09/08/2026
Happy Star Trek Day from the mothership at Mother Neff!
Definitely some great advice from our fellow stewards of this great planet🖖
Captain’s log: We have made First Contact with a bear. The bear would like to be left alone.
Good plan. For more than 60 years, Star Trek has asked humanity to boldly go where no one has gone before. The National Park Service has been doing something similar, although we recommend bringing water, checking the weather, and telling someone where you’re going first. Also, our strange worlds tend to involve mountains, deserts, starry skies, underground caves, forests, oceans, and the occasional bear that has absolutely no interest in joining your crew.
Set phasers to fun! And bug spray/bear spray to stun? Whether you’re exploring the final frontier, a national park, or just trying to find a parking space at a popular trailhead, remember the basic rules of exploration:
🖖 Explore new worlds: Go somewhere you haven’t been before. Preferably somewhere with a map.
🌲 Respect the Prime Directive: Leave wildlife wild. Do not interfere, feed, pet, challenge, or attempt diplomatic relations with them.
🪐 Seek out new life: Look, listen, and observe. Also, don’t beam anything aboard.
🧭 Make it so: Plan ahead, check conditions, and know what you’re getting yourself into. “I thought there would be cell service” is not a survival strategy.
👽 Live long and prosper: Take care of yourself, each other, and the places you visit.
P.S. If you’re wearing a red shirt, maybe don’t volunteer for your party’s away team. Avoid suspicious caves too. Oh, look, we’ve now made Second Contact with the bear.
Image: Clymene haptoera, a moth who wears its very own Starfleet badge at Mammoth Cave National Park.
