Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2023 17:19:40 -0800
Reply-To: David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David McNeely <davmcneely40@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Getting Caught
In-Reply-To: <599233587.1585791.1676590159663@mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
Great Basin National Park, Summer 2009. New to me 1992 Campmobile, risked
cross country trip without full maintenance, and van needed cooling system
overhauled. So, sign at bottom of mountain indicated campsites available
at the campground WAY up the mountain. Made it up, stopping periodically
to cool down the engine. No campsites. Getting dark. Fellow at the Camp
Host site said, "Why don't you just camp in the parking lot tonight?" So,
we started to get set up and cook supper. Two rangers showed up, told us
we had to leave. We explained the van's engine problems, that a sign at
the bottom indicated camping sites available, and that we hoped to hike the
rest of the way up the mountain to the tiny little glacier, and more
importantly, the bristlecone pine woodland the next day. We were told
again that we could not stay in the parking lot, despite what the person in
the Camp Host site had said. We pleaded, given the condition of the van,
and that we would have to drive down the mountain that night, then back up
the next day to complete our itinerary. No dice. So, we drove down to the
lower campground, spent the night there, babied the van back up the next
morning, and made our hike. Worth it. For anyone who has not seen the
thousands of year old trees, they are magnificent, awesome. mcneely
On Thu, Feb 16, 2023 at 3:30 PM Richard Koerner <rjkinpb@sbcglobal.net>
wrote:
> Have you ever got caught when camping in Vanagon where you are not
> supposed to, and what was the outcome? In over 45 years of VW van camping,
> only happened to me once. I was in Zion, Utah. Simpler times of course,
> decades ago. I parked on the far edge of the parking lot at Visitor
> Center; enjoyed a wonderful guitar performance inside; went back to van.
> Around 11:30 PM....that unmistakable knock-knock-knock of metal flashlight
> on window. Red and Blue lights swirling around. I stumbled outside.
> Ranger said, "Uhh, you know, you can't camp here."
> The outcome? Ranger directed me to a back street in nearby town. That
> was that. And lived to tell the story! In general, the law folks only
> want no trouble for anybody. And since then, proliferation of signs
> informing of no overnight sleeping in vehicles.
>
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