Favorite Travel Quotes

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts."
-- Mark Twain
Innocents Abroad

"Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey." -- Fitzhugh Mullan

"A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving." -- Lao Tzu

Archive for September, 2014

“We Shall Never Forget…”

posted: September 11th, 2014 | by:Bert

©Bert Gildart: The sign in back of Jim Marshall and Sheldon Wickersham, two Creston, Montana, firefighters, summarizes the feeling of virtually all Americans.  “We Shall Never Forget Our Brothers.”

The display created by men and women of this volunteer firefighting department has been a ritual here in this tiny settlement since the year 2002.  Every year now for the past 13 years members of the Creston Fire Department stand throughout the day symbolizing a time when virtually all Americans suffered and came together.


CrestonFirefighters3 CrestonFirefighters CrestonFirefighters2


Creston Firefighters L to R:  Jim Marshall, Sheldon Wichersham


All of us know exactly where we were that day in 2001 and can tell you what we were doing. In our case, friends from Texas had just climbed Chief Mountain in Glacier National Park and they were staying with us.  Janie was watching TV and when she saw the jet planes fly into the World Trade Center she ran downstairs where our friends were sleeping and told them they’d better get upstairs to see the TV.  One of our friends, David Bristol, looked at her and said, “Janie, we’re at war.”

Janie and I also remember that in 1991, we honey mooned at the World Trade Center.

I realize that other towns throughout America are also recalling this day of infamy, but we are immensely proud and pleased that the tiny settlement in which we live is making such a grand presentation throughout the day.

They’re right, “We Shall Never Forget…”


————–

 

THIS TIME SEPTEMBER 11, 2008:

Creston Firefighter

 

4th ed. Autographed by the Authors

Hiking Shenandoah National Park

Hiking Shenandoah National Park is the 4th edition of a favorite guide book, created by Bert & Janie, a professional husband-wife journalism team. Lots of updates including more waterfall trails, updated descriptions of confusing trail junctions, and new color photographs. New text describes more of the park’s compelling natural history. Often the descriptions are personal as the Gildarts have hiked virtually every single park trail, sometimes repeatedly.

$18.95 + Autographed Copy


Big Sky Country is beautiful

Montana Icons: 50 Classic Symbols of the Treasure State

Montana Icons is a book for lovers of the western vista. Features photographs of fifty famous landmarks from what many call the “Last Best Place.” The book will make you feel homesick for Montana even if you already live here. Bert Gildart’s varied careers in Montana (Bus driver on an Indian reservation, a teacher, backcountry ranger, as well as a newspaper reporter, and photographer) have given him a special view of Montana, which he shares in this book. Share the view; click here.

$16.95 + Autographed Copy


What makes Glacier, Glacier?

Glacier Icons: 50 Classic Views of the Crown of the Continent

Glacier Icons: What makes Glacier Park so special? In this book you can discover the story behind fifty of this park’s most amazing features. With this entertaining collection of photos, anecdotes and little known facts, Bert Gildart will be your backcountry guide. A former Glacier backcountry ranger turned writer/photographer, his hundreds of stories and images have appeared in literally dozens of periodicals including Time/Life, Smithsonian, and Field & Stream. Take a look at Glacier Icons

$16.95 + Autographed Copy




 

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Siskins Mostly Gone But Grosbeaks Still Around

posted: September 4th, 2014 | by:Bert

©Bert Gildart: For a while we had dozens of Pine Siskins showing up at our feeder most every day.  Now, about the only consistent species attracted to our feeder is a family of Grosbeaks.  This morning the lighting conditions were fairly good, so I couldn’t resist the temptation to improve my Grosbeak files.

grosbeak (11 of 5) grosbeak (14 of 5) grosbeak (12 of 5)


My stock photo files number in the hundreds of thousands, and we makes sales monthly to a number of outlets.  Such work has kept me busy for over 40 years, and I plan to continue for as long as I can depress a shutter.  Rewards have been many, and as usual, we have plans for some extensive trips starting this fall.


————–

 

THIS TIME LAST YEAR:

America the Beautiful.  But You Cannot See it Because it is Shut Down

http://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2013/10/06/america-the-beautiful-but-you-cannot-see-it-its-shut-down


4th ed. Autographed by the Authors

Hiking Shenandoah National Park

Hiking Shenandoah National Park is the 4th edition of a favorite guide book, created by Bert & Janie, a professional husband-wife journalism team. Lots of updates including more waterfall trails, updated descriptions of confusing trail junctions, and new color photographs. New text describes more of the park’s compelling natural history. Often the descriptions are personal as the Gildarts have hiked virtually every single park trail, sometimes repeatedly.

$18.95 + Autographed Copy


Big Sky Country is beautiful

Montana Icons: 50 Classic Symbols of the Treasure State

Montana Icons is a book for lovers of the western vista. Features photographs of fifty famous landmarks from what many call the “Last Best Place.” The book will make you feel homesick for Montana even if you already live here. Bert Gildart’s varied careers in Montana (Bus driver on an Indian reservation, a teacher, backcountry ranger, as well as a newspaper reporter, and photographer) have given him a special view of Montana, which he shares in this book. Share the view; click here.

