[Geysers] NPS-Geyser Gazer meeting

[Karen Webb]

Karen Webb wrote:
    We just got back so I'm hoping this is still timely.  My 
understanding had been that Xanterra HAD gotten the concession contract, 
but I guess I misunderstood.  I'd like to add all three Webb voices to 
the concerns about Delaware North.  Our specific one is the food they 
stock (or don't stock) and its quality, especially the produce they're 
getting.  You can get Twinkies and any sort of booze you want at any 
store in the park (my perspective, non-drinkers here) but we had to go 
to Canyon to get a head of lettuce; the tomatoes we got at the store 
previously known as Lower Ham's went moldy within 24 hours (their 
"salad" stuff included one pre-made Caesar that was overpriced and 
already going bad); Mammoth had only bananas and some mealy looking 
apples, and now you can't get photos developed anywhere in the park 
unless you're doing digital (some of us old-timers still use film, if 
you can believe it...)
    On the other hand, we feel Xanterra/Xanterrible is starting to take 
advantage of its allowed monopoly status.  We stayed at the OF Lodge 
cabins.  We're kind of used to sub-standard housekeeping there but this 
visit really reached new lows.  Of getting the bed made, the trash 
emptied, and the dirty linen taken out and exchanged, we averaged about 
1 1/2 of these three essential services per day.  It took us till the 
fourth day to find anyone who would even consider rebating some of our 
fees (my family is in this business, and a classy, private enterprise 
who really cares for its patrons will offer something back automatically 
under these conditions).  We feel we got blown off, given the run 
around, and "turfed" for several days before someone finally coughed up 
a whopping 10% for the days we had problems.  We had a grand total of 1 
day out of our 7 night-stay where housekeeping did everything it was 
supposed to do and at that point were to disgusted to bother complaining 
again.  There's truly nothing like coming in from a hard day hiking, 
biking, and gazing to find your bed unmade, your trash cans overflowing, 
and dirty linen you needed exchanged so you can shower still sitting 
under your sink.  The one manager who offered us an immediate 10% off 
the room for the day we talked to her did not pass along the message 
that we had a pile of dirty towels needing to be exchanged sitting under 
our sink, so we came in twice in one day to find the same pile of dirty 
linen we had left in the morning.  Unfortunately, it's not like the park 
concessioners have anything vested in treating their patrons well or 
even offering the minimal services you would think a $90 price tag 
entitles you to -- it's not like they need to retain their (ours or 
anyone's, or even all of GOSA's) business coz it's essentially a 
sellers' market and anytime we decide to vacate our cabin or stay in 
West, there will be 10 families lined up to take our place.  Still, 
you'd think they'd feel some responsibility to provide *some* minimum 
standard of service the way the room rates have escalated...
    Anyway, my two tumans' worth.  I'll quit ranting now (and probably 
complain directly to Xanterra for all the good it will do...)
Karen

Chase Ellison wrote:

>I have also been rather irritated at the lights at the gas station
>when I have been in the basin this year.. I rode my bike from f&m to
>the lower gas station and when I got to castle it was hard to ride my
>bike since the lights were to bright. Anyway, is there anyway of
>getting Delaware North out at all.. I worked in Grant this year until
>I had a family emergancy and had to come home and 1/4 of the employees
>who have eaten at the General Store in Grant (including me) have
>gotten severe food poisoning. The complaint that does not affect me
>much but the other Xanterra employees complain about is their prices
>for general items.. Anyway, I miss the Hamiltons.
>
>Chase Ellison
>
>On 7/4/05, Paul Strasser <upperbasin at comcast.net> wrote:
>  
>
>> 
>> 
>>
>>Ralph: 
>>
>>  
>>
>>Convey to the NPS folks who attend the meeting my utter disgust at the
>>nighttime lights at the lower gas station.  All of the fine efforts the NPS
>>and Xanterra have put into "dark skies" and minimization of light pollution
>>in the Old Faithful area are ruined by these abominable lights, which
>>grotesquely illuminate the surrounding area and are even more dazzling from
>>geyser hill (and the walk near Chinaman, and near Sawmill) than those
>>unlamented lights in the Inn parking lot ever were. 
>>
>>  
>>
>>I understand the need for some lighting for the rare person who needs gas
>>after dark, but these are ridiculous..  Either change the lighting to make
>>it inoffensive (the obvious way is to direct the lights inward - towards the
>>gas station - rather than in all directions, or have only the upper station
>>available for self-serve after hours.  
>>
>>  
>>
>>Enjoy the meeting, and let us know what happens.  
>>
>>  
>>
>>(Is there any way to boot Delaware North out of the lower ham's concession
>>agreement???) 
>>
>>  
>>
>>Paul Strasser 
>>
>>  
>> 
>> ________________________________
>> 
>>
>>From: geysers-bounces at wwc.edu [mailto:geysers-bounces at wwc.edu] On Behalf Of
>>Ralph Taylor
>> Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2005 10:47 PM
>> To: Geyser List (Geyser List)
>> Subject: [Geysers] NPS-Geyser Gazer meeting 
>>
>>  
>>
>>Craig McClure has arranged the annual NPS-Geyser Gazer meeting for 10:00 on
>>Wednesday 6 July in one of the warming huts near the OFVC.  Any geyser gazer
>>in the Park then is welcome.  
>>
>>  
>>
>>Although the actual July 4th weekend is better for some geyser gazers, the
>>NPS participation would be low because of the holiday weekend, so we elected
>>to have the meeting when more of the Park staff could attend. 
>>
>>  
>>
>>Ralph Taylor 
>> 
>>
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>>    
>>
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>