Random thoughts while flying home

Is it just me, or does seeing a pilot trying to find something to read in the airport bookstore just like us passengers seem kind of disconcerting?

Remember when we used to gripe because all we got to eat from the airline was a lousy sandwich? Those were the good old days.

Watching planes taxi and take-off (while waiting our turn) makes me wonder if these things really can fly. I mean, how could those thin wings hold up that big fuselage in thin air? And if it’s that simple, how come the Chinese didn’t invent flying 2,000 years ago?

The woman next to me reached around the seat, tapped the guy in front of her and said, “Excuse me, but could you put your seat up so you won’t be reclining into my lap?” He did.

Landing in Albuquerque is always a thrill. A thrill to be home, yes. But the thrill I mean is that white knuckle approach over the mountains with a few thousand feet to spare, then trying to make enough turns on a dime to line up on runway 26.

Grand Teton National Park …

was formed on this date in 1950 by combining the much smaller National Park established in 1929 (which included just the Tetons and the lakes) and the Jackson Hole National Monument established in 1943. From the National Park Service:

Teton.jpg

Located in northwestern Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park protects stunning mountain scenery and a diverse array of wildlife. The central feature of the park is the Teton Range — an active, fault-block, 40-mile-long mountain front. The range includes eight peaks over 12,000 feet (3,658 m), including the Grand Teton at 13,770 feet (4,198 m). Seven morainal lakes run along the base of the range, and more than 100 alpine lakes can be found in the backcountry.

Elk, moose, pronghorn, mule deer, and bison are commonly seen in the park. Black bears are common in forested areas, while grizzlies are occasionally observed in the northern part of the park. More than 300 species of birds can be observed, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons.

Canyonlands National Park …

was authorized on this date 40 years ago. From the National Park Service:

Canyonlands.jpg

Canyonlands National Park preserves a colorful landscape of sedimentary sandstones eroded into countless canyons, mesas and buttes by the Colorado River and its tributaries. The Colorado and Green rivers divide the park into four districts: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze and the rivers themselves. While the districts share a primitive desert atmosphere, each retains its own character and offers different opportunities for exploration and learning.

Location, location, location

As home prices reach (and in some locations pass) $200 per square foot, it’s nice to have a little perspective. How about $1,265 per square foot?

Telluride, Colorado. 1891 Victorian. Three bedrooms, one-and-a-half baths. Kitchen w/dining. Mudroom and laundry. 1,225 sq. ft. of living space.

$1,550,000

Fort Bowie National Historic Site …

was authorized on this date in 1964. According to the National Park Service:

FortBowie.jpg

Fort Bowie commemorates in its 1000 acres, the story of the bitter conflict between the Chiricahua Apaches and the United States military. For more than 30 years Fort Bowie and Apache Pass were the focal point of military operations eventually culminating in the surrender of Geronimo in 1886 and the banishment of the Chiricahuas to Florida and Alabama. It was the site of the Bascom Affair, a wagon train massacre, and the battle of Apache Pass, where a large force of Chiricahua Apaches under Mangus Colorados and Cochise fought the California Volunteers. The remains of Fort Bowie today are carefully preserved, the adobe walls of various post buildings and the ruins of a Butterfield Stage Station.

Visiting Fort Bowie requires a three mile round trip hike — unless you use the handicap entrance, which they keep a secret until you show up after walking a mile-and-a-half on a July afternoon with a daughter eight months pregnant and a two-year-old grandson.

They crash quickly and often unexpectedly

Article from Christopher Reynolds in the Los Angeles Times on the dangers of dehydration —

It’s nearly noon, and the morning’s hikers scramble out of the baking inner canyon, wheezing and dripping. In a room a few hundred yards from the South Rim, supervising ranger Marc Yeston touches a green pen to a wall map and traces a long, wriggling path. Then he makes a triangle.

Here, he says, is the spot where they found Margaret Bradley, a 24-year-old University of Chicago medical student and marathoner.

Just three months before, the 115-pound Bradley had finished the Boston Marathon in a few ticks over three hours, a solid performance in temperatures well over 80.

“I focused on keeping myself hydrated,” she told the magazine Chicago Athlete afterward, “and not letting the adrenaline from the crowd make me do something stupid.”

But last month, when she and a companion decided to try a 27-mile trail run in a single day, that caution was missing. A cascading series of miscalculations, say rangers, turned this scholar-athlete into the Grand Canyon’s first dehydration fatality in four years.

The article details what happened.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore …

was established on this date in 1937. The National Park Service tells us:

Hatteras.jpgStretched over 70 miles of barrier islands, Cape Hatteras National Seashore is a fascinating combination of natural and cultural resources, and provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities. Once dubbed the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” for its treacherous currents, shoals, and storms, Cape Hatteras has a wealth of history relating to shipwrecks, lighthouses, and the U.S. Lifesaving Service. These dynamic islands provide a variety of habitats and are a valuable wintering area for migrating waterfowl. The park’s fishing and surfing are considered the best on the east coast.

Not all the great places are in the west

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area was authorized on this date in 1978.

The National Park Service tells us:

Chattahoochee.jpg

The Chattahoochee River and its valley is a place rich in natural and cultural resources. Sometimes the river is clear, cold, and slow-moving, while at other times it is a muddy torrent, plunging through rocky shoals. The valley contains a rich, diverse mix of plants and animals that represent an environment much larger than itself. For centuries, humans have been drawn to this river valley for life’s basics: food, water, and shelter as well as transportation and power to support the increasing numbers of mills and factories. By the 1970’s, the resources that made the river valley a special place to so many people were being threatened. On August 15, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed the legislation that set aside a 48-mile stretch of river with a series of parklands to preserve a part of the river valley for future generations.

