As of September 8, 2009, here are the stamps I have:

1. California Nat’l Historic Trail (Apr. 2, Apr. 6. Apr. 7). Got this stamp in 2008.
2. Oregon Nat’l Historic Trail (Apr. 2, Apr. 6, Apr. 7). Same.
3. Pony Express Nat’l Historic Trail (Apr. 6, Apr. 7). Again.
4. Mormon Pioneer Nat’l Historic Trail (Apr. 6, Apr. 7). More.
5. Fossil Butte National Monument (Apr. 2). Ditto.
6. Western Historic Trails Center, Council Bluffs, IA (Apr. 7)
7. California Nat’l Historic Trail (Apr. 7).
8. Oregon Nat’l Historic Trail, Council Bluffs, IA (Apr. 7)
9. Mormon Pioneer Nat’l Historic Trail (Apr. 7)
10. Lewis & Clark Nat’l Historic Trail, Iowa (Apr. 7)
11. Cedar Creek & Belle Grove NHP, Shenandoah Valley, VA (May 10)
12. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Washington, D.C. (May 23)
13. National Capital Parks – East, Presidential Inauguration (Jan 2009).
14. Oxon Cove Park, Underground RR Freedom Network (May 23)
15. Potomac Heritage NST, Oxon Hill, MD (May 23)
16. Oxon Cove Park, Oxon Hill, MD (May 23)
17. Gettysburg NMP, Gettysburg, PA (Jul 15)
18. Chickasaw NRA, Sulphur, OK (Aug 14)
19. Wolf Trap NP for the Performing Arts, Vienna, VA (Aug 21)

Sheryl got some of the trail stamps last year when she helped me move out to Utah, but she stuck to her self-imposed rule of not counting stamps that her and Eric don’t get together. This year, when they helped me move back, they got the stamps, again. They’ll count for them, but not for me or Mom.

I went to Fossil Butte last year, but Mom’s visit will count.

I got the Presidential Inauguration stamp because it was limited edition, but I obviously didn’t attend.

The April 7 trail stamps in Council Bluffs Iowa are some of the same ones that we got at trail HQ in Salt Lake City, but the latter are gold-colored and in the Mountain Region, while the Iowa ones are red-colored.

I’m only at 13, with two-thirds of the year done.

Chickasaw NRA was featured on the NPS website as Getaway of the Week (Week 11: August 31 – September 6) shortly after my visit. Maybe they’re fans of this blog. The text is below, which offers additional tidbits about the park.

Chickasaw National Recreation Area
Oklahoma

At Chickasaw National Recreation Area the power of place is evident: cool creeks flowing over travertine terraces; the silhouette of a great blue heron perched on the shore of the Lake of the Arbuckles; families reuniting in historic campgrounds; locals filling jugs with mineral water; and the idyllic escape so many discover here.

Lying midway between Oklahoma City and Dallas in part of the country that many stereotype as rather unspectacular subprairie scenery, Chickasaw is a conveniently located contrast. Situated just east of Interstate 35 as it transects south-central Oklahoma at the juncture of the southern Osage Plains and the ancient, worn remnants of the Arbuckle Mountains, Chickasaw entertains more than one million visitors each year.

Water defines the park. For over a century, people have come here to enjoy the refreshing, tranquil beauty of this simple wooded valley and its many springs and streams. The reputed healing power of its mineral waters prompted the park’s creation in 1902 as the Sulphur Springs Reservation. The United States Government purchased the land for the new park from the Chickasaw and Choctaw Nations at $20 per acre; making it the first and only national park established at an Indian Tribe’s request. In 1906, the reservation became the nation’s seventh national park, Platt National Park.

Visitors flocked to the new park, and many made annual visits a family tradition. In 1908 over 100,000 visitors were counted at Bromide Spring. To conserve the spring water, only one gallon of water per person per day was allowed without a physician’s prescription.

Between 1933 and 1940, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) members rebuilt Platt National Park. Rustic buildings, swimming holes, and picnic areas, remain today as a testament to their work. Since then, millions have enjoyed the landscape left behind by the CCC by swimming at Little Niagara, camping at the Cold Springs Campground, or tasting the water at Pavilion Springs.

After 70 years as the smallest national park, Platt National Park was combined with the Arbuckle Recreation Area to create Chickasaw National Recreation Area. The name of the park honors the vision of the Chickasaw Nation. In many respects the modern park is really two parks in one – the Platt Historic District and the Lake of the Arbuckles.

