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The government shutdown ruined my Upper Peninsula vacation
Mlive.com ^ | October 05, 2013 | John Russell

Posted on 10/05/2013 6:54:22 AM PDT by cripplecreek

Our vacation was planned for months. The time was planned to coincide with the maximum autumn colors, and the best weather possible.


The planning took place, a vehicle was rented, rooms were reserved, and the weather forecasts were all scanned and showed great autumn forecasts.


Congress was the unknown factor.


For hundreds of vacationers to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the shutdown of government facilities was something that did not fit into the advanced planning.


Dotted with state and federal parks and attractions, the Upper Peninsula has peak fall color in early October. It seemed like the perfect time for us to visit the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Unless they are closed due to a government shutdown.


At the Pictured Rocks, east of nearby Munising, the barricades went up on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Alger County Road H-11, leading to Miner's Castle, a popular overlook at the western end of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, was blocked with three plastic barrels and yellow caution tape.


Numerous times, the tape was ripped off and vehicles continued on to the site. Some drivers were warned and even ticketed for trespassing, according to local residents who did not want their names published due to fear of government reprisals.


One local business that appeared to benefit from the closures was the Pictured Rocks Boat Tours, who suddenly found reservations jumping and full shiploads of visitors. The boats travel east along the 14-mile-long Pictured Rocks, offering great viewing of the unique and ever-changing rock cliffs, waterfalls, and beaches.


We also found the roads closed to the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. The visitor's center darkened and locked.


The attractions offered by the State of Michigan, including Kith-iti-kipi spring at Palm Books State Park, numerous Alger County waterfalls, and a drive to Tahquamenon Falls were all crowded, as disgruntled visitors explored ways to fill the gap caused by the unavailable federal parks and lakeshores.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: nationalparks; rebelling; shutdown
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I'm pretty sure H-11 is a county road but its nice to see that people across the nation have chosen to rebel enmasse.
1 posted on 10/05/2013 6:54:22 AM PDT by cripplecreek
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To: Springman; cyclotic; netmilsmom; RatsDawg; PGalt; FreedomHammer; queenkathy; madison10; ...
If I had the money to spare, I would take off today and head north to ignore the feds and get some great photos.

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Michigan legislative action thread
2 posted on 10/05/2013 6:55:54 AM PDT by cripplecreek (REMEMBER THE RIVER RAISIN!)
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To: cripplecreek

Time for states to take back their land... Ridiculous.


3 posted on 10/05/2013 6:57:30 AM PDT by Frapster (frak)
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To: cripplecreek

I am surprised a legal group hasn’t sued to stop the government from closing parks that people don’t need assistance or service to visit. Like driving the rim of the grand canyon. Close the visitor center, but what authority do they have to close roads to public owned land?


4 posted on 10/05/2013 6:58:58 AM PDT by Yogafist
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To: cripplecreek

We used to live and work at the Grand Canyon.

Rangers have ‘barrycaded’ the road to Lee’s Ferry at Marble Canyon where river runners put in for the run through the canyon.

Some groups have waited for over ten years for their turn to do this. Some private groups have invested more than 20 thousand of their own money and have ccome from all over the country.

Now they are met by armed NPS standing behind concrete barricades placed by bull dozer.


5 posted on 10/05/2013 7:00:38 AM PDT by maine yankee (I got my Governor at 'Marden's')
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To: Frapster

The feds may end up with unintended results due to this whole shut-down mess. They may find we LIKE our freedom to be free.


6 posted on 10/05/2013 7:00:41 AM PDT by madison10
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To: cripplecreek

Since all this is just the boy-king making things as hurtful as he possibly can, I think may have coined a new phrase to describe it...

“Government $hitdown”


7 posted on 10/05/2013 7:00:59 AM PDT by Beagle8U (Free Republic -- One stop shopping ....... It's the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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To: Yogafist

Thou shalt not poach thy king’s deer.


8 posted on 10/05/2013 7:01:41 AM PDT by JohnnyP
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To: cripplecreek

It’d be kind of fun to get a ticket for trespass to put in the old Tea Party scrapbook...


