[Ansteorra] Newbies - Gulf Wars Camping

Sat Feb 2 07:57:46 PST 2013

Excellent information. Mistress Annes von Bamburg will be teaching a class on how to prepare to camp and camping at Gulf Wars. Anyone and everyone planning to go and is new at camping (or old hat at it) should come on down to Southern Regional War College in the Barony of Raven's Fort and take the class...as well as enjoy other classes, melee fighting in both Chivalric, Rapier, Combat Archery and Siege Weapons.
The Equestrian community will be here as well. PLUS...Taverns and Merchants!

February 15-17th 2013 Presidents Day weekend. THIS IS A 2 DAY EVENT!
(shameless plug)

HL Devin 
-Autocrat-

David Brown

________________________________
 From: Michael Catron <mikecat375 at gmail.com>
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org> 
Sent: Saturday, February 2, 2013 7:38 AM
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Newbies - Gulf Wars Camping

Heilsa,

Below is some things everyone needs to know about Gulf Wars - it is long about
12 pages and it is composed of previous emails from other members in the Kingdom of
Ansteorra. The good Ladies and Lords who wrote their thoughts I give word praise to each
for their thoughts look for their SCA names and date at the end of each of the comments.
I put this together 3 years just prior to Gulf Wars in 2010.

Michael Kettering

Gulf Wars Camping

With Gulf Wars looming on the horizon in a month, I thought I'd post a few questions
about camping in very cold/hot and perhaps wet weather, and hopefully get some
answers from folks to prepare those on our list for whom this is their first war:

1) Garb: recommendations on fibers, layers, under/outerwear, headgear, footgear? (Hillary)

Layer everything. Your day clothes, your night clothes, your bedding, your rain clothes,
even your food. Calorie counts on one day may be more or less than on another.     Claire 02/02/2010

And if you are layering. Take a shower around dinner time and put on fresh

clothes. Start the evening fresh and go party.   These will be the clothes

you wear all day tomorrow. Still doing double duty with the clothes, just a

matter of when you wear what layer first. Outer layers can be reworn many

times in one week. It is a perfectly period concept to just change your

under layers, just add a shower to that.     Claire 02/02/2010

Garb: Cotton fibers are best. Dress in layers! It was wet and extremely

cold (in the 40s) at night and cool to warm during the day. The average temp

was between 65 and 75 during the day. I suggest wearing headgear with a wide

brim or with long scarves. Most of us had sunburned necks and shoulders. I

also suggest wearing very comfy shoes. Expect on walking around 1-2 miles a

day at least. There are many things to see and do but they are very spread

out and can be far from camping areas.     Lady Cait O'Hara

Camping at the End of the World withLoch  Ruadh 2/01/2010

Linen is the best fiber for garb, it is not too hot in summer nor too cold

in winter.   I cannot afford 14 gowns for a week at war. So except for a
couple of Feast nights, The dress I wear during the day is my underdress
every evening. For GW, wool overdresses are great for evening and you can
comfortably be out in the cool of the evening.(the wool overdress can be
short to save on costs and it's appropriate to my period.)
Then add your cloak for comfort.      Lady Eithne ingen meic Cináeda 02/01/2010

Another way to dress up the gown you wore during the day and stay warm is
to make one or two cotes. Make a simple tunic, long, split down the
middle add, soutache braid around the edge, add a cloak pin to close and you are set.
     Lady Eithne ingen meic Cináeda 02/01/2010

What someone else said about the day dress being the underdress for night = win.
Linen is best, cotton is okay, wool is good too. Synthetics are bad.
But that's the same stuff we always say.     Eve 02/02/2010

1)   Wool not only will keep you warm, but it will keep you warm when it is wet.   It is always a good idea to have some woolen items to help you conserve body heat.   If you are allergic, make it an outer layer so it doesn't touch your skin and
you****should**  be ok.   I can't sleep with any fuzzy stuff near my face,
so I use a sheet and fold it over the top edge of my blankets.     ua, Pennsic veteran (still a GW virgin) 02/02/2010

