As we are getting more travel trailers and RV's into the Patron's campgrounds, I have a request to all.
Please try to leave the central area in the General/Open campgrounds open for travel trailers/RV's. This is a nicely packed area that they can get in and out of.
For folks bringing in travel trailers/RVs:
Due to the trees at the corner at the crossroad, a large (over 26 ft) vehicle may not be able to make the turn. Just continue another 50 ft and take a left on the sandy road and then into the central area.
Try to "pack" things up to allow the maximum number of vehicles to get in (i.e., don't setup a 100 ft perimeter when all you need is 20 ft).
Mike
for those of us that have the larger Rv's can we still park up front in the parking area again this year????
Quote from: beckgam462 on February 05, 2013, 02:55:03 PM
Mike
for those of us that have the larger Rv's can we still park up front in the parking area again this year????
Possibly not. Operations was spreading mulch up in that area last weekend and it would need to get packed down.
looking at the weekend of the 16&17 feb to camp
So what is the rules for 'clan' camping? Do they get to claim large areas and then treat them as their own private land?
I think that they can, to an extent. I've seen "clans" rope off area, hang banners, etc. It helps friends camp together in groups to add a sense of community, and safety/privacy. Within the bounds of their camp, they can have some amount of control over who else camps there, who socializes there, etc. And this is a GOOD thing, in my opinion?
I think, however, a more pertinent question might be: Can they set up anywhere they please, blocking access to entrances, loos, and/or parking areas? And if someone DOES "violate" their camp boundaries, whether to gain access to these blocked areas or by accident, do they have the right to harrass/threaten/detain them? How far do the rights of these Clans go, and how much authority do they have to be their own "police force"?
I actually have a question about this as well, in response to Chianti's comment.
My husband and I got into a pretty frightening altercation with one of the clans this Saturday evening. They'd set up along an access road marked as "Handicapped Parking" (and which featured a pretty sweet shortcut to the nearest port-a-potties and the entrance to the festival). We accidentally wandered into their campground after the festival was over (i.e., fumbling through an unfamiliar space at night) and were - I can only describe it as attacked. We were detained, threatened with calls to security, we were yelled at for "breaking clan camping etiquette" - we were finally "allowed" to be "escorted" by them, down the access road, to our camp. I'll be honest - I was sobbing like, well, like a girl. :-/
So, my question is - WTF? On the one hand, I get that they paid for their own semi-permanent, mostly-private spot. On the other hand, they were set up along the access road to handicapped parking (so could they reasonably expect that people WOULDN'T walk through?). On the one hand, *I* wouldn't want people wandering through my living room. On the other hand, this wasn't their living room. It's a camp. A camp that wasn't roped off, that wasn't marked as "Private, No Access," that wasn't marked in any way that I could tell.
The, uh, clan patriarch (for lack of a better word) had pointedly asked our friend to not walk through, so I understand why they might have been upset. But they'd never spoken with myself or my husband, and the intensity of their reaction was so - intense!
I've been attending and performing at renaissance festivals for over 15 years. This was my first weekend camping as a patron. I admit to some level of ignorance about clan camping rules - so would one of you kind folks fill me in?
Many thanks. :)
Heh. The intensity was so intense.
Clearly, I'm still pretty shaken up. :D
And *actually*, I just checked the published map on the SWFF website - there isn't any clan presence indicated, where we were (which was on the outskirts of the Quiet/Family Camping area). If they aren't on the map - and they had no signs posted beyond "Handicapped Parking" - maybe this wasn't actually a clan we ran into?
http://www.sherwoodforestfaire.com/wp-content/uploads/2012_Patron_Campground_Map.pdf (http://www.sherwoodforestfaire.com/wp-content/uploads/2012_Patron_Campground_Map.pdf)
--We were right next to the cul-de-sac near the area marked "Small RV/Travel Trailers."
Questions about the reserved areas are best addressed by Mike Pullen, who is the Campground Director (Manager) at Sherwood. As he spends long hours at Sherwood during the weekends til some time Monday, he probably has not yet seen the questions raised today.
