[Ansteorra] What to Expect at Gulf Wars - Long Post

[Sonja Crocker]

Greetings Ansteorra!

there are many who will be attending Gulf Wars for the first time. I 
have seen many questions. I started thinking back to my first time at 
Gulf Wars. I thought about what I would have loved to have known. I 
answered those questions and came up with the following guide to Gulf 
Wars. I am sorry for its length, but I wanted to be thorough.:) Feel 
free to add or edit anything. This is only my perspective.

Cait


What to Expect at Gulf Wars

Pr-registration

If you pre-registered, be sure to put what group you are camping with. 
It is always best to camp with a group, although you do not have to. 
Camping with a group makes it easier (and cheaper) to plan meals. It 
also helps to have others around you who have been to Gulf Wars before. 
If you are camping with a group, you should have a camp coordinator. 
This is the person who plans out where everyone will camp and is the 
general go-to person for camping questions. If your group is doing 
communal meals, then you might have a kitchen coordinator as well. This 
person is in charge of planning meals and making sure everyone knows 
what they are to bring.
If you are not camping in a group, then you will want to find out where 
you will be camping. Usually, this means in open camping. You will need 
to contact the Ansteorran Land Coordinator for more details.

Pre-Planning

Two months before

Go through the checklists. Many can be found online. There is a very 
good one located at 
http://gulfwars.baronyofnamron.org/things-to-take-to-gulf-war. Go 
through what you already have on hand. Make sure that there are no rips 
or tears. Mend what you can and replace those things that are no longer 
usable. When deciding what to pack, keep the following in mind:
Weather at Gulf Wars varies greatly. Some have been swelteringly hot 
(80-90 degrees) and others have seen snow fall and been extremely cold 
(20-30 degrees). So, prepare for both. We usually dress in layers. I 
have an underdress that is great for warm weather. Then, I have an over 
dress that is very thick and warm. As for sleeping, take a sheet and a 
blanket. You will have use for both. You may either take a space heater 
or warm blankets. The good news is that the days are usually nice. The 
nights can be cold though.

One month before

Check with your group for final plans for War. Make sure that you have a 
phone list prepared and everyone knows who is going and where you will 
be camping (more or less). Final preparations usually get under way at 
this time. Email or call your camp coordinator if you have one. If you 
are on a group meal plan, make sure you know what you are to bring (if 
anything). Make a list of all food that you need to bring to war. For 
every day you will be at war, you will need breakfast, lunch, dinner and 
snacks. Many groups plan group meals for dinner. If this is the case in 
your group, then you will only need to plan for breakfast, lunch and snacks.

Breakfast ideas:
Instant oatmeal is good and requires no cooking. Hot water can be easily 
made. I usually take the instant oatmeal (already in a paper cup) and 
hot chocolate. I also take the coffee filter packs. I usually drop one 
into the camp coffee pot in the morning. Pancakes are also good, but 
require cooking. You can find the shake and pour pancakes at your local 
supermarket. They work really well. Just add water, shake, and pour. 
There is also the standard bacon and eggs if you really feel like cooking.
Lunch Ideas:
A loaf of French bread and a chunk of ham are good. It looks period and 
it holds up well. You could also take various fruits, summer sausage, 
cheese, pita bread, peanut butter (great for the kids), Ramen, or cup 
noodle. If you have the funds, you could also eat in the food court. 
There is a great bakery that sells meat pies, muffins, and the like 
($2-$3 apiece). There are also venders who sell gyros, pitas, Chinese 
and other Eastern foods. If all else fails, there is a grill that serves 
hamburgers/hotdogs/nachos and the like. There is also a cafeteria that 
serves meals. Meals there usually run between $6 and $7.
If you are not on a meal plan, there are several ideas for dinner: 
tacos, chili, spaghetti, hot dogs, hamburgers, stew, goulash, sausage, 
meats to grill. When choosing what to eat, you want to have proteins and 
carbs if you are fighting. Proteins are good in that the energy from 
them stays with you longer and they don’t break down into sugar.
Snack ideas: beef jerky, goldfish, cheese and crackers, nuts, trail mix, 
dried fruit.
Drink ideas: Water, water, water, Emergen-C (helps keep you hydrated), 
Gatorade, water mix-ins. You should also carry a mug. You can get water 
or Gatorade from many Waterbearing tents.
Go through packing checklist again to make sure that you have everything 
you need.
Get vehicle serviced if need be. Make sure that fluids and belts are all 
intact and good. Check tires as well.

Two weeks before event

Finalize all plans. Buy food that you will need for the event. If you 
are in a group meal plan, double check that you have bought everything 
you will need.
Plan your route. Gasbuddy.com has a great planner. It will even 
calculate your gas mileage and give you suggestions on where to fuel up 
and how much it will cost you. You can also use Google/Yahoo Maps, 
Rand-McNally or AAA. All of them will help you plan a route and give you 
maps and travel time.
Make or buy what garb or other necessities you will need.

One week before the event

Check out the Gulf Wars website (www.gulfwars.org) for last minute 
changes. Check the classes listed to get an idea of what you would like 
to do once there. Also, check for any last minute announcements.
Gather up everything you will be taking. Pack everything you will not 
need beforehand (garb, camping gear, etc.).

Day before

Pack everything you haven’t packed already. Package up all food so it is 
together but leave it in fridge until the day of. Some people choose to 
buy their food when they arrive. If you choose to do this, you will find 
a Wal-Mart and other grocery stores within 20 miles of site. Keep in 
mind that there are roughly 4,000 people camping at Gulf Wars, so local 
supplies may be limited. Put everything you can in a staging area such 
as near the front door so it is easier to load in the morning. If you 
have to get up at o’dark thirty, you will be way too groggy to think 
clearly. You want to be able to just grab, load, and go. Get 
directions/map/trip plan, SCA membership cards, registration receipt, 
purse/wallet, car charger, Marshal/Authorization card and put them in 
the car now so you won’t forget them.