Wearing a Cap At Night-

It can get cold a night, in addition to what everyone else has said:
wear a cap on your head at night. A ski cap works great and the fleece
ones are nice and soft and comfy. This keeps more of your body
temperature in you. You can also pull it down over your ears and
your eyes and still be able to breathe. This cuts down on light and
noise as well and can help you sleep.     Claire 02/02/2010

You lose a good deal of body heat through your head, so have a nightcap to wear.
    Rua, Pennsic veteran (still a GW virgin) 02/02/2010

Shoes --

I take 3 pair of shoes with me to Gulf Wars: One pair that I wear driving out there,
take pair off and leave in the vehicle. 2^nd    pair that I used for setting up camp
and usually these are the ones that I wear on the field to fight in.
3^rd    pair to wear once I am off the field and just walking around the site.     Michael Kettering 02/02/2010

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.     Caelin on Andrede, a Chirurgeon, 2/01/2010

Footwear:   Multiple pairs of shoes/boots can make War much more enjoyable.
Have a pair of shoes/boots that will support your feet well for a lot of
walking, because you will do a LOT of walking.   Have a pair of comfortable shoes/moccasins for wear in camp -
also good for the midnight dash to the privies if you don't have a
porta-potty in your tent.   A big plus is a pair of gumboots/wellies/other waterproof footwear,
because while you will be uncomfortable in wet clothes if (when)
it rains, you will be miserable with wet, cold feet.     Padraig 02/02/2010

Another note concerning Footwear:   Forgive me if this has already been

mentioned.   Do not bring anything that you have not worn enough to get the

newness off. Breaking in new shoes bought just for Gulf Wars is a sure way

to get you to the Chiurgeons' area for any releif they can give you on those

blisters you will have.     ld. Charles Ó Floinn 02/02/2010

2) Tents: recommendations on rain protections, ground preparations? (Hillary)

Tools --

Rake -- rake the leafs and other debris before pitching the tent

Shovel -- use to dig a small drainage ditch around your tent, aligned so
that the run off does not run into someone's else tent.   Also use to dig fire-pits if allowed, set-up a place to stored this dirt
so that the pit can be filled back in when you break camp and leave site.

Small ax for dead wood

Fire Extinguishers -- which is required if there is any sort of flame in or by your tent.

Most of the Gulf Wars site is very sandy loam, like much of eastTexas, but not as red.
It drains rapidly and well but by no means is it dry right away. The roads have been
packed with clay so they stay wet a long time.     Claire 02/02/2010

The site is also not flat anywhere and this can help contribute to leaks.
A good tent set up properly on level ground rarely has issues.     Claire 02/02/2010

There is no level ground at Gulf Wars. There is always a little slope,
some hole or another or some such that keeps your tent poles and edges
form being perfectly level. This leads to leaks. Try to anticipate and deal with it.     Claire 02/02/2010

Sometimes all that is needed is a shim under a pole. This also applies to
camp tables and even beds! This is a good time to use up all those little
scraps of wood hanging out in the garage.     Claire 02/02/2010

Cross stake or double stake the corners that take the most stress.
And wind wires are a good idea. You might only need them once
while you are there but you will be glad you had them.     Claire 02/02/2010

Tents: Use rain flies or tarps over the roofs of your tent/s and/or pavilions.
It rained a lot and it rained hard. I also suggest putting a tarp down as a
floor and connecting the corners to make a sort of bath tub. This will help
in keeping the rain out of your gear. We packed all of our garb in plastic
storage bins. We plan on having a mesh bag to hang from our pavilion frame.
We will use it to keep our dirty garb in.    Lady Cait O'Hara Camping at the End of the World withLoch  Ruadh 2/01/2010

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.    Caelin on Andrede, a Chirurgeon, 2/01/2010

