Hey Ranger! Monumental Mix-ups

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In a recent post, “Wacky Question of the Week,” I shared a few examples of the amazing questions park rangers receive on the job. The subject of those queries isn’t limited to the out-of-doors, and historical sites have their own collection of legendary inquiries.

Here are a few samples, along with a little commentary for clarification. Read more

Hey Ranger! Make your own motor fuel?

Rising gas prices have sparked revived interest in a variety of solutions, including ways to make your own fuel. Advances in technology may eventually allow this process to become a little more practical - and safer.

This is not a new idea, and my local library has a book that claims to explain “how to make your own motor fuel at home.” It’s perhaps not a coincidence that it was assigned a place on the library shelf between two other books entitled “Fireworks.”

I recently read an article about a much higher tech approach that’s about to hit the market, Read more

Crazy RV Swap?

Call Me Crazy!

After our Door County adventure last week and after getting our trailer home, I called our dealer, House of Camping in Bridgeview Illinois about two problems I had and needed them fixed. While on the phone with my dealer, I asked him if he still had another model we had looked at. Perhaps I should rewind a bit on this so you all can be on the same page as me.

Read more

Hey Ranger! Favorite Music for the 4th of July

Whether you’re on the road or at home for the 4^th of July, I hope you’ll have a chance to enjoy this special American holiday. It will be celebrated in big cities and small towns from coast to coast, and many of those events will include not only fireworks and food, but plenty of music.

Some musical selections, such as The Stars and Stripes Forever, have become a established traditions in July 4^th concerts, and you probably have your own favorites. Feel free to list your top 3 choices in the comment box below!

If you have a chance to see one of the larger 4^th of July concerts, you’re likely to hear a musical selection that was originally written to celebrate a military victory in another country. It includes portions of the national anthems from two other nations, including one that no longer even exists. Like to make a guess about this number? Read more

Hey Ranger! A Cat on a Leash.

There’s an old saying that “seeing is believing,” but the same certainly isn’t true of “hearing.” The following story from Pat Balengee of Catheys Valley, California confirms that’s the case, especially when the tale includes a cat on a leash in a very unlikely location. Read more

Hey Ranger! “Where’s the Spare?”

The park ranger’s wide, flat-brimmed Stetson is a widely-recognized symbol of friendly information and able assistance for people in distress. Rangers do their best to keep smiling through rain, sleet, snow and gloom of night, but as with any job there are times when their sense of humor is put to a serious test. In the following story, a spare tire was one of a pair of culprits.

A ranger assigned to an outlying location at Grand Canyon National Park was on his way to an important meeting at Park Headquarters. He was all dressed up in his best “Class A” uniform, shoes shined and pants creased. About fifteen miles from headquarters, he came upon a pickup truck with a big slide-in camper mounted in its bed.

The rig was parked partially off the side of the road, and a woman was standing alongside, peering sadly at a flat tire on the left rear wheel. A small child peered out of the open window of the truck. The woman looked up, spotted the ranger’s vehicle, and began a frantic “Hey Ranger!” wave. Read more

Hey Ranger! How Wet Is a Rain Forest?

Anytime we travel to a new location, most of us have a mental picture of what to expect on our first visit. My wife and I have enjoyed several great trips to Olympic National Park in Washington. Among the unique areas in that park is the Hoh Rain Forest, one of the wettest places in the lower 48 states.

During our first visit, however, it was a spectacular early summer day, with clear, blue skies and perfect temperatures. We were enjoying the beautiful weather, but we soon learned you just can’t please everybody.

Shortly after our arrival at Hoh, a tour bus carrying a group of senior citizens pulled into the parking lot. The passengers unloaded, and a spry older lady marched straight into the lobby of the visitor center. She spotted a young ranger on duty behind the information desk and zeroed in on him with the unerring aim of a heat-seeking missile. Read more

Hey Ranger! Don’t Feed the … Burros?

For many people, a highlight of a trip to a location like Custer State Park in South Dakota is the chance to see wild birds and animals in their native habitat.

This can be a mixed blessing for both man and beast, and more than one Melancholy Situation has occurred when people get too close to animals in quest of a photo. For double trouble, some folks offer a snack to wildlife to try to lure the animal in range for an up close and personal picture. The following story is a good example of why not to feed the bears, the bison–or the burros. Read more

Hey Ranger! Does the River Run Downstream?

Forming part of the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and within an easy drive of New York City, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is one of the most popular locations for “float trips” in the northeastern United States. A Tuesday in late September seemed like a great day for a canoe trip on the Delaware River for a couple I’ll call Jack and Jill, for reasons which will soon become apparent.

Jack and Jill rented a canoe from a local outfitter and headed to Smithfield Beach to start their adventure. Their destination-a spot called Kittatinny Point-was only six miles downstream, and under typical conditions was an easy three-hour trip. The canoe rental employee arranged to meet the pair later that afternoon and shuttle them back to their car. I hope their shuttle driver took a good book along, because “typical conditions” apparently took the day off. Read more

Hey Ranger! “Wacky Question of the Week”

National and state parks are wonderful places to learn about the Great Outdoors, so the following examples of wacky questions asked of park rangers are offered in the spirit of fun. If you’re curious about something during your visit to a park, I hope you’ll have a chance to ask a ranger. Just take a second to engage your brain before speaking, so you don’t end up on a future “Question of the Week” list!

Dealing with an incredible variety of questions is one of the interesting aspects of a ranger’s job. The moment you put on that uniform, you’re assumed by many people to be an expert in virtually any subject even remotely connected to the park, the earth, or sometimes the universe.

Questions come in almost as many varieties as visitors, and include the daily dozen ( “Where’s the restroom, is it going to rain today, how far to the nearest McDonald’s . . .?” ), the sincere seeker ( “What kind of bird, or tree, or flower, or . . . is that?” ), and the inane inquiry.

It’s this last group that poses a major test of tact and diplomacy for rangers—and their ability to keep a straight face. When confronted with these questions rangers have to wonder, “Is he (or she) really serious, or is this one a joke?” I’ll let you be the judge of the following examples.

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