Stories - Camping and your neighbors

[jman]

This idea spurred from the canyoneering section from some Bogley members staying in a campground and hearing both sides to the story - funny stuff.


So...

Tell your stories - good or bad or just plain hilarious or even strange - of camping in the great outdoors and your neighbors being too loud, unruly, excessively drunk (redundant right?), music too loud, etc. and the things that the group or individual said to you and visa versa.

Or if you have any cool stories of meeting new friends, or even being part of a rescue or something...


I have a few to share, but I'll need more time to write those once work is done...

[Bootboy]

This idea spurred from the canyoneering section from some Bogley members staying in a campground and hearing both sides to the story - funny stuff.


So...

Tell your stories - good or bad or just plain hilarious or even strange - of camping in the great outdoors and your neighbors being too loud, unruly, excessively drunk (redundant right?), music too loud, etc. and the things that the group or individual said to you and visa versa.

Or if you have any cool stories of meeting new friends, or even being part of a rescue or something...


I have a few to share, but I'll need more time to write those once work is done...

I'll not recount my experience at North wash here. But I will contrast it with a story about locals at Joshua Tree NP.

In April, my GF and I were on a climbing trip there and we stayed in a few different places in and around the park. Outside the park we had no problem finding solitude and quiet. Our first night camping in the park was discouraging at first. We found a sweet tent site at Intersection rock (truly one of the coolest campgrounds I've even been to) and things seemed mellow enough in the late afternoon. As the sun went down, the stereos got louder, the camp fires bigger, and the crowds more active. There was some serious partying going on, mostly weekenders from LA. With all this activity, I was considering leaving to camp outside the park again. But to my astonishment, at 10:30, everything shut down. The fires went out, the stereos turned off, and the people retreated to their campers and tents. It was like someone had thrown a switch. I'm not sure if it's because the people are just considerate, or because quiet time is enforced by park rangers, but it was really unlike anything I had ever seen. We slept well and awoke to polite neighbors peacefully cooking breakfast in the sites to either side of us, even offering to let us join them. It was quiet enough that we were not awakened by anybody else, just the rising sun. I'd happily spend another night there, even on a crowded weekend.

[jman]

I'll not recount my experience at North wash here. But I will contrast it with a story about locals at Joshua Tree NP.

In April, my GF and I were on a climbing trip there and we stayed in a few different places in and around the park. Outside the park we had no problem finding solitude and quiet. Our first night camping in the park was discouraging at first. We found a sweet tent site at Intersection rock (truly one of the coolest campgrounds I've even been to) and things seemed mellow enough in the late afternoon. As the sun went down, the stereos got louder, the camp fires bigger, and the crowds more active. There was some serious partying going on, mostly weekenders from LA. With all this activity, I was considering leaving to camp outside the park again. But to my astonishment, at 10:30, everything shut down. The fires went out, the stereos turned off, and the people retreated to their campers and tents. It was like someone had thrown a switch. I'm not sure if it's because the people are just considerate, or because quiet time is enforced by park rangers, but it was really unlike anything I had ever seen. We slept well and awoke to polite neighbors peacefully cooking breakfast in the sites to either side of us, even offering to let us join them. It was quiet enough that we were not awakened by anybody else, just the rising sun. I'd happily spend another night there, even on a crowded weekend.

Sounds nice. That sounds like it's more of the exception these days........unfortunately.....

ugh...that's one of the main reasons of why I hated Mosquito Cove near Zion. Music until 1-2am. LOUD laughing and random yelling at the same time, etc. I am FOR having a great time when you are with people. I get some people go to bed at 4 am. But when you are the only group up and talking at 1am with the fire roaring - that's YOUR sign, that you are not a polite, respectful camper. Just another disrespectful group that gets sites and areas shutdown because of their group. Oh, and don't forget - the trash they leave behind. Imagine - a group that's unruly that will actually pick up their beer cans and trash? the humanity.:facepalm1:

[Byron]

Back in '92, between moving from L.A. to Denver, I went on a road trip to Alaska.

At some forest campground in British Colombia, I had the place all to myself until some ate up, crazy old geezer pulled into the site next to mine and wanted to be my best friend ever. He was drunk, obnoxious, annoying and wouldn't leave me alone, following me around everywhere I went. He was straight up nuts, and super creepy, like some guy that had just got out of prison or something.

