Just got back....

Hello familyyyy,

I just got home from the site... I didn't see my friend because he was heading out, I guess to a pay phone or something... and west virginia mountains are hard to turn around on... I don't think he reconized me either cause he didn't turn around..

Anyways, I have only been to one gathering.. michigan two years ago.. so I can only compare it to that.. keeping in mind that I got to michigan about the 1st or 2nd of july, so it was well in force by that time. There seems to be a few hundred people there now, but either not near as many as will be, or it's a very small gathering. Compared to michigan. When I went in I asked around for Charlie and he has a pirate flag, the kid told me A camp had a pirate flag (but that would not be where he was camped).. but at the gate there were people not going in because they were drinking and said there was no A camp. I didn't see A camp, but they were "policing" themselves well. It has definately not all been set up yet. I seen calm, and I seen several kitchens. It's more wilderness type than Michighan was. By that I mean the kitchens/camps are more hidden by forest.. not bad just a bit different. Everyone was very kind, and I was welcomed home and hugged by countless. Parking was very easy still. I only seen once large bus though, dunno about bus villiage. I was only there for a little over an hour today, pressed on time, so this isn't a full report at ALL. The rangers and sheriffs were all very nice, and I only seen them talking to one group of people about their car. The girl admitted her tail/brake light was out, and she called it justified harrassment when someone asked if she was being harassed. The forest rangers in the gathering told us to have a nice day. It's still very small, I imagine elkins was more set up, but when you have to move 70 miles rather suddenly it takes a while I would assume.

I'm going back tomorrow, but as far as how the site looks physically, it's very beautiful, but not really michighan either. I don't know where main circle was honestly, I walked to trading circle and turned around because I had to be back here by night, and go to work in the morning.

I have no idea if this helps anyone at all. Hopefully, I think it'll work out very well. The locals at gas stations were very nice to us too, btw. No major problems whatsoever, but I am not experienced. I'm sure someone else could report back better, all I can say is probably not ideal, but not at all bad.

 

When I read this over it sounds almost negative to me, and I never ever intended that. I was a bit out of it from driving all day when I wrote it, so forgive me for that !!

Looking forward to seeing everyone !!!

Be happy and safe family

 

it's good to get an update, a personal first-hand account , from someone who has actually been there.

i found a ride, we're leaving tomorrow from rhode island. figure it's about a ten hour road trip.

happy trails to eagle, the hillbilly dude and all the rest of you rainbow hipsters. let's connect and create a hipforums camp and kitchen, at least have some tea and bagels, or something for guests. if anybody has or can aquire large quantities of herbal tea it would a good thing to bring. also brown rice and beans in bulk. i am leaving on short notice, but will do my best.

i'l most likely be at info/ rumor control in the morning times and probably around the massage circle and trading circles in the afternoon. i'll be wearing a mexican straw hat.

it will be great to get off-line and get my feet back on the planet earth for ten days.

i heard fantuzzi is there, maybe we can get him to have a sing-along. that reminds me of a song........"this little light of mine,
i'm gonna let it shine,
this little light of mine,
i'm gonna let it shine,
let it shine, let it shine, let it shine......."

yeah, i like that one.

i'll leave ya'all on this note;
a quote from the buddha, twenty-five hundred centuries ago:

live in joy,
in love,
even among those who hate.

live in joy,
in health,
even among the afflicted.

live in joy,
in peace,
even among the troubled.

look within.
be still.
free from fear and attachment,
know the sweet joy of the way.

 

Generally what Advaya said. I was only at the cranberry mountain site, so I don't know about the others. Calm is there, at least two kitchens are there, A-camp is down the road away from front gate, everyones working together to try and enjoy themselves, there is still some harrassment from cops(feds, forest service, state, but mostly they are being peaceful.)


*Please drive slowly, okay? Like in Michigan, theres a major road going right through there, and dogs and children wander into the road sometimes.*

Locals are (mostly)curious and friendly, we got a bunch of food given to us while we were in town on a supply run.

*There is no reception for cell phones*

Thats the only thing that worried me.

 

cell phone reception worried you??

must be cause ya own one aye??

wow im headead to a comic strip aint i?/

 

About the road through it.. definately drive slowly... but as far as I could tell, unless there is a road on the opposite side of me.. the road is not through it exactly.

At michigan I remember you turned off the main road to park onto a road pretty much exclusively gathering.. this is different because parking is on a more traveled road. But as far as going through the gathering, it doesn't appear to, unless like I said there is another road on the opposite end. You park and then walk into the gathering from the side and down a path. It isn't like there are cars driving through the gathering.

