April 22, 2016: National Parks Week: Spotlight: US Postal Service Commemorates National Parks - Past & Present

​This week, from April 16-24, is National Parks Week and we will be featuring tons of information as well as fun memories about past trips we have taken.  

This year, 2016, also happens to mark the 100 Year Anniversary of The National Parks Service.

There are 58 national parks in the United States waiting to be explored. 

To celebrate its centennial anniversary, the National Park Service is offering 16 days of free admission to 127 parks which usually charge entrance fees.  

These "free admission" parks including the Everglades, Yellowstone, Crater Lake, Alaska's Denali National Park and Joshua Tree National Park in California.
 
In 2016, the 100-year-old service will add seven additional free days (to the nine from 2015), including National Park Week, this week!
​
Here's to a Wonderful National Parks Week!!!

Tanya's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 27 DAYS

US Postal Service Past Postage Stamps featuring National Parks

Howdy and Happy Earth Day!

It's Friday and gonna be another stables day for us, there was a glitch in our schedule yesterday and we actually couldn't make it out there as was planned.

The good news is that everything got all straightened out and I was able to register Dave for the Tour de Tahoe! 
​
More good news is that I was able to find and book a beautiful campgrounds amongst Redwoods in Big Sur for our "newly added" camping trip at the end of July!!

I am a treehugger! (c)travelicousins.com

Today with the focus still being on National Parks, for National Parks week we have decided to highlight the USPS Commemorative Stamps - Elisa is going over the new soon to be released Centennial edition, and I will take a look at the
1934 series of ten postage stamps which were issued to commemorate the reorganization and expansion of the National Park Service. 

Dave happens to be a stamp collector/aficionado and thus, he of course has this collection, but not only that he dreams of taking it a step further and planning a road trip to hit each of these wonderful parks...How cool that will be!!!

In order of their release date I present you:
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1. Yosemite's El Capitan.
​It carried a 1-cent denomination and was green.

On top of Half Dome in Yosemite 2009 (c)travelincousins.com

2. The Grand Canyon, a 2-center, red, issued on July 24, 1934

A visit to the Grand Canyon during my National Parks Road Trip in 2008 (c)travelincousins.com

3. Mount Rainier, a shot of Rainier with Mirror Lake in the foreground, it cost 3 cents, was violet, and issued on August 3, 1934

My first visit to Mount Rainier NP - 2008 (c)travelincousins.com

4. Mesa Verde, featuring Cliff Palace, this 4-cent stamp was brown and issued on September 25, 1934

Visiting Mesa Verde NP in 2010 (c)travelincousins.com

5. Yellowstone, featuring, naturally, Old Faithful, this blue-hued stamp cost 5 cents and was issued on July 30, 1934

During our Cousins Yellowstone Roadtrip in 2014 (c)travelincousins.com

6. Crater Lake, depicting a shot of the lake, the stamp was dark blue and cost 6 cents

Crater Lake visit in 2014 (c)travelincousins.com

7. Acadia, this stamp, in black, featured Great Head, cost 7 cents, and was issued on October 2, 1934

8. Zion, featuring the Great White Throne, this 8-cent stamp was sage green and issued on September 18, 1934

Hiking in Zion NP 2010 (c)travelincousins.com

9. Glacier, reddish-orange, this 9-cent stamp featured an image of Mount Rockwell with Two Medicine Lake in the foreground. It was issued August 27, 1934

At Glacier NP in 2010 (c)travelincousins.com

10. Great Smoky Mountains, the last in the 10-stamp edition, this featured Mount Le Conte, was gray-black, sold for 10 cents, and issued on October 8, 1934

So as I'm sure you probably noticed - I have no pictures from when I visited Great Smoky Mountain NP, or Acadia NP and that is because those are two parks of which I have yet to visit!
​
Not to say that they aren't on my radar or my list, but it just hasn't been in the cards.

Going to Acadia NP was actually something that I had planned to do with my friend Jeff back in 2010, but as it happened he wasn't able to meet me on the east coast and instead I filled in the time with a different amazing trip with my good friend Cherryl and we did a road trip through eastern Canada - having a fabulous time if I say so myself!!

Montreal 2010 (c)travelincousins.com

And now to ever so briefly touch on the list on new NPS stamps that Elisa is featuring...
​
1. Acadia National Park, Maine -
I still need to go!
2. Arches National Park, Utah -
Been, love it!
​3. Assateague Island National Seashore -
Have not been.
4. Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico -Been, had fun with cousins!
5. Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico -
Been, it's batty over there!!
6. The Everglades National Park, Florida -
Been, watch out for gators!!
7. Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Alaska -
Been, so astonishing!
8. The Grand Canyon, Arizona -
Been, so majestic!
9. Gulf Islands National Seashore -
Have not been.
​10. Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii -
Been, above the clouds!
​11. Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens, Washington D.C. - Have not been.
12. Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, Vermont - Have not been.
13. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington -
Been, bring a jacket!
14. San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, California - Somehow, I haven't been!

And now since it is Foodie Friday and Elisa has featured a great list of National Park Food Finds, there isn't much when it come to being vegan at some of these parks.
​So what I like to do is order some yummy picnic style foods (sandwiches and stuff), go for a hike and then find a beautiful place to have a memorable meal in nature!

