Let’s play musical campsites!

In this post RVSue and her canine crew are camped in Targhee National Forest northwest of Spencer, Idaho.  The pics don’t match the story line, so don’t let them confuse you.

The day Reggie, Roger, and I settle into our camp in Van Noy Canyon, we meet a man.

I’m in my lounger reading a book and the crew is playing on a quilt-pallet nearby.  The man comes trudging up the lane.

“Hello!” he calls out as he walks over to us.  “I’m looking for a place to put my fifth wheel. Can we camp next to you?  I don’t want to crowd you, but I’m not sure I can take my rig up this road any further and find a place to turn around.”

Oh, geez.  I really don’t want a neighbor. I really don’t!

He continues.

“My daughter and son-in-law are coming on Friday and we want to camp together.  We’re going to ride the quads.  I hope that won’t bother you.”

Think fast, think fast, think fast!

I respond.

“I walked up this road with my dogs and there’s a really nice, grassy area on the righthand side where you could camp.  It looks level. Plenty of room for all of you to camp and room to turn around.  In fact, there’s a gravel turn-around place up there, too.  I think you’ll like it there.”

I hope, I hope, I hope!

The man says he’ll walk up the road and check it out.

Later, on his return to his rig, he tells me they will camp at the place I suggested.

Whew!  Nice man, but I came up here for peace and quiet, not people and noise.

The second day at this camp, the afternoon is hot.  However, if you’re in the shade it’s comfortable.

The man returns to our camp.

“Hi, I’m sorry to bother you about this.  We’re camped up where you said, but there isn’t as much shade there and it’s hot.”  He adds, “It’s my wife.  She can’t stand the heat.”

“Gee, I’m sorry about that.  There’s shade here in the morning, but in the afternoon you’re going to have full sun on your rig.  But if you want to move next to me, it’s okay.  I’ll probably leave in a day or two anyway.”

The man thanks me and leaves to bring his rig down to our camp.

Hmm . . . . Tomorrow another rig with a utility trailer with quads will sit next to us right in the view of the mountains.  I’m going to resent the heck out of that.  Well, I don’t feel like driving, so the best solution is for us to move to another camp in this forest.

The Best Little Trailer is still hitched to the Perfect Tow Vehicle.

I secure the inside of the BLT, remove the chocks, toss the outdoor stuff and the meatheads into the PTV, and we pull out.

We pass the couple and their rig on our way further into the forest. They’re preparing for their move.  We exchange friendly waves.

The road becomes narrow, rocky, and, in some places, badly rutted.  I park the PTV and open the passenger side door.

“Okay, cuties.  We need to walk this road.”

We find a lovely campsite!

It’s a large, grassy clearing with a fire ring and a mix of sun and shade.  Huge pines provide the shade.  The site is ringed with young aspens.  We return to the PTV and she hauls us and the BLT into the new site.

Problem solved!

“You know, crew?  I think this camp is better than the other one.  I’m a happy camper.  Are you happy campers?”

Wiggling bodies and wagging tails = Yes we’re happy campers!

NOTE:  Unfortunately I didn’t take a photo right away and then the cold and rain came and I never did get a pic of the campsite.  Bad RVSue.

Funny thing about playing musical campsites . . .

The next day, after the couple moved to our former campsite and we moved to the new campsite, the brief heat wave gives way to cold and rain.

I bet those folks are wishing they had the sunshine of their former camp!

The crew and I camp in the forest only a few days, arriving on Wednesday, June 7, and leaving on Sunday, June 11.

When the rain stops, the OHVers come up the road and our peaceful forest environment takes on an atmosphere of Wilderness Theme Park.

We’ve been here long enough anyway.  Time to move camp!

Next post:

A report on Roger’s adjustment to his new home and how Reggie feels about it all!

rvsue 

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43 Responses to Let’s play musical campsites!

  1. Paula in Indiana says:

    First?

  2. Li says:

    Enjoyed your story and photos. The boys are adorable.

  3. Ilse in Sequim says:

    Second?

  4. eliza in illinois says:

    Nearly first? Somehow, I like the idea of the rain, the sound of it, the smells. It’s raining here too, but I don’t like the reality as much as the idea.

    • Dawn in MI says:

      Boy, all the rain here in Michigan is going north or south of us. Grass is getting brown. Could use some nice gentle rain about now here.

      • Dawn in Asheville says:

        Here where we are same thing – every day 60-70% chance and we see the clouds, hear the thunder but it passes us by every day!

  5. Vicki says:

    Nice Nice Nice
    love the pics!!

  6. VictoriaEP formerly in Estes Park says:

    Oh boy! Musical campsites – my favorite game –not. I’m glad you ended up in a nice place. The photos are lovely. I especially like the one with the bright yellow flowers basking in the sunshine.

  7. Paula in Indiana says:

    Such pretty flowers! Sue or blogorinos, what is the purple flower in the last photo?

  8. Pauline in Mississippi says:

    What gorgeous pictures!!!!! You do have an eye for it.
    Looking forward to your report on the next campsite.
    Love you!!!!