Who’s buried in Grant’s tomb?

Grant.jpgUnion General and 18th President of the U.S., Ulysses S. Grant, and his wife, Julia Dent Grant. The General Grant National Memorial in New York City became part of the National Park Service on this date in 1958. General Grant died of throat cancer in 1885.

“No other terms than unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works.”

More L.A. real estate

Also from the L.A. Times:

The historic Max Whittier estate, known in the ’70s as the Beverly Hills home of Saudi Sheik Mohammed al Fassi, has been divided and sold as two parcels.

Fred Wehba, a founder of the privately owned, Century City-based commercial real estate investment company BentleyForbes, and his wife, Suzi, purchased a 2-acre parcel for $6.6 million. They plan to build a 14,000-square-foot house plus 7,000 square feet of underground parking, a pool and a tennis court.

The adjacent, 1.6-acre site was sold for about $5.6 million to a local buyer who also plans to build a home there. Details were not available.

The combined 3.6-acre property, two blocks east of the Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunset Boulevard, provoked neighbors when the sheik put brightly colored plastic flowers in the outdoor Grecian urns and painted the white plaster statues of nudes on the front veranda in natural skin and hair tones. The sheik also painted the stately white mansion lime green. The home was built for Beverly Hills co-founder Max Whittier.

Talk about the real estate bubble

From the Los Angeles Times:

The Beverly Hills home of the late actor Randolph Scott has come on the market for the first time since it was built in 1950. The asking price is $6 million.

Scott, who played a cowboy in many western movies, died in 1987 at 89. His widow, Patricia, died in May at 85. He was a top box-office star in the late ’40s and early ’50s.

His longtime home is at the end of a cul-de-sac backing the L.A. Country Club, and it has golf course and city views. The house was built for the Scotts at a cost of $400,000. It was designed by Burton Schutt, who gave the midcentury house a pan-Asian influence. The gated 1-acre property has six bedrooms and eight bathrooms in slightly more than 7,800 square feet.

A lanai overlooks the free-form pool. A sunroom with skylights is situated between the two master bedroom suites. The home also has rolling lawns, a circular driveway, a porte-cochere and a guest cottage.

20 dream outdoor towns

From Outside Magazine:

Seeking an underpopulated—and undiscovered—slice of paradise? Drop in to any of our 20 adventure towns, from burly Haines, Alaska, to serene Cedar Key, Florida, where you’ll find cush, affordable base camps for spontaneous long weekends or a lifetime of wild fun.

The towns:
Intro
Lanesboro, MN
Etna, CA
Cashiers, NC
Hood River, OR
Haines, AK
Lander, WY
Sandpoint, ID
Mountain View, AR
Silver City, NM
Cedar Key, FL
Lincolnville, ME
Salida, CO
Brattleboro, VT
How To Buy
Border Towns

Six of the towns are listed under “border towns.”

The Rock

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary accepted its first prisoners 70 years ago today.

Alcatraz is a 22-acre rock island in San Francisco Bay, 1½ miles from shore. For 29 years the federal prison system kept its highest security prisoners there, including Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and the famous Birdman, Robert Stroud (played by Burt Lancaster in the film Birdman of Alcatraz). Reportedly, no one was ever known to have successfully escaped from Alcatraz.

From 1868 to 1934, Alcatraz was a military prison. In 1969, American Indian activists occupied and claimed the island. Their occupation lasted 19 months.

Alcatraz Island became part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area of the National Park Service in 1972.

Alcatraz, for the original Spanish Alcatraces, is usually defined as meaning “pelican” or “strange bird.”

Click photo to enlarge.

Lassen Volcanic National Park…

was authorized on this date in 1916.

Lassen.jpg

Beneath Lassen Volcanic’s peaceful forests and gem-like lakes lies evidence of a turbulent and fiery past. 600,000 years ago, the collision and warping of continental plates led to violent eruptions and the formation of lofty Mt. Tehama (also called Brokeoff Volcano.) After 200,000 years of volcanic activity, vents and smaller volcanoes on Tehama’s flanks-including Lassen Peak-drew magma away from the main cone. Hydrothermal areas ate away at the great mountain’s bulk. Beneath the onslaught of Ice Age glaciers, Mt. Tehama crumbled and finally ceased to exist. But the volcanic landscape lived on: in 1914, Lassen Peak awoke. The Peak had its most significant activity in 1915 and minor activity through 1921. Lassen Volcanic became a national park in 1916 because of its significance as an active volcanic landscape.

All four types of volcanoes in the world are found in the park.

Source: Lassen Volcanic National Park

Capulin Volcano National Monument…

was authorized on this date in 1916. The monument is located in northeastern New Mexico.

Mammoths, giant bison, and short-faced bears were witness to the first tremblings of the earth and firework-like explosions of molten rock thousands of feet into the air. Approximately 60,000 years ago, the rain of cooling cinders and four lava flows formed Capulin Volcano, a nearly perfectly-shaped cinder cone, rising more than 1000 feet above the surrounding landscape. Although long extinct, Capulin Volcano is dramatic evidence of the volcanic processes that shaped northeastern New Mexico. Today the pine forested volcano provide habitat for mule deer, wild turkey, and black bear.

Souce: Capulin Volcano National Monument