Golden Access/Age starting to Shrink

Just stayed in Ochocho Fed CG in Oregon - Limited services, no water, no elect, no dump station. Right on the sign as you check in now it says, "$13 per site" ... 50% off for G-A passes. Then, next to it, it says, "Because Thousand Trails has taken over managing the finances of this CG, a G-A pass is only good for Half-off CG. Full day-use fees and all other fees apply in full now"...

SO, I'm wonderig when the next step will happen with our federal CG and BLM sites -- next thing, all $$ management will be through a private organization, like this, and all the benefits we thought we had will disappear.

This is a very nasty event, this erosion of our benefits simply because some other "body" collects the money. I believe TT has nothing to do with site management, only the financial collection.

I can hear them crying already, "We can't afford to service half-price fees..." What a JOKE this might become. It is my intent, as soon as I get to somewhere I can do it, is to print a real letter (not an email) an send directly to my Congress men, all of them about this BS ...

Sounds like the governments way of saying "we cut federal jobs"
but are still making money which most likely has no restrictions
and can be spent on pork barrel projects and raises.

After posting this topic, I stayed in a BLM-CG in Oregon and spoke with the host ranger there -- we discussed this very thing.

She said she was very upset at the way the campgrounds are run in her area once a vendor takes over. No services, least amount of clean-up, no one around when a problem occurs ... she said they just show up to collect the fees, take as big a portion as they can get, find all kind of excuses to charge extra, and in general allow the CG to degrade to where it cost more to repeir and maintain then when the rangers and volunteers do it.

And I saw the difference immecdiately between the two CGs - I understand that the second one here is staffed, and the first one not - but guess what ?? SAME FEES ?? Nope, second one was a dollar LESS and staffed full-time. And the CG itself was immaculate - could go on and on here, but it shows what vendors do to the services.

"G-A pass is only good for Half-off CG."

From this statement, it appears that the Access/Age card was still recognized for 1/2 off camp site fees. Yes or no?

I recently ran across a like situation in a National Park C/G. The concessionaire honored the card for 1/2 off for all but the double sites. Since the double was the only one available, I used it and paid half price anyway. If they want the other half, then they can come and get it!

The America the Beautiful card system is a federal law wherein National Parks, BLM, USFS, and Fish and Game campgrounds participate. The US Corp has the option of doing so. I am wondering if the concessionaire are given the authority to override a federal law when they take over these parks and campgrounds.

Rick -- I agree it's a federal law ... According to the park ranger, the vendors get it written into the contract that they don't HAVE to honor discounts, especially with admissions - still half-off the CG sites, but I'm waiting for that to go too.

In one of the parks in Utah, the site was half-off, but instead of 'free admission' to the attractions, the gate guy wanted me to pay the admission too, in orcer to get in - so that was another $4 on top of half-off ($12 = $6 site) so in effect I would have paid $6 + $4 ... I pulled out my DAV card and told him (not a ranger, rent-a-cop) that I was entited to get in with my site too, as well as the card, and if he wanted to charge me, then I wanted to speak to a supervisor. Well, guess what, he let me in then -- but we shouldn't have to fight for this stuff.

I'm not looking for something 'free', just 'keep the promise' that I once got for my service, same as all you other guys.

Vendors are in it for the $$$, and will do as little as possible for the payment -- this, seen first hand by myself, but supported by the Oregon park ranger in her own words...

It will eventually be the same as what happened to the BX/PX prices, when run by the feds prices BX/PX were a savings, now, it's as much as the vendor can bid (low bidder, right?) and now some are talking about the commissary too, going to a private vendor ... I can imagine what will happen to the food prices then !!! I shopped recently at Hill AFB commissary (Utah) and it was more than my local market on Cape Cod -

Remember what it says on the ATB card now "MAY honor", not "Entitled" ... big difference. OKAY, rant over !!

OH, one more thing - Oregon gives DAV's ten days a month in any state park campground FREE, that's right, FREE - and I'm in one now and it's beautiful - full service (no sewer) and showers, and all local attractions included ... Now I'm not suggesting we should all get everything for free, just the Oregon recognizes DAV's in a very special way ... and it's for real.

A few states are "veteran friendly". Texas is one of those few. If you have at least a 60% disability rating, doesn't have to be compensatable, you can get a state Park Pass. The daily entrance fees are waived and some camping discounts may be available.