FSGW - Camping

Subject: FSGW - Camping
From: bbelle
Date: 16 Aug 99 - 03:09 PM

FYI ... had to make a new me in order to access from my office ... the moniker is self-explanatory.

I'm going to attend FSGW and want to know if tenting campsites will be available? Do I need to reserve ahead of time? Should I contact NPS? Would I be considered a day-tripper?

Since it looks like cabin space may be at a premium, I thought I could alieve some of the pressure by providing my own space. This will free-up space for someone who doesn't camp, etc. ... mc aka moonchild

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: KathWestra
Date: 16 Aug 99 - 03:44 PM

MC aka Moonchild -- I can answer some of your questions -- and put in a plug for my favorite music weekend at the same time! Yes, you can camp (although I don't think there's a shortage of cabin space). And yes, you'll be considered a daytripper. You need to register with FSGW so you're signed up for meals as well as a campsite. And I have no idea whether you also need to let NPS know. Maybe Charlie Baum, who's in charge of this event, can give you better directions.He's a known Mudcatter.

Now for the plug. The FSGW (Folklore Society of Greater Washington) Getaway has been going on for 30+ years, and is held every year on or near Columbus Day weekend in October. It's a relaxed, family weekend with lots of participatory singing, song swaps, workshops on all sorts of topics, a little dancing, concerts (sign up for 1 song/story per participant) on Saturday and Sunday nights, and usually a handful of invited "performer" guests to spice up the musical menu. Oh, and the menu includes meals catered by Debby McClatchy. Yum. I think you'll enjoy it. Introduce yourself when you get there. Kathy Westra (who's been going to Getaways since 1975)

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: bbelle
Date: 16 Aug 99 - 05:23 PM

Kathy ... thanks for the info. I'm planning to attend. I tried last year but my grandmother died and I had to cancel ... it was a disappointment. I expect to hear from Charlie re the camping but will also do some research on the 'net. I've heard so much about Debby's cooking that my mouth is, indeed, watering! I'm the type of person who needs some downtime from chaos and figure camping might serve me best, although I don't expect to spend much time at the campsite! Again, thanks, and I'm looking forward to meeting you, as well as a host of others ... mc aka moonchild

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 16 Aug 99 - 05:23 PM

MC/Moonchild--

Cabin space should be a-plenty. We even have 30 rooms on hold at the Super-8. The most limiting part of our capacity is actually the amount of food we can prepare in the kitchen, given the size of the ovens and stove.

If you want to camp officially in Prince William, the NPS will steer you to the Oak Ridge Campground, which is in a different part of the part, many miles from the Getaway site. If you just want to set up a tent on a lawn in the midst of the Getaway cabins--I'll have to check and see if that's okay; if so, it's probably a lot easier to get forgiveness than to get permission. But if you do (or if you use cabin space instead), you should probably register as an all-weekender or almost-all-weekender. That'll cover both sleeping space and breakfasts, neither of which are available to daytrippers.

The most important thing about advanced registration is that we will have food for you. We need to know how many people will eat at which meals in order to make sure we have enough food, and given that food is our limiting factor, you should DEFINITELY register in advance.

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: Allan C.
Date: 16 Aug 99 - 06:01 PM

Ditto on the camping thing. I would want to do that as well and I think I may be bringing at least one other camper along (another tent or two besides mine). Bong de doo dee bah dah bah doodee -- DAYTRIPPER, YEAH! Oops! I guess that isn't folk yet. *EG*

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: Bill D
Date: 16 Aug 99 - 08:43 PM

Once, a number of years ago, two friends of mine came to the Getaway and camped, as Charlie said, on the other side of the park, at the 'official' tent camping area...they said it was fine, but it it was about 15 minutes to drive clear around to the area where we will be...whether it will work to pitch a tent in Area 4 remains to be seen..I suspect it WOULD need to be inconspicuous...park personnel are pretty strict about rules...*shrug*...

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: bbelle
Date: 16 Aug 99 - 09:34 PM

Charlie ... Have no fear, as I do plan to register for the Getaway in advance, just haven't had time to sit down and do it.

