X-Games in our National Parks?

I hope not. 

I'm here in Zion NP loving the amazing array of sandstone and color. You name a shape, it's more than likely found here. As far as colors go, I lost count on the potential palette years ago. Suffice it to say, there's a lot of shades. 

As usual, I'm hiking here with my thoughts and daypack for company. I'm happy. 

Last night, the Zion NP Foundation had its annual fundraiser. The draw was a showing of the 3-D movie, "National Park Adventure." For $20.00 I could hobnob with Zion's Superintendent or eat hors d'oeuvres. Guess what I did?

Anyway, the movie began. The film featured the world class mountaineer Conrad "I scoff at the Angel of Death" Anker, his step-son and an extremely hard-bodied, attractive young woman named Rachel (I might be old, but I can still see.)  

The "Team" (narrator's term, not mine) were on a mission to technical rock climb, white water raft, mountain bike off of cliffs, ice climb (now there's a sport I really can't relate to) and trail run. The venues were our Nation's Cathedrals of wild places. There were many whoops of "Yahoo!" I'm happy to report there were no chest bumps. That would have knocked the Ever-Enticing Rachel off of her rock perch while she performed a one-legged yoga stand. 

I found the production to be sort of sickening. The thought of our Parks becoming a source of extreme entertainment bothers me. What's wrong with walking around, letting your mind wander and gazing at the wonders of it all? No competition there. No one-upmanship. No Yahoos! Isn't that what the Parks were meant to be? A place to escape the Rat Race? 

I've had people ask me why I haven't done a Grand Canyon Rim to Rim or worse, Rim to Rim to Rim hike or run. The answer is simple. I love being down there. It makes me feel joyful to sit on a beach to look, listen and feel the River, the Canyon and the smell of the air. I don't want to rush through those moments. I savor that time. That's why I keep returning to our National Parks. 

There's plenty of BLM property available for the X-Gamers. I just hope I'm not there when they are risking life and limb.

Good night from Barley the Van living down by the Virgin River,

Jeff 

Those last two photos are about as extreme as I get. 

A narrow section of the East Rim trail with a death defying plunge beneath.

A step into quicksand. It's not so quick.

Then there was that recent moment of falling off a cliff...but that wasn't intentional.

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2016/02/as-i-was-falling-over-backwards.html

Barley the Van wishes to Thank...

the generous anonymous donor who recently purchased a Kindle edition of "Destroying Demons". In fact, Barley appreciates everyone who ever dropped down a few $, € or £'s on my travel memoir too.

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n:283155,p_27:Jeff%20Sambur/

With that sale, Barley and me will be able to wander and wonder for about thirteen more motorized miles. That's makes us both very happy. 

Even now after 4.5 years of "Destroying Demons" going public, I break out in a grin after I notice a sale on Createspace or Kindle Publishing. I also know that with each purchase Mr. Amazon grows richer too. I'm not so overjoyed about that. 

In a day and age when more books are being published (the reality of self-publishing) but less Americans are reading, it's nice to know you chose my book. 

Thank you,

Reading is one thing animals can't do. That skill makes humans-human. 

When I'm not in motion, I love to read or blog. 

Cheers from chilly Zion National Park.

Jeff 

PS. How many of those self published books won a Gold Medal IPPY! See last photo with Fido posing. 

PPS. I don't think the medal is made of gold. 

ATV'ers and Hikers mix about as...

well as a very opinionated, vocal Liberal (like me) at a Trump political rally. In other words, not so much. 

I'll explain the differences:

Hikers seek unscarred landscape. ATV'ers scar the landscape.

Hikers seek quiet and serenity. ATV'ers make an inordinate amount of noise. Blap! Blap. Blap!

Hikers enjoy clean air. ATV'ers belch a lot of nasty stuff. 

The list goes on...

So why does Utah State Parks mucky-mucks think its appropriate for Coral Pink Sand Dunes State to allow ATVs on 90% of this so called protected area? Thus leaving a mere 265 acres of non--crushable habitat to the Coral Dunes Tiger Beetle. That scarab doesn't stand a chance. I saw motorized tracks on the beetles turf too. I found another telltale sign of Varoom Varoom encroachment there as well. (See the last photo. I picked it up). 

In Utah, there's an undercurrent of jabber from the state legislature to take back Federal Land. (Utah is 65% Federally Owned). If this is the state's idea of stewardship. I say "No Way!" The Fed's might not be perfect, but I believe their land management policies are more sustainable. 

The irony to Coral Dunes is that there are literally hundreds of miles of ATV trails adjacent to the park on BLM property. How do I know this? It says so in the park guide.

I'll take Great Sand Dunes National Park any old day. They are big, beautiful and best of all-NO ATV's! 

http://jeffsambur.blogspot.com/2015/05/it-more-than-huge-litter-box.html

Cheers!

Jeff Sambur Champion of Silent Sports (that's the name of a magazine from the Midwest.)