Bilbo wins

For getting out of the most fines or additional charges in one weekend. Did they really charge us more for using two bathroom facilities? Slim paid on the way out so he is good to go. That is why you are President.

One would assume that if you were the only camping group in the area, that you would be given some latitude, maybe even a few feet beyond a very non-descript boundary (the monuments described by the park rangers were never able to be found). But, I am glad we were meek and amiable in our response so that more black helicopters will not follow us down the Saint this fall and winter.

Freddie will probably get an electric bill for his CPAC, but the end of the billing cycle is not here yet. This started out as a pretty reasonable expense for a picnic, historically. We could have paid for a 1/2 barrel of Doppelbock for the extra fees. Oh well.

Apparently the rangers only were accepting of my proposals in my presence. Mike said we were still charged for the second pavilion day, and for the second campsite for Friday. Two male rangers called the supervisor and obtained a variance in my presence before we left Saturday morning to float Sinking Creek, and were considerate enough to report back to me after we arrived at camp after the float. The two female rangers seemed to accept the same story that I told the male rangers, and left, only to come back Sunday morning and play Parkland Security. Does not sound like the two groups talked to each other, nor that my cumulative hour of communication with them meant anything at all.

Seriously, please post on this thread if you were billed to pay or actually paid any extra fees. I need to know because I intend to write a letter to the area management in Van Buren. If you are not comfortable posting here, email me privately at my address below.
Bill

I have begged Freddie to hit the park nazis with a disability lawsuit for hassling him about sleeping near the pavillion with his Cpap.

Coach,I did not pay on the way out.The two lady rangers told me I was off the hook. Maybe the MAN ranger is still hunt-un me down. I am sure there or thousands of people in prison with the same story.

Saturday evening I had two $100 fine letters in my hand, and a threat to charge another full day for the pavilion, which would have been $233 in excess of what we had already paid. Mike paid and extra $133 upon leaving Sunday, and that seemed to have closed the subject, for now, so Slim's squatting solo in #5 was overlooked. I most likely will not sway them in retrospect, but I am going to finish my letter by mid week and send it. We have started to save so much of our funds to offset declining membership and event attendance by cutting back our spending, and to have the NPS negate that in one swift swoop pisses me off.
Bill