[Ansteorra] GW camping in cold/hot weather tips

[Richard Threlkeld]

There have been many very good suggestions. I've been to about 10 Gulf Wars.
Most as a Chirurgeon, sometimes as a security person, once as myself :-)

The weather varies from way too cold to pretty hot, but is mostly cool to
warm. It rains nearly every year, but occasionally it rains and rains and
rains.

As another person said, wear a hat with a brim. The basket merchant on site
sells great ones that are felt hats that have minor imperfections at a
reasonable price. I have several and they last a long time. They come in
various colors.

When it is cold at night consider putting more blankets under you than
above, especially if you use an air mattress or a cot. I found that out the
hard way. 

You will probably walk more than 1-2 miles per day. I probably walk more
than 5 miles per day. Begin walking a bit each night starting now so you
won't be exhausted at day's end.

Drink water every chance you get. If you are peeing every few hours, you are
probably not drinking enough. Don't make the Chirurgeons tell you that you
are dehydrated.

Your tent will leak. Even your new tent will leak. Bring some plastic
sheeting to protect a few things. We buy a roll of cheap painter's plastic
splash catcher. We put it under the rugs and have plenty left over for
protecting our stuff and making ad hoc raincoats. We event put it under our
ground tarp so it is not wet when we pack up.

If you can bring food and cook it, you will save money. But eat with some of
the merchants. It is part of the experience. If you can, bring some money to
spend with the merchants. They will have stuff you really want that you will
not find outside of SCA wars.

Make time for some of the classes. I have only done that recently (I
previously only taught them) and I have been amazed and delighted with what
I have learned.

If you fight, bring spare parts and small tools to fix your armor and
weapons. It is not fun to be out of the fights because you cannot find a
widget to make your armor pass inspection. And be nice to the marshals doing
the inspections. They are giving up their time to let you have a safe and
fun experience fighting.

And speaking of volunteering, a war could not happen without massive amounts
of volunteering. Pick a couple of volunteer activities and jump in. We need
you and you will have fun socializing with the other volunteers and helping
make it all happen. Gulf War has something I've not seen at the other wars
I've been to: you get chits for volunteer time. They entitle you to thank
you gifts and part of any profits for the War are sent to the SCA group you
specify when you sign up for volunteering. And there are war points to the
kingdom with the most volunteer hours!

Make sure you bring a picture ID (like a drivers' license) and your SCA
membership if you have one.

Mostly, go with the intent of having fun and don't let weather, long hours,
or the very few annoying people keep you from having that fun.

In service,
Caelin on Andrede