There have been large areas added to the campgrounds in the last few months, both open camping and reserved camping, which do not show on the 2012 map.
Chianti and Morrigan – as for requirements for reserved area camping, again, Mike Pullen is the contact. Some of the requirements are spelled out on their main website at sherwoodforestfaire.com but there other responsibilities the groups must meet.
I'll try and address the recent questions.
First off, the clans don't pay anything extra for their reserved areas. They do have the costs (in equipment and labor) to clear the area. They are responsible for cleanliness and maintaining order.
The clans have folks out just about every weekend and many come out during our volunteer work weekends during the off-season.
Did I miss anything else?
As Polly has stated, best contact Mike Pullen for the most recent layout of the campgrounds.
Let me give you some history on the campgrounds. In the beginning (cause there's always a beginning), the area that now is the campgrounds was a forest. Management cut roads thru the campgrounds and allowed clans to stake out claims. The catch was:
> That the clans were responsible for clearing their area (physical labor, time, & $$).
> They also have to have members in camp on every weekend of faire so they can keep their area.
> Clans are responsible for cleaning up their area at the conclusion of any weekend and the end of the season.
So each clan had things to do to establish an area for themselves, and they have things they have to continue to do to keep their areas. Getting an area in the beginning does not mean they have it forever. So clans can and do get pretty protective about the area they have. The unofficial rule or "camp etiquette" is one doesn't cut thru a camp as it were a short cut, especially at night. People need to walk the roads to get to their destination.
Having said that, the description of the situation that "9sparksfly" found herself in was out of line. I can't see clan folks treating folks like that as a general rule. We've had folks that are lost wonder into our camp, tell us just that, and we've pointed them in right direction, shook hands, and sent them on their way. I hope anyone that reads this post doesn't let one bad situation influence them to the point where they won't camp at all.
Oooooookay. I get it. Honestly, the handicapped signs confused me - what was, in retrospect, a private road, looked an awful lot like a public road. (That and the lack of any signage or enclosures/boundaries). I'm not a butthole, and I totally get their desire for privacy (and their feelings of entitlement - I had no idea the clans did so much work on the campgrounds; major props to them!)
As it turns out, these guys had had a few run-ins with our camping buddy a friend a few times earlier that day. So what seemed unnecessarily awful to us was just a continuation of an earlier encounter. We had no idea. :-/
If it was me, I probably would have simply escorted us out and made a promise to myself to do something a bit more proactive about marking private boundaries. I still feel that, to detain us, to scream at us, and to threaten us was a bit excessive. But, now I know! Hopefully, the next time my husband and I camp, we'll have a better sense of where not to go (though I still say that if your clan encampment isn't marked on the map, isn't marked by any signage, and isn't roped off... Probably best to take a few shots and get ready to be patient with the n00bs).
What everyone has said so far is spot on, 9sparks. However, I would like to apologize for that clan's actions towards you - There was - no - reason for these actions to happen to you. As someone who is a pretty active member of a clan, and who loves her clan fairemly so very very much, that saddens me that a clan would act that way towards someone. If you were lost, they should have lended aid. They should have given you a hearty hello, asked how your night was going/something along those lines to see if you were lost, and helped you.
I assure you not all clans are that horrible. Most of them are tight knit families who welcome outsiders and are more than welcome to share their fire and stories with you. The clan I am part of, Phoenix Risen, is always open to whomever wanders off the road and is looking for stories and a warm fire.
Don't let this one freak accident damper your opinion of camping Miss Moo. Like I said, that encounter was a freak occurrence, and in no way represents what most clans are about. You'll find the campgrounds at SWFF to be an amazing, magical place if given the chance :)
Just an observation from an outsider here...If you are responsible for a Clan area, why would you not clearly mark it as private? Especially considering the liability issues described above.
My husband and I run multiple membership tents at a number of Scottish Games each year. We have to pay for our spot, keep it clean, clearly mark the areas that are 'non-public', and mark hazards the same way to prevent liability and injury issues.
