2016 Adventure Year in Review: A Bucket List Update

2016 was a bit of a stressful year -- nothing major, but a lot of little stuff that added up along the way:  medical issues, a job position I didn't really like, uncertainty about my future, a daughter going off to college...Oh, and that whole election season.  Yes, I'm looking forward to leaving 2016 behind.  On the up side, though, 2016 was a great year for the Bucket List!  This year, I visited 20 NPS sites and knocked 5 additional items off my Bucket List!  Wow!  I'd say that's a lot of adventure!  Look back with me over 2016 to see my favorite adventure photos from this year.

Snowshoeing

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, CO

Capulin Volcano National Monument, NM

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, CO.  Redwoods in Colorado!

Colorado Springs Sky Sox Baseball Game

Cristi and I conquering the Incline -- A Morning of Pure Torture.  We're thinking about going again.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, CO

The Paint Mines, CO

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, AL

Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site, AL

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, FL

Fort Matanzas National Monument, FL

Fort Caroline National Memorial, FL

Kingsley Plantation at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, FL

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, GA/TN

Stones River National Battlefield, TN

Brown v Board of Education National Historic Site, KS

Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, TX

Fort Larned National Historic Site, KS

Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, CO

Rocky Mountain National Park, CO (Again)

US Olympic Training Center

Palo Duro Canyon State Park, TX

Air Force Academy Football Game

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, CA

Fort Point National Historic Site, CA

Golden Gate National Recreation Area -- Alcatraz, CA

The NPS Map at the end of the year.

So what's next year?  Here's a breakdown of Bucket List items I'd like to hit for next year.

- Skiing -- Right after New Years 

- Camping in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area.  I didn't get here last year, so I'd like to make it this year.

- I'm hoping to finally get up to the Black Hills, where I can knock out the following sites:

• Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• Badlands National Park
• Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
• Wind Cave National Park
• Jewel Cave National Monument
• Scotts Bluff National Monument
• Carhenge (think Stonehenge...but with cars -- one of those Weird America things)
• Fort Laramie National Historic Site (possibly)

- With our now-periodic trips to Oklahoma, I'd like to hit at least one of the two remaining sites there:  Washita Battlefield National Historic Site or Chickasaw National Recreation Area

- Backpacking trip on the Colorado Trail and/or Continental Divide Trail (they run concurrent for a section in Colorado)

- Climb a Fourteener

I'm sure like this year, not all my desires will plan out, but I'm equally sure that other targets of opportunity will pop up.  Even if next year only hits half as many sites, that will still be a full year of adventure!