Author Archives: Shawn E. Bell

Jeep, Off Roading

Happy Birthday, Jeep!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

On August 1, 1941 the legendary Jeep was born.

From Wikipedia:

The first Willys MB Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle (SUV) brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second oldest 4-wheel-drive brand. The original Jeep vehicle that first appeared as the prototype Bantam BRC became the primary light 4-wheel-drive vehicle of the United States Army and Allies during World War II, as well as the postwar period. Many Jeep variants serving similar military and civilian roles have since been created in other nations.

Activities, National Forests, National Parks

Congressman McClintock Speaks on Yosemite National Park and Against the Mariposa

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

From his address to the U.S. House of Representatives, August 1, 2013:

Mr. Speaker: Yosemite Valley is a national treasure that was set aside in 1864 with the promise it would be preserved for the express purpose of “Public Use, Resort and Recreation.” Ever since, Americans have enjoyed a host of recreational opportunities and amenities as they have come to celebrate the splendor of the Valley. Now, the National Parks Service, at the urging of leftist environmental groups, is proposing eliminating many of those amenities, including bicycle and raft rentals, horseback riding rentals, gift shops, snack facilities, swimming pools, and iconic facilities including the Ice Skating Rink at Curry Village, the art center and historic stone bridges that date back to the 1920’s.

For generations, these facilities have enhanced the enjoyment of the park for millions of visitors, adding a rich variety of recreational activities amidst the breathtaking backdrop of Yosemite. But today, the very nature and purpose of Yosemite is being changed from its original promise of “Public Use, Resort, and Recreation,” to an exclusionary agenda that can best be described as, “Look, but don’t touch.”

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Activities, Geocaching

Geocaching for fun and PRIZES!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Geocaching is introducing Gear Up for Geocaching in a BIG way this August with a pretty terrific contest.  According to Geocaching.com, they’ve put together some excellent prize packages that includes treasure from Greenlayer, Camp Chef and others.

From the announcement:

Each package will include treasure from brands such as Camp Chef, Mountainsmith, Greenlayer, 7eye, MHM, Kor and Skratch Labs. We couldn’t sit out on the fun, though, so we’re also giving free one-year Geocaching Premium Memberships to each winner, to help you find more geocaches than ever. See below for a full breakdown of what you could win!

New to geocaching? No problem! Geocachers of all experience levels are welcome to participate. By filling out this form before the end of August, new and existing Geocaching members in the U.S. are eligible to enter using their Geocaching username. There is only one entry per person, and the deadline to enter is midnight on August 31. Three winners will be drawn and notified in early September. In the meantime, you can share stories or photos of your August finds on Twitter with @GoGeocaching using #GearUp or connect on Facebook. Also, you can participate in the 31 Days of Geocaching: every day you find a geocache in August, you will earn a unique calendar-style Geocaching souvenir.

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Activities, State Parks

CSPF Park Champion volunteer day at Mt. San Jacinto – FREE TRAM & CAMPING!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

The California State Parks Foundation is hosting a Park Champion event this August at the top of Mount San Jacinto.

If you’ve got the time, volunteer to help clear the hiking trails of debris left by the recent rainstorms so we can make the the trails more accessible to all!

The event takes place Saturday, August 3, 8:30am to 1:30pm

FREE TRAMWAY TICKETS AND BACKPACK CAMPING on Fri & Sat.

Kids over 10 welcome with a legal guardian.

The California State Parks Foundation’s Park Champions Program hosts volunteer days in state parks throughout California to help make a difference in how our parks are maintained.  From the website:

CSPF’s Park Champions Program holds volunteer work days in state parks across California. This program was created in response to the unprecedented budget cuts and closures that California State Parks face right now. In partnership with California State Parks, Park Champions provide consistent, sustainable volunteer support in the areas of park maintenance and beautification.

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Warbirds

Disney “Planes” lands at Planes of Fame Air Museum

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Short Notice!

During the The Planes of Fame Air Museum’s August living history event featuring the Vought F4U Corsair Disney will be in attendance and will hold drawings hourly for VIP family tickets to see the Disney movie “Planes” movie at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood from 9 am to 1 pm.

You’ll also be able to purchase your movie tickets during the event!

Bring the family and check out the airplane that inspired “Skipper” from Planes, and make sure to see Planes when it flies into theaters August 9th!

You can read more about the upcoming event HERE.

You can find out more about this event at the Planes of Fame website HERE.

You can visit Disney’s Planes movie website HERE.