Camping at a reservoir can be a great deal of fun. The water is near for swimming or fishing; the park is generally well-maintained; and the campsites can hold us, our pop up camper, and our pickup. One problem I see with camping, however, has to do with other campers.
To wit: we went camping this weekend at the reservoir, and while there were some problems with our reservations, we ended up with a nice spot. It was near the bathrooms and had some shade. We also had a nice view of the lake, which was in walking distance. Perfect, right?
No, somehow we usually end up near those campers who can't define consideration nor who have ever heard of it. In fact, this has happened so frequently over the last several years, we can usually identify what types of problems we might have with our neighbors. The first clue is how much Bud Light they have with them. For example, a case or a suitcase indicates at least one night of rowdiness. When they loudly announce they're running into to town for more beer, we could have at least two night of noise.
Another way we can tell is how quickly we learn the names of the children they have with them. If we know "Lance" and "Bubba" by the time the pop up is set up and we're sitting in our camping chairs, we know we'll be listening to the folks yell, cuss, and scold those kids. Additionally, the sheer number of vehicles attached to a site helps us. One to two vehicles, we'll probably have some peace. Four to five vehicles, we're going to cut our camping trip short.
The last way we can identify problem neighbors is, of course, music. When they bring out the radio, we know we'll be listening to their music until 11 pm or later. Usually it's country music or rock 'n'roll, but it's still going to be loud. Depending on how much Bud they drink, they'll most likely think they're singers and serenade us as well.
We've had camping neighbors with barking dogs that seldom stop barking. Kids who scream until 11 pm or later. Neighbors drinking beer, smoking dope, and playing their music loudly while their kids sleep in their camper. Folks who cut through our campsite while we're sitting there. Those who set off their car alarms at 1 am. We even had some campers once who were partying hearty and shooting off guns.
We have been known to ask neighbors to quiet down, but now it seems like we never know how they'll react so we have begun to take other measures. I, for example, am stocked with earplugs, which really help. We've also started allowing our son to stay up late so he'll be too tired to hear the neighbors, falling quickly asleep. My husband doesn't have a problem falling asleep, regardless of noise, so I don't worry about him.
I guess what I don't understand is the "why" of this issue. Why do folks go camping in a campground, thinking it's okay to yell, get drunk, play music loudly, smoke dope, and shoot guns?? Although state parks have rangers on patrol, other campgrounds have campground hosts, and while a small part of their job is to help maintain the peace, they often don't want any trouble and will avoid dealing with these campers. We work hard to afford our camping trips and pay our fees; we have taught our son to be respectful while in campgrounds, not to cut through other occupied spots or shine his flashlight on others' tents or campers. When we play music, it's softly. We go are quiet during 'quiet hours.'
I guess this rudeness on the parts of other campers is simply a continuation of the rudeness people exhibit when they aren't camping. We thought by going during off-times like weeks rather than weekends, we'd avoid these types of folks. But we haven't. While this abominable behavior puts a damper on our fun, we are also learning to cope. I think it's good for my son to understand how to take a bad situation and make it good.
But I wish those people would stay home.
