COMING AND GOING
No Walk in the Park

Sunday, June 18, 2006

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PRIORITIES
No Walk in the Park

Planning to visit a U.S. national park this summer? You'll likely find fewer park rangers available to respond to emergencies, fewer law enforcement officials patrolling, and fewer rangers giving interpretive walks and answering questions, according to the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees. The reason: staff cuts necessitated by inadequate budgets.

In a detailed study of 37 of the nation's parks, the nonprofit coalition "found almost without exception that parks are operating well below the established standards for service and for resource and visitor protection ," said Bill Supernaugh, a former superintendent of Badlands National Park in South Dakota.

Moreover, most parks are suffering from the cumulative effect of years of inadequate budgets, according to a report released by the group last week.

"We've been doing more with less for so many years that now we're having to do less with less ," said coalition member Rick Smith. "The parks have a huge backlog of maintenance projects , and as we cut back on preventive maintenance, the backlog grows."

"Certainly these are challenging times, but we expect our visitors to have a wonderful time in the parks this summer," said National Park Service spokesman David Barna.

The last Park Service official who complained about budget woes to the press -- U.S. Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers -- was fired in December 2003 for doing so.

To see the report: http://www.npsretirees.org.

TOURS WE LIKE
Same Old Same Old?

CoGo has culled, from the hundreds of trip suggestions that cross the Travel desk each month, those that seem particularly alluring:

· Study whales with experts in Newfoundland for a week in July while watching caribou, seals and birds. Cost: $2,549, including airfare, lodging and some meals. Details: 800-567-6666, http://www.maxximvacations.com/ .

· Follow the Flamenco Route in Spain. A five-day itinerary that brings you each evening to a new venue with free entertainment. Details: http://www.andalusia.org/flamenco .

· Get in a cage and dive with great white sharks off Mexico's Guadeloupe Island. A five-day trip, including accommodations, food and drink, is $2,550. Details: 888-405-3268, http://www.sharkdiver.com/ .

· Ride in the grand style of the Orient Express aboard the Royal Scotsman, one of the world's most luxurious trains. Trips of one to seven nights begin at $1,540. Details: 800-922- 8625, http://www.royalscotsman.com/ .

· Float down California's Stanislaus River in a raft after a two-hour ride by rail through the Sierra Nevadas. Trip starts in Oakdale, 100 miles east of San Francisco. Cost: $63, including a box lunch. Details: 800-866-1690, http://www.sierrarailroad.com/ .

CoGo spoke with each tour operator by phone but hasn't taken these trips, so, as always, practice safe travel: Check companies out with the Better Business Bureau and pay by credit card, not cash.

TRAVEL TICKER

American Airlines will now pick up your luggage from certain cruise lines and hotels, including 19 Disney properties in Orlando. You also can get a boarding pass at pickup time so you can go to the airport and proceed straight to the gate. Cost ranges from $10 to $20. Details: http://www.aa.com/aadvancebagcheck . . . The world's finest tall ships -- part of the Americas' Sail festival held every four years -- will be in Beaufort and Morehead City, N.C., June 30-July 5. The North Carolina Symphony will perform a free concert on opening night. Details: 800-514-3849, http://www.pepsiamericassail.com/ .

BARGAIN OF THE WEEK
Manhattan Express

JetBlue is offering introductory fares of $39 each way on its new nonstop service between Washington Dulles and New York's JFK. Flights are scheduled to begin Aug. 17, and sale is good for travel through Sept. 30. Fare  -- $99 round trip with taxes -- must be purchased by June 30. Delta is matching the fare from both Dulles and Reagan National. Info: 800-JETBLUE, www.jetblue.com.

Reporting: Cindy Loose.

Help feed CoGo. Send travel news, road reports and juicy tattles to: cogo@washpost.com. By fax: 202-912-3609. By mail: CoGo, Washington Post Travel Section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.

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