National Parks Closed

[vangoes]

Lynwood,
I'm originally from Bedford and know the Peaks very well. I expect the lodge/restaurant closed due to lack of business. Although they are on the Rt 43 part of the parkway, most of their occupancy is from tourist traveling the parkway. Rt. 43 runs from Bedford over to Buchanan and does not have much commuter traffic and the parkway would close just past the lodge going north and just past the Rt 43 interchange going south.

[mlh]

vangoes
No it was closed because of the government shutdown. It was just reopened after new management took it over this summer after having been closed for several months, while new management was found. They very much wonted to keep it open in peak season this fall. The Parkway is still open.
Lynwood
Did you know the city of Bedford is now the town of Bedford. It gave up it's city status and became a town again in July?

[c214dick]

What happened to the folks who were camping when the Fed shut down the park system? Assuming they paid in advance for their sites, did they get refunds for the unused days?

[Chip]

You had two days to leave the campground.

Suppose to get a refund.

[c214dick]

But don't hold your breath?

[vangoes]

Lynwood,
Surprising that the Parkway that is not part of the state highway system is open. Around here in the Smokies, the federal roads that are not part of the state highway system are closed. Lots of upset fall tourist and according to the Knoxville news there is one community that the school buses aren't running because the ran a portion of the Federal road to access the community. The state road into the community is too narrow and crooked for the buses to travel. Hmm, Bedford township. I did not know that. It's come full circle. I lived there when it became a "city"

[Tom S.]

quote:Originally posted by c214dick

But don't hold your breath?

A few years ago, we were at Yellowstone when we had to leave only two days in a week long stay because of our daughter's health. A month or so later, I recieved a refund.

[mlh]

vangoes My Bedford buddy as far as I know the Parkway here is still open. I was on it on my motorcycle last week south of Roanoke at Bent Mountain. That is just over Poor Mountain for me. It is a very nice ride on my Honda. It is strange part of the Parkway would be closed and part open.
Lynwood

[Recumbent]

We rode our trikes 10 miles along the bike path in Townsend yesterday. We are in Gatlinburg at the present and observing many folks walking around the blocked road ways in Smoky Mt. NP, but we did not see any one driving around the the blockade signs/cones. It appears that most people here already know who the guilty are, and there is a protest rally scheduled for Saturday here on the Gatlinburg side of the the Park. Some pullouts blocked and some left completely open on US Hwy 441 over New Found Gap. I guess they ran out of blocking cones, and could not block all the many popular spots. Saw 10 Elk at the Pioneer Village on the Cherokee side of the mountain today, a beautiful sighting and have taken a pictures to remember this time when blocked out of our of "our" park. Many cars parked on grass when blocked from parking on the pullouts. We looked for ticketed cars but did not see any, and only saw one law enforcement ranger on our trip across mountain and back Gatlinburg.

[uhftx]

This is in fact a very good question? They always put dates on these signs when they print them so you know you are adhering to the proper current regulation so even if these were generated for or after a different shutdown it should be apparent. Hell I think these guys put dates on the men’s room signs so there should be one on these!


Good question..

Did anyone besides me wonder how they got all those signs printed and distributed far and wide, including to all the national parks and cemeteries overseas only eight to ten hours after the government shut down? Take a look at this from someone who wanted to remain anonymous.



I have worked in the government on and off for 40 years. During that time I became quite familiar with requisitions, bidding, awarding contracts etc. It is a time consuming process with bean-counters and pencil-necked bureaucrats every step of the way. The simplest request takes months not days or hours.



In less than 8 hours of the shutdown, miraculously, professionally printed 3X4 foot signs appeared all over the country in the tens of thousands saying-“this [park, facility, etc. with custom logos] closed due to government shutdown. There has not been a government shutdown in 17 years. These signs were designed, specifications were determined, signs were then requisitioned, bids were posted and vetted, government contracts were awarded. The materials were then ordered and the signs manufactured then distributed U.S. Mails or freight companies.



Everyone has been careful to avoid political speculation, theory and comment up to now. Please don't write something which will result in this thread being locked or deleted.
CRAFT-Guy

[dieselguy]

Your post is a very god point ... a very very good point, but we'd better find another venue to discuss it other than the MOC.