Things that bother me about Camp Grounds

[S. Heisley]

People that DON"T use them . Bought 10 ar. Had a small pound dug. built a small storage shed concrete table and planted 12 trees 4 wheelers drove over them . dog s*** everywhere Use drapers and junk even s**8 on the door handle of the shed .When up to start to fence in . after 11 hr drive. 2 trailers a moterhome where camping there. As I pulled up they told me I could not camp there only the club members . It was not worth it to say it's my land.It 35 mi. to town. So to many to deal with . So drove back Elko found a welding shop had 100 stars made from 18ga tubing went back 3 day later, posted and dump the stars every where so will see how that will work. less than 1//2 mi is BLM land

What a bunch of bad, bad boys! I am truly sorry for your trouble. I don't understand what the stars are supposed to do....? What are they for? Do you have a picture of one?

[S. Heisley]

123Jay,

The kind of people that you had to deal with are the type that keep us camping primarily in camp grounds with a host on site. While a camp host won't solve all possible issues, a good one can certainly make everyone's trip more enjoyable. I think next time you go up to your property, you should take a copy of your deed. That way if you have "squatters" again, you can drive back into town and let the sheriff deal with it. No sense putting yourself in danger when he's paid to deal with things of this nature.

[123jay]

The stars look like jacks that you play with but are hollow will let the air out of your tires but are big. So if you are a animal step on them. Will not hurt them. There is no one around there just a few old miners it's of off of Marys MNT off I80 mile marker 270 going to the east side of carlin peaks now that it has fences around most of the pound they have to cut the fences. No real law there . Carlin is the nearest town but different Co.

[eamarquardt]

[quote="Law Dawg (Ret)"]...when the trumpet plays you better stop and cover that heart by Gawd!

Veterans are permitted to render a hand salute: “The military salute is a unique gesture of respect that marks those who have served in our nation’s armed forces,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. “This provision allows the application of that honor in all events involving our nation’s flag.”

http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressre ... fm?id=1609

Cheers,

Gus

[Wolffarmer]

Many pet peeves here, can agree with them all. But back to the concrete tables. I hate the aluminum tables. Camp ground I go to a lot in Death Valley had wooden tables that was probably built by the CCC in the 30s-40s. Yes some where a bit weathered and well used but still worked. Then they took those away and put aluminum table in. Those stink. Burn your hide in the day time. Freeze your bottom at night. And noisy. Plastic ones are better. But not by much.

Randy

[rmclarke]

We just got back from camp out with some friends: at a forest service CG in the Umpqua national forest (Oregon), nice and secluded, deep forest, out in the 'sticks'.



On our second night there, the group across the campground decides to have a fire and since they're leaving the next day, they decide to burn all of their firewood....all at once! It was in the concrete fire ring (which is quite large) but the resulting bonfire had close to 5' flames before it subsided! Then one of the "adults" starts throwing trash paper on the blaze......glowing paper ash is now floating into the forest canopy! The camp host gets alerted to the goings on and he says he can't do anything about it...because they are burning in the fire ring!!! Elaine says to him, " So, you've gotta wait until the trees ignite, I guess?" Thankfully, the fire died and they went to bed and best of all, they left the next morning!

So, there's my pet peeve......the lack of common sense, which I guess, isn't that common after all!

Richard

[DrCrash]

So, there's my pet peeve......the lack of common sense, which I guess, isn't that common after all!

Richard

The Super Hero foundation has just released a disclaimer stating " common sense is now a Super Hero quality since so few people today seem to have it.

[Tripmaker]

We just got back from camp out with some friends: at a forest service CG in the Umpqua national forest (Oregon), nice and secluded, deep forest, out in the 'sticks'.



Richard

Beautiful campsite! Love those trees. Looks like a great place to relax with a splash of TN Sour Mash.

[The Teardrop Nanny]

Our most recent encounter included a "crampground" where the cg bathrooms were locked from 8 pm to 8 am. ($38 fee) I know....!!!!! and we were so close to the other rigs you couldn't even get up and go pee outside cuz there were no bushes/trees and I said, "We are cutting our losses now, and camping elsewhere". And we did, had to forfeit the fee paid for the site, but ended up camping in a beautiful redwood grove with NO neighbors nearby.

Also, a big pet peeve of mine is people who come 2-4 days early, put a chair or just a marker in their site, and don't show up until the weekend. Yes, they MAY have paid in advance for those unoccupied nights, but it doesn't seem right. I saw one campground which said you had to occupy the site for the first 24 hrs. and thereafter it could not remain unused for more than 1 other day. I thought that was a fair way to say to people, use it or lose it.

TDN

[JuneBug]

We just got back from camp out with some friends: at a forest service CG in the Umpqua national forest (Oregon), nice and secluded, deep forest, out in the 'sticks'.

On our second night there, the group across the campground decides to have a fire and since they're leaving the next day, they decide to burn all of their firewood....all at once! It was in the concrete fire ring (which is quite large) but the resulting bonfire had close to 5' flames before it subsided! Then one of the "adults" starts throwing trash paper on the blaze......glowing paper ash is now floating into the forest canopy! The camp host gets alerted to the goings on and he says he can't do anything about it...because they are burning in the fire ring!!! Elaine says to him, " So, you've gotta wait until the trees ignite, I guess?" Thankfully, the fire died and they went to bed and best of all, they left the next morning!
So, there's my pet peeve......the lack of common sense, which I guess, isn't that common after all!
Richard

My new pet peeve is a spineless campground host.....

[Wolffarmer]

Our most recent encounter included a "crampground" where the cg bathrooms were locked from 8 pm to 8 am. ($38 fee) I know....!!!!! and we were so close to the other rigs you couldn't even get up and go pee outside cuz there were no bushes/trees and I said, "We are cutting our losses now, and camping elsewhere". And we did, had to forfeit the fee paid for the site, but ended up camping in a beautiful redwood grove with NO neighbors nearby.

