New-2-Pennsic-msg

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New-2-Pennsic-msg - 7/15/11

Information for those new to Pennsic. "Things no one told me about Pennsic until I was there..."

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This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.

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Stefan at florilegium.org

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Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2004 11:42:00 -0400

From: "Kirsten Houseknecht" <kirsten at fabricdragon.com>

Subject: [Sca-cooks] things they dont explain about Pennsic

To: <bhakail-list at yahoogroups.com>

Cc: SCA-Garb at yahoogroups.com, bright hills

<brighthills at yahoogroups.com>, sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

Things no one told me about Pennsic until I was there.....

1. blocks of land are assigned to each group/household/clump of folks

who want to camp together based on pre-registration ONLY.

You can, in theory, show up at the day of Pennsic, pay at the door, and go

find camp space.... BUT you will be in "singles camping" otherwise known as

"wherever there is room".

The big groups get square footage based only on the pre-registrations.....

which means every person they take in that DIDN't pre reg to camp with them,

is that much less space everyone has for elbow room.

if a group takes you in after pre-reg, then be very nice to them, bring your

smallest tent, and remember that you are taking footage from everyone

else.

A group did this for me my first year at Pennsic.... I had no idea what I

was doing <sigh>

2. WHY might you want to camp with a group?

well they have the first pick of land, many of them have been getting the

same spot for YEARS, and you are likely to have a better campsite. other

than that? groups bring things like "dining hall tents" and SHOWERS and

other little things that the entire group shares. This is why you may be

asked to pay a "group fee" on top of your Pennsic fee. it helps pay for

your hot showers, your extra tents, and in some groups. dinner (yes, some

groups prepare a group dinner for everyone in the camp.)

3. Classes at Pennsic are often pre-reg.

this means you sign up the day before or so at the sign up tent. high

demand classes can fill up within *minutes* of sign up opening. sign up

opens usually at some really inconvenient hour of the morning. find out

when sign up opens as soon as possible, and be prepared to get there RIGHT

at opening if you want a high demand class.

4. take a battery or wind up alarm clock.

see number three above for why. also.. lines for the main showers and the

laundry are usually shortest at frightening hours of the AM.

5. laundry

there are something like two washers and dryers for *everyone* at Pennsic.

Sane people drive into town and use the Laundromat there. people without

cars, and people who don't know any better, wait hours and hours for laundry

in camp...... laundry is best done at about 430 in the am.

this is why you want enough underwear and chemises that you do not have to

do laundry very often. outerwear can be ignored unless you spill really

icky stuff on it. (in period outer clothing was RARELY washed.... it was

the chemises and undergarb that got washed often)

Those portable camping laundry things? the ones that look like mini cement

mixers or salad spinners? they are your FRIENDS.

pack laundry supplies, or buy them early on at the camp store. they run out

by mid pre-war.

see also "mud" number 9

6. Drainage

this is a myth. there is no drainage at Pennsic.

showers at the campsites must have long drainage ditches dug, and smart

people also dig drainage ditches around their tents. shower drainage often

fills up after the third shower.. it can take all day to be absorbed into

the ground.

if it rains at Pennsic (if?) then the ground becomes saturated FAST! do not

put any extra water into it (showers, laundry, whatever) unless you HAVE to.

7. weather

yes, have some.

Pennsic weather ranges from 118 degrees in the shade to below freezing. I

have seen it do this in one week.

THIS YEARS WEATHER:

Assume it will pour rain, soaking all your clothes, and then turn cold. as

soon as you have gotten your warm socks dried out, it will turn hot. It

will stay hot, dry, and sunny until it is time to pack, at which point it

will rain.

your tent will try to blow away, unless you stake it down for monsoons and

tornadoes, at which point it will be dead calm, humid and muggy.

8. clothes choices

see number 5; laundry, and number 7: weather

take lots of linen undergarments (coolest fabric out there, trust me) and

lots of wool overgarments (warmest stuff out there, except for silk maybe)

I suggest very light weight (summer weight) wool that can be layered.

take at least one bog dress, or fabric that can be pinned around you for

emergencies.

pack a hat. veils and hats are PERIOD and they can save your life from the

worst heat stroke and sunburn. take several "veils" that can be soaked with

water.

pack several pairs of socks in water proof bags! you can survive a lot of

weather if you have dry socks! also pack at least one towel in a plastic

bag.

if you are allergic to wool (or whatever) you can still wear a wool outer

tunic, or surcoat. just line and cuff the sleeves and collar with a neutral

fabric (silk? silk is good) and wear it OVER something tightly woven. you

never need to touch the wool.

if you are worried about the kosher rule against mixing wool and linen, take

a cotton or silk layer you can wear between any wool and linen, and pack

them in separate trunks.

all your clothing should be pre-washed! (you did pre wash your fabric before

you made any clothing, right?)

9. Mud

Pennsic is famous for its mud.

Pennsic mud is red. it is an Iron Oxide compound (rust). it STAINS,

permanently, if not washed out properly.

do NOT, ever, apply chlorine bleach to a Pennsic mud stain. it will react

chemically with the rust and you get a brownish grey stain that will never

come out. (same thing with blood stains, by the by) you want either

Hydrogen Peroxide, or some other rust /blood stain remover.

your best bet is to brush off the dry dirt, then rinse in cool clear water

until it is almost all out, then rinse/wash in detergent and cool or warm

water until no more comes out. keep this up until you get it all out

do not use hot water or put it in the dryer.. heat sets the color.

If you take clothing to a dry cleaner make sure you tell them the muddy

stuff is a rust stain, too.

10. food storage and eating

ice, lots of ice. replace/add ice frequently. buy the best cooler you can

get. even if you do not plan on cooking store at least drinks in there....

wash your hands. not just the alcohol goo.. soap and water.

use a light amount of bleach on the rinse water of your dishes. dry

dishes thoroughly

bring gateraid or similar drinks, and CUT THEM by half with water.

freeze all meats solid before leaving home. use them as they thaw out

in the cooler.

if the heat makes you lose your appetite, at least eat something salty and

drink water. you MUST eat some salt in hot weather. this does not have to

be a lot, but some!

land grab and pre reg <sigh>

I never understood this until I WENT to Pennsic. (I have helped people to

prep for Pennsic a lot longer than I have been going..)

