I'm probably leaving a lot out...
Driving down to Estrella is always an adventure. I had a few gas stops where people came to me at the pump and begged me for money for gas. I recall that happened a few times when I drove to Tempe a few months ago. One of the cashiers asked me if they asked me for money, and I said yes, and she tells me that they roll through gas stations up and down I-5, begging for money all the time. They recognize them, and they bring their families along to add credibility to their wretchedness when the weather is good.
I was amazed that someone would take a long trip (especially with kids) knowing that they didn’t have enough money to get to their destination. Now I know there is a group of people who do it for a living.
(For those of you unfamiliar with California, I-5 is a freeway that runs north-south through the length of the state, and mostly through long stretches of agricultural land.)
***
After driving all day, I get my camp set up. Bed assembled, sunshade pitched, carpets unrolled, furniture assembled, water jugs filled…all in all, a nice place to lounge with friends.
Thursday, I met new people, saw old friends, did some shopping, and helped other people get situated and ready for the week. The Lioness tourney was nicely attended, and I guess I am used to going to it with Rosie and Brynn, but I guess I still go because it is a nice event, and the attitudes are good there, and the number of people there, and the level of skill displayed just keeps getting better. The German party that night was okay, but they tend to smoke a lot and I eventually fled. It turned out that it was the only place where I did any calligraphy over the whole week.
Friday, Dani asked me to marshal on the field. Evidently, they needed help. I figured that dani wouldn’t ask me unless they realy needed help. After my long tenure with the marshalate, I have stayed away from any marshal stuff for a long time, so it felt kind of odd to be out there again. Dani and I represented about a quarter of the marshal staff that was present, aside from a few volunteers (one of whom got fired {she must have been special}). I heard that all the tape, stickers, horns, staves and other marshal equipment was stolen the night before. I think we had more Chiurgeons on hand than Marshals. I stayed on the field all day, and at least no one got hurt on my section of the field… I count it as a win. There was a Cancer fundraiser tourney that followed, but after the war fighting I was toast, my knee was hurting and I needed to eat and rest.
Later, I heard people talking about a few encounters they had on the field that day. There was one guy who kept stepping into the water and dying over and over, and when the Marshal called him dead he would say “Really? Really? Do I really have to die to that?” In the Cancer tourney, one fellow wouldn’t die to a shot that someone used on him because he felt he had invented it. Ah, the special people, I’m glad the problem children didn’t cluster around me. I did see one spectacular kill on the war field, where one fellow with a great sword was charged by a sword and shield guy, and the fellow with the great sword wrapped him up with his arms and sword, and twisted him slightly to his right, and called out a cheerful “hear-hear!” to his buddy who turned slightly towards his buddy and gave him a short and clear thrust. It was beautifully done, without anger or excessive force, and performed like a dance move with grace and precision.
Saturday, the day started nicely enough. I was attending her Highness of the Mists, and was walking with her to the industrial arts area (I believe she wanted to roll some dough and play with their brick oven set-up). That’s when the sandstorm came in. We were upwind of the battlefield, so we had a great view. The rapier field had a town set up with framing walls staked to the ground, and it all blew over in a few quick gusts. The main armies were quickly engulfed on the heavy field. Both armies were coming together and they were backlit with the sun in the East. Sometimes you could see their silhouettes projecting through the storm, sometimes you could see them pretty clearly, and sometimes the sand made them vanish completely.
You could hear things blowing down all around, and we took shelter with one of Syele’s friends for a short time. There were plenty of people leaving the field shouting things like “Big Blue is down!” We figured we should get back to camp and see what might be needed in the way of damage control, and as we crossed the field towards the West camp, our landmarks started vanishing. The large tents in our camp were being taken down or being blown down. Several rows of porta-potties blew over and into the canal next to our camp….I called them Atenveldt tumbleweeds. My sunshade came down, but my tent was fine. I wandered around the surrounding area trying to help people who had their camp overwhelmed by the wind. Late-afternoon the wind slowed down and the rain began. There were smart people who bugged out at first light that day, they were the lucky ones. After the sandstorm the rain began, and many people who started packing during the sandstorm managed to get out. Two thirds of our camp was down and gone when I started to break down my stuff. There was nothing else to do but pack. Ten minutes before I was ready to leave, the Constables came by and announced that the roads were closed and would remain so until morning. No escape. These are alfalfa fields and they are designed to hold water and turn into chocolate pudding when you add water. After having packed up a few wet camps I wasn’t about to set up again in the dark and rain. I ended up sleeping very badly in the cab of my truck that night, turning on the engine to warm the cab every hour or so, and twisting uncomfortably on the seatbelt clips and in a cab that was way too small for me to get comfortable in.
Before I turned in, there was a refugee party where they had planned to hold grand court. People brought all the booze and much food, and just handed it out (rather than drive it home). People came and donated meat that a large kitchen staff cooked (including bacon), and cookies, and a huge amount of alcoholic mixed drinks created in bulk for the cancelled parties. I spent my time talking to a few good friends, and one in particular who raised my mood from the foul funk I was sinking into. That was probably the best party of the whole event.
In the morning I was able to roll my truck forward out of the hole… the mud had dried just enough for me to get some traction. I hadn’t made it 15 minutes from the site when I encountered more rain… I hope everyone else managed to escape before the second wave of rain got there.
***
I did get a glass cup and a glass linen-smoother for Stacey, and a small brass mace-head for myself. I had planned to sell some of my lanterns Saturday night, but I guess I will have to auction them off on my usual LJ auctions this week.
