The Importance of Shoes to Park Rangers

We all take the shoes we wear for granted.

One of the early questions that park rangers ask reporting parties about persons that are lost in the woods is, “What type of shoes are they wearing?” Most family members and friends have absolutely no idea. Why would such a simple question be so important?

The type of footwear can be an indicator of how prepared the lost person is for the terrain in which they are lost. A person wearing hiking boots on steep rocky ground is going to be able to cover more distance than a person wearing flip flops. A person in sturdy walking shoes is less likely to be injured by a fall or twisted ankle.

National Park and public trails can be used by many people over a given period of time. Should man trackers used to locate the lost person, shoe size and tread can be crucial to determining whether they have found clues leading to the right person. It is easy to go off on the wrong route if you do not have specific information to verify the foot print left by the person you are seeking. Just having the size, make, and style of shoe will allow investigators to access data files to obtain diagrams of tread designs.

After being worn for even a short period of time, shoe soles develop scratches and marks that make them as distinct as fingerprints. It is helpful to have a print of a lost person’s specific shoes. Before going on a family hike or camping trip have your family members while wearing their hiking shoes step on an unlined piece of paper. This will leave a pretty distinct outline of the tread on their specific shoes. Keep this on file so it can be accessed for emergencies.

Another reason to have information on shoes is in the event of a kidnapping. It is a common technique for kidnappers of children to quickly change the victim’s clothes so they do not match the initial descriptions that the witnesses give. This aids the criminals in leaving the area of the crime. The one article of clothing that is difficult to change is shoes. Be sure to be aware of what shoes your child is wearing and make periodic shoe prints on paper to file with fingerprints.

These simple steps can assist park rangers and other agencies to come to the assistance of lost or kidnapped persons quickly and effectively.

A Park Ranger’s Bane – Littering

Park Rangers and other National Park Service employees dedicate and at times risk their lives to protect the resources within our parks. Nothing can get up the dander like someone abusing or defacing those resources. It is unbelievable how often people leave their trash spread along road sides, picnic areas, and campgrounds. We often half joked on the Blue Ridge Parkway that you could tell what beer was on sale by the display of cans and bottles along the road on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The National Park Service spends millions of dollars a year picking up and disposing of trash.

The idea that an individual could just toss their trash out the window of a moving car is incomprehensible to the type of person who aspires to be a park ranger. This lack of understanding of motive is compounded exponentially when that littering occurs within a National Park.

A moment that makes any park ranger’s day is when they actually catch a litterer red handed in the act. A park ranger hears some outrageous reactions from these violators.

One night while working at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park I backed my patrol car into the entrance of a picnic area on Lee Drive. I was sitting there with my dome light on filling out some paperwork on a violation notice I had issued earlier when I saw a vehicle coming down Lee Drive at a high rate of speed. The vehicle started to slow as it approached and I assumed that they saw my car. As the vehicle passed the driver tossed a half gallon wine bottle out the window striking the front bumper on my car. I immediately pulled out with my emergency lights on and stopped the vehicle. I approached the driver and asked him if he knew why I had stopped him. He said he had no idea why.

I then asked him if he threw a wine bottle from his car.

His answer shocked me, “Yea I did. So what’s the big deal? Someone will pick it up.”

No matter how I tried, I could not convince him that he had done something wrong and that it was a violation of the law to litter. He left with several violation notices, angry for being hassled. I cannot remember if he ever paid his fines.

Through my career I was surprised to find the response I heard that night to be a common theme among litterers. Numerous times I was told by people I witnessed throwing out trash in parks that it was not important because, “Someone will pick it up.” They resented being charged with what they considered no violation of the law.

Just another example of the interesting types of people a park ranger gets to meet during their career.

Question for Readers

Readers,

What would you like to hear about on this blog?

Do you have questions about;

National Park Rangers

The Parks

The Blue Ridge Parkway

My Book, "A Park Ranger's Life"

Publishing a book

Leadership

Or any other topic of interest to you.

Send your questions either through the comments tab at the end of this entry or you can email them to: www.bwbytnar@gmail.com.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Bruce W. Bytnar

Virginia Festival of the Book - Publishers Day

We had an exciting day at the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville, Virginia. It was interesting to meet and talk with readers, fellow writers, and book store owners. Here are a few scenes from the event at the Omni Hotel.

