Chronicals of an Official Workamper...

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Gina,
You are making it apparent that not all is glamorous as a camp host, but there are some interesting perks. Not to mention the clean, cool mountain air, the smell of the pines, and the peacefulness just a short walk away (and often even in the camp). That's why we enjoy HeartBar also!

Since it looks like the sloppy, wet stuff from the sky may not materialize this week-end, we are planning a HeartBar visit. Anyone else we know planning to be there?

Ann is sitting with some of the grandkids on Friday morning, so we'll probably leave home about mid-afternoon.
See you there around dinnertime!

Kurt & Ann K.

[Gina D.]

Fred and Robert said they were coming up tomorrow.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Fred and Robert said they were coming up tomorrow.

My 1st impulse was to show up unannounced in the campsite next to Gina's and be waiting there when she arrives from her day job. However, I am lousy at keeping secrets.

Our (or possibly 'My') arrival will depend on Robert's Massage Clients' scheduling.

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Frederick,
It'll be good to see you two and hear your Bandon tales.

Kurt & Ann K.

[Gerry]

Last nite someone here was doing prep for burning man. I heard a minor radio thumping from inside my trailer.. thinking it was the folks next to me, I didn't do anything about it (I had asked them to turn it down earlier and they did.. thought it was residual.)

I fell asleep reading and was woken up by the thumping getting louder. I opened the door prepared to battle with the nieghbors again, only to find them coming MY way to complain about the music.. 4 sites down! I walked over and there was a couple with a boom box at full tilt.. dancing ritual dances around a much too large fire.

I was not polite, but they immediately shut the radio off and apologized profusely. Then they packed up and left.. very strange.

Gina; I can remember our first meeting where the higher-ups told us we are to be "Sales people" and we want to sell the idea of comeing back to camp at our camp-grounds to the public no matter how unruley they are
And, #1 rule is to never to put yourself in harms way.
Being a mid age male of 5 foot 11 and a fit 220 lbs, full, although trimed beard and a crew cut hear doo, I can be intimidateing to say the least, but my boss said to be "warm and fuzzy to ALL people" and if they are out of controle call me.
But as you said when you have warned them time and time again it is hard to be polite and smile when you know they may throw fire wood at you when your walking away after you have asked, with a smile (not a smirk) to please keep the music down a bit.!.
Then you run the risk of them complaining to the Forest Service about what a jerk you are anyway.
YOU CAN NOT WIN with some people.
You just know these people would be the first to complain if something was not going thier way.
Well it's about half over and the boss keeps telling me to burn my pile of wood because if not burned by the end of the season she will have to cart it off so even though it is in the 70's at night I have a roaring fire and sit about 20 feet away. ha ha ha
You have said about all the food people offer, I find it is always food and "have a beer or a drink"
If I still drank I think I would be unfit to be able to do my job ha ha ha.
Gerry

[Gina D.]

Gerry, that is absolutely correct and what I do 99.9% of the time.

There are extreme violations, however, that require a no BS approach. This was one. There was no way in heck these folks didn't realize the shear volume level they were projecting..and from the behavior I saw, I suspect there were some drugs involved.

What I didn't mention was that there was a church group of 40 or so preschoolers within earshot and had they come around, they would have gotten an eyeful of oddity. I may not have children, but I am very protective of them. This situation would have required a lot of explaining by parents.

They were not asked to leave.. they did so on their own. I later found out that one of them is a regular and she has never been a problem before.. but sometimes, things get wierd.

I do the same for fireworks. Unleashed dogs get a polite warning and if they continue to let the dogs run, the second time, they are told the people can stay, but the dog has got to be taken home.

[Gina D.]

Nothing overly interesting to report this week.

Kinda nice actually. The campground was near capacity, and there were several large groups.. BUT.. no noise, no drunks, no misbehavior. One group was unusually messy in one of the 4 holers and clean up was not easy.. BUT.. I had all the others hardly used, or used by clean folks. Pretty easy.

Fred and Robert and Kurt and Ann came up, so we had a sort of mini rally for the weekend.. did not leave the campground and everyone (BUT ME!) got lots of quiet nap time while I was running around.

Fred and Robert left this morning before the chipmunks woke up :-P and Kurt and Anne will be here when I leave in the morning. Thier daughter and grand daughter came up for and evening visit. The baby is cute and very active.

