Expedition National Parks

Almost 70 miles  west of Key West lies the remote Dry Tortugas National Park. This 100-square mile park is mostly open water with seven small islands.  Accessible only by boat or seaplane, the park is known the world over as the home of magnificent Fort Jefferson and for its picturesque blue waters, superlative coral reefs and marine life, and the vast assortment of bird life that frequents the area.

Dry Tortugas National Park is a bucket list adventure for many of the visitors who make it there.  We camped for two nights and would highly recommend it but take any opportunity you have to visit what you can. Learn more about our experience as well as that of other campers.

Just steps away from the disembarkation point of the ferry is Fort Jefferson, part of the third system of U.S. coastal defense.  Fort Jefferson is the largest brick masonry structure in the United States and is composed of 16 million bricks.  Hollywood, the energetic and expert tour guide from Yankee Freedom, shares a great deal of knowledge about the history and importance of the fort and the area.

Information/Booking re: Camping in Dry Tortugas National Park:

https://www.drytortugas.com/key-west-camping/

Outdoor Organization Feature:

Venture Out Project: https://linktr.ee/theventureoutproject

This month we are sharing the work of the Venture Out Project as part of our community effort to showcase organizations who are working towards social justice and more inclusive public lands.  Established in 2014 by Perry Cohen, the Venture Out Project was one of the first guiding companies run by and for queer and transgender people.  Their mission is to provide a safe and fun space for queer, trans, and LGBTQ+ people to experience the outdoors as well as providing education and support that helps schools and organizations affirm their LGBTQ+ members. This is further underscored by their commitment to environmental stewardship, social justice, diversity, and inclusion.

We first learned about the important work First Lady Lady Bird Johnson did for the United States while at the visitor center of the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park.  Given our podcast’s focus on national parks, we were especially interested in her work on  conservation and beautification. With March being Women’s History Month, we wanted to further explore her accomplishments.  This episode focuses on the First Lady’s accomplishments as a conservationist--referred to as “Shadow Secretary of the Interior” by Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt--in her own words, using excerpts of her audio diaries from the LBJ Presidential Library website and other sources.

Lady Bird Johnson’s impact was tremendous.  President Johnson of course realized that and made a special presentation to her on July 28, 1968.  He gave her 50 pens that had been used to sign legislation related to conservation and beautification, only a portion of the 300 conservation measures that he signed into law, the legal foundation of the contemporary environmental movement.  He also gave her a plaque that read, “"To Lady Bird, who has inspired me and millions of Americans to try to preserve our land and beautify our nation. With love from Lyndon."

Her impact was far-reaching and went well beyond the “beautification” campaign she is known for.  She was a very public champion of preservation of our natural space and that was by design.  With Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall, she launched “Discover America” which were trips to national parks that were meant to inspire conservation and encourage tourism.  The scale was impressive: 100,000 miles, 40 tours all over the country and engaging in a wide range of activities: criscrossing the country while rafting, hiking, camping, beachcombing, stargazing, and learning about American Indian culture. These trips drew widespread press attention, both domestically and internationally, and encouraged people to visit the parks.

The national parks were an important part of President Johnson’s legislative agenda.  He created or expanded close to 50 units: https://www.nps.gov/lyjo/planyourvisit/upload/EnvironmentCS2.pdf  These units spanned the country and were also in urban areas as both President and Lady Bird Johnson believed it was important that all Americans had access to their parks.  It was also during the Johnson Presidency that national recreation areas and the national trails system were enacted.  The legislation for national trails emphasized the creation of trails in both rural and urban areas.

Check out a new book and podcast solely focused on Lady Bird Johnson and her pivotal role.  The diaries are a main reference for this work done by Julia E. Sweig (juliasweig.com).

Episode Highlights:

00:42 Introduction
02:49 Excerpt of Lady Bird John interview conducted by Michael L. Gillette, discussing
10:10 Lady Bird Johnson explaining meaning of beautification
10:35 Lady Bird Johnson describing an initial meeting with Interior Secretary Stewart Udall
11:59 Outdoor Organization Feature
13:51 Lady Bird Johnson describing Padre Island National Seashore dedication ceremony
18:20 Lady Bird Johnson describing Point Reyes National Seashore dedication ceremony
20:24 Excerpt of Lady Bird Johnson’s remarks at Point Reyes National Seashore dedication ceremony (“Faces of the West” Navy Film)
21:42 Excerpt of Lady Bird Johnson’s remarks at Redwood National Forest dedication ceremony
28:06 Lady Bird Johnson quoting Henry David Thoreau

