CuRVWander

As I was writing the last post we got a visit from our supervisor, Kelly and the ranking law enforcement ranger.  Kelly told us that things had changed overnight and that now she was furloughed, along with all but four LE's and that they were doing a hard shutdown.  We have to leave. But, thankfully, we have until Friday.  That gives us about 48 hours to see if all our UPS shipments arrive.  I know for sure that there is one that is too far along to intercept, I'll be getting on the phone to see if I can divert the other two. We are going to help Kelly board up the entrance station today about noon and then I guess we will start configuring the rig for travel.  It is amazing how much stuff you get spread out after sitting in one place for awhile.  We are going to need the couple of days that we have to get it done in an orderly fashion. And I guess I better get started trying to find campgrounds with sites available.  I gotta get cracki...

As the day has progressed we have learned a few (very few) details about the shutdown.  Since my last post we found out that the rangers that work the entrance station and campground check-in kiosk have been furloughed with no option to remain.  They are done for the season and have to vacate the premises.  There is no going back to "normal operations" even if the ding-dongs in Washington work things out. We also found out that people already in the campground with permits that go beyond 11:00am Thursday morning will NOT be allowed to stay as we were first told.  Everybody has to be gone, campers, cabins and lodge all gone. The entrance station, 12 miles away in the meadow is already closed and barricaded.  Law Enforcement Rangers are now sitting out there and making sure no one tries to skirt around by coming in the exit.  Road signs have been put up at Jacob Lake 45 miles away warning drivers that the Grand Canyon is closed.  Sounds funny do...

There were no last minute deals worked out in the back rooms of Capital Hill last night so we are now in an official shutdown (some are saying "slimdown") of the Grand Canyon. Our supervisor spoke with us briefly moments ago and was very clear that we were furloughed and that we were NOT to do any volunteer activities nor have any contact with the public.  We were told that we could remain in our campsite for a few more days to see if the government starts back up again or we could choose to say that we are ending our assignment and move on.  We'll be hanging out awhile to see what happens.  We at least have to wait around long enough to get our last batch of mail and a couple of UPS shipments that are on the way. In the meantime, the campers that are already in the park can stay until their permits expire.  But no new permits are being issued and once a permit expires they will not be allowed to linger as Law Enforcement will be doing daily sweeps to e...

At 9:00pm local time, 12:00am eastern time we received an email from the North Rim Fees Supervisor (the highest ranked person on the non-law enforcement side of the park system and our primary supervisor).  Looks like the government is going to shut down and she forwarded an email from the Grand Canyon Superintendent, who is headquartered on the South Rim. In his email he was alerting all park officials that most jobs would be furloughed as of tomorrow, including all volunteers.  Even though some of the volunteers get no pay at all, like us camp hosts, there are a class that do get stipends and expenses paid.  Regardless, we are all to cease any volunteer duties. We have been given the option to furlough in place or end our stint early.  But if we do end it, we must vacate the park.  I don't know about the other volunteers, but I'm going hiking tomorrow.  If the House and Senate can't get their act together in a few days then we'll see if it is worth pu...

As the end of the season at the North Rim approaches I was reviewing the subjects I had covered while here.  I was surprised to find that I had no pictures of the campground other than a few shots out my front door and rear window.  Insufficient. I set out on foot to take some snapshots.  But what could have been done in a few minutes turned into a few hours.  Walking past virtually every campsite I was stopped many times to answer questions about the campground, give recommendations on which trails were best for this evening's sunset and then my favorite, pet the dogs that would let me. But I did get my pictures.  I'll begin with where the campers come into the campground, the registration kiosk. That is our co-host, Don with his head stuck in the window, talking to the ranger on the desk today.  I found it odd that other than electricity, there are no utilities in this building.  No water, no bathroom.  The rangers have to close the kio...

We found our way from the South Rim to Flagstaff and the townhome we were lent to use.  What a great place!  Three bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and a TV that actually received a signal.  Not having seen any TV for the past two months I was itching to get me some couch potato time.  But it was not to be at this moment.  It was late and we had not eaten yet.  Time to find Oregano's . Since we were in the big city we figured that Siri would be able to tell us how to get to the restaurant.  No way, that ditzy phone had no clue.  Luckily I had looked up the address before leaving the townhome and we plugged that into Big Gulp's GPS.  Ten minutes later and we were pulling into the parking lot. We had been warned that this was a popular place and that there was usually a line waiting to get in.  But our late arrival worked in our favor, we walked right in and were immediately seated.  We did what we knew we shouldn't, we ordered the Chic...