Kirsten Houseknecht

Fabric Dragon

kirsten at fabricdragon.com

www.fabricdragon.com

Philadelphia, PA USA

Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 11:59:36 -0400

From: Elaine Koogler <ekoogler1 at comcast.net>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] things they dont explain about Pennsic

To: Kirsten Houseknecht <kirsten at fabricdragon.com>, Cooks within the

SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

After about 24 years of camping at Pennsic, I can also recommend that

you plan on leaving a dry change of clothing (one modern, one period if

possible...but definitely one modern) in your vehicle. DO NOT assume

that because it's packed in plastic in your encampment that it will stay

dry...Murphy's Law is in full force here. It will develop a hole, manage

to come "unzipped" or something...

Also be sure to take first aid stuff...peroxide, Neosporin, bandaids, an

ace bandage or two...and one or more of those wonderful instant ice

packs. Also don't forget bug repellant (personal and for the camp) and

heavy-duty sun screen...and burn ointment.

Be sure you have your membership card or some other proof of membership,

along with a picture ID...and have it out and with you when you approach

the Troll...and, if you've pre-registered, your pre-reg information.

We always work on a packing list long before Pennsic, then check off

each thing as we pack it. That helps keep us from forgetting stuff.

Kiri

Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2004 12:02:09 -0400

From: Jadwiga Zajaczkowa / Jenne Heise <jenne at fiedlerfamily.net>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] thigs they dont explain about Pennsic

To: Kirsten Houseknecht <kirsten at fabricdragon.com>, Cooks within the

SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

> well they have the frst pick of land, many of them have been getting the

> same spot for YEARS, and you are likely to have a better campsite. other

> than that? groups bring things like "dining hall tents" and SHOWERS and

> other little things that the entire grop shares. This is why you may be

> asked to pay a "group fee" on top of your Pennsic fee. it helps pay for

> your hot showers, your extra tents, and in some groups. dinner (yes, some

> groups prepare a group dinner for everyone in the camp.)

I you are camping with a group, find out ahead of time if they have a

camp fee, how much it is, what it goes for, and whether you can opt out.

Talk with the person 'running' the camp and make sure you are comfortable

with them. (Yes, I had a bad experienc one year-- but most years are

good.)

> 3. Classes at Pennsic are often pre-reg.

> this means you sign up the day before or so at the sign up tent.

This year there is no pre-sign-up. So if there is a limited class (it will

say so in the schedule) be pepared to show up early and mill about

outside the tent or camp where the class is being held, in hopes of

getting into the class.

The biggest rule is WATER. The water from the taps is drinkable, but

tastes unpleasant by the second week, and includes minrals that upset

some people's stomachs. Running water in many camping areas is somewhat

intermittent. If you don't want to buy water, there is a spigot with

filtered water outside the Chirugeon's tent -- it still tastes funny,

but less so; bring jugs to carry water.

If you are buying water, remember, everyone camping with you should be

getting through a GALLON of water a day. To figure out how much water you

need, multiply the number of people with you times the number of days

you will be there...

-- -- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, Knowledge Pika jenne at fiedlerfamily.net

Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 10:02:43 -0600

From: "Kathleen A. Roberts" <karobert at unm.edu>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] things they dont explain about Pennsic

To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>, Kirsten

Housenecht <kirsten at fabricdragon.com>

--On Thursday, June 03, 2004 11:59 AM -0400 Elaine Koogler

<ekoogler1 at comcast.net> wrote:

> Also be sur to take first aid stuff...peroxide, Neosporin, bandaids,

> an ace bandage or two...>

may i suggest replacing the ace bandage with "vet wrap"? lighter, fits

back into your shoe if on a foot, sticks to itself, and comes in kingdom

colors. and way cheaper. check your vet supply, pet supply or

merchantile.

cailte

clumsy enuf to have it in kingdom AND baronial colors

Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 16:46:26 +0000

From: "Olwe the Odd" <olwentheodd at hotmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] things they dont explain about Pennsic

To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org, cooks-guild at silent-tower.org,

archer3 at webtv.net

> may i suggest replacing the ace bandage with "vet wrap"? lighter, fits

> back into your hoe if on a foot, sticks to itself, and comes in kingdom

> colors. and way cheaper. check your vet supply, pet supply or

> merchantile.

> cailte

> clumsy enuf to have it in kingdom AND baronial colors

How cool is this stuff!! I looked at a link http://store.yahoo.com/animalworldnetwork/vetwrapvetwr.html

And it's even on sale!

Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 14:03:02 -0400

From: Tara Sersen Boroson <tara at kolaviv.com>

Subject: [Sca-cooks] Re: things they dont explain about Pennsic

To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

Other tips I've learned about Pennsic:

Don't assume you can prereg for a camp without talking to the folks in

that camp. Among other reasons, although technically they allot space

based on number of people, some blocks are so full and occupied by camps

that have years worth of squatters rights that there just isn't any more

room to be had. Thus, even if a camp gets 20% more campers one year,

they won't get 20% more space. This doesn't neccisarily mean that a

camp can't find room for you - but it may be a tight squeeze and you

won't get your full theoretical allotment. Even if the camp gets it's

full allotment, it will probably require that you "donate" part of your

space for public space - campfire, dining tent. While you are alloted

250 square feet, you may be asked to keep your personal space down to

maybe 200 feet. Definately talk to folks about the culture of the

camp. Will you be required to sign up for gate duty? Is there a meal

plan, and if so will you be required to sign up to cook or clean a

certain number of times? If it's a small camp, perhaps people take

turns going into town to do laundry and shop. Make sure you know what

responsibilities you'll have in your camp, as well as what the

advantages are.

