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FWIW, I believe Felicity is based on the "left" coast...
Sadly, this seems to be a growing problem in other western parks as well, and some of those have been covered on the Traveler:
Here are links to stories on a current problem at Joshua Tree National Park, and an earlier one at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Thank you for a great contribution for all of us to enjoy. You're a fine writer. Perhaps that's one of many skills you will be able to use in your advocacy. I'll be looking forward to reading more from you.
Felicity, you can start a little closer to NYC. There are parks in the vicinity (Gateway NRA, Statue of Liberty, Morristown, Delaware Water Gap NRA, Steamtown) that struggle with graffiti. Contact the superintendents of the respective units and have them direct you. Post back here if you need help.
Felicity -- out here in the wild west, it's usually not paint that is used for graffiti but bullets. Petroglyphs are favorite targets of some of our gun-totin', rootin' tootin' locals. (Along with pit toilets, roadsigns, and almost anything else that gets in the way of a flying chunk of their lead.)
But hey, they're just exercising their Second Amendment rights . . . . .
Felicity Barringer from the NY Times here. This looks like a story to me. HAs anyone on this site heard of other instances of wilderness graffiti, in National Parks or other remote and beautiful places (I think I heard about some graffiti near the petroglyphs in Utah's Nine Mile Canyon a few years ago). If there's more of this out there, I'd really like to know. Best e-mail is . Just put Park Graffiti in the subject line. Or follow up on this thread...Many thanks
FB
Amputation of what? I suggest the head.
Very nice photographs! Thanks for sharing.
One tip I have found in using black & white film is that using a green filter instead of a red one helps bring out detail in scenes where there is a lot of red tones. I photograph the missions of Texas and there is a surprising amount of red tinge to the stones. Using a green filter brings out that detail. Because filters pass their own color wavelength more freely, red filters tend to hide the amount of detail in reddish stones. Unfortunately, I could not tell you if this works in a digital environment. I only shoot film.
Thanks for another great story:-)
When I worked at the Buffalo National River back in the 1980s, I had the opportunity to visit with Jimmy Driftwood at his home in rural Arkansas and talk about the park. He was indeed a dedicated advocate for protecting the Buffalo River, and I found him to be a gracious and hospitable supporter of the park.
It was sometimes hard to find a dry spot to sit in the arctic and I can recall only a very few days in a thousand miles of backpacking where it was warm and dry enough to stretch out comfortably on the tundra for a nap. It was usually raining, or cold, or the mosquitos were bad. As I often said you had to work hard to enjoy the arctic. Of couse I laid the 12 guage flat on the ground, and the barrel worked well as an ice ax on soft and moderate snow slopes. Otherwise it was a poor subtitute for bear spray and if park visitors are concerned about their safety it makes more sense than a gun. Besides bear spray doesn't kill anything and would allow a bluffing wild animal to walk away from an encounter. If it leaks in your car or house it will have to be evacuated for a while. Occasionally a pilot in Alaska would have to fly with his head out the window if a can leaked and they were usually fastened to a wing strut or elsewhere outside the cabin.
Roger--- I assume that short barreled 12 ga you used for a seat had the barrel pointed in the right direction?
Would amputation be to harsh of a penalty?
I really enjoy your articles. Entertaining & Educational. One of my late father's favorite songs to sing me at bedtime was 'Battle of New Orleans'. The other was 'Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier'. Not much of a lullaby, I'll admit, but still wonderful memories.
Thanks for the nice words, Bob. That first shot was definitely a consolation prize for me not being able to make it completely up to the top of the arch opening. I was about midway when I turned around, plopped myself on some slickrock, set up the tripod in a precarious position, and captured that image.
Don't think that is so unusual. Our buildings get "tagged," our waterfalls get "tagged", our rocks get "tagged". It comes with being near a metro area, not controlling unsupervised access to the park, and having folks with little respect for nature, history, or much, visiting the park. It is the worst because it starts small and eats progressively away at everything in the park as time goes on.
Use to be just on our trains.Now in our Natl. Parks.
No respect for anything or anybody.To hell in a handbasket we go.
Thank you for this entire photography series.
Personally, I'm less excited about BW when you have a clear blue sky, but you're absolutely right about how it can make clouds more dramatic. I find BW also covers for those dreary overcast days.
And when you see something like your first photo . . . WOW !
Horrible. Could you blur the tag or completely hide it? No sense in giving these morons a reason to do more. Thanks.
You're right, MikeG. Cruz will be a Senator from Texas as long as he wants to be. His place on the national stage is less certain.
Rick
Mr. Coburn is from Oklahoma and Mr. Cruz is an excellent young senator with a great future...
I am ready to leave Senator Coburn behind and hope the rest of you are too. Besides Senator Coburn is not that bad compared to our other Texas Senator, Ted Cruz. The horse left the barn a long time ago regarding guns and it is not worth arguing about them anymore.
..and I'm sure the Superintendents have no sway with the regional directors regarding who they would like to see get concession contracts, huh? If the public were as ignorant as the NPS wished we were, their abuses would be even more rampant.
You really need to do some homework. Concession contracts are awarded by Regional Directors, not superintendents.
I meet many people down here in Texas that are afraid of rattlesnakes, bears, and mountain lions. Don't blame them for being afraid but I would never let a little fear of wild animals stop me from doing something I liked since the odds are far lower of being hurt or killed than driving the car to town. Women have good reason to be afraid of men and wouldn't blame any of them for carrying a concealed handgun. I would consider carrying one in case I had to shoot my neighbor or his dog. In Texas both are legal if you feel threatened where you have a right to be. Stand Your Ground laws you know.
Roger - I have encountered similar overweight packers and short distance hikers that didn't have a single gun on them. That was their choice. Not my roll to be judemental on how they wanted to hike their hike.