End of the season rant

This year's end of the season rush added to a busy wildfire season, some last minute training, and a personal emergency left me with no free time. Consequently, my blog really suffered with a complete and utter lack of posts. I'll see what I can do to remedy that.

Let's start off with an end of the season rant from a fellow park ranger. Most parks have a busy season and an off season. In the spring, I can't wait for the busy summer season to start. By August, I'm like a cranky bear getting ready to hibernate. I can't wait for the leaves to start falling and for the idiots to get out of the park and head home.

It is not uncommon this time of year for rangers to blow off a little steam with a tirade on all the idiots that they have had to deal with over the past several months. Ranger Don has apparently had to deal with his fair share of idiots this season.

Lost In Real Life: Thoughts From An Angry Park Ranger

It used to be that camping meant pitching a tent and hiking. Or maybe bringing the horses and doing some trail riding. But lately it seems like people are bringing their homes with them. The generators I can live with so long as they are quiet and used within reason. It‚’s the late night music and drinking that kept us running this summer. I saw more domestics, more of what we classify as "disorderly conduct" offenses, and generally more people being rude and obnoxious to neighboring campers than in years past. And what's with the big screen TV's out in the forest? Can't you cut the umbilical cord with your TV for just three or four days? I went through one campground last night and felt like I was at the freaking drive in.

Make sure you check out the rest of Ranger Don's no-holds barred rant where he summarizes his favorite contacts for the summer, featuring coyote skinning, toy assualt rifles, public defecation, and amoure alfresco.

We feel your pain Ranger Don. Before you know it, winter will be gone and you will be wishing someone would skin a coyote on the side of the park road just so you could go and talk to someone.

UPDATE: 7/10/06 - I have erroneously attributed this rant as the writing of Ranger Don, but it was originally posted on craigslist by park ranger in the Salt Lake City area. Sorry Ranger Don, I am sure you had your share of idiots you dealt with this summer also.