The Lake of the Arbuckles, built in the mid-1960s, offers fun on the water. It’s one of the best fishing lakes in Oklahoma for catfish, perch, bass, and crappie. The Buckhorn and Point campgrounds offer traditional and utility camping sites. Nearby boat ramps provide easy access to the water’s edge, and in areas surrounding the lake some hunting is allowed. In the autumn, the creek-side trails of the Platt Historic District offer an outstanding opportunity to slow down, and exchange the breathtaking vistas and dramatic phenomena of larger national parks, and in their stead delight in quiet, pleasant vignettes of nature’s ageless ways. Come visit — click www.nps.gov/chic/, or call (580) 622-7234.

I mentioned once before that I would totally like to take a snowmobile tour of Yellowstone.

However, to operate a snowmobile in Yellowstone, on Federal public land, you are supposed to be licensed, from what I remember reading. Talking to some people who have gone up to West Yellowstone for snowmobiling, it sounds like you can…oops, wander on to park land because it’s not well marked if you really want to.

I’m not into that. Anyhow, now that I’m back in Virginia, I’m not sure how I would get a license in Virginia that would qualify to operate a snowmobile (probably via an ATV safety course), so maybe it’d be best to find an alternative for visiting Yellowstone in the winter. There’s a nice set of vacation packages offered by Xanterra Parks & Resorts that just sound like fun. Check these out (winter 2009 prices):

Nordic Heaven at Old Faithful Snow Lodge: includes snowcoach transportation, at least 2 nights lodging, breakfast each day of stay per person, 1 welcome gift per person, 1 ski rental per person per day, unlimited ski drops per person and 1 snow card (discount card) per person which is good for additional 10% discounts on certain gift shop items, additional meals (except designated special events) and any equipment rental. Starts at $339.00 per person double occupancy, $489.00 single occupancy.

Guided Snowmo-Deal at Old Faithful Snow Lodge: includes at least 2 nights lodging, breakfast each day of stay per person, 1 welcome gift per person, 1 snow card per person discount card) per person which is good for additional 10% discounts on certain gift shop items, additional meals (except designated special events), any equipment rental and one guided snowmobile tour to either the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone or Mammoth (snowmobile clothing included in the package). Starts at $389.00 per person double occupancy, $639.00 single occupancy with snowcoach transportation to Snow Lodge.

There are equivalent packages for Mammoth Lodge, and winter packages that split time between the two. It could be really neat. I really need to find someone to do this with.

For the muffin stamp afficionado, the Albright Visitor Center in Mammoth is open year-round, and the Old Faithful Visitor Center has winter hours, too. My guess is that a snowcoach day tour is likely to only give you the opportunity for the Old Faithful stamp unless you do a more elaborate package tour.

Here I thought there’d be other years. Should have done it when I had the chance. Some day I’ll go back, though.

Great Big Sea is a Canadian band from Newfoundland that gives traditional folk songs, drinking songs, and sea shanties a modern rock treatment, in addition to doing original songs. Always an entertaining, high energy concert.

The Filene Center about 90 minutes before showtime.

Playing the Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts has become almost a summertime tradition. They say they’ve performed there either as guest or headliner since 1996.

Great Big Sea in concert

The Ranger Station is just off to the left, outside of the main gate. It is open before the show and remains open throughout the concert. The passport stamp is located just inside, next to the guest book.

We had lawn seating and endured three heavy downpours. I feel like I definitely earned this stamp, and it was worth it.

I recently returned from visiting my friends in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas. Texas muffin stamps are not very close to Dallas, but the southern border of Oklahoma is only an hour away and Chickasaw National Recreation Area is 120 miles north of Dallas on I-35. It boasts plenty of hiking, boating, fishing, and camping opportunities. The web site states that the passport stamp is available at the Travertine Nature Center.

The nature center spans the spring fed Travertine Creek.

After getting the stamp, we undertook the 1-mile walk to two freshwater springs: Buffalo and Antelope Springs.

Travertine Creek crossing

Antelope Springs is impressive because you follow the stream to its source at the end of the trail and find yourself watching the water gush out from under the rock. I expected a trickle, but this was really flowing.

The cool, clear water emerges from underneath the rock.

