* FLASH CAMP *

[Prem]

Flash Camp!
You've heard of "flash mobs" where people meet at a specific place for a hasty project or gathering using cell phones to know where and when to meet. This is similar but *way* more laid back and the fun lasts far longer! It's a flash camping get-together for a weekend, where you can arrive early or late.



DATE: SEPTEMBER 9-11, 2011

PLACE: Five miles to town, but remote and rustic, in the hinterland of the mythical State of Jefferson. Rockhounding sites and ancient archaeological sites abound. (Including the cave with the oldest known evidence of the presence of humans in the Americas, 14,000 years ago!) Fabulous, commercial hot spring nearby. (Bring bathing suit, bath towel and extra money.) Exact location to be announced September 7th only to respondents. Driving time from Sacramento: 5 hours, from Eureka: 6 hours, from Portland: 5 hours, from Eugene: 3.5 hours from Medford: 3.5 hours, from Redding: 3.5 hours.

The mythical State of Jefferson


COST: $15-20 per camping site per night. No doubling up.

CONDITIONS: Near river with spectacular mountain views. Cool nights and 70-90 degree days. Flush toilets, coin-operated hot shower but dry-camping conditions. U.S. Forest Service drinking water, but bring a 5-gallon jug full anyway. Be prepared for any kind of weather.

STIPULATIONS: You will be preparing one really nice meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) at your expense for everyone in the small group. (But not Saturday's dinner, which I'm cooking for everyone, 3 courses---salad, hot main dish and dessert.) Bring your own beverages.

GROUP SIZE: Limited to six. Only the first six respondents to this post who commit to coming will know where to go. Six means a maximum of six trailers/RVs.

HOW TO GET IN: Send me a PRIVATE MESSAGE via Facebook or these forums. First six only.

If you're adventurous, you'll enjoy the scenic views and the experience. Bring a telescope and/or binoculars, a drum, a guitar, a banjo, a fiddle, a flute, a harmonica, hiking boots, a Dutch oven, etc. Prize for best cowboy hat, so dress cowboy/cowgirl and wear paisley. Enough said. The first Flash Camp is ON. Are you IN?
Flash Camp!

[jhb]

Hey Prem, now that you've posted this in the South West section does that mean it's now less that a 11 hour drive for me...

That's one gorgeous picture you've posted, dang I love that neck of the woods, sorry I can't make it.

[mikeschn]

Interesting concept that flash thingie...

I might have to try that someday...

Mike...

[Prem]

John - Life is priorities. Just do it! (Plus, I guarantee that you won't have a sore or tense muscle in your body after this hot spring!)

Mike - Absolutely. Give it a try. (But why don't you just take off now and join us for this in Jefferson State!)



Prem

[curiouserand]

Looks awesome....too bad it is so far from the southwest!!!!

[Prem]

NOT SO FAR AWAY: You drive to Reno, get on US 395 to Lakeview, OR and you're almost there.

[Prem]

Registration Closed

Thanks.

[Wolffarmer]

Post flash update? Any one arrested?



Randy

[Prem]

Okay. You asked.

* Only 4 people and two trailers. Chuck brought Darlene and I brought my buddy Rick who wanted to check out trailer camping and hot springs.
* The site was a commercial hot spring in the mountainous high desert overlooking a 25-mile long, half-wet, half-dry lake bed near Paisley, Oregon with a huge field for camping and lots of patches of sagebrush around it.
* We caught up to Chuck and Darlene on the road just 5 miles before the hot springs. We arrived about 4 PM just in time for Happy Hour. When we pulled up to the office to pay, there were a half dozen people in costumes who had just come from The Burning Man Festival in Nevada. They had a whole bunch of bottles, ice and a blender going. They offered us free Pina Coladas and Margaritas. It was Rick's first time to this hot spring, and when handed a free Margarita, he smiled and said, "I *like* this place already!"
* We paid and drove to the far corner of the camping field. There was only one other vehicle out there already and the people were tent camping without a tent. We parked and got out of the truck just as two naked 25-year old gals popped up from sunbathing a few yards in front of us in the sparse sagebrush. (They were coming from Burning Man also.) Rick said, "I *really* like this place!"
* That was our first 15 minutes of the gathering. Then the big party came to us as 100 people showed up to camp out in tents and sundry vehicles as part of a big wedding. There was live music on the outdoor stage and the big barn was open with carpeted floor, sofas, bar and food tables. Our neighbors were all cool 30-somethings who brought guitars and African drums. Most were from the ski town of Bend, OR.
* The weather was the best of the year out there: 90* one day, 80* the others. Warm nights, a 30-second rain storm, full moon, orange and pink sunsets, lots of white clouds and an occasional wind.
* A great time was had by all, which included playing our harmonicas, string instruments, soaking in the three hot spring pools (one enclosed that you could swim short laps in) any hour of the day or night (3-4 times a day if you wanted). The food was fabulous and the side tour up the mountain canyon, swimming in the creek was exhilarating.
* Thinking of starting a new camping club that has nothing to do with the shape of what you camp in, based solely on camping out at awesome places and having maximum fun.
You asked.

