Longs Peak Scottish Highland Festival meetup

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

Only reply IF you are going to be there.

• When and where do we all want to meet up since the Giant Hamster bit it and is no longer there (I guess the cat got him)

• Toki and I will be there only on Saturday and get there around 9am. We want to see all three jousting events if possible

• What time works best for everyone?

• I still maintain meeting in the living history area (by the Trebuches) is the easiest to find.

• If you are wearing garb, what are you to be wearing so we know what to look for. I'm not sure if I'll be in my Irish in blues and reds or not yet

• So only post if your going to be there and what day you will be there and time suggested to all meet-up

[Hey- Arent You?]

We want to see all three jousting events if possible

just an FYI-  the jousting events are not like at faire.  they are not staged, there is no bloodshed.  these are actual contestes between professional jousters for points.  it's great to watch but if you go expecting combat jousting, you'll be dissapointed. they joust with lance & spear gainst really small targets (2" ring), quintain, hay bails, etc.

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

We want to see all three jousting events if possible

just an FYI-  the jousting events are not like at faire.  they are not staged, there is no bloodshed.  these are actual contestes between professional jousters for points.  it's great to watch but if you go expecting combat jousting, you'll be dissapointed. they joust with lance & spear gainst really small targets (2" ring), quintain, hay bails, etc.

Actually... yes they are. We saw the Heavy competition last year and saw 1 knight knocked loopy and a 2nd un-horsed for real not some actor jumping off his horse to look like a fall. The 2006 Champ broke his collar bone Friday during the joust and did the ring and spear toss on Saturday but was going to do the full on all three events on Sunday. He would grimace in pain with each action he took even just riding a horse you could tell was painfull.

The jousting at faire is a complete act with NO lance really hitting the shield. At the Highland fest they do use Balsa lances that do shatter, but they do hit with force and do un-horse riders and knock them loopy. I saw it all last year The skills competition which was the middle event last year was the ring, quinlan, spear toss, the 1st event which we missed was light which is full armor and shields the last is the Heavy with no shields except that which is built into the armor in the shoulder region.

These knights also use REAL jousting style horses (The draft horse was bred for this not so much working in fields) One had a mix and one had a TenNesee walker, but all other horses where draft. The knights at faire use skinny, no energy horses. Last years at the Highland games horses did rear up and we MUCH harder to control as they had spirit. Those at faire were what some refer to a beginning riders horse... or close to it. Having been raised on the horse racing track and family that raised horses and rifding horses for the first 18 years of my life, I can tell the difference between spirited and non-spirited.

So DO NOT be disappointed, the jousting is FAR more real that what takes place at CoRF.

[Hey- Arent You?]

ummmm.  that was my point. that it is not a choreographed stage show as is the joust at CRF. there will be no blood packs.

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

Toki and I very much enjoyed the jousts at the Highland. While not as full on as those Crazy Brits over in England do, it is fun and you may see a knight knocked from his/her horse (Yes there were female knights there last year).

This is as close as we get in the states to full on jousting and not some actor jumping off his horse and doing staged combat. The Highland games are the championships for this sport and they do get a few contestants from other countries. While the purse isn;t much in terms of other full on contact sports, these guys do it for fun and love of it and do make some money doing this sport.

See you there on Saturday.

[Tanda]

I will be there Saturday. No idea when, hopefully early. I would like to see the jousting. (And just FYI, if you think all the CRF horses are non-spirited, you didn't see Sadie. Sadie is a nearly black draft mix the boys were training this year. Under Roderick, she looked fabulous and a little creepy  - that whole black on black thing. She's just too nervous of the fence and crowds just yet) But I would like to see some non-scripted jousting for a change. I still see the jousts in my dreams and can reenact each joust in 60 seconds. *shudder*

Anyway. I will be there Saturday, not in garb.

[Demetrius]

When we find out if we are going, I'll post an official post here...

I won't need to see the jousting. There is a park just down the road from my house where I get to witness the world's finest foam-n-duct-tape jousting you can imagine. I am particularly fond of the cardboard shin protectors, strategically held in place with electrical tape. The blood packs, I believe, are made by "Heinz."
Don't get me wrong, at least they seem to be enjoying themselves and they always perk up when I yell out the name "Douglas Adams."

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

When we find out if we are going, I'll post an official post here...

I won't need to see the jousting. There is a park just down the road from my house where I get to witness the world's finest foam-n-duct-tape jousting you can imagine. I am particularly fond of the cardboard shin protectors, strategically held in place with electrical tape. The blood packs, I believe, are made by "Heinz."
Don't get me wrong, at least they seem to be enjoying themselves and they always perk up when I yell out the name "Douglas Adams."

