10/5-10/6 2013
I decided that I needed to see for myself what the government shutdown looked like in DC. I’m always looking to get good photos and find creative ways to get in a workout. All this lead to driving to downtown Washington and going for a running photo safari around the National Mall and surrounding monuments. I ended up hiking/running over 6 miles and “trespassed” on LOTS of “closed” government property. Most of the photos are taken with my Nikon D600, but when I decided to get my run on a bit faster I started just taking shots with my iPhone 4.
It was really odd arriving downtown on a hot sunny Fall day to find very few people, relative to the normal DC scene. All the locals were still out enjoying the shops, cafes and restaurants, but there was only a few bus loads of Asian tourist milling about the closed monuments and museums. The locals were also taking full advantage of the deserted scene to play frisbee golf on the Mall, jog, cycle and just generally take in the beautiful DC day. There were closed signs everywhere, but none, besides the locked museums, were being minded by anyone. Any where there were temporary gates people had just moved them aside to allow them access to the monument or memorial. I actually noticed very little in the way of any type of police or security in the entire area, with the exception of the always heavily guarded Capitol building. As an action sports fan/participant myself, it was fun to watch a big group of skater kids session the features outside the Native American History Museum, but at the same time it was sad to see them waxing up and degrading such new and pristine landscaping around the Museum. Makes you wonder what is happening on other federal property around the country that no longer has any oversight.
I must admit that I had fully planned to be taking photos of huge demonstrations by the American people about the actions/inactions of our government that caused the shutdown. Instead I found 2 groups with signs in protest of Obama, by groups I mean 1 family with a few signs on the lawn in front of the Capital and 1 guy standing on the Capital steps. Where is the outrage against our bought and paid for government who are kicking back in their recliners on this nice Fall weekend while the American public suffers due to their inability to do the jobs they were elected to do? I have to say that I’m appalled at the whole situation!
On Sunday my friend Stephen Wright was in town teaching a freestyle kayaking clinic for Valley Mill Kayak School. I figured it would be a great opportunity to get a workout in, learn a few freestyle skills, take some photos and see what access issues there really were to paddling the Potomac during the shutdown. What I found was less available parking, a lot of people ignoring and stepping over signs and barriers and the local rescue crews still out training on the river. Shutdown and low water didn’t deter from an amazing 80+ degree Fall day on the Potomac with good people. I also HIGHLY recommend taking a kayak lesson with Stephen if you ever get the chance. You WILL learn a ton of skills, as well as ways to continually improve after the class is over.
Please take in the above sentiments and photos below as a report or “snapshot” of the scene in Washington this past weekend and in no way a political statement of any kind. This website is about travel and adventure sports, not politics. I however do believe that this shutdown is having and will have lasting effects on this great nation. These effects are already and will continue to hurt travelers and athletes, as well as their associated industries.