The much bigger judging, beer and dancing tents/areas have to observe the same rules, so what makes 'private clan camping' different?
It's not hard or even expensive. Any party store stocks cheap flag strings. Hardware stores have driveway reflectors (if vehicles are a problem) and hazard visibility tape-the yellow/black stuff you tie on tent ropes to warn of 'drunk traps'-is easy to come by, dirt cheap, and highly visible in even low light as a perimeter marker. Just about all this stuff is reusable.
Just seems like a bunch of hard feelings could have been easily avoided.
I do understand why the clan may have overreacted due to recent events and warnings, but if it's just a case of someone wandering into an area that is not clearly marked, that is easily remedied.
Perhaps I can add a bit in answer to few queries from my limited experience camping at Sherwood, TRF, and various non-faire camps through the years.
Someone asked about where groups can set up reserved areas. Management has made certain areas available for open camping and others for reserved. The groups choose their area and are responsible for that area. There had been a waiting list for reserved areas and perhaps still is. It is not a land-grab such as at TRF each weekend.
As for blocking off access to port-a-potties, etc., no. However, some groups do have their own port-a-potties which they arrange for and pay for themselves. If a port-a-potty has a lock or is enclosed by barrier, it is private.
The reserved areas are set up so as to not block any entrances to the main camp road, the open camping, and the faire. Some entrances are actually driveways into the reserved areas – that is why they seem blocked – they are dead ends. I believe other road barriers prevent customers from accidently driving into the workers campground (never driven down them myself).
Regarding plainly marking reserved areas, the groups are limited as to what materials they can use. For instance, the plastic flags or plastic warning tapes are not permitted. There are new reserved areas where they simply have not had time to put up fences or markings. Anything outside of the open camping area should be viewed as reserved whether it is marked or not.
The reserved areas also include parking spots that the groups have cleared and possibly surfaced themselves (bull dozer, wood chips, etc.). Including parking spots in their area is part of what groups are required to do in order to have a reserved site.
As for wandering into "unmarked" areas, a basic rule of thumb is that open camping area campers should probably be encouraged to follow the "rock-paved" roads rather than cutting through any areas outside of the open camping. This is not just to avoid possible intrusion on other campers, but also because many places are not cleared. It is easy to get turned around in the late afternoon or night, not to mention face-planting into uncleared brush. We have had people stumbling through campsites between tents, not having a clue which way to go because they tried to take a short-cut and found themselves in the middle of a jumble of undergrowth. We have seen them follow a fence line trying to find an opening – a fence that separates the customer campgrounds from the worker campgrounds - there is no entrance to get in there.
As for privacy and entitlements, please keep in mind that there are many and varied clans/groups. While some may be young adult party groups that actually restrict themselves to age 21 and up, there are others that are comprised of mostly older people who retire early or maybe they party all night, too. Still others have children with them. Walking through a campsite might put you walking between tents with children in them. If a stranger seems to be sneaking around the children's tents, they can expect to be stopped and escorted out. Just because a tent might look empty does not mean there is nobody there.
Many of the reserved areas have an obvious entranceway approaching the fire. It's like the front door. You can wave at the people around a fire and may be invited to sit a while – or not, if they don't want company. Some will have parties to which everybody is invited. Some might let a newcomer pitch a tent with them if you fit in with the group. Others allow only persons they personally know to stay in their camps.
There is a camping etiquette that sometimes gets forgotten at some faire campgrounds. Just Google "campground etiquette walking through other campsites" to get an idea of what is generally okay and what might be considered rude. They are not "rules" but guidelines.
Sherwood is trying to encourage all types of campers to feel comfortable there. A little respect for differences goes a long way.
RowenD - that's my point precisely. I saw MANY other clan areas; all were clearly (and awesomely!) marked. I read that enclosures had to meet certain guidelines, but a simple rope (or even a sign) would have been pretty effective.
