A few months ago, a trip to the nation's capital in early October would have seemed like a splendid idea. The summer heat and warm weather tourists would be gone, but the air wouldn't have turned too cold yet.
That's probably the line of thought this sad, sad Washington, D.C. tourist had when he planned his trip. The poor sap had no way of knowing that the slight chill of fall would be accompanied by a government shutdown.
See also: 18 Drawings You'll Swear Are Actual Photographs
At least he'll have a great "in my day speech" when he takes his grandkids to see the Lincoln memorial — assuming the shutdown is over by then.
BONUS: 15 Captivating Photos of the Government Shutdown
Image: Mark Wilson/Getty Images
A U.S. Park Police officer stands guard at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Image: Flickr, NPCA Photos
The first of the nation's national parks did not escape the government shutdown.
Image: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images
Congress' inability to strike a deal captured all the morning headlines. Some were more creative than others.
Image: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images
The shutdown closed the gates on Lady Liberty.
Image: Win McNamee/Getty Images
Flanked by residents who've benefited form the new health care law, President Barack Obama urged Congress to end the shutdown during a mid-day press conference in the White House Rose Garden.
Image: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images
This rickshaw driver usually makes his money taxiing tourists between attractions in Washington, D.C.
Image: Twitter, M. Scott Mahaskey
Politico photo editor M. Scott Mahaskey tweeted this photo of the empty rotunda inside the U.S. Capitol.
Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Even in the shadow of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, the Fort Point National Historic Site could not hide from the shutdown.
Image: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Mount Rushmore will remain closed during the shutdown.
Image: Twitter, USA Today
Here's a creative emoji visualization of the shutdown by USA Today -- thumbs up for services unaffected by the shutdown, thumbs down for those that are closed.
Image: Twitter, Eric Cantor
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor provoked Senate leaders when he tweeted this photo of himself and his Republican colleagues waiting at the negotiating table.
Image: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
A U.S. Park Ranger barricades the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Image: Twitter, Leo Shane III
As Leo Shane III of Stars and Stripes showed us in a series of tweeted images, veterans managed to access the World War II Memorial, despite its closure.
Image: Flickr, NPCA Photos
Thomas Jefferson may have authored the Declaration of Independence, but that didn't spare his memorial from the shutdown.
Image: NASA.gov
A number of federal agencies, such as NASA as seen in this image, took their websites down during the shutdown. Even though a disagreement over Obamacare caused the shutdown, the law's online marketplaces opened today and remained operational, despite technical difficulties.
Image: Imgur, Commander_Ninja