01.30.09

And our 2008 haul . . .

Posted in Eric's posts, The Muffin at 11:08 pm by Eric

As Mike noted, he just barely eked out a victory in a close-fought race.  Here’s what Sheryl and I got together in ‘08:

  1. Richmond NBP (Tredegar Iron Works), Richmond, VA, May 26 2008
  2. Richmond NBP, Cold Harbor, VA, May 26 2008
  3. Richmond NBP, Malvern Hill, VA, May 26 2008
  4. Prince William Forest Park, Triangle, VA, Jun 01 2008
  5. Potomac Heritage NST (Prince William Forest Park), Prince William, VA, Jun 01 2008
  6. National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  7. Old Post Office Tower, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  8. Pennsylvania Avenue NHS, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  9. U.S. Navy Memorial, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  10. Ford’s Theatre NHS – Petersen House, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  11. Ford’s Theatre NHS, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  12. Ulysses S. Grant Memorial, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  13. National Mall, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  14. Washington Monument, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  15. John Paul Jones Memorial, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  16. World War II Memorial, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  17. Consitution Gardens, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  18. MEM to the 56 Signers of the Dec. of Independence, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  19. Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  20. Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  21. John Ericsson Memorial, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  22. Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  23. District of Columbia World War Memorial, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  24. West Potomac Park, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  25. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  26. George Mason Memorial, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  27. Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  28. National Capital Region, Washington, DC, Aug 29 2008
  29. Potomac Heritage NST (Harpers Ferry NHP), Harpers Ferry, WV, Sep 01 2008
  30. Harpers Ferry NHP, Harpers Ferry, WV, Sep 01 2008
  31. C&O Canal Historical Park, Sandy Hook, MD, Sep 01 2008
  32. Underground RR Freedom Network (Harpers Ferry NHP), Harpers Ferry, WV, Sep 01 2008
  33. Virgin Islands NP, St. John, VI, Nov 29 2008
  34. Virgin Islands Coral Reef NM, St. John, VA Nov 29 2008

And here are the ones Sheryl got when she was out west with Mike:

  1. Pony Express NHT (MO-KS-NE-CO-WY-UT-NV-CA), Mar 27 2008
  2. Mormon Pioneer NHT (IL-IA-NE-WY-UT), Mar 27 2008
  3. Oregon NHT (MO-KS-NE-WY-ID-OR-WA), Mar 27 2008
  4. California NHT (MO-OK-KS-NE-CO-WY-UT-ID-NV-CA-OR), Mar 27 2008

In addition, she had repeat stamps for 1, 2, and 4 on Mar 29 2008.  AND the signature of the State Coordinator-Utah of the National Park Service.

As Mike noted, the 2008 Muffin prompted an examination of the rules–should Sheryl be on her own or are we a team?  We decided that we’re doing this as a team, so only the stamps that we see together count.  On the other hand, if a tiebreaker is needed then the additional stamps by one of us would come into play.  So one team member’s additional stamps can break a tie, but they can’t make a tie.

And there you have it.  It’s 2009, baby.  Game is ON.

01.06.09

New Muffin Stamps?

Posted in Eric's posts tagged , , , , at 4:24 pm by Eric

NOAA, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, Robert Schroeder, photographer

Yellow Tang near Maug Island in the Mariana Archipelago. Credit: NOAA, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, Robert Schroeder, photographer

Today, President Bush used his executive authority (granted under the Antiquities Act of 1906) to create three new marine national monuments in the Pacific, protecting more than 195,280 square miles of ocean.  As the president said, “the monuments will prohibit resource destruction or extraction, waste dumping, and commercial fishing. They will allow for research, free passage, and recreation — including the possibility of recreational fishing one day. For seabirds and marine life, they will be sanctuaries to grow and thrive. For scientists, they will be places to extend the frontiers of discovery. And for the American people, they will be places that honor our duty to be good stewards of the Almighty’s creation. “

The three areas are:

  • Rose Atoll, a ring of pink-hued coral near American Samoa.
  • The Marianas Marine National Monument, which encompasses the three northernmost islands in the northern Marianas chain, as well as the entire length and breadth of the Mariana Trench – the deepest rift of any on the ocean floor.
  • The Pacific Remote Islands National Monument, an array of seven remote islands and atolls in the central Pacific.

More here on the specifics, from the White House.

Click here for lovely shots of the new monuments from the Washington Post.

President Bush also designated 140,000 square miles as the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument around the Northwest Hawaiian Islands in 2006.  Combined, that’s a lot of ocean.

No precise word yet as to whether the Park Service will have any jurisdiction (Papahanaumokuakea, for instance, is managed by “the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in close coordination with the State of Hawaii” ), and whether we’ll be able to get any Pacific muffin stamps.

01.04.09

The Rangers Tell Their Stories

Posted in Mike's posts tagged , , , , , , at 4:27 pm by Mike Mitchell

by Mark J. Saferstein

by Mark J. Saferstein

I think I first saw this title in the bookstore of Castillo San Felipe del Morro, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Oh, Ranger!: True Stories from our National Parks, by Mark J. Saferstein, appears to be in the same intended spirit as this blog.

Whereas, we hope that our family blog shares our adventures and experiences in visiting various national parks, Oh, Ranger! shares the true experiences of National Park Rangers. Saferstein’s book was inspired by an earlier book, also entitled Oh Ranger — A Story about the National Parks, by Horace Albright, published in 1928.