But, to their credit, it wasn't just a case of someone wandering in. Like I said earlier, even though my husband and I had no idea what was going on, these guys had pointedly asked our camping buddy to stay the eff out. Do I think that gave them the right to vent their frustrations on his two companions, who'd clearly never met them? Nah. And I certainly don't think it gave them the right to detain us, prevent us from leaving the way we came, or threaten us.
It does make sense, though, that if I was the one who'd cleared the land and who'd created the shortcut in the first place, I'd feel pretty possessive. I'm glad I know, now! :)
I'm a bit lost on all of this. I thought this was in 'clan camping' not general. Either way I wouldn't think anyone would have legal right to 'detain' anyone. Usually a state/fed badge, a crime committed, etc., is required for something like that...??
Would you please clarify your use of the word 'detain' just to be sure something isn't lost in translation? Are you stating that they physically blocked your ability and attempt(s) to leave their camp area even though they wanted you out of it?
Thanks!
mpullen and pollypopo, thank you for helping clarify what actually goes into having designated "clan" areas. Overall, I think it's a fantastic idea, and completely understand and support a group of people having a sense of propriety and possession over a "home" that they have worked so hard to prepare and maintain. Even beyond designated, mapped "Clan" areas, the same concept still applies in general camping, doesn't it? I have camped in community campgrounds, and understand perfectly the concept of "Our camp", and "your camp" and "their camp". You get there, you set up a camp of several people, set up whatever social areas and amenities (portapotties, kitchen area, etc) you want in said camp, and use rope/ribbon/arrangement of tents and cars to help designate that area as "yours". And you ask others NOT to traipse through it, and have a reasonable expectation that others will respect those boundaries. I GET that. And I SUPPORT it.
9sparksfly is bending over backwards here to accommodate and understand the viewpoints of people who verbally assaulted and abused her and her husband, disallowed them to leave when they desperately wanted to do so, and in general behaved in such a way that she felt very frightened and traumatized... which in my eyes suggests that she is NOT exaggerating her description of the altercation for the purpose of stirring a pot. Rather, I suspect that she may even be downplaying it a bit, considering that days later she is still shaken by the experience.
The big issue of concern here - and the one that it would behoove mpullen to address w/ camping groups (especially the group in question) - is this: If someone DOES violate the boundaries of your camp, whether by accident or intent, that does not give you the right to handle it in ways that BREAK THE LAW. I don't care if the situation had been completely different in character, if someone had blatantly disregarded a roped off area and repeatedly crossed a camp despite being asked not to... That camp is not an autonomous land, and its residents are not a law unto themselves. They are not law enforcement officers, and thus they actually ARE fairly limited in what they are LEGALLY allowed to do to prevent people from merely trespassing on ground they have claimed as theirs. If I am to understand this situation correctly, it sure sounds like some laws were broken. The "trespassers" were verbally assaulted, and if that verbal assault contained any language that directly or indirectly threatened violence, that's a Terroristic Threat. - a Class B Misdemeanor. They were willfully detained, without their consent, and by people who were not law enforcement officials, and that's False Imprisonment or Unlawful Restraint - a Class B Misdemeanor. She did not specify whether this detention involved simply bodily blocking their path and verbal intimidation, or actual physical restraint.. but if it did involve the latter, we are talking about Assault by touch or threat - a Class C Misdemeanor. See where I'm going with this? The PROPER way for this group to have handled this - especially if they had reason to believe that their boundaries were being willfully and repeatedly violated - would have been to call security, point out the violators, and have THEM deal with the situation LEGALLY. Instead, they chose to handle this situation by victimizing some people who made an innocent mistake, and break several laws in the process (laws which still would have been broken even if their targets HAD been intentionally trespassing.)
Now, I'm truly not trying to be gratuitously inflammatory, here. And I am absolutely not holding SFF responsible for the actions of this particular group... yet. But I am certainly alarmed at the very idea that this type of behavior would be allowed, defended, justified, or sanctioned by ANYONE, especially by the organizers of the campground. But if it IS? And this is considered OK? Yeah, it would certainly prevent me from camping there, or from recommending anyone else do so.