That's about all for today folks.
Catch ya back here tomorrow for some more National Park fun and then some...
The kids have a fun performance tomorrow...come back tomorrow to find out where it's at!!

Tootles,
​-T

Elisa's Daily Scoop
NEXT VISIT: 2 DAYS

US Postal Service Commemorates Centennial of National Parks Service

Hello and Welcome to Friday here on T.C.!

We are still celebrating National Parks Week, with two more days to go!

Nothing much on the home front except that Kelsey was home yesterday fighting off a bit of a cold.  It's very strange because she had the same symptoms that Gianna had last week, but thankfully, it didn't fully blossom into a sinus infection.

We were able to spend some bonding time together yesterday while she was home resting up.  But, I was very happy to see that as the day progressed, she was beginning to feel better!!

Back to our National Parks...

This year, The United States Postal Service has paid homage to our National Parks with 16 Commemorative Stamps for 2016 to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of The National Parks Service.
 
Now, this is not the first time the US Postal Service has offered National Parks stamps.  In fact, Tanya has detailed the previous collection in her blog today.  

Interestingly, Dave (Tanya's honey) is dying to do one huge trip dedicated to visiting all of the national parks that are part of this initial stamp series!!  What fun that would be!

For 2016, the National Park stamp collection will include 16. As of this writing, only 14 of the 16 have been introduced.

Take a look...

 1. Acadia National Park, Maine 

2. Arches National Park, Utah

The Delicate Arch in Arches National Park is the 2nd of 16 stamps to be revealed.

3. Assateague Island National Seashore

Wild horses of MD & VA’s Assateague Island National Seashore are the 3rd of 16 stamps.

4. Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

The 4th of 16 stamps is a painting of the visitor center at Bandelier Nat'l Monument

5. Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

Carlsbad Caverns is the 5th of 16 National Park Services stamps

6. The Everglades National Park, Florida 

The Everglades National Park is the 6th of 16 National Park Services stamps

7. Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Alaska 

Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is the 7th of 16 National Park Services stamps

8. The Grand Canyon, Arizona  

The Grand Canyon is the 8th of 16 National Park Services stamps

9. Gulf Islands National Seashore 

Gulf Islands National Seashore is the 9th of 16 stamps.

10. Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii 

Haleakalā National Park is the 10th of 16 National Park stamps.

11. Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens, Washington D.C. 

DC’s Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens is the 11th National Park Service stamps

12. Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, Vermont 

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park is the 12th National Park Service Stamp

13. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Mount Rainier National Park is the 13th National Park Service Stamp

14. San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, California 

The San Francisco Maritime Historic National Park is the 14th National Park Stamp

The stamp set, commemorating the centennial of the National Park Service, is scheduled to go on sale June 2 during World Stamp Show-NY 2016 at the Javits Center in New York City.

The 16 images in the set have been revealed one-by-one beginning April 4, 2016, with the newest design being the 14th.

Here is our gang on our New Mexico Road Trip at Bandelier National Monument, the 4th stamp in the series previously introduced this month.

(c) travelincousins.com

Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico (October, 2014) (c)travelincousins.com

Now, considering today is not only Earth Day but also Foodie Friday here on our blog, I had wanted to combine the natural wonders and beauty of Mother Earth found in our National Parks with good eating.

Well, low and behold, I wasn't the first to think of this and I found a wonderful article on The Daily Meal, entitled ​The Best Restaurants Inside 20 Different National Parks!!

​Absolutely click on the link for the full slideshow and description about each of their picks for the best places to chow down. Of course, these are not "vegan" restaurants, sadly. Here is their list:

1. Acadia National Park, Maine — Jordan Pond House

2. Big Bend National Park, Texas — Chisos Mountains Lodge Restaurant

3. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah — The Lodge at Bryce Canyon

4. Crater Lake National Park, Oregon — Crater Lake Lodge Dining Room

5. Death Valley National Park, California — The Inn at Furnace Creek Dining Room

6. Glacier National Park, Montana — Russell’s Fireside Dining

7. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona — Grand Canyon Lodge

8. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming — Jenny Lake Lodge

9. Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii — The Rim

10. Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas — Superior Bathhouse Brewery and Distillery

11. Isle Royale National Park, Michigan — Lighthouse

12. Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky — Travertine Restaurant

13. Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado — Metate Room Restaurant

14. Olympic National Park, Washington — The Creekside at Kalaloch Lodge

15. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado — Fawn Brook Inn

16. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia — Skyland’s Pollock Dining Room

17. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska — McCarthy Lodge Bistro

18. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming — Lake Yellowstone Hotel Restaurant

19. Yosemite National Park, California — The Mountain Room

20. Zion National Park, Utah — Red Rock Grill

Wow!!! What a list of options.  

I'm hoping Tanya will tell us about some good vegan eats from her many National Park Adventures!!

That's a a wrap for today! Tune in tomorrow when Tanya and I take a trip to Arizona and feature The Grand Canyon and some great suggestions for gear when adventuring through the national parks!

-E
xoxo