Unless you've been going to Pennsic for years and really have it down to

a science, you'll end up going into town; so, don't worry about carting

every morsel of food you think you'll need all the way from home, and if

you're not comfortable going to town in garb, bring enough street

clothes.

Pennsic water turns brown when it gets warm. It's, well, rust. The

water has a high iron content, and when heated it oxidizes. Don't freak

out if your solar shower bag or your dish washing water turns

reddish-brown. It also has an odor from the sulfur content that becomes

more pronounced when it gets hot. Neither the iron nor the sulfur will

hurt you unless you have a really sensitive tummy, but you may find them

distasteful especially if you've never had well water.

If you're in a busy camping area, keep an ear peeled for when the

port-a-potty trucks clean the toilets, and go use them while they're

still fresh and innocent. They clean them a couple times a day,

fortunately. If you have to use them late at night, especially in a

high traffic area, take a flashlight - especially if you're wearing long

skirts.

The solar showers are best around late afternoon - plenty of time for

the sun to do it's work. The "real" showers are, as stated in the

previous e-mail, best in the wee hours of the mornin'.

Remember that it's illegal to carry alcohol across state lines. If

you're bringing homebrew or cordials, be wary. If you're bringing a

couple cases of Beast because the boys down at Bob's Beer Shak give you

a special deal on the outdated stuff, well, is it really worth the

risk? (From a true story... a guy I knew in college bought the outdated

cases of Beast because they were $6. Regular price was only $8. All I

could do was shake my head and sigh, and enjoy my real beer...)

-Magdalena

Tara Sersen Boroson

Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2004 14:09:12 -0400

From: "Jeff Gedney" <gedney1 at iconn.net>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] other things they dont explain about Pennsic

To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

> I have never been to Pennsic. I have always

> dreamed of going, but now I am beginning to

> change my dream, after reading your list.

Other things that they don't explain about Pennsic.

Magic happens in odd places and at odd times.

The lowering sunset and low hanging ever present dust turns the very air

golden in the late afternoon.

The smell of food and wood smoke, and the sound of laughter and song

floating while a star falls in the night sky create a vivid impression

that will stay with you as long as you live.

There will be more merchants than you will ever see at any SCA event

anywhere selling everything from 7000 dollar rapiers to 16 dollar

gorgets, from 3 dollar twisted brass wire penannulars to fossil

containing amber pendants going for 12 thousand, from handmade bows

and arrows to rubberband marshmallow guns, from books to bongos and

just about everything in between.

Cooper's chocolate milk is a religion and sacrement unto itself.

Odd moments of theater happen everywhere, much of it unintentional and

all of it worth watching.

Pennsic storms are awesome in every sense of the word.

If you cant find a party to attend at Pennsic, you are not looking or

you are not at Pennsic.

Whatever the case may be, once you go you will either be hooked or you

will be turned off, there is no middle ground.

Capt Elias

Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 14:46:48 -0400

From: Elaine Koogler <ekoogler1 at comcast.net>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] other things they dont explain about Pennsic

To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

Huette von Ahrens wrote:

> Actually, it is the thought of such merchants

> that keeps me considering going. However, if I

> ever do, I will find a close motel and daytrip

> it. The logistics of bringing my encampment

> from Los Angeles to Pennsylvania would be

> prohibitive anyway.

Good idea...we're not going this year as we're taking a year off..24

years out of 25 that we've attended...we need a break! But next year

we'll probably do the same thing as I just can't deal with the heat

overnight anymore. Also our Barony has decided to start camping up above

the battlefield, which is further away than we want to be...not to

mention the fairly steep hill to climb. However, be sure to reserve your

room 'way in advance...6 months or more...as the hotels in both Butler

and New Castle fill up fairly quickly!

Kiri

Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 16:12:57 +0000

From: julianacardoso at comcast.net

Subject: [Sca-cooks] Re: [Bright Hills] things they dont explain about

Pennsic

To: "Kirsten Houseknecht" <kirsten at fabricdragon.com>

Cc: bhakail-list at yahoogroups.com, SCA-Garb at yahoogroups.com, bright

hills <brighthills at yahoogroups.com>, sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

What great advise. The one thing I did that really helped with the mud

stains (add to #5) was to spray Scotch guard on the bottoms of my

chemises. I somehow managed to miss 1, and it is the only one that

ended up with a permanent stain.

Juliana

Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2004 11:26:29 -0700

From: David Friedman <ddfr at daviddfriedman.com>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] things they dont explain about Pennsic

To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

> 10. food storage and eating

> ice, lots of ice. replace/add ice frequently. buy the best cooler you can

> get. even if you do not plan on cooking store at least drinks in there....

Or alternatively, figure out how to do without ice. We concluded many

years ago that not only are coolers full of ice strikingly mundane,

they are also a nuisance. You have to keep putting in ice and they

have an annoying tendency to dump melt water on whatever you don't

want to get wet.

So we decided to try to do without ice or a cooler and have never

regretted it. For cooking, that means using things that keep

(cheese, hard sausage, eggs for a reasonable while, beans, ...) or

can be bought at the Coopers, or arranging with friends who are

coming later than you are to bring meat for that day's dinner. For

drinking, we generally mix up sekanjabin. The water comes out of the

tap reasonably cool, and one doesn't have to have iced drinks.

And an extra benefit is that it pushes us into thinking about how

medieval people would have solved the same set of problems.

Elizabeth generally does a class entitled "Pennsic without a Cooler,"

for anyone interested.

David/Cariadoc

www.daviddfriedman.com

Dae: Fri, 4 Jun 2004 09:32:36 -0400

From: "Sharon Gordon" <gordonse at one.net>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] other things they dont explain about Pennsic

To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

A few more to add to the list:

1) In the evening just before dusk on a clear night, walk up a hill where

you can see a good section of Pennsic. The incredible view will take you

back 400+ years.

