From: alra@governance.net
Subject: The NPS Wants To BUS Everyone In Yosemite
Land Rights Network
American Land Rights Association
PO Box 400 – Battle Ground, WA 98604
Phone: 360-687-3087 – Fax: 360-687-2973 – E-mail: alra@landrights.org
Web Address: http://www.landrights.org
Legislative Office: 507 Seward Square SE – Washington, DC 20003
Phone: 202-210-2357 – Fax: 202-543-7126 – E-mail: landrightsnet@aol.com
The NPS Wants To BUS Everyone In Yosemite
You want to read this. If you don’t like Busing, it will be coming to a park near you unless you act NOW!
Yosemite Freight and YARTS by Peggy Mosley
Imagine this scenario and then decide if you really want to take a bus to tour Yosemite.
It’s 8:30 AM. You, your spouse and two small children are totally excited about the prospects of visiting Yosemite for the very first time. You have debated about taking your own private vehicle (which could soon be forbidden) or leave the driving to them, and take the bus.
You elect to try the bus. You gather your family, your Yosemite Freight, (which consists of a stroller, diaper bag, picnic basket for lunch, camera bag, bicycle, clothing change for the kids, etc.), open your wallet for the $28.00 fare for the four of you, (remembering, of course, that the gate fee is $20.00 for a 7 day pass, for as many people as you can safely put in your vehicle – for a 7 passenger van, that’s 41 cents per person day) and board the bus by 9 AM.
The bus arrives and you load your ‘freight’ on the bus. Since Buck Meadows (Highway 120) is the last pickup stop prior to entering the park, you rumble along the scenic highway into Yosemite. Perhaps, your first stop will be Bridal Veil Falls, where you’ve heard about the spraying mist, the hike up the backside of the falls, etc.
You arrive at Bridal Veil, and get off the bus – yes, you, your family and all your ‘freight’. Now what?? The kids are antsy after the hour plus ride and need to stretch their legs – not to mention the adults. Where will you leave all your belongings while you experience the Falls? Or what about that desire to hike up the backside? Someone must stay back to watch the ‘freight’!
Now that you’ve ‘done’ Bridal Veil, the next bus arrives to spirit you off to the next stop – maybe the big meadow for your picnic. You load your ‘freight’ and family and head for the next stop, where you get to unload again, haul your ‘freight’ to the picnic site and proceed to have lunch.
One of the kids is fascinated by the cute little striped yellow thing flying around the clover. Bingo!!! Now that is some sting on a tender little finger, that begins to swell amidst all the piercing screams of a child is great pain. What to do? Your vehicle with its trusty first aid kit is back at your hotel in Buck Meadows, and there’s no YARTS bus in sight to take you for first aid.
Finally you get to the Visitor Center in the Valley and everyone needs a treat after the harrowing ordeal with the bee. Stop at Degnans for something and prepare to unload your wallet a second time.
If you decide to take the 2.5 hour tour of the Valley Floor, expect to spend about $18/person. If you get out for under $100.00, consider yourself most frugal.
It’s finally nearing 5 PM and almost time to find the YARTS bus where you can load your ‘freight’ for the final time and head back to your hotel, where you’ll arrive about 6:30 P.M.
Wow!!! What a day – What a Yosemite Experience!!! Do you suppose Teddy Roosevelt ever imagined he was creating such a monster? I don’t think so!
The one year YARTS Demonstration program was entirely successful. It clearly demonstrated that people will NOT ride a bus – the YARTS ridership during the demo period was primarily employees of NPS and YCS – riding at taxpayer expense.
If the National Park Service busing plan in Yosemite goes through, you will see it in many other parks. Don’t allow that to happen. Send a letter of testimony to the following Congressmen who are holding a hearing on Yosemite April 22nd.
You can address any Congressman at: Honorable _____________ , US House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 20515.
Here are the National Parks Subcommittee Members expected at the Yosemite Valley Plan hearing April 22nd. Be sure to fax your Testimony to each of them.
Congressmen on the National Parks Subcommittee Expected To Attend The Hearing:
George Radanovich (R-CA) Chairman
Phone: (202) 225-4540
FAX: (202) 225-3402
Website: www.radanovich.house.gov
Barbara Cubin (R-WY)
Phone: (202) 225-2311
FAX: (202) 225-3057
Website: www.house.gov/cubin
Devin Nunes (R-CA)
Phone: (202) 225-2523
FAX: (202) 225-3404
Website: www.nunes.house.gov
Donna M. Christian-Christensen
Phone: (202) 225-1790
FAX: (202) 225-5517
E-mail: donna.christensen@mail.house.gov
Other Committee Members Not Expected To Attend: (Fax testimony to them anyway.)
Elton Gallegly (R-CA)
Phone: (202) 225-5811
FAX: (202) 225-1100
Website: www.house.gov/gallegly
John Duncan (R-TN)
Phone: (202) 225-5435
FAX: (202) 225-6440
Website: www.house.gov/duncan
Walter Jones Jr (R-NC)
Phone: (202) 225-3415
FAX: (202) 225-3286
E-mail: congjones@mail.house.gov
Chris Cannon (R-UT)
Phone: (202) 225-7751
FAX: (202) 225-5629
E-mail: cannon.uto3@mail.house.gov
John Peterson (R-PA)
Phone: (202) 225-5121
FAX: (202) 225-5796
E-mail: john.peterson@mail.house.gov
James Gibbons (R-NV) Vice Chairman
Phone: (202) 225-6155
FAX: (2020 225-5679
E-mail: mail.gibbons@mail.house.gov
Mark Souder (R-IN)
Phone: (202) 225-4436
FAX: (202) 225-3479
E-mail: souder@mail.house.gov
Rob Bishop (R-UT)
Phone: (202) 225-0453
FAX: (202) 225-5857
Website: www.house.gov/robbishop
Please forward this message as widely as possible.
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