Laser light show at campgrounds?

[booster]

While we were in the National Parks in Utah, Zion etc, we ran into something we hadn't seen before.

Lots of climbers and serious hikers in these parks, and most of them in tents. They also tend to be late arrivers and early risers.

They are also almost all users of the very high power night hiker type headlamps. When there were 6 of them with the headlamps on, putting up or tearing down the campsite, the lights were shining all over like a laser light show, and they are very bright. The lights could easily light up a campsite 100 yards away, and if they hit a tent in the adjoining campsite, they lit up the whole inside, through the fabric. Even the little cracks around our shades was enough for the light to get in and light up the inside of the van.

I think most of us have headlamps with us, but they are the wimpy kind that light up maybe 10 feet, and that is what we had seen in the past.

I hope this is not a trend, as it was pretty distracting at 5am.

[rjf7g]

Not fun...this is fine between 8 and 10pm, but after that...Set of 2 Indoor Outdoor Kaleidoscope LED Lightshow Projectors - H205486 — QVC.com

[tbirdman]

last night while boondocking at a casino, a MH was running their generator at 11:30PM with their lights all on. I eventually moved my rig. Plenty of room for their RV to be parked in the remote area of the parking lot. Soem people are just plan rude.:sad

[wincrasher]

Most people enjoy my "laser shows". I get quite a few stop by to ask where they can get one.

http://http://www.amazon.com/Garden-...ndscape+lights

[tbirdman]

Must be my luck. 2nd night in a row. The 40' next to me decides to fire up his generator at 10 PM. Imoved after 30 minutes. Is this an every day occurrence? I guess the common courtesy I thought RVers had may not exist with everyone.

[mlts22]

When I see a rig pull up, out comes a construction generator, out comes an air compressor, and they set up an inflatable theater screen, pulling out speakers that would make KISS (the band) jealous... it is time to find greener pastures.

I just don't understand the lack of awareness or empathy about others, but this seems to have been a plague for a long time now.

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by tbirdman

Must be my luck. 2nd night in a row. The 40' next to me decides to fire up his generator at 10 PM. Imoved after 30 minutes. Is this an every day occurrence? I guess the common courtesy I thought RVers had may not exist with everyone.

You're in a casino parking lot. It'd be nice if the guy kept the same hours as you, but again, it's a parking lot. Rest stops can be like that, too.

[Scottbaldassari]

Originally Posted by eric1514

You're in a casino parking lot. It'd be nice if the guy kept the same hours as you, but again, it's a parking lot. Rest stops can be like that, too.

Campgrounds can be like that too.

Near the smokies, a Huge, noisy, diesel Class A pulling a toad came into the spot directly across from me at 1:30 on the morning. The campground we were at had 300+ sites, and was maybe 10% full. Until their arrival, the nearest occupied site was a "bike ride" away. It took him and his wife about 30 minutes of yelling at each other with the flashlight "laser show" you speak of, to get the mess backed into a (rather open, DRIVE THROUGH) site. As I remember it, they left their (extremely bright halogen) headlights on most of that time also. Then they spent about 15 minutes "putting out" the squeaky, shrieking slides, before they realized a tree was in the way of one of the 4 or 5 slides, so they had to move the rig again (with more flashlights and yelling). Because they backed in to a "pull through" site, I'm pretty sure part of the reason they were rolling around under their semi sized rig was to thread their "hook ups" under, and to the opposite side of the rig. After that they proceeded to take another 1/2 hour of walking around with flashlights and open and closing each and every one of the many "slam latch" "basement" doors at least 3 or 4 times, all the while complaining at each other about something one of them misplaced (probably an extension cord ). Somewhere in there was the time spent putting down the "automatic" levelers which didn't seem to be automatic at all, as they took several cracks at that also. Then, to top it off, they went inside their rolling behemoth and turned on some sort of X-ray, or airport lighting all through out the "coach" while they organized and prepared the (no doubt) 18 pillows and decorative coverings on the bed for their cozy nights rest.. At that point they must have pushed a button which finally turned off the clanking idling diesel engine, and kicked on the two overhead 80,000 BTU Air conditioners..

It would have been enough to make many mortals get into a real confrontation; but luckily, we are a happy bunch, and WE were on vacation. All 4 of us sat in the darkness in our little Van watching and laughing quietly at the "light show and entertainment break" in the middle of the night. We considered making popcorn and recording it for you tube... (but that's probably impolite)

The best part is, I am an early riser; so quietly having my coffee on the picnic table in the morning around 6:00, I watched them go through the entire rigmarole in reverse (sans the flashlights), as they hurried out to get... ....somewhere important I'm sure.

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by Scottbaldassari

Campgrounds can be like that too...

No doubt. I think we've all been there. It's just my expectations would be different at a campground vs. a casino parking lot.

[Scottbaldassari]

Originally Posted by eric1514

No doubt. I think we've all been there. It's just my expectations would be different at a campground vs. a casino parking lot.

Yes. For sure. One probably shouldn't have too high of expectations from any parking lot.. They are after all (as you said), "Parking lots" first.

[wincrasher]

The only thing more entertaining is to watch some schmuck trying to back in a huge 5th wheel trailer. When he inevitably gets hung up on something, or actually hits a tree or something, we take a drink and cheer. Mega-RV parking makes a great drinking game.

[Scottbaldassari]

Would make a great "blooper" roll... lol

[avanti]

I love B-vans.

[tbirdman]

Its so enjoyable to just pull into a spot and hook up just electric. More is less. And if it was late at night I wouldn't hook up anything. I did have a guy in a Winnebago View start is generator last night and run it to about 10:30 PM. I again moved last night, but could still hear it. I didn't want to disturb the other patrons. Earplugs may be on the shopping list. Spending the three nights in the casino parking lot wasn't bad. I traveled around during the day and came back at night to cook dinner and relax. Time to head north up the coast for my last night and then home. I had a very successful shakedown cruise all in all.

[booster]

I think the one thing that surprised us about all this (based on what we mentioned in the first post), was that the "laser light show" that was irritating to us, but much worse for tents close to the "show", was generated by tenters, not the normal lights on, porch light, generator, diesel running, slide abusing RV drivers that others have mentioned. Those headlamps they had were the brightest I have ever seen, with enough range to go halfway across the campground, at least as far as vehicle headlights.

[Scottbaldassari]

Originally Posted by tbirdman

I had a very successful shakedown cruise all in all.

And you are driving a...?

[tbirdman]

I'm driving a 2002 Coach House, a small 23' C. Everything worked fine except for the air TV which I need to figure out as it worked at home. I discovered that water is my most precious commodity when boondocking. learned a bunch and with a few fixes will be ready for my mid Nov 2 month cruise.

All in all the casino parking not was quiet and made an ideal spot for resting at night. Of course this is in October and not in the middle of the summer.