Beginning of an Era

So today I will officially have my first Graduate Level class, at Winona State University. The class is Current Literature and Resources in Recreation, Tourism and Theraputic Recreation. It seems from and e-mail that I received that it will be an inotrduction to the class. This will be a great place to start this degree because the ultimate end will be my thesis. I hope to incorporate Yellowstone National Park into this degree because it is my favorite backyard I've ever had and would like to go back and share my experiences with others.
Yellowstone will always have a special place in my heart. They don't call it Wonderland for nothing. It is a land filled with mystery and intrigue, bears and geysers, elk and eagles, ravens and otters, bobcats and beavers, mountains and valleys...... There is so much to see in this place that it would take a couple of lives to get even close. There are many little nooks and crannies that are hidden gems in YNP, a couple that I would like to see are the Eye of the Needle, a natural stone arch atop the mountain called the Needle that makes up the summit and the Thouroughfare Trail which brings you into the most remote part of the lower 48 United States, the furthest away from any roads.
This trail brings you around the eastern side of Yellowstone Lake and eventually to the South Entrance. At the end it is right around 70 miles. It is a land of pure wilderness infested with bears, wolves, elk, bison and many other residents of the area including mosquitos so thick and vicious that they will almost carry you away while sucking your blood, ask my friends Jeff Patriarche and Mandy Hanning who happen to be one of the coolest couples I have had the pleasure to meet in my life. I have some great photos showing how thick the bloodsuckers are around the lake and we were only 7 miles in on our little adventure.....
Hope you enjoy this little exerpt and keep on reading it should get progressively better.

Cheers and Thanks for Listening,
Franklin J Hessler