As far as cell phones.. I understand people being concerned about reception. I suppose some of us have become accustomed to it. I can't imagine that being my only concern though hehe, but that's just me. I have a cell phone which I may as well leave at home because I lose service before I'm even out of my county (I'm in bath county, va which borders Pocohontas Co W.Va). I knew I'd have no service, I don't know if I do in Marlinton but I may as well use the payphones if I have to drive all the way there, which is which I expected anyways. A non-issue really, if you really need to call someone you can get to town no problem. This is making me have visions of being in a walmart or the likes with all the people on their cell phones as they walk around, only in the gathering.. hehe.. I can't imagine.

 

Yes, because if there was an emergency (medical/or serious harrassment from the cops) .... Tough.

And it's almost statewide no reception at that. Whatever. They are useful, and not having the ability to contact anyone more then the two mile radius of the radios could turn out not good.

What else...I'm not worried about getting a ticket, thats almost a given, I'm not worried about possibly getting taken to jail, not worried about getting sick, injured or harrassed, hm. But not being able to communicate, yes, that worries me.

 

you said it yourself in a round about way..

tickets, harrassed,, etc

trust me ya bust yer ass on sight an need med care,, there is short wave on site...

the leos will have a helicopter landin in main circle faster than you can wipe your ass..

course youd be dyin before they did that so that point would be mute..

as far as goin to jail,, hell they gonna take yer cell away at point of arrest anyway..


an emergency cause the cops are "bein tough",, so ya gonna call someone??? on a phone???

ahahahahahahahahahahahahahhaahhahahahahaha

man, this is to weird..

 

communicate???

hmmmmmmm?

ya have a mouth amongst 5 to 20 thousand people,,

an ya need a phone to communicate?/?


man your words not mine..

how bizarre....

luv n lite

 

What's a cell phone?

 

sumtin my boss got me about 4 years ago till he figured out i never used it..

its a strange electronic type device that rarely works when ya need it most..

mostly seems much like a big ass truck all teased out that ya never use..

a suppliment for a little penis??

now dont get me wrong,, ive been stuck an broke down in placs i wished id had a cell phone,, course there was no service there..

 

I use my cell and blackberry all day long. It will be a pleasure not to have cell reception at the gathering.

Cell phone reception is a rather recent concern. At my first gathering there was no cell phone reception..... there were no cell phones in existence to have reception with!

 

Please don't insult and make fun of me. I don't think I ever did anything to you, If you aren't going to be constructive, don't talk about me, okay?

 

yeah let's keep this about keeping rumors at a minimum !! my original intention !!

 

scuse me?? insult??

because an how??

insult???

so lets keep it real,, i agree..

last i checked,, iffin ya go thru the raps ,, somewhere is the rap on radios an cell phones an other electronic devices..

an im preety sure there discouraged...

id think thats rap 107..

so whos negative an whos real??

insult??

whos insultin the family??

he who is
complaining about the lack of babylon,, or he who lives it an luvs it daily??

as far as insulting a individual.

if by my opinions i insult you,, perhaps ya should revaluate your own mind set,,

on account were never my intentions..

luv n lite..

 

I agree with him...Cell phones werent around until 15 years ago, if there's no service, maybe that's a blessing..

 

N/m

 

Did I get on the wrong site? Is this AGR, with all the bickering and complaining, just checking. Isn't the idea behind rainbow just being yourself? If Gaven would like cell phones then thats his deal. No need to call him out on it. But thats just my point of view. Take it or leave it.


Sorry I posted under sodas name first

 

OK enough about cell phones pro or con. Let truth and clarity, courage and kindness, strength and insight ring loud at the glades (whether or not cell phones ring at all

Prayers and Blessings

 

I've never owned a cellphone and barely know how to work one. However it's become painfully obvious in the last two years that I need to get one, since everybody else having one makes it almost essential. For example I was visiting some people in Chicago, driving around trying to find a functional payphone (a heroic task in itself) only to find one and then realize my friends both had cell-phones with OUT OF STATE area codes, had to go buy a phone card.. in short it cost me $5 to call somebody who was within a 5-mile radius of where I was standing...

I go on extended backpacking trips all the time and the thought of bringing a cell phone kind of repulses me as it defeats the whole purpose. Many people find this unnerving -- what if something goes wrong! -- but it really is true. 1st off is the reception problem, but just the presence of electronic gizmos can really change the whole vibe of an experience. We have all become utterly dependent on being in *contant* communication with people *all* the time. I'm not trying to be insulting here, just presenting an alternate view and suggesting you think about just how vital this little device is to your life that it must be at your side all the time.

You worried about calling for help in an emergency? Bring a whistle. Seriously, i'm not being sarcastic -- it's what backpackers bring with 'em and it works much better than a cell phone if you're trapped under a rock in a gully 10 miles from the nearest road.