Darkest before the dawn

It is SO hot right now in Florida.   Yeah, I know I chose to live here where the winter weather would be mild.  It has rained almost every day the last 2 months at my house. The weatherman on TV last night called this the "dog days" of the year.  Because it is too hot and wet to go outside, I've gone inside to the Internet for some escape and planning.

Get yours at nationalparks.org

Mark this date on your calendar:  Sunday, August 25 is an "entrance free day" to a National Park near you! Check out the nps.gov site here.   National Parks near Central Florida include:  Canaveral National Seashore (New Smyrna Beach), Fort Mantazas National Monument (it is free anyway), Castillo De San Marcos National Monument (St. Augustine).
You can also tell the Park Service what services you would like to see at the Colorado National Monument and other sites.  Start here to make yourself heard.
You could also win National Park gifts at the National Parks Foundation site (like Trips and Outdoor Gear) by submitting your National Park photos here   They have 10 different categories and you can submit up to 10 photos, and even post a video of your trip.
If you want to just lay back and relax, you can watch the nps.gov webcam views at Rocky Mountain National Park here.  Even if you haven't been there it is very cool to look at the photos.  We used to go to the park a couple times each year we lived in Colorado.  Other parks also have webcams to watch.
The National Parks Foundation site will send you email updates and you can get a National Parks Owners Guide (pictured above) if you signup here.  The owners guide is a nice tool for dreaming and planning your escapes and it shows you just how many National Parks there are.  Life outdoors for me is about going places and experiencing the outdoors.  That usually means a hike or two and sometimes means a backpacking trip or a bicycle ride.  It doesn't matter to me if it is a State or National Park or where it may be located.  There are many cool sites to see, places to go and trails to discover.  I'll see you there!