Department of Misnomers

One of my pastimes while traveling is collecting misnomers. Here is an invitation to my readers to add to this collection in the Comments Section, please, if you have some to share.

RV Park: Let’s start with RV Park. It turns out “park” is a verb, not a noun. What we get for our $40 or more is a slot with hook-ups for power, water, and sometimes a drain for sewage. Sometimes we get use of a picnic table.

Tree of Heaven: Ailanthus altissima is one stinky, obnoxious tree. It’s a Class C (most widespread, greatest danger) Noxious Weed on Washington’s List of Invasive Species.

Paradise Point State Park: our campsite was located 50 feet from busy Interstate 5 with all the ambiance and amenities of a roadside pull-out. It was worse than a Rest Area. We forfeited our prepaid reservation and drove on.

Desolation Wilderness: is the most visited Wilderness Area in the nation. It has instituted a permit system, by destination, to limit traffic.

Pacific Crest Trail: it is nowhere near the Pacific and almost never on a crest. It does not travel along the Divide of the Sierras.

Oregon Grape: (Mahonia aquifolium) is the state shrub of Oregon. In a plot by the breweries to discredit the wine industry, Oregon Grape is not a grapevine. It is a sour, seedy little berry related to our Toyon.

Washrooms: in Canada, what Americans call bathrooms are called washrooms. Even vault toilets are called washrooms. Surprisingly, the individual vault toilets are identified by gender, “Men” and “Women,” perhaps so that the gents may leave the toilet seat up undisturbed.