Why campgrounds have gates.
Recently I traveled out to Michigan from NJ. In Ohio we stopped for the night. The next morning I was getting stuff put away for the trip when a Class A pulled up, stopped and just sat there in the st...
Forum Discussion
Going for a quick swim before leaving, it is around 11:00am. Notice someone watching us from a 50 yards away or so, pulled into another spot, don't think much of it, watching other campers is kind of a campground hobby for many. It is a Tuesday, so park is pretty empty. Before we go for the swim, we are mostly packed and ready to go. All five of us (me, wife, three kids, ages 10,8, and 3).
Come back by noon or so, eat our lunch, finish packing up. Same people pull their car into the spot next to ours. Female with two teenagers. I am putting bikes onto bike rack, pop up down and hooked up, ready to roll. A park ranger comes over to our spot and almost whispers "the lady next to you has this spot next and is complaining. Are you leaving soon?" Silly question for a couple of reasons. As I said, everything to torn down, hooked up, and I am putting on the last bike. Also, check out is 1:00pm and it is almost exactly that time, but check in time is 3:00pm. I tell the polite ranger we are pulling out right now.
I figure all is good, but then the woman starts to yell at us, telling us we are what is wrong with camping and we are a bad example for our kids. That comment got my wife upset (believe me, that takes a LOT). I told my wife to forget it. Here is the best part....as we were driving away, she yelled "I know the governor! You will never camp in a state park again!" and pretended to write down our license plate number on her hand with her finger. I thought her kids were going to bury themselves in the sand in embarrassment. I guess here threat wasn't real since my family and I are camping in a Michigan state park for two weeks starting this Sunday.
Come back by noon or so, eat our lunch, finish packing up. Same people pull their car into the spot next to ours. Female with two teenagers. I am putting bikes onto bike rack, pop up down and hooked up, ready to roll. A park ranger comes over to our spot and almost whispers "the lady next to you has this spot next and is complaining. Are you leaving soon?" Silly question for a couple of reasons. As I said, everything to torn down, hooked up, and I am putting on the last bike. Also, check out is 1:00pm and it is almost exactly that time, but check in time is 3:00pm. I tell the polite ranger we are pulling out right now.
I figure all is good, but then the woman starts to yell at us, telling us we are what is wrong with camping and we are a bad example for our kids. That comment got my wife upset (believe me, that takes a LOT). I told my wife to forget it. Here is the best part....as we were driving away, she yelled "I know the governor! You will never camp in a state park again!" and pretended to write down our license plate number on her hand with her finger. I thought her kids were going to bury themselves in the sand in embarrassment. I guess here threat wasn't real since my family and I are camping in a Michigan state park for two weeks starting this Sunday.
