My intended destination: the Harry S Truman Dam Visitor Center

Up until yesterday, as far as I could tell, the Government Shutdown was just some story being played out in the News. Its largest impact has been in reminding me that I still don't know when to use "affect" or "effect". What are the effects of the Shutdown--how has it affected me? I feel like I'm pretty much out of the loop when it comes to the fighting that is happening in the Capital.

So yesterday I was off and I took the motorcycle out for a ride, heading north to Warsaw. I've only passed by this small waterfront town on my way to or from KC and I've always been curious about this hole in the wall.

Turns out that Warsaw is the home of the Harry S Truman lake and reservoir, which is the largest lake in our state. It's always a great feeling being on the motorcycle as you come down from a bluff-lined ridge and the view of the Lake opens up--acres of blue bisected by a simple black strip. As you cross over on the bridge, the breeze from the water is cooler than you expect, and you feel like you are standing on a mirror, with heaven and earth playing off each other.

I was heading for the Visitor Center. Several online reviews spoke highly of the great panoramic view of the lake, with its nearly 270 degree overlook, nestled on a bluff overlooking the dam. But alas, as I turned on to Harry S Truman Dr, a large barred gate stretched between the bluff, stopping me from going any further. The Government Shutdown, for me, became real.

I really wasn't too disappointed when Obama had to cancel his trip to Asia, or that the Bureau of Labor and Statistics won't be calculating the CPI for this quarter. I'm not sure if the Flu Shot is all that effective (or is that affective?--dam(n) the Government, I say!) and we won't really know since the CDC has closed its operations. But really, I drove nearly an hour to see the lake and learn about the hydroelectricity generated from this dam.

I need my Government back.