Free camp fail (Charles City, IA)

So many free campgrounds are changing to pay, largely because of the continued gutting of taxes for the rich and corporations, causing federal, state and local governments to have to raise money somewhere to pay to maintain the parks. Cowell County Park near Charles City, IA has fallen victim to this. It used to be 2 weeks free according to Freecampsites.net. Now it's $10/night. Not free at all. Ouch!! I wonder how much money they are actually getting, since no one was there.

When I got there, I didn't take the sharp right turn as I entered. Instead, I continued straight due to the trailer and a fence post that would have made the curve difficult. So, I missed the self pay box and $10/night sign. Instead, I went and got myself stuck on soft, grassy ground. After getting myself unstuck and inspecting the ground elsewhere, I moved. Then I walked Lucy, only then discovering the fact that it's now paid. FAIL!!!!

So I packed up and left. I hurried across Iowa to get to this damn park, only to find it was no longer free. Yeah, I wasn't very happy. I no longer hurry to anywhere. I'll get there when I get there. After Lamar, MO's park no longer being 3 nights, only 1, Pittsburg MO's public use area changing to paid in 2019 from free, and now this? We can thank BOTH political parties for screwing 99% of the country for the past 38 years for  this. Never trust that any free campground is still actually free.

Certainly never hurry to one if it means using your fuel budget up, much like I did to get here.

The rut from getting stuck. 

The pay station I missed when I got there, having entered on the road here in the background.