INNOVATIVE HAND HELD VIDEO TOUR DELIVERS A PARK RANGER IN THE PALM OF A VISITOR’S HAND!

GPS Ranger™ Launched at Death Valley National Park in California

Death Valley National Park, CA (September 2007)—Death Valley National Park and Bar Z Adventures, the leading provider of hand-held Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology, announced today the introduction of the GPS Ranger™ to visitors at the National Park Service site in California. Thanks to satellites thousands of miles in the sky, visitors can tour the vast beauty of Death Valley and enjoy the expertise of park rangers in the comfort of their own vehicle.

The GPS Ranger—a hand-held multi-media device—utilizes groundbreaking technology to automatically deliver compelling audio and vivid video to visitors at any location in the world!

Death Valley National Park joins several other National Park Service locations in providing the GPS Ranger to visitors including: the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta, Vicksburg National Military Park in Mississippi, and Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah. The GPS Ranger is simple—it delivers the park ranger message based on satellite recognition of GPS coordinates. In effect, visitors to the site can have their own personal “ranger” guide them through a tour of the park.

“Unlike other electronic solutions for the tourism industry, the GPS Ranger™ uses GPS to trigger rich multimedia content when the user comes within range of a point of interest. Audio, video, text and pictures are integrated to tell the stories that have woven the fabric of America,” said Lee Little, founder of BarZ Adventures and inventor of the GPS Ranger system.

Here is how the device works: Visitors touring the breathtakingly scenic desert location while holding a GPS Ranger will automatically see and hear meaningful interpretive content as they walk or drive around the park. The geologic story of the valley unfolds as visitors experience the lowest geographic point in North America. Visitors discover the powerful connection of the native Shoshone to the land they call Timbisha. The challenges faced by gold prospectors and early pioneers are revealed to GPS Ranger users as they are immersed in the spectacular rock formations of this desert landscape. A visitor may also view the entire program on demand, regardless of location, by scrolling the touch screen of the GPS Ranger for content files.

“In our attempt to keep Death Valley National Park relevant as we move into the 21st century we must embrace new technologies to help us with our educational and interpretive mission. This partnership with the National Park Service and Bar Z Adventures is our first step in doing this,” said David Blacker, Executive Director of the Death Valley Natural History Association (DVNHA)."

GPS Ranger is now available through the DVNHA for daily rental at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center for $14.95 per use. The Death Valley Natural History Association is a not-for-profit partner of the National Park Service operating stores throughout the park area. The mission of DVNHA is to connect people to parks through the sale of educational products and services.

BarZ Adventures expects to introduce the GPS Ranger to many more of America’s treasures. Beyond US national parks, the GPS Ranger will be offered to zoos, cruise lines, and other selected regional markets.

About BarZ Adventures

Bar Z Adventures LP is an Austin, Texas-based company combining experts in the fields of computer delivery systems, documentary film production, and interpretive and educational content development planning. Bar Z Adventures has designed the patent pending GPS Ranger with public lands and their visitors in mind – its sole mission is to help enhance the visitor experience at high visitation tourist locations using modern technology. Bar Z Adventures captures the pioneering spirit that is represented in our nation’s history and, through unique technology, brings that history to visitors throughout the public lands of the United States. . . and the World. For more information on the company or its products log onto www.gpsranger.com or call (512) 732-0135.

About Death Valley National Park

Visit http://www.nps.gov/deva/ or call 760-786-3200 for more information.