Day you leave

When planning on when to leave, keep in mind that site opens at 7 am on 
Sunday. There are people who will get there a few hours before (some 
even the night before) so they can get in line. Sometimes, this will 
even lead to a Line Party. People will get out of parked cars and move 
along the line to visit and share food and stories. If you want to take 
part in this, you can arrive as early as Saturday evening to get in 
line. If you don’t, then you can arrive at any time on the day you 
registered for. If it turns out that you can arrive earlier than you 
registered, that is fine. Just be sure to have the difference in cost so 
you can pay the cashier at site. Be sure that you have cash to pay the 
cashier. They do not take credit cards.

Get your cell phone, directions/map/trip plan, SCA membership cards, 
registration receipt, purse/wallet, car charger, Marshal/Authorization 
card and put them in the car first (if you didn't last night). I usually 
put them all together in one bag so none of it gets lost. I then put the 
bag in the driver seat. You won’t miss it there. You will need your SCA 
membership card and ID when checking in at Troll/Registration so KEEP 
THEM HANDY! When loading, put the last thing you will need in first. So, 
your tent and tent supplies (such as hammer, stakes, ropes and ground 
cloth/tarp) should be on top or near a door for easy reach. That will be 
the first thing you will need. Send an email/call someone in your group 
and let them know you are leaving now. This will help them have an idea 
of when you will be arriving. Leave your cell number (or cell number of 
someone camping with you) with a family member or friend who is not 
going. This will make it easier for you to be contacted in the event of 
an emergency.
During your trip, make sure to stop as often as needed. Get plenty of 
fluids and walk around if need be, especially if you will be spending 
10-15 hours in your vehicle.

Arrival on site

Yay! You made it! When entering site, you will see a white house on your 
right. This is Troll/Sign-in. Park where you can, get your ID, 
membership card, and cash (if you have not pre-registered) and come on 
in. There will probably be a line of some sort. While you wait in line, 
introduce yourself to the person ahead of you. You might just make a new 
friend. You will give your ID to one of the troll helpers so that they 
can find your paperwork (if you pre-registered). If you did not 
pre-register, let them know so that you can fill out the needed 
paperwork while you wait in line. Then, you will be directed to a 
registrar at a table. Show that person your ID and your membership card. 
S/he will ask you some questions, and give you a receipt, site token, 
and site books. You will then be directed to the cashier to pay (if 
there is an amount due). After the cashier, you will need to get a 
parking placard and trailer tag (if needed). Fill them out and place 
them in your vehicle and on your trailer immediately so you won’t lose 
them. Be sure to put your site token on your person so you won’t lose 
it. You will need it to gain entry to the site. Be sure to check the 
huge site map so that you know where you will be camping. Various groups 
are shown on the map. If you have a question, feel free to ask any of 
the volunteers at registration. That is what they are there for.
Now that you have signed in and gotten everything you need, you will 
need to get back in your vehicle again and drive a little further to the 
site gate. At the gate, you will be asked to show your site token. Show 
your site token and give the Gate Keeper a smile. S/he has probably been 
on duty for quite a while and may need a friendly smile right about now. 
You will then proceed to your encampment. After you arrive, unload and 
set up your camp. Try to unload as quickly as possible and get your 
vehicle to the parking area as soon as possible. Space tends to be quite 
limited and encampments fill up fast.
The main road will lead you to Five Points. This is the center of site. 
It is where you can find the important things. It contains the Watch, 
Chiurgeon, Information Point, the Exchequer, Volunteer Point, the Green 
Dragon Inn, and an information guide (who stands at the intersection) 
who will answer questions and tell you where things are.
Once you have parked your vehicle (and possibly your trailer) get back 
to your camp and set up (if you haven’t already). Then, get out your 
site booklet and walk the site. This will help get you oriented to the 
place and help you when it comes time to attend a class or activity. 
Find out where the nearest privies and showers are, where you can 
purchase food, and where all the events you will want to attend are. If 
you can’t find them on your map (in the site booklet) please ask someone 
at Five Points. Information Point will help you out a great deal.
If you have children with you, please stop by the Page School Tent. The 
coordinator there will gladly help you find things for your children to 
do at war. There are activities scheduled for all children ages 2-17. If 
you have smalls, talk with others in your camp. Many groups will have 
communal babysitting.

While at War

Activities usually start on Tuesday. Check your site booklet for 
details. There are notice boards all over site. These list any last 
minute changes and announcements. Check these often before you attend a 
class. If the class has been moved or cancelled, it will be listed there.
Remember to keep yourself hydrated. Chiurgeon Point offers free ice 
pops. If you are hot and thirsty, stop by and get one. Above all, have 
fun. I hope this guide helps and you have a great war.

Resources:

Official Gulf Wars website: www.gulfwars.org
Namron Info for Gulf Wars: http://gulfwars.baronyofnamron.org
Flickr Gulf Wars Group www.flikr.com/groups/1681410 at N22/

If anyone has anything to add (or edits) please feel free to post or let 
me know off list. This is only what I have learned through my Gulf Wars 
attendance and through others who have attended before.

In Service to Youth and Kingdom,

Lady Cait O’Hara
Four time Gulf Wars veteran
Kingdom MoC
Page School Coordinator, Gulf Wars XXII