Recreation.gov September 23, 2018, 10:14:52 am 3rd hand info... This was posted on another forum:Just read a post on another forum from someone working at a COE campground. They are being trained to changeover to Recreation.gov for all reservations as of 10/1. Says all federal CG's will be recreation.gov from now on.If you currently have non recreation.gov reservations for the week of 10/1 you might want to take along the printed receipt.
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #1 – September 23, 2018, 11:09:28 am Greg,When I pulled into Serrano last week (still here), I heard complaints from the nice lady at the kyosk about the new company running reservations for rec.gov (at least in this area). One thing mentioned was that you must have an active email address or you will not be able to complete a reservation. Another thing mentioned was that the computer program being used has issues so they (here at Serrano) are using old forms to register guests.When I asked, “What does this mean to me when booking online”? She said nothing has changed on the guests end so there won’t be anything for us to be concerned about. That’s good news for me. This new inclusion of all Nat Parks should be a nice change for rec.gov users since we should may have easier access to more campground options. All good? We’ll see.Kent
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #2 – September 23, 2018, 03:37:25 pm Between you and me I really don't like this system. The reservation fee is, to me, a grab by a private company to get money from the public trying to use government services. We just pulled into Fort Perkins Gulf Shores campground. No reservations and no extra fee. My kind of camping. 2 Likes
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #3 – September 23, 2018, 03:48:39 pm "This new inclusion of all Nat Parks should be a nice change for rec.gov users since we should may have easier access to more campground options."---Can you expand on why you feel that more national park "campground options" may be available through recreation.gov? As far as I know, Aspira (the new concessioner) runs both recreation.gov and reserveamerica.com now. Recreation.gov Help & SupportReserveAmerica - About Us
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #5 – September 23, 2018, 06:08:18 pm Joan, I have just tried both the Reserve America and the Rec . Gov reservation apps and I have not been successful using the RA app. When using the RA app, I am having a difficult time using their “calendar” format to select a reservation window. Searching forward to October for sites at Serrano, I am not being allowed to go back to September for whatever reason. And when I find a date open I am not able to open the reservation window to reserve a site. I have not had much success with “calendar” formats. The Rec . gov app uses a “spinner” style reservation date selector. While August 2018, for example, is excluded from possible date selections, September is still selectable from today’s date forward. I find this app to be much more user friendly. I’ve been using rec . gov since we picked up the LD. That being said, when trying to locate this app for a friend for their iPhone, we were unable to locate it. I wonder if the Rec . App is still available.So for me, having rec . gov include more campgrounds for selection on the app the better off I am. Locating other CGs nearby that I find to my liking is good news to me. Not having to use the RA app just pleases me to no end.For these reasons, I am hopeful that my app of choice will have a greater selection of campgrounds soon.Kent
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #6 – September 23, 2018, 06:20:22 pm Don,Are your concerns related to limiting access to the general public by making campsites less well known? And by doing so lessen the already overcrowded campgrounds available. If so, then I can understand your concerns. However, after reading Reserve America’s guiding principle, making the outdoors more readily accessible is what they are all about. Where then, do we go from here?Kent
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #7 – September 24, 2018, 10:25:25 am I've never had problems with recreation.gov or reserve America. But don't get me started on Reserve California, horrible horrible site that doesn't work and buggy as hell. We often try to get ADA sites because my daughter is in a wheelchair, I end up having to call every time because their system requires the placard # but when you enter the info it doesn't recognize it! They said they would fix that problem over a year ago, nope. I wish they would go back to reserve America. 3 Likes
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #8 – September 24, 2018, 11:00:43 am "I end up having to call every time because their system requires the placard #..."I also am forced to call, to the point that it's become routine, because of my Disabled Veteran's Pass, every year for reservations at Morro Bay.
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #9 – September 24, 2018, 01:05:58 pm /soap box mode onI like all US folks pay taxes. My Federal taxes go to the upkeep of US Federal property. I resent giving a private company money just for the honor of using their web site for asking to use government property I already paid for. I'd happily pay more to the government for the site if it went to the upkeep of said site. /Soap Box mode off ......... 4 Likes
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #10 – September 24, 2018, 01:35:29 pm Hi all,Has anyone heard if the required 2 night minimum stay policy for weekends will still be instituted? I have never liked this policy. So many times when we have been traveling we do not wish to stay in a campground for 2 nights, especially if we are going from point A to point B in a one week or two week vacation window. Michigan DNR has taken back their reservations from Reserve America and no 2 night stay is required. I think that this policy encourages the "party" atmosphere at crowded parks.
