Stamp Sickness Part II: Anniversaries, Shrines, and those Damned Magnets

If there's a break in the clouds and a penny to spare, our thoughts head in the direction of visiting an NPS site. Even if we've been there before, or have drained it dry of tidbits and collectibles, there's always the possibility of a new stamp that some aging volunteer had assumed was junk. Why, there could be a long-lost picture stamp stuffed in a drawer somewhere that could have been brought out since our last visit! If there's a chance - even a small one - we're willing to gas up and hit the road. And then there's the new wrinkle that's destined to drain our sanity even further: the Passport Program's 25th Anniversary Stamps. Just when we thought there was no reason to look back - only forward - we are forced, through compulsion alone, to retrace our stamps and stuff our second passport book (also a 25th Anniversary edition) with these little ink devils. Why do they torture us so? Don't they know we'll suffer from the DT's until this damned deed is done?

So yes, while we were excited about hitting new sites on our most recent trip to Arizona, we also logged significant miles throwing open the doors of familiar visitor centers to hunt down the anniversary stamps. Even Capulin National Monument, an hour out of the way despite our fatigue, could not be ignored, even though we had no intention of driving up to the top once again. In, stamp, and out, all in under a minute of rushed excitement. And if we were told that they forgot to tell us about the odd little rarity that just arrived in the mail that morning, we'd be back again, even if we had nothing else to do in the area. Fortunately, our mental illness is directed at sending more dollars to an already strapped element of the federal government. No one is harmed, except of course the occasional ranger who gives us lip and doubts a stamp's existence.

And then there are the park brochures, called "unigrids" by the faithful. While containing beautiful pictures and valuable information, why not slice them down to size, frame them, and decorate the walls of our home? While we've limited their scope to two rooms and a hall, there's no reason we can't go further, spending hundreds of dollars to dazzle the eye with assorted collages and artful poses. The images are diverse and colorful, so they really add character to an otherwise bland environment, and they sure beat the presidential photos we preferred in years past. In the end, it's always better to stare at Devils Tower instead of Warren Harding.

Finally, there are the magnets. Not as vital as the stamps, of course, but pretty damn close. The obsession started harmlessly enough in December 2009 at the Salinas Pueblo Missions, and though it was not known at the time that it would feed our OCD, it took only a month for the collection to catch fire. But what to do about places we had already visited? Would we have to drive back? Not necessarily. Fortunately, there's an Arizona-based organization called Western National Parks Association, and in addition to stocking bookstores at assorted NPS sites, they have a teeming catalog of park-related collectibles, including those glorious magnets. As such, we were able to secure magnets from well over a dozen past sites that would otherwise elude us. Still, the WNPA is not everywhere, and for some, we would have to make a personal appearance. Hey, it's always a good thing to see America's treasures, but I can't say it tickled my travel bone to be forced to hit Agate Fossil Beds once again. Needless to say, we went anyway, taking a weekend to also hit Fort Laramie, Scotts Bluff, and Chimney Rock.

Will we ever stop? I doubt it, as our refrigerator still has space galore; more than enough to accomodate over 100 sites. But why? Aren't such collections usually reserved for the severly autistic or eldery shut-ins who spend more time talking to their trash than other human beings? Sure, every serial killer or mental patient has a box of something to foist on outsiders, but for now, we're still in possession of our faculties. That said, check back in a few years to see how we're doing. At the very least, we'll have more magnets to show you.