After about an hour of this, he says he's going to go into town real quick to pick up some supplies and then informs me that we'll have a wonderful time by the fire talking (him talking) into the late of the night. I wasn't in the mood for that at all, and as soon as he left I tossed everything into my truck and took off to camp elsewhere.

I got a kick out of imagining the look on his face when he came back.

[Felicia]

This past weekend I was camping with a larger group and we were spread all over the area. Late the second night, while I was off chatting with a friend under the stars, a young couple arrived into camp and set themselves up right in the middle of our site. By the time I returned to my site, they had gone to sleep. The next morning, they were surprised and apologetic - no stress. They were very nice and we had a great chat. Luckily they were cat and dog people. Right before I left, I emptied my tent of balloons and tossed the balloons into their SUV. :mrgreen: Overall, my last nine months of camping has been great and I have met a lot of really nice people. :nod:

[Bluff-Canyoneer]

A few years back the wife and I got a permit for Coyote Buttes South. Early in the morning, we found a good campsite about a half mile back from the trailhead and set up our tent. We hiked from there to the Buttes, where we spent a long day, getting back to camp at sundown. Only, we find that someone has parked a rental 4x4 in our camp, directly between our car and tent, about 5 feet from our heads. There was no one around to ask about finding another spot, so we hit the sack and tried to get to sleep. An hour later, two Germans come stomping into camp, laughing, farting, belching and in general being obnoxious. After 10 minutes, we could take it no more. We charged out of the tent and let them have it. I recall saying something like "There is a hundred thousand acres of land out here and you can camp anywhere on it you want. Why in the hell did you chose our site?" We continued our attack until they got the idea and jumped in there car and left.
I find it very strange when people show no consideration of others.

[Bootboy]

A few years back the wife and I got a permit for Coyote Buttes South. Early in the morning, we found a good campsite about a half mile back from the trailhead and set up our tent. We hiked from there to the Buttes, where we spent a long day, getting back to camp at sundown. Only, we find that someone has parked a rental 4x4 in our camp, directly between our car and tent, about 5 feet from our heads. There was no one around to ask about finding another spot, so we hit the sack and tried to get to sleep. An hour later, two Germans come stomping into camp, laughing, farting, belching and in general being obnoxious. After 10 minutes, we could take it no more. We charged out of the tent and let them have it. I recall saying something like "There is a hundred thousand acres of land out here and you can camp anywhere on it you want. Why in the hell did you chose our site?" We continued our attack until they got the idea and jumped in there car and left.
I find it very strange when people show no consideration of others.

Dontcha' know that's just how it is down there? Always a party. Who goes to bed that early? It's customary to park in tight so as to leave room for others who might show up. Those guys are well liked regular characters, it's cute and funny when they're rude, so people view them as a spectacle. If you can't handle it, go somewhere else. The one guy was a good canyoneer, so he gets to talk as long and loud as he wants.

That's the racket I've been getting about my trip to Camp-thrax.

It must be a European thing.

[jman]

Nice, thanks guys for posting some stories.

Byron - my group once did the same thing, except we had a few single ladies with us and 2 older guys showed up later and said, "hey we are going into town to get a few party supplies. I hope your group is READDDDY to PARTTTY!!!" and then they drove off. uh......it was already past 10pm and had a long hiking day ahead of us and we just packed up and moved further down the road. haha. Their faces must of been "what the he--??!! where'd they all go?"


Many years back right when Pleiades Canyon was first broadcast to the world...a group of us tried getting camping spots along the Colorado and other various group sites back in late September or early October. Everything was packed! and after an hour+ of driving around we decided on a KOA in Moab for our party of 8. Worst decision ever. So apparently there is an annual event called "Jeep Safari". Maybe you guys have heard of it? :lol8: Anyways, the entire day was full of Jeeps going past our camp site (we had a monstrous 10man tent) all day long and that was fine...that's what we got ourselves into. However, 2 AM even 3 AM, Jeeps were still rolling in back to camp, red-lining there engines as they go past our tents at 1 MPH. Then they would go outside and hear the loudest hoot and hollering and laughing from any group. And there we were 20feet away from them..