References: 

Audio diaries and annotated transcripts, Lady Bird Johnson, LBJ Presidential Library
“Faces of the West,” Navy Film + more on podcast website

During this month celebrating Women’s History, we want to focus on the important role Maxine Johnston played in the fight to preserve the Big Thicket, the nation’s first (alongside Big Cypress) National Preserve and one of the most biologically diverse areas in the country.  In our travels, we have always been impressed by the tenacity and dedication of so many volunteers and citizen groups - true democracy in action. We all owe them so much. One such citizen and conservationist champion is Maxine Johnston, who was recently featured in a National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) blog post: These 10 National Parks Wouldn’t Exist Without Women.  Thanks to Shannon Harris from KVLU Public Radio in Beaumont, TX, who interviewed Maxine Johnston in late 2019, we are able to share an excerpt of Maxine Johnston speaking about her involvement.  The episode also features our conversation with the very helpful Ranger we met at the Visitor Center, who reviewed our Junior Ranger badges (you can hear us all take the oath together!) and spoke to us about forest restoration, longleaf pines, and the Kirby Nature Trail.

We are grateful to Shelly Vitanza from Lamar University for allowing us to use photos from Lamar University tribute on the occasion of Maxine being selected as the Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal for Lamar University, where she spent more than three decades as a research librarian and then library director.  She was honored both for her contributions to the university as well as her dedication and success as a conservation advocate. In fact, today at 93 years young, her LinkedIn profile lists her occupation as “Conservation Gadfly.”  We are so thankful for gadflies like Maxine Johnston.

Episode Highlights:

00:40 Introduction
01:48 Shannon Harris’s interview (excerpt from Bayoulands Podcast episode) of Maxine Johnston
07:30 Conversation with Big Thicket Ranger
12:01 Outdoor Organization Feature: Love is King
12:52 Entire family discusses Junior Ranger booklet with Ranger
14:56 Nature Trail description - subtlety of ecosystem
17:54 Longleaf pine forest

Outdoor Organization Feature:

Donate to Love is King: bit.ly/likdonate

Love Is King (LIK), a new organization whose vital work is helping to diversify our public lands and make nature a safe space for all people, is the outdoor organization featured in March. LIK is a movement led with love and empathy to defend the freedom to roam in nature as a basic human right. Join us in supporting Love Is King by sharing and engaging with their work and donating if you can. Follow @lik_free2roam and founder @_chadbrown_ on Instagram.

Special thanks again to Shannon Miller and 91.3 KVLU Public Radio in Beaumont, Texas.  Check out the Bayoulands TALKS podcast.

Bayoulands TALKS is produced in the studios of 91.3 KVLU Public Radio in Beaumont, Texas by Shannon Harris and Jason M. Miller. For more information and to stream KVLU online visit: kvlu.org. You can listen to past episodes of the Bayoulands radio series at: https://www.lamar.edu/kvlu/programming/local-programs/bayoulands.html. Bayoulands Talks podcast can be accessed on https://www.npr.org/podcasts/970687057/bayoulands-t-a-l-k-s

Photo credits: Lamar University Special Collections and Archive

Torbjørn C. Pedersen, known online as Once Upon A Saga,  has visited 203 countries and is on the verge of setting a world record… he is short just nine countries to gain the title of traveling to all countries in the world in a single journey without taking an airplane: the ultimate global expedition.  We were lucky to speak to him about his 7 year odyssey which he chronicles on his blog and social media channels as Once Upon A Saga.

Once Upon a Saga website: bit.ly/Sagablog

Outdoor Organization feature:

Syatt was founded by a mother and two daughters—TeamHood: Marcia, Erika, and Ebony Hood—with a mission to increase access to outdoor spaces for Black and Brown youth, while simultaneously creating and inspiring joy in places that haven’t traditionally been safe or welcoming to people of color.

Syatt: @syatt_cle on Instagram

Support/donate: https://syattcle.org/support-syatt

Episode Highlights:

01:10 Introduction
03:59 His role as Red Cross Goodwill Ambassador
08:09 Importance of cultural connection and travel
14:40 Outdoor Organization Feature
15:32 What keeps him motivated
17:15 Travels in the United States
21:01 Container ship travel
26:40 Traveling on a small budget
29:49 Innovative/immersive ways to travel
34:52 How to pack
36:42 Additional projects
43:20 Visiting Muir Woods

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (NHP&P) is comprised of six sites.  These sites are spread over a large area across south Louisiana so it is essential to plan out your trip carefully.  We visited in January 2020 but currently most of the sites are closed or with limited access because of Covid-19 restrictions.