  9. Susan in Phoenix says:

    I went back and found the April 28 entry where you got the new harness but it was too big for Reggie. I think about that every time I see Roger wearing it. It’s funny how things work out. Take care.

  10. Candace H. says:

    I haven’t read yet. I usually don’t comment as I am oft times a day or more late and here I am maybe in the top 10!!

  11. Dawn in MI says:

    Such lovely flowers, looks like a beautiful forest. I wish you could have stayed longer and enjoyed it. But I’m guessing you’ve moved on to another pretty place. Can’t wait to read more about Roger. And Reggie-man.

  12. Joy says:

    Beautiful area, can’t wait to visit that part of the country.

  13. Chris B and Diego says:

    Heavy sigh……..I don’t know what I would have done in your shoes. It irritates me that you have a nice, quiet campsite all set up and and they want to intrude on you, on their terms and hope that their dumb quads don’t bother you? They shouldn’t bring them if that question needs to be asked. I avoid those campers with quads and outdoor televisions like the plague. I could never ask a camper, “Hey, we are going to make all kinds of noise with the junk that we haul here and I hope that it doesn’t destroy your quiet, relaxing environment.” I just don’t understand the need of noise to keep people entertained. Books, nature walks, relaxing with no electronic sounds, bird watching, identifying flowers….anything but generators and OVH’s. The audacity of some people!

    Glad that it ended up working out for you! Those flowers are beautiful! Roger must have been busy fake fighting with Reg. I don’t see him photobombing the flower photos! I love those two!
    My new submersible pump is on your list! You’re welcome! ha ha!

  14. weather says:

    How nice of you to tell the man that it was okay for them to camp beside you. When someone says they “can’t stand the heat”, they may really not feel well when they become too hot. Instead your leaving allowed them comfort and the chance to have either the spot you’d been in or the one you’d recommended they try. I’m glad, and not surprised, that you found a camp you thought was better than the other one. Goodness often follows those that dispense it to others… 🙂

    Hopefully your time in the Wilderness Theme Park wasn’t hideous enough to make being there unendurably annoying. With the aspens, pines, flowers and sweet crew it looks like a wonderfully easy to enjoy place.

  15. Cinandjules 🌵 says:

    Everything always works out! Lovely flowers!

    Semi cliff hanger……….

  16. Nora now in Everett WA says:

    Glad you found a good place. I envy you being able to boondock. I’m just not sure enough of myself yet to do it. I would probably need the generator anyway which would detract from the peace and quiet. Thinking of trading this RV in to get a newer and more versatile one.
    In Washington State right now and heading east to Glacier Park in a week or so.
    Hugs to Rog and Reg. It’s been pretty cool and moist but I’m glad not to be back in Texas or Arizona right now.

  17. Elizabeth in WA says:

    Wow…never ceases to amaze me what people ask of others…but so glad you were well rewarded for your generosity, Sue!! Heh, one never knows what a day will hold…but ONE day our good deeds will be rewarded, if not in this life. We were told (kindly) today that we just don’t “quite cut the mustard” (my words)…it bothers my hubby more than me. At least it was not nasty…never been much of a joiner myself anyway…and we are tied up here for who knows how long…so we will make the most of our situation we can. But it is hard sometimes. Told Hubby, with all the dangers going on currently in this world, that person may well have done us a great favor, keeping us perhaps out of harm’s way at some point (though I hope that does not happen to those people)…but what can seem like a not-so-nice event can in fact protect us from worse I have learned…glad you seem to know that too. No wonder you really do not want people coming up to talk to you!!! Hermit life does look inviting!!

    • Dawn in NC says:

      What a great attitude Elizabeth. It’s their loss!

      • Elizabeth in WA says:

        Thank you Dawn…heh, after our experience the last year with what turned out to be I think a sociopath…maybe GOD felt enough! Who knows…I have been snuckered in life…lots of times. Sometimes in life we just have to look harder to find the silver linings of clouds don’t we?

  18. Geri in the Florida Panhandle says:

    Another WOW camp just up the rough road! Thank you for the kindness you showed the couple who intruded on your peace and quiet! A good deed never goes unpunished and your second site proves that! But what a bummer that their noise had to intrude anyway and you felt the need to leave early! Maybe they didn’t deserve your kindness after all! The flowers…. oh my! Beautiful flower portraits! Loved the photos of R & R walking down the forest road! I can’t wait to hear more about their adjustment!

  19. Diann in MT says:

    Your restraint was admirable. Leaving without a comment. Just moving on to better places is the real answer. You are very good at finding the pleasing places, Sue.
    Thanks for showing us how it’s done.
    By the way, the wife probably had a medical condition that was exacerbated by heat. You figured that out fast. Good lady, Sue!

  20. Vicky in PA says:

    Hello Sue, I just want to say thank you for sharing the Pagari Bridge boondock location. My husband and I just spent the afternoon there taking a lunch break on our way to Craters of the Moon National Monument. It was beautiful, but too hot for us to boondock overnight. We are currently traveling in our little Clipper travel trailer that I told you we bought several months ago and making our way to hopefully cooler weather in the Pacific Northwest.

