HangCon '18
(woohoo!!)
January 12-15, 2018
HangCon '18 will be at big and beautiful Doe Lake in the Ocala National Forest - same place as the last couple of years - so sign yourself up here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...t#gid=81249707
Anyone who would like to take a lead on an activity, large or small, or any facet of HangCon, please chime in on this thread and add it to the activities spread sheet. And of course, sign up on the spreadsheet if you would like to participate so everyone can be prepared.
Some reminders about HangCon:
HangCon attracts all sorts of folks into the woods, and all are welcome: hardcore (and decidedly not hardcore) backwoods backpackers and car campers. Doe Lake enables folks to stay in close if they wish or to push off into a more secluded spot along the trails. For the more civilizationally concerned, Doe Lake also has flush toilets and hot showers on site!!
Martin Luther King, Jr weekend will still be the occasion, and it’s a frosty weekend we’ll be hoping for. By “weekend” of course we mean Friday through Monday. That’s January 12-15, 2018. The official first day is Friday the 12th, but anyone wanting to come early may come on Thursday the 11th. If you want to start earlier than that, please stay at a nearby site and come to Doe Lake on Thursday. Anyone who would like to stay until Tuesday the 16th (and help us clean up) is also welcome!
There will be a raffle. There's always a raffle! It will be big. It will be Saturday night. It will be cool. I have no idea what that means exactly but I always believe it and I've yet to be disappointed.
There will be food. Oh yeah… there will be food!! We will have calories, both beautiful and bounteous, for you to burn to keep warm.
Speaking of warm, there will be fire. It will also be big. It will be hot. It will be inside and it will be outside. And it will be going the entire weekend. Small fires at your site are permitted, but not encouraged - we want to promote the community that happens by the big fire ring. If you want your own personal fire, you have to bring your own personal firewood. Very important: DO NOT BRING FIREWOOD FROM OUT OF STATE!!
Here’s a sampling of some of the things that there will be to do:
- Hiking trips every day.
- Kayaking trips every day.
- Dutch Oven cooking classes every day.
- Dishwashing competitions every day.
- Survival classes.
- Navigation classes.*
- Knife sharpening classes.
- Knot tying classes.
- Kids’ nature activities.*
- A Gearage Swap.*
- Vendors eager to show you the good stuff.
- We will have a worship service Sunday morning after breakfast.
- We will have our traditional marriage vow renewals on Saturday afternoon.
- Every imaginable type of hammock rig for you to check out.
- Eating. Oh yeah…there will be lots of eatin’.
- And plenty of just laid back hangin’ around.
*We're looking for someone to lead this activity.
Those who sign up on the attendee spreadsheet will get an ubercool patch and a name tag.
There'll be a gear donation table set up throughout the event. Details on how this works will follow.
Cost: As always, there is no cost requirement for anyone to participate in HangCon. You don’t have to pay to come be part of the community, and have a good time with everyone. So please don’t let cost keep you home. Some specific events may have fees to participate.
That said, a mass hanging of this magnitude is not free. It is our hope to continue to keep attendance costs at zero for all participants and vendors. But based on past experience, we expect expenses to run over $5k. Donations are accepted, encouraged even (really encouraged in fact! and greatly appreciated!!) - recommendation: $5 a day per person. Raffle ticket sales and contributions to the gear donation table also help cover the expenses.
All funds go to the hang. There is no paid staff and any unused funds are used to support Doe Lake or are donated to the Fl. Trail Assn., Friends of Fl State Parks, and/or other similar outdoorsy, do-gooder organizations.
Funds: Timberrr & I will be the primary handlers of the funds....again (we would prefer someone else take over this task. PM me if you're interested.) So if you would like to make an advance donation - which would be very helpful and very appreciated, please PayPal (as a gift) to [email protected].
Raffle Tickets: will go on sale at HangCon on Saturday the 13th. As before, cost will be $5 for one ticket or 5 tickets for $20.
Raffle tickets are also available in advance. To encourage folks to buy tickets in advance, $20 will get you our profound gratitude, lotsa good karma, and 6 tickets (instead of 5) if you buy them before midnight 12/31/2017. The funds have to be in Gumbo's PayPal account before 1/1/18. To get advance tickets, PayPal a gift of the appropriate amount to [email protected]. Raffle tickets purchased in advance will be distributed Saturday afternoon. Please include your HF name as a note with your PayPal submission. We probably don't know your real name or your email address. Important: the PayPal note must clearly state how much you're allocating to raffle tickets and how much as a donation.
Meals: There will be group dinners Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Community breakfasts will be served Friday - Monday. Be prepared for your other meals and snacks as needed.
Rules: I don't like rules either, but here's what's what to keep things flowing for ya’ll:
In keeping with the Hammock Forums community and our usual vibes, this is a family friendly event. And it's going to stay that way.
This is a hammocking event. We allow tents as a courtesy (and because we’re gonna try to convert them). Pop-up campers, travel trailers, RVs, motorhomes, etc. just aren't part of the picture. If they would like to participate, they are invited to stay at nearby, RV friendly sites – and come in for activities each day.
NEW RULE THIS YEAR: Tents will have to set up on the north side of the access road (on your left as you drive in, the side away from the lake, next to the tree line). Yes, it could become crowded. Exception: if you need a tent for an infant or an older family member and you are primarily hammock campers then a single tent may be pitched with your setup.
Check in on the porch immediately upon arrival and before setting up. You may park behind the lodge while signing in and choosing a site.
Speaking of parking:
Parking in parking area only. If you wish to hang near your vehicle, pick a hang spot near the parking area.
Two exceptions: 1) those with a Handicap Parking Tag may park between the road and the fence (just before the lodge) close to the bathrooms. If you do that, you should also hang near your vehicle). 2) Parking behind the Lodge is for folks checking in (and then only for a few minutes) and for vendors while vendoring and need to go back and forth to their vehicle to do their vendoring thing.
You may drive to your site, dump your gear, pets and small children, even set up your set up. But when you’re done, park in the parking area.
Showers and bathrooms: Please clean as you go (hee hee hee) and take a turn sweeping/mopping. And don't forget your towel!!! We run out of paper towels every year because people who neglected to bring one from home use 20 or 30 paper towels to dry themselves after they shower.
Children and dogs: both are welcome. Dogs must be leashed or penned. Please use your discretion regarding your kids.
No generators and no hook ups. Doe Lake has plenty of fresh water.
Rule number one is HAVE FUN so…
LET’S GET THIS THING STARTED!! Get those bins out and start staging your gear! How will you know what you want for Christmas if you haven't spread all your gear out in the living room!?
HangCon Sign Up:
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by LuvmyBonnet
Bookmarks