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Date:         Sat, 26 Sep 2009 07:57:36 -0700
Reply-To:     Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Defining Camping
Comments: To: Al Knoll <anasasi@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <9f4608e90909260643sca59671lc4ff8c3240f971de@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Nicely put Al - the wild places are the real treasure. =)

On Sat, Sep 26, 2009 at 6:43 AM, Al Knoll <anasasi@gmail.com> wrote:

> I'll certainly side with Karl on this. I tend to make a small distinction > though. Camping is overnighting, when I take out the folding chair and > enjoy my evening outside, my morning over coffee and trip planning and > maybe > listen to the birds, watch the the thin grey time paint itself into a dawn, > check the oil, look for fuel leaks, decide whether or not to spend the > day here or yonder, back of beyond. Whip up a few tasty bites and rather > more serious coffee, tidy up and muse a bit over the always present sunday > New York Times. > > Woody Guthrie had the right idea with "this land is my land" so I visit > often. Here in the west we have vast sections of "my land" NPS, BLM, the > elusive and vanishing California State Parks, NFS and just plain out there. > A favorite overnighting spot which tends to drift into camping is high on a > bench road in a tiny corner of genuine BLM overlooking Mono Lake and the > incredible Whoa Nellie deli. Dawn is always a treat there and such wild > critters as green towhees, voles, prairie falcons, velvet ants are there > for > the voyeur. Coffee and a view hopefully a rather quiet view is the short > term goal. A favorite camping spot is Yellow Creek CG in Plumas county. > This is a Pacific Gas and Electric campground with a few amenities. > Another > favorite is the geologist cabin in DVNP. In suitable places, a campfire is > part of the great american camping experience. The telling of tales and > magnifying the fish occur now along with discussions of world events, > national events, local events and 'whats that noise' to the distant > strains > of Peter Kater or Carlos Nakai or similar before having solved most of the > worlds problems the fire goes to embers and then to "smokey the bear" dead > out. If you're camping with Maggie and Larry this can take some time. > > The creation and gustatory devastation of magnificent cuisine is generally > part of the scene often followed by wee dram before the fire and in > tolerant > company perhaps a cuesta rey. > > Some must have flush toilets, some can be satisfied with clivus multrum > NFS-NPS vault toilets and the 600 grit accessories, some bring their own > and > with that little bit of forethought are set free to camp in remote and > undeveloped locations rarely frequented by the campaign hat leos. Now that > the rocks and locks mentality is closing access to vast tracts of "your > land" for "your own safety" it's time to see it before you can't. It's > time to tell your congresscritters to stop doing that. Visit your ranger > stations along the way, collect the district ranger business cards > (required > to be available to the public), write not email letters to DR, the Forest > Supervisor thanking them for looking after 'my land' and then in a tiny > voice express your horror that your favorite streamside camping is NLA, if > that is so. Ken Salazar is the stud muffin for NPS and BLM, his office > takes calls and paper letters. Buy a parks pass (or proudly display your > Golden Age Pass) and visit all those places that honor these keys to the > kingdom from the Cochise stronghold in the sky islands, to Jedediah Smiths > redwoods, to Crater Lake, to Joshua Tree, to Montezumas castle and casa > grande to Lassen Volcanic, Olympic Peninsula, Mt. Hood, Craters of the moon > Arches, Escalante... At each one ask to thank the Park Superintendent > personally for their work, cause kiddies, it ain't easy. If possible > develop a friendly relationship with the likes of J.T.Reynolds, Walt > Dabney, > Wayne Merry, quietly express your concerns, ask how you can help, and see > what they have planned for your park. Now Reynolds, Dabney, Merry and the > like have moved on to other challenges, but you can sidle up to the > new super and thank 'em. They really like it when their public gets > positively involved. In our drive through double vente low fat latte > through the window society, few seem to take the time to really see where > they go. But that's a lagoon of manure into which we shall not wade at > this > time. Don't be like Gord says "one who passed through but never saw" > > Remember, these places are the Crown Jewels. Treat em with suitable > respect > and clean up the other folks trash too. I am always amazed by the litter. > Leave it better than you found it and perhaps that will go around to your > next campsite. > > BLM, ugh. Not easy work for them. Best just to chain it off and make > excuses why public lands are denied public access. Salazar is working to > change this. Buy a BLM map from your local government office see where > your > land is, go there, check it out, pick up after the folks who didn't. > > National Forests, US Department of Agriculture. There is a fine tome put > out some time ago by Coleman that describes campgrounds in detail in all > the > National Forests. Now out of print. These NFS folks don't make enough money > leasing land to beef ranchers, or selling off timber to sustain the public > part of the national forest experience. Now there are "adventure passes" > one must buy to legally visit in many places. Which means those of limited > means may not be able to" see the forest for the fees" Fortunately those > who finally reached the summit of geezer pass, snapped up a lifetime of > adventure in the form of that GoldCard for only ten measly frogskins, the > 'adventure fees' are covered to some degree. Don't let this sad situation > dissuade you from setting up camp somewhere less popular in your national > forests and listening to the silence, occasionally broken by a grumbly > raven > or a spring peeper. Upon departure, you know the drill, clean up, pull all > that trash out of the firepit, that you didn't put there mark the spot on > your map should you like to return and slip away. Leave no trace and > remember "this site is protected by Smokey the Bear, smoke here and the > bear > will crush your butt" > > Overnighting is what I call the sometimes necessary but not always pleasant > event where we park in the late evening, draw the drapes, read a bit > perhaps, and in the dark-thirty scurry away to the rest of the adventure. > The resident wildlife may be only rats and seagulls or perhaps not even > that. No reason to tarry. In many places en-route "camping" is available > for those who are in late and out early. Check in advance. > > Wilderness was once defined as a place where it is perfectly legal for the > local residents to kill and eat you. However unlike urban stealth camping, > the locals won't steal your money at gunpoint. > > I lean towards the wilderness after all as Ed Abbey said "its the only > thing > worth saving" > > Pensioner -- NPS pass holder since '76 Buy one, wear it out. >

-- Jake

1984 Vanagon GL 1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"

Crescent Beach, BC

www.thebassspa.com www.crescentbeachguitar.com http://subyjake.googlepages.com/mydixiedarlin%27


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