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.     Caelin on Andrede, a Chirurgeon, 2/01/2010

I usually camp in a period tent, so my experience there is going to be a
bit different than most first-timers. Period tents are an awesome investment
though! Put your garb in tupperware bins to ensure you'll have dry stuff to
wear and hide one outfit in the car so if the worst should happen and you're
soaked and totally out of stuff, there will be at least one thing that you
can fall back on. This is most excellent if it rains while you're packing.
Having an outfit hidden in the glove box or on the front seat means you won't
have to drive home wet.     Eve 02/02/2010

Tent Floors --

Floors: I have a tent with no floor. We use those woven plastic mats from
the chinese grocery or the dog show area. The water goes through them and
on into the ground. The ground absorbs water quickly there (except on the roads)
and the mats keep you above the damp. They do not prevent flooding as can
happen with downpours and lots of runoff, but they do not hold water so
they dry out quickly. Then you do not have a wet rug for a floor or a
nasty wet rug to take home.     Claire 02/02/2010

Ground preparation/Fire Safety:   As with any campsite, you want to remove twigs,
branches, rocks, etc, from the area you're going to set your tent on, so a lawn
rake is an excellent thing to have on hand.   Some folks are proponents of trenching
(a narrow, shallow ditch around your tent to guide water away) in case of rain,
so a spade is also useful.   Make sure you don't channel water into someone else's tent.   The spade is also useful for digging firepits, waste-water holes, etc,
and for use in fire control.   Make sure your firepit is at least 10 feet
from any tents or structures.   Clear the ground around the pit of leaves
and other flammable debris.   The dirt from the pit is good for fire control,
but it doesn't hurt to have a bucket of water and/or an extinguisher located nearby.
You should also have an extinguisher handy to any area where there are cook stoves or heaters.
    Padraig 02/02/2010

3) Bedding: ground/above-ground beds, bed clothes (blankets, sheets, furs)? (Hillary)

If the nights are mild (45 to 60F) then a lot less, but if on the other hand...
I have camped in theRockies  at 11,000 feet with 2 feet of snow.
Learn lessons there -- always figure on layers. Sleep off of ground
whenever possible -- I sleep on a cot. I take two sleep bags with me,
use one to lay on the cot itself so that is two layers, a wool blanket goes
on next, then my current sleeping bag (rated for 20F). Fleece blanket
goes inside of this bag, usually wounds up down at my feet. Another wool
blanket to cover the top of the main sleeping bag, of course therms to wear,
socks are place inside of the bag, I am actually warmer without them on.
Of course, a soft knit hat for my head.

Bedding: We used cots and they were wonderful. The ground gets cold at night.
Be sure to bring plenty of bedding or a tent heater. We had three quilts on us
and still had to borrow a heater to keep warm. The kids each used a sleeping
bag made for cold weather and they were fine. Being cold at night and early
morning were our biggest problems. I hated changing into my garb in a cold tent.
   Lady Cait O'Hara Camping at the End of the World withLoch  Ruadh 2/01/2010

This is why period tents are made of awesome - you can have a rope or slat bed
and sleep on a futon instead of an air mattress. Even on the ground a futon will
be MUCH more insulating than an air bed, so if you can fit one in your vehicle, do it.
Otherwise a fleece blanket held on by a fitted sheet will remove much of the
discomfort of using a plastic air bed. I sleep in modern sleeping blankets.
Yeah it doesn't look as nice, but that's why I close my tent flaps.
If you purchase 2 identical bags you can zip them together for couples and
stay much warmer (doesn't work with mummy-bags obviously).     Eve 02/02/2010