***
I found a silver spur in my camp during tear down. Tell me the color of the ribbon it was tied up with, and it’s yours.
I was amazed that someone would take a long trip (especially with kids) knowing that they didn’t have enough money to get to their destination. Now I know there is a group of people who do it for a living.
(For those of you unfamiliar with California, I-5 is a freeway that runs north-south through the length of the state, and mostly through long stretches of agricultural land.)
***
After driving all day, I get my camp set up. Bed assembled, sunshade pitched, carpets unrolled, furniture assembled, water jugs filled…all in all, a nice place to lounge with friends.
Thursday, I met new people, saw old friends, did some shopping, and helped other people get situated and ready for the week. The Lioness tourney was nicely attended, and I guess I am used to going to it with Rosie and Brynn, but I guess I still go because it is a nice event, and the attitudes are good there, and the number of people there, and the level of skill displayed just keeps getting better. The German party that night was okay, but they tend to smoke a lot and I eventually fled. It turned out that it was the only place where I did any calligraphy over the whole week.
Friday, Dani asked me to marshal on the field. Evidently, they needed help. I figured that dani wouldn’t ask me unless they realy needed help. After my long tenure with the marshalate, I have stayed away from any marshal stuff for a long time, so it felt kind of odd to be out there again. Dani and I represented about a quarter of the marshal staff that was present, aside from a few volunteers (one of whom got fired {she must have been special}). I heard that all the tape, stickers, horns, staves and other marshal equipment was stolen the night before. I think we had more Chiurgeons on hand than Marshals. I stayed on the field all day, and at least no one got hurt on my section of the field… I count it as a win. There was a Cancer fundraiser tourney that followed, but after the war fighting I was toast, my knee was hurting and I needed to eat and rest.
Later, I heard people talking about a few encounters they had on the field that day. There was one guy who kept stepping into the water and dying over and over, and when the Marshal called him dead he would say “Really? Really? Do I really have to die to that?” In the Cancer tourney, one fellow wouldn’t die to a shot that someone used on him because he felt he had invented it. Ah, the special people, I’m glad the problem children didn’t cluster around me. I did see one spectacular kill on the war field, where one fellow with a great sword was charged by a sword and shield guy, and the fellow with the great sword wrapped him up with his arms and sword, and twisted him slightly to his right, and called out a cheerful “hear-hear!” to his buddy who turned slightly towards his buddy and gave him a short and clear thrust. It was beautifully done, without anger or excessive force, and performed like a dance move with grace and precision.
Saturday, the day started nicely enough. I was attending her Highness of the Mists, and was walking with her to the industrial arts area (I believe she wanted to roll some dough and play with their brick oven set-up). That’s when the sandstorm came in. We were upwind of the battlefield, so we had a great view. The rapier field had a town set up with framing walls staked to the ground, and it all blew over in a few quick gusts. The main armies were quickly engulfed on the heavy field. Both armies were coming together and they were backlit with the sun in the East. Sometimes you could see their silhouettes projecting through the storm, sometimes you could see them pretty clearly, and sometimes the sand made them vanish completely.
You could hear things blowing down all around, and we took shelter with one of Syele’s friends for a short time. There were plenty of people leaving the field shouting things like “Big Blue is down!” We figured we should get back to camp and see what might be needed in the way of damage control, and as we crossed the field towards the West camp, our landmarks started vanishing. The large tents in our camp were being taken down or being blown down. Several rows of porta-potties blew over and into the canal next to our camp….I called them Atenveldt tumbleweeds. My sunshade came down, but my tent was fine. I wandered around the surrounding area trying to help people who had their camp overwhelmed by the wind. Late-afternoon the wind slowed down and the rain began. There were smart people who bugged out at first light that day, they were the lucky ones. After the sandstorm the rain began, and many people who started packing during the sandstorm managed to get out. Two thirds of our camp was down and gone when I started to break down my stuff. There was nothing else to do but pack. Ten minutes before I was ready to leave, the Constables came by and announced that the roads were closed and would remain so until morning. No escape. These are alfalfa fields and they are designed to hold water and turn into chocolate pudding when you add water. After having packed up a few wet camps I wasn’t about to set up again in the dark and rain. I ended up sleeping very badly in the cab of my truck that night, turning on the engine to warm the cab every hour or so, and twisting uncomfortably on the seatbelt clips and in a cab that was way too small for me to get comfortable in.
Before I turned in, there was a refugee party where they had planned to hold grand court. People brought all the booze and much food, and just handed it out (rather than drive it home). People came and donated meat that a large kitchen staff cooked (including bacon), and cookies, and a huge amount of alcoholic mixed drinks created in bulk for the cancelled parties. I spent my time talking to a few good friends, and one in particular who raised my mood from the foul funk I was sinking into. That was probably the best party of the whole event.
In the morning I was able to roll my truck forward out of the hole… the mud had dried just enough for me to get some traction. I hadn’t made it 15 minutes from the site when I encountered more rain… I hope everyone else managed to escape before the second wave of rain got there.
***
I did get a glass cup and a glass linen-smoother for Stacey, and a small brass mace-head for myself. I had planned to sell some of my lanterns Saturday night, but I guess I will have to auction them off on my usual LJ auctions this week.
***
I found a silver spur in my camp during tear down. Tell me the color of the ribbon it was tied up with, and it’s yours.