Date: Mon, 1 Aug 2011 11:08:20 -0500
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Strange Herd behavior..
In-Reply-To: <CAHTkEuLbkj6c0E-UWeEYgeMsB3ft_6DAOPDTMPMG8cqbDvwTjQ@mail.gmail.com>
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---- Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
>
> As I rode along, solo, I observed uncounted informal camping areas.
> There's literally thousands of smaller two lane and spur roads to fire
> lookouts, creek crossings, cut-offs, etc. Depending on the elevation, there
> were spots on rivers, in mixed deciduous forest, shaded old growth groves,
> some rocky outcrops in clear-cuts, spring-fed fern and moss covered glens,
> grassy meadows...simply gorgeous. I also passed a few Forest Service
> campgrounds, all seemingly pretty full, it being a hot weekend over in the
> Willamette valley population centers.
>
>
>
>
> big, flat, unshaded and bordered two sides with clear cut area, but with a
> great up-close view of Mt. Adams' southwest face. Essentially a paved
> blacktop parking lot....but it was packed with 'campers' cheek-by-jowl
> crammed in with a few feet separating their 'camps' There was even a
> line for the Portopottie...
>
> I find that strange.
>
Don, I have seen that phenomenon many times in many places. Last week in New Mexico I passed through the town of Red River, a ski resort in winter, essentially one of those t-shirt, ice cream shop destinations in summer. All the RV parks appeared full, folks crammed in, including with tents in those that allow them. The highly developed FS campgrounds along the highway seemed full. We then went on to the Valle Vidal. Along the way, lots of places to camp, not developed, just there, what the FS calls dispersed camping. Almost all of them were void of people. Just at the edge of the village of Costilla, not even in a very pretty place, just an available gravel lot, there were six RVs and three camping trailers.
As we drove into Valle Vidal, again there were numerous available camping spots. The only occupants seemed to be a few trout fishers in for the day. No campers. When we got to the FS developed campground (one of the ones the FS calls
primitive," because there is no piped water and the toilets are vaults), there were a handful of folks, maybe five sites occupied, but this is in a fantastically beautiful spot, just a little hard to get to (well, not recommended for RVs or big trailers, and 35 miles of gravel and steep grades). We chose this developed campground on this occasion because we wanted to be as high as we could get for camping, and it is at the top of the road. But we had as much privacy as if we'd stayed at one of the "dispersed" camping sites down lower along the creek.
Shhhh. Seriously, those folks are not going to anywhere they have to drive off pavement or treat the water for drinking. Mostly, they will insist on hookups. I've seen tent campers in state parks with electric coffee pots plugged in. In Martin Dies Jr. State Park in a beautiful forested area in East Texas I've seen the "primitive" loop absolutely empty, but the "modern" loop, with paved parking ramps and hookups full to capacity.
Yeah, strange.
mcneely
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