…with watching all of “The National Parks – America’s Best Idea” for a solid week is that it makes one really, really want to quit one’s job and hit the road.
I can only imagine what would have happened if they’d aired the show in the spring, near the beginning of tourist season, rather than now, when winter is fast approaching. The parks, doubtless, would have been packed.
Still, I have no plans to go crazy and do what I hinted at in the first sentence. Especially when NPR on Friday was talking about the current unemployment levels and the fact that for every available job, six people are applying.
Anyone reading this who’s currently struggling for a job, I feel for ya.
Anyway, I did hit the road today, heading out to spend some time in the Santa Monica’s today. It’s funny, but I don’t usually think about the fact that the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is part of the National Park System, but there it is: a whole slew of pockets of open space all across the Santa Monica Mountains, right next to the huge megalopolis of Los Angeles, all administrated by the National Park Service.
And, as such, owned by all of us, rather than being leveled and having yet another mega-mansion put on top of it.
When you think about it, that’s pretty darn cool.
Now if I could just get somebody to pay me to quit my job and visit the other 390 units of the NPS system, life would be just about perfect.
The GeekHiker 
We’re still working our way through the show. It will probably take us weeks to watch it all. We finished chapter two last night.
So far I wish it was more about the parks a less about the history but it’s still pretty interesting.
By: Homer-Dog on October 5, 2009
at 6:08 am
Pitch it to OLN. Heck, they’re paying two dudes to travel the world on Departures, you never know! Put a spin on it and SELL IT!!
By: cmacc on October 5, 2009
at 7:52 am
cmacc is right on. getting paid to host a travel show would be the BEST JOB EVER! if you need a co-host, holla at cha’ girl.
By: blakspring on October 5, 2009
at 8:19 am
I love Santa Monica Mountains, I go there all the time and there is still trails I haven’t done. I’m working my way down…
Everyone I take there is always surprised by all the trails…
By: Jean on October 5, 2009
at 8:24 am
It’s depressing how little park rangers make, but that does seem like an awfully fun job, flitting about the country to work here & there…
By: spleeness on October 5, 2009
at 3:39 pm
I’m pretty sure I would probaby “watch” that while reading Glamour Magazine and take a nap in the middle of it. You would have to poke me awake for the major views.
that being said, I would totally take a vacation to go hiking, but I would want to make sure there would be a day or two in that vacation for shopping, and fluffy pillows, and pizza. 🙂
ahhh…fluffy pillows.
By: missmccracken on October 6, 2009
at 5:55 am
Homer-Dog – I agree, but I wasn’t surprised. The emphasis on history and people is definitely Ken Burns’ style.
CMACC – Well, it’s definitely food for thought, but I’m pretty camera shy…
BlakSpring – Wait, does that mean you’ll come along to host? Perfect!
Jean – Yeah, I have lots of trails to blog there. Of course, with the Angeles closed, I guess it’ll be easier now…
Spleeness – It does, though of course, assignments are done by seniority. Knowing my luck, I’m scared where they would send me first!
MissMcCracken – Pizza is always good, especially after a long hike. I still remember the one I had after I did Half Dome years and years ago…
By: geekhiker on October 6, 2009
at 9:44 pm
I was thinking exactly what spleeness said – I could totally picture you doing the park ranger thing. A friend’s parents did it every summer for like 20 years in Yosemite. They were teachers during the rest of the year. I always thought that sounded like a great gig.
By: Mel Heth on October 7, 2009
at 2:05 pm
I third (or fourth or…) that! Park ranger (PT or FT) sounds like the ideal job for you — you get to do hiking every day, be in the woods and basking in the sun all the time, AND sharing your passion for Nature with visitors. But of course, when a hobby turns into a means to live, it might not be as fun 😦
By: K on October 9, 2009
at 5:42 am
I couldn’t agree more! Now that I’m stuck in Myrtle Beach, SC I don’t make up to the Presidentials in NH as often as I like. I will have to make some time to hit up Asheville in the near future. (There may be a way to get paid to quit – check my site. Hopefully it pans out for me and many others!)
By: PMTQ on October 13, 2009
at 6:20 am