On 22 Apr 2006 05:10:49 -0700, "backpacker"
wrote:

I know most fly fisherman are ardent users of national forest
campgrounds.

You do? I feel slighted, not having been able to meet you when
collected all that the data...but hey, don't feel too bad...you don't
get any more sensible with the rest of your little effort.

And of course so are backpackers and national park
visitors. In very sad news, the USFS has secret plans to close 100's
of your national forest campgrounds, to remove "outdated hand pump
water systems" in place of more advanced systems for RV'ers. Of the
campgrounds they keep, they plan to enlarge and create spaces for RV's
pulling ATV trailers, as well as create "modern" water systems and
electrical hookups + higher fees. Your favorite small no fee campground
tucked away in the national forest may become a thing of the past as
these areas will be closed so the USFS can focus on "Wal Mart"
campgrounds.

"WAL MART?!" Horror of horrors! Well, soon, it'll be nothing but
fatties in NASCAR garb...and Stevie, monitoring their weight and
wardrobe...

These campgrounds will also likely be privatized. This is
one of the first steps in recent moves by the Bush adminsitration to
privatize our public lands system. A recent order to force the national
park service to operate at 30% cuts is another recent step. Please
contact the USFS and let them know what you think of this fiasco:

http://www.fs.fed.us/contactus/

Um, lemmee see here...you are suggesting that folks contact them and
tell that the Bush administration has secretly tucked away these secret
plans on a corner of their website...yep, that oughta do it...


By BRODIE FARQUHAR
Star-Tribune correspondent Saturday, April 22, 2006

LANDER -- Tucked away in a corner of the U.S. Forest Service Web site
are plans and documents which could lead to the closure of hundreds of
campground water systems and ultimately, hundreds of campgrounds
themselves throughout the national forest system.

The time-hallowed practice of fetching water from a hand pump -- for
preparing meals, washing dishes or washing dirty kids -- may become a
thing of the past. Like a small-town post office, where people meet and
talk, the campground hand pump is where campers meet and talk, forming
friendships that can last a weekend or a lifetime."

Yeah, that's a real shame...I remember reading Meriwether Lewis' diary
and being so touched when he spoke of being saved, both literally by the
water itself and from boredom from the gossip, when his party came upon
a bunch of Ind..er, "native Americans" at one of nature's good ol'
time-hallowed hand pumps, washing the kids, the dishes, and just
chatting away...and to think, now Bush is gonna sneak in and the next
thing ya know, this wonder of nature is gonna be replaced with lardassed
hillbillies in tacky clothing trying to buy class and a bigger RV...