California State Campgrounds: Our state complains about how costly the parks are and is constantly threatening to close different ones. I know they have reduced hours in some parks but I don’t think any have actually closed, I’m not sure about that. I stopped my support to the state park system when they found “millions” in funds they didn’t know they had (hmmm). It’s not to say I would not support them again, because it is a fairly nice perk to have day passes and slightly reduced rates if you use it enough to warrant the cost. Senior prices are less of course. Anyway, I will be writing a letter when I get home. Our campsite was not clean when we got to it. There were at least 3 easily seen items of plastic nature on the ground by the fire pit. The fire pit itself was quite full of ashes and had foil wrapped around each rung of the grill. I figured we would not be using it anyway, so we left it. However, the next day when we were sitting at the table we watched a ranger and someone with an injured arm, in plain clothes, walking around policing campsites. I can say if they walked any slower they would be going backwards! But walking didn’t last long and leaning on a table talking was the activity of the day. When they began to walk again, 20-30 minutes later, they didn’t go far and stood around talking again! Then it was back to leaning on the same table talking… At this point John went and said hello and told them about our fire pit being unusable. Come to find out the man in the plain clothes was a injured supervisor! Neither had a name tag for me to include a name in my letter, big surprise! Their slow walk continued along the road north and back toward the ranger station area. Later the same female ranger came back and did walk a bit faster and policed a couple of empty campsites. Then another male ranger came and policed the very same site next to us. Neither managed to pick up the couple of pieces of debris between that campsite and ours! I do not see this as using our tax dollars wisely. Get workers who will work efficiently and quickly to do their appointed jobs. If I did my job in this manner, I would be let go immediately for a sloppy and slow work effort. Here is my next gripe: Restroom cleaning hours are not posted when this will be done. Most days they came between 7:30 and 9am to do this task. In other campgrounds we have stayed in over the years they post the cleaning time outside, usually between 1pm-3pm, so you can plan your shower time, etc. Also with a cleaning time in the afternoon fewer people are in camp and fewer people are inconvenienced. There seems to be no real thought about the visitors they serve. There is a full campsite on weekends with lots of children. It is very inconsiderate to close the restrooms for cleaning when families need to use it the most. We have a trailer with a bathroom, but at least 50% to 75% of the people here on the weekend were in tents. Keep in mind, we now pay $35. per night for a site with no hookups whatsoever in this portion of the park. There is a bathroom with flush toilets and showers (.25 per 2 minute shower). In addition, water faucets are conveniently spaced throughout the area. You also have a fire pit, stationary picnic table, and some form of wooden pantry in each campsite. The parking areas for vehicles are blacktop and fairly level. You are allowed 8 people per campsite. While most of the campsites are fairly close together, there is ample room to set up a couple tents in each campsite if you should desire. You can pay $5. for an extra vehicle in your campsite, such as car or truck, not a trailer.
I feel that California is one of the most beautiful and diverse states in our nation. (I’ve seen 48 states with just two more to go) From the mountains, to deserts, to oceans, we seem to have it all. One can be at the beach in the morning and skiing in the mountains in the wintertime by afternoon. Majestic natural wonders like Yosemite, Death Valley, the volcanic nature of Lassen, the Giant Sequoias, the coastal Redwoods and so much more magnify the beauty of the state. The history of the Gold country, the Barbary coast, our Mission history, the fishing industry and other history of our coast, then there is the central valley that feeds our country… the list goes on and on. It is sad that politics and the “nanny” state mentality is ruining it for so many of the people who have worked hard and contributed to our state to make it what it is… or should I say was. It is sad for me to see, I am a native Californian.
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