Allan C & Bill D ... I'm still thinking of camping. I'm not so concerned about breakfast, I'm a pretty good camp cook. Perhaps we can have a "Mudcamp" Colony in the park? My intention is not to be self-absorbed, but I do require some downtime, not much really, but without it I begin to feel claustrophobic. Now, I really sound like a space case, don't I!?!?!?! Actually, in folk circles I find I am in very good company and don't view it as a flaw in my personality, but more the norm.

I'll do some checking online regarding the park and tent camping facilities.

If there are a few of us who want to camp, perhaps we can agree on a particular area so that we are together but not in each other's "tent", so to speak ... mc aka moonchild

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: j0_77
Date: 16 Aug 99 - 10:25 PM

Folk goes to Washington - new thread I guess.

After meeting and picking under so many trees in the midwest and camping many a time in some bunch of trees whatever - the idea of corpofolk is kinda wild but if there is real folk singing there, it may be worth the effort.

Can't be any worse than Winfield ($100) - heavies running round all over the place - generic celtic jam sessions (very funny to my ear read bio) playing Irish Trad or bits of it mixed in with something - wonder what that might be? - and telling *me* it is Apalacian or worse still Scots - If u really wanna make me mad tell me that 'Miss Mc Clouds' Reel is Irish or 'The Humors of Scariff' Reel is Scots.

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: Charlie Baum
Date: 16 Aug 99 - 11:27 PM

We're still researching the official permissibility of setting up private tents in the Getaway (Camp 4) area, but it may take a few days to get official responses.

The cabins, by the way, are beautiful and rustic. Prince William Forest Park has a website. The cabins you'll see there under "cabin camps" are in Camp 3, but they are similar to the ones we'll inhabit for the weekend. When you're not asleep, if you want to get away from it all, venture in almost any direction in to the woods and you'll be alone. There's a river/creek and a small lake/pond (if the record drought this summer hasn't dried it out) close at hand.

J0_77: I can assure you that there will be real folk singing at the Getaway (and a fair amount of non-real-folk singing). People will sing traditional material and the songs they've written themselves, ethnic ditties in odd languages and the songs of their favorite singer-songwriters. Many of us in the FSGW know unusual material, and many of us also know the provenance of the material we sing. We've got folkies of all stripes, including traditionalist curmudgeons.

-Charlie Baum

--Charlie Baum

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Aug 99 - 02:21 AM

Also Charlie, isn't there a "hook-up" campground close by? Do you have any additional info on that?

catspaw

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: Jeri
Date: 17 Aug 99 - 09:49 AM

'Spaw, if you go to the FSGW web page, it says
"If you require hook-ups for your RV, the Travel Trailer Village is on Route 234, at the entrance to Camp 4, about a mile away from the festivities; make pad reservations directly by calling them at 703-221-2474

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Aug 99 - 10:06 AM

Well, DUH!!!!!!!!

Remember Jeri, nobody likes a smartass.........which explains why I live in a litterbox on the edge of this Village instead of one of the nicer homes in the middle of town. Later Neighbor,

Spaw

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: KathWestra
Date: 17 Aug 99 - 12:26 PM

Just had to reply to JO_77. The wonderful thing about the Folklore Society of Greater Washington is that it has provided a respite from "official" D.C. for so many of us for so many years. (I've been involved since moving here in 1976.) While many of our 2,500+ members have government jobs, this is not a political/corporate community. We're a community of singers (Charlie Baum explained that one very nicely), instrumentalists, dancers, songwriters, listeners, and concert-goers who share a love of these things we enjoy. We're an eclectic bunch who have come together to have fun under the loose mission statement of "preserving and promoting the traditional folk arts in the greater Washington, DC, metropolitan area." Under that banner, and with so many folks involved in different ways, there's lots of room to explore. I think everyone planning to come to the Getaway will have lots of fun. Kathy

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: j0_77
Date: 17 Aug 99 - 12:49 PM

ooopz - I am in I guess - just keepin the colectin traditional :)

Subject: RE: FSGW - Camping
From: Bill D
Date: 17 Aug 99 - 10:20 PM

(and the traditionalist curmudgeons aren't TOO bad...their soapboxes are confiscated after 10 minutes, so....)

Truth is, you can hear just about anything you want on any day...great fun..