Yes, that is why I would like a bit more clarification on what these people did. I do not believe this event is false, being blown out of proportion on purpose by Sparks, etc., just want to break it down a bit. Words are powerful and convey a lot and when reading them in forums they can sometimes be misconstrued. I am shocked by it to say the least.
I am not so sure I would have handled things so calmly as Sparks and her husband did.... oy that would have been a scene lol. :o Anyone who knows me can attest to that lol! *whistles innocently* :)
Just so people who have not been to Sherwood know, there is campground security available.
Absolutely there should be no laws broken. However, in this case, for whatever reason, the incident was apparently not reported to security nor were law enforcement notified. Had security been notified, this entire thread would probably not exist.
If someone believes they are in danger, or a crime has been committed, all they have to do is report it to someone in security. The open camping area is close enough to the entrance gate to just walk over and tell them there is a problem. The guy there has communication with security. Campers could always call 911 if they have a phone, but it's probably easier and quicker to get security.
People have been evicted (from reserved as well as open camping) for fighting. Push it far enough and security can easily bring in law enforcement.
I'm not a camper there, but Bonny is correct in asking for some clarification. Someone from the "other" side of the altercation might be nice. Based on what I've read, the clan felt threatened (for lack of a better word) by the friend of the couple, having had previous run-ins during the day. If the previous run-ins involved theft of property or some other illegal activity, then maybe they did have some right to be a bit edgy.
Without knowing all of the details from both sides, none of us can really be an effective judge of what went on.
Either way I am sure Mike will get to the bottom of it if he hasn't already and handle it accordingly. I love Sherwood and am excited about going this coming weekend, and yes we are camping. We didn't get to go last season at all so I won't let a one time event deter me nor should it deter anyone else. It really is a great faire and has a lot of warmth and friendliness to it.
Quote from: Bonny Pearl on March 04, 2013, 06:42:13 PM
Either way I am sure Mike will get to the bottom of it if he hasn't already and handle it accordingly. I love Sherwood and am excited about going this coming weekend, and yes we are camping. We didn't get to go last season at all so I won't let a one time event deter me nor should it deter anyone else. It really is a great faire and has a lot of warmth and friendliness to it.
Amen to that! Sherwood is SO MUCH MORE than the weird, one time off thing that these two lovely ladies experienced. It is warmth and fun and great conversation and beautiful scenery. It's a quiet, tranquil pool away from the torrents that crash each and every one of us into jagged rocks every day. I cannot tell you how much my mood has been improved this year by simply going to SWFF each weekend at least for one day. I feel rested and revitalized and quiet among the loudness of this world.
..... Is it Friday night yet? I want a fire, a good book, a good hookah set up and my fairemly.
Perhaps we'll see each other, Bonny Pearl.
And, yes, I am certain Mike Pullen will handle the situation.
I will not speculate as to what actually happened. However, I do know that Sherwood management and security, working on conjunction with law enforcement, are doing all they can to make camping safe for all campers.
I would like to assure everyone that this event did NOT happen at the Impaler campsite.
I think MissMoo, who was not part of this event, needs to curb her/his comments as they have repeatedly taken the comments of 9sparksfly and misconstrued them. Additionally, Miss 9sparksfly has left out some details which are required to understand the full story.
That said, the event described should never had happened. All clans are required to have a 2-way radio that is programmed for the faire frequency in order to call security. Mike, you should probably remind some of the clans of this. We keep two in our camp, just in case the batteries die on one. Assuming a legitimate clan in their reserved area, and not general campers assuming control of their temporary land grab, I would expect Mike to address the group leader and the leader in turn to address his/her members. I agree that this is out of line and no visitor to our camp ground should be treated like this from a clan.
I would like to echo the remarks of others that this is not typical of the Sherwood campground. This may be a new clan who needs to be reminded of how we are expected to behave ourselves. In the end, the land belongs to SWFF and we can be evicted at any time.
9sparksfly, I apologize for the mis-treatment that you experienced. I surely hope that this event will not deter you from camping again in the forest. The forest is a beautiful and magical place. Sometimes, we have to fend off the trolls to enjoy it.
