The old adage about 'god is in the details' applies to so many things. Nowhere is it better illustrated than in camping. The vast majority of campgrounds are terrible places to camp. Please don't tempt me to illustrate.
In America (and maybe a couple other countries?) we have been fortunate enough to have the option of "dispersed camping" outside established campgrounds, and by yourself. This is probably the best outdoor experience you could have.
But for years dispersed camping (and other types of access to public lands) has been under persistent and relentless attack by the land control organizations. But they may simply be the Effect. The Cause is likely to be laws passed by Congress, trying to burnish their environmental credentials, as well as rich lawsuit machines (aka, environmental lobbies) and their fellow-travelers sitting on the bench as federal judges.
And yet the RV industry and the RV blogosphere have done next to nothing to protect quality camping in the USA. Just do a Google search of anything connected to RVing or camping. None of it addresses the real issue of the ever-increasing restrictions on camping.
Until now. Recently a remarkable organization has come into being. I am not exaggerating to say that in my 20 years of familiarity with the war on camping, this is the first positive and exciting development I have seen!
It is the winter season at Quartzsite. It was a perfect time to put some points on the board. We worked as the active partner of the BLM: they suggested the location, gave safety instructions, supplied a trailer to haul it away, and enlisted the help of four BLM people.
I was the first person there, and for a moment felt the turnout would be a dud, and that I would have to make excuses with the BLM. (In fact I hadn't slept much the previous night, while I worried about this.) Then the volunteers starting streaming in!
New as we are, about 20 volunteers showed up.
What's this? Even dogs chipped in!
I hope we have 120 volunteers next winter in Quartzsite, and many cleanups at other locations during the rest of the year.
In America (and maybe a couple other countries?) we have been fortunate enough to have the option of "dispersed camping" outside established campgrounds, and by yourself. This is probably the best outdoor experience you could have.
But for years dispersed camping (and other types of access to public lands) has been under persistent and relentless attack by the land control organizations. But they may simply be the Effect. The Cause is likely to be laws passed by Congress, trying to burnish their environmental credentials, as well as rich lawsuit machines (aka, environmental lobbies) and their fellow-travelers sitting on the bench as federal judges.
And yet the RV industry and the RV blogosphere have done next to nothing to protect quality camping in the USA. Just do a Google search of anything connected to RVing or camping. None of it addresses the real issue of the ever-increasing restrictions on camping.
Until now. Recently a remarkable organization has come into being. I am not exaggerating to say that in my 20 years of familiarity with the war on camping, this is the first positive and exciting development I have seen!
It is the winter season at Quartzsite. It was a perfect time to put some points on the board. We worked as the active partner of the BLM: they suggested the location, gave safety instructions, supplied a trailer to haul it away, and enlisted the help of four BLM people.
I was the first person there, and for a moment felt the turnout would be a dud, and that I would have to make excuses with the BLM. (In fact I hadn't slept much the previous night, while I worried about this.) Then the volunteers starting streaming in!
New as we are, about 20 volunteers showed up.
What's this? Even dogs chipped in!
I hope we have 120 volunteers next winter in Quartzsite, and many cleanups at other locations during the rest of the year.
Comments
"Awesome project! You just pointed out the reasons for the restrictions People who do not self police...those bad apple people who trash the environment and someone else has to clean it up! The Govt is not going to pay people to clean up someone else's mess. If people would be adults and clean up behind themselves there would be less restrictions..and now with the ATV craze the trash will be more widely dispersed, along with more derstruction to fragile soils creating more erosion. JMO"