It was the first time I'd gone to a national park since turning 62, the age at which you can purchase a lifetime pass — for you and everyone who's in the car with you — for $10. A regular day pass — per car — is $20. Thanks, federal government.
And, now, it's the 4th of July. Another beautiful day in the United States of America.
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And, now, it's the 4th of July. Another beautiful day in the United States of America.
Unless you happen to remember the quality level of the current ruling class, and the culture.
Thanks, voters!
Clouds. Giant rocks with what looks like a stick on top and surprise! more rocks and grass.
At least there are people in this one.
Hate to be technical, but that is not the highest point in RMNP. The highest point is the summit of Long's Peak (been there).
Maybe that should be "Thanks, taxpayers."
But, what a beautiful place! Have a glorious Fourth.
Enjoy the day and your road trip. It's a beautiful country.
Another beautiful day in the United States of America.
And America's glorious national parks. (Happy 4th, jimbino!)
Nostalgic view there. There's a photo on our wall of me on those same rocks (from eons ago, in the Before Time, when I was young). Then another from a few years later, of a toddler daughter running to those rocks. Good times, good times.
Thanks for pointing out the $10 lifetime pass. From the time I turned 55 I have always watched for the Senior discounts but I did not know about the National Park lifetime pass.
I'm purchasing mine now!
Beautiful photographs.
Why does the federal government seemingly always subsidize the more mature among us at the expense of the young? Is there a compelling interest in this? Maybe those car-loads are full of eager-to-learn grandchildren. Just wondering.
It was the first time I'd gone to a national park since turning 62, the age at which you can purchase a lifetime pass — for you and everyone who's in the car with you — for $10. A regular day pass — per car — is $20. Thanks, federal government.
Ah yes, nothing quite so patriotic as a rich, tenured professor squealing with delight at saving a few bucks on the backs of the taxpayers.
For years I taught climbing, rock, snow and ice and guided throughout the park. The best "office" ever.
We should pay anyone over 61 years of age $1000 to accept a pass to the National Parks.
Why do young folks need money when old folks want shit?
$17 trillion of debt is a decent start but until we get creative, America will simply not stop ceasing to exist.
Rich old people get discounts, poor young people pay through the nose.
Twas ever thus.
Foremost firstly we must ask: How can we take young persons money and give it to the old voters?
Anyone offering a pedestrian answer will not make me happy.
This is why I like out of the Boxter thinking. Mortgage deductions, Tesla and Solyndra, sugar subsidies, Ethanol, Pigford, $818 hammers, Jon Corzine's lost billion, etc are what I need more of.
Our Federal government is protecting me, they even helpfully show commercials on the television telling me so. If the protection results in slavery, so be it.
"'And, now, it's the 4th of July. Another beautiful day in the United States of America.'
"Unless you happen to remember the quality level of the current ruling class, and the culture.
"Thanks, voters!"
That's not fair. One cannot blame the voters when the voters have no real choices. Our votes, of course, are merely ceremonial in nature, a tradition celebrating a time now gone when we had some marginal influence over the policies enacted into law by "our" (sic) government.
I think I pointed this out in a previous thread late last night. My next brother was down at the Forest Service a day or two after he turned 62 for his. And, the week before had spent almost that for parking up on Mount Evens (for skiing). So, I went there just to check it out, and, he was right. $10 for a life time pass for Park Service, Forest Service, BLM, and a couple of other agencies too.
I started asking for senior discounts at maybe 60. Mostly, it is for soft drinks at fast food places, but on occasion, they will give you 10% off instead of a discounted or free drink. A lot of places though don't give you a discount until 65.
The bummer for me is that the ski areas in Colorado have become tightwads. Back when my father turned 70, all the areas were giving those of his age free season passes, or, later, only paying an administrative charge of maybe $10. So, a couple of them traveled the state, and picked up, for under $50, season passes for some of the best ski areas in the country: Aspen (all 4 areas), Vail Resorts (also includes Breckenridge, Keystone, Beaver Creek, A Basin in CO), Copper Mountain, Winter Park, Steamboat, etc. More terrain than most 70 year olds could probably ski in the rest of their lifetimes. No longer. A small discount, but not the deal my father's generation got.
My problem is that in a lot of situations, seniors have more money than anyone else in society. Financially, many/most don't need the senior discounts. I could afford to pay for going into the National Parks, etc., as could Ann. On the flip side, was asked yesterday by a Hispanic woman where there was an office that helped with bills. She probably needs these special deals more than most of us eligible for them do. (We have a large second hand type store in town, and that seems to attract a lot of (possibly illegal) immigrants).