2) Usually a professional photographer gets quite a number of aerial shots

including some amazing close up shots of Pennsic. The battle scenes are

particularly amazing. I really like the Pennsic-Town-Map shots as well, and

amazingly you can usually spot your tent along with the rest of your

encampment in these. At some point these will be posted and you can order

the ones you want.

3) It's really nice to have a subscription to the Pennsic newspaper.

4) If you'd like to do Pennsic without ie or cooler, there are several

helpful articles at

http://www.geocities.com/aecooks/CGCampFood.html

This gives a more medieval context to your meals. The two main differences

between historic eating and Pennsic eating are that at Pennsic, you won't

have a chicken for fresh eggs or livestock available for fresh meat. In

addition to the fresh food available at Pennsic, there are farmer's markets

near Pennsic with all sorts of freshly harvested produce.

5) If you line the walls of your tent or remember to turn out the lights,

you won't give shadow shows to your neighbors.

6) Pennsylvania has some different traffic laws than other states, some

differences in intensity of enforcement, and a few police who specifically

target SCA people enroute or aroundPennsic. The main issues I know of

are:

1) Children up to(thru?) age 8 need to be in car seats.

2) There are speed traps on many if not all of the main routes to Pennsic

including quite far away from Pennsic. There are indications that Pennsic

is speifically targeted.

3) There are issues with alcohol being brought into the state. Can't

remember exactly what. But it seems to me that someone checked and that

homemade for personal use (ie not for sale) was ok. Someone might want to

check for latest nfo to be sure.

4) Due to severe problems in PA with unregistered and uninsured drivers,

there are often times where all cars are stopped and people must produce

license, registration, and insurance info. So keep these accessible. At

one point if people couldn't produce these, they were taking their cars for

several weeks.

5) If you go into town, be sure to take your Pennsic parking hangtag off your

mirror as you are exiting the site. The local police heavily target this

violation.

6) There are lots of 3 month olds at any Pennsic. Plan accordingly to

increase or decrease your odds of being part of this phenomenon.

7) If the class and event lists are up before you go to Pennsic, you can

save Pennsic time by mapping out your schedule ahead of time. Do check

everyday though for additions and cancellations.

8) If you sleep in comfortable tunic and pants, it makes hiking to and using

the restrooms easier at night. Most people prefer having a flashlight for

this, though some will carry a lit lantern.

9) If you have extra room, take some split wood or kindling for the

campfires. If not you can get some on site.

10) Usually there is at least some recycling at Pennsic. If your home area

recycles more than what you can at Pennsic, your group may want to collect

these recyclables and recycle them at home. Also the amount of trash

generated at Pennsic is horrendous, so anything you can do to prevent trash

from happening is good (cloth shopping bags, cloth produce bags, reusuable

containers, cloth napins, cloth hand/dish towels, etc.).

11) The Pennsic chocolate milk is deservedly legendary, and if you are going

to have one non-period food item during your time at Pennsic either this or

the fresh corn would get my vote.

12) People who have really spiffy garb usually don't mind if you ask them if

you can get a picture of them. So if you have a small camera, it's worth it

to carry it (concealed) wherever you go. Ditto for encampments with

wonderful walls and structures.

13) If you are trying to pack up on the last afternoon/evening for an early

morning departure, it helps either to eat out or to have a one pot dish, so

that clean up is faster, and unneeded things can be packed up. If you have

fruit, cheese, and bread for breakfast, then you wont need to cook for

that.

14) There are usually music groups and choruses that perform. If you'd like

to be part of one, email for the music ahead of time so you can

practice in advance.

15) Take some rolls of quarters to do laundry at in town laundromats.

16) Take a pot large enough to heat water for dish washing, and some dish

pans as well as a dish drying rack. There are wooden dish drying racks.

Period looking dish pans are harder to find.

17) It's helpful to take some water hose and a Y-connector to help move

water around your encampment. Some encampments have plumbed kitchen sink

set ups. (Yes, here's a place where people really do pack the kitchen sink

:-) ).

18) If your shopping is very successful and you can't get it all in your car

or airplane luggage, you can mail some of the excess to yourself.

19) At night at Pennsic, it's often damp, so besides suitable clothing, it's

very useful to have a groundcloth under your tent. Many people keep lots of

their belongings in plastic rubber aid containers (cloth, paper, stamps,

dry foods and spices). Others go for more period ceramic, metal, or glass

containers for food, stamps, and paper and just dry the cloth as best they

can.

20) It's nice to have a clothesline or wooden drying rack for clothes and

towels. Be sure to site the clothes line so no one is hurt running into it

in the dark.

21) If you play a portable musical instrument, playing and singing around

the fire can be a lot of fun.

22) It can be hard to find quiet for sleeping at Pennsic. If you like to

sleep by 10 most nights, try to get in an encampment in a quiet area, and

ask to be in the quieter area of your encampment. Though even this doesn't

always work. There was the year I was next to the fire circle, people

drummed to 2am in another encampment nearby, and then just as I was finally

dozing off about 2:15am the bagpipe serenade came through the

encampment...the birds start singing about 5am. On the other hand if you

like to sleep late, try to camp away from the breakfast area, and the

entrance/exit to your encampment.

23) If you go to dinner or a party in another encampment, take a flashlight

or lantern with you to make your return easier.

24) It can be very helpful to have a wooden folding chair for courts or

events in other encampments.

25) If you have things you only use at Pennsic, you can rent local storage

units and just leave the items there from year to year. Sometimes groups

will rent one together.

26) There are two different swimming areas. Be ware of their different

swimming situations.

27) Email your friends before you go to Pennsic to find out where they are

camping. Otherwise it may be challenging to locate them when you are

there.

28) If you are working on a portable hand craft, it makes it easier for

someone to strike up a conversation with you on an art or science you are

both interested in.

29) If a tour of especially spiffy encampments is offered, take the tour if

you can as you will get to see a lot more interesting things thank you

might just walking by.

30) There are at least two grocery stores in town which will special order

meats and other foods for you. This way you can get some of the more

unusual period items.

