I was just visited by a hotspringer who goes by the name of Arizona Mike. I have known him for many years. In the course of our conversation we eventually got on the subject of access to the springs. I go to the hotsprings by utilizing open route 4 and then 3 which eventually take you down to the lower parking lot on the bowen trail. I park at a location along route 3 and then hike down a canyon that eventually opens up to a spot just above the Bowen trail not far from the springs. Just after exiting the canyon you connect with the Bowen trail rather quickly. I have know for some time that Mike Castro is to put it mildly very unhappy about this route I use. It is the shortest walking route to the springs. You do have to drive just over 15 minutes further on a dirt road ( route 4 and 3 )that is not maintained but passable by most 2 wheel drive vehicles. Apparently ( as indicated by Arizona Mike ) Mike Castro is basically saying that because I use this route ( which is a completely legal way to access the springs ) that I will, as time passes, attract others who will cause problems at the springs. Also in a past post on this forum East Bay inquired of me about how I access the springs. I told him my route, sharing my information about a legal access route to the springs. Arizona Mike says that another website has picked up on this information and has thanked me for providing it. I have met many people at the springs who have inquired about alternative access options besides going through Mike Castro's private property. Now it has been told to me by Arizona Mike that Mike Castro is basically planning on blameing me for all the ills of the hotsprings in the future because now all the " bad " people will find out about this shorter walking route and there will be a flood of trashy party types hitting the springs. All because I shared some information with a fellow hotspringer about a legal route to the springs. Well Mike is entitled to his opinion but I say that kind of reasoning is a bunch of nonsense. I put this idea to Arizona Mike. Lets say Mike Castro was intending on accessing a hotsprings that he had never been to and choose the internet as a source of information to show him all the known " legal " routes to these hypothetical springs. I looking at this information would he feel bad or "wrong " about using this information source. Of course not. Would he fell " wrong " if he chose the shortest " legal " route for easy access for whatever reason. Of course not. Should he feel that because others might follow his path that he is to blame for the wrongdoing of others on thier own " individual " visits to these springs. Of course not. Blame should be placed squarely on the shoulders of those who do acts which degrade the springs not on those who these people happened to follow for whatever reason. If problems develops because of easier access to these hypothetical springs then the agencies with the proper authority need to implement policy to address these problems. Back to our real springs, DCHS. The visitation is increasing with each passing year because of escalating population and a vast variety of information sharing. DCHS alone has probably 15 sites on the internet and I know it is listed in many books. For that matter Mike Castro has advertised in various forms, one of them being his flyer he hands out which is taken by people and shown to others. Presently the vast majority of the people visiting DCHS access through the Bowen Ranch which means the vast majority of the problem people are also coming through the ranch. Arizona Mike somehow thinks the few people who go around the ranch compromise most of the bad people at the springs. Nothing could be further from the truth. I talk to people all the time at the springs who have come through the ranch who break every one of the many hotsprings ediquite rules listed on Mikes flyer. Many people just show Mike Castro a happy, friendly face, hide thier glass bottles, pay thier fee and go on thier way. Mike can't predict the intent of all these people and know what they may be concealing in thier cars. Arizona Mike stated to me in so many words that everyone ( that includes all of us at this forum ) has no ability to appraise the true situation of these problems concerning the springs. Only Mike Castro has this unique knowledge. Does that make sense to any of you. Didn't think so. Arizona Mike says that Mike Castro has indicated that if people start going around the ranch then Casto will just close the ranch and then the forestry will come in and close the whole place down or modify access in the extreme. Do any of you really think that the forestry is basing thier policy decisions for DCHS on wether Mike Castro decides to keep his ranch open. It appears that Mike Castro will be finding it convient to simply blame me for all the ills of the hotsprings just because of the way I access the springs and because I shared this information with another hotspringer, oh brother. In the end of my conversation with Arizona Mike he became rude and said to my wife as she was sharing her opinion " just let me hear all the lack of knowledge coming out of your mouth ". He said something very close to this. We were keeping the conversation civil. I asked Mike to leave my residence not appreciating his comments and his inability to discuss his ideas without showing respect for the fact that we share a differant veiw of things. I know Mike Castro is all up in arms about all of this and I am concerned about his behaviour based on all the stories I've heard. My vehicle saftey is my primary concern. I must say that I have never had any incidents of vandalism in the Bowen Ranch area and Mike Castro has never done anything aggressive towards me to date. I hope this remains the case in the future. I care very much for DCHS and have done an enormous amout of work in various forms to help make things better down there. Blameing me for the ills done by others at the springs is reasoning that lacks any merit. That, is my opinion. I would be glad to hear any of your ideas on this subject.
