A daily series, Connect! Unite! Act! seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups regularly socialize but also get out the vote, support candidates and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers-that-be. Visit us every morning at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time to see how you can get involved. The comment thread is fun and light-hearted, but we're serious about moving the progressive political agenda forward.
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Which National Parks/Forests have YOU visited?
I hail from southwest Washington State, home of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. 2,065 sq miles (5,348 km²) Managed by the USFS (United States Forest Service).
One of the nation's oldest National Forests, created as part of the Mount Rainier Forest Reserve in 1897 it was segmented off as the Columbia National Forest in 1908 and renamed the Gifford Pinchot in 1949, after the first head of the US Forest Service.
Mt St Helens National Monument, Wilderness Areas and Wild and Scenic Rivers on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest | Click map to view in larger size at USFS.gov
Silver Star Mountain: Where my ex-husband lost a yellow labrador and nearly drove us off a gravel road 70 yards down into a ravine. He was backing up a half-ton, four-wheel drive Chevy at dusk and the right rear tire slipped off the side of the road, then the passenger side front tire followed, leaving the truck hanging off the roadbed the tilted tires on the driver's side the only thing holding it from rolling down that ravine. Where he sat for 45 minutes, one foot on the brake and one on the clutch, arguing with his friend to tie off his own truck and drag him back onto the roadway. Me? Oh, I crawled over the Ex and out his open window in less than five seconds. I didn't even think about it. The truck? His idiot friend did it, and pulled that giant tonka-toy back onto the road. The dog? We got a call from a posted 'lost dog' flyer we put up the next day about a week later. That mutt was eating high on the hog with the Yard Men who managed the Log Yard where Weyerhaeuser stored clear-cut trees for curing. He had a bed in their Work Shack house, and they were feeding him raw hamburger and steaks, I kid you not.
The Lava Tubes and various caves. From earlier epoches of volcanic activity from Mt. St. Helens (before it blew it's lid back in 1980). There are wooden steps which leads down into some of these but the temperatures are quite low and icy floors are common. My kids loved a day trip with their dad to the Lava Tube caves when they were in grade school. The Ape Cave is part of this area and is the longest known lava tube in the continental US, at 12,810 feet it's nearly 2.5 miles long.
There are huckleberry fields in Indian Heaven territory, where my late Mother-in-law introduced me to some of her Native American family members and the natural delight which is the Pacific Northwest Huckleberry. Fat, sweet and delicious in an apple pie, by the way.
There is our backyard volcano, Mt. St. Helens, which I watched erupt one early Sunday morning, from the roof of my house in east Vancouver, WA. A few years later, a friend of my ex-husband's took us for a ride in a four seater plane to fly over the Mt. St. Helens debris area. The view from 5,000 feet of the entire forest all around the mountain was just flattened trees and grey with ash. Miles of trees made into a carpet of dead wood and pine needles, with just a glimmer of green from new plants rooting out in what once was a pristine native forest full of wildlife.
I've been to a number of other National Parks and Forests.
The Olympic National Rainforest located in the NW peninsula of WA State. Home to Forks, WA a place now most memorable the world over for being the home of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen and Jacob Black. For me, however, Forks was the place a friend called home while Serving four years in the US Coast Guard.
Mt. Rushmore National Memorial, a sight every American should take in, it's extraordinary and the grandeur of what was carved out of the face of a mountain cannot be conveyed in photographs or on film. You have to go there and see it in real life. I guarantee you will find it worth the trip.
"The purpose of the memorial is to communicate the founding, expansion, preservation, and unification of the United States with colossal statues of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt." --Gutzon Borglum"
A fun fact about Mt Rushmore: about 400 people worked on this memorial from 1927 to 1941 and not a single person was killed during the blasting or sculpting of the mountain!
I've never been (yet) to Hoover Dam or the Grand Canyon, but they're on my Bucket List. Share your own visit to any of our National Parks or Forests, brought to us all by the ingenuity of artisans and craftsmen and Presidents like Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt.
Latest Updates on Kossack Regional Meet-Up News Can Be Found Below the Orange Group Hug.
Let's Build Communities!
Our team is here to provide support and guidance to new and existing volunteer leaders of each regional and state group, helping them with recruiting, organizing and executing social and action events.
We invite you to join in this effort to build our community. There are many ways to pitch in.
If there isn't a group to join near you, please start one.
Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
List of All Existing Meatspace Groups
Where the Kogs Are: Index/Directory of the 130+ Localized Daily Kos Groups
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
Connecting Kansas:
Democrats Unite in Emporia
by tmservo433 ♥ for Kansas & Missouri Kossacks
So our latest hero, tmservo433 provides a great re-cap to the event we promoted here for him.
At the time Paul Davis spoke, I had an in room headcount of 166, which is a heck of a turnout. Sam Brownback couldn't bring in 200 in the Kansas City Metro when Rick Santorum came to town.
Kossacks showed up. Several Kossacks were in the hall, as well as individuals who noticed I still had on my Netroots gear, and were happy to come and tell us how they are working for change in our communities.
tmservo433 is doing great work seeking out Kossacks and moving his state's progressive agenda forward.
