Hectic Heaven

Planning for the camping trip. Reliving another

DH and I are planning for our camping trip this coming weekend.. we are both excited... this is somewhat different then the camping we normally do... we are going to go to a state campground, we havent done it in several years....I am going to take along one or two of my camp dutch ovens to cook with.. hopefully we will be right along the river so DH can drop a line whenever the desire strikes him..  We will take some cards with us, but I'm sure it will be quite different then what we are used to lol

We normally only camp at rendezvous... which involves using one of two tents.. we have a canvas wall tent (used for longer or cooler rondys, it has a stove hole:>)  or a large  wedge also known as an a frame for shorter warmer rondys... we have aother piece of cavas that extends out beyond the tents to make a nice fly  protection from the sun and rain.  These are what is refered to as primitive camps,  in which you try to keep everything  pre1840's looking... now I dont kid myself for a minute that the mountain men carried all the stuff around that we do..but the idea is to keep the 21st century look out (ice chests and water contrainers are covered, I do like to sleep on an air mattress , covered with wool blankets of course lol... once camp is set up I usually change into a long skirt and chemise with a long apron,  I do wear moccasins which are extremely comfortable.  

Mostly I cook over and open fire.. using cast iron pans and dutch ovens.. At night is it usually very pretty down in the primitive area.. there are usally camp fires here and there.. along with oil or candle lanterns that cast of a soft warm glow.   You can here people talking and visting and  during these weekends you spend alot of time visiting other folks in their camps... you come to look forward to seeing these folks from year to year...having no other contact with them other then this campout or maybe meeting up at another rondy.

There is much to do around the area.. usually many different contests... some hold dutch oven cookoffs,  all have  shooting trails, for rifles and pistols, there is usually a hawk and knife trail somewhere if your handy at throwing..  I dont usually shoot the pistol trail but do enjoy shooting the rifle trail... I have a 50 caliber Issac Haines rifle that has a swamp barrel. 

 I built this gun  between 04-05, It took about a year for me to make her.  I named her Sarah because  she is plain and tall (the moving  Sarah plain and tall)   but beautiful, the stock is maple with some beautiful curl up the forearm.  I stained her with a stain I made using steel wool disolved into vinegar, it took about 2 months for the concoction to brew... once stained I  rubbed her down with boiled linseed oil.   Whats a swamp barrel you ask?  Its a barrel they shaved some of the extra metal out of the middle... makes it not quite so hard to hold up.. in fact I could hold her up all day... she is only 7 lbs... and is almost as tall as I am  lol , so I am usually loading her up around chin level.   She is a dream to shoot... but I am sidetraced now.. back to camping

There are usually several traders around as well..its always fun to see what they have for sale... I usually take a spinning wheel or some type of weaving with me for the quiet times.   My whole family is very involved in this.. but most of them camp in the tin tipee section.  I have one brother that camps primitive with us usually...his wife and I usually do alot of our cooking together..  We have been doing this for 5+ years now...

What else is up around here... I am halfway thru weaving a shawl on the triangle loom I just finished building  the worst part was all the nails...  each side has 155  lol

Untitled Comment

12:25, 2008-Aug-18 .. Posted by borderling

Thank you for the look into your life. The roundezvous sound wonderful. Have a great time camping in the 21st century.
Love,
Rhonda