I put it on my Amazon.com wish list and hope to read them in the near future. I already highly recommend Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness, by Edward Abbey, to anyone who has visited or intends to visit Arches National Park and (to a lesser extent) Canyonlands National Park.

01.02.09

And the 2008 Winner is…

Posted in Mike's posts, The Muffin at 10:50 pm by Mike Mitchell

Me! With 38 stamps this year, I retain The Muffin for another year!

I won with the following stamps:

  1. Constitution Gardens, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  2. Vietnam Veterans MEM, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  3. Korean War Veterans MEM, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  4. Lincoln MEM, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  5. John Paul Jones MEM, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  6. National Mall & Memorial Parks, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  7. Franklin Delano Roosevelt NMEM, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  8. Thomas Jefferson National Memorial, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  9. George Mason Memorial, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  10. District of Columbia World War Memorial, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  11. World War II MEM, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  12. National Capital Region, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  13. John Ericsson MEM, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  14. MEM to the 56 Signers of the Dec. of Independence, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  15. Ulysses S. Grant MEM, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  16. Old Post Office Tower, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  17. Pennsylvania Ave. NHS, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  18. West Potomac Park, Washington, D.C., Jan 21 2008
  19. Hampton NHS, Underground RR FreedomNetwork, Feb 16 2008
  20. Hampton NHS, Towson, MD, Feb 16 2008
  21. Pony Express NHT (MO-KS-NE-CO-WY-UT-NV-CA), Mar 27 2008
  22. Mormon Pioneer NHT (IL-IA-NE-WY-UT), Mar 27 2008
  23. Oregon NHT (MO-KS-NE-WY-ID-OR-WA), Mar 27 2008
  24. California NHT (MO-OK-KS-NE-CO-WY-UT-ID-NV-CA-OR), Mar 27 2008
  25. Arches NP, Moab, UT, May 09 2008
  26. Old Spanish NHT, Moab, UT, May 09 2008
  27. Hovenweep NM, Utah-Colorado, May 10 2008
  28. Natural Bridges NM, 100 Years (1908-2008), May 10 2008
  29. Canyonlands NP, Needles District, May 11 2008
  30. Timpanogos Cave NM, American Fork, UT 84003, Sep 13 2008
  31. Craters of the Moon, NM andPreserve, Sep 27 2008
  32. California NHT (MO-KS-NE-WY-ID-UT-NV-CA), Oct 18 2008
  33. City of Rocks N RES, CA Trail-Almo, ID, Oct 16 2008
  34. Fossil Butte NM, Kemmerer, WY, Oct 25 2008
  35. Virgin Islands Coral Reef NM, St. John, VI, Nov 29 2008
  36. Virgin Island NP, St. John, VI, Nov 29 2008
  37. San Juan NHS (Castillo San Felipe del Morro), Old San Juan, PR, Nov 30 2008
  38. San Juan NHS (Castillo San Cristobal), Old San Juan, PR, Nov 30 2008

In addition, I got the following duplicate stamps:

  1. Mormon Pioneer NHT (IL-IA-NE-WY-UT), Mar 29 2008
  2. California NHT (MO-OK-KS-NE-CO-WY-UT-ID-NV-CA-OR), Mar 29 2008
  3. Pony Express NHT, (MO-KS-NE-CO-WY-UT-NV-CA), May 09 2008
  4. Mormon Pioneer NHT (IL-IA-NE-WY-UT), May 09 2008
  5. California NHT (MO-OK-KS-NE-CO-WY-UT-ID-NV-CA-OR), May 09 2008
  6. Pony Express NHT, (MO-KS-NE-CO-WY-UT-NV-CA), Jun 7 2008
  7. Oregon NHT (MO-KS-NE-WY-ID-OR-WA), Oct 25 2008
  8. California NHT (MO-OK-KS-NE-CO-WY-UT-ID-NV-CA-OR), Oct 25 2008

I could also have gotten a Pony Express stamp for Mar 29, but I either failed to give myself that stamp or else I was unsure that we managed to travel along that trail on that morning.

The “rules” state that the stamps must be unique. I got an Oregon NHT and California NHT stamp for visiting Fossil Butte in Wyoming (#7 & #8 among the extras), but the stamp in the NHT office that recorded my trip along these trails in Nebraska was the same stamp (compare to #27 & #28)–same text, same locations listed, same color. Keeping that in mind, I found two “loopholes” to my benefit:

  1. Stamp #24 and #32 are both for the California NHT, but they are different stamps. The latter is missing OK, CO, and OR from its list of states on the trail, uses the NHT abbreviation and is a different region color (blue instead of tan).
  2. The San Juan stamps, #37 and #38, say the exact same thing. I added the specific location in parentheses. However, the stamps are visually different: the text of the San Felipe del Morro stamp is on the left and right side, while the San Cristobal text is on the top and bottom.

Sheryl & Eric are certainly to be commended for getting 34 stamps as a team (38 if you count the 4 NHT trail stamps that Sheryl got with me). I admit that being single, I have the advantage of getting stamps on my own time, without having to coordinate with my spouse, but I hope to be ‘handicapped’ with a teammate in the future.

The 2009 campaign has begun!