Month: October 2023

It’s that time of year again, so get ready to be scared out of your wits! Just kidding, but we do have a fun lineup of stories in this episode about ghost towns in the national parks. While you can find deserted towns, remnants of bygone boom/bust cycles, in many of our national parks, today we will focus on just a few.

 

From once thriving mining towns near Death Valley, to the site of a now-defunct copper mine in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska, to the Thurmond Ghost Town in New River Gorge National Park, we share the history and the stories of paranormal activity in these historic places.

 

But no episode would be complete without a mention of Carlsbad Caverns National Park, so imagine how happy Karen was when she learned that this week marks the Centennial of this natural wonder. And fittingly for this time of year, we’re celebrating Bat Week. That’s right, Bat Week, an entire week dedicated each year to these flying mammals, who, as you’ll learn in this episode (spoiler alert), are NOT flying rats.

 

All this and more, coming up next!

 

The best way to support our podcast is to become a member of our Patreon account. Follow this link to check it out.

 

And don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.

 

Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.

 

Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.

 

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In our Mailbag! episodes, we answer questions from listeners about the national parks, ranger-led tours, road trips, hiking, camping, backpacking, gear, relationships, and pretty much whatever anyone wants to ask us.

In this episode, we cover these topics:

·     A change to the America the Beautiful park pass starting Jan. 1st, 2024,

·     Whether we ever considered van life and our opinions on this lifestyle,

·     Some safety considerations when camping in Big Bend National Park,

·     A discussion about previously designated national parks that have since been demoted,

·     And more!

The best way to support our podcast is to become a member of our Patreon account. Follow this link to check it out.

And don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.

Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.

Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.

To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.

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Buckle up, folks, for another road trip loop! In this episode, we’re taking you on an epic trip through the heart of Appalachia to four national parks and a national park service scenic byway.

We’ll travel to national parks in five states: Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, New River Gorge in West Virginia, Shenandoah in Virginia, and Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee.

From the world’s longest cave to one of the oldest rivers on earth to the most visited US national park, this 1500-mile road trip has it all! And as a bonus, we share some of our favorite places to eat along the way and suggestions for a few other must-see destinations.

Here are a couple of links to items we mentioned in this episode:

·     Tickets for cave tours at Mammoth Cave National Park

·     Information about booking your New River Gorge Bridge Walk

 

The best way to support our podcast is to become a member of our Patreon account. Follow this link to check it out.

 

And don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.

 

Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.

 

Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.

 

To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.

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Great Basin National Park, located in eastern Nevada, is a stunning example of the diverse beauty of the American Southwest. In this episode, we talk about why you’ll want to put a visit to this park in your wish bucket the next time you plan a trip to this part of the country.

Home to the mesmerizing Lehman Caves, Great Basin NP is one of the best least-visited parks in the NPS system. The caves, one of the park’s main attractions, are an intricate cavern system complete with stalactites, stalagmites, and unique shield formations that have been forming for over a half million years. In this episode’s History Channel, Karen delves into the unique story of how Lehman Caves became a National Monument more than a hundred years ago, long before the area became a national park.

We also describe the park that’s above ground and its rich array of ecosystems and landscapes. From the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive up to the Bristlecone pine forest and on to the only glacier in Nevada, we share some of our favorite things to do and see in the park.

And we take you to the small town of Ely, Nevada, just outside the park, where you can step back in time and experience its history by visiting the East Ely Nevada Northern Railway living museum, in addition to some very unique beehive charcoal ovens that were once used as hideouts for stagecoach bandits.

If stargazing is your thing, few parks are better than Great Basin for viewing a brilliant night sky. Recognized as a Dark Sky Park, the absence of light pollution allows for unparalleled views of the Milky Way, shooting stars, and distant galaxies, making this park one of the best places in the country to gaze at the heavens above.

 

Here are a couple of links to items we mentioned in this episode:

·     Lehman Cave virtual tours

·     In Ely, Nevada – Nevada Northern Railway Co. museum and train ride info.

 

The best way to support our podcast is to become a member of our Patreon account. Follow this link to check it out.

 

And don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.

 

Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.

 

Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.

 

To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.

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