Yeah... trying to find where we're headed tonight... has stirred my Parking Hackles... again... and this time... I'm firing both barrels... The U.S. Forest Service in collusion with Campground Management Corporations AND the collusion between RV Parks and ignorant city fathers... when it comes to Overnight RV Parking.
The Agility Trial is winding down today, somewhere around mid-afternoon... which leads me into my dilemma.
Do I go south and try to luck into a camp... or an easily found boodocking spot? in an unfamiliar forest... through country where virtually all the N.F. Campgrounds that I can find on maps, books and online have been closed and LOCKED UP for the season?
Or... do I just surrender to convenience... and run the Super Slab to Missoula... and Wally Dock it a couple nights?
The U.S. Forest Service... in dis-service to the people who foot the bill... continues to do something that creates a difficulty for people like me. Not a catastrophe... just a difficulty... and it's a dishonorable thing that blemishes the U.S. Forest Service.
The land does not belong to the U.S.F.S. It does NOT BELONG to those corporations to whom it was given , at minimal cost, for THEIR PROFIT.
It Belongs, to the People of the United States, and is SUPPOSED to be Managed for Their benefit... NOT... Locked up if some Corporation can't squeeze a profit out of it.
I've ranted and railed 'bout it before... but it gets under my skin every time I'm confronted by it. The U.S.F.S. has given away the campgrounds, built and paid for by the American People for their own use. The camps have been surrendered for the primary benefit of the private corporations that "manage" those facilities...
Bottom line... if "Traffic Numbers" fall to a level where those corporations can't make money off the American People... camping on THEIR OWN LAND... those corporations go home... and lock the gates behind them.
Which I really don't understand... if the Corporations can turn a profit... kicking back only 4% I think it is, for what amounts to the "Rent" of the facility... to the Forest Service... How Come... the Forest Service... which doesn't have to turn a profit... can't get by... with 100%, and manage the camps themselves... like they are supposed to???
Just Curious... sounds kind of like a scam of some variety... don't it? I'm kinda curious too... 'bout that 4%... being a business owner (we still own a small store in Colorado)... I can guarantee, that our 'storefront' rent is one hell of a lot more than 4%!!!! More like 15%... so when I say, those Corps. are getting a Free Ride... I support my claim with a lil' bit of reality.
When I was a kid, the water might be turned off... the trash dumpsters might be gone, so you have to haul your trash out with you... but... the sites were there to be used. Now... traveling across the land in September... those corporations have locked it all up... just like last fall...
We're here, but in largely unfamiliar country. The weather is fine... and there sits a good camp, just on the other side of that padlocked gate. Just a hassle... aarrrrrrrrrgggghhhh!
We can't just haul up a narrow forest road with a 30' fiver... or, it would be foolish to, not knowing what's up there. And now, we haven't the NF campgrounds available to allow us the daytrip scouting to find the good camps, or to just stay in a developed camp. So we're back to using Wally World for nite camps when we leave heading for Yellowstone... and of course, we've got the issue of finding something around there for a week or two...
Which brings me to the ignorance of so called city fathers...
What do we do in those towns that have blocked parking at Walmart? Not one Damn thing...We roll on by...
They don't let us park for the night, in an agreement between us and Wal Mart? That's ok... just down the road is a town that doesn't interfere in our business with Walmart.
So... to "Protect" that over priced RV Park (Which we Never use anyway) the most intelligent? city fathers impose the loss of our business on All the other businesses in that town.
Yep, every darn nickle. They lose our fuel money... they lose us spending the $38 dollars at NAPA for the window switch I need... they lose my money at the Espresso Stand, our breakfast money at the cafe... and... the tire shop doesn't get to earn their money replacing my bad tires... They lose the sales of those bits and pieces she bought for the granddaughter... The stores lose our money... and the towns lose that tax revenue... Smart Thinkin' "Dad"!!!
The whole thing just piles up that many more reasons to work my way around to a smaller RV rig. Something I CAN be more comfortable sliding up unknown forest roads... hunting for a camp, knowing I can get it turned around, needs be.
When I line out that smaller rig, I'll gain the ability to just bypass not only the shortsighted towns, but the Corporate Managed National Forest Campgrounds too, for the most part. With a significantly downsized rig, I'll have the ability to utilize dispersed camping, and straight up RV Boondocking, that much easier... and their greed will have cost them my business as well.