Occasionally we would hear them say, "I'll bet those folks are sleeping in the tent, lets keep it down" NOPE! then 10 minutes later, back to obnoxious laughter. And one guy in particular had this pop-aye laugh, that we would single out on and laugh to ourselves about. But enough was enough, so a lady in our group pops out (because, guys won't listen to other guys. But if it's a girl - then they will listen...) and says very politely, "um..it's 3:30am and we are 20ft away from you and can hear everything. Can you guys keep it down to a minimum please. thanks" and came back inside the tent.

After that - they were quiet a mouse. Go figure. All it takes is a woman's persuasion sometimes. :naughty:

So the next morning, we roll-out around 9am cause of our sleepless night before but man, those Jeepers love to get up at 5am and again, red-line there engines past our tent 1 MPH and do loops around the campsite. ugghhhh........:facepalm1::facepalm1::facepalm1:

So after we get up and are still making fun of that one guy's pop-aye laugh - we go hit up Pleiades and have a great time. We spot another potential canyon in the La-Sals and do some minor exploration. Looks decent, but will save it for another day. So we head back for dinner at the KOA and a good evening soak in their hottubs. Ahh yeah...the hottubs ALL to ourselves during this Jeep Safari. Guess those Jeepers didn't see the hottubs at the entrance to the KOA. haha. suckas....anyways...

We pull back into our tent site and we see all the Jeeper Creepers sitting outside having there dinners from a hundred feet away. We get this good idea since everybody knows who these NON-JEEPS belong too....and decide to red-line our engines (think Honda CRV and Toyota Corolla and our Ford F-150) as we pass them. And we go sooo slow around these guys. AHhhh man....so funny!!! We were being dicks in return.:bootyshake::bootyshake::bootyshake: But it wasn't at 3am either - it was at 5:30pm. There faces were priceless and they were probably thinking "what the he--, who are these guys??". And then we pull into our tent site and then I'm sure everything made sense to them then. :lol8:

[Bo_Beck]

When I was a wee young lad my next door neighbor friend and I had our moms drop us off in the Sandia Mountains (outside of Albuquerque) to camp out in the wild. We explored a cave and hiked around a bit until nightfall at which time we threw our sleeping bags out on the ground. As darkness spread we each climbed into our cotton bags and settled in for a quiet night of blissful sleep. With thoughts of wild animals and creepy thoughts of being eaten alive sleep came strained. Pulling the sleeping bag over my head gave me the security from wild chaos. Soon into the night I heard "brooo....bzzzzzzz....broo...bzzzzzzz"! Over and over again I would shift position and the sound of what I percieved to be a bear milling around in the bushes would briefly cease. Once again "brooo.....bzzzzz...brooo...bzzzz"! Needless to say, sleep evaded me almost the entire night and I was so thankful to see twilight and I finally slid out of my bag in the morning light. I recounted my restless story to Jeff and he exclaimed that he heard nothing and had a very restful sleep! I stooped to roll up my sleeping bag as I was ready to go home even though our moms weren't supposed to arrive for at least another 6 hours. As I slowly rolled up my bag from the foot end, I almost had it completely finished and out from under the head area of the bag sits a nice big wasp with its wings just flapping away making a "brooo.....bzzzzz.....broooo....bzzzzz"! I honestly don't remember if I was pissed, confused, amazed or embarrased......probably all of the above!

[Sombeech]

Many moons ago, pun intended, we went down to Lake Powell with my rich uncle and a very nice house boat. We were in Navajo Canyon and anchored at that big sand dune. We had a nice spot, a couple hundred feet from the canyon wall behind us, and a good view of the bay out in front. There were a few boats that later came and parked in front of us, but no problem, the house boat was tall and we could see over them.

2 days into the trip another house boat comes and squeezes in between us and the canyon wall. I'm sure they had almost zero view of the bay because they would just be looking in our direction the whole time. It just got a little annoying knowing that people were always watching us because they had nowhere else to look. So one of the guys I was with started from that point on to change his clothes on the top deck, getting fully nude, because they were always looking in our direction. After a day of this, with several changes of swimsuits, they finally moved their house boat out.

[jman]

Many moons ago, pun intended, we went down to Lake Powell with my rich uncle and a very nice house boat. We were in Navajo Canyon and anchored at that big sand dune. We had a nice spot, a couple hundred feet from the canyon wall behind us, and a good view of the bay out in front. There were a few boats that later came and parked in front of us, but no problem, the house boat was tall and we could see over them.