Buffalo Springs is slightly more picturesque because of the structure the CCC built around it. We paused to dip our feet in the water and the kids were collecting pebbles to throw into the water.

Water bubbles up from underground into this pool, causing the ripples.

In his excitement to get poolside, poor little Noah Powell tried to take the shortcut by stepping down from the top rim onto the bench. He misjudged the 2-foot “step” and the further than anticipated drop sent him headfirst the rest of the way. The sickening thud sent my heart into my stomach. Dad picked him up and we watched the bump on his forehead swell to the size of a golf ball in seconds. It worked to our advantage that the spring water is very chilly and Justin smartly soaked a sock and applied it to the contusion, which brought down the swelling pretty quickly. In the picture, the contours of that nasty bruise are quite obvious and it’s only half the size it had been.

The little warrior is a bit sad that we're leaving Buffalo Springs, since he was just starting to have fun after taking a nasty fall.

After Noah’s wailing died down to some choked sobs, I was amazed that Dad’s simple question, “Do you want to throw some pebbles in the pool?” could get Noah back on his feet, running, smiling and playing. I remained traumatized. What cost, this muffin stamp?

Then, on the way back, their straggling 6-yr old, Lexi, managed to step on a baby snake that was either crossing the path after the rest of us had passed or that we had failed to notice. Mom saw it wiggling away in the underbrush afterward, so it wasn’t a ploy by the one constantly complaining of the long walk to be carried, after all. It met the desired end, though, because she was carried the rest of the way after that.

We tried to put it all behind us by taking a refreshing dip in one of the spring-fed swimming holes. In our case, we chose the popular Little Niagara swim area. Brrrrr, cold! At least in comparison to the 90+ degree air temperature. I could tolerate it well enough after taking a dunk. I found a spot about 5′ 6″ deep and the kids, including Noah, took turns jumping into my arms. Nevertheless, it doesn’t sound like it will draw the family away from the warm waters of the community pool at any time in the future.

The cold waters of Little Niagara

I’d like to check out some of the mineral spring hiking trails some day. This visit had come to close, and we were all worn down by the increasingly restless kids.

Glad I checked it out? Yes.

Will I be recreating with the Powells there during a future visit? Doubtful.

The new visitor center is a real beauty. The museum is great and well done. I thought the short film was nicely executed, too. It didn’t focus on the battle so much as it gave the battle context for the visitor.

The cyclorama auditorium is visible above the trees. The black-eyed susans were in full force.

We went from there to the Pennsylvania Monument. We quickly found the panel next to the clearly visible 62nd Infantry. The pattern of names matched the image in Gail’s old picture.

Returning to the Pennsylvania Memorial 68 years later to find the name she was pointing at.

No McAfee.

Mom seemed to agree that the image of the plaque in the photo matched well with the plaque we were standing in front of. So, who was Gail’s father holding her up to point at? “It looks like you’re pointing right here on the plaque, but there’s no McAfee. Just a guy named Hurlbert.”

“That’s my mother’s maiden name, but my great-grandfather was McAfee,” but there was no Pvt. William McAfee in the 61st Pennsylvania.

Mom and I looked at each other. We had a hunch that she was pointing at her maternal great-grandfather’s name in the photo, but she couldn’t now grasp that she had been pointing to a different ancestor on that day 68 years ago.  She had mentioned that her mother’s side had also fought in the Civil War, so that’s the conclusion that Mom and I drew.

Still, that left the question of William McAfee. So, I started examining the other plaques.

We discover a William McAfee on the Knap's Battery plaque

Lo and behold! Knap’s Battery of Pennsylvania Lt. Artillery had a Pvt. William McAfee. Later on, we possibly found his brother in the 29th Penna. Infantry.

Knap's Battery Monument on Culp's Hill

Furthermore, what made it interesting, was that Knap’s Battery was eventually on Culp’s Hill, where it was responsible for dueling with the Confederate Artillery on Benner’s Hill. That just happens to be the place where our ancestor, Bowling Mitchell, was during the battle (the subject of our previous trip to Gettysburg, in fact), serving as a private with the Amherst Artillery.

Benner Hill as viewed from the tower on Culp's Hill. Knaps' Battery was firing on Confederate batteries located here (you can just make out the black cannon marking their position). The Amherst Artillery was just across the road in that small square clearing.

How’s that for history coming alive? All-in-all, I thought it was a fun and rewarding day.

In a few minutes, I’m going up to Gettysburg.

