ExRocketScientist
Laurel, MD
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Joined: 11/11/2010
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We have been patching up a section of road in the National Forest where we take our trailers for a couple of years now. The biggest problem in the area is partiers who go there and make a mess. I discovered a solution to that. Go camping there. We had a bunch come in late one night to party. I flipped on the porch light and stepped out in my fish and foul pajamas. I stood there and stared them down. They left, and took all of their signs with them (they had signs along the road for over 5 miles showing the way to the party -- had a drawing of a guy with a flat top running with an axe, apparently called the "regulator"; my friends now call me the "intimidator" after that incident -- LOL).
ERS
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PyrateSilly
Home
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Joined: 06/10/2011
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Ah but you see all those services are part of them there "social services" that everyone wants to end. You know cause socialism is so bad for everyone that all socialism services should be stopped.
If thats the case then there will be no more police, firemen, military, schools etc.
Thom, Gascap and Christine having fun in a 1993 Monaco Crown Royale 40ft 300hp RV.
Our blogged repairs and travels
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pnichols
Santa Cruz Mountains
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Joined: 04/26/2005
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Quote:You will be on your own out there.
I am not advocating law breaking, but the new national forest motor vehicle rules are going to be enforced sporadically, if at all.
"You will be on your own out there" has a dark side and is just the thing to ruin it for all of us law abiding campers.
Guess who fills the gap when "the law" cuts way back? The lawless.
Just what we need ... Mexico-type situations out in our Federal Lands that we thought we owned but were only kidding ourselves ... as we eventually begin to realize that it's really the lawless that begin to own them. And BTW, carrying "heat" in your RV is not the answer.
I'll take plenty of our tax-dollar-paid rangers around ... even if it means raising my Federal income taxes to do it.
Phil, 2005 E450 Itasca 324V Spirit
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elkhornsun
Monterey
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Joined: 11/29/2011
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It is just the beginning as the Republicans after letting the banker run wild and then paying for the $29 trillion dollar bailout are next going to start selling off public lands or letting foreign corporations come in to strip mine as they have been doing for gold and uranium and leaving toxic dumps that will never heal in their wake. The top 1% get 25% of the nation's income and have 40% of the nation's wealth but that is not enough, they want to bankrupt the country and turn the nation back to the 1800's in every way. Sad part is that the people getting hurt are often the same people voting them into office and attending Tea Party rallies. We are leaving a hell of a legacy for future generations.
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westernrvparkowner
montana
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Joined: 11/29/2008
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elkhornsun wrote:It is just the beginning as the Republicans after letting the banker run wild and then paying for the $29 trillion dollar bailout are next going to start selling off public lands or letting foreign corporations come in to strip mine as they have been doing for gold and uranium and leaving toxic dumps that will never heal in their wake. The top 1% get 25% of the nation's income and have 40% of the nation's wealth but that is not enough, they want to bankrupt the country and turn the nation back to the 1800's in every way. Sad part is that the people getting hurt are often the same people voting them into office and attending Tea Party rallies. We are leaving a hell of a legacy for future generations. Sure hope you are right. I'll be a buyer if public lands ever come up for sale. That one percent who hold 25% of the wealth, they are the ones who provide jobs for the other 99%. Since the Bailout, at it's peak was somewhere around 1 trillion dollars, your figures are only about 2900% off. Plus, the banks have paid back nearly all their borrowings with interest, it was a money maker for the government. How many programs that come out of Washington can say that? If you want to sit around and wait for the government to solve all your problems, give you a job and secure your future, fine, wait all you want, just don't expect those of us who have worked for what we have to give it up just to make your life easier.
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Mootpoint
Brentwood Bay, B.C.
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Joined: 07/31/2006
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I'm afraid if the parks and public lands are not maintained to a point that they with fall unusable for alot of folks. I think the day of the boondocker and even the regular park camper is going the way of the dodo bird. It is going to be interesting how many of us, who are still able, will be around in 10 to 15 years. If it is there people will come and if it is not...we'll never get it back. As the baby boomers disappear I think most of the boondockers and fulltimers will also. Possibly the end of another era being forced on people by the government.