2 days into the trip another house boat comes and squeezes in between us and the canyon wall. I'm sure they had almost zero view of the bay because they would just be looking in our direction the whole time. It just got a little annoying knowing that people were always watching us because they had nowhere else to look. So one of the guys I was with started from that point on to change his clothes on the top deck, getting fully nude, because they were always looking in our direction. After a day of this, with several changes of swimsuits, they finally moved their house boat out.

Hahahahahha. Good thinkin!


-Brett

[Rob L]

Just a few years ago I took a road-trip down to the end of Hole-in-the-Rock road, just to see it, be there, and feel a little of the history.

I was expecting to drive away afterwards, to avoid loads of folks either camping there or having climbed up from the lake.

I was tout seul, and I enjoyed every quiet moment.

70075

[deagol]

….

It must be a European thing.

I’ve wonder this, too. In Arches NP, we were camped for 4 days and this group of French people kept walking right up next to our camper in the Devil’s Garden campground (I mean like scraping up against the side of it). This was a fairly spread out campground with the sites maybe being almost 10-20 yards apart from one another ?
It could be a cultural misunderstanding and I can relate to your frustration over the Sandthrax incident. I would feel the same way.

[Kuya]

When I was about 15 were camping in the Uintas for a scout camp. We had been alone in the area for the whole week, and the area where we were camped had plenty of nearby camping spots. The last couple nights we were there, a group of people came into our camp and asked us to move our canoes and canoe trailer and parked right next to our camp!! First of all who WANTS to camp next to a scout group? and second of all, Why would anyone crowd out another group when there are dozens of other camp grounds vacant!

Needless to say, our scout leaders let us have free reign! Tents were collapsed, fire crackers were let off etc. we had a great time making their stay as miserable as possible.

was what we did wrong? probably. Was what they did wrong, probably. would I handle that situation differently as the scout leader I am now. Probably. Did we have a great time as scouts bugging the crap out of the RUDE and encroaching campers! YOU BET!!!

[Rob L]

Don't knock the Europeans too much...

Unless you're an Indian, you were one once. :twisted:

[Bootboy]

Don't knock the Europeans too much...

Unless you're an Indian, you were one once. :twisted:

Thats the stupidest thing I've heard all day. You sir, are guilty of logical fallacy. The history if immigration is completely irrelevant in light of modern cultural differences and the much newer American concept of wilderness. You must be completely ignorant of the fact that cultural and social norms change over time and that the world is a slightly different place than it was 250 years ago. Are you oblivious to the possibility that maybe said norms are a little different here than over there? So what am I supposed to do? Go "back" to Europe? Or simply accept the fact that I am just another rude, obnoxious European? I am not, not have I ever been European.

[Byron]

Oh my...Bootboy on a TEAR!!!

I think I'll agree with the European thing, too. I spent a week camped in Zion about 2 months ago and they just cruise right thru your site on the way to the bathroom when a path is just a few feet away. This happened a lot while I was there. And they wouldn't look at you either. I'm sitting there, eating dinner at the picnic table and it's like I'm invisible.

I considered bending over and giving one of them a brown eye, but thought that might be going a bit too far. Ha! instead of asking them not to cut thru my site, I consider something absolutely obscene...I'm so bad sometimes :twisted:

[deagol]

Hey,

I've never had a problem with Brits, but why do the continental Euros need to be right ontop of us out in the "Wilderness" ? It happens more than just the example I described.
All we are doing is asking for our space, not "knocking" Europeans. Like I said, it is probably a cultural misunderstanding.
I am surprised Bootboy is getting so much flak for essentially just asking for a little consideration and personal space.

As an aside, the term Indian (when describing people who were here before the Europeans) is falling out of favor, and for good reason. The more accurate term for native Americans is "Native American".

[Udink]

At some forest campground in British Colombia, I had the place all to myself until some ate up, crazy old geezer pulled into the site next to mine and wanted to be my best friend ever. He was drunk, obnoxious, annoying and wouldn't leave me alone, following me around everywhere I went. He was straight up nuts, and super creepy, like some guy that had just got out of prison or something.
I had a very similar situation last fall, just north of exit 131 on I-70 in the Swell. Except this guy was stone cold sober, but a little crazy. Obviously homeless, living out of his old Cadillac. Claimed to be ex-CIA and often talked about his work with "The Company." I couldn't just move camp because I had a large group meeting me that weekend and I needed to be where they could find me, so this dude just hung out all weekend with us. At least he ate well at our potluck dinner and had more company than he was expecting for the weekend. :D

[Sombeech]

This summer in Havasupai, it was pretty crowded. Camp sites were full, and some idiots were starting to pitch their tent right ON THE TRAIL where there was a fork in the trail giving them a good 6 feet of flat sandy surface. Needless to say they had every freaking hiker in the canyon brushing arms up against their tent all day and night.

