On the Road with History 498
Fireside Talk: On the Road with History 498
J. William T. Youngs
October 9, 2012
In preparing and teaching History 498: "The History of the National Parks" I have now traveled about 15,000 miles by RV and motorcycle taking pictures, making films, and interviewing men and women at the parks. My goal is to bring students in the class closer to the parks through "Fireside Talks" growing out of these travels. Whenever possible I will post material for the course in a natural setting. I thought you might like to have a little glance at my two companions on the trip: "Swoop," my Can-Am Spyder motorcycle, and "Spirit," my RV. In the first photo here I am posed in a national park.... No, I'd better tell the truth. I'm in a little park, or garden if you prefer, right beside Showalter Hall. Larry Conboy, university photographer, took this picture. Larry coaxed me on this jaunty pose where I have one leg crossed over the other. It looks like I rule the world doesn't it. But I must admit, during times when swoop and I were riding beside 1000-foot cliffs, on curvy roads, with no guard rail, that jaunty look was replaced by something more like a look of sheer terror! Of course, Swoop himself would never admit to being frightened. Just look at his eyes: don't they just say, "I'm bad"!?
J. William T. Youngs
October 9, 2012
In preparing and teaching History 498: "The History of the National Parks" I have now traveled about 15,000 miles by RV and motorcycle taking pictures, making films, and interviewing men and women at the parks. My goal is to bring students in the class closer to the parks through "Fireside Talks" growing out of these travels. Whenever possible I will post material for the course in a natural setting. I thought you might like to have a little glance at my two companions on the trip: "Swoop," my Can-Am Spyder motorcycle, and "Spirit," my RV. In the first photo here I am posed in a national park.... No, I'd better tell the truth. I'm in a little park, or garden if you prefer, right beside Showalter Hall. Larry Conboy, university photographer, took this picture. Larry coaxed me on this jaunty pose where I have one leg crossed over the other. It looks like I rule the world doesn't it. But I must admit, during times when swoop and I were riding beside 1000-foot cliffs, on curvy roads, with no guard rail, that jaunty look was replaced by something more like a look of sheer terror! Of course, Swoop himself would never admit to being frightened. Just look at his eyes: don't they just say, "I'm bad"!?
This picture below shows Swoop enjoying a moment of repose at Point Reyes National Seashore. Can anyone guess what that eagle emblem represents? And what about the name "Swoop."
I was camped near Yosemite during this past weekend, and I took several "scoots" on Swoop to film the sites. Here below is one of the most famous of all: Half Dome in Yosemite.
On Sunday Swoop and I visited another Yosemite landmark, this one famed for the environmental battle that John Muir lost -- some say the defeat killed the great visionary of the national parks. Yes, that is Hetch Hetchy Dam.
When I'm not riding Swoop, I'm driving Spirit, our "mother ship." It is not only my home on the road, but also my office on the road. As I write this I am in Spirit at my computer with a good wifi connection. I took the photo below at Olmsted Point as I drove through the park. You don't see Swoop, of course, because he is in the trailer -- or as we prefer to call it, "his stable."
From Olmsted Point in Yosemite National Park I took this picture yesterday of the mountains looking down past Lake Tenaya.
