I enjoyed the creative writing telling the story behind the pictures.

 

Sounds like a fun time. I personally don't believe in "campgrounds". No vacancy? WTF. This is planet earth. I usually blaze a new trail and find a nice spot in the woods to camp. No campground nonsense for this guy.

That all being said, I am anxious for warm weather so I can camp out!!

 

Something you should understand about Cali...if there's a way to grab money from you, they'll do it. Here in Socal, it's heavily populated, and if they catch you camping in an undesignated site, or worse yet, with a campfire, they will happily part you and your wallet, and do so often. Even in NF land. Pretty strict here.

 

Add that to reason #4,592 I will never live in CA!

 

Very true, and especially in a National Park. I understand, in such a populated area the place would be overrun with freecampers, there would be trash everywhere, burnt out fire rings and trampled vegetation. I know this because in areas near a population center where it's not patrolled and enforced, that's what it looks like.

There are places where you can just camp where you want in California but not in the National Parks.

 

I hear ya. Living here can be a real burden what with all the regulations and liberals and hippies and communists and vegans but here's the thing... by tolerating all of that, you get to live here... where it's 75º in January and you're faced with decisions like, 'should I ski today or should I surf?' or 'should I go to the mountains or the desert or the beach?' California isn't for everybody, I get that, but if you have 4,592 reasons for not living here then you've got bigger issues than where you call home

 

In the NF lands, you need permits to do ANYTHING here, LOL...I've only been back in Cali for about a year and 1/2, and it's a huge change from Colorado for sure, you can do just about anything out there and not get hassled...granted we followed rules at all times, but as long as you weren't being stupid, the rangers out there were pretty cool. Out here they just look for something to hit you on.

 

I have to watch out for Park Rangers too. I live within a National Park, Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Recreation Area. East coast of North Carolina.
We have local sheriff's which are mostly cool but the Rangers seem to be on the hunt for infractions and can give a hassle over little things.
The main reason I watch out for Park Rangers is that their laws are different and more strict (federal). And it's a long drive to a federal courthouse.


edit; we need permits to do anything too. $120 per year to drive on the beach. Free permit for beach fire. No camping on the beach. Dogs on leash. No exposed boobies (the girls still let them free on secluded beaches). And other silly rules.

 

Amazing photo!

I might have been exaggerating a bit with that figure, but I do have a bunch of reasons. Inspection laws, gun laws, etc. I was just looking into New York's gun laws, since my GF is moving there for school and I might follow...apparently all the guns I have are illegal in NY. Crazy! Probably in CA, too. No doubt CA is prettier than PA! I'd love to visit someday

 

LMAO...the barber shop I go to has a sticker on the mirror that reads "My gun isn't illegal, it's undocumented" WIN

 

I sold off most of my firearms, I suppose it was the result of a shift in priorities for me. If the government comes after me, I'll throw rocks like the rest of the world does. As for inspection, we don't really have that. My Jeep has never been inspected. It gets smogged once every 2 years, that's it. I'm not trying to sell you on California, I know it's not for everybody but it's really not as horrible as people make it out to be. Especially those people who have never even been here.

 

I was up in the Eastern Sierras last May. The weather started coming in so I drove up Tioga Pass (9,945 feet) to the east entrance of Yosemite. The entrance hadn't opened for the season yet so that was as far as I could go. I had been there for a couple hours when a Cal Trans plow drove up and parked next to me. I was expecting him to tell me I had to leave because of the increasing snow but he didn't. He told me that he was going to head back down and close the gate 15 miles down the pass and asked if I could close it behind me and lock the shackle when I felt like leaving. I said that I would and for the rest of the day, I had the entire mountain to myself.