So, while the official winner of the Namibia contest was supposed to be announced yesterday, we continue to wait. Hopefully we'll hear something today!
Okay, we've been running this campground for almost two months and there's a couple of things that stand out.
First of all, when we were workcamping at a KOA in Kingston, Ontario, we noticed that many people driving an RV have a problem backing up. And going around corners. We would watch the park filling up on Friday afternoon and evenings and it was a real circus just watching people try to get into their site. I'd guess that 40% of them couldn't back up, and another 40% couldn't even make it around a corner.
Here, it seems quite a bit different. Which is amazing because the sites are quite a bit tighter to get in to, and there are no pull through sites. But the vast majority of drivers here seem to be able to squeeze into some of our tighter sites without much of a problem, while going in reverse! We think it has something to do with the fact that our park caters to fishermen, and of course many fishermen are used to having a boat trailer, so they have had a lot of practice backing up.
Although just yesterday, an old fellow showed up and didn't even attempt to back into his site. He came right up to me and asked if I would do it for him. He was triple towing and had both his trailer and his boat behind him! Said that it since he got older he has a real problem backing up, and it would just be so much easier if I could do it for him. Okay. No problem, happy to help out.
But some things here are the same as they are all over North America. For example, the number of people who think their fire pit is a trash can! If only one person changes their habits because of reading this post, then I'll be happy I mentioned it. Seriously people...your fire pit is for WOOD only! I guess they don't realize, or simply don't care, that someone has to clean all the trash (egg shells, tin cans, diapers!, cigarette butts, plastic bottles and bags) out of the fire pit when they leave so that the site looks presentable for the next campers.
And another thing we notice. The amount of food that gets thrown in the garbage. We have to do the trash collection, so it's easy to see much what's being thrown away. And we're talking perfectly good food. Bunches of grapes, perfectly good apples, unopened bags of hamburger buns. That sort of thing. Totally amazing, to us who are so careful with our food budget.
Anyhow, these are some of the things that stand out to us.
Ruth went golfing last night. Well, sort of. There's a guy near here who built himself a little private golf course just for fun. Six holes. And so some of the ladies from here asked Ruth to join them. They played with tennis balls! But Ruth said it was easier to hit a golf ball because you could get it to go further.
The ladies, playing tennis golf.
This is their "cabin". Funny thing is, the house they live in is only a couple of miles down the road!
If we hear anything about the contest, we'll update you right away! :-)
We have always practiced "no trace" camping. Too bad some people are so ignorant.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed for your contest result!
Wish more people were like you!
DeleteWe have always tried to leave our site cleaner then when we pulled in. It's not hard to do. Fingers and toes crossed.
ReplyDeleteWe agree, it really should be easy!
DeleteYour comments and suggestions about how to maintain one's 'space' for the ambience and the next camper (or campground manager) are well worth your time to include - a definite suggestion for some and a reminder for others. Several campgrounds ago I had an extra broom I wanted to dispose of before I headed out. I asked around, tried to find someplace to leave it - then finally left it at the site even though I was uncomfortable about it. Maybe some campgrounds could have a "take what you need" kind of basket - kind of like the 'lending' library for books, hmmm. I always take a last look around before pulling out - just in case I've left something - just like we take a walk around the rig. I can't tell you how many times I've found SOMETHING needing to be done.
ReplyDeleteStill thinking good thoughts for your win in the contest, friends.
So far here other than some wood that people used to level out their trailer, anything else that has been left behind is generally just garbage or broken items.
DeleteA "lending" library might work at some of the nicer RV parks but at a campground like this Regional Park , I really don't think it would work.
Being Camp Hosts ourselves, we know what you mean! It is usually the things you mentioned in the fire pits, but I would have to add melted beer bottles, and fortunately, we've never had diapers in the pit. It IS amazing the things campers throw away... and not just food! They leave behind canopys and tents and chairs and hot dog roasters. It seems they leave them because it rained and they don't want to deal with putting them away, or they got bent or ripped... but still good!
ReplyDeleteWe haven't had melted beer bottles but we have had melted water bottles and plastic bags. We get lots of broken lawn chairs, I think people get drinking too much and "fall" into their chairs too hard or fall over in them, lol.
