The President Goes Parking

Summers are sweltering in DC–maybe that’s why the first family is hopping in the ol’ station wagon and heading out west for the Great American Vacation (TM). Thats right, National Parks.

Ok, the station wagon thing might not be completely accurate, and come to think of it, much to my despair, I haven’t seen very many old school wagons around lately (you know, the ones with wood paneling that everyone in every 80s movie used to drive)–just the thousands of Subarus that haunt the streets of Boulder.

But I digress. This weekend, the Obamas are planning a sojourn hitting some of our favorite National Park hotspots. On the agenda: Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon.

They’ll hit the parks on the fee free weekends we’ve been talking about here on Backpacker.com. First stop, Yellowstone on Friday August, 14 then the Grand Canyon on August 16.

The Obamas will also be rolling through Grand Junction and Phoenix.

Hold up a second. If they drove from Grand Junction to Phoenix, that would take them right through our neck of the woods. I have an idea. How about a Backpacker-powered presidential tour of Rocky Mountain National Park!? Anyway, just an idea. I’m thinking Air Force One might be a little more comfortable so we understand.

President Obama has always spoken very highly of his experience in National Parks. Specifically, in a recent speech at the Interior Department’s 160th birthday, he recalled his visit a couple of icons just before his 11th birthday. He flew from his home state of Hawaii to Seattle, drove down the coast of California, east to the Grand Canyon, across the Great Plains to the Great Lakes and finally to Yellowstone.

“It was an experience I’ll never forget. It’s an experience I want for my daughters and for all of our daughters and sons. To see the incredible beauty of this nation.”

Looks like the Obamas girls are going to get just that. Well played Mr. President.

—Anthony Cerretani