Who could have caused this closure of Public Lands?
It's about 24 hours later, and I still can't believe a boondocking area I'd come to depend on has completely disappeared..... I stayed there last winter, and everything was fine. I suppose it's not as bad as being priced out of all the New Mexico state parks, like I was this year. But it is very similar to getting priced out of the Pima County fairgrounds, where I truly enjoyed staying, and used to spend so much time. This latest change affects not just the huge boondocking area that I depended on staying in while in this area, but it also affects my ability to visit Ben Avery Gun Range, which has been a special place to me for many years.
From what I understand, the place that was closed is still Arizona trust lands, but the local police have the authority to control the use of the state trust lands, and have done so by allowing people to walk on it, but not allowing motorized vehicles, so technically it stays open, but you can't drive on it with an RV or any other vehicle which in effect makes it unusable for 99% of the people. Which is what politicians almost always try to do with all the land that belongs to the public.
There are probably a lot of reasons for this, but from what I've learned over the years, it's pretty common for campground owners' associations to have a lot of political power to get their way especially in touristy areas like northern Phoenix during the winter, to make sure that people aren't allowed to camp for free when they should be paying $50 a night to stay at commercial campgrounds.
So it's pretty easy for a campground owners association lobbyist that donates tens of thousands of dollars to various politicians' campaign funds to get that politician, who just happens to be the chief of police, or the mayor to recommend that the police consider it unsafe for all those people to be living in the desert for a couple of weeks, and it needs to be stopped.
So what are the cops going to do? Listen to the sheriff, or the mayor, who are politicians and are elected to that office and write their paycheck, or listen to a bunch of RVers that have very little money and no power at all?
More about this tomorrow..... Maybe.
Theboondork
My teeny tiny home is comfortably ensconced in a county boondocking area.
Last night's sunset was nothing spectacular, but it was peaceful and quiet despite all the neighbors.
I was treated to a beautiful desert sunrise this morning.
The town of Wickenburg stretches out below the boondocking area.