Buffalo National River
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 6:31 pm
A point came up on facebook and there was an article on AOL about the national parks closing due to the lack of funding and portions of the government to possibly shut down. Wanting to get the details of how it could affect my canoeing, I called the Buffalo National River park headquarters.
I did not tape the conversation, so I will not use quotes, but the gist of the response to my asking pointedly was - If the government shuts down, NPS facilities with gates will be shut after those that are within the gates are escorted out. Access by private boaters will not be denied to the river, although if there is a gate, you might have to walk what ever distance it is from the gate to the river to get there.
I did not ask about commercial licensees operating because I am not one and I assumed that they would be asking, or NOT asking, depending on how they planned to operate or not in the event of a "park closure". They have a lot of money at stake in those operations and I doubt that they would ever see a refund due to lack of services if they were to shut down like the government might. Might be a good weekend to show your support and hire a shuttle. We do want to keep them in business.
Glad I have carts for my boats. Better make sure I have air in the tires.
Guess I'm just not cut out for government work. Seems like the simplest thing would be to just walk away and NOT lock the gates if you are not being paid. It's NOT their park, It's OUR park, just like it is NOT their river, but OUR river.
Guess they would have to turn off the power and water if they are worried about running up a bill, but with the new turn in NPS "management", they assume we are all thieves, and are going to steal or vandalise everything that IS bolted down and it all has to be protected for us by locking it away. I know they will say there is "the safety issue", but I'm a lot more likely to get hurt stepping over a barricade and walking farther with my bum neck, bum knee, and 45% remaining heart function than I am driving to the river. I'm guessing that they assume that closing a gate makes it "assumed risk" and lower traffic is safer for them.
Wonder if anyone ever told them that when you assume the worst of people, that you sometimes get it. I like to think you get more miles with smiles.
Y'all have fun safely this weekend, regardless of what they do or do not do in Washington.
Eric Esche
I'll still offer my cookies and breads to the rangers to share with us when I pass the can around, but it was surely nicer when we knew most of the rangers by name, and they were glad to see our smiles and boats on the river, and they knew we were the good guys from the river cleanups.
If I sound cranky today, maybe I am. I shoveled a truck load of compost this morning and I've been weeding all afternoon. Life goes on, in spite of arthritus and political bickering.
I did not tape the conversation, so I will not use quotes, but the gist of the response to my asking pointedly was - If the government shuts down, NPS facilities with gates will be shut after those that are within the gates are escorted out. Access by private boaters will not be denied to the river, although if there is a gate, you might have to walk what ever distance it is from the gate to the river to get there.
I did not ask about commercial licensees operating because I am not one and I assumed that they would be asking, or NOT asking, depending on how they planned to operate or not in the event of a "park closure". They have a lot of money at stake in those operations and I doubt that they would ever see a refund due to lack of services if they were to shut down like the government might. Might be a good weekend to show your support and hire a shuttle. We do want to keep them in business.
Glad I have carts for my boats. Better make sure I have air in the tires.
Guess I'm just not cut out for government work. Seems like the simplest thing would be to just walk away and NOT lock the gates if you are not being paid. It's NOT their park, It's OUR park, just like it is NOT their river, but OUR river.
Guess they would have to turn off the power and water if they are worried about running up a bill, but with the new turn in NPS "management", they assume we are all thieves, and are going to steal or vandalise everything that IS bolted down and it all has to be protected for us by locking it away. I know they will say there is "the safety issue", but I'm a lot more likely to get hurt stepping over a barricade and walking farther with my bum neck, bum knee, and 45% remaining heart function than I am driving to the river. I'm guessing that they assume that closing a gate makes it "assumed risk" and lower traffic is safer for them.
Wonder if anyone ever told them that when you assume the worst of people, that you sometimes get it. I like to think you get more miles with smiles.
Y'all have fun safely this weekend, regardless of what they do or do not do in Washington.
Eric Esche
I'll still offer my cookies and breads to the rangers to share with us when I pass the can around, but it was surely nicer when we knew most of the rangers by name, and they were glad to see our smiles and boats on the river, and they knew we were the good guys from the river cleanups.
If I sound cranky today, maybe I am. I shoveled a truck load of compost this morning and I've been weeding all afternoon. Life goes on, in spite of arthritus and political bickering.