DeleteI agree, fire pits are not trash cans, I really dislike seeing all the cigarette butts that people throw in them. My number two pet peeve, number on is dog owners that...well, you know.
ReplyDeleteHope you hear good news soon!
Yep, my pet peeve is the cigarette butts and not just in the fire pits but scattered all over the place. I am always picking them up. I think just about everyone up in this area smokes, Kevin and I are in the minority here. As for doggy do-do, I have to admit, that hasn't been a problem at all.
DeleteI remember camp hosting in a state park one time where a man left his wife behind! On purpose! She was stranded 100 miles from home with nothing but the clothes she was wearing. And he never came back to get her.
ReplyDeleteYikes, haven't seen that happen before!
DeleteI agree with your comments on garbage in fire pits. Often campers throw garbage in them and never even light a fire. Another major problem we see is messy women in the bathroom. The men are not as bad. Just our observation. Why is it that they can't pick up any toilet paper or paper towel that falls on the floor. And don't get me started on not flushing. Really???
ReplyDeleteWe've had very wet conditions this year. Many drivers don't make the turn wide enough when turning corners on our roads so we have huge ruts in the mud along the side of the roads. All of our sites have asphalt pads, but you'd be amazed how many can't back onto the pad and leave huge ruts in the grass next to the pads. Of course, I don't back the camper. That's Kevin's job. I'd probably be leaving ruts too :)
Yep, you are so right on the bathrooms! Even going to any public bathroom for that matter, there is always paper on the floor and the same goes here. First thing this morning, I had two toilets that weren't flushed, I just don't get it!
DeleteWe have had lots of rain too and it's very messy here as well, so we have lots of ruts. Kevin has had to get out a number of times with the tractor and drag the roads.
Real RVers never back up---saving billions in annual repair costs.
ReplyDeleteLol!
DeleteOkay, my two cents worth on the fire pit garbage thing......people who consume VAST quantities of "Spitz" (aka sunflower seeds) and feel it is alright to just spit them out, everywhere, including the entire fire pit area and all around the picnic tables. I mean really????
ReplyDeleteYep, we get that as well and they aren't very easy to clean up but at least they are biodigradable.
DeleteWasteful people. I've heard some people say they throw it out instead of messing with taking it home. Like Mary-Pat says, maybe parks need a lending pool, and one that includes food. There are some hungry rvers out there living on a small budget that could use a hand once in awhile.
ReplyDeleteI wondered what had happened yesterday. Hmmm . . .
Food would never work here. I remember campers leaving food at the KOA some of it untouched but nobody wanted it. People are afraid that food could be tampered with and depending on what it was, I might be leary of it too!
DeleteHmmm, I wonder...?
Still pulling for you to win the trip! A pet peeve of mine is dog owners leaving their cigarette butts in the dog run...or letting them pee and poop at the gate instead of going inside...and not picking up the land mines!
ReplyDeleteSeen that at many campgrounds but likely here people seem to pick up after their dogs but they don't pick up their cigarette butts!
Deleteanxiously awaiting the trip announcement!! Hate trashy campers...most of the campgrounds don't clean out the fire pits :(..so we end up doing it when we arrive...
ReplyDeleteMost of the campgrounds we have been in do. At the KOA in Kingston it was always done and we do it here after each camper leaves. I know campers appreciate coming into clean sites.
DeleteThe worst fire pit pilution I have seen is picking up after their dog and filling the firepit! Like really,!
ReplyDeleteThankfully we haven't seen that happen here yet!
DeleteCongratulations for winning the trip, i am so glad because you guys did a pretty good job.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Poraka. We couldn't have done it without our facebook fans, family and blog readers who don't use facebook but still helped out by sharing the link on their blogs. You are all the best!
DeleteI live in a retirement community, and most people can't back up their cars let alone a thirty foot RV! Too funny. Kevin, you could charge a fee for valet parking!
ReplyDeleteMissed you guys yesterday, the coffee just didn't taste the same.
Cheers
It scares me that some of these people are actually out on the road driving. I said the same thing to Kevin, too funny.
DeleteSorry your coffee wasn't the same. We knew we won but we couldn't say anything until we signed some legal papers and then they had to made the anouncement and we were waiting for it but it never came. By that time we figured we would just skip a day.
We're all going to AFRICA, yahoo!!
ReplyDeleteYeah! We are so excited!
Delete