Shutting it DOWN!!

[KathyW]

The gate at Vivian Creek is locked. Maybe we should storm the gate?

Now the RV guy has a free place to live and doesn't even have to open the gate. :)

[climbant]

I don't know how they have the authority to lock us out of public lands. I enjoyed reading about the vets at the World War II monument, not keeping them out.

[hvydrt]

oh man, who is going to feed the deer and water the trees? What about those poor frogs by williamson rock? They will all be dead by sunday without the usfs to protect them.

Its amazing how fast and efficient the feds are when it comes to shutting down and not working.

[Jill G]

The SBNF website is showing San Jacinto and Santa Rosa National Forest STATUS OPEN.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sbnf/rec ... ecid=34151
For the campgrounds: I also clicked on Black Mountain Fern Basin, Dark Canyon, Marion CG are also all showing status open.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sbnf/rec ... ecid=34151

[jnj86]

The SBNF website is showing San Jacinto and Santa Rosa National Forest STATUS OPEN.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sbnf/rec ... ecid=34151
For the campgrounds: I also clicked on Black Mountain Fern Basin, Dark Canyon, Marion CG are also all showing status open.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/sbnf/rec ... ecid=34151

I saw that too, but I don't think the SBNF site is up to date because Dark Canyon has been closed since 9/2/13, and isn't re-opening until May 2014. We're just going to postpone our camping trip for a week or two.

[KathyW]

I don't get the gate locking in the national parks and forests either. I don't know why the unessential employees didn't just lock up the facilites, leave the law enforcement employees who are still at work behind to watch over the closed facilites, and go home without locking the gates on their way out.

For me, it's not just the actions of the congress that are upsetting. It's also the way the USDA and Dept. of Interior is handling the shutdown that is upsetting. If they feel pain; so must everyone else?

[climbant]

Exactly the way I feel Kathy, sorry you have to leave but denying access to the people is pure bs. Those are public lands for our enjoyment and recreation.

[Hikin_Jim]

I don't get the gate locking in the national parks and forests either. I don't know why the unessential employees didn't just lock up the facilites, leave the law enforcement employees who are still at work behind to watch over the closed facilites, and go home without locking the gates on their way out.

For me, it's not just the actions of the congress that are upsetting. It's also the way the USDA and Dept. of Interior is handling the shutdown that is upsetting. If they feel pain; so must everyone else?

It sure does feel like grandstanding. Why close down websites? You could put a message across the top that the park is closed or something, but people could still reference the materials.

I think they're doing it to make a political point. It certainly isn't necessary.

HJ

[AlanK]

I think they're doing it to make a political point. It certainly isn't necessary.

Of course it's necessary. People need to experience the consequences of electing vandals to office because we need to make them stop.

[zippetydude]

I totally agree HJ!

I won't go partisan on the board here because I don't want to be like them (the political devils in Washington) but I do think it's preposterous to suddenly shut down as much as they can. And here's the irony of it all - some blameless regular guy (aka rangers who we all know and respect) is told by the higher ups (which means "the lowest demons down in the abyss") to lock up and shut down, and he loses pay! How about [b]all [/b]of Congress loses a month's pay for every day things are shut down!? No, I'm really not being partisan - I mean every member. Forget which party, they all have a job to do. If companies tried to operate this way they would go out of business. But Congress messes up an entire country, and it only costs them finger pointing?

If that seems like a rant, it's not. I am not for Democrats or Republicans. I am just for us. Besides, I'm harmless. I'm not nearly evil enough to run for Congress.

See you on the trails!

z