A couple of things that will keep you extra warm are wearing the correct PJs.
I bought some flannel and made a rectangular construction dress out of it
(simple t-tunic with a slightly better fit) with a massive skirt. All the skirt
then ends up bundled around my feet and legs and keeps me wonderfully warm.
Some good quality wool hiking socks (that you keep clean to wear in bed, not
the ones you've been sweating in all day) will keep your toes perfect.
I am a HUGE fan of Smartwool Expedition Trekking socks. They're spendy but
totally worth it and they last forever (I'm going on 10 years with mine now)
and they're warm enough that I used to wear them under sandals outside inCanada  this time of year and was a-okay. Similarly, think of your head. You lose most of
your heat from your head. At Estrella last year, where it fell below freezing
every night and I was greeted with frost on the ground until well into mid-morning
I bought one of those furry viking/mongolian/russian hats from Intriguing
Designshttp://www.intriguingdesigns.net/  
and that made all the difference in the world. This hat was also tres spendy,
but you get what you pay for. A week of sleeping in it and wearing it every
hour of the day and it still looks like new. I'll be using this for years too.
If you make your own, just make sure you use real fur, not fake as the fake stuff will
probably mat up if you sleep in it and look awful.     Eve 02/02/2010

Humidty -

One more thing: Nothing will dry out. If you think your thing will air out and
be dry by morning, it won't. It is humid there. If it is not possible to get
to the laundromat in town you can spritz it down with rubbing alcohol.
It might dry out some but it also won't grow funk. Linen rarely grows funk
but it is hard for even linen to dry out much there.     Claire 02/02/2010

4) Cooking/firepit safety: emergency fire extinquishers, ground preparations,
wood to use? (Hillary)

NO CUTTING OF LIVE TREES.

4. Cooking/Firepit Safety: You can buy a cord of wood on site. That is what we did.
We bought one cord for a group of 30 people and it lasted all week. We still had
some left by week's end.    Lady Cait O'Hara Camping at the End of the World with
Loch  Ruadh 2/01/2010

Wood is usually available free on site, if there is wood laying around we do
the landowner a favor by burning it.     Lady Eithne ingen meic Cináeda 02/01/2010

Cooking:

I would suggest that you write out everything you are going to cook and make
sure that you have all the pots, pans, utensils, and spices, etc. that you will need.
I would also try out any menus that you think will be a little more complicated or
time consuming.   This will be a good test to see that you "will" have everything
you need. If you use something that is not on your list add it.

Large ziplocks for leftovers.

potholders

trivets

Remember: Camp cooking always takes longer.   Plan for extra cook and prep time.
Don't forget a fire extinguisher - just don't keep it too close to the fire/burners.
I would also suggest a large stock pot to heat water to wash your dishes as well
as dish pans.    Gwynafwy 02/02/2010

Wood and Ice -

As for amenities such as ice and wood, it depends on where you camp.
We camp at the End of the World. So, we hardly ever see wood that hasn't
been picked over or the ice cart or much of anything else.
So, I would suggest you take advantage of those things when you see them
but be prepared in case you don't catch the cart or the wood is picked over.     Cait 02/02/2010

5) Heaters in tents: proper use of tent heaters, venting, carbon monixide
poisoning issues? (Hillary)

Warning about Heaters and Tents both modern nylon and heavy canvas tents, can be
sealed to prevent air exchange. This is when having a heater in the tent will be
extremely dangerous and have KILLED People in the TENT due to Carbon Monoxide level.     Paraphrase from Rhiannon 02/02/2010

Heaters in Tents: Be sure to use a heater that has an automatic cut-off system in
place in case it turns over or runs out of fuel. Also be sure to keep your windows
and doors cracked open. This will help with proper ventilation. The small cans of
fuel will not cut it. It will be best to use the big 20+ pound container.
We used the small ones and they did not last the night.     Lady Cait O'Hara Camping at the End of the World withLoch  Ruadh 2/01/2010

Don't forget to get the heaters that shut off if the carbon monoxide level goes up.     Lady Eithne ingen meic Cináeda 02/01/2010

I use a "Mr Heater " propane heater in my merchant pavilion.
I can attest that it will turn off if tipped...
I did that twice at Autumn Melees running to the privvy in the middle of the night
    THL Edrei the Quiet, Merchant and Adventurer, Shire of Smythkepe     02/02/2010

