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Date:         Wed, 21 May 2008 22:47:08 -0400
Reply-To:     Kevin Gilbert <kggilbert@MYACTV.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kevin Gilbert <kggilbert@MYACTV.NET>
Subject:      Re: Ninja Camping (was Wal-Mart parking lots)
Comments: To: Keith Ovregaard <kovregaard@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <ee935e050805210936j615f9f51s6b9ca2aa0f998fb3@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

What's the List's take on overnight trailhead parking, where it is posted 'no overnight parking'? I use a W. PA trailhead on my return to MD after late-night Steelers games. It is close to, but out of sight, of the main road. Last December, I awoke to see three headlights aimed at my '84. I figured it to be a state trooper. He idled outside my rear hatch about 5 minutes, then drove to the end of the parking lot, paused, and drove off. I was prepared to use the ole "It was late, and i just needed a safe place to sleep" explanation. Think that would that work?

kevin

On May 21, 2008, at 12:36 PM, Keith Ovregaard wrote:

> That's the kind of enroute camping I like to do. It takes some > research and/or exploration time, but often pays off bigtime. Some of > the most beautiful, quiet and peaceful camping I have ever done has > been what you call "Ninja Camping". Once I was doing some late spring > travel and got into some snow at low elevation which kept me from > camping at my favorite lake 9 miles off the freeway. So I squeezed the > Westy in between some pine trees next to a day-use area not far from > the freeway (no camping allowed). I had a great view of a lake out the > back and because my Westy is white and it was snowing, it was well > disguised from the local cops. > > Unfortunately, many of these places are disappearing. I suspect due to > trash, over-use and some not-in-my-backyard locals. Several places > have access blocked with boulders and new signs stating no camping. > It's a shame, really. So, those of you who frequent places like that, > please leave it cleaner than you found it, keep the noise down, etc. > It's amazing how many of the sites are trashed by previous campers. > Shotgun shells everywhere, garbage all over, trees and limbs chopped > down for firewood, ruts from some jerk driving off the track... signs > of ignorance and stupidity, basically. That's the kind of stuff that > gets these places shut down. But I see some of that happening in the > established campgrounds, too. Noise, trash, and people behaving badly > which makes me shy away from campgrounds, at least during the busy > season. Starts this weekend, by the way. My favorite camping season is > just ending. Now it's time for the masses to clog the roads and > campsites. Just too darn many people. Apparently overpopulation is a > problem that has not been taken seriously (yet). > > OK, rants over. Sorry... now back to our regularly scheduled program: > What tires are best for your Vanagon > > Cheers, > > Keith O > > > > > > On Wed, May 21, 2008 at 12:00 AM, Scott Foss - Shazam > <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote: >> Canping down hunter trails and such is called 'ninja camping' . >> Depending on the Nat Forest of course.........but in some there is >> plenty of this. >> >> heck.........i just thought of a place on a back road in >> Washington- two >> lane paved 'nowhere' sorta road, near Mt. Rainer. >> The ideal sort of unofficial ninja camping , You turn off the paved >> road onto the older road..........go a quarter mile so , get to a >> spot >> out of site of the paved road....... >> where others have obviously camped before.............and your >> view to >> the non-road side is an open wild river valley. >> Free unrestricted camping. With wild river water view, . and hardly >> anyone around. >> Nothin' wrong with that !! >> >> >> Kim Brennan wrote: >>> >>> Most National FORESTS (as opposed to Parks) have policies that >>> allow >>> you to camp anywhere not visible from a main road (but check the >>> rules >>> as they vary from forest to forest.) My syncro Westy is frequently >>> able to travel down hunter trails into nice quiet camping spots. >>> >>> On May 20, 2008, at 9:24 PM, Slloth wrote: >>> >>>> with you in that we shouldn't spoil the welcoming but...I have >>>> thought >>>> about this before. This country is all about freedom. Freedom >>>> this >>>> and >>>> freedom that but how many places can you just pull off the side >>>> of the >>>> road (out of the way) and just set up camp. Not very many with out >>>> getting hassled by the cops or Highway patrol. We are expected to >>>> seek >>>> out some lame, crowded camp site and pay money to stay there. >>>> Now I >>>> know there are parts of the country where you can stay over >>>> night but >>>> I'm not talking about the dessert. Sorry. I feel better. >>> >>> >> >


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