Mom’s friend, Gayle, is in town, and she’s given us a mission. Her great-grandfather, William McAfee was an Irish immigrant, who came over in 1861 and served in a Pennsylvania Regiment that fought at Gettysburg. His name is inscribed on the Pennsylvania Monument with the Regiment he fought for. She has a picture of her visiting the monument in 1941, at the age of 4. She’d like to find out what regiment he was in and see if a great-great-uncle name is on there as well (and find out which of several brothers it was). From the picture, I’m thinking they were in the 61st Pennsylvania Infantry.

Gayle (4 y.o.) at Gettysburg back in 1941

Easy enough to find that information on the web or an index of Union troops, but this way is more fun. Obviously, we’ll get the Gettysburg NMP stamp at the new visitor center (the last time we were there was at the old site on April 23, 2007). If we have time, we’ll take the tour of the Eisenhower Farm. I’d like to see the restored Cyclorama. It may have its own stamp.

On Saturday, May 30, at 2:25 PM, the Lincoln Memorial is going to be rededicated as part of the Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration. The news release from the NPS website with speakers and such follows:

Lincoln Memorial Rededication Retrospective
Saturday, May 30, 2009

Washington D.C.–National Mall and Memorial Parks in collaboration with the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, and the Military District of Washington will present a Lincoln Memorial Rededication Retrospective on May 30, 2009. As part of the yearlong Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial celebration, the memorial built in honor of Abraham Lincoln will be rededicated.

The program, which begins at 2:25 p.m. at the Lincoln Memorial, will feature special guest speakers that will deliver remarks about how Abraham Lincoln and the Lincoln Memorial remained entwined as beacons of freedom. The program also will feature performances by the United States Marine Band and by William Farley, winner of Poetry Out Loud, who will be reading a poem by well-known Abraham Lincoln biographer Carl Sandburg.

No tickets are required for the event and visitors are welcomed to bring portable folding chairs.

Event organizers strongly encourage visitors to avoid attempting to drive or park near the National Mall on May 30, 2009. Please consider the use of Metro; options include Foggy Bottom station located 3/4 of a mile north of the Lincoln Memorial at 23rd and I (Eye) Streets, NW, or Smithsonian station one mile to the east on the Mall.

Confirmed Speakers as of May 25, 2009

Gordon R. Bury has been working in the banking industry for over 35 years and has served in leadership positions for many organizations and hereditary societies. He is president of the OH-PA Landowners Association, and was the 54th Commander-in-Chief of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States and the 100th Commander-in-Chief of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. His wife, Lynne, was the National President of the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic and is President of the Ohio Dames of the Loyal Legion. The Burys live in Marshallville, Ohio.

William Farley is a senior at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia. Last month he received the title of National Champion at the 2009 Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest, an arts education program and poetry competition sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. He advanced from a competitive field of nearly 300,000 students who participated across the country. In the fall he will attend Bucknell University.

Reverend Dr. Roger J. Gench is the senior pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. He has served Presbyterian parishes in Baltimore, MD, and Camp Hill, PA. He is also an elected member of the national General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church.

Harold Holzer is one of the country’s leading authorities on Lincoln and the political culture of the Civil War era. Among his 34 books, he is best known for Lincoln at Cooper Union: The Speech that Made Abraham Lincoln President (2004), which won a 2005 Lincoln Prize. His most recent works are Lincoln President-Elect, The Lincoln Anthology, and In Lincoln’s Hand. He is the senior vice president for external affairs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Co-Chairman of the U. S. Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

Peggy O’Dell was selected on October 22, 2008 as the Regional Director for the National Capital Region, to manage over 87,000 acres of federal parkland in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Prior to serving as Regional Director, O’Dell served as the Superintendent of the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, D.C. where she led a large park staff and partner organizations who serve over twenty-five million visitors a year. Areas within this park provide visitors with ample opportunities to commemorate presidential legacies, honor the courage and sacrifice of war veterans, and celebrate the United States commitment to freedom and equality.

