Park ranger finally told us to move on...

[jester]

My advice; move to a different national forest... now, no matter what you finances say... before you are cited, which will cost a lot more than not moving, and don't make the same mistake again. 

The Olympic Peninsula is basically one big National Park/National Forest with private land around the edges.  If you're working on the Peninsula there really isn't anywhere else to go.  The area is beautiful and the best places to camp are owned and expensive.  They probably could have kept the issue from happening by moving every two weeks but again, the area is huge and feels very remote.

 

[Headache]

That and he found a place to stay anyway so it's taken care of now.

This also should be a lesson to anyone...besides making sure you save up a small emergency fund during your mobile life, not all public land is managed equally.  Many entities can determine it's particular use.  It's pretty much only the lands managed by the BLM that offer long term visitor areas(LTVA) if I remember correctly and not all BLM land is LTVA.  If any state is involved in the management of that federal land you can just about guarantee it's for short term camping only(if they offer camping) especially in the PNW.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_land

 

[Txjaybird]

Well at least you guys solved your shelter problem for now.

Look on the bright side.  At least you didn't have to deal with any old retired poor folks like myself.

 Or any FBI = Flat Broke Indians like my family and friends.  Still got hair?  

Jewellann

 

[gnarledwolf]

Actually, normally we wouldn't have stayed in one place that long, but the one actual spot we could easily get to on a daily basis since we had to go to work or be within range of Sequim where Safeway is. When we first got here we searched high and low for more places to camp... and without a truck or 4x4 there we no that many places we could get to much less camp at within a 20 miles range. At least Arizona will offer many more options when we get down there in October.
Matt

 

[TrainChaser]

Even if a job wasn't involved, W. WA has closed down a lot of campgrounds due to "lack of funds".

 

[Van-Tramp]

I feel for you that you can not camp within 20 miles of your work, or campgrounds being closed, or the road conditions... but I do not see how ANY OF THAT matters when it comes to the regulations that we ALL must follow. These excuses do not give authorization to bypass these regulations, plain and simple. They are your issue, not anyone else's, and one that you have to accept as part of your lifestyle.

What I want to stress is that ignoring those regulations because "it's hard for me to follow" is a BS excuse and hurts all of us. The NFS and BLM can (and will) close down dispersed camping areas because people ignore or skirt the regulations. If you do not like the regulations, then please go buy your own land. If you wish to stay in *OUR* public lands, then abide by those regulations so as not to ruin it for others who WILL abide by the regs.

I am happy you found another place to go, but I sure hope the lesson is not being lost (on you, and on others); follow the rules!

 

[gnarledwolf]

oh yes, I get the point. Now if we could only get them to not keep then national forest roads not closed due to lack of funds, we wouldn't have to skirt the rules... there'd be places to go. However we will keep this in mind when we leave... it's simly taught us that unless we only want to visit here for two weeks, then leave, the olympic penensula in washington state is not at all worth the visit.
Matt

 

[GotSmart]

My 2 cents;

once you rock the boat, you draw attention to yourself.  

If you did not find another place, you must have been thinking in the box. Thousands of people do it every day.  You just have to ask the right person in the right way.  

 

[Headache]

Or any FBI = Flat Broke Indians like my family and friends.  Still got hair?

LOL still got mine but it sure is falling out! I try to stay away from the FBI but dang cousins like to borrow money for bingo and I can't get away from myself!

 

[gnarledwolf]

The woman flaked out on us. It is going to be a fun two weeks of sleeping in our car unless Serenity house has space. Damn woman told us twice she would meet up with us and give us needed information... such as where the house is... "fool me once..." So even is she suddenly shows up at the last minute... we are not willing to take her word now. Going to give our two weeks, to keep OUR word good so we can get a later Safeway job, and just rough the two weeks in the car. God I hate trusting people I don't know... I get screwed every time!

 

[WriterMs]

You aren't the only ones on the forum to find it hard to boondock in that area. But I know it is harder for you also because you use the tent. Using various maps of free spots on various blogs can perhaps help you find other good Safeway locations where you can have several options.

 

[gnarledwolf]

yeah, we probably won't be coming back here other than to visit Cushman, which we like. We'll more likely visit the other side of Washington or even other mid states for next summer and see what's out there. part of the fun of this life is seeing new things. Going to have to be a rule for us, as it should have been in the first place to camp where there are many more camping spots so we can change camps frequently to NOT draw attention. I'll be happy when we pay my car down enough to get a van so we don't have this bright orange flag parked there saying "here we are!"
Matt

 

[jimindenver]

Maybe a second tent so that you have a different look.

 

[Yogidog]

I am still just blown away how different the social norms are in different areas. Here in Arizona small town area people are just pulled off road sleeping, other parts of the country I couldn't stop without a problem.

 

[TrainChaser]

Washington State (IMO) is an incredibly Control-Freak place. Half of our property taxes go to schools that are incapable of teaching even the basics, they say they don't have enough money to maintain no-frills campgrounds so they're tearing them, but complaining when people live under bridges.

 

[sbrenton]

Washington State (IMO) is an incredibly Control-Freak place.  Half of our property taxes go to schools that are incapable of teaching even the basics, they say they don't have enough money to maintain no-frills campgrounds so they're tearing them, but complaining when people live under bridges.

I'm a newbie to this forum.  This is my first post.
This thread is very informative and interesting. 
Interesting ideas.  Thank you.
I don't know what I don't know.
Stephen

 

[gnarledwolf]

I'm always learning new things. just when i think I have the hang of it, new things happen. Washington is very control freak, and we probably wont' make it back here next year but will see what other states have to offer for the summer.

matt

 

[Headache]

Washington State (IMO) is an incredibly Control-Freak place.  Half of our property taxes go to schools that are incapable of teaching even the basics, they say they don't have enough money to maintain no-frills campgrounds so they're tearing them, but complaining when people live under bridges.

This right here!  I don't know why people assume(aside from the weather) that the PNW is a haven for the homeless as well as houseless, it's NOT!  I'm so broke living here I'm actually ESCAPING here to stay with y'all down in AZ so I can save money for an emergency fund, buy solar and fix whatever needs fixin on whatever rig I end up being in down there.

This state in particular has companies that turn record profits, charge property owners insane taxes and I happen to live in the county with the most expensive electricity rates and yet amazingly is not only too broke to take care of it's own citizens it's been too broke for decades to take care of the "homeless problem".  Unfortunately a chunk of that "problem" were former property owners that lost their rears when the real estate bubble burst which in turn the cities, counties and states lost out on a lot of "revenue".

 

[TrainChaser]

I don't know if it is connected, but WA has a lot of people who have no conscience and many of them are in business and politics.  ("No conscience" = "psychopath" in Mental Health Speak.)  Not all of them are serial killers, but there are a ton of strange and creepy people here.  I don't think I've worked for a normal employer since I arrived.

I can't afford to live here, either, and will be selling out next spring/summer and hitting the road.

 

[jimindenver]

It's getting that way everywhere. You need to be making good money just to exist. People don't want to see the homeless, dwellers, mobile home parks and cheap housing but where are all the grunts suppose to go when they aren't working. Anything close is expensive, a one bedroom rents for more than the payment on my house. So they go even farther out and spend the money on gas.