The Black Hills of South Dakota are home to not one but two of the world’s longest cave systems. Both in the National Park system, Jewel Cave National Monument and Wind Cave National Park are must-see destinations.
 
Located just 20 minutes away from each other, these two caves are different in so many ways. One features the world’s largest concentration of rare boxwork formations and the other glitters and sparkles with calcite crystals.
 
In this episode, we talk about what makes each cave unique, how they were discovered and developed more than a hundred years ago, and some important things to know before you go.
 
The best way to support our podcast is to become a member of our Patreon account. Follow this link to check it out.
 
And don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.
 
Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.
 
Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.
 
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#122: The Underground World of Jewel Cave and Wind Cave

In Dear Bob and Sue, authors Matt and Karen Smith share stories of their travels to all of the U.S. National Park as well as other spectacular public lands. From adventures gone awry to memorable moments and Q&As from readers, get to know the couple behind the books and get inspired to go on some adventures of your own.

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Philosophy

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Each year, the National Park Service celebrates National Park Week in April. And this year, they’ve planned events from April 20th through April 28th.
 
In this episode, we highlight some of the activities that will happen during National Park Week, give a brief history of the creation of the NPS, and interview our special guest, Jacob Wolfley, who recently spent a summer as an intern park range at Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota.
 
Jacob will enlighten us on what it takes to score a job or internship at a national park, what it’s like working as a ranger, and his ambitions for a possible career with the NPS.
 
So, tune in and get ready to learn about the NPS and all the exciting activities coming up in National Park Week.
 
Here are a couple of links related to the topics we discussed in this episode:
·     Find out more information about National Park Week here
·     Here is a link to the National Park Service’s jobs site
·     Check out our interview guest, Jacob Wolfley, on Instagram
 
The best way to support our podcast is to become a member of our Patreon account. Follow this link to check it out.
 
And don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.
 
Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.
 
Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.
 
To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.
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#157: Celebrating National Park Week

In our Mailbag! episodes, we answer questions from listeners about the national parks, ranger-led tours, road trips, hiking, camping, backpacking, gear, relationships, and pretty much whatever anyone wants to ask us.
 
In this episode, we cover these topics:
·     An overview of some of the closures within the national parks this year,
·     Suggestions for hikes in Guadalupe Mountains National Park,
·     Tips for avoiding altitude sickness when traveling to high-elevation parks,
·     Common mistakes people make when planning a trip to the national parks,
·     Relationship advice for couples who are together 24/7,
·     And more!
 
The best way to support our podcast is to become a member of our Patreon account. Follow this link to check it out.
 
And don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.
 
Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.
 
Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.
 
To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.
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#156: Mailbag: Visiting Guadalupe Mountains National Park and More!

One of the most frequent questions we get from travelers is how to plan a visit to Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton NPs in a single road trip. In this episode, we cover all the details you’ll need to do just that.
 
Without a doubt, these three parks are at the top of our “most spectacular” list. Each has its unique history and landscape, yet they’re all great places to witness once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters. The other thing they have in common is that they all have mountainous regions. Given their elevations, winter weather can sneak up on you anytime during the year, which makes carefully choosing your dates to visit even more important than with many other destinations.
 
With the current popularity of the national parks, especially these three, embarking on a road trip to see them requires advanced planning. We suggest a year or more before your desired travel date. However, you can do it, and we’ll share all the tips and tricks we know to help you.
 
The best way to support our podcast is to become a member of our Patreon account. Follow this link to check it out.
 
And don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.
 
Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.
 
Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.
 
To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#155: Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Parks Road Trip

In our Mailbag! episodes, we answer questions from listeners about the national parks, ranger-led tours, road trips, hiking, camping, backpacking, gear, relationships, and pretty much whatever anyone wants to ask us.
 
In this episode, we cover these topics:
·     News about a faster way to enter Rocky Mountain National Park this summer,
·     Update about cabin demolitions within Olympic National Park,
·     Travel advice for a listener wanting to visit the Pacific Northwest this fall to see the mountain larches change colors,
·     Tips for visiting Virgin Islands National Park,
·     Our thoughts about a couple of our favorite “hard-to-get-to” national parks,
·     The ranger-led tours in Mesa Verde National Park ranked from easiest to most difficult,
·     National Parks that are good for kids,
·     And more!
 
Click this link for more about us: https://linktr.ee/mattandkaren

The best way to support our podcast is to become a member of our Patreon account. Follow this link to check it out.
 
And don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.
 
Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.
 
Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.
 
To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.
 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#154: Mailbag: Visiting Virgin Islands National Park and More!

Long before the National Park Service was founded, the U.S. Army was put in charge of protecting America’s national parks. One of the groups that played a crucial role in fulfilling this invaluable service to our country was the Buffalo Soldiers: African American officers and enlisted men serving in the Army.
 
When the regimen stationed in San Francisco was tasked with protecting and developing infrastructure in Sequoia and General Grant (now Kings Canyon) National Parks, these incredibly hardworking soldiers made jaw-dropping progress in their first season of duty.
 
Led by the infamous Captain Charles Young, who was later posthumously promoted to Brigadier General, this group of approximately one hundred men set out to guard and improve these priceless areas. They built roads into the parks and protected the land from poachers and trespassers, making it possible for future generations of visitors to these national treasures.
 
In this episode, we discuss the accomplishments of the Buffalo Soldiers, not just in these two parks but also in Yosemite and the surrounding public lands.
 
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Click this link for more about us: https://linktr.ee/mattandkaren

The best way to support our podcast is to become a member of our Patreon account. Follow this link to check it out.
 
And don’t forget to check out our new online merch store and www.dirtlander.com.
 
Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show.
 
Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Twitter at @mattandkaren, on Facebook at dearbobands, or check out our blog at www.mattandkaren.com.
 
To advertise on The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast, email us at mattandkarensmith@gmail.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#122: The Underground World of Jewel Cave and Wind Cave

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