HAPPY 100th ANNIVERSARY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.

Try to express the extent our love and admiration for the National Park Service is a daunting task. 

This isn't the best picture of us, but look at those smiles!  

I started ultra trail running when I was 63 years old and was tragically widowed when I was 65.  I ran through mountains and deserts of our National Parks all across the country.  I have always loved the wilderness but for some reason I never thought of volunteering for the National Park Service. 

At the end of 2013 I met Pamela. We both love to run, hike, cycle, camp . . . anything and everything outdoors. Pamela had been a triathlete until severe arthritis stopped her.  She not only introduced me to vintage trailers for which I now have almost as much passion as does she, but she asked if I would consider volunteering at Glacier National Park. 

Today she still laughs at my first reaction.  Sure, I'd love to work at the park, but for that many months?  Well, if you've followed me on Facebook or many of my blogs you'll know that that was a silly question. We want more!  We are now in our fourth season at Glacier and can't get enough time there.  We were thinking of just knocking around the Rocky Mts this year after the Glacier season ends, but we knew what would really make us the happiest . . . yesterday we put in our application for another national park where we will work from the close of Glacier to the end of November (assuming that we get the job) and we're looking for a third place to work between that and when we return to Glacier in May.  If we're lucky, we'll get to work at Glacier and two other parks each year. 

2016 is the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service and we can not express how proud we are of the Park Service and how honored we are to be allowed to be a part of it.  Putting on the volunteer khaki and brown uniform is one of the greatest feelings.  

To conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such a manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. 

                                                      National Park Service Organic Act, 1916  

HAPPY 100th ANNIVERSARY