Lord Tomas mac Caoil wrote on 2/01/2010 on Tent Heaters:

It can get cold at winter wars, and many of us choose to use a heater to warm our tents.   However, in years past, people have been severely injured and even killed by improperly
using a tent heater.   Following are my annual recommendations for staying warm AND alive:

1. Buy a heater with a thermocouple, a device which shuts off the gas if the flame blows out.

2. Make sure your tent is well ventilated.

3. Use only in a canvas tent treated with flame retardant.

4. Keep all flamables away from the heater (hanging clothes, tapestries, etc.)

5. Make sure the heater is stable and can't easily fall over.   Ours has a plastic
stand that makes it much more difficult to tip the tank over, even intentionally.

6. Don't leave the heater unattended, including while you're asleep.   Use it to warm
the tent before going to bed, turn it off, then light it again when you wake up, get
back into bed, and get up and change once the tent warms up.

7.   Don't mix alcohol and fire.   Make sure whoever is turning the heater on, off
and lighting it is sober.

8. Use common sense.

9. You might want to explore a new flameless heater I've seen advertised.   I suspect it's a much safer alternative.     Wrote by Lord Tomas mac Caoil on 2/01/2010

6) Health issues: Hyperthermia, overheating issues, insect prevention and treatment? (Hillary)

6. The most important issues to be aware of are sunburn and dehydration.   There are MANY water bearing tents so please make use of them.
There is also one tent that serves the best pb&j and bacon sandwiches.
They are offered for a donation. They are wonderful and the protein is a
definite plus. Be sure to take plenty of snacks that are full of protein.
This will help keep your strength up during the day. We took lots of peanut
butter and crackers and beef jerky. They really helped keep the kids happy and full.
          Lady Cait O'Hara Camping at the End of the World withLoch  Ruadh 2/01/2010

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.     Caelin on Andrede, a Chirurgeon, 2/01/2010

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 y
ou that you are dehydrated.     Caelin on Andrede, a Chirurgeon, 2/01/2010

7.) Irritant plants presention and treatment (poison ivy/oak)? (Hillary)

Camping with Kids

Camping with Kids: We had about 10 kids in camp with us. Here are some ideas
for keeping the tots happy. There is a Minister of Children area.
It is a wonderful resource. They have classes every day.
They are offered for kids 6-12. They have classes for a couple of
hours in the morning and a couple in the afternoon. Gulf War policy is
that kids must always be in the line of sight or in hearing distance of
their designated adult. There are also youth archery competitions and
youth combat. As long as an adult is with the child, he or she may also
attend various demonstrations which are fun and worth it. My kids are 8 and 11.
They loved playing in camp, going to class, and watching the fighting.
They also loved watching the blacksmith in the Early Period Encampment.
A lot of the camping is very open. This year, we are setting up tents in
such a way as to have a closed in area for the kids to play in. Having kids
running around a fighter's tent at o dark thirty was not a pleasant experience
for the fighter I am sure.:) Pack many snacks for the kids. They will eat more
than you think. We had a 12" by 12" by 36" box full of snacks. I thought
it would be plenty. It lasted three days. I have a better idea this year.
We plan on having a gallon baggie for each child per day.
This will be full of snacks (peanut butter crackers, goldfish, jerky) for the day.
I noticed that the kids ate more while in camp. We plan on grabbing a snack
bag each and leaving for the day.      Lady Cait O'Hara Camping at the End of the World withLoch  Ruadh 2/01/2010

RAIN --

It isMississippi  in March, early Spring -- Rains everyday, sometimes light,
sometimes heavy and in between.      Michael Kettering 02/02/2010.

Some years we have downpours, so bring parkas to be able to work in the rain.
Speaking of rain, we would all love to have period storage,
but use plastic tubs to assure drying garb or keep your garb
in plastic bags.