Once again, I was overfed by everyone.. so I had the strenous task of washing one dish tonite and no kitchen clean up ...

Thats all for now.. hoping this lasts the rest of the season..

[Pete Dumbleton]

The company line and I would differ at some points and whether or not I wanted to ever see those folks coming back would put some bias on my perspective, fer sure!

I guess as long as one has a hose and water pressure, one can deal with a lot of toilet scenarios!

One couple I got to know well in Colorado had it right -- They were paid employees of a contract company which covered a bunch of NF CGs -- A roving cleaning crew took care of the toilets, so the host job was primarily collecting the money and cleaning out the fire pits (had fire prohibitions that year, so fire pits needed to be cleaned every day). No hookups at the site, so he would fire up the big generator about mid-day to run his reefer and freezer, plus charge up the battery string.

After a full summer in the CG, from opening in Spring to closing in Fall, they would move on down to a beach in Mexico where they had a more or less permanent site at an RV park, the kind of place where the same folks keep coming back every year.

[Gina D.]

as bad as it was that weekend, it was good for the pit situation this weekend. Had one messy, as in tossing paper on the ground stall, and a pile of, er, stuff on the floor, but other than that, I hardly had to do anything in them. Made for a weekend where I actually went out and looked for something to do.

We had some misbehaved kids in an adult supplied golf cart that got spoken to on several occasions about driving skills and speed, not to mention a bike towing accident right in front of my site (Hint, if you are going to be stupid, don't do it in front of the host...) but all in all, it was the easiest weekend so far.

I even had time for a surprise set of guests from the board. (They can chime in here :-P) I left the mountain briefly to tow them up with my Jeep as theirs was a bit iffy and it was questionable to do the grade in the dark.

I am hoping this is the lull before labor day and it stays the same all month.

Saw some new wildlife.. a frog.. didn't know they came up to the campground from the meadow.. where there is water.. but I guess they do.

I hope Patrick and Nancy had a good time this week.. FGRV members are showing up in droves.. now.. if they just didn't show up during the week when I am not there

[Lizbeth]

I was the surprise guest along with my friend Rosemary. I had never been to the campground before and it's really pretty. Thanks again Gina for the tug and the welcome!

I wanted to clobber those golf cart kids and their parents, I guess they didn't fear loosing a couple kids because there were so many of them.

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Howdy Lizbeth,
We wuz there a week earlier! & we agree, it really is a nice place to camp, or relax, or read a book, or hike around the meadow or even have a feast with a particular camp hostess. We also enjoyed visiting and roasting marshmallows at Gina's with Robert and Frederick.

Maybe we'll all catch up with one another again someday,
Kurt & Ann K.

[Lizbeth]

Kurt and Ann, I was sorry to miss seeing you both. On the way down the mountain as we passed the sign to Forest Falls I thought of you. As you said hopefully we will have the opportunity to meet up sometime in the future!

[Patrick Mc]

Originally posted by Gina D.
I hope Patrick and Nancy had a good time this week.. FGRV members are showing up in droves.. now.. if they just didn't show up during the week when I am not there roflol.gif

We did! Liz pointed out our site then ran away. Go figure. So we had the place to ourselves. A thunderbumper threatened in the afternoon, but no rain. We would have rescued the burro chew-toy if we'd had a downpour!

Pat

[Gina D.]

It's a Wabbit!

Beagles like wabbits!

[Gina D.]

sometimes... things just click.

For the first time EVER, according to the full time host, the "campground full" sign went out on a non holiday weekend here. There was a classic car show in Big Bear, along with a renaissance fair, and the beginning of several days of meteor showers that folks have to get out of the city to see.... along with 40+ Boy Scouts. (They shared home made bannana muffins!)

We got the oveflow from every campground up here. The dispersed sites were full, and we let Non groups stay in the group camp (It wasn't booked) just so they would have a spot.

The thought would normally bring terror to anyone that works here. But.. we all are very confused.

The group site folks had to share one fire ring.. and they were happy about it. "We made new friends" There were no noise problems, and all the bathrooms stayed clean, and when folks left this AM, most of the sites looked like no one was ever in them. All dogs were on leashes. Everyone stayed within the speed limit. No one built a bonfire. No one set up a PA. I got asked more hiking questions than ever before, had children be polite and respectful..I managed to watch a whole movie last nite AND Friday nite without the phone going off or someone knocking on the door. I even managed to sleep in a bit this morning. There was nothing to get up early for. I had a big campfire tonite because I wasn't worried about leaving it suddenly.