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #11 – October 03, 2018, 01:02:04 pm Just an FYI on Rec dot Gov. If you are currently attempting to access their site between October 1-5 you will need to call a campground directly to make, change or cancel a reservation until later in the morning of the 5th. Here is a letter I received from them several days ago..Kent
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #12 – October 03, 2018, 06:52:58 pm Wait, it launches October 1, but you can’t access it for anything until after October 5? So, it really launches October 6? This is a great start for our least liked monopoly. 👎🏻 — Jon 3 Likes
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #13 – October 03, 2018, 11:26:05 pm Quote from: Jon & Loni - October 03, 2018, 06:52:58 pmWait, it launches October 1, but you can’t access it for anything until after October 5? So, it really launches October 6?I just looked at the site, and it appears to be in full operation, at least for the Kalaloch campground I used a week ago. I could look at maps of the campsites and facilities, read about the park and surrounding areas, check the fees and cancellation policy, and more. Since Kalaloch doesn't take reservations after Sept 9 every year (all sites become first come, first served), the functionality of the reservation system is moot.So, take a look at the site for the areas you are interested in, unless you already know all you need to about it.
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #14 – October 04, 2018, 12:51:52 am That’s good news, however they’re still down around here. The site works up to a point but shows no active campgrounds around Big Bear. Here’s a screen shot of my search results a few minutes ago. I did cancel a weeks camping for next week just before the site went down.It’s all good I suppose. I personally get a lot of use from Rec . gov so I’m looking forward to checking things out next week.Kent
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #15 – October 22, 2018, 01:16:18 pm Today I thought I’d give the new rec dot gov site another try. Here’s what I’ve experienced so far.The old app for rec dot gov no longer works. It appears that it has been relegated to the “dead app bin”. So much for ease of access.Safari seems to work ok but after contacting rec dot gov via “chat” Google Chrome appears to be the preferred access point for their services. When selecting calendar dates, for example March 2019, it is best to go one month further. This allows the March calendar to fully appear. Otherwise 1/2 the dates are covered by forward/reverse tabs and the later 1/2 of the month is inaccessible. Once a campground, site and dates are selected you can then scan down the page and apply any Senior Passholder discounts. So far so good.That’s all I’ve got on the new system at this point. Just an update. Has anyone else used the new system yet? Just curious. Heading to Yosemite soon for coffee and donuts. 😉Kent 1 Likes
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #16 – October 22, 2018, 11:24:11 pm I cut short my stay at Fallen Leaf Lake at Tahoe in early October. The CG host said they were not set up to process cancellations and to contact Rec.gov. Site cannot handle changes for current reservations. Who would have thought someone might change plans during their stay? /s Wait time on phone was est 30+ minutes. I filed a refund claim in arrears after I got home. Response message indicated 6 week lag time to process. Not much $ involved, but it's fun pushing sticks in the gearworks. Having spent a couple decades in IT development, I can understand the problem - there's no excuse for it.Will await their response and the next chance to push sticks.Joel"Big Brothers' low-bid subcontractor is watching you" 2 Likes
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #17 – October 23, 2018, 10:44:27 pm Having experienced the Missouri Dept. of Corrections selling off medical & mental health services to a private contractor, & seeing the way more money was spent for less , I love the idea of "pushing sticks."What colddog said bears repeating: "I like all US folks pay taxes. My Federal taxes go to the upkeep of US Federal property. I resent giving a private company money just for the honor of using their web site for asking to use government property I already paid for. I'd happily pay more to the government for the site if it went to the upkeep of said site." Amen!Since I've not used any of these sites yet I do appreciate those of y'all who are more edumacated about all things tech being the beta testers & helping them work out the kinks. Lynne
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #18 – November 29, 2018, 09:56:12 pm With Christmas on the near horizon, I thought I’d cancel my trip to Indian Cove at the end of next week. Navigating the NEW rec.gov site is getting easier, however I could not get the site to accept my request for cancellation. I tried several times to cancel but eventually resigned myself to keep the reservation and enjoy a week in the desert. This afternoon, I received a check from the US Treasury. 🙀 It turned out to be a refund check for a cancelled rec.gov booking for mid November. Previously all cancellation refunds were credited back to my Visa card. I found this twist to be very interesting. Not only in the method of refund but also the time frame in which the refund was received (about 3 1/2 weeks). Interesting at any rate.Just an FYI.Kent 1 Likes
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #19 – December 02, 2018, 08:38:29 am In theory this transition from a conglomerate of small companies that have run the reservation system for twenty plus years to one company will make the entire process more efficient and simpler. The transition era doesn't seem to be going well though and it makes me wonder how Booz Allen Hamilton got this contract. Grease some palms maybe? Years ago I worked for a company that built most of the logging roads in North Idaho for decades and they bid on the government Superfund cleanup contract in the Silver Valley to remove lead contaminated dirt. They were the lowest bidder and assumed they got the contract but it ended up going to an outfit with a bid three times as high. When my boss asked why he didn't get it he was told they thought his bid was too low and he couldn't possibly do it that cheap. He told them moving dirt is what I do and have done for forty years and I know exactly what it cost. He was met with a stone wall of government bureaucrats and finally realized the fix was in and no way was he getting the contract. Your tax dollars at work. 2 Likes
