[pct-l] Re: VVR in '04

[mardav at charter.net (Marion Davison)]

We had been to VVR several times since '96.  We really like Iva Bell Hot 
Springs, so if we go to one, we will also go to the other.
As llamapackers we have different concerns than hikers. 
We visited VVR in '04.  We had a very bad experience and we will never 
return.  I have kept quiet up to this point because my bad experience 
may have nothing to do with a hiker's typical experience there.  But 
since so many others are chiming in, I will do so as well.
We arrived in late afternoon and wanted to have dinner.  We were 
welcomed and told  to camp with our five llamas in the piece of forest 
that is between the entrance and exit to the u-shaped parking area in 
front of the building.  We had dinner and beer.  We were pretty well 
knackered from the long hike so we went to bed about 10 PM.  Mind you we 
were camped pretty close to the bar.  There was a campfire going quite 
near the bar and people were sitting around it, talking loudly, until 
the bar closed at 11:00.  We thought they would go to bed then, but they 
didn't.  The bar closed but the campfire crowd stayed.  More people 
drove in around midnight.  One late arrival in particular was very loud 
and very foul-mouthed.  He couldn't compose a sentence without several 
cuss words, and he was there until 4 am telling loud off color jokes 
mainly about colorful women.  He was loud enough that we could hear 
every word.   About 3 am someone left the fire and started walking near 
us.  He saw one of our llamas laying on the ground and shouted, "there's 
a bear right there!"  Another person shouted, "Get the gun!"   I shouted 
back, "That's one of our llamas, don't shoot". 
Needless to say, I didn't get any sleep whatsoever until the party quit 
at 4 a.m.  
Ray complained to the owner in the morning.  The owner said it was 
hikers making the noise.  Maybe.  But hikers don't drive in in big 
trucks at midnight.   As for the "shoot the bear" business, he said it 
was just city people blowing off steam. 
I expected a party until the bar closed.  I have seen these in past 
years, and have even joined in when I could borrow a guitar.  Had I 
known the party would go on til 4 am I would have camped at the 
campground.  I couldn't believe anyone could sleep thru that racket. 
It can't be an easy place to make a living.  But I am concerned that he 
has no qualms about hosting all-night parties on his property with no 
supervision.  I think there will be a bad incident someday--a shooting, 
a fight, property damage--if he doesn't discourage the local barflies 
from hanging out after hours.  They can bring their own coolers full of 
booze after the bar closes. 
I was most discouraged that he seemed to think we were the ones with the 
problem.
His nonchalant and uncaring response to us when we voiced our concern is 
the biggest reason we will not return. 
I have no problems with the prices and I thought the food was fine.  But 
I am not picky and I eat in greasy spoon buffets all the time. 
llamalady