The most important advice, keep a set of mundanes in your car in case
you somehow have wet clothes.       Lady Eithne ingen meic Cináeda 02/01/2010

Food and Merchants --

There is a meal deal available, something like 9 meal tickets.
I usually buy it for breakfast and dinner. Lunch I figure something out at that time of day.
I usually stop inHattiesburg  at Wal-Mart for bottle water and ice for water coolers,
deli-meat, snacks, sodas, beer, etc., My reasoning is cut down on the travel weight
that has to be haul from Ansteorra to Gulf Wars site     Michael Kettering 02/02/2010

More good info from Lady Cait O'Hara Camping at the End of the World withLoch  Ruadh 2/01/2010

There are plenty of places to eat there. There is The Goode Bakery.
They sell meat pies and pastries for a reasonable price. There is also a grill and
a cafeteria onsite. The grill is a little pricey, but the cafeteria is not really.
The cafeteria sells meals for about $6.50 a piece. For this you get a main item,
two sides, bread, a drink, and a dessert. The helpings are very generous.
They have a weekly meal plan. You can by meal tickets. You get a discount
when you purchase them I think. There is also a gas station at the entrance
with a grill. It is inexpensive and they have great food. They also sell ice
onsite. They have a golf cart that comes around and sells it to each camp once a day.
I think it ran about $2 - $2.50 a bag. They have onsite showers and toilets.
They installed better water heaters last year. Now, the water actually gets hot
and stays that way through most of the shower.:) They are well lit and have power
outlets. Our bath house had two showers each and about 5 unisex toilets.
There are also porta-potties but they had queues constantly and they were smelly.
Be sure to get EVERYTHING out of your car that you will need. Cars must be moved
early in the week and it is a good mile's hike to the car parking area. We forgot
some things in the car that first day. After trekking out there once, we made sure
that did not happen again.:)     Lady Cait O'Hara Camping at the End of the World
withLoch  Ruadh 2/01/2010

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.     Caelin on Andrede, a Chirurgeon, 2/01/2010

This is what Loch Ruadh is doing this year for food.     Cait 02/02/2010

Breakfast is on our own. As a family, we are doing eggs and sausage one day,
instant oatmeal another day, muffins another... If bringing breakfast, try and
bring something with lots of protein. It will fill you up better and it isn't full of
empty calories that will leave you quickly.     Cait 02/02/2010

Lunch we are on our own as well. We plan on eating on site or eating on the bread,
kielbasa and cheese we are taking.     Cait 02/02/2010

For dinner we are doing one pot meals. Each family is responsible for making dinner
one night for the group. We are sticking to one pot meals that will fill up the heavy
fighters we have. We do everything from chili to spaghetti to beef stew.
One night we are having an open grill. You can bring cook stoves and grills.
Or if you want to go simple, you can always just bring precooked meats, bread and cheese.
Dried fruits are always a hit too. For more information on camp cooking, check out:

http://camping.about.com/od/campingrecipes/tp/campingrecipes.htm     Cait 02/02/2010

Merchants (Other than Food) --

Need to have some spending money, especially for any specials, that new helm,
material, trim, rattan, etc...Michael 02/02/2010

Fighting --

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.     Caelin on Andrede, a Chirurgeon, 2/01/2010

Repairing Items --

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.     Caelin on Andrede, a Chirurgeon, 2/01/2010

Volunteering -

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!     Caelin on Andrede, a Chirurgeon, 2/01/2010

ID --

Make sure you bring a picture ID (like a drivers' license) and
your SCA membership if you have one.     Caelin on Andrede, a Chirurgeon, 2/01/2010

Showers: Site Shower Houses andCamp  Showers  only --

Please use the Showers already available on site.     Michael Kettering 02/02/2010.