Never camp on the trail and expect people to avoid your campsite out of courtesy.

[Byron]

At least he ate well at our potluck dinner and had more company than he was expecting for the weekend. :DHa!!! You had to suck it up!

[DesertDuke]

Mine is a story that was our fault. When I was in H School we would go to Sand Mountain and ride hard for 3 or 4 solid days. We always pulled in late, just threw out a tent and would then ride all night and through the next day and one time we set up our tents right at the base. Hardly anyone went there back in the early 80s. On the second night or so we would be exhausted and would finally sleep. On one trip, on the second night at about 2 am some guys pulled in with 3 or 4 rails and climbed the face for the next 2 hrs or so. Our fault for camping there but we were 16 and dumb. We hadn't slept in 2 day and I remember being in that tent and just about ready to pack my bag over one or two dunes and just drop on the spot and try to sleep. It was our fault and in actuality our tent location was in their way, not the other way around. The next day we pulled our heads out and moved. I hear that the place is swarming all the time now. We would have it all to ourselves trip after trip then.

Overall I have had great success with other campers. Backpacking is my usual and I think most others are as unhappy to have someone else there at the same lake as I am so they tent to stay opposite or even to move on to the next lake. The WORST is if someone in a nearby camp is playing music. SO lame to hear someone playing music!!

[nelsonccc]

A few years ago we did a Bogley Zion Canyoneering trip. I was leading a Boundary trip with a few others. We were all camped up at Lava point in a few of the spots. Everyone was accounted for except for one guy. Late that night, like around midnight, this little car starts doing loops through the campground. Eventually it pulls into one of the other spots, in front of someones tent and car. Early in the morning the guy camped there is pissed off! yelling and screaming about how someone would camp in someones camp spot in the middle of the night. He moves his car and then starts asking at the other sites for the Bogley group. Eventually we realize he's supposed to be with us and we get going. He parks his car right at the Y at the top before dropping down the road to the West rim TH. We finish Boundary and come back up to drop him off and his tire is flat. Someone had jammed one of those flossing toothpick things into his valve stem. I wonder who that could have been.....

[Rob L]

Off-topic:

Do people know about double-paragraph spacing? It makes on-line reading so much easier for us old folk. :mrgreen:

Desert Duke made a good attempt, but one only.

I'm sorry if I sound like an old school teacher, but I wonder if it's because of the new iMoan - type device that doesn't show the sender what they are sending?

It makes things so much easier to read on a screen if you use double-paragraph spacing.

Regards,
Old git Rob

[ststephen]

Years ago my wife and I were car camping while driving up the CA coast towards OR. We stopped at a beach accessible only by dirt road, but fairly well know. Our son was a toddler at the time and we went to bed 10-ish. Just as we were getting ready to retire a group shows up and makes camp across from us. They proceed to party late and loud most of the night. The next morning we're up early (toddler) and I'm making coffee. I notice that the pickup truck of that group is gone and there are only 2 guys asleep on the ground where the party had been. My stove and pots wake them (wasn't banging but also was quite fine with making a little noise for their benefit/misery). They look around very startled and then get out of their bags. One of them sheepishly comes over to ask if we've seen the truck. Nope. Bummer for them because these two guys had joined that group via hitch-hiking but were not friends. They were now stuck on this isolated beach with no transport. Goes around, comes around, you know...

[Byron]

Off-topic:

Do people know about double-paragraph spacing? It makes on-line reading so much easier for us old folk. :mrgreen:

Desert Duke made a good attempt, but one only.

I'm sorry if I sound like an old school teacher, but I wonder if it's because of the new iMoan - type device that doesn't show the sender what they are sending?

It makes things so much easier to read on a screen if you use double-paragraph spacing.

Regards,
Old git RobYeah...when I first came here, Tom schooled me on this. I agree, they're much easier to read when broken up.