A tale of minor civil disobedence

On our recent trip to NM ( During the gov. stupidity ) DW and I came across a National Monument on a back hi-way that really looked interesting to us. There was a small barricade with a closed sign on it. I decided to slide it to the side and go in for a look see. (I put it back after I passed) Once we made it to the parking area, about a mile down the road, we found a spot and parked. We grabbed our cameras and headed to the trail to the point of interest and there was where we where headed off by a Ranger.

Kind Mr. Ranger informed us that the park was closed and that we should kindly depart. I greeted him and smiled, then said that I objected to the way he was being treated and my being there against the wishes of the powers that be was my way of showing support to the NPS. I then thanked him for being on the job, pay or not.

To my statement, he smiled and said "You folks have a great day, stay on the trail and be safe. When you leave, please put the barricade back."

So we did get to enjoy one of our great National treasures and brightened the day of one civil servant.

This was nice, Americans still do need to support Americans.

What?!  You didn't tell the ranger he should be ashamed of himself?

Damn Tom!!! I didn't want to get my shorts run up the flag pole!! ;D ;D ;D

I was traveling during the Federal shutdown and what a nightmare. They chased off the campers at Federal parks that were being run by volunteer workampers that were willing to keep volunteering to keep things open. We were willing to volunteer and help out too.

The reservation system was closed online but refunds for prepaid reservations weren't issued until much later, so basically many folks had double camping money tied up at once.

Along the NC outerbanks, they had chartered helicopters to go chase people off all the beaches and one island was forced to evacuate at great expense. These beaches don't have lifeguards but they're national.  Parking lots that never had a gate or barricade, were suddenly hastily barricaded at great expense. Even self serve unmanned boat ramps were hastily barricaded. We drove to the Hatteras lighthouse, but a ranger was guarding another temporary barricade to make sure we didn't get within two miles of the place to even photograph it. We had a rough time getting the RV turned around, but we managed.

At another Federal area they had removed all the garbage containers but left the built-in frames, sadly people had kept piling up garbage on the ground where the cans were supposed to be. The sidewalk was also littered in garbage and we cleaned it up praying we wouldn't get arrested for our senseless crimes.

One day we managed to find parking and go to the beach anyhow walking right past all the CLOSED signs.  I was thinking how awful it would be to end up in jail over such a dastardly crime as going to the beach.  Would my bail be so high I would have to languish there indefinitely?

After hiking through towering dunes, we found the beach had lots of defiant people on it.  My puppy on a leash was dying to run and play, I foolishly didn't allow this, but later I thought I should have. Might as well break three laws while I am busy breaking two. He was already an accomplice at this point. I should have dropped his leash by accident and let him run wild for a few minutes of play time. I just wasn't thinking clearly. LOL!  I like to think I am normally a law abiding person...

At one national park in another state in a remote location (I won't say where in case they track me down and arrest me!) that we happen to know is run entirely by volunteers, we removed the barricade and went in the park anyhow, putting the barricade back up. We were dead tired and needed a break. We parked and made a picnic while we tried to figure out where to go camp next since we didn't want to stay overnight and break even more laws but it was oh so tempting. We had been careening around without internet and TV so we didn't know what the crazy Feds were up to next until we arrived.

Many of the Federal campgrounds have unmanned deposit safes for camping fees paid on one's good honor. Not sure how it benefited them to turn away all this income while spending money on barricades and closed signs and chasing off the volunteers. I could understand if they locked up restrooms if they had paying help to clean them, but typically the volunteers clean that too.

This country gone crazy...

People seem too terrified to go protest anymore and just put up with all sorts of government and corporate foolishness.

Bring back the 60's, the protests, the peace and love!  We shall overcome!

People seem too terrified to go protest anymore and just put up with all sorts of government and corporate foolishness.

Bring back the 60's, the protests, the peace and love!  We shall overcome!



I hear ya sister!!!! Peace and Free Love!!! * Making a fist in the air*

And a peace sign back at ya. You rock!

Now if 2,000,000 more will join us... they can't lock us all away at once can they?

Bring back the 60's, the protests, the peace and love!  We shall overcome!

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Sorry, but the '60s were not exactly about "peace and love" for some of us.
Show me the scars and trauma (and the long list of loved ones lost lives) you suffered during that recent shutdown. 

you guys will be informed by authorities of the approved protest times....until then you must remain in line.

Sorry to say, Steve, but you could have got that ranger fired. And I hope that if he had politely asked you to leave immediately, that you would have.

Of course I would have Wendy.

Never.... question authority, 

and always eat your Soylent Green!!

DearMissMermaid said:

Along the NC outerbanks, they had chartered helicopters to go chase people off all the beaches and one island was forced to evacuate at great expense.

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Wow, talk about overkill.  Yet they could not keep a ranger or lifeguard on duty. I like your attitude, keep up the fight. 8)

Along the NC outerbanks, they had chartered helicopters to go chase people off all the beaches

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I was also on the NC Outer Banks fishing, during the shutdown, and neither saw nor heard evidence of such action.  No local residents, that I contacted, can confirm such action.  There are helicopter charters, for beach viewing, available to the public all the time.

... and one island was forced to evacuate at great expense.

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This would be Portsmouth Island, an uninhabited island, owned by the NPS, and reached only by ferry for fisherman camping.  True, these folks were required to leave.  The lower island, Cape Lookout, is also owned by NPS, and was closed to visitation.  I wouldn't call these "evacuations at great expense".

There are, no doubt, a multitude of stories about how and what the NPS did or didn't do or should have done or could have done - many true, many not true.  It really doesn't much matter if something was done that cost more than paying a ranger to keep a place open.  There are established rules and regulations that govern what is to be done in such situations and bending the rules is not something we would want because you know it would not stop there.  Eventually, someone would go berserk and destroy something because there weren't enough rangers or leo's around to keep an eye on things.  If you want to complain, complain to the Congress that created the situation in the first place...not to the NPS employees who were only doing their job.

DearMissMermaid said:

And a peace sign back at ya. You rock!

Now if 2,000,000 more will join us... they can't lock us all away at once can they?

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I.m sure they will find a way to get more money to build bigger prisons so they can. :

Lee

Typical of the government, they go for the things that will affect the people the most to ry to get folks riled up.

I am glad that the good Lord took care of me. DW and I were dry camping at Cape Hatteras NWR and on the day we were ask to leave our propane refrigerator would not light and we has to leave in order to get it repaired.

Frank

How disappointing Steve..... 
The title suggested a juicy saga of handcuffs, Miranda rights, and a trip to the pokey..
Instead you brightened my day. Lol.. Support our NPS!  ;D ;D