Also, a big pet peeve of mine is people who come 2-4 days early, put a chair or just a marker in their site, and don't show up until the weekend. Yes, they MAY have paid in advance for those unoccupied nights, but it doesn't seem right. I saw one campground which said you had to occupy the site for the first 24 hrs. and thereafter it could not remain unused for more than 1 other day. I thought that was a fair way to say to people, use it or lose it.

TDN

Good grief. Talk about having to do the dance.

The commercial CG our family reunion has been for almost 10 years has electronic pad locks on their bathrooms. The combination of which has not changed in the time we been going there.

My pet peeve. Commercial camp grounds. I have yet to see one I like. Or thought it was worth even 25% of what they charged.

Randy

[2bits]

I think this is an interesting thread. Sometimes it's good to vent because some quiet person might be looking at this thread and not even realizing they were the problem and will take steps to be more considerate. This leads to my biggest peeve with camp grounds, which also applies to pretty much everywhere and that is inconsiderate people. I think it all kind of wraps up there... dogs, kids, music, lights, restrooms... ALL of that can be had without being inconsiderate but the people are the problem. The whole point of camping is to get away from, not to be subjected to. This is why I moved out to the woods and camp every day now!

...BUT if we must be specific to campgrounds, I would have to personally say the over enforcement of the no display of alcohol statute in state parks. (I am forced to camp mostly in state parks which I love, I wish I lived in Utah but I don't). I mean I agree we don't want a bunch of drunk idiots shooting off guns, but I don't see the connection. Especially when I am sitting at MY site, around MY firepit and MY beer is in a koosie and that still is not good enough because you can see 1/4" of a beer can so I am in violation. So.. I pour the beer openly into a mason jar and all is well. That just seems overboard to me. It should be around behavior enforcement in my opinion.

[GerryS]

My pet peeve. Commercial camp grounds. I have yet to see one I like. Or thought it was worth even 25% of what they charged.

I tend to agree, but I have stayed in two that I can think of that prove the rule.

One in Minnesota about an hour west of lacrosse just east of where jolly green giant is....I am obviously incapable of recalling the name. The showerhouse had locking doors for privacy on the shower and commodes...not to mention being extremely well cleaned and feeling more like a hotel than camping...very nice. The sites were spaced far apart, and with deep green manicured grass. Truly a classy place.

The second was neat Chattanooga tn. Raccoon mountain. We didn't stay with the class As...that would have been terrible. They put us with the tent campers. It wasn't busy, that may have changed my experience but it was much closer to a state park that I have experienced.

Your right though, most commercials sites pack in tight, and there's a picture of a tree in the brochure.

[Verna]

Two nights ago in a state park in Nebraska, two of us in teardrops in side by side campsites. The two campsites behind us have big fires in their fire rings (one of them is the Camp Hostess). We are down wind and our entire campsites are covered by their smoke. After we finish our dinner, one politely asks the fire maker to please cut back on the fire because they are smoking us out. Then my friend goes to the shower. The fire maker and the camp hostess laugh about my friend's request and dump 5 or 6 more logs on their fires. It's hazy, no other place to camp within 20 miles. So....Mother Nature helps us out a few hours later with a torrential downpour. I could smell the smoke as the fire was doused. Thank you Mother Nature!! I left a note in the door of the camp office telling them of the disrespectful camp hostess. It made me feel better, and I'll bet the camp hostess saw nothing wrong with her actions. And, for those of you who have met my Sunny Day, my four legged companion. She only barks when it's important...maybe once a week, I clean up after her, yes she begs for bits of human food, and I love her. If you don't like dogs....you don't need to visit my campsite because she is always there. Love me, love my dog.

[wincrasher]

I think this is an interesting thread. Sometimes it's good to vent because some quiet person might be looking at this thread and not even realizing they were the problem and will take steps to be more considerate. This leads to my biggest peeve with camp grounds, which also applies to pretty much everywhere and that is inconsiderate people. I think it all kind of wraps up there... dogs, kids, music, lights, restrooms... ALL of that can be had without being inconsiderate but the people are the problem. The whole point of camping is to get away from, not to be subjected to. This is why I moved out to the woods and camp every day now!

...BUT if we must be specific to campgrounds, I would have to personally say the over enforcement of the no display of alcohol statute in state parks. (I am forced to camp mostly in state parks which I love, I wish I lived in Utah but I don't). I mean I agree we don't want a bunch of drunk idiots shooting off guns, but I don't see the connection. Especially when I am sitting at MY site, around MY firepit and MY beer is in a koosie and that still is not good enough because you can see 1/4" of a beer can so I am in violation. So.. I pour the beer openly into a mason jar and all is well. That just seems overboard to me. It should be around behavior enforcement in my opinion.

I couldn't agree more.

Generally the rules are set in a way because they are ALWAYS idiots who go overboard. That's why there is a no drinking rule in most state parks. If you behave yourself and keep a low profile, then you won't have a problem. I've had a camp host come by to admire my trailer, and it was pretty obvious I was enjoying a fine scotch, but he didn't say a thing, as I was keeping to myself and not falling down drunk - unlike others that seem to make fools of themselves every weekend.

With regards to kids, I try to exercise a lot of patience. You notice folks with many kids are kinda worn down to their rambunctiousness and screaming - they're at the point where they just ignore it - they have no realization that other people are bothered by it, as they are already at their wits end. So during the day, I just let it go - it's good for them to run around and wear themselves out. I will say something to them if their games make their way onto my campsite, but that is a very rare occasion.