Happy 100th birthday to Lava Beds National Monument! The park protects a remarkable human and geological legacy. If you find yourself in Northern California, don't skip it. A hike through the lava beds helps you learn about the land's volcanic origins and the lives and history of the Modoc people.

What better way to spend a lovely November afternoon than by taking a hike? I visited White Pines Forest State Park today and thoroughly enjoyed the crunch of leaves under my feet.

The legend lives on. Fifty years after the SS Edmund Fitzgerald made its final voyage, we remember it not just for the haunting song which immortalized it, but for the 29 brave men for whom the Fitz is their final resting place. The Pride of the American Side, indeed. www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...

The next president MUST undo all of Trump's stupid renovations and redesigns not *just* because they are symbols of fascism and violence, but also because they are also incredibly tacky and ugly.

Trump is hellbent on prosecuting anyone who dares stand up to him - and his favorite tactic is to drive up legal bills. Michael Rabbitt is being targeted by Trump's fascist regime. Please consider donating to help Michael in his fight against these politically-motivated charges. gofund.me/3ffcb9cc3

Last night's Democratic wave was a triumph for leaders across the country united by a focus on bringing down the cost of living and protecting our rights. Democrats have a vision for a nation that is freer, fairer, and more affordable for everyone in our communties www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...

HAPPY NATIONAL BISON DAY! Today we celebrate our National Mammal (and my favorite animal), the American Bison. Take time today to learn more about the history and environmental legacy of these magnificent creatures, like this one enjoying water from the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park

This @peoplesfabric.com post puts it perfectly. Trump's goons terrorizing our city are a gang of angry, racist, violent conservatives who finally have the chance to carry out their angry, racist, violent fantasies against people they hate. They are evil people who take pleasure in doing evil things.

At this point, Rep. Grijalva should just start exercising the powers of her office, including voting on the House floor and signing the discharge petition to release the Epstein files. Make Johnson and the House GOP try and stop her.

I know Cat Sharp and Michael Rabbitt personally. They are tremendous leaders and upstanding citizens - the exact thing that Trump's treasonous regime hates.

National Parks have always been in the crosshairs of greedy corporations - and always will be. If you love our wild spaces, demand that elected officials put conservation front and center. Lip service isn't good enough for me. I want my leaders to stand up and shout "NOT ONE ACRE!"

Honey, I think the TV is talking to me...😳 @brennanleemulligan.bsky.social

America hasn't had a king in 91,051 days, and we're not about to start now. #NoKings

You gotta give ‘em hop.

The Vivid Creatures at the @mortonarboretum.bsky.social are delightfully funky! All five sculptures are colorful and endearing. This cheery pal is Scamp the Squirrel!

I think a lot of people would have believed it. Part of why 2024 was so frustrating and devastating was that a critical mass of voters were tuned out and treated it as a "how is the economy" election when it was painfully obvious to anyone who paid attention what Trump & Republicans wanted to do.

ARE YOU READY FOR FAT BEARS!?!?!

Perfect Friday night for meat and booze at Lake Effect Brewing Company's Sausage Fest! I went with the beer brat and a kolsch, while Bridget had the Polish sausage and a beer-mosa.

The early morning rain subsided just as I hit the doors in Park Ridge, making this afternoon a lovely one to collect signatures for Norwood Park Township Democratic Committeperson Frank Avino, Cook County Commissioner Maggie Trevor, and other great Democratic candidates!

When Right Wingers murder liberals for expressly political reasons, Democrats ask for peace and an end to violence. When a single conservative gets killed by an as-of-yet unknown person for unknown reasons, Republicans demand extreme violence against liberals. The difference could not be starker.

“awful people don’t deserve to be killed, but they don’t deserve to be praised, either” is apparently a thought too complex for the pundit mind

That both of Turning Point USA’s founders are dead from public health crises their organization worked hard to enable is a parable for our time.

We have a bit of a natural experiment here. Compare the tone, quantity and duration of Charlie Kirk coverage with that of the two Dem lawmakers gunned down in their homes in Minnesota 6 months ago. May be revealing.

Political violence cannot be tolerated. Full stop. But, lets recall the words of Charlie Kirk: "I think it's worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights." www.newsweek.com/charlie-kirk...

To pass the time during the long, long drives on this trip, we played the ole "spot the license plate" game. After a brisk first day (40 plates!) it became harder to find the remainder. We spotted the last plate in the last national park we visited, going 50-for-50 even before the journey home!

Cinder Cone, in the northeastern corner of Lassen Volcanic National Park, is itself a volcano. It erupted in the 1650s, changing the landscape immensely. To its south and east, the great deluge cooled and hardened, now a vast expanse of black rock piled tree-high known as the Fantastic Lava Beds.

Lassen Peak made world news with its dramatic eruption in 1915. Spewing hot rock across the countryside and obliterating the surrounding forests, the mountain was anything but tranquil. Today, however, the volcano is quiet, reflecting peacefully in Manzanita Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park.