9 posted on 10/05/2013 7:03:41 AM PDT by EBH ( Freeman: A person not in slavery or serfdom.)
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To: madison10

Or many more may like the experience of exercising said freedoms.


10 posted on 10/05/2013 7:05:08 AM PDT by EBH ( Freeman: A person not in slavery or serfdom.)
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To: cripplecreek
They shut down the entrance to the Sleeping Bear Dunes park, but the lower dune climb couldn't be effectively barrycaded. People are still entering from that way and ignoring the yellow tape and cones.

What a bunch of twits these park rangers bureaucrats have become.

11 posted on 10/05/2013 7:05:32 AM PDT by Lakeshark (Mr Reid, tear down this law!)
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To: cripplecreek

Has there ever been anyone truly frightened of Government reprisal during any Republican Admin?? The Left is overplaying it’s hand. I HOPE the mature in the country WAKE UP and FIGHT BACK! This Narcissist-in-Chief is not a King!


12 posted on 10/05/2013 7:06:31 AM PDT by originalbuckeye (Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy)
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To: cripplecreek

Our vacation was planned for months. The time was planned to coincide with the maximum autumn colors, and the best weather possible.

The planning took place, a vehicle was rented, rooms were reserved, and the weather forecasts were all scanned and showed great autumn forecasts.

Congress was the unknown factor.


Congress?

BS

BTW, what is a vacation? Haven’t had one in few years; too busy trying to earn enough for my family in this corrupt nation of ours.


13 posted on 10/05/2013 7:07:05 AM PDT by CincyRichieRich (“Life is hard, but it’s harder when you’re stupid.” John Wayne)
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To: cripplecreek

A vacation ruined here and there, oh my!
A Vacation Ruined Here And There, Oh My!!
A VACATION RUINED HERE AND THER, OH MY!!!

While people continue to loose jobs, get their hours cut back and are gobsmacked by their new health insurance premiums... forget about Benghazi, Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Eric Holder’s gunrunning, and flat out tearing the Constitution to shreds... A ruined vacation is supposed to tug at our heart strings?


14 posted on 10/05/2013 7:07:07 AM PDT by dps.inspect (rage against the Obama machine...)
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To: Frapster

I have an easy solution. Let’s go to his favorite golf course of choice when he’s there with a bucket of golf balls of the same variety that he uses, follow at a safe distance, and keep lobbing them out there near where his shots land to let him see what it feels like to be annoyed. Harmless but very annoying for a serious golfer...: )


15 posted on 10/05/2013 7:08:51 AM PDT by jsanders2001
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To: cripplecreek

I wouldn’t be surprised if they shut down the clouds at the Lake of the Clouds.


16 posted on 10/05/2013 7:09:05 AM PDT by equaviator (There's nothing like the universe to bring you down to earth.)
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To: cripplecreek

Obama bin Laden ruined our vacation too. After 35 years of hard work we planned a 6 week vacation to to loop through National Parks and Monuments starting with Yellowstone, on to Rushmore, and eventually ending in the Smokey Mountians of Tennesse.

We are leaving today and will still do the trip but with changes and have had to cancel reservations all over the place.

Thanks, Obama and Harry Reid for nothing.


17 posted on 10/05/2013 7:11:49 AM PDT by super7man
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To: Beagle8U

The boy-king is a tyrant and using our own national and state police against us, the tax payers. By the way, it’s our tax money that is allowing him to live the life he’s fully enjoying.


18 posted on 10/05/2013 7:12:50 AM PDT by tillacum
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To: equaviator
Wife and I drove from Duluth to Thunder Bay last week, visiting the state parks and lodges along the North Shore. I never cease to be amazed at how well the state of Minnesota takes care of their parks...
19 posted on 10/05/2013 7:12:50 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks ("Say Not the Struggle Naught Availeth.")
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To: tillacum

It’s SOP for Obama’s ‘government $hitdown’!


20 posted on 10/05/2013 7:14:32 AM PDT by Beagle8U (Free Republic -- One stop shopping ....... It's the Conservative Super WalMart for news .)
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