Well, wouldn't you know it, just when the skys clear.....

[oldie moldy]

Here in the Northwest, we've been having a record breaking wind and rain storm, the first of winter. I've been watching all the weather sites to see when the front passes and also when's the next one is due. I'd really like to squeak in one last trip up to a lake in the Cascades.

Yesterday, my wife reported that at the local parks, the park service had all the accesses to the parking areas blocked off so the locals who normally use the area to jog or walk had no place to park. It's all open air stuff and you rarely see a ranger on the off season but they wanted to make a point. The penny still hadn't dropped in my noodle.

This morning I woke up and with my coffee, checked the weather reports, Hooray!! Clearing!!! and then the light dawned: they will have the park up in the Cascades closed too. I checked just to be sure: closed.

Boy! Am I ambivalent about these closures by the park service. There's no question that the parks need looking after but this deliberate obstructionist stuff goes down like swallowing pine cones. When I was a kid one of my chores was to feed the pigs. They'd rush to the trough and you barely had room to pour out the slop. If I nudged one with the bucket it would set up such a squeal of outrage and indignation it would like to break your ears! Funny, all these years later I can still hear that.

Best Wishes,

Rob

 

[yellowcanoe]

Thanks for posting OM. It won't help you at all that in the NE there is little federal involvement in parks. Of course Acadia is "closed" ( but there are about a gazillion ways to get in for hiking without passing a park portal ). The weather has been beautiful and access to our waterways unimpeded. It would have been a lovely week on the Allagash.

I have a vision of 535 pigs on the National Mall, each loose and each wearing a nametag representing a Senator or House Representative. I was thinking of going to the Ozarks but all the rivers there or launches are under NPS jurisdiction.

 

[Guest]

Is there anywhere across the border you can go?

I'm not at all familiar with Washington (which I assume you are meaning North Cascades National Park).

You could always fly east to the Adirondacks. They are still open. I'd let you borrow my boat if you wanted.

Anyway I'm starting to think my Indian friend who moved to Canada a couple years back because of an expiring Visa maybe had the right idea...

 

[oldie moldy]

Thanks for the offer Bird, I'm thinking I need to move somewhere, I just don't know where. This last summer gone by was so strange, unpredictable weather and all, very hard to make plans and have any hope of them working out.

Well, Yellow Canoe, that does sound nice all right! Any day now I'll win the Lotto and then come check out that beautiful canoe country you guys have!

Best Wishes,

Rob