Reading the article "Congress Expands Wilderness Protection" https://rvlife.com/index.php/News-Brief/Congress-Expands-Wilderness-Protection.html found this month in the RV Life News Brief section of the RV Life website, you might think Wilderness is a good thing for RVers. But let's take a closer look: My copy of Webster's Dictionary defines wilderness (little "w) as, "A tract or region of uncultivated and uninhabited by human beings". The 1964 Wilderness Act enacted by the United States government defines Wilderness (big "W") as, "A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." At first, the two definitions appear very similar. But, further reading will reveal the government's definition also prohibits you from camping in Wilderness in your RV, driving in it with your dinghy or even riding your mountain bike there. It gets even worse, today's politicians think you can "restore" the land to Wilderness by removing roads, campgrounds, buildings, etc. hardly the definition of "untrammeled by man" the originators of the Wilderness Act envisioned! I urge outdoor enthusiasts everywhere to be wary of new Wilderness proposals or you may find your favorite boondock camping spot being "protected" from you on your next visit. Finding a sign like the one below blocking the road to your next RVing adventure is what you can expect from more Wilderness designations.
Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.
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