I hope the reader hasn't wasted a great deal of time reading certain cliché topics, such as 'Should a camper have a gun?' On and on this sort of discussion goes. What's the point?
It is obvious that owning a gun is "negative safety" for a camper. It is too likely to put you into the state penitentiary as your final campsite. Just consider what it is like to camp on public lands over the Fourth of July weekend.
I chose a new area for me. The road didn't look busy. The campsite looked non-flat and not terribly desirable to other campers. So I pulled in. An hour later a giant fifth-wheel pulled right in to my site -- without being invited. Then they ran their generator until 10 pm.
My first reaction was anger. But wait a minute...am I not always preaching that being a full-time RVer is a profession -- not a vacation? Do you know of any job that doesn't give you assholes to deal with? So why not act more professional? At least that is what I preached to myself.
The next morning I went prospecting, and with a real sense of purpose. I found a road and campsite that would not appeal to large rigs. Indeed, you can escape other rigs if yours is smaller and has higher clearance.
The first rig of intruders was joined by six other rigs. They probably thought I was the asshole for being in the campsite that they used last year and had "first dibs" on, this year. In truth, I liked the second campsite better than the first, so being a cool professional paid off.
But you can't escape the motorsports crowd on the Fourth of July weekend, no matter how rough your road is. Once again, there is a chance to act like a cool professional instead of a hothead. There weren't so many noisy machines going by. How many seconds of annoyance does it really total up to, over 24 X 60 X 60 seconds in a day? ATVs are quieter than they used to be. Many of the ATVers are friendly people that I smile, wave, and chat with.
And look at the bright side: each of those machines has room for a 300 Watt loudspeaker on the front and back. It could be blaring out hilbilly rap music. Boom cars for the sticks. Frankly, it surprises me that that trend hasn't gotten established...yet.
It is obvious that owning a gun is "negative safety" for a camper. It is too likely to put you into the state penitentiary as your final campsite. Just consider what it is like to camp on public lands over the Fourth of July weekend.
I chose a new area for me. The road didn't look busy. The campsite looked non-flat and not terribly desirable to other campers. So I pulled in. An hour later a giant fifth-wheel pulled right in to my site -- without being invited. Then they ran their generator until 10 pm.
My first reaction was anger. But wait a minute...am I not always preaching that being a full-time RVer is a profession -- not a vacation? Do you know of any job that doesn't give you assholes to deal with? So why not act more professional? At least that is what I preached to myself.
The next morning I went prospecting, and with a real sense of purpose. I found a road and campsite that would not appeal to large rigs. Indeed, you can escape other rigs if yours is smaller and has higher clearance.
The first rig of intruders was joined by six other rigs. They probably thought I was the asshole for being in the campsite that they used last year and had "first dibs" on, this year. In truth, I liked the second campsite better than the first, so being a cool professional paid off.
But you can't escape the motorsports crowd on the Fourth of July weekend, no matter how rough your road is. Once again, there is a chance to act like a cool professional instead of a hothead. There weren't so many noisy machines going by. How many seconds of annoyance does it really total up to, over 24 X 60 X 60 seconds in a day? ATVs are quieter than they used to be. Many of the ATVers are friendly people that I smile, wave, and chat with.
And look at the bright side: each of those machines has room for a 300 Watt loudspeaker on the front and back. It could be blaring out hilbilly rap music. Boom cars for the sticks. Frankly, it surprises me that that trend hasn't gotten established...yet.
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Chris