Casca
User
| Posts: 324 |   |
|
Rakis Safety and Rules - 2010/06/03 19:08
Rakis is fast approaching folks! The first blips on the 10 day forecast say the weather is going to be capricious as ever for springtime in the mountains, so be certain to plan for everything from nights in the mid-40s, to mornings with fog and scattered hail, to afternoons in the 80s and impossibly sunny.
There are a few other safety concerns I want to remind people about so that we all can have an enjoyable, incident-free Rakis:
Darkness: There are some lights throughout the site, but not many. It will be a new moon during Rakis, so bring personal lighting devices.
High altitude: A lot of you low landers out there aren't used to 8250 feet above sea level. Some people get altitude sickness if they aren't careful. This is easily avoided however by doing the following: take it easy the first 24 hours to let your body acclimate, and stay very well hydrated. You will likely also find yourself getting tired more quickly from the lower oxygen levels than you are used to. That's fine. Take more breaks. You will also find you will likely, for those of you of legal drinking age, get drunk off of far less alcohol than it would otherwise take. That's fine too. Like I said, stay well hydrated, and many of us IMers will gladly help you consume your extra alcohol. We're great friends like that.
Bears: The Rakis site is in their territory. However, we've never had any at Rakis and let's keep it that way. First, we ask that all food that you bring on site be stored in air-tight containers in your vehicles NOT in your tent which is fabric and flimsy and where you sleep helplessly. We also ask that you dispose of all your trash into one of the dumpsters on site each evening, and whenever you use a dumpster, you put the bear bar back into place. A black bear's sense of smell is so acute that it can smell food up to 20 miles away. That's at least a half dozen times better than your average blood hound folks. And once they nail a place as a source of food, they will keep returning to it, which means the site owners would be very, very pissed at us, and I will be pissed at you. So let's not attract the wildlife shall we?
Deer: Speaking of wildlife, you will likely see many deer on site (and maybe elk). Leave them be please. Many of you have not seen deer up close. I get that our primate brains make us curious, and we may think they are harmless cute herbivores. This isn't so, especially in the spring when they are all strung out about gettin' it on with other deer. Deer will attack if provoked, and they are assholes about it, so just leave them to Reynen.
Dogs: Dogs are allowed on site, but because of the wildlife (not just the big ones, but also the little ones like porcupine and skunk), they must be on a leash and in your control at all times. The only exceptions being when they are indoors with you (cabin, tent, car, etc) or in the confines of the on-site "Bark Park". So no tying them to a tree and leaving the poor things unattended either please, for your critter's safety. Also, please scoop their poop.
Parking: This one is not so much for safety, but for you to not be frustrated. We aren't allowed to park in the Bark Park parking since this is the local community's and they like to be able to park and use it. I've been told that Amtgarders that break this rule will have their vehicle towed at the owner's expense and inconvenience, so just don't do it. Also, don't park where you will block the roadways, but that's just common sense.
Fires: We've had issues with this one in the past, and it has cause me specifically great anger that this rule has continuously been broken, as I, as in me personally all by myself, have always been the one to clean up after ya'll. Fires can only be built in pre-existing fire pits. Do not just build them anywhere. Do not just make a new fire pit. I personally have had to dig them out year after year in order to avoid massive fines from the fire marshal. Where does the safety come in? If you do it, I will find you and you will not be safe. Also, Colorado is not a moist environment. It is very dry and brush fires are all too common. If you want a fire, keep them in a pre-approved, pre-existing pit, and if the fire marshall comes by and says the fire danger has gone to high, then we'll have to put them out. Suckage, but better than burning down a hillside full of campers and facing my wrath. (You'd have better luck with the brush fire let me tell you.)
Smoking: The Rakis site is a no-smoking site. However, we've gotten permission to be allowed two smoking zones: the benches outside the RP tavern, and the porch of the Main Lodge. You are also allowed to smoke in your vehicles of course. No where else though, regardless of what the Wolves tell you. It took a lot of cajoling to get this privilege so let's not lose it by the site manager finding butts where they aren't allowed.
...And lastly, mountains are made of rocks. Rocks don't like ankles. Watch your footing.
See you all soon!
Casca Eruoy |
Home 
