Overlooked NPS Sites, West .4 /  by Dave Hileman

North Cascades National Park is not exactly overlooked but it is certainly one of the least visited of the NPs. These photos were from when I first decided to try and see (and photograph) all the National Park Service Units standing now at 429 while I am still at 366. I think that will change this spring. Anyway, North Cascades would not have been my choice to see if I had not thought “wouldn’t be cool to visit them all?” So we drove three hours out of our way and spent about 8 hours hiking a six mile trail in this park. Barely enough to say we were there. And what remote and beautiful country it is. Lots of snow even in early August and the traversing of a few spots more tricky than it appears. Anyway, would love to return to this park someday.

Photos here were shot in jpeg format with a six megapixel camera with a new and inexperienced operator although I did manage to point it in the required direction most of the time.

Overlooked NPS Sites, West .3 /  by Dave Hileman

Fort Bowie National Historical Site. I have written before about this site and almost did not include it here because it is only 25 miles from yesterday’s site. But it is a relatively unknown site and many people are not willing to invest their time and energy into this out-of-the-way park. Their loss. You park along a dirt road and walk 1.5 miles to the visitor center and sigs tell you to watch out for rattle snakes and mountain lions. Off to a great start, right. And on a day with temperatures in the high 90s (winter), well, maybe you see why it is not often visited. Yet if you go, and you are of the age when you grew up on the western movie, you simply should not miss this place. The Butterfield Stage route, Pony Express, miners, bandits, the US Calvary, wagon trains and Apaches. Apaches like Cochise and Geronimo. Many battles were fought here, stages robbed, kidnapping occurred and, claims were staked - and that is on a slow day. :) There is a cemetery here where three Medal of Honor recipients are buried, one of Cochise’s sons too. The walk is a walk along a most historic trail and ends at the remains of Fort Bowie. And at the visitor center you can get a cool drink of water before you walk back to your car and cross 150 years of history.

The first view of Fort Bowie

Ruins of the station where a wagon train held out against the Apache for four days before prevailing.

Overlooked NPS Sites, West .2 /  by Dave Hileman

Chiricahua National Memorial! This is a spectacular place and, count on it, it will be designated a National Park someday and then you will find it packed. In the meantime, what an amazing, uncrowded and fascinating park. This point of land in Southeast Arizona is where two mountain ranges and two deserts collide creating what is called a “sky island” of the Huachucas mountains. This park is blessed with a temperate to subtropical climate and is one of three centers of megadiversity on our planet. There is a wealth of birds, animals,, plants, and bats. There are caves, peaks over 7,000 feet, dark skies, old ranches, and streams. An absolute wonderland and a park I would go back to again and again.

Overlooked NPS Sites, West /  by Dave Hileman

First up the Gila Cliff Dwellings in New Mexico. These are not the largest or actually the “est” anything but what sets them apart is how authentic and remote they are and how accessible. You reach them driving north from Southern New Mexico until the end of the road. That is right, to the end of the road. It is a twisty, mountainous road out of the town of Silver City about two hours into the Gila Wilderness.

I really enjoyed the time here, it felt like the people who built it, just left for a little while and would be back. Nice trails, streams, lots of cliff dwellings and even the birthplace of Geronimo.

Restaurant - Angie's - Decatur, Tennessee /  by Dave Hileman

A friend of mine, Steve, and I were off for a short adventure on Wednesday that included finding lunch. In the few square block town of Decatur Tennessee that is a limited search. So when we spied the brick building with Diner on it, we stopped. Angie’s turned out to exceed out expectations. A lot. It was a neat, three small room diner with friendly staff and very good food. There was a special that Steve had, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, beans and corn bread for the “not break the bank” price of $7.79. Course it was one of the day’s specials. I had a nice, two patty burger, well cooked and just perfect for the day when aided by unlimited sweet tea. The restaurant was super clean and we chatted with Angie who has owned the place for two years. Do yourself a favor on your next trip between Knoxville and Chattanooga and get off at Decatur, it might be two miles to the diner but you will enjoy your meal and find a new friend too. Definitely recommend.

Angie’s is on facebook under ANGIES DECATUR DINER, daily specials listed there, pick one you like and head out.

Southwestern Birds .3 /  by Dave Hileman

Two birds today, the first a Mexican Jay, not a shy bird especially if you are eating a picnic lunch. The other a Gilded Flicker. I was directly under this bird with the sunlight rapidly disappearing in the evening. .Not the best shot but if you look closely you can see the golden fringe of feathers on the top of his head.

Southwestern Birds .2 /  by Dave Hileman

I was able to photograph several California Towhees but this is the only Green-tailed Towhee I saw and that one for a very brief stop in this tree. It was a new bird for me on that trip as well as yesterday’s Painted Whitestart.

Southwestern Birds /  by Dave Hileman

I was preparing for overlooked parks, west, for the week but when I was working on the first one, i found several bird photos that I never processed. They were mostly dark and I recall not being able to bring them out too well. Moving forward some time and two updates with the processing program and I have some bird photos to share. It has been a while but welcome to Bird Week!

And first up, the elusive Painted Whitestart

Overlooked NPS Sites, East .3 /  by Dave Hileman

Morristown. Most everyone recognizes Valley Forge, a winter encampment of the Colonial Army under Geo Washington and recognized for the harsh conditions and the raid into Trenton on Christmas that changed the dynamics of the war. But Morristown, where the army spent three winters was equally challenging. Cold winters, lack of food and supplies, and enlistments running out were also mirrored what happened in Valley Forge just that it is not well known. It is also, as far as I can tell that my direct ancestor, Peter Hileman, spent at least one winter here following the battle of Monmouth that occurred in New Jersey near the coast. The site looks much the same as before the troops arrived as much of the woodland was cleared then to make huts (12 men to a hut) and for fuel.

Overlooked NPS Sites, East .2 /  by Dave Hileman

Maggie Walker’s home in the Jackson Ward of Richmond is just a short distance from downtown. She was an amazing woman of great accomplishments and it is a treat to tour her home restored by the NPS. Her story needs to be known as she serves as an inspiration to many people. A bit of her story is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggie_L._Walker. But the experience of visiting her home and hearing the stories told by the rangers, seeing the impact the first African-American woman to charter a bank and the first African-American woman to serve as a bank president had on her community is special. She was a force for education, financial management, independent thinking, race relations and so much more. Come visit her home someday.

Overlooked NPS Sites, East .1 /  by Dave Hileman

Cowpens is located in SC a very short distance from the NC line close to Gaffney, South Carolina. This battlefield - in addition to its importance to the ending of the Revolutionary War is maintained largely as it looked in January of 1781 when it was fought. Here General Morgan defeated the larger British force under Banastre Tarleton. Morgan arrayed his forces in a clever three line approach and lured the British into each line when they thought they had routed the whole of the Colonial army. The real value for the American forces besides a significant moral boost - one of the few times the Americans defeated a larger force, was the fact that Cornwallis lost 800 men out of a force of 1100 and reduced the forces that Washington would face at Yorktown.

This photo is taken in the direction of the British advance with the second line of the American troops just beyond the trees in the middle of the photo.

If you have visited Charleston, SC and noticed a beautiful old building with the sign, Charleston Light Infantry, this is their monument that was placed here in 1856.

The Colors of Mardi Gras .2 /  by Dave Hileman

While other colors can be used, purple, for royalty, gold, for a king’s crown and green - one of the colors permitted a coat of arms are the primary colors of Mardi Gras. So the tri-colors like the flags of the US, France and GB for the King of the Parades, Rex, are purple, gold and green.