$16.95 + Autographed Copy


What makes Glacier, Glacier?

Glacier Icons: 50 Classic Views of the Crown of the Continent

Glacier Icons: What makes Glacier Park so special? In this book you can discover the story behind fifty of this park’s most amazing features. With this entertaining collection of photos, anecdotes and little known facts, Bert Gildart will be your backcountry guide. A former Glacier backcountry ranger turned writer/photographer, his hundreds of stories and images have appeared in literally dozens of periodicals including Time/Life, Smithsonian, and Field & Stream. Take a look at Glacier Icons

$16.95 + Autographed Copy












©Bert Gildart: For a while we had dozens of Pine Siskins showing up at our feeder most every day. Now, about the only consistent species attracted to our feeder is a family of Grosbeaks. This morning the lighting conditions were fairly good, so I couldn’t resist the temptation to improve my Grosbeak files.

My stock photo files number in the hundreds of thousands, and we makes sales monthly to a number of outlets. Such work has kept me busy for over 40 years, and I plan to continue for as long as I can depress a shutter. Rewards have been many, and as usual, we have plans for some extensive trips starting this fall.

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Organic Act of the NPS. Has The Agency Fulfilled Its Mandate?

posted: September 3rd, 2014 | by:Bert

©Bert Gildart:  The most recent issue of Airstream Life contains my story about national parks.  Essentially, my story posed a question that asks whether the NPS has maintained the goals posed by their Organic Act.


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Kayaking to Apostle Islands

 


The goals are lofty and state that the objective of the organization’s 400-plus parks is “….to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

It’s appropriate to ask such as question at this time as the Service is gearing up for its centennial which will occur on August 25, 2016.  In anticipation of that celebration many will recall that on the 25th of this past August entry fees to our all of our national parks were waved.

13128 W-house Chacco 162


To help answer the question in Airstream Life the story reviewed a number of policies the NPS has attempted to implement, to include its grizzly bear management program and its attempts to reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone. As well, I discussed the difficulty of handling illegal immigration in Organ Pipe and the problems some visitors have created when they release snakes foreign to the ecosystem.  Obviously all these actions directly affect the intent of the Organic Act.

PARK ADVENTURES

As well, I described the enjoyment offered in our national parks by describing some of the wonderful adventures parks offer such as backpacking, kayaking, biking and the opportunity to appreciate and learn about nature.  Finally, I attempted to celebrate some of the types of features that parks preserve such as our antiquities.


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Tragedies of the '60s necessitated creation of a Bear Management Program, mandated by the NPS Organic Act

 


These are the types of subjects I’ve written about over the years for dozens of magazines.  I am particularly pleased, however, that for the past 10 years (since the inception of Airstream Life) that I have contributed stories and photographs to every single issue.

AIRSTREAM LIFE READERS

The magazine is a glossy magazine and it is well laid out.  Obviously it is directed toward a specific audience, but of importance to me is that so many of the magazine’s readers are dedicated to the important objective the NPS has attempted to achieve.  It’s obvious the agency is working hard to fulfill the mandates of its Organic Act, and that it wants you to benefit from its manifold accomplishments.  In truth, these parks are so significant that the beauty and the heritage they preserve may help preserve and stimulate mankind.

THIS TIME LAST YEAR:

Memories Through the Yearshttp://gildartphoto.com/weblog/2013/09/10/memorable-adventures



4th ed. Autographed by the Authors

Hiking Shenandoah National Park

Hiking Shenandoah National Park is the 4th edition of a favorite guide book, created by Bert & Janie, a professional husband-wife journalism team. Lots of updates including more waterfall trails, updated descriptions of confusing trail junctions, and new color photographs. New text describes more of the park’s compelling natural history. Often the descriptions are personal as the Gildarts have hiked virtually every single park trail, sometimes repeatedly.

$18.95 + Autographed Copy


Big Sky Country is beautiful

Montana Icons: 50 Classic Symbols of the Treasure State

Montana Icons is a book for lovers of the western vista. Features photographs of fifty famous landmarks from what many call the “Last Best Place.” The book will make you feel homesick for Montana even if you already live here. Bert Gildart’s varied careers in Montana (Bus driver on an Indian reservation, a teacher, backcountry ranger, as well as a newspaper reporter, and photographer) have given him a special view of Montana, which he shares in this book. Share the view; click here.

$16.95 + Autographed Copy


What makes Glacier, Glacier?

Glacier Icons: 50 Classic Views of the Crown of the Continent

Glacier Icons: What makes Glacier Park so special? In this book you can discover the story behind fifty of this park’s most amazing features. With this entertaining collection of photos, anecdotes and little known facts, Bert Gildart will be your backcountry guide. A former Glacier backcountry ranger turned writer/photographer, his hundreds of stories and images have appeared in literally dozens of periodicals including Time/Life, Smithsonian, and Field & Stream. Take a look at Glacier Icons

$16.95 + Autographed Copy




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