While you may be tempted to take a dip here after a long day, this is a forbidden hot tub! This mudpot is part of the Sulphur Works, a thermal area in the southern reaches of Lassen Volcanic National Park. Take a listen to those mud bubbles gurgling! (But do not touch. You will be burnt.)

Lassen Volcanic National Park! This quieter location tucked in the volcanic corner of Northern California made one heck of a racket around 100 years ago when it last erupted. The park is also uniquely home to all four types of volcanoes!

There's gold in them thar hills! Well, a little bit, anyway. At Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, visitors can pan for gold in its streams. We tried our hand at it and managed a few gold fleks, but suffice to say we won't be quitting our day jobs to stake a claim anytime soon.

Fern Canyon may be tucked away down a long, bumpy road, but it is well worth the trip! Some fern species on the walls have been around for 325 million years. It does feel like a lost world (in fact, scenes in The Lost World: Jurassic Park were filmed here). We did not see any velociraptors, though.

This big tree is called... Big Tree! It is one of the many girthy behemoths that we saw in the southern areas of Redwood National and State Parks today!

I thought I knew how tall a redwood would look up close. They're even bigger than I imagined! This giant stands tall in the Stout Grove. Makes me (and everything else) seem short in comparison. It's all about perspective, I suppose.

Redwood National Park! These trees! This coast! What else can be said that has not already been said about this jaw-dropping forest? Setting up camp under the towering, majestic redwoods was amazing. These ancient trees have many lessons to teach us - and we look forward to learning from them.

Oregon Caves National Monument! Deep below the shady, mossy Siskiyou Mountains, these narrow, tight passages make for an exciting tour! Both carved and grown by the subterranean River Styx, the caves contain a lot of cool features!

What a beautiful day to venture to Cleetwood Cove! It is the only (steep) trail down to the lake. The boat tour was exciting and informative - and a whole different way to see Crater Lake icons like the Phantom Ship. Afterward, we enjoyed a chilly but refreshing dip in the brilliantly blue water.

Clear blue skies and deep blue water at Crater Lake National Park. It was a great day to drive the Rim Road and see the lake from every stunning angle.

It is Wednesday at Crater Lake National Park, my dudes!

While a smoky afternoon and unhealthy air quality limited our adventures today at Crater Lake, nature still found a way to give us a pleasant surprise. While chilling at our campsite, two Steller's Jays fluttered, hopped, and vocalized around us. This one bopped right past me as I photographed it.

Crater Lake National Park! Home to the deepest lake in North America, crystal clear water, and towering pine trees, this park is one of our country's most spectacular locations. We are looking forward to spending several nights camping in such a historic and beautiful place!

Lava Beds National Monument! This patch of NorCal is home to fabulous expanses of volcanic rock, like the Devil's Homestead, and lava tube caves. This was also the homeland of the Modocs. The final battles of the Modoc War took place here - fortifications still stand in Captain Jack's Stronghold.

Good morning from the free, undammed Klamath River! Here, the river roars below the former John C Boyle Dam site, 1 of 4 on the Klamath before the largest dam removal project in American history was completed last year. Salmon returned to the Klamath within weeks - for the first time in a century.

In 1942, thousands of American families were ripped away from their lives and homes, forcibly relocated to camps like Tule Lake - solely because the gov't thought their Japanese heritage made them a "threat." Tule Lake Nat'l Mnmt preserves their story - a story which we must all learn and remember.

Fossil Butte National Monument! During the Early Eocene, vast Fossil Lake stretched across the landscape. 52 million years later, Fossil Butte produces remarkably well-preserved specimens of flora, fish, birds, reptiles, and other creatures - including entire skeletons of rare ancient lifeforms.

Good evening from Cheyenne, Wyoming! Before turning in for the night after a long drive, we checked out the Wyoming State Capitol building, softly illuminated in the twilight.

Backed by a wave of student enthusiasm, Indiana Univ. is bringing back its bison mascot! The prairies of the Midwest were once filled with bison, an oft-forgotten history. I hope this excitement helps people learn more about the animal's powerful and important legacy! www.espn.com/college-foot...

Happy #WorldLizardDay! Spotting lizards is one of my favorite desert activities. I encountered this lizard at Arches National Park back in 2023 and watched it perform an important ecosystem role by snacking on bugs! These cold-blooded creatures deserve a warm thanks for their pest-control services!

It's another humid day of petition gathering. If your canvassing photo from today doesn't show you sweaty and tired, did you really knock? Kieran and I got signatures in the 38th Ward today for State Rep Lindsey LaPointe, County Com. Jessica Vasquez, Rep. @delia.bsky.social and other Democrats!

It was a hot afternoon for the first Saturday of petition season, but signatures won't collect themselves! I knocked doors in Elk Grove Village today to help great Democratic leaders @kevinbmorrison.bsky.social and @tedmason.bsky.social get on the ballot.