New to the Forum

[ladybigfoot]

i am new to forum, but long time camper,hiker....age 72. i experienced 2 bad experiences in 2012 ...camped legally on campground in tent, weather cold,windy..i was fine. i camped at days of 76 camp in deadwood,sd..ive camped there several summers, wanted snow camp..paid my rent..staff knew i was there...office closed in winter,but staff goes there to collect rent and mail. nov 22, nite, a woman comes by to see if i am ok. i said i am fine and warm. she hurries off and before i could stop her says she and co worker are going to find me a room ???!!! about 30 min later..about 9pm, here comes a city cop and sheriff deputy. asked me to come out of tent..why? i paid rent. i came out. they said i had to leave. why? because we will get annoying calls all night from people worrying about you. deputy took me to a motel i often stay at. had to leave tent and gear for pick up next am. cost 60$ cab fare to retrieve stuff,then cab back to spearfish.i did get refund for that night from campground for my tent space. i have sent message to city and county to reimburse me for cab fare. so far, no response. similar in new mexico. caballo lake. a couple in rv invited me to stay with them. stopped rangers from putting me out. anybody on forum know any seniors with similar problems?

[Gary M]

Ladybigfoot,

First welcome to the Trailgroove forum!

Are you saying they made you move simply because they felt that a 72 year old person could not camp at that location when perhaps a younger person could? Was this simply age discrimination or were others treated the same way that day?

Have to run, I'm burning daylight hike time!

Gary M

[ladybigfoot]

i had camped at that place..days of 76 campground in deadwood,sd..for at least 3 summers..not entire summer. but fairly well known in deadwood. staff knows me well. this was with some snow on ground,but not much. not very cold, but i know how to do tent so i am quite warm inside. i use tarps,plastic under and over, and if heavy cardboard available, (i got some out of nearby dumpster) i put that underneath tent also. this happened after dark,nov 22, 2012. apparently it got around town that i was camped there. usually one or 2 rv'ers there also. some people just dont know how to tend to their own business. the woman who stopped by tent should have respected me enough to ASK if i wanted a room. she ran to car and co worker drove off before i could say no. i chose this. city cop, and sheriff deputy did not give me a choice. said i HADto leave or they would get annoying calls all night from people worrying about me????!!! i doubt they did. if so, my leaving would not stop the calls as they would not know if i left. i have talked to some people who have worked there summers,plus i am going to get in touch via friends with a lady i know on the days of 76 staff. it is a campground,museum rodeo, all next to one another. i am going to try to get my cab fare back. it was definitely an illegal eviction. i had done nothing wrong. i was glad the 15$ for that nite's space was brought to me in spearfish. in cash. if i had not been invited to stay with rv'ers in new mexico, i am not sure what rangers would have done. and YES, that is discrimination. i had never encountered that before. at my age, i want to do plenty of camping and hiking, so dont need things like this. will try to contact other seniors to help stop this sort of thing. thanks for asking.