All the best,
Lorde Charles
Clan Procrastination
Is there a thread somewhere on the general forum that describes, in general, what's expected at a faire camp? I don't even know what people are talking about with clans. If I camp someplace this year, will someone explain all the "in crowd" assumptions to folks who are only familiar with KOA camping and such? Quite frankly, whatever happened in this specific instance, this has me a bit nervous about faire camping in general, especially as I'd probably be by myself with no faire-savvy people to show me the ropes.
Detained as in surrounded by five angry people, yelled at, and, when I asked to simply return the way we came, not allowed to (in lieu of handing us over to security that we might be thrown out or otherwise punished). I broke down I tears, and it was only at that point that we were "allowed" an escort out (by the clan leader, I'm assuming - he walked us out).
I assure you, I'm leaving out no details (save the name of the clan, as I feel it does no good to throw that around a public forum).
Also, we did report the incident to Shane with campground security.
I was not aware you had reported this to campground security; I'm glad to hear that you did.
Also, Bonny, the area that we stumbled into isn't designated as clan camping on the official map - it was the area right next to the cul-de-sac across from RV/Small Trailer camping.
I'm given to understand that it was very recently claimed and settled, which is why it wasn't on the map.
Confusing, I know. :-/
And, in all fairness, our camping buddy was embarrassingly drunk. Seriously, I wouldn't have wanted him staggering around our campgrounds, either.
We were confused and lost and unaware of clan camping etiquette, our "friend" created and then incensed a situation, and those guys were plain old provoked. I don't agree with the level of vehemence, like I said, but I certainly can sympathize with their frustrations.
In response to GryffinSong's query, I did a quick search for the word etiquette on the forums and found little about camping.
I have started a thread under Sherwood asking for input from everybody as to recommendations.
Maybe we can answer GryffinSong and others who might have questions (me included :-\)
It sounds like a classic example of two wrongs not making it right. Your friend for acting in a way to put people on edge and people in this clan going with the assumption that you were 'birds of a feather' when it came to your association with the friend.
Reporting it to security was a good move. It is in their hands now.
Quote from: PollyPoPo on March 04, 2013, 07:44:26 PM
Perhaps we'll see each other, Bonny Pearl.
Perhaps we will Polly! We will be in the general camping area with our travel trailer. If you wander around and think of it, look for Scottish flags flying from the flagpole mounted on the bumper and a small McLotofus sticker on the back window. :)
Quote from: spikey on March 04, 2013, 09:00:35 PM
I would like to assure everyone that this event did NOT happen at the Impaler campsite.
Yep, I bet we can safely assume that you and your crew were most likely up to other shenanigans lol! :) See y'all this weekend?
Quote from: 9sparksfly on March 04, 2013, 11:03:23 AM
RowenD - that's my point precisely. I saw MANY other clan areas; all were clearly (and awesomely!) marked. I read that enclosures had to meet certain guidelines, but a simple rope (or even a sign) would have been pretty effective.
But, to their credit, it wasn't just a case of someone wandering in. Like I said earlier, even though my husband and I had no idea what was going on, these guys had pointedly asked our camping buddy to stay the eff out. Do I think that gave them the right to vent their frustrations on his two companions, who'd clearly never met them? Nah. And I certainly don't think it gave them the right to detain us, prevent us from leaving the way we came, or threaten us.
It does make sense, though, that if I was the one who'd cleared the land and who'd created the shortcut in the first place, I'd feel pretty possessive. I'm glad I know, now! :)
First-Thanks Polly, for the clarification of rules-Sounds more like SCA (nothing allowed that looks modern) than event camping, to preserve the ambiance.
Sparksfly-I've dealt with almost the same issue. A few years back, hubby and I were invited to walk with a group in a St' Paddy's day parade. The person who invited us apparently had some serious personal issues with the leader of the group. After the host vented at the guy, (not about us, but about an unrelated issue ), he was gracious enough to assure us that we were still welcome to walk with the group, but the guy who invited us was only allowed along
because of us.
Uncomfortable.
