Really?
I am at the stage of life where I am allowed to be a crank and get away with it. And having my very own personal blog, I get to be a crank in a public forum, a true luxury. I struggle mightily not to abuse this privilege, but it seems like every year my chain gets yanked about something and I take to this page to vent. Last year it was smoke pollution from the yurt stove, the year before it was dogs on the ski trails, and lord knows what else I've pissed and moaned about in this space. Today's lecture will be on the topic of parking.
Anyone who has skied at Seeley Lake on the weekend knows that parking can be at a premium. If it's a holiday weekend then the problem is compounded. Sure, if you arrive early in the morning the lot is fairly empty and you can park wherever you like with very little competition. But, get there around noon and you may find yourself parking on the road. That's why it's important that folks using our parking lot try to be as efficient and thoughtful as possible when they park. That means first and foremost pull head in to your space leaving enough room to the next car that you don't bang doors but you aren't taking up two spaces, either. And whatever you do, DON'T PARK PARALLEL IN THE MAIN LOT!!!!
I'm not sure what the owner of the van in the photo was thinking, but that is a big ass van and took up at least three, if not four, spaces. This was Saturday, January 2, on a holiday weekend that saw as much traffic on the ski trails as I have ever seen, with the exception of OSCR days. The lot was stuffed full forcing skiers to park on the road as well as across the road in the snowmobile area. The exception to parking parallel is if the main lot is full and you park adjacent to the groomer sheds where we can squeeze in another ten vehicles or so parking parallel out to the road. If you have a large vehicle that will stick out too far in the main lot when you park straight in, either park at the east end of the lot or go across the road to the snowmobile parking lot.
When I finished skiing the big ass van was blocked from both the front and the rear, so maybe there is some karmic justice in the world.
As bad as that was, the worst I have ever seen is two trucks with snowmobile trailers attached parked nose to tail the length of the lot. Bad enough that snowmobilers would use what is obviously intended for cross country skiers, but they took up well over 70' of space. Oh, well, sled heads, what do you expect?
Lynn has instructed me that as long as I'm on a rant I should remind snowshoers and walkers to stay off the ski trails and use the roads. I seriously doubt that any of them will be reading this post, but if you are, please, stay the hell off the ski trails. Can't you tell you're tearing up the surface with every step you take? Use the snowmobile trails adjacent to the ski trails. You can even take your dog there and he or she can poop and run to his heart's content.
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