I don't get it.

I suspect I will need tranqs NEXT weekend

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Gina,
My advice is to not question your good fortune but simply enjoy the blessing, and try to remember it when things go "the other way"! Then again maybe you were all just due for a "reward" for the care you exhibit to the guests.

Kurt & Ann K.

[Gina D.]

This past weekend was one full of "First Timers". We had lots of large groups of folks that were tenting for the first time.. just to try because a traditional vacation is too expensive these days.

Can't say all were happy about it. Some were confused and complained about "The Noisy Dogs Howling" at nite (We have 2 or more coyote packs in the park) and others were truly, dreadfully and overly concerned about the bears and the snakes. We see rattlers there on occasion, but I personally have never seen one, and the bears are.. well, bears. We have signs up warning about them, and it scared the newbies.

No one knew how to use the vault toilets. Many had never seen one and were confused about the lack of water and "Where do we wash our hands?" I saw one girl go into one with a full bag of showering supplies, only to emerge moments later scowling.

The newbies were so prevelant and noisy, that we just gave up. 2 women cannot police a 94 site CG all nite.

I did manage to get away on sunday and go up a Jeep Trail WAY above the meadow and was in awe of the view. I was just inside the wilderness area where I am told there is a grove of Aspens as big as anything in Sequoia. I started down the trail to it on foot, but my old girl was having trouble with the heat and walking on the rocky path, so I turned back, carrying her part way. sigh.

Next weekend will be heck, and I wanted to go do something in silence before it hit.

I am used to the messes now, and pretty much take it all in stride. I can do my duties in quick time now... just about in time for the season to close at the end of next month.

The stars have been spectacular tho.. I have made fires and sat out by them almost every nite this month, watching the sky.

[peterh]

The stars have been spectacular tho.. I have made fires and sat out by them almost every nite this month, watching the sky.

[Gina D.]

Pleasant surprises!

This weekend was supposed to be filled with holiday rowdies and 3 day weekend unpleasantness. Much to everyones relief, the median age for the full campground was my age or older (Ancient, in other words) and we had only one problem group that left on Saturday. There were no messes to deal with and all was fairly easy.

Today we closed down one loop for the season, as this place will be deserted from now til closing. I also gave 1/2 of each 4 holer it's year end hosing and special treatment and shut them down for the year. This consists of a special chemical sprayed on the floors, walls and throne, removing all the paper and hosing the place out, including the ceilings, and "floating the vault... which means washing everything down into the main tank so the pumpers can come suck it all out from the sewer access outside. Not a lot different than dumping your black tank, just on a grander scale.

Poop is my life

From here on out, my workload is reduced by 2/3rds and I can start to enjoy my weekends camping instead of running. I am looking forward to next weekend.. provided I am not trapped in my trailer

[Gina D.]

Haven't reported in a bit.. because there isn't much to report.

The campground has been very quiet after the holiday.. wild animals aside, and the workload has dropped to almost nothing. I do "patrol" every couple of hours just to keep busy. Not much to patrol, but I go over to the closed loop and let the pups run free for a bit.. plus it's the only guarantee of not being bothered one way or another by a camper.

The campers now are mostly RVs (No toilet use! Yay!) with retired or nearly retired empty nesters and just a few tents. One loop was shut down the first of the month, and we are slowly taking down the signs and doing shut down prep for next weekend, the last weekend of the season.

Due to work travel and obligation, I am not hosting this weekend. It's seems weird to be home. Next weekend, I will be comping out my travel days for this week and will be staying at the CG for 4 days, bringing my rig home on Tuesday the 30th.

I expect that Monday and Tuesday will be no work in the CG days, and I can enjoy "Camping, at least for a bit, without the alarm going off or worrying about my footprint on the CG. We will shut it down accept for 1 loop on Sunday, but I have a whole summer of muck to clean up in the Burro.. after living in it for 4 months part time.

It will be nice to do a "proper" dump.. I have not felt compelled to do anymore than a minimal rinse on the black after I fill the tote with the other contents. I will take the trailer up front where the full time host has running water and a sewer hook up.. clean clean clean.

It will be interesting to see how my awning stows.. it has been fully or partially deployed the entire time. I will be even more interesting to see if I remember how to get the trailer in my driveway!