Dr. Benjamin Franklin Payton has served as the fifth president of Tuskegee University since 1981. Payton is a nationally recognized higher education leader/speaker, scholar/ethicist, and public intellectual. He received the B.A. from South Carolina State University; the B.D. from Harvard University; the M.A. from Columbia University; and the Ph.D. from Yale University. During his tenure he expanded and transformed Tuskegee from Institute to University status, and launched Tuskegee University’s first Ph.D. programs. He also established the University National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care, initiated the C. Alfred “Chief” Anderson Department of Aviation Science in cooperation with the U. S. Air Force, gave strong support to aerospace science in cooperation with NASA, and was the principal catalyst in sponsoring the development of the Tuskegee Airmen national Historic Site in Tuskegee.

Ernest “Ernie” Quintana, the Acting Deputy Director of the National Park Service, was born in Arizona and raised in California. He served in the U.S. Army from 1969-71 and was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star with a “V” device for valor for his service in the Vietnam conflict. He graduated from Northern Arizona University with a B.S. degree. He is the recipient of the 1997 Stephen Tyng Mather Award for Conservation; the 1999 Director’s Wilderness Management and Stewardship Award; and the 2005 Office of Civil Rights Manuel Lujan, Jr., Champion’s Award.

The Honorable Ken Salazar, a fifth-generation Coloradan, was confirmed as the 50th Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior on January 20, 2009, in a unanimous vote by the U.S. Senate. Prior to his confirmation, Salazar served as Colorado’s 35th United States senator, winning election in November, 2004. In that position, he served on the Finance Committee, which oversees the nation’s tax, trade, social security, and health care systems. He also served on the Agriculture, Energy and Natural Resources, Ethics, Veterans Affairs, and Aging Committees.

Also Featuring Performances by

United States Marine Band, also known as “The President’s Own,” was established by an Act of Congress in 1798, making it America’s oldest continuously active professional musical organization. Its primary mission is unique—to provide music for the President of the United States and the Commandment of the Marine Corps. In its third century, the Marine Band continues a tradition of excellence. Whether in White House performances, public concerts, or national tours, the music of the Marine Band is the music of America.

Living History Events

Living history volunteers will participate in the May 30, 2009 rededication of the Lincoln Memorial. At 9:00 A.M. and 9:30 A.M., living historians portraying Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln will be presenting programs inside the Lincoln Memorial chamber. At 12:00 P.M., 12:30 P.M., 1:00 P.M., and 1:30 P.M. the living history group, the “U.S. Volunteers,” will be presenting interpretive programs at the JFK hockey field (located along the south side of the Reflecting Pool near the Korean War Veterans Memorial). These programs will focus on Lincoln’s role in the formation of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) and how Union soldiers felt about President Lincoln.

Went to the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens today.

As I was headed back to my car, a Park Ranger pointed out a baby turtle sitting on a plank in one of the ponds. Two visitors approached and asked if they had just seen a snakehead in one of the ponds.

“Yes,” she replied. There were two in one of the ponds. I wandered along the edge of the pond in the direction that they had pointed, wondering what a snakehead looks like up close.

I thought it was an Anaconda at first! I almost crapped my pants when it swam away real fast.

Yikes! I was not expecting to see such a large fish, considering the size of the sunfish in this pond.

After seeing this fish, I can legitimately be terrified by Snakehead Terror (2004), starring Bruce Boxleitner (Who?) and Carol Alt.

Check your local Sci-Fi Channel listings for the next showing!

]]> http://muffinquest.wordpress.com/2009/05/23/snakehead-terror/feed/ 0 Mike Mitchell Snakehead Terror! Snakehead terror poster http://muffinquest.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/returning-home/ http://muffinquest.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/returning-home/#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2009 01:58:36 +0000 Mike Mitchell http://muffinquest.wordpress.com/?p=201 ]]>

The unemployment bug bit me on March 18, 2009.

It won’t be long before I move back to DC to look for a job. The whole family is flying out here to help me move back. I’m truly blessed in that regard. As a ‘reward’ for helping me, will there be any opportunity for us to get Muffin Stamps on the way back?

Unfortunately, the opportunities are really poor!

Maybe the most reasonable diversions would be Fort Laramie, in Wyoming, and Scotts Bluff, in Nebraska.

or

Once we cross into Nebraska, head south and stop at Nicodemus? Then backtrack a little and then keep heading south until we get to I-70 East? When we get to Topeka, we could see the Brown v. Board of Education site and continue home along I-70.

Both diversions add about 3 hours on to our projected 30 hour trip, which doesn’t count time spent at the sites. On hour 27 of our road trip, would we still be happy that we stopped at those parks, if it still meant that we had 6 hours to go, instead of 3?