31) There are more fun things than you can do in any one ear at Pennsic, so

enjoy as much as you can this year and start a list of things you'd

like to do next Pennsic.

Sharon

Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2004 13:44:23 -0400

From: Jadwiga Zajaczkowa / Jenne Heise <jenne at fiedlerfamily.net>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] other things they dont explain about Pennsic

To Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

> 6) Pennsylvania has some different traffic laws than other states, some

> differences in intensity of enfocement, and a few police who specifically

> target SCA people enroute or around Pennsic.

Bear in mind that I've been to Pennsic 7 times in the last 9 years, and

there hasn't been a credible accusation about this in that time. Of

course, I'm from PA.

The main issues I know of are:

> 1) Children up to(thru?) age 8 need to be in car seats.

> 2) There are speed traps on many if not all of the main routes to Pennsic

> including quite far away from Pennsic. There are indications that

> Pennsic

> is secifically targeted.

What indications? The fact that on the first Thursday of war last year,

PennDOT started construction on the main route to Pennsic? Believe you me,

the State of PA don't know nothin' about Pennsic.

> 3) There are issues with alcoholbeing brought into the state. Can't

> remember exactly what. But it seems to me that someone checked and that

> homemade for personal use (ie not for sale) was ok. Someone might want to

> check for latest info to be sure.

_Federal_ (United State) law prohibits taking alcohol across state

lines.

Now, PA is one of the states where open containers of booze in a car and

drinking booze while driving is forbidden...

> 4) Due to severe problems in PA with unregistered and uninsured drivers,

> thee are often times where all cars are stopped and people must produce

> license, registration, and insurance info. So keep these accessible. At

> one point if people couldn't produce these, they were taking their

> cars for several weeks.

_Whenever_ you are stopped for anything (including a DUI or Homeland

Security checkpoint) you generally have to produce this paperwork.

> 5) If you go into town, be sure to take your Pennic parking hangtag off your

> mirror as you are exiting the site. The local police heavily target

> this violation.

At one particular Pennsic (many years ago), the cops from one township did

in fact target this violation. I believe it caused a local scandal. :) In

general, taking your hangtag off is a good idea.

> 7)If the class and event lists are up before you go to Pennsic, you can

> save Pennsic time by mapping out your schedule ahead of time. Do check

> everyday though for additions and cancelations.

In fact, during the last two years due to database error, having the class

schedule off the website was more accurate than the one in the book.

This is supposed to be fixed this year. In general, classes will be added

after the May 1 deadline for the book, so the list online is always

better-- and always checkby the A&S point to be sure. This is people's

vacation, and plans change.

> 8) If you sleep in comfortable tunic and pants, it makes hiking to and using

> the restrooms easier at night. Most people prefer having a flashlight for

> this, though som will carry a lit lantern.

Suggestion: below the knee tunic works better, as you don't have to get

your pants on the floor of the portapotty. Keep slip on shoes or flip

flops by the tent door for the late night porta potty runs.

> 11) The Pennsic chocolte milk is deservedly legendary, and if you are going

> to have one nonperiod food item during your time at Pennsic either this or

> the fresh corn would get my vote.

Visit farm stands and buy from them if you go off site.

> 16) Take a pot large enough to heat water for dish washing, and some dish

> pans as well as a dish drying rack. There are wooden dish drying racks.

> Period looking dish pans are harder to find.

A big white or terracotta colored bowl works for the 10 foot rule (look

for plastic bowls sized for salad or popcorn).

> 17) It's helpful to take some water hose and a Y-connector to help move

> water around your encampment. Some encampments have plumbed kitchen sink

> set ups. (Yes, here's a place where people really do pac the kitchen

> sink :-) ).

A kitchen sink, even with cold water, is very worth it. A plywood table

with a cut out hole for a basin is a great help, and if you cut a hole,

fit a drain hose, and add a stopper, it's even better.

> 30) There are at leasttwo grocery stores in town which will special order

> meats and other foods for you. This way you can get some of the more

> unusual period items.

Also, be sure to shop at the Pepperers Guild. It's a great experience.

-- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, Knowedge Pika jenne at fiedlerfamily.net

Date: Sat, 5 Jun 2004 09:26:15 -0400

From: "Kirsten Houseknecht" <kirsten at fabricragon.com>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] things they dont explain about Pennsic

To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

also, bring a lock fo your chest in your tent. keep anything valuable in

that chest.

sadly some people do come to Pennsic to steal... and they go into tents when

everyone is out at fights or such.

Kirsten Houseknecht

Date: Sat, 5 Jun 2004 09:33:45 -0400

From: "Kirsten Houseknecht" <kirsten at fabricdragon.com>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] things they dont explain about Pennsic

To:"Huette von Ahrens" <ahrenshav at yahoo.com>

Cc: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

the "guarenteed for five days in 100 degree weather " chests are really

good. i bought cubed ice, and still had some four days later.

but you need to be really good about not opening the chest until you

know what you need.

Pennsic is not too hard to deal with, but i *really* advise camping

with an experienced group your first time

also, my list is colored by the fact that i am a heat stroke and hypothermia

survivor... and have ever after been more succeptable to extremes of

temperature....

Kirsten Houseknecht

Date: Sat, 5 Jun 2004 18:43:13 -0400

From: "Daniel Phelps" <phelpsd at gate.net>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] things they dont explain about Pennsic

To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

Was written:

> also, bring a lock for your chest in your tent. keep anything

> valuable in that chest.

> sadly some people do come to Pennsic to steal... and they go into tents when

> everyone is out at fights or such.

Sadly tis true. I had a suit of chain mail for sale, years back when I was

merchanting, which ghosted away all by itself during one of the field

battles. I suggest chaining that very strongly locked chest to an auger

stake spun deep into the earth. I also suggest camp guards... very

large camp guards.

Daniel

Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 11:25:55 -0400

From: "Kirsten Houseknecht" <kirsten at fabricdragon.com>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] other things they dont explain about Pennsic

To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

i will add a safety note to this otherwise excellent list!

like many events, there are vehicles coming on and off site after dark.

there are also the infamous Pennsic Golf Carts, used for security and

medical.

it is VERY hard to see people walking on the roads after dark.