On top of one of those outcrop pings is the coolest compass rose (brass, I think) - it points and gives distances to other national parks. Quite a treat.
I love this park.
Oh, and the day hike out to Mt. Ida is spectacular!
Robert Cook said...
That's not fair. One cannot blame the voters when the voters have no real choices
As long as write-ins are still legal, there are always real choices.
No one said it would be easy.
Wow! That's a great deal. Similarly, I noticed the other day that the University of Arkansas waives tuition for people sixty and over.
The lifetime pass is a wonderful bargain. My wife and I have used it many times.
That $20 "day pass, per car" is good for a week. So it's still reasonable for those of us a few years under the "Golden Eagle Passport" age.
Also, that boy is not anywhere near the highest point in the park (Longs Peak - 14,259)). He's somewhere near the highest point on Trail Ridge road (somewhere around Lava Cliffs), a good 2,000 feet below the elevation of Long's Peak. You can tell because the people near him are walking in short pants on a paved surface. There is no paving anywhere near Longs Peak.
Happy Aphelion Day!
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of my favorites. I'm glad you got to drive Trail Ridge Road -- spectacular.
Happy Independence Day!
A law prof delight:
High altitude at discount.
The Chinese will pay.
I bet you didn't see any Black or Hispanic taxpayers at your national park!
I have stood on that rock, too.
My wife and I went to Colorado for a wedding in the family. After the family fun we toured Colorado. We went through RMNP on Columbus Day, which is in early October you may recall. We stopped at the store and restaurant which is at about the highest point the road goes. We got there about 4 p.m. It was lucky timing on our part. They closed about 30 minutes later--for the winter. Snow comes early in the high mountains!
Blogger SomeoneHasToSayIt said...
It was the first time I'd gone to a national park since turning 62, the age at which you can purchase a lifetime pass — for you and everyone who's in the car with you — for $10. A regular day pass — per car — is $20. Thanks, federal government.
Ah yes, nothing quite so patriotic as a rich, tenured professor squealing with delight at saving a few bucks on the backs of the taxpayers.
It's a use tax. A tax imposed at the point of use. If anything it is the younger park attendees that are subsidizing the fee for older people. The rest of us are off the hook.
$17 trillion of debt is a decent start but until we get creative, America will simply not stop ceasing to exist.
No but it will cease generating wealth.
Start voting more, kids, and the government will start throwing bribes your way as well.
What do you get for your $10? What do you get that's provided by the government you are giving $10 to, that is?
The valuable product I see in those pictures is provided by God, who, presumably, does not get a cut of your $10.
The voters have choices, Cookie, but they need to pay attention earlier and down ticket, where it counts.
$10 pass another example of regressive redistribution
Times have changed since the days you were able to go to the national parks and buy people 55 and over for just $10.
You didn't even have to report it to the government.
Thanks, federal government.
Um, thanks, fellow taxpayers and their next three generations.
Everybody gets the same deal. Reach 62 and it's yours then too.
But remember the lifetime is not so long when you're 62.
Avoid the green bananas.
As a legal matter, what happens to the other occupants of the car if you die in the park?
I assume they need a day pass then.
The best Federal deal of course is that you can renew your ham license free these days. It used to cost money.
I agree that the $10 pass is a great deal. I got mine 3 years ago.
$20 per car is a great deal but $10 forever is even better.
On the other hand, as others have mentioned, why should anyone be subsidized at national parks? Why can't they charge what it would take to pay their way?
I suspect that if it were a business, $20 per car would pretty well cover it. Being govt it doesn't even come close.
For someone who complains a lot about traveling, you seem to spend a lot of time doing it. I have no problem with your traveling, could do without the complaining about it, though.
Some, not me, might say that you are contributing to the extinction of humankind by driving to CO instead of biking there or staying home.
So a plus factor is that you are helping to annoy all those douchebags.
John Henry
"The valuable product I see in those pictures is provided by God, who, presumably, does not get a cut"
True, but I'll bet God didn't lay that asphalt over Trail Ridge.
It was the first time I'd gone to a national park since turning 62, the age at which you can purchase a lifetime pass — for you and everyone who's in the car with you — for $10. A regular day pass — per car — is $20. Thanks, federal government.
You're not worried that two thugs from the feds are going to appear at your door with guns, grab your wallet, pull out your card and say,
"What's that say?"
"Lifetime pass...?"
"Need we say more?..." (as the gun is put to your head.)
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