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Brassica
Snow belt
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Joined: 01/19/2011
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When county and municipal park levies come up, they are usually approved by decent margins. (Our "Metroparks" have nice facilities and professional naturalists.) That is the public's way of saying we value public parks. Somehow, the message does not make it up to the state or national level. States impose fees for if you want to make a twenty minute hike up to a waterfall.
campersuzid wrote:... That is why you have less campground services and more concessionaire operated campgrounds charging more and doing less and less. ... Maybe what we, the users of public lands, should do a say "Thank you" and pick up some of the slack. I think I treat every campground as a pack-it-in/pack-it-out, avoid concessionaire operated campgrounds, ....
Thanks, Suzid. I had not idea that that was a consideration. I usually drive into an area, find the campground that was "on the map", then I discover whether it is concessionaire operated, self-pay, or has other payment arrangements.
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pnichols
Santa Cruz Mountains
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As far as local/state/federal campgrounds falling apart due to lack of funds - I'm not too concerned with this. We're more concerned with safety in our public campgrounds - that remain open - as they fall into disrepair.
One of the most enjoyable camping experiences we've ever had was this past summer a few days in a falling apart private campground. Everything was in disrepair but we didn't care as the overall natural atmosphere was superb - safety was not an issue, wide-open spaces all around it that we could hike onto as we wished, quiet because no one else was there, serene, green rolling meadows, some beautiful woods, a river, a couple of ponds in just enough disrepair so as to have a wild non-manmade look, etc..
Lack of maintainence doesn't always have to mean less desirable. After all, those of us who are used to boondocking experience "no maintenance" in our camping spots all the time. 
* This post was
edited 01/21/12 01:08pm by pnichols *
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RGar974417
Robesonia,Pa 19551
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campersuzid wrote:Excuse me but my hubby and I have been working on the US National Forest Campground Guide effort for almost 20 years now and have seen the destruction caused by year-after-year budget cuts and it breaks my heart. According to my calculation, the recreation budget has been reduced by 73% over the fifteen years. That is why you have less campground services and more concessionaire operated campgrounds charging more and doing less and less. I have seen the forest service do amazing things with next to nothing but, as they say, you can't get blood from a turnip. I think we have a big bucket of turnips in front of us. Maybe what we, the users of public lands, should do a say "Thank you" and pick up some of the slack. I think I treat every campground as a pack-it-in/pack-it-out, avoid concessionaire operated campgrounds, and camp a few extra time this year. Probably won't make much of a difference but darn what else can I do.
Suzi, you and Fred have done an amazing job of cataloging NF Campgrounds.And I agree that some FS employees are hard workers and do great things with little money. There are 2 major problems. One,the government is broke but you'd never know it by the way they keep spending.The other problem is,we need an effective organization to lobby the government on our behalf.Unfortuantely,we can't do it here because this forum refuses to allow us to get the least bit political. So maybe you could use your forum to bring people together to put pressure on our legislators to keep our Forest Service and other public campgrounds from being closed or reduce services.I believe that we,the public can find ways to help out like you suggested.I also believe we can come up with some ideas to reduce costs and make things more efficient.If we don't organize, we will lose out to other groups that do.
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jwmII
out west
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Joined: 05/12/2003
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I can't believe all the complaining. If you check with the Forest Service they will all tell you that they are at 100%Max efficiency and there is just simply nothing they can realistically cut to become more efficient.
When in reality the F.S. is one of the biggest money wasters in the federal government outside of congress. They have increased fees,raised existing fees and still cry poor mouth. It is high time they were required to do more with less. Won't hurt them at all.
A few good layoffs with some of those bureaucrats required to go out and get a real job would go a long way toward balancing budgets.
The forests will by and large be fine. The public are not the ecological rapists the F.S. would like to make them out to be.
The same thing applies to those clowns at the B.L.M. A good house cleaning and a round of budget cuts would help the cause there as well. Both of those organizations and many others have excess personell looking for something to do so they develope their cockamamie ideas and do their best to foist them off on the public.
We need to wake up and put a stop to their nonsense. Jack.
jwmII
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