(or at smaller events, walking to the parking lot)

this is why i started merchaning reflectve trim that could be used on period

clothing without looking TOO odd....

i suggest at least one pale colored, white, or reflective surcoat to be

worn when walking near roads to the porta castles, etc.

and carrying a light source will help a lot.

if you are driving, PLEASE remember that people in period clothing are often

invisible at night.

reds disapear when the light level drops, and so do dark blues, browns,

greens, and black (duh)

unlike in mundania, you rarely have reflective sneakers or anything to help

you spot these folks. and NO street lights.

and those people who over imbibe and are tottering home from parties usually

think they are VERY visible, when they are not. some of them decide to nap

on the road, and can look like a speed bump....

Kirsten Houseknecht

Fabric Dragon

kirsten at fabricdragon.com

www.fabricdragon.com

Philadelphia, PA USA

Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 12:09:37 -0400

From: "Kirsten Houseknecht" <kirsten at fabricdragon.com>

Subject: [Sca-cooks] more clothing tips for pennsic

To: "Renee Duprey" <belladonna592 at yahoo.com>

Cc: bhakail-list at yahoogroups.com, SCA-Garb at yahoogroups.com,

sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

ah, finally a few minutes! some other things you should know about

going to Pennsic.......

lets see....

if you have any medical conditions you will want to fill out an "ohmygod"

form at the chirurgeons (medical tent) they will give you a sticker for

your site token

this tells any medic that you have a file with *important info* back at the

medical tent.

(mine says "allergic to Pennicillin, Codeine, etc")

you may store any really touchy medicine at the medical tent in their

fridge.

be very nice to the chirurgeons, they are great folks.

Clothes:

linen is your friend. i know, i keep saying it, but its true. but it MUST

be pre washed to get the sizing out.

light weight wool is your second best friend. it can keep you warm on cold

wet days, without overheating you.

silk is third.

polyester is your *enemy*, it will trap your sweat, make you hot and sticky

and miserable. and Gods forbid you set your sleeve on fire at a camp site or

candle.....(thus speaketh the clumsy fabric merchant)

remember that the way to identify polyester, lycra, and other materiels is

that they are *plastic* and when set on fire they do not burn so much as

MELT.

ask anyone who has worked on a burn ward.... you do not want to have

polyester near fire.

if your _linen_ sleeve catches, or wool, it will burn, and rolling on the

ground will put it out. (usually wool doesnt burn well, it tends to be

woven too tightly)

if a polyester sleeve catches fire, even after you put it out it will have

MELTED, and can have melted onto your skin. this causes very bad burns

indeed, and makes the burn ward very unhappy to see.

people like us who camp, and cook, and otherwise deal with fire must be very

aware of things like polyester. if you MUST wear plastic fibers (why i dont

know) then at least wear a layer of natural fiber under it, so it cant stick

to your skin.

this holds for ANY time you are near fire... not just Pennsic.

the more underclothes you have, the more often you can change them, and the

more comfortable you will be without having to do laundry.

while most people have the usual "big blousy chemise/tent" (so do i) i

prefer just making a light weight T tunic, close fitting, in linen. i wear

this under my kirtles.

ANYONE can make a surcoat. surcoats require almost no sewing skills.

make at least one light weight wool surcoat, it can save you so much grief if

the weather gets wet and cold.

hoods

a period style hood and capelet (you know, a hood with a shoulder cover?)

can be made form almost any materiel, out of leftover yardage. they look

great and protect that vulnerable back of your neck from sunburn.

Kirsten Houseknecht

Fabric Dragon

Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 12:20:32 -0400

From: "Kirsten Houseknecht" <kirsten at fabricdragon.com>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] dealing with the heat at Pennsic

To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

Cc: bhakail-list at yahoogroups.com, Renee Duprey

linen.

lots and lots of linen. yes the stuff is THAT much cooler than cotton. I

have been known to pay RETAIL to get good linen, and i am a fabric

merchant!!!!!

hats and veils

water

layers

water.

the new "electrolyte waters" , unsweetened.

i get out of my tent as early as possible, and go to work at the

merchants. it is cooler than my tent ANY day....

showers, even cold, to get the grime off and let your skin breathe...

this is much more important than people think. many lotions can inhibit

proper skin functon and sweat, so i only use them on my hands (which

need it)

one of those neck things with cooling gel in it? you can make them. go to a

plant store or a Franks or a garden center and look for water holding

crystals for planst. the kind that swel up and release moisture slowly..

that is what they put in those neck bands. buy one or make one.

work a day shift in the chirurgeons tent. they can use the help, and they

have fans.......

make sure you eat enough salt. this is rarely a problem for me, but it is

for some folks.

even if you wont (or cant) drink the unfiltered pennsic water, you can pour

it over a chemise before you get dressed.....or after...

Kirsten Houseknecht

Fabric Dragon

Date: Mon, 07 Jun 2004 13:16:23 -0400

From: Wildecelery at aol.com

Subject: [Sca-cooks] More Pennsic Tips

To: sca-cooks at ansterra.org

As a very tiny, borderline hypoglycemic red-head (read, I'm not overly

susceptible to heat, but once I'm cooked, I'm done) I have found

several invluable ideas for surviving Pennsic, where I'm constantly in

motion.