Please visit tmservo433's diary for more photos! Enjoy! You can still REC it. You can join Kansas & Missouri Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to tmservo433.
Los Angeles Kossacks June 28th Meetup Report
by susans ♥ for Los Angeles Kossacks
The Los Angeles Kossacks ranks have increased by 40% in the last few months. New members attended the latest recreational field trip to see the retired space shuttle Endeavour at the California Science Center in Exposition Park near downtown Los Angeles.
Back Row L-R: Vyan, Chiwere, susans, Otoelbc, mommyp00ka, Ducktape
Front Row L-R: Robin, 714day, Little Loner, Moody Loner, jakedog42 and grandaughter, SanFernandoValleyMom
Please visit susans's diary for details on the Space Shuttle. You can still REC it. You can join Los Angeles Kossacks by sending a Kosmail to susans.
Event Organizers! Please contact wink from Netrootsradio.com by KosMail to schedule airtime with them to live broadcast the date of your Event. Wink & Justice will then promote it on The After Show radio program!
Saturday, July 26th
Meet the Candidates in Hutchinson, Kansas!
• Jean Shodorf (Candidate for Secretary of State)
• Brian E Davis (Candidate for State House of Representatives)
• Jim Sherow (Candidate for 1st District US House of Representatives)
• Jill Docking (Candidate, Lt. Governor)
• Various County Party Leadership
TIME: 11:00-3:00 PM
LOCATION: Pyle Park
100 E. Ave. B • Hutchinson
BBQ, watermelon and other food provided. Bring a lawn chair.
ORGANIZER: Send tmservo433 a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. tmservo433
2. StepLeftStepForward
3.
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Maybees:
kanster
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Latest diary: Young Turks Segregation 2.0: Education in Kansas & Why I Took the Big Risk
Sunday, July 27th
Phoenix Kossacks Get Pitchforks & Torches Ready for navajo
TIME: 4:00 PM
LOCATION: Mother Mag's Rooftop Terrace
(address given privately to RSVPs) • Downtown Phoenix
ORGANIZER: Send Mother Mags a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. Mother Mags
2. navajo
3. Azazello
4. Mrs. Azazello
5. Sun Tzu
6. Stripe
7. Kane in CA
8. puzzled
9. Late Again
10. Mr. Late Again
11. rasbobbo
12. DaNang65
13. Gilmore
14. CenPhx
15. Mrs. Gilmore
16. Anonymous
17. itzadryheat
18. Bluejay RN
19. ramara
20. Hugo Polanco (with David Garcia's campaign)
21. CindyV
22. Mr. CindyV
23. SusieinArizona
24. SusieinArizona's friend
25. snearkers563
26. Mr. BluejayRN
27. Man Eegee
28. dobleremolque
29. Empty Vessel
30. PSzymeczek
35. Skippah
36. Thinking Fella
37. Josh
38. dewey of the desert
39. Mr. dewey of the desert
40.
41.
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Maybees:
arizonablue
Mr. arizonablue
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Latest diary: Arizona meet-up: Summer potluck with Navajo!
Monday, August 4th
Asheville Kossacks Connect for Lunch Before Moral Monday's Event with Reverend Barber!
Followed by a stroll through downtown to the Mountain Moral Monday event
TIME: 2:00 PM
LOCATION: Rosetta's Kitchen
111 Broadway St • Asheville
ORGANIZER: Send randallt a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. randallt
2. davehouck
3. Joieau
4. DawnN
5. Lamont Cranston
6. Gordon20024
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Saturday, August 9th
Kansas Missouri Kossacks Picnic - Local Candidate Speaks
Meet at the Hays city park to enjoy a free hamburger/hotdog/watermelon feed. Jim Sherow along with other local candidates will be speaking.
TIME: NOON
LOCATION: Municipal Park
1st and Main • Hays, Kansas
ORGANIZER: Send tmservo433 a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. tmservo433
2. Skohays
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Major Kansas Events: Your Chance to Change a State
Saturday, August 9th
LA Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 2:00 PM
LOCATION: Guild Restaurant
611 W. 7th St • Downtown Los Angeles
ORGANIZER: Send susans a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. susans
2. Shockwave
3. navajo
4. Meteor Blades
5. Knucklehead
6. SanFernandoValleyMom
7. Otoelbc
8. Chiwere
9. Vyan
10. 714day
11. Ducktape
12. Mugwump Blues
13. Just Saying
14. Just Saying's friend
15. Panorama City Chick
16. jakedog42
17. Santa Susanna Kid
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: Los Angeles Kossacks June 28th Meetup Report
Saturday, August 16th
DC Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: National Mall
at the Smithsonian Metro stop • Washington DC
ORGANIZER: Send NinthElegy a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. NinthElegy
2.
3.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
navajo maintains the above event list. Kosmail her if you have any diaries
about your event or if you have changes or additions.
EVERYONE is welcome, tell us what you're working on,
share your show and tell, vent, whatever you want.
This is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.