Wandering Wahls

One of the goals for our blog entries for MOAA is to include different perspectives on  our experience. We’ve heard from Mary Claire, the active duty family member, and me (the spousal unit – I will not refer to myself as “DS”). What have been missing is our kids’ perspectives. In that regard, I thought I would submit today my daughter’s thoughts on the 16 month RV trip across the U.S. – specifically about what one part of the trip stood out in her mind. For me its whoopee pies. For Anna though, not surprisingly, it was our visits to the 60+ National Parks and the impression they made on her.

As background, Anna is 11 years old and in the 5th grade. These thoughts and words are hers alone – and I am proud to say that her mom and dad DID NOT write this for her.

Tom

National Parks are important to me first of all because they all feature wonderful wildlife which cannot be found in many other places (zoos do not really count because the animals cannot be called “wild” life). The wildlife varies from the many bats in Carlsbad Caverns National Park to colorful fish in Biscayne National Park. Second, National Parks let me get away from people, and give me peace and quiet.

I consider myself very lucky to have seen about 60 National Parks in the last 16 months. I never realized all the natural beauty in the USA before we took our cross-country trip in our RV. Starting in California we saw Joshua Tree National Park. There we were lucky enough to see a tarantula. Unfortunately, we missed the National Parks around Oregon and Washington, but we did see the wonders of Yellowstone National Park (in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming). With bears, wolves, and geysers, Yellowstone is one of my favorite National Parks. Theodore Roosevelt National Park treated us to bison in our campground; prairie dogs in Prairie Dog Towns; and, wonderful hiking trails. Mount Rushmore National Memorial taught us about the presidents. I can’t list all of the National Parks but some special ones were Everglades National Park in Florida (alligators in every swamp), Rocky Mountains National Park in Colorado (Mountain Goats if you’re lucky enough), and Carlsbad Cavers National Park in New Mexico (stalagmites and stalactites in the beautiful caves). My brothers and I also got Junior Ranger badges or patches in every National Park we visited. We prefer the patches over the badges.

Traveling the country really inspired me to try to help protect the National Parks. Protecting National Parks does not always involve hard tasks. Some rules like “don’t bust the crust,” “leave no trace,” “stay on the trail,” and “don’t feed the wildlife” can actually help a lot.

“Don’t bust the crust” means not to step on Biological soil crust. This crust is actually alive! Biological soil crust can be found in Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.

“Leave no trace” means to not litter, not to take anything, or just not to change the natural habitat. The only thing you can take is pictures and memories.

“Stay on the trail” means, well, to stay on the trail. Why the National Park Service wants you to do that is because if you step off trail you may step on plants that are growing there. Only one person stepping off trail may not do anything alone, but if one person does it then other people are bound to do the same. Soon everyone will be destroying plants, and animal’s habitat, all because of a few (maybe even one) people off the trail.

“Don’t feed the wildlife” also means what it says. Why the National Park Service wants you to follow this rule is because when wild animals are fed they forget to feed themselves because they depend on people too much. Also they (mostly larger animals like bears) can become aggressive and attack humans for their food. Sometimes the animal has to be put down because they are too dangerous. The saying “a fed bear is a dead bear” comes from that fact.

An idea that may help protect National Parks could be that school field trips be held at National parks and the schools could raise money to help the National Parks.

In conclusion, America is very lucky to have these fabulous National Parks. I hope that people will keep helping and Protecting National Parks so that I can take my grandchildren there some day.

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