In this episode, we describe the six different sites that comprise the NHP&P but also speak to Ranger Briana to learn about the history and context of the NPS unit as well as the history of the people.  She also explains the story behind the park’s namesake, Jean Lafitte.  We also attend a talk presented by a volunteer which focuses on the pre-Civil War economy and history of the South; the false narratives that justified the horrific institution of slavery; and the unique cultural influences of New Orleans.

This month’s Organization feature is the Memorial Foundation which helped to build the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC. The MLK Memorial is the 395th unit in the National Park Service and is the first memorial to an African-American on or near the National Mall.

The Memorial Foundation aspires to a world in which the memorial serves as a beacon that inspires people around the globe to apply the principles of democracy, justice, hope, and love. They continue Dr. King’s work through Global Youth Leadership Conferences and programs at the Memorial.

Follow @thememorialfoundation on Instagram to learn more about their organization and scheduled events.

We would love your feedback.  Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or message us on our social media accounts: @ExpeditionNationalParks on Facebook and Instagram and @ExpeditionNPS on Twitter.  Thanks to Jason Shaw for the music.  And, as always, follow the inspiration of the Junior Ranger motto - keep exploring, learning, and protecting!

Episode Highlights:

00:37 Introduction, overview of six NHP units
02:29 Ranger Briana, background of site
05:55 Short history of Acadian people
10:14  Creole description
11:05  Who was Jean Lafitte
14:32 Organization Feature
15:37  South’s false arguments in support of slavery
18:18  South’s economic destruction post-Civil War
20:55  Indigenous African influence on New Orleans
21:51 Unique culinary and musical aspects of New Orleans
22:33  Immigration from Haiti
25:10 Origin of Mardi Gras Indian
28:14  Farewell

Donate to Memorial Foundation: bit.ly/MemFdnDonate

Fun from Home - Activities from Kids: bit.ly/FunfHome

We are big fans of trains and the previous episode focused on the Trails and Rails program, which we were able to experience on a 2017 trip on the Southwest Chief.  In 2020, we took two other long-distance trains: the Sunset Limited in January and the California Zephyr in March.  Amtrak has 30 train routes throughout the United States which cover 500 destinations in 46 states, offering some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.  Train travel has been likened to a “land cruise” and we definitely considered the train trips part of the vacation, exemplifying the adage that it is not about the destination but the journey.  We appreciated the opportunity to not only learn about the history and geology of the U.S. but also to get to know our fellow passengers and Amtrak staff. While Covid-19 has altered operations significantly, we encourage our listeners to consider a long-distance train ride in the future.

For more information on Youth Opportunities Program:  bit.ly/YOPNov2020.  To donate, bit.ly/YOPDonate.

And to learn more about Amtrak’s routes, including the California Zephyr and Southwest Limited: bit.ly/Amtrakld

October 2020 marks the twentieth anniversary of the Trials & Rails program, a partnership between Amtrak, the National Park Service (NPS) and the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University.  Building on a rich relationship and traditions , Trails and Rails NPS volunteers on select trains share stories about parks and other places of interest along with the route.  They help travelers make connections between what they are seeing out the window to American history and culture.  The highlight of the episode is an interview with Jim , the original creator of the program who still heads the NPS involvement in the program.  He describes the history of the program, the challenges posed by Covid-19 which have temporarily halted the program, and how they are reimagining the program for the 2021 season. We were fortunate to be passengers on a Trails and Rails Amtrak journey in 2017 so we know first-hand the positive impact of the program.

Check out videos from three of the Trails and Rails programs across the United States that were created to celebrate the anniversary: bit.ly/TandRvideo or linktr.ee/expeditionnationalparks 

Audio excerpts and Trails and Rails logo courtesy of the National Park Service

The second and final part of our series on the  Summer Work Travel (SWT) program (bit.ly/SWTJ1) features Narmin and Javanshir from Azerbaijan and Adrian from Slovakia.  All three were participants in the SWT which aims to allow foreign students  "to share their culture and ideas with people of the United States through temporary work and travel opportunities."  These students are issued J-1 visas and the program has a long history and is one of many people-to-people diplomacy programs which aim to promote mutual understanding.  Javanshir enjoyed his first summer as a SWT participant so much that he convinced his sister and another friend to join the following summer (2019) when all three worked at the Jordan Pond House in Acadia National Park.  Javanshir even baked some of the famous Jordan Pond House popovers!  Adrian did not work at a national park but visited several NPS sites, including Zion National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Glacier National Park) during the travel portion of his experience in 2019.