Sorry, RowenD, if I sounded like it was anything close to SCA - it is not that kind of accuracy. It is only that faire management is trying to keep the foresty(?) atmosphere rather than a plastic jungle of neon and strobe lights.
Groups in reserved areas agreed to certain limitations keeping with the forest feel.
As with any endeavor there will be people who want something different. Hopefully we can keep Sherwood camping enjoyable for most of the people.
(edit - I find it difficult to phrase posts in this kind of forum so as not to be misconstrued by someone, trying to place myself on the other side and read my postings as if I had not seen them before. It is too easy to forget that other people often do not have the same frame of reference. Sorry for any misunderstandings.)
Bonnie-Shenanigans is something my crew takes Pride in. However, we were the ones that did have a rope swing that somebody's kids were playing on Friday before i arrived even though we had a rope across the entrance and had to remove the swing. It was implied in a previous post that this altercation occurred at that same campsite. It absolutely did not happen at the Impaler campsite. We had music, food, and fire for all that visited last weekend. Yes, I will also be there this weekend too. Hope to see you there. Come see our Green Fairies!
Sorry, Spikey. As you have found, the "attractive nuisance" concept applies in camp as well as neighborhoods. Not the same as a swimming pool, but an unattended swing, rope, hammock, whatever, attracts kids.
We often have kids in our camp, but they stay in our camp unless attended by an adult or specifically invited to another campsite.
As others have stated, it is a matter of respect, something that unfortunately is too often lacking, whether it is kids or adults who do not acknowledge boundaries.
Glad to see you defend your clan's reputation here.
Quote from: spikey on March 05, 2013, 10:52:28 AM
Bonnie-Shenanigans is something my crew takes Pride in. However, we were the ones that did have a rope swing that somebody's kids were playing on Friday before i arrived even though we had a rope across the entrance and had to remove the swing. It was implied in a previous post that this altercation occurred at that same campsite. It absolutely did not happen at the Impaler campsite. We had music, food, and fire for all that visited last weekend. Yes, I will also be there this weekend too. Hope to see you there. Come see our Green Fairies!
Well it is a shame you had to take the swing down. I didn't think y'all were involved in this situation at all. Your crew is very much like the rest of us in that we are more inclined help people, not harass.
We will be camping in the general camping area and will come by and see y'all for sure! Will the powder monkeys be out? We will have Wee MacKee with us.
Bonnie-Sorry, there will not be any children with us this weekend. We did add several more young ones to the crew this last year though.
Well that is okay and I can't wait to meet the newest members of the crew. Wee MacKee will stay busy with other maniacs out there.
I'm pretty shocked at that kind of behavior from any clan out there. I know that we have escorted people from Phoenix Risen who were drunken and belligerent but I have never heard of a clan that tried to actually hang on to someone for security to come and get them. For the most part we just want the badness to go away.
I've also never heard of a clan getting that angry about someone taking a shortcut through there camp at night. For the most part it is just a quick conversation of asking who the wandering soul is and then sending them to where they are going. (During the day we are much more protective on that due to thefts).
I'm sad to hear people saying they are rethinking camping because of a couple of complaints. This place is quite honestly the most secure and well taken care of campground that i have ever seen. The sad fact that 1% can ruin it for 99% is a truth in many places.
I was also noticing a bit of a trend in some of the comments that made the clans sound elitist or cliquish. We aren't. We do spend our own money and time to stake out a piece of land that we get to use as long as we maintain our area and our numbers. And we do get a bit protective of that space. There are many people on these forums that I have personally invited to camp with our clan because they seemed to be drama-free and willing to help maintain the clan camp area.
So come out to the campgrounds. Enjoy yourselves. Go up to any clan area you want and ask if you can stop in to visit. I am betting you would be happily surprised.
*bring rum to PR and ask for Teach. You will have made a friend quickly that way.*
I agree Teach! We are newbies and everyone we encountered has been welcoming and kind! Even when we were walking along the gravel road we had a clan shout " Hey! Who's that? Why don't you come back and say Hi? My name is _____. Want a swig of my fireball?" I'm sorry to see others had a bad experience. I hope 9sparksfly gives it another try!