  21. Carol in MT says:

    nice choices! looking forward to what’s next!

  22. Gorgeous flowers in the trees. Glad all your moving got you where you were happy – it looks like a beautiful area.

  23. Terri Still Melting in Texas! says:

    Does anyone know what that strange drooping orange and yellow flower is? It looks alien! 🙂 All the pics are lovely!

  24. Linda in Manito Illinois says:

    Hi, all,
    REALLY love the pics and the story this time!
    So much happy color!
    Linda in Illinois

  25. rvsueandcrew says:

    Hi, Blogorinos!

    Thank you for complimenting me on this post and its photos. I also appreciate the glowing comments about my behavior in letting the couple have our campsite. I need to be honest here. This is RVSue and I’m no Saint Sue of Van Noy Canyon, that’s for sure!

    My motivation in giving up that campsite was self-serving. I didn’t want close neighbors so the obvious, easiest solution was to find another camp. The couple’s happiness was secondary to me. I believe in first come, first serve.

    Anyway . . . .

    When I write a post I’m forced to leave out some of the details to control length. I gave the impression the wife may have had a medical condition that made her susceptible to problems from the heat. That’s not the way it seemed to me.

    When the man asked about moving to our campsite the second time, he was awkward about it. At the peak of his embarrassment he brought up “It’s the wife. She can’t stand the heat.” I read the situation as a wife who had her heart set on our campsite for herself and her family (they had camped in our site during a previous visit) and she was at the other site griping and moaning in order to manipulate the husband into getting the site for her.

    I know that seems like a lot of speculation on my part, but I did meet the woman (another detail I left out due to space) and she was younger than the husband and looked healthy and robust (of course, looks can be deceiving). She didn’t appear to be a wilting flower. I saw her outside preparing to move.

    Besides, if you have a problem with the heat, do you go camping during a heat wave without air conditioning? If you can afford a fifth wheel and a big truck, you can afford to camp with hook-ups (or stay home). Instead they camped on the black gravel, instead of the grass that I suggested, and then were unhappy with the heat. Position a fifth wheel so that one whole side throws shade and voila!

    Enough of that. It doesn’t really matter. Everyone got what they wanted. 🙂

    More OHVers arrived and parked three rigs in the site the couple rejected. The mountains and forest received a day and a half of heavy rain. A small stream crosses the forest road above our camp. The OHVers driving across that stream caused a break that diverted the stream to flow down the road. I considered the possibility of run-off from the mountains swelling that little stream, causing a flood of water to wash out the road, our only egress from our campsite. Not good.

    So between the quads and the kids on dirt bikes and the possibility of a muddy or washed-out road, I decided it best we leave the area.

    And I’m glad we did!

    Again I thank those who commented during my absence from the discussion. You are especially dear to me for your help and participation.

    Sue

    • Renee from Idaho says:

      Well, well, I had the exact same thoughts as you, Sue. I’ve been around enough people to imagine what transpired between Mr. and Mrs. Intrusion. There are a lot of favorite boondocking sites my husband and I have and so many times others are in them, but we move on, to the next on our list that we know of. We would never ask to camp right next to someone. Heck. That’s why you go up into the woods! There’s been plenty of times when others do that do us though, without even asking, so I guess that’s a plus for Mr. Intrusion.

    • Jan NH says:

      🙂 I thought what you left unspoken by moving camp before they arrived spoke volumes. The boldness of others never ceases to amaze me but you do have to feel a little bad for the husband stuck doing the wife’s bidding but his choice.
      It’s great that you are able to rise above and just move on from the situation regardless of what is going through your head:).

      I just love that Roger stops to smell the flowers…It is fun to watch as his personality unfolds. Can’t wait to hear the Roger/Reggie update in the next post.

    • Elizabeth in WA says:

      A man who blogs about what used to be their full time RVing experience would share things like you have…and say, “Really folks you cannot make these things up!!” He also writes books that sell well…heh, more fodder for the books eh?

  26. ApplegirlNY says:

    The last two posts have the most beautiful pictures. Absolutely loved looking at them. Glad you’re off to a new campsite. Your gut is usually right.

  27. Dawn in NC says:

    Hi Sue. I recently read a book that I would highly recommend to everyone. It is “A Man called Ove”. It’s by a Swedish author. They even made a Swedish movie about it. It is G rated and really pulls your heart strings.

  28. Michelle in Lodi says:

    I love the pics of the flowers!

  29. ValGal (westernWA) says:

    I love, love, love the wildflowers. Just charming. And I love how Roger loves flowers, too. 🙂

  30. Sandy says:

    Oh my, what amazing flowers. The dogs are adorable together as well. 🐶

  31. Rover Ronda (WA) says:

    Hey what happened? I’m sorry. I missed this post. Good thing you show the titles of the previous (& next) post at the top and bottom of the current post.

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