[Wolffarmer]

Hey, sounds like a great place for the post Burning Man event.

This was my first year for Burning Man. That was something completely different. Starting to refit for next year.

Randy

[tupelosue]

Randy: refitting?

Prem, sounds like a pretty cool place. I'm sure the post-burningman crowd gave it a certain vibe, as well as the wedding celebration!

Cool idea for a gathering, tho, Flash Camp!

[Wolffarmer]

Randy: refitting?

Yes, I am willing to try it again. Don't know who will let me camp with them again



Randy

[Prem]

Well...okay. I'm gonna tell ya: I've been to Burning Man and there's something way cleaner and way cheaper that I like better. It's http://www.oregoncountryfair.org. Big, private camp grounds are all around the heavily wooded site.

It turns out for most people that I know who have gone to both, yer either a Country Fair lover or a Burner. I'm the former. The Country Fair is IN MY OPINION a kind and sweet ecoFEST along the Long Tom River, while Burning Man is IN MY OPINION a psycho-sexual, vodka and ecstacyFEST in a hellish, white dust environment like lower Manhattan the day the towers fell down...but...I just might go to Burning Man again one last time and park in the outer ring facing the landing strip where you don't have to be part of somebody else's camp.

This year was my 29th year in a row at the Oregon Country Fair. Same for my daughters.

[jhb]

Prem, I'm kind of with you on the Burning Man thing, though I'm not terribly against a thousand women riding their bycycles to raise breast (health) awareness... (not sure my wife would let me watch, and I know she wouldn't go to BM). But I'm also not sure I'd like a hundred folks I didn't know show up at my campground for a wedding either, but most places you have to deal with a hundred folks that showed up to go camping with their big RVs that run generators morning and evening.

But the hot springs sound nice (we camped at Grover Hot Springs near Markleeville this summer), and Paisley looks like a great spot.

Randy, kind of like me and shrimp, as long as you show up with Moose Drool you'll be welcome anywhere, no need to retrofit!

Besides, I brag on you and your trailer, you spent, what $89 building it and have just as much fun camping as those of us who (over) spent (by 100 times) building ours.

Cheers!

[Wolffarmer]

Randy, kind of like me and shrimp, as long as you show up with Moose Drool you'll be welcome anywhere, no need to retrofit!

Besides, I brag on you and your trailer, you spent, what $89 building it and have just as much fun camping as those of us who (over) spent (by 100 times) building ours.

Cheers!

Thanks John. Seems the Moose goes where ever I go. I should get a job with the brewer.

Not sure how much I spent. Didn't keep good track of it but it seems like I spent to much.

1 sheet 3/4 plywood
2 sheet 3/8
2 sheet 1/4
4 sheets 5x5 1/8 baltic plywood
Some hunks of plywood hanging around the shop
a whole bunch of pine, seems there is a black hole for pine in my shop. It seemed to just disapear
Some Oak, way to much of it
Maple
poplar
some pine/fir hanging around also
Lighting
hinges
Epoxy
varnish
Glue, glue, glue
feels like 100 lbs of screws
3 tires ( got a nice new spare )
coupler

But what a blast to build

Randy