Mt. Rainier National Park

It was a perfect weather for John, Daisy and I go to Mt. Rainier, the day was clear, sunny and warm.  We are only 90 minutes from the entrance gate and the rural road to to that site is a pleasant drive with forest, horse farms and undeveloped countryside.

There are two locations on the southwest side Longmire and Paradise,  that John Muir called "the noblest of all the Pacific Coast mountains".  The winging road through the fir, fern, moss forest heads first  toward Longhaim about 15 minutes inside the park.  There are a cluster of buildings including a couple lodges, general store, eatery and housing for staff plus maintenance buildings.  The main reason for this development was the mineral springs found there by James Longmire in 1883 and the the clear view straight up a valley to the peak of Mt. Rainer.  The road side hosts camera carrying people at all times for that perfect shot to take home.

Paradise Valley was named by Martha Longmire when she first saw it, she said, "Oh, what a Paradise."  Records show she was a religious person and felt closer to heaven up at this near 6,000 feet level.  Yesterday, probably five feet of snow on the ground, melting very fast with the current weather as the temperature was around 80.  Later this summer, wild flowers cover the fields on this valley and the beauty is remarkable.

In 1917, the lodge at Paradise open, typical architecture of the national parks with the log beams style. By the time, we traveled to this height the only pine are of the  short needled bottled bushed type.  Mother nature at it's best.

The National Park Service has been 'privatized'.  Like the food service in the army, the guard service at our embassies, the machinists for our equipment over seas, it is privatized.

There are two solutions for this country. All wars should be fought with citizens that are drafted and all national parks should be maintained, serviced by government employees. 

Many of the contracted service people were not English speakers, the food was not eatable for healthy people.  The beauty of our greatest sites in this country are thrown to the highest bidder of some fifth rate loser who wins the contract.

I  understand that statistic say the top one percent of income people in this country don't go to National Parks.  If they did, they would want to save the sites. They would want our government to have only career employees working in the system.  All Americans should understand that we live in one of the most beautiful area of the planet earth and we are the caretakers. 

How many ways is there to break a system?  What year was 70% of it privatized? When is this government going to represent the people, the citizens and our needs.