1. Grapes--small, sweet, portable, generally in season, full of water

2. Banana chips- small, portable, don't spoil, potassium

3. Dried, Honeyed apple slices-portable, sweet, vitamins honey

4. Small insulated 1qt jugs with straps- unperiod, yes...but mix

unfrozen juice concentrate 1st thing in am...add ice throughout the day

...( it's colored water with a hint of flavor by 3pm)

5. Spray sunscreen- much easier than constant rubbing..can be applied

over thin clothes, if needed

6. Linen or cotton gauze "head wraps"- 1-3 yards of a light color,

soak with water...wear over head and shoulders...periodically re-wet as

it dries

-Ardenia

Date: Mon, 07 Jun 2004 12:57:39 -0600

From: "Kathleen A. Roberts" <karobert at unmedu>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] More Pennsic Tips

To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

> 6. Linnen or cotton gauze "head wrap"- 1-3 yards of a light color, soak

> with water...wear over head and shoulders...periodically re-wet as it

> dries

one of the best i have found. and... if it is dusty, a damp veil catches

some of the dust before it hits you. at least, it worked a outlandish.

cailte

To: scanewcomers at yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Greetings From another Newbie (And Pennsic Questions)

Posted by: "Kyla" skycat at tds.net skycat_4

Date: Thu Jul 7, 2011 5:31 pm ((PDT))

Greetings Shelly!

Welcome to SCA Newcomers - the people here are very helpful.

This will be my fourth Pennsic, but I have been camping since I was a

toddler, and working at various RenFaires since I was in my 30's, so

semi-outdoor living is not new to me.

The most important tip I can give you is this: Keep your cool. Do so by

bringing or quickly acquiring a wide brimmed hat of some sort, and wearing

it during daylight hours.

An ice cube under the hat, or a soaking wet bandana work for some, but the

important part is the hat.

Shade is important - when standing still, stay in it - even if you don't

think there is much of it, do not under estimate how much relief even

partial shade can give you.

Don't loose your temper, either - that will raise your temperature, and I

assure you that unless it's life or death, it's rarely worth it, and rarely

helps a bad situation.

Keeping calm will make it easier for other people to help you, too.

The next most usefull thing is to keep a container of essentials with you at

all times.

In it should be: the site map and merchant's map, toilet paper, sunscreen

and band-aids, a handkerchief or other small piece of cloth, safety pins or

a small sewing kit, crucial medicines like an inhaler or epi-pen, anything

small your child might need and a container for drinking water.

(Cooper'slake Campground sprays for bugs, so that's not usually a problem at

Pennsic, but if you are allergic, carry what you need.)

Thirdly: label every single piece of everything you bring to war. Include

your SCA name, shire, barony, region and kingdom, as well as your

affiliations - like your household name. Also include your mundane name and

some way to contact you - a cell phone # which you will be checking daily

would be good so someone could return a misplaced item to you right away.

Personally, I include my husband's information for good measure.

The information does not need to be immediately visible, but it should be

somewhere readily seen by someone looking for such information - inside the

crown of a hat and under the bottom of a chair are both good spots.

If you do loose something, check with lost and found once a day - you never

know when someone will turn it in.

And lastly - and this one covers a LOT of ground: Don't be stupid!

Don't bring a hibachi full of burning coals into your flamable nylon tent,

no matter how cold you get; Don't leave your armour anywhere on the

battlefield overnight; and don't put your shower sump pit uphill from your

tent.

Lest you think I am being ridiculous - each and every one of those is based

on fact!

(Yes, especially the hibachi in the tent - both of those campers ended up in

the ER with 3rd degree burns.)

And I watched the sump pit diggers last year - they didn't want to hear it,

so I zipped my lip - but I did have a good laugh at their expense when they

flooded themselves.

Remember; it's only a game.

Tabitha Pennywarden

Ravenslake, Midlands

Middle Kingdom

To: scanewcomers at yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Greetings From another Newbie (And Pennsic Questions)

Posted by: "bronwynmgn at aol.com" bronwynmgn at aol.com brangwayna

Date: Thu Jul 7, 2011 5:41 pm ((PDT))

<< Also for some of you veteran Pennsic attendees out there. Any helpful hints for first timers? Is there one nifty little item that I should bring? Any secrets or help are always welcome. >>

Make sure you have some garb and bedding for cold/wet weather as well as hot weather. It is not uncommon for night temperatures at Pennsic to drop into the 40's and for light frost to occur. It's also not uncommon to have a day of rain and 60 degree temperatures. 60 degrees and sunny can be comfortable; 60 degrees and unrelenting rain is miserable if you aren't prepared for it.

Some ideas:

Layers.

Wool. Wool is your friend in both cold and wet conditions. It naturally protects against rainfall and will keep you warm even if it is soaked through.

Make sure your bedding stays off the ground. Tents usually leak from the bottom up rather than the top down, so if your bedding is off the floor, it will stay dry and give you one dry warm place to retreat to.

Boots. If we get a lot of rain, some of the Pennsic roads can turn into ankle deep or deeper mud.

Brangwayna Morgan

(who will be attending her 22nd consecutive Pennsic this year).

To: scanewcomers at yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Greetings From another Newbie (And Pennsic Questions)

Posted by: "Grainne ingen Lugdach" grainneinatlantia at yahoo.com

Date: Fri Jul 8, 2011 6:15 am ((PDT))

--- On Thu, 7/7/11, Shelly <michhas at hotmail.com> wrote:

<<< Also for some of you veteran Pennsic attendees out there. Any helpful hints for first timers? Is there one nifty little item that I should bring? Any secrets or help are always welcome. >>>

Greetings, Jocelyn! And welcome to the wonder of Pre-Pennsic-panic sewing! LOL

Be sure to bring your camera! I never take as many photos as I intend to take, but I love having them when I get "homesick" during the rest of the year. And they help me explain Pennsic to my non-SCAdian family, friends and co-workers.

For me, a small arsenal of battery-operated fans are a must. I have various sizes that live in my tent, and I have a number of small, very portable fans that travel with me as I make my rounds. My favorite last year was a spray botttle with a fan attached; I think I picked it up at Wal-Mart for less than $5.

It sounds like you've already got lots of things to do, but I highly recommend taking at least one ride on one of the bus routes. It's one of the first things I did my very first Pennsic, and I got to see parts of the campground that I haven't seen since. :-) It's a nice way to get oriented, though, and lets you just how big Pennsic really is.

Have a wonderful time! Hope to bump into you at some point!

