Camping: AB style!

Last Friday night Dave and I stayed at the Enid Lake Forest Service Recreation Site. We arrived in early afternoon and had a wonderful time watching pairs of red-throated grebes court each other. A pair of loons was nesting on a small island in the center of the lake. I walked around the lake a couple of times and spring was alive! The bad thing about these recreation sites is that they are so sadly neglected and have been for about the past 5 years. The are called "user maintained". The overuse of ATV's and dirt bikes was evident in all areas around the lake. We enjoyed our evening at the campsite and just as dark hit (which is 10 p.m. on MST) a couple of big trailers arrived with kids, dogs, ATV's, and chainsaws! The fire was lit with gas from a container and every time additional fuel was needed the chainsaws started up. I couldn't figure out why anyone would want to start up an ATV in the dark. Sadly, the lifestyle is too likely to be copied by the next generation. The fire was going again early the next day and I noted that both vehicles had Alberta plates (this camping unit was the classic stereotype)! I saw that Mr. Campbell's government has posted signs that damage to the environment can result in fines up to $100,000. Unfortunately, no one is hired to ever enforce any of it and the forest around this quite lovely lake will continue to be decimated.