OH, You must be talking about the IFGS (International Fantasy Gaming Society) I know them, i know them well, I used to belong to that orginization many hundreds of years ago... well maybe not hundreds, but a long time agio in a Galaxy Far Far away. um no that's not it, In a past life? Yes I guess that could work.

Very intelligent group of people they are, but lets just say they are typical "gamers" they've got the FUNK!

[Avan]

I will be there all weekend starting tomorrow.   I'll be in my kilt and maybe my frock and hat.   I'm not sure what time I'll be at anyone place so look for me.

[Blushing]

I'll be there Saturday, wearing a tam and my St. Columba plaid scarf.  I won't be checking back before the weekend though, so have a fantastic time everyone!

[Demetrius]

We went last Saturday and found a really good spot to meet if anyone is still interested!!

On a more serious note- we looked for everyone, saw Tanda and Bear and several other people from faire. We missed Lady de Laney and Toki. 

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

Sorry we missed you. We say Shoni and Blushing and one other Oh and the Heardy Geardy man who used to work at faire and still does a few days of faire (known him a very long time).

Sorry we missed any others who showed up. We looked for the Giant Hamster but I think it got scared off by the Giant Cat squilling it's head off when squeezed by those funny guys in plaid skirts

[Demetrius]

I wore my utilidress... er utiliskirt... uh utilikilt, yeah, utilikilt!

[Hey- Arent You?]

I wore my utilidress... er utiliskirt... uh utilikilt, yeah, utilikilt!

KilltilaYule?

[Zoë]

Sounds like a weird new winter holiday.

[Tanda]

I saw EVERYONE....or nearly. Couldn't walk more than 10 feet without running into someone that knew Bear. We saw you Lady DeLaney! At the joust. We sat with Blushing and Shoni. And I was wearing my Hamster shirt, just in case. (picture of a hamster and text "Your mother was a Hamster and your father smelt of of elderberries")

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

WOW sorry Tanda I must have been in a MAJOR zone... Actually I was a little cold... a lot hungry... and dieing of thirst so I was probably in a major haze... then again I am pretty spacy anymore... it's the meds I take... no really,

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

My Great shots of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Oppps Blushing and Shoni,,, I could have swore it was Brad and Angelina

Oh the reason I call my camera the "Paparazzi Camera" is









Toki and I were in the Western outside stands very top most north corner and Shoni and Blushing were in the western permanant stands about 10 yards from the announcer

[Zoë]

Love it!  Was it chilly that day?  It's always weird for me to think of "festival" events being cold...because with the off rainy day at CORF we rarely get a chilly day...

[Capt Gabriela Fullpepper]

It was a bit chilly because of the wind mainly. The clouds kept hiding the sun. I guess Friday it was down right freezing with temps in the 40's mixed withthe rain. Sunday we were not there but 35 miles to the east where Toki and I live the sun was out and shinny all day.

[Avan]

I did see Tanda and Bear and a few other people from Faire.  I wish I could have seen the rest of you.  Friday we were there for only an hour before it closed and Saturday and Sunday for the most part.  It did slowly warm up over the weekend.  I kinda liked it being a bit cool/cold  made me think we were in the Highland and keeping warm with some nice nips of scotch. 

[Demetrius]

I did see Tanda and Bear and a few other people from Faire.  I wish I could have seen the rest of you.  Friday we were there for only an hour before it closed and Saturday and Sunday for the most part.  It did slowly warm up over the weekend.  I kinda liked it being a bit cool/cold  made me think we were in the Highland and keeping warm with some nice nips of scotch. 

I'm surprised we missed you on Saturday, but it was standing room only at one point. I heard the weather on Friday was kind of foggy and very impressive.

[Blushing]

I was there Saturday and Sunday (thanks to a free ticket) and had a wonderful time!  I was staying with friends at the YMCA center - I highly recommend those cabins.  I spent some time with Shoni, and met up with Tanda and Bear for the joust, and also bumped into Lady DeLaney and Toki.  I wish I had seen more of you!

My photos aren't spectacular, but here's the link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/blushingbiggins/LongsPeakScottishIrishHighlandFestival#

[francesca de la calabreze]

I got there Thurs nite and spent the weekend... Friday I did all my shopping.. it was wonderful, no crowds, cold and rainy...  Saturday and Sunday were music days.  Spend Saturday avoiding the crowds by staying in the music tents..(there was a new tent this year).  And Sunday was music and early morning shopping....  All together a beautiful weekend.  I loved the early morning fog in the valley and the warmer sun in the afternoon..