Gulf Wars is definitely not a place you want to be hooking up a garden hose to the water
supply for real-time shower purposes.     Cynric 02/02/2010

If you have never been to Gulf Wars you need to know that you cannot just hook up a shower to
the local water supply. It does not have the pressure to sustain a shower at the times you will
need it because everyone else will need one then, too.   Camp showers are required to have a reservoir of water for their use to avoid such a drain
on the system. The needs of dinner time alone will stress the water pressure, you don't
want to be in the shower and soapy when the pressure drops or a line gets broken
(which happens frequently). The reservoir need not be complicated.
Use a large rubbermaid tub you fill from a garden hose, or a plastic barrel or a large ice chest.
You can use a battery operated pump to pump the water to the shower and through a propane camp
shower heater. Combine this with a sink and a large sump and you have on demand luxury!
Get it all at WalMart camping supplies or other camping stores such as Academy.     Claire 02/02/2010

I build and maintain the Ansteorran shower at Pennsic. For years I used a 40 gallon propane
water heater on concrete blocks, but last Pennsic I switched to an on-demand heater.
Only a fraction of the cost, and infinite hot water as long as the propane holds out.
I can't recommend it highly enough. I should have made it clear that I'm just extolling
the virtues of on-demand heating vs conventional tanked hot water heaters. Gulf Wars is
definitely not a place you want to be hooking up a garden hose to the water supply for
real-time shower purposes.     Cynric 02/02/2010

I am pleased we are such receptacles of knowledge and different ways of solving problems.
I do have another suggestions, last year, our house had 2 showers in camp. Using propane
heaters with hot water on-demand that pumps water from a reservoir.
In a large camp, it is not a luxury, but a necessity. I have a large camp to run and with
a shower in camp I can shower between cooking and serving feast.     In Service to the House, the Shire & the Kingdom, and to the Pursuit of True Honor,
Lady Eithne ingen meic Cináeda GrandeDamme FalconRose Keep at Loch Callendre,Kingdom  of
Ansteorra, SCA    02/02/2010

Anything else forgotten that might be good to share with newcomers preparing for their
first camping? (Hillary)

Here are a few links that might help in your preparations from a variety of great
SCA war websites: (Hillary)

http://www.gulfwars.org/rules.html

http://www.gulfwars.org/faq.html

Camping ideas from other great wars, these may not apply to Gulf Wars: (Hillary)

http://www.estrellawar.org/Portals/EstrellaWar/articles/PACK-LST.pdf

http://www.estrellawar.org/PreparingToAttend/Weather.aspx

http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn39/GENERAL/pack.html

http://www.pennsicwar.org/penn39/GENERAL/guide.html

Happy planning and packing, (Hillary)

On 2/1/2013 20:53, Jennifer Kroyer wrote:
> I am new to the SCA and have a few comments in regarding to my newbie
> status.It  Is not for my lack of trying to become involved, But I feel that
> the older SCA members who have been involved for many years do not embrace
> the new members,  I essentially  have tried to delve myself into many
> different activities and found more of cold shoulder type of attitude then
> a welcoming one, this pattern has pretty much turned me off of the SCA
> where I am located at. I have read many of your comments and concerns about
> retention and gaining of new members though what I have experienced, is any
> indication of the way things are the SCA will never be able to gain or
> retain new members. Granted this is just my personal experience, And many
> others may have a more positive experience. With Gulf Wars  coming up
> I  will not attend, I have not been formed at how it works and with this
> being my first Gulf Wars I have no clue as to what to do, how to set up a
> camp ( which I dont have a tent anyway), and no one really has given me any
> direction in that process. I have attempted to get and gain as much
> information as possible in reference to the Gulf Wars but there seems to be
> a lack of communication in my Barony. Every time I attempt to attend an
> event locally or to assist in some manner with preparation I am pretty much
> received with a cold shoulder and ignored this is completely leading me out
> of the SCA before I haven't even really began, I truly think this is a
> great organization but there is some serious flaws in it.
> 
> Very Respectfully,
> 
> Isabeau DeSchamps
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