RE: camping

[Drew Johnson <djohnson at snowplow_org>]

On Thu, 26 Jun 2003, Michael Cade wrote:

> So Brad,
>
> Does that mean you'll be there?
>
> Michaelmymotorhomehasitallandnoleavingthepark
>


Speaking from a lot of years of camping experience, two other notes:

1)  If you stay there, camp between the main drag (Merchant's Row,
Cornerstone U, Gallery Stage, Imaginarium, Food Court) and the main stage
if you want to do a lot of seminar stuff and music.  Staying out near
Mirkwood (back entrance) is both noisy with youth groups and is one _long_
hike by Saturday (usually 25 minutes with dodging golf carts on the way.)

2)  If you stay there and have a good mini camp stove, get some good,
tasty dehydrated meals that are 'rehydrate in-bag'.  Look for ones that do
not require you to cook anything other than water in a pan or pot.  Three
minutes prep time to boil water with a good stove, five minutes to
rehydrate, and you've a tasty meal.  Frighteningly, the rehydrated food
these days is tremendously good.  My mouth is watering right now for a
particular brand of chili mac that you can get at most camping stores, as
a matter of fact, as I type this.

3)  If you have a decsion about it, do not camp in the gullies that are
directly downhill from the roads.  People park very, very stupidly on
gravel and dirt.  Our tent was almost knocked down by a well-meaning fest
goer who had to leave before the end of the fest and had parked sideways
on a 30 degree pitch dirt embankment.  Always, ALWAYS scout out your
surroundings before you pitch your tent.

4)  The showers are cold and wonderful on muggy days.  Get there early if
you don't want hour lines, especially if you're female.  The showers are
also sulfurous, due to the ground water.  The wonderful part about this is
once you start showering, bugs become much less of a problem.

5)  The sun is murderous.  Always wear sunscreen, particularly at Main
Stage.  Sherry and I had to rescue a young waif who was walking around in
nothing but a bathing suit, flip-flops, and a tan. It was the only time I
was ever happy to see a young man with a golf cart and so we got her to
the med tent; the first aid folks are fabulous but always overworked at
fest.  (Angealika, remember that one?).  The sun is your enemy at Fest.
Dress defensively.

6)  The 77's are, in fact, the one band that is in fact a Rock and Roll
band at the entire fest.  And thus, Mike Roe is the One True Rocker.

-Drew J

O Drew Johnson - djohnson at snowplow_org - Ld Robert Bartholomew, SCA  )   ^ ^
O    I also have the garlic powder. - Diablo - 10/4/98, goats.com    X  (_|_)
O            Check out rft.melm.org - Radio Free Tomorrow.           | (bunny)

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