I have to say that this was my first year camping at SWFF. We had a blast. everyone was so nice and welcoming. My group was invited to camp with Clan Procrastination but decided not to due to the fact we added 4 more party members and realized there were almost more of us than Clan P. lol. We camped in open camping but walking down the roads we were greeted by many people inside the clan areas. I had nothing but praise for SWFF campgrounds.
Question:
Last time we went to Sherwood we traveled with full water tanks in the camper. We'd like to lighten the load this time. Does anyone have knowledge of where we can stop that is close to Sherwood to fill up the water tank and be able to dump the tanks on the way back?
Thanks!
Bonny theres an RV Camp there in Bastrop on 71, I don't know if that helps or not!
Meant to mention earlier, but got distracted.
Last Saturday evening - Many thanks to whoever picked up all the empty beer cans tossed on the road leading from faire-to-camp entrance, down left back toward campgrounds. Looked like somebody was leaving a trail of bread crumbs, eerrr, beer cans to follow.
I didn't have a trash bag with me at the time. Again, thanks.
Quote from: Bonny Pearl on March 07, 2013, 07:07:10 PM
Question:
Last time we went to Sherwood we traveled with full water tanks in the camper. We'd like to lighten the load this time. Does anyone have knowledge of where we can stop that is close to Sherwood to fill up the water tank and be able to dump the tanks on the way back?t
Thanks!
From a quick Google search, two places in Giddings that might work with ya:
South Forty RV Park (979)366.9341
Sun Valley Mobile Home (979)542.5647
Good Luck!
Thanks everyone!
Hey everyone - my husband and I are thinking of camping for the first time at Sherwood this weekend.
He doesn't get off work until 4pm on Friday, so we wouldn't get to the campgrounds until about 7ish. Is there/should there be plenty of room still by then? We're not camping in a clan and would be in the general area. I understand the 'no reservations' thing, I'm just worried about driving 3 hours and not getting a campsite.
Thanks :)
Quote from: Lady Hez on March 13, 2013, 01:25:43 PM
Hey everyone - my husband and I are thinking of camping for the first time at Sherwood this weekend.
He doesn't get off work until 4pm on Friday, so we wouldn't get to the campgrounds until about 7ish. Is there/should there be plenty of room still by then? We're not camping in a clan and would be in the general area. I understand the 'no reservations' thing, I'm just worried about driving 3 hours and not getting a campsite.
Thanks :)
Since the campgrounds opens Thursday at noon for this Spring Break weekend, I foresee a massive influx of campers Thursday afternoon.
That said, when you arrive 7 PM Friday I'm sure you can find a camping spot. I will be in the area, packing in folks.
We are planning to leave before dawn tomorrow morning in hopes we can find a spot that will fit our camper when we arrive. That thing called Work got in the way today... and I need to make some Irish Stew for camp since it is St. Patrick's weekend and all. Oh and buy green things. :)
Quote from: mpullen on February 06, 2013, 07:20:41 AM
Quote from: beckgam462 on February 05, 2013, 02:55:03 PM
Mike
for those of us that have the larger Rv's can we still park up front in the parking area again this year????
Possibly not. Operations was spreading mulch up in that area last weekend and it would need to get packed down.
Mike
the Same question 1 year later
did the get the area up front packed for big RV or is it still a nogo to have the large RV up front in the parking area????
Quote from: beckgam462 on January 08, 2014, 08:39:38 PM
Quote from: mpullen on February 06, 2013, 07:20:41 AM
Quote from: beckgam462 on February 05, 2013, 02:55:03 PM
Mike
for those of us that have the larger Rv's can we still park up front in the parking area again this year????
I'll check the area when I go up for our Jan. 17th Gathering.
Possibly not. Operations was spreading mulch up in that area last weekend and it would need to get packed down.
Mike
the Same question 1 year later
did the get the area up front packed for big RV or is it still a nogo to have the large RV up front in the parking area????