DETOURS!

On the one hand, without TV, Radio, Internet, Phone etc MOST of the time, I am not really in a position to comment on our government's actions, but when your Volunteer Coordinator calls and says "ïf the Park (Joshua Tree) closes, you will not be able to stay", and then IT DOES....you have to ask yourself  "what is wrong with those people?"  The impact of this week could have ramifications well into the future.  I can hardly bear to think about how this might affect us long term.

Please pray for our government, our National Parks, Forests, Historic Sites and all the "little people" who are the ones carrying the brunt of this action.

On a lighter note (much lighter) we had a great time "back home" in Illinois and as we made our way across the "fly over" states toward Monument, CO, we stopped to see friends along the way in Iowa:

Jill & Ben (again)

Steve & Audrey

Dillon, CO 

James & Sarah

and Colorado Springs,

Lucy & Craig

This was before/during Bill's training to become a Certified RV Technician and Certified RV Inspector.  

The class was comprised of 20 men and 1 woman.  Between the class time, and 2 potluck dinners, we made some new connections, with some very nice people!

Yes, it's official "RV Technnician/Inspector" Bill Suttie

At the end of the week we prepared to continue west and begin our next assignment as Camp hosts and part-time Visitor Center support at Joshua Tree National Park (Blackrock Campground & Visitor Center).

 

This brings us full circle to our Volunteer Coordinator at J Tree.......as I said earlier.....she left a VM message which went something like this ...."ïf the Government shuts down, you will not be able to be in the Park, and will have to find other accomodations".  As Bill & I do not watch TV, or have radio, internet etc MUCH of the time, we had no clue what she was talking about and sought out ways to tap in to the news....we soon learned what was going on.  Despite that information, we did not worry..."really, how often does this happen"......and "it is always taken care of in the 11th hour".  So, we hit the road with little concern.  Imagine our surprise when Dick Borden (a good friend of Bill's who resides in Salome, AZ)  called to offer us his private RV parking space beside his airplane hanger (Dick has TV and was following the current situation).  A flurry of phone calls later and we found ourselves changing direction at the last possible moment (Las Vegas) and heading to Salome.  The good news in all of this, thus far, is that we get to see Dick & Debbie, and don't find ourselves parked in in some obnoxious KOA lot, paying $50.00/night waiting for the Government to get its act together. 

And we wait....calling our Coordinator every morning, 2.5 hours drive from Joshua Tree. 

We feel so badly for those families who work so hard for their little 7 day, 10 day or 14 day yearly vacation, scrimping, saving, planning,and driving halfway across the country, only to be told, at the gate "sorry, we're closed"? Imagine the disappointment of the parents, not to mention the little ones, who will not understand.  I wonder when were the Obama children last told "sorry, we can't go on vacation"!?

Don't get me wrong...I am not blaming the Democrats...I am blaming All of them.

If the importance of our National Parks, Forests and Historic Sites, etc is not recognized and supported, we risk surrendering our National identity.

Isn't it ironic, that as we worked our way west, this past few days, stopping to visit every National Park we happen to be in close proximity to: 

Note here:  when we arrived at this location, some idiot was walking along the top of this honored symbol of one of our Nation's treasures, posing in goofy positions, while his girlfriend took pictures.  It was all I couild do to not say something very unchristianlike.

 we found ourselves there, supporting our National Park system on the last 2 days they were open BEFORE the big fiasco.  

OK, just a little FYI here......we do volunteer FULL-TIME for the National Park system, and this does help keep our parks open and visitor friendly, but we also support our National Parks financially.  We do this by becoming a "member" of every park we visit.  I would ask you to consider Googleing NPS, study up on our parks, pick one (or 2) of those you feel most worthy of your time and money, and "join" that Park's partner Association. You may be surprised at how much you, your children and grandchildren will benefit.  'The joy and reward that you will receive is guaranteed to far outwiegh the small investment you will make :-)

 

As I get off my SUPPORT OUR NATIONAL PARKS stump, I'd like to add one final note:

THANK YOU TO ALL THE HARDWORKING AND UNDERPAID PARK RANGERS (and volunteers) WHO GO TO WORK AND PUT IN THEIR TIME EVERY DAY, WITHOUT COMPLAINT OR QUESTION WHILE HONORING THIS GREAT COUNTRY OF OURS!

And to my Joshua Tree friends......we'll see you when the dust settles.

  

Jan & Bill from friendly Salome, AZ