So... Wait a minute... leeeeet me seeeeeee.... uh huh, yup!
Spleen all vented now! Ahhhh... I feel better already. :)
Vented and Gettting Ready to Roll
Brian
Return to the main site of goin' RV Boondocking or Visit my Sister website Motorcycle Touring on Freedom Road
A broken down Ol' Cowboy goin' RV Boondocking ...
...and Yondering, to the beat of a different Biker Cowboy Drummer
9 comments:
Become a FS volunteer. Maybe they'll give you the infamous FS Yale key and then you can go wherever you want.
Your post is so spot on. so much short sighted businesses. Aesop's Fables "about the greedy dog who saw the reflection in the water of a dog with a bone in his mouth, so he snaps at it to steal it, and low he drops the one he had in his mouth into the pool. Thank God I can still wonder around in my 3 acre yard, not sure when "THEY" will put a stop to that.
Fortunately, most of our Nicolet and Ottawa NF parks are open till after hunting season. They only have well pumps at most of them, and the few that do have water lines are blown out and sealed off with plastic bags to show non-operation.
I have joined in a number of letter writing campaigns to help turn around the "City Fathers" in their short-sighted attempts to shut down RV parking in their towns, bowing to pressure of nearby campground owners. We got three of them turned around, Lakeland FL, Chiefland FL and Billings MT. When they get 10,000 emails saying what a mistake they are making, they change their minds.
Also, I CC'd letters to their chamber of commerce and many of their businesses in the area.
Citing the restaurants we are NOT eating in,
the stores we are NOT shopping in,
the museums we are NOT visiting,
the auto parts store we are NOT patronizing
the roadside produce stands we are NOT stopping at
and the gas stations we are NOT filling up our 100 gallon diesel tank at...
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Karen and Steve
(Our Blog) RVing: Small House... BIG Backyard
http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com/
And did you know that recently, in WA, 'they' have added the Discovery Pass that you need to get into all WA parks, State owned lands, campgrounds and trails at the cost of $10 a day or $30 annual? That burns alot of people, too, Brian. Big fine if caught in those places if you don't have one to display for Rangers. ARRRRGGGHH! Cindy Kingma
Brian...
IMO, some of the best places to overnight in towns that don't allow wallydocking is church parking lots. Ask first by calling the church office . Let them know that you are looking for a quiet place to sleep, and that you will be on your way the next morning without leaving a trace. It's private property, you're not camping...just sleeping, and it's usually quiet (unless you happen to be there on bible study night or during regular church services).
"Missoula... and Wally Dock it a couple nights?"
The last time I was in Missoula the Wal*Mart lots had signs that prohibited overnight parking. I ask for permission anyway and was told there is a City Ordinance but the manager I talked to said she had never seen it enforced.
I have found this to be true at 3-4 Wal*Marts that I have overnighted at. I don't do it much anymore but when I was doing Road Trips with a Teardrop trailer I was a Master Wal*Mart Parking Lot Boondocker.
Gaelyn; hmmmm... how much ya want for an illicit copy? :)
Adnama; Put a sign in your front yard "All THEYS Prohibited!" :)
Karen; Good work! :)enough people light a big enough fire and maybe all the businesses that get hurt by the RV parks noise, will tell 'em to do the same as them, WORK to earn the business :)
Cindy; We stayed in a state park south of Anacortes. Pretty over priced at $22 bucks for dry camping... is the main reason we cut back east... they squeeze the stone a lil' too hard on the coast for my budget! .... and ... we didn't use some state facilities after we moved out of the park... 'cause of the too heavy tariffs.
Ed; Actually we stopped at Walmart in Smelterville, Idaho. Got some groceries in Wally world, and an Americano in the morning at the lil' coffee hut just down the street... almost rolled right through Missoula... almost... cuz we got rolling so early in the morning... and made it all the way to Indian trees at Lost Trail Pass for our night camp.
When you get to the race ask me about your rant. I know a little about what is up setting you.
One reason I wanted out of WA so badly was the way everything has a surcharge. Add it all up and it costs way too much to live there, nice as it is. Maybe when I can just go back and visit and limit my money outgo via the length of my stay I'll go back. Costs too much to try to live there full time, though.
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