National Park Rangers – Experts?

The commonly held public conception that park rangers are experts on every topic under the sun is a bit of a compliment to National Park Rangers. Park Rangers are considered a sort of walking encyclopedia of information. Many times these expectations become a bit unrealistic.

Several years ago our telephone rang after two in the morning. I groggily picked up the receiver thinking that I would be speaking to the park dispatcher, but it turned out to be one of our neighbors. He told me that he had just been outside feeding his dogs (my first unclear thought was, what was he doing feeding dogs at 2 a.m.) when he heard a loud grunting sound from the woods next to our house. He thought it was a bear. The neighbor was concerned that the bear may attack his dogs or family and wanted me to do something about it. His description of the noise did not sound like any bear I had met. I stepped out onto our deck and surprisingly heard a distinctive grunting sound from the farm across the rural road from our property.

I knew the sound was not coming from a bear, but my curiosity was peaked so I got my flashlight and not knowing what I would get into, put a pistol in the pocket of my sweatpants and walked to the end of our driveway. I could still make out the sound that was now further away down the road to my right. I started to walk down the road shoulder following the now moving sound. Behind me I saw lights coming in my direction and a slow moving car rolling toward me. My developed sense of caution caused me to step behind a tree as the car approached. As it neared I could see that the sedan was occupied by the neighbor who had called and his entire family, including his sister in law. They wanted to see the bear. I assured them that the sound was not coming from a bear and advised them to go home. The family continued to follow me down the road.

As we neared an area where a large barn was located, the sounds continued but seemed to stop moving. I eased stealthily through some brush to get near the field’s fence, determined the general location of the sound which had become deeper and more guttural, and then turned my flashlight on the spot. What the bright light revealed were two llamas trying to make a baby llama. My light startled them and the grunting noise stopped as they ran off.

I have since added an expertise on llama love making to my list skills.
You can learn about some real bears I have met in my book, “A Park Ranger’s Life: Thirty Two Years Protecting Our National Parks.”

A Sign Of Spring - Motorcycles On The Blue Ridge Parkway

As spring time moves into the Southern Appalachians and the Blue Ridge Parkway starts to open its roadway to the public, there are certainties to life. Trees will begin to bud, wildflowers will start to burst forth to bloom, birds will begin to return from the south, and motorcycles will begin to roar up and down the ridge lines. People who have kept their motorcycles under wraps in garages and sheds will be anxious to get them out and stretch their skills in the warming sunlight and fresh air.

The Blue Ridge Parkway has consistently been described in motorcycle media as one of the best rides in the country if not the world. Although not a motorcyclist myself, I do not doubt this judgment for the views, lack of large commercial trucks, and interesting curves are not to be found anywhere else.

Unfortunately the increase in motorcycle traffic is accompanied by a significant number of serious motorcycle crashes. A number of years ago Park Rangers became concerned about the significant increase in motorcycle crashes resulting in injuries and fatalities. Statistical research of crash scenes and drivers was conducted and several theories were developed as to the causes.

One consistent condition was found to be a factor in many crashes. They were occurring in areas where the Parkway had been engineered with descending radius curves. When the Blue Ridge Parkway was designed the purpose was to adhere it to the land providing for the least destruction of the landscape while providing for the best views. The 1930’s and 40’s were not times when motorcycles or motor homes were commonly used by the visiting public. Very few if any roadways in the United States today have descending radius curves and consequently most motorcyclists have never driven through these types of challenges.

A traffic safety program was designed to step up traffic regulation enforcement, educate the public, and to place more aggressive signing at locations of repeated wrecks. Through these efforts the number of motorcycle crashes sharply decreased. In the District where I worked in we had a curve that had seen eight motorcycle wrecks in one year. Once the warning signs were put in place the follow year there were zero wrecks. However, other duties and constraints of budgets have made the park staff step back from these programs.


Ultimately it is the operator of a motor vehicle that is responsible for their own safety. If you operate a motorcycle on the Blue Ridge Parkway, observe the following safety tips:

•Observe the speed limits that are posted. In most areas it is 45mph. In some developed areas it will drop to 35mph.

•Watch for curve warning signs and take them seriously. They are few and far between, but mark the most dangerous areas.

