January is such a wasteland for Postcards, so I'm taking the easy way out this week . . . LOL!! On the back of each stamp is the commentary you see below. Enjoy the first installment of America, land of superlatives . . .
Largest Reptile: American Alligator Most adult male alligators are about 11 feet long and weigh 450 to 600 pounds. The largest gator on record, however, measured more than 19 feet in length. Alligators are found in swamps, marshes, rivers, and lakes from Texas to the Carolinas. | Highest Sea Cliffs: Molikai The sea cliffs along the northeastern coast of Molokai, one of eight major islands in the state of Hawaii, are the highest in the world. The cliffs near Umilehi Point drop nearly 3,300 feet at an average slope of 58 degrees. | Tallest Cactus: Saguaro The saguaro cactus, symbol of the American Southwest, can grow taller than a five-story building. One record-breaking specimen in Arizona reached a height of nearly 60 feet. A saguaro grows slowly; a ten-year-old plant may be less than six inches high. |
Largest Glacier: Bering Glacier Bering Glacier, near Cordova, Alaska, is the nation's largest glacier. It is about 126 miles wide near its terminus. The glacier changes size with fluctuations in the weather and "calves" icebergs into Vitus Lake. | Tallest Dunes: Great Sand Dunes The Great Sand Dunes rise more than 750 feet above the floor of the San Luis Valley, at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado. Strong winds blow over the mountains toward the northeast, moving sand and constantly reshaping the dunes. | Largest Estuary: Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake Bay cuts across Maryland and Virginia; it is almost 200 miles long and from 3 to roughly 30 miles wide. The surrounding area encompasses a range of environments, allowing a diverse assortment of plants and animals to flourish. |
Largest Cliff Dwelling: Cliff Palace The multistory pueblo known today as Cliff Palace in Colorado, was a large complex containing many rooms. This mysterious archaeological wonder built centuries ago in the shelter of a canyon wall, was constructed primarily of sandstone, mortar, and wooden beams. | Deepest Lake: Crater Lake At its deepest, the bottom of Crater Lake, in Oregon, is 1,943 feet below the water's surface; the lake's maximum width is six miles. This beautiful body of water, know for its intense blue color, formed after the collapse of an ancient volcano. | Largest Land Mammal: American Bison American bison typically reach 7 to 11 feet in length and weigh 900 to 2,200 pounds. They feed primarily on grasses and can run nearly 30 miles an hour. Full-grown bulls stand 6 feet or more at the shoulder. |