Lately I have had a chance to observe a group of people I am not used to. I am not even sure what to call them, but they seem to be a group of boondockers who spun off of the Van Build group in Parker, AZ. I am here to help a friend finish his van.
It has been interesting to watch these people and wonder why they are "dispersed" camping on top of each other? Why do they seem to enjoy morning and late afternoon group meetings? Why don't they get going in the morning before the wind starts blowing? Why are they so uninterested in outdoor recreation? Why is music noise unregulated but dogs are strictly regulated?
They seem to think desert camping is the moral equivalent of spring break at Ft. Lauderdale, for college kiddies.
Perhaps we don't need to think that hard. They are here because of the price and the price alone.
I hope they get an opportunity someday to do something that fits their interests better. If they could afford it, they would be happier in a large metropolitan area, and perhaps in an RV park of similar-minded people: some place with lots of tattoos, music noise, pot, dreadlocks, hippie color schemes, etc.
Then there are the more typical snowbird-boondockers, who need house-sized rigs and generators large enough to power a small third world village. They would definitely be happier in an RV park with hookups and a constant 72 F, organized activities, better places to shop, and other people who are permanent enough to get to know.
I'm not really criticizing any of these proclivities. I just hate to see campers over-crowd public lands, when in fact they have no reason to be there other than the low price.
Perhaps it would help a little if bloggers and vloggers would stop offering romantic images of saguaros in front of red sunsets, etc.
It has been interesting to watch these people and wonder why they are "dispersed" camping on top of each other? Why do they seem to enjoy morning and late afternoon group meetings? Why don't they get going in the morning before the wind starts blowing? Why are they so uninterested in outdoor recreation? Why is music noise unregulated but dogs are strictly regulated?
They seem to think desert camping is the moral equivalent of spring break at Ft. Lauderdale, for college kiddies.
Perhaps we don't need to think that hard. They are here because of the price and the price alone.
I hope they get an opportunity someday to do something that fits their interests better. If they could afford it, they would be happier in a large metropolitan area, and perhaps in an RV park of similar-minded people: some place with lots of tattoos, music noise, pot, dreadlocks, hippie color schemes, etc.
Then there are the more typical snowbird-boondockers, who need house-sized rigs and generators large enough to power a small third world village. They would definitely be happier in an RV park with hookups and a constant 72 F, organized activities, better places to shop, and other people who are permanent enough to get to know.
I'm not really criticizing any of these proclivities. I just hate to see campers over-crowd public lands, when in fact they have no reason to be there other than the low price.
Perhaps it would help a little if bloggers and vloggers would stop offering romantic images of saguaros in front of red sunsets, etc.
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