what? you can't hijack a stream of consciousness thread! They're SUPPOSED to morph into an endless array of other topics!
(The way I see it, OFF TOPIC forum is the modern equivalent of a general store's porch full of rocking chairs that attracts old men with stories to tell. )
Regarding the photo of the cougar, I was half expecting to see something with a red dress and a mixed drink. (I wonder how the owners of that mailbox felt about the photo...?)
that said (and to be more on the subject) we do have an abnormally large amount of 'National Forests' here but our National Parks are generally out of the normal path of travel. We have really nice ones, but you have to be aiming for them to find them.
/Best timed to avoid the winter, like everything else around here
Bucket list!