RE: American River Camping

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Heather Watson watson1@gv.net
Would like to add to the .02 cent fund...  

I saw the rangers shining lights inside people's camper shells at 11:30 PM.  Luckily, I had left to use the fully functional public restroom yards away and wasn't actually set up to sleep yet.  Someone's alarm went off as I was headed back.  That's when I noticed three or more Park Rangers going around shining their lights with one hand, their other hand placed on their HOLSTERS.  Seriously!  I am not making this up.  It was like watching a scene from Cops where they are apprehending dangerous suspects.  I'm not sure who they cited then, but from where I was standing, there was no reason for the rangers to feel threatenend enough to user fire power. I didn't hear shouting or protests.  All I could see was cooperation, though it was not entirely happy.  I was told the fine was 250 dollars (unverified amount, however), and they also made the people leave in addition to the fine.  
 
As you can imagine, everyone involved was pretty upset.  When questioned about WHY the rule was in effect, the ranger said because of safety.  He said the horses could be here, but not with their owners if they weren't self-contained.  He suggested that they leave the horses here, and they sleep somewhere else. When asked how safe it was to leave horses tied unattended, and informed of the possibility of an escape overnight, he stated again, that it was a safety issue to have people camping in their camper shells.  That having "people peeing in the bushes" was a "safety issue".  He was basically stating that if you didn't have a self-contained unit, that the obvious and only conclusion was that you'd pee in the bushes.  Never mind that there was an open public restroom within walking distance that I had JUST used.  Also, all during the day I'd been using various friends' bathrooms, as were many others.  I've also noticed that those who wish to pee in the bushes will usually do so, regardless of the availability of a bathroom.  And I've never been told that this behavior was particularly "unsafe", except perhaps if you manage to choose a location with poison oak or a rattlesnake.  Unsanitary, perhaps, but not "unsafe".  The ranger also said if we didn't like it, we should leave.
 
I was told by a friend who was harassed by the rangers that the definition of self-contained was to have hot and cold running water (if you didn't have hot, then it didn't qualify).  That you had to have a toilet (not portable), and that you had to have a working stove--not a cooktop.  The rangers were inspected for this criteria at 11:30 PM.

I also spoke to another gentleman who was attending his first official AERC ride, and was not "self-contained".  He ended up having to rent a hotel room for a mere 4 hours.  I felt so badly for him, and wanted to let him know that this was not how most of the ride camps are operated, at least on the rides I've attended.  What a bad way to be introduced to our sport!
 
To say I'm bothered by the abuse of power I saw that night is an understatment.  I also feel like the "raid" was very likely initiated at this level
in retaliation for comments made to the ranger who was designated to speak to the riders at the ride meeting.  A few upset campers had expressed their dismay and had asked for the name of the supervisor in charge to lodge complaints.  This supervisor is the same ranger who gave the 11:30PM safety explanation about urination hazaards.  
Before the alarm had gone off, the camp was peacefully asleep.
Nobody was up partying and carousing.  The horses were calmly sleeping--not even a whinny.  Everything was orderly until the "shakedown".
 
I'm not sure if they can cite me for sleeping if I wasn't available?  I ended up sleeping in my friend's Sundowner along with another rider who had been displaced.  But for all I know, I've got a ticket coming in the mail through my license plate?  All night, all we could think about was how crazy this whole thing seemed.  We all joked the next morning about our police dreams.
 
I really hope that some good will come out of these postings.  I saw some numbers and names on another post, and am planning to write to the appropriate people. I also know of a video tape (taken by a quick thinker) recording at least one encounter.  Best of luck to any others involved.

-Heather