easy, thanks for sharing.
I like the story of the young man in the campground. Do you think he was looking to share his site, and perhaps camp fee ? We have been the recipient but never the proposer of such an arrangement.
Interesting to read about your early start time to finding a camp site. Seems to me many leave late, around or after checkout time, and that selecting a site perhaps before being able to eye ball your known neighbours could be a crap shoot, but who knows.. Have you found a sweet spot time for finding a site ?
Funny about the "why we have a pop up comments". I remember last year desperately looking for a spot. Wheeling around and thru a few packed campgrounds full of every off road rig imaginable and wondering why oh why do they have to be here when they can camp "anywhere" !! (likewise I'm sure)
As for the park crowds, yes, busy. Reading these TRs makes me regret not exploring them more "back in the day" - a lesson perhaps for the younger reader (if there are any on here
). Can't see it getting any better in my lifetime. Kicker is, by visiting, we are contributing - I doubt the guy who arrives just behind me makes a charitable distinction...
Anyway, glad you made the effort. Some things you just have to see for yourself, taking the bad with the good.