HangCon '18 is on the books!

[juliekelch]

Thanks so much for all the hard work that went into making this a great weekend. Thanks for making us newbies feel welcomed into a great group of people.

[mbal1856]

OMG what a great time. Yes we did