Chamizal National Memorial is one of the most unique NPS sites.  It is many things in one: an urban park, a performing arts center, and part of a cross-border park.  Most of all it is a testament to the importance of diplomacy and a physical reminder of the peaceful settlement of a 100-year boundary dispute between the United States and Mexico.  Congress established the memorial in 1966 to commemorate the successful diplomatic conclusion of the Chamizal issue and to celebrate cross-cultural friendship and goodwill. As the park’s website says, “We celebrate the cultures of the borderlands to promote the same mutual respect that helped to diplomatically resolve an international disagreement.” The name of this episode derives from the sections of the site’s Junior Ranger program.

The Summer Work Travel program (bit.ly/SWTJ1) is one of several J-1 Exchange Visitor programs overseen by the U.S. Department of State.  The Summer Work Travel program “provides foreign students with an opportunity to live and work in the United States during their summer vacation from college or university to experience and to be exposed to the people and way of life in the United States.”  This week, Goksu, a fine arts university student from Ephesus, Turkey talks to us about her experiences over the three years she has done the program. She started in Newport, Rhode Island as a tour guide at The Breakers Mansion.  She spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons as a server at Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park.

It wasn’t until we visited Pecos National Historical Park that we realized the great breadth of history represented: prehistoric ruins to the establishment of Pecos Pueblo to colonization and missionaries, which culminated in the Pueblo Revolt of 1860.  The revolt’s success stands out as the only time European colonizers were expelled by Native Americans. The Spanish reconquered the area 12 years later.  The Santa Fe Trail passed right by and of course there was a major Civil War Battle.  Ranger Eric explains why this area is so important both culturally and historically.

In a wide-ranging discussion, Ranger Matt of Monocacy National Battlefield highlights the importance of not just the Battle of Monocacy but also of history and the long-term impacts of the Civil War.  He describes the free audio tour available to visitors and discusses the impact of the National Park Service, its protection of battlefields, as well as some of his own personal favorite national park sites.

Pullman National Monument is one of the newest national park sites.  It tells so many stories besides the most obvious one connected to the railroad: civil rights, labor rights, art, architecture, and science.   

Join us on our Junior Ranger journey through Haleakala National Park.

Overview: In this launch episode, Junior Ranger Sienna describes the family’s visit to their first of five parks sites on the Big Island: Pu`uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park.  It is here that the Junior Rangers begin their Hawai`i Island Junior Ranger Adventure Book and mom completes her first Kapuna Ranger booklet. By speaking to a Ranger, volunteers, and a cultural demonstrator, the family begins to understand the historical and cultural importance of the Place of Refuge.

Follow our journey on our website (ExpeditionNationalParks.com) and social media - @ExpeditionNPS on Twitter, @ExpeditionNationalParks on Instagram and please like our Facebook page.  Check back for new episodes on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month!

Details: The first site the family visited on the Big Island of Hawaii was Pu`uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park.  Located on the west coast of the island, literally just steps away from the famous snorkeling site, 2 step

Learning what Pu`uhonua O Hōnaunau means in English helps one understand the significance and history of the place.  Puʻuhonua means place of refuge. As a place of refuge, those who broke kapu, the ancient Hawaiian sacred laws, would be protected here. And in times of battle, defeated warriors and civilians would also seek protection here as anyone seeking shelter here could not be harmed.

The place of refuge itself was enclosed by the Great Wall, an impressive 965 ft long masonry wall, the remains of which can still be viewed.

One can also visit the Royal Grounds, important residential and ceremonial sites for the Hawaiian royals, the ali’i.

For all three of us, the Junior Ranger program is always one of the highlights.  We had the good fortune to speak to Ranger Julia shortly upon arrival who explained more about the program and the features of the site.

We were lucky to be there on a cultural demonstration day and are grateful to the volunteers who give their time to share Hawaiian culture with visitors, and also took the time to speak to us.