Some observations from my campround:
1. It is pleasant to talk to anyone who has some special interest and knowledge. They are rare. One camper was a serious jeeper. He taught me about the "pull-pal," a type of land anchor. It is a steel plow that digs its way into the ground when you pull on it with a winch. Perhaps even a "come-along" hand winch. Then it collapses/folds so that you can store it in your vehicle. Made in Carbondale, CO.
2. Had our first bicyclist from the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. (Adventure Cycling, Missoula, Montana.) Wish we had more of them. Maybe we aren't on their map.
I have to admit that doing nothing but cycling all day and camping in a tent don't really appeal to me as a mode of travel. Still, their stamina is certainly impressive.
3. One campsite had a large number of kids sitting on rocks, waiting for their meal. They looked so enchanted by the campfire. It would be fun to be invisible and hang out there and watch them. Personally I don't remember any campground experiences from childhood, because my family didn't camp. So it was hard to imagine what the kiddies were thinking.
4a. I considered busting my first camper. The first "opportunity" was a van-tramp (grin) who thought that he was going to park overnight for free in the day use area, despite the sign saying that that wasn't allowed. Then he would have used the toilets or dumped his offal and excrement in our trash cans, no doubt.
Listen to my prejudices! Good thing I didn't try to make a living as a cop. In fact, I gave him advice about all the free dispersed camping roads in the area, and it looks like he benefited.
Woe unto any "stealth" van tramp who invades my suzerainty and tries to camp for free! (grin)
4b. I came closer to busting a dog owner, of all things! I have no interest in being petty about dogs off-leash, as long as it is not causing a problem. That means somebody or their pet bleeding.
But it also means 'being terrified.' One group had two dogs that charged my dog and me at full speed -- twice. Once again, my prejudices came out! I don't like German shepherds.
The good news is that these two loudmouths just acted intimidating, rather than biting me or my dog. I am pretty good at not over-reacting to "problem" dogs. But if I had been a mother, walking her small child, with Fi-Fi alongside, these two off-leash dogs would have terrified me.
It is something to think about: one can read theoretical essays by philosophers, particularly of the libertarian stripe, and they seem to border on theology -- so disconnected from real people in the real world.
Where was the internal self-control on the part of those dog owners? At any rate, I am getting an education.
1. It is pleasant to talk to anyone who has some special interest and knowledge. They are rare. One camper was a serious jeeper. He taught me about the "pull-pal," a type of land anchor. It is a steel plow that digs its way into the ground when you pull on it with a winch. Perhaps even a "come-along" hand winch. Then it collapses/folds so that you can store it in your vehicle. Made in Carbondale, CO.
2. Had our first bicyclist from the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. (Adventure Cycling, Missoula, Montana.) Wish we had more of them. Maybe we aren't on their map.
I have to admit that doing nothing but cycling all day and camping in a tent don't really appeal to me as a mode of travel. Still, their stamina is certainly impressive.
3. One campsite had a large number of kids sitting on rocks, waiting for their meal. They looked so enchanted by the campfire. It would be fun to be invisible and hang out there and watch them. Personally I don't remember any campground experiences from childhood, because my family didn't camp. So it was hard to imagine what the kiddies were thinking.
4a. I considered busting my first camper. The first "opportunity" was a van-tramp (grin) who thought that he was going to park overnight for free in the day use area, despite the sign saying that that wasn't allowed. Then he would have used the toilets or dumped his offal and excrement in our trash cans, no doubt.
Listen to my prejudices! Good thing I didn't try to make a living as a cop. In fact, I gave him advice about all the free dispersed camping roads in the area, and it looks like he benefited.
Woe unto any "stealth" van tramp who invades my suzerainty and tries to camp for free! (grin)
4b. I came closer to busting a dog owner, of all things! I have no interest in being petty about dogs off-leash, as long as it is not causing a problem. That means somebody or their pet bleeding.
But it also means 'being terrified.' One group had two dogs that charged my dog and me at full speed -- twice. Once again, my prejudices came out! I don't like German shepherds.
The good news is that these two loudmouths just acted intimidating, rather than biting me or my dog. I am pretty good at not over-reacting to "problem" dogs. But if I had been a mother, walking her small child, with Fi-Fi alongside, these two off-leash dogs would have terrified me.
It is something to think about: one can read theoretical essays by philosophers, particularly of the libertarian stripe, and they seem to border on theology -- so disconnected from real people in the real world.
Where was the internal self-control on the part of those dog owners? At any rate, I am getting an education.
Comments
I have a saying, "The smart have their theories, but the wise have their scars."
Glad to see you're not too old to acquire some. :)
Plus, even a seemingly well-behaved loose dog prevents me taking my cat out on a leash. It's unsafe when I don't know the dog and owner.
Chris
Ed