Weekend plans almost ruined???

I've been laid up for most of the past week recovering from a stomach virus (puke-flush-repeat), so haven't actually checked. But from the local media, the Blue Ridge Parkway is "open-shut".

The visitors centers and other facilities are unmanned and closed, with no access to rest rooms. The primary local concessionaire, Pisgah Inn hotel-restaurant, tried to stay open but was forced to close Thursday PM.

But the road, overlooks, views, and trails like the Mountains-to-Sea Trail are open.

Our astronomy club had a star gaze at Mt Pisgah last night in the trailhead parking lot (well away from the inn), no issues reported. This was supposed to have been a reservations-only event at Purchase knob in the GSMNP, so had to be moved.

Jim, "I drink coffee for _your_ protection."

I wonder if some of these folks could sue the government for refunds? They did not cancel their contract, the government did!

No sure how that's going to be worked out. The story I saw as a couple that is supposed to get married this Sunday in Yosemite. Supposedly they're not eligible for a refund until after Sunday when there positively isn't a possibility of a govt settlement at the last moment.
Can you imagine the poor girl, having planned this thing for months, held in limbo because her government couldn't agree?

J-mans Dad wrote:
Concessionaires within National Parks are being required to shut down also. Delaware companies run the hotels and campgrounds at Yosemite including the iconic Ahwahnee Hotel. Stories abound in the local news about wedding plans being cancelled in Yosemite and tourists required to leave the campgrounds and lodges. Some of these poor couples can't even reschedule their wedding as the deposits and guests nonrefundable travel plans have already been made.
So I'd double check to make sure they're open.

I wonder if some of these folks could sue the government for refunds? They did not cancel their contract, the government did!

Concessionaires within National Parks are being required to shut down also. Delaware companies run the hotels and campgrounds at Yosemite including the iconic Ahwahnee Hotel. Stories abound in the local news about wedding plans being cancelled in Yosemite and tourists required to leave the campgrounds and lodges. Some of these poor couples can't even reschedule their wedding as the deposits and guests nonrefundable travel plans have already been made.
So I'd double check to make sure they're open.

the entire northern delaware river corridor is shut down, delaware water gap national rec area) . disrupting prime 3 week leaf peeking season, 88 federal employees, and 7 canoe liveries are out of work. heck i cant go fishing!

The commissary shut down the other day here at Macdill AFB in Tampa Fl.
I was wondering if the gov. is shut down who prepares the meals at the White house now?

Our plans got ruined by Karen. We are in Pensacola, plan was to head over to foley/gulf shores. Not now.
:(

They tried to ruin ours. We had plans to stay at Cades Cove in the GSMNP. Thinking ahead of the shutdown, I made reservations for a Cabin outside the park. Low and behold, they did do the shutdown. Was told by recreation.gov staff on Tuesday morning that they were handling it all on a day by day basis. Meaning, we would of had to wait until Thursday to find out if we had a place to stay there or not or to get a full refund. I opted to lose the $10 cancellation fee and not take a chance of trying to get the entire refund.

We came thru Moab today on our way back to Albuquerque for the Balloon Fiesta.
Before Moab, we were just leaving a Truck Stop that had an Asian Lettered Prevost full of Asians just boarding. It took the bus about an hour to catch us and pass just short of the entrance to The Arches. The bus was parked at the entrance which was gated shut. Got to wonder what the passengers did for entertainment with the Nat'l parks closure?

They're probably like the CGs at Ft. Campbell. The campground land is leased to a private company. Anyone can camp there at any time.