Subpar Parks Jigsaw Review
Subpar Parks jigsaw Puzzle review - and some musing on our interaction with the non-climbing visitors
By Christina Rivett
All climbers have downtime. Rest periods elected or forced, by conditions or foresight, times where we do not go outside and pursue the passions which bring us together in NZAC. Times filled with chores or relaxation, and with space for reflection.
Personally, a big treat for me is jigsaw puzzling. I’m relatively picky with my puzzles though. The picture matters a lot to my enjoyment. The quality of the cut too. And nothing under 1000 pieces. Though from a time management perspective nothing over 3000 either, because once I start it’s incredibly hard for me to prioritize anything else. Like chores, for example. A great side effect to my puzzling though, is that it does allow space for my thoughts to run and reflect.
This is a review of a jigsaw puzzle with posters of US National Parks reviewed … with me still?
American illustrator Amber Share had a genius idea when reading a google review of a US National Park. It was a one star review—the visitor was not impressed. And it turns out that all the parks have received similarly bad reviews, which to me is incredibly funny. This human tendency to review even nature … Amber Share decided to make posters in beautiful tourist poster style, named Subpar Parks. The text on the posters are all one star reviews of that parks. She has made 63 of them. And then to make me even happier (without her knowing), she put them all laid out in a grit on a jigsaw puzzle. “Buy now” has never been an easier decision for me. Shipping doubling the cost couldn’t stop me. I even found the patience required waiting for arrival all the way from the US. I hate online shopping, yet this was worth overcoming my aversion. The quality of the board is high. The cut for the pieces, really varied and interesting. The gluing of the picture to the board is solid. This is not just a gimmick puzzle living on smart graphics. This is top manufacturing.
And here is the key; the images, the illustrations, these posters, as they slowly come together there's so much food for thought and reflection. First I laughed at the silliness of the reviewers' expectations of these places. Why did they decide to go? What even brought them to the national parks? I pondered that for a long time, I must admit.
'Trees block view—and there are too many gray rocks', Yosemite National Park.
'Super unimpressed', Rocky Mountain National Park.
'Mountains not nearly tall enough', Gates Of The Artic National Park.
hey go on … 63 of these reviews.
My next thoughts were on the overcrowding that the 'Instagram Era' has brought to some destinations. Maybe it’s a good thing that not everyone likes these beautiful places? Part of their beauty for many of us is, after all, the solitude and quiet space.
These large areas of land, that we as members of NZAC treasure, are unfortunately not always guaranteed to be our playground. Brought more to our attention through the important work ACAT does and as governments search for resources to satisfy an ever growing population and consumption, it is a fact that we cannot take access to these places for granted. The most likely way to secure our spaces in a democracy, is for as many people as possible to value them.
As primarily a boulderer, when I approach my playground, I carry my big boulder pad. It is disproportionate to my own size and this has brought many reactions from the public visiting Hooker Valley near Aoraki, for example. And I have in the past found myself being funny—on the edge of snarky—as I am asked for the 20th time, while passing other visitors, what I am carrying. The suggestions from them are at times clueless, though creative. A less thoughtful chess move in the game of life, that I have been guilty of on occasion, has been ignoring or faking an in reality unnecessary rush. But on the occasion that I have actually taken the brief moment to engage on friendly terms and remember that people asking 'stupid' questions are actually not asking stupid questions at all, but seeking understanding from their perspective, I’m reminded how lucky I am to have been given a good way into this world of outdoors. And a moment of positive interaction has always left these strangers expressing much gratitude. It’s not a far-fetched conclusion, that they will be far more likely to go home and reflect on the experience of visiting with a small but fond connection rather than a 'pretty average experience', Haleakalã National Park. Which will go a long way towards saving our access. Even if it is shared.