Slan,

Grainne ingen Lugdach

Shire of Roxbury Mill, Atlantia

To: scanewcomers at yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Greetings From another Newbie (And Pennsic Questions)

Posted by: "bronwynmgn at aol.com" bronwynmgn at aol.com brangwayna

Date: Fri Jul 8, 2011 7:58 am ((PDT))

<<Do you really have to dig your own sesspits? I was looking into Pennsic for next year but I won't camp at a place that doesn't have at least freestanding latrines. Open sewage is a bit too historic for me plus its a health and safety hazard. I'd be too worried about disease and food contamination. >>

Good heavens, no! The Pennsic site has a small number of flush toilets and a large supply of porta-johns which are some of the cleanest you will find anywhere - often cleaned twice or even three times daily.

The "sump pits" the poster referred to are used to dispose of waste water from camp kitchens and showers.

Brangwayna Morgan

To: scanewcomers at yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Greetings From another Newbie (And Pennsic Questions)

Posted by: "Kyla" skycat at tds.net skycat_4

Date: Fri Jul 8, 2011 9:56 am ((PDT))

"I find it wise for events like Pennsic and Gulf Wars, which have a lot

of different activities going on simultaneously, to go through the

schedule ahead of time and make notes for each day on activities I

might like to attend. Since one of the big things I do at Pennsic

these days is to take classes, this allows me to figure out which of

the conflicting classes I want to attend when. Sometimes a class is

taught multiple times and I can choose to take the one which is only

being taught once and take the other one later."

Having a list of all the classes you want to take at a given hour has been

helpful to me when a class gets cancelled or re-scheduled.

That way, rather than waste time looking throught the book at A&S/University

Point, I can look at my list for what else I wanted to take at that same

time.

Each year, I get a little more organized - this year I will have a 3 ring

binder - which will stay in the tent - with page protectors to hold my

potential schedule for each day and the class notes and hand-outs for each

class I actually attend.

I will bring a transparent plastic envelope with the given days' schedule,

maps and Pennsic booklets, along with my 'in case' - you know, for in case I

get a blister, or in case I rip a seam, or ... and anything else I think I

will need, for my 'servant' to carry.

(My 'servant' since I haven't been able to convince a person to follow me

around in this role, yet, is a luggage cart with a super-size Land's End

tote bag strapped to it - I stuck a short piece of pine shelving in the

bottom of the bag to eliminate sagging.)

For daytime classes, chairs are mostly provided.

For evening activities in private camps, I have an ultra-light folding chair

which I strap to my 'servant'.

There's more about how I manage time and slightly limited mobility at

Pennsic, when my camp is about a mile and a half from Pennsic U, if anyone

is interested - I'm sure other people on this list have suggestions as well.

Tabitha Pennywarden

Ravenslake, Midlands

Middle Kingdom

To: scanewcomers at yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Greetings From another Newbie (And Pennsic Questions)

Posted by: "Justinos Tekton called Justin" justin at 4th.com courtney4thcom

Date: Fri Jul 8, 2011 12:21 pm ((PDT))

On Fri, 2011-07-08 at 10:35 -0500, Kyla wrote:

<<< No, not cess pits, Wren 378, no one said anything about raw sewage!

Shower run off sumps, so the dirt roads don't become quagmires.

There are port-o-johns everywhere, and flushables in some places. >>>

Very true, and he porta-john crews do an amazingly good job of cleaning.

These are the cleanest porta-johns I have ever used at an event.

While we are on the subject of sanitation, though, and since a newcomer

asked for guidance, here's mine. I've been War Chirurgeon twice, which

in modern terms means I was the person in charge of the First Aid team

for Pennsic several years ago.

One thing that we always stress, with good reason, is the importance of

hand and kitchen sanitation. What most people call the "stomach flu"

isn't flu at all, but often is a virus of a family called Noroviruses,

named after Norwalk, Ohio, where they were first studied in detail. The

Noroviruses cause nausea, fever, gastrointestinal upset, and related

symptoms; in most healthy adults, the virus is a nasty nuisance but not

life threatening.

The important thing about Noroviruses is that they are spread by

fecal-oral contamination. That means someone didn't wash their hands

after using the toilet, or that they left dirty dishes around the

campsite that were visited by the same flies who had previously been in

the loo.

Yucky? You bet! But the good news is that Norovirus infections are often

quite preventable with simple sanitation:

* Wash your hands thoroughly, with soap and water, after using the loo.

It is important to scrub vigorously for at least 30 seconds. Reciting

the "ABC Song" or "Twinkle Little Star" is a good guideline. The soap

doesn't have to be "antibacterial"....regular soap works fine.

* If no soapy water is available, the alcohol-based hand sanitizers are

an acceptable alternative, but again be sure to spread the sanitizer

well over your hand and fingers. This is not as good as the soap and

water route, though, so treat this only as your backup plan.

* Don't leave dirty dishes or leftover food sitting out in your camp,

and wipe down your dining tables and food prep areas with diluted

bleach solution.

* If you have symptoms like the Noroviruses, visit the First Aid/EMS

pavilion. The SCA provides only first aid care, but there are also

licensed physicians on hand from our professional EMS/medical

contractor. The physicians can help you be sure you don't have

something more serious and can help you avoid spreading it to your

campmates. Also, there is an SCA person who happens to be a virus

researcher in the modern world, and she tracks Norovirus outbreaks

statistically at Pennsic and helps identify patterns that might

indicate an area where some extra attention is needed.

So, when you go to Pennsic, help win the war against germs. Wash your

hands, wash your dishes, and stay healthy!

DISCLAIMER: I am not a physician. The above statements are sanitation

advice from an experienced Pennsic camper, and are not intended as

medical advice or medical training. Consult a physician for

authoritative advice on diagnosing and treating illness. Also, although

I have served on Pennsic staff numerous times, I am not on the staff

this year, and therefore I do not speak for this year's Pennsic staff.

Justin

Maistor Justinos Tekton called Justin (Scott Courtney)