•Be aware that even though you may have years of experience operating a motorcycle, you will encounter curves and road surface elevations that you have not experienced before.

•Maintain full attention to your driving at all times. Many instances in the past operators have been distracted by the view and just that split second of inattention has gotten them in trouble.

•Watch for wildlife in the road. You are in their neighborhood and they are in the road often.

•Do not pass on the double yellow lines. There are many blind curves on the Parkway that come up fast. You never know what is beyond your view; a motor home, a deer, or a car full of kids.

Remember as the Blue Ridge Parkway Traffic Safety Program says:

ENJOY THE VIEW – WATCH THE ROAD

"A Park Ranger's Life" at the Virginia Festival of the Book

On Saturday March 20th I be attending the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville, Virginia. I will be at the Omni Hotel from 9am to 4pm with my book for sale and/or signing.

Stop by if you are in the area and take advantage of all the literary activities that will be going on over a five day period that week.

Firearms Incident at Lava Beds National Monument

In a recent incident, Park Rangers at Lava Beds National Monument in California arrested a man who was brandishing a handgun in a parking lot within the park. It turns out he also had outstanding warrants for threatening to kill agents from DEA and their families. The suspect was a previously convicted felon who was in possession of multiple firearms and large amounts of ammunition.

This is the type of person that National Park employees are worried about carrying firearms in our parks.

For more details you can click on the article title above.

"A Park Ranger's Life" on "The Revivalist" Blog

The following is taken from the blog "The Revivalist" written by Mark Lynn Ferguson. You can check out his blog by clicking on the article title above.


Mark Lynn Ferguson March 14 at 11:01am Report

Hi Bruce - As you may have seen, your book is featured in the latest post on my blog - http://therevivalist.info/a-park-rangers-life/

It's an entertaining and eye-opening read, especially for someone who has long fantasized about a career as a Park Ranger!

Thanks so much for sharing your story. If you're inclined, a reciprocal link from your blog is always welcome.

Best,

Mark

A Park Ranger’s Life

Everyone has a dream job. For most people, it involves paparazzi flashes, fantastic wealth, or maybe gunplay. Not for my friend Nora and me. Five days a week, we share an extra-large cube that we affectionately call the doublewide. In it, we toss out Southernisms (a new favorite — madder than a bobcat caught in a piss fire) and stream twangy tunes on Bluegrass Country. It’s a hoot as cubes go, but we’d rather be fighting forest fires from horseback.


For 23 years, Bytner worked on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Park ranger — that’s our dream job. Whenever Nora and I are ready to buck the man, we plot our escape to the National Park Service where we will dawn wide brimmed hats, nurse baby possums to health, and hook-up sewer hoses on elderly tourists’ RVs.

If we’ve learned nothing else from the new book “A Park Rangers Life: Thirty-two Years Protecting Our National Parks,” the job isn’t all glamour. Author and retired ranger, Bruce W. Bytner recently told the Staunton News Leader that “Park rangers are responsible for everything that happens in a national park.”

That includes the mundane — answering inane questions, shoveling poop from escaped cows, and monitoring dogs for leashes — but also the bizarre:

“I remember one incident when a ranger was conducting an evening campfire program showing slides to an audience of over one hundred visitors. Suddenly they were interrupted by a man covered with blood, who ran in front of the group, lighted by the projector, screaming for help. Most people initially thought it was part of the program. When the ranger followed the man out to his vehicle, she found a second man who had been shot.”

Nora and I aren’t deterred. If you work with us, don’t look in the doublewide the next time we miss an all-staff meeting. We’ll be in the Great Smoky Mountains scouting injured bears or maybe shoveling a composting toilet. Either way, we’re we’ll be wearing the hats.

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"A Park Ranger's Life" Featured in Newspaper Article

Above photo by Mike Tripp of The New Leader

An article entitled "It's no walk in the park: Ranger recounts life on the job" appears on the front of the Lifesyles section of The News Leader newspaper from Staunton, Virgina. You can view an online version of the story at:

http://www.newsleader.com/article/20100314/LIFESTYLE/3140311/-1/LIFESTYLE23/It-s-no-walk-in-the-park--Ranger-recounts-life-on-the-job

You can copy and paste this link to your computer browser.