National Parks & Recreation: The Challenge + JTree

Map of all U.S. National Parks and Monuments circa 1956

Our goal for the next 30 years: camp in every U.S. National Park.  In the end, we'll be 55 and will have had 58 thrilling adventures. That's 58 indelible experiences in the great outdoors  with breathtaking views, spectacular hikes, campstove cookin', marshmallow roasting, picnic table games, campfire laughs, and searching for the big dipper while laying on our backs and staring into the night sky. It's funny to think that the first of these trips will be spent together with our friends, but, somewhere a long the way we'll start packing up the car with car seats, training wheels, and peanut butter and jelly with the crusts cut off.

Between the two of us, we've visited many of the national parks in California and the north and south west, however the point of this venture is to do it all together. So far, we're able to check Yosemite, Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Joshua Tree off our list. That leaves us with 54 to go!

Here are a few pictures from our latest trip to J-Tree. A group of ten of us went to scramble, boulder, climb, camp, and have one of the best camp fire shin-digs of all time. Oh and for the record: Trader Joe's chai tea latte with a shot of whisky is the best medicine for a cold night.