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #20 – December 02, 2018, 11:12:31 am Quote from: Sawyer - December 02, 2018, 08:38:29 am The transition era doesn't seem to be going well Years ago I worked for a company that built most of the logging roads in North Idaho for decades and they bid on the government Superfund cleanup contract in the Silver Valley Your tax dollars at work.Three hallmarks of large Info Tech projects in government: It takes longer, it costs more, and it doesn't work.On contracting: Some drunk drove thru a fence at City Hall and the city put out to bids for repairs. One out-of-town man bid $700. A local company bid $1,800. The cousin of the city contracting official told the local company owner he was going to bid $2,700 - that's a thou for you, a thou for me and we sub it out to the out of town guy. Who do you suppose won the bid? Joel 3 Likes
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #21 – December 03, 2018, 08:08:45 pm I think without knowing all the facts, it isn’t possible to assume bureaucratic malfeasance in the dirt hauling case. My younger son is a hydrogeologist whose firm deals with superfund site cleanup. I asked him about this, and below is his reply:“This is so common - I've seen it a dozen times or more. First, for context: "remove lead contaminated dirt" doesn't just mean hauling - at least, I don't think so based on the phrasing. It would include the excavation of the dirt from the ground (general contractor), getting it onto trucks, and hauling it to the disposal facility (waste disposal contractor). There are a lot of factors that go into the costing of the project - including (a) type of soil, (b) testing program - does any of the dirt need to be segregated and lab tested before it is offhauled, to see if it is hazardous or non-hazardous, (c) confirmation testing and contingency planning for additional removal as necessary, (d) permitting - don't underestimate this one, (e) planning including excavation plans, truck hauling routes, disposal sampling and confirmation of disposal tickets, and (f) volume of soil - did they estimate that correctly? Many times we (as a consultant) or the government (as a prime) will solicit multiple bids on a project. We always stress that we want "quality" bids not "lowest cost" bids. When we see a bid that is so far below what our expectations are, it is immediately a cause for suspicion - especially if the bids from other contractors are all aligned, and higher, than this one. The suspicion is that this low bid means the contractor really doesn't have a good handle on the scope or requirements of the work (in which case why would we want to use them?) or they do understand the scope, but are purposefully trying to low-ball the work to get the contract, then hit the prime with a bunch of change orders which ultimately drive up the price. Usually we can tell by what assumptions are provided along with the bid whether #1 or #2 applies. Sometimes if they are simply wrong about an assumption, we can ask them to rebid using the correct assumption. This has actually happened to ME before - and it turns out that no, for that project I really didn't understand what was needed, despite my low costs. The prime let me know that during our "post-mortem"on the bidding process.Bottom line: if I got a really low bid, and didn't get good reasons/assumptions for the low bid, and the only response from the contractor was "I've done this for forty years and know exactly what it will cost", I would find that a flippant answer, and I certainly would NOT hire that firm. And I have done that, too. I don't see it as stone walling, I see it as good business practice.”— Jon (who knows nothing about any of this!)
Re: Recreation.gov Reply #22 – December 04, 2018, 08:07:15 am Quote from: Jon & Loni - December 03, 2018, 08:08:45 pmI think without knowing all the facts, it isn’t possible to assume bureaucratic malfeasance in the dirt hauling case. My younger son is a hydrogeologist whose firm deals with superfund site cleanup. I asked him about this, and below is his reply:“— Jon (who knows nothing about any of this!)Interesting perspective and I don't know all the facts either. I do know my employer had all the excavating equipment that it took to build logging roads such as excavators, caterpillars, dump trucks and was bidding on digging and hauling contaminated dirt. Funny part is he said he bid the job at a rate he considered very high because it was a government job and still was low bidder. I was falling timber for him at the time cutting the trees that were in the road right of way and he told me I'd be moved to cat skinner position which I had previous experience at and would be getting Davis Bacon wages which I and everyone else were pretty excited about. We were all counting our chickens before they hatched when he said he was low bidder but you know the old saying. Don't do that. Just a side note on this guy who recently passed away. He could look at an area a road was going through and calculate cost per mile with uncanny accuracy. He seemed to have x-ray vision and knew what the digging would be like and how much rock he would hit and how much blasting cost would be. I wrote a cowboy poem about working for him. The yellow monster is the excavator. The yellow monsterHere comes that yellow monster chewing up the earth spitting out stumps and logs like it was giving birth. Here comes that yellow monster in a cloud of dust, I wish something would slow it down like find some rock to bust. Here comes that yellow monster evil smile on it's face, chasing me off through the woods like it's some kind of race. Here comes that yellow monster I can barely stay ahead here comes that yellow monster and it's got me seeing red Here comes that yellow monster I can smell it's evil breath, yeah that ole yellow monsters bout to work this man to death 3 Likes
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