Anyone else agree that camping has become increasingly stressful and expensive? Between the litany of new rules and regulations at the provincial campgrounds to having to pull your trailer or fifth wheel out on a Tuesday so that you can have a spot for the long weekend—it’s stressful!
I know, I know. First World Problems and all that.
One newish rule in particular seemed arbitrary. Generators can only be used from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. I understand that some generators can be really disruptive, but most purr like a kitten. The park attendants spend most of their time reminding folks of the allowable time period. They anticipate this need and have actually printed out little squares of typed text with the reminder. These little squares are given out each time someone was “lighting up” outside of hours.
After one particular weekend of doing our best to follow their written missive (because I am rule follower), we found ourselves walking throughout the campground counting the number of people who were breaking the rule and I found myself getting irritated. That is the problem with these types of rules; unless the facility operators are watching 24-7, there is no way they can be enforced equally. Hmmm, perhaps if we offered to plant a tree to offset our carbon? I can hear the conversation now: “Psst! Hey, I will trade you a spruce seedling in exchange for an additional hour of generator time. Is it a deal?”
The firewood issue is also stressful. You either bring it with you (No, little Jimmy, we can’t take your bike with us, we need the extra room for firewood) or buy it on site. Gone are the days where you would see a big enclosure brimming with firewood that was free—no, now you have someone come around with a cart who provides you with an armful for $5.
Note: While camping at Gwillim Lake in May, our campsite neighbour went and cut his own firewood, which in turn cost him big bucks because he didn’t venture far enough and did the dastardly deed within the Park boundary, which is a no-no. Two park officer’s came by his campsite and handed him a ticket for the firewood infraction plus a ticket for leaving food out (bear attraction) and for leaving his fire-pit unattended. He saved $5 an armful for firewood, but paid a pretty penny in park fines. Yikes!
Let’s begin to add this up: $20 per night for camping, $10 per vehicle for an extra vehicle, $5 for an armful of firewood, and you now are paying $35 a day minimum to stay at a BC Parks campsite. Add to the experience that you had came out on Tuesday to ensure that you could get a campsite, your weekend away from it all now has cost you well over $100.
We cannot forget the groceries that are purchased to stock the trailer, the extra fuel required to get there and back and the alcohol that is required to get you through all of the “family time”—it has now become an expensive camping trip!
The expense aside, I think that the inconsistency with the campsite rule enforcement is the issue that rubs most the wrong way. Some park facility operators rule with an iron fist, constantly making the rounds on their side-by-side ATV and peering at you to ensure that you are following the rules. Other park facility operators are much more lackadaisical about their position and tend to let things slide. It is when you have just spent a weekend with the latter that you get complacent and assume that everyone is relaxing the reins.
Finally, after a weekend of camping, you return home and find yourself in an endless lineup of RV’s to dump the sewer: A lineup of idling vehicles and frustrated “I have had my fill of these children” couples just barely hanging on to their sanity.
Fun wasn’t it? Ready to go again?
Gosh, I love camping.
Judy Kucharuk is a lover of sarcasm, witty people and footnotes. You can follow her blog at www.judykucharuk.com or catch her on CBC Radio Daybreak North where she shares her “Peace of Mind”. Follow her on twitter @judylaine
