Love Letter to the National Park Service

National Park Service You look AMAZING for 100 years!

The National Park Service has been getting a lot of press lately. Faced with a gag order from the newly elected 45th, they took FLOTUS Michelle Obama's advice , "When they go low, we go ..." well, not high, but HI-larious! Here is a good summary

This has started a flood of wonderful memories from the National Park Service. Most of them are from my adult years. As a child I expect we spent many trips in NPS land, but for me it was just where my parents took me. Now as an adult I recognize the vision of Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson and others to preserve these lands for me. I hope in 100 more years, they will still be here for all of us.

 And now for the love letter:

• Joshua Tree with my Mother-in-law : On a trip to California, either right before or early in our marriage, we took a day trip out to Joshua Tree NPS. I vividly remember hearing her memories of my husbands childhood and her soaking in the dry, fresh air. She loved this spot. It made her feel alive and young. 
• Yosemite with my Husband: Another trip, early in our relationship, the two of us drove to Yosemite NPS for a quick trip. No planning we grabbed a loft hotel outside the park and wandered in. I am still convinced I got a preview of heaven in those days. The sky, the trees, the rocks, the mean deer. Incredible. 
• Grand Canyon (North & South) with my Step Kids: Another trip out to California, started with a long detour out to the Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon South and then Grand Canyon North. We still joke about my husband's panic as we ran around Bright Angel Point. 
• Grand Canyon (South), Palatki Heritage Site and more with my son: This year we went back to the Grand Canyon by way of Phoenix. The drive was mind blowing! Mostly because of the many National Forests and National Monuments. Going from desert to snow, from high elevations to not as high. Amazing. My son keeps saying this is his best trip ever. 
• Acadia with my Extended Family: In June of 2015 we spent a week on Bar Harbor, Maine. Since it was off season, we had the run of Acadia NPS . We are counting the days until we can return and see it in other seasons. If there is perfection on earth, it is in Acadia and has a Popover warmed up for you. 
• Too many historic sites with my Imagination: FDR, Vanderbilt, Eleanor Roosevelt, Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, Tredenar Ironworks, Stonewall Jackson, Antietam, Mall of Washington, Fort Sumter, Guilford Courthouse, Overmountain, Kings Mountain, Carl Sandburg Home, Lyndon B Johnson, Mission of San Antonio, and the list goes on.  If you ever drive with my husband, watch out. He can't resist the magic of the brown historic signs. We have made memories up and down I95 just by following a whim. My knowledge has been expanded and I am a better citizen because of the countless volunteers and staff at the NPS.

Thank you National Park Service. Thank you for teaching me. Thank you for inspiring me. Thank you for being you and preserving us.

- G
 
Want to follow the humor of the alternative-NPS, check out their twitter account and here. 
And for music, I can't think of anything better then "Big Yellow Taxi" (original Joni Mitchell, this version Counting Crows) "Don't it seem to go that you don't know what you got until it is gone"

Exploring the YMCA in 2017

TL; DR: I love the Durham YMCA and will use this space to shamelessly praise the various classes.

 Key: (Did the time fly? Was the workout good? Did I feel comfortable?)

Interval Training 101: (5:30 Tuesday, Lakewood, Allie):

• I liked this class a lot and can see it being a regular part of my week. It is short (45 minutes) and to the point (sweat). Allie had us warm up (easy) and then explained each of the 3 exercises at 5 stations (TRX, Free Weights, Board, Jumps, Gliders). We did each exercise for 40 seconds and then rested for 20 second. Then we did them all again for 20 seconds and a 10 sec break At then end we split into 'teams' to use the large rope for three more exercises. Finished up with a few stretches! (January 3, 2017) 

Yoga (10:00am Friday, Downtown, Elliot):

• This feels like a cheat because I've taken Elliot's Thursday class for a few months. This class was longer and had more regulars. She seemed a bit more on the 'hot ' side of yoga. I always like Elliot's style. She holds to the spirit of yoga  and forces you to own your work out. The class was 75 minutes. I like 60 better but it was not as bad as I thought. (January 6, 2017) 

Yoga (7:00am Wednesday, Lakewood, Joy)

• Before I went to Elliot's class, I thought Joy was the most perfectly layback instructor. She paces the class well and keeps it focused as 'morning yoga'. With some core work, it is a nice, easy introduction to yoga. Light on long flows and long on watching your breathing. At minute 30, I thought it was dragging, but the second half of the class went fast. The class was lightly attended but I expect that is snow related. Unfortunately I am dropping my son off at this time during a normal week. (January 11, 2017) 

Total Body Strength (9:30am Thursday, Lakewood, Shawnta)

• If you read nothing more, read this: I think Shawnta is a GREAT instructor and from the attendance of this class, a lot of people really like this class. Not me. The 45 minutes (yes, I left early) hit on all of my pet peeves: No instructor there at the start, certain number of of reps, cliques, lack of personal space, more cardio then strength, ... that is probably enough. I do not know why instructors don't either do the count together (ie we are doing 10, 9, 8) or timed (1 minute of curls, etc). Lastly, never, ever ask someone to shake their bottom as part of a warm up. For the awkward this is an immediate enthusiasm & confidence killer. The good news is I already love Elliots Yoga class on Thursdays so I don't have to pick. CHEER. (January 12, 2017) 

 Cycle (9:30am Wednesday, Downtown, Howard)

• There are a lot of good spin teachers at the YMCA. I like Howards approach as he spends the effort making sure new people have their bikes right. He also makes it clear what we are trying to accomplish and it is up to you to push hard enough to make that happen based on your fitness. Fortunately, his level fits me well. Good old music too. (January 18, 2017) 

 Strength Training Together (10:30am Friday, Downtown, Joy(2))

• This class might be one of these three things: 1) Training Wheels for weight lifting 2) Weight lifting to a beat or 3) A class for those who can only do something for one song. I fall into group #3. Strength Training Together picks a body part (legs, chest, arms, abs, etc) and focuses there for 1 pop song (3 to 4 minutes?) using a bar with weights and a step bench. You lift to a beat, get it done and move on. It moved quick enough but not too fast. Joy was very professional: started on time, explained things well and kept to the plan. Loved it.

And one of my favorite exercise songs. (Rihanna 'Pon de Replay')