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National Parks

Discussion in 'Whatnots' started by dmc, Jul 22, 2011.

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  1. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    Having such a wonderful time in Yosemite. My wife picked up a Dutch couple needing a lift and, in chatting with them, they indicated total awe with the extent of the park and said that they had no such national parks at home.

    Not sure if that meant nothing the size of Yosemite, or none at all.

    So, do you have national parks, what are they like, have you been to many, and how do you like them (or do you intend to go)?

    We've got plenty of such parks and many are quite spectacular. I've been to a half dozen or so, but I still think Yosemite is the best all around. It has giant sequioias, many waterfalls, gorgeous views and vistas, great hiking, climbing (if you're into that), cool rivers and streams, wild life galore, and plenty of those things you are looking for when you get back to nature. In the winter, there's skiing too. It's truly a magnificient place.
     
    dmc, Jul 22, 2011
    #1
  2. Morgoth

    Morgoth La lune ne garde aucune rancune Veteran

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    Of course we don't have anything the size of Yosemite. We don't have mountains either (only one :p)
     
    Morgoth, Jul 22, 2011
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  3. Ragusa

    Ragusa Eternal Halfling Paladin Veteran

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    National parks are an expensive drain on the treasury, and a drag on the economy. Especially in these dire economic times, red tape like preservation laws must make way to rules that allow for the efficient extraction of the immense wealth in natural resources that national parks contain.

    National parks thus should be sold off to plug deficits, be privatised and entrusted to the care of extracting industries, who will pursue their rational self interest there. The invisible hand of the market will guarantee desirable results.

    It did, after all, efficiently so, in the Appalachian mountain range. What's not to like about that?
     
    Ragusa, Jul 22, 2011
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  4. Morgoth

    Morgoth La lune ne garde aucune rancune Veteran

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    Last edited: Jul 22, 2011
    Morgoth, Jul 22, 2011
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  5. Barmy Army

    Barmy Army Simple mind, simple pleasures... Adored Veteran

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    I live right on the doorstep of the Peak District, the 2nd most visited national park in the world, and the 1st in Britain apparently. It takes about 5-10 minutes in the car to go there and take the dog for a walk.

    It's a beautiful place, it has to be said.

    Chatsworth House is about 10 minutes away too, whilst not a National Park as such, it covers a big area and is a wonderful place to visit.
     
    Barmy Army, Jul 22, 2011
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  6. Aldeth the Foppish Idiot

    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot Armed with My Mallet O' Thinking Veteran

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    Yosemite is enormous. I think I heard that the square miles that Yosemite covers is bigger than the 8 or 9 smallest states in the unions (individually, not combined). Even though it's all considered part of the park, there are many areas that a pretty much inaccessible unless you're willing to hike for days, or take a helicopter.
     
    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot, Jul 22, 2011
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  7. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    Taluntain, Jul 22, 2011
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  8. Splunge

    Splunge Bhaal’s financial advisor Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Canada has a few.

    I've only been to a handful of them, but I'd have to say that Jasper is my favorite - I've never been anywhere else where wildlife is so easy to spot. Great trails, beautiful setting.
     
    Splunge, Jul 22, 2011
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  9. Ben Snow Gems: 2/31
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    I live in Alberta and usually make a summerly trip to Jasper. We stay in some cabins and just bomb around the park for three days.

    Last year though, my drunk sister in law managed to fall in the river :doh: .
     
    Ben Snow, Jul 23, 2011
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  10. Sir Belisarius

    Sir Belisarius Viconia's Boy Toy Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder

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    Yosemite is on my list to visit, I also want to see Arches National Park.

    If you get a chance, definitely see Yellowstone!! It's the most amazing place I've ever been to! The entire park is alive; animals, geysers, hot springs, thermal pools...just the most amazing place I've ever seen! It also happens to be America's First National Park, thanks to Ulysses S. Grant in 1872!

    Other great national parks I've been to:

    Custer State Park/Needles Highway (South Dakota)
    Devil's Tower State Park (Wyoming)
    Shenandoah National Park/Skyline Drive (Virgina - Stay at Big Meadows camping area, and you will recreate a week of vacation I had every year from age 5-17!)
    Muir Woods (Not sure if this is National or State - California)
     
    Sir Belisarius, Jul 23, 2011
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  11. Harbourboy

    Harbourboy Take thy form from off my door! Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    New Zealand has some awesome national parks. Tongariro National Park was the 4th established in the world. I ran from one end of it to the other in January. Awesome.
     
    Harbourboy, Jul 23, 2011
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  12. Morgoroth

    Morgoroth Just because I happen to have tentacles, it doesn'

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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_parks_of_Finland

    We have quite a few. Only Urho Kekkonen national park can be even compared to the Yosemite though. I've personally only been in the ones in the Archipelago since I enjoy the sea more than I enjoy the forest and sure it's beautiful out there, especially if you own a boat.
     
    Morgoroth, Jul 23, 2011
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  13. Marceror

    Marceror Chaos Shall Be Sown In Their Footsteps Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    I'm at the Grand Canyon right now with the family. It is truly a sight to behold.
     
    Marceror, Jul 23, 2011
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  14. Merlanni

    Merlanni Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    National park De Hoge Veluwe: http://www.hogeveluwe.nl/en/14

    The link is mixed Dutch/English. The museum in the middle has a few famous art pieces by persons like van Gogh, Picasso, and Rodin to name a few.

    We have about 20.(debating on size) Non like Yosimitie, the great barrier reef or yellowstone in size.
     
    Merlanni, Jul 23, 2011
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  15. LKD Gems: 31/31
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    Canada has some beautiful national parks. Alberta has some big provincial ones too. I'm sure the other provinces have some too.

    A guy I grew up with entered a restricted area in Waterton. He was fooling around on a log, IIRC. He fell into the river, got stuck under a log or something, and died. Very sad. Good lesson about following sign directions.
     
    LKD, Jul 23, 2011
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  16. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    dmc, Jul 24, 2011
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  17. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    Cool pics, looks like you had a great time!
     
    Taluntain, Jul 24, 2011
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  18. Marceror

    Marceror Chaos Shall Be Sown In Their Footsteps Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    Looks like it was a great trip dmc. I've been to Yosemite 3 times and am in absolute awe of the beauty of that place.

    This week I visited a National Park and National Forest in Arizona, the Grand Canyon National Park and the Coconino National Forest, where we spent a few hours in Sedona. I saw the Grand Canyon once before when I was like 10 years old... for about 15 minutes as my family was driving cross country to Florida. Looking down upon its vastness all these years later was like seeing it for the first time, and no matter how much I stared at it, it was difficult to comprehend that such a place could even exist. The Native Americans used to refer to it as an upside down mountain. Fitting. Sedona was a totally different experience. Not nearly as epic as the Canyon, but I still felt like I was transported into a dream-land. Some Ah-maz-ing sights!

    We were rather limited on our hiking options due to our 4 month old, but it was still a heck of a great trip. The train ride to and from Williams, Arizona and the Grand Canyon was definitely a highlight for the kids.
     
    Marceror, Jul 24, 2011
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  19. Barmy Army

    Barmy Army Simple mind, simple pleasures... Adored Veteran

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    Looks amazing pal.
     
    Barmy Army, Jul 24, 2011
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  20. Ragusa

    Ragusa Eternal Halfling Paladin Veteran

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    Enviable. The US sure has some beautiful places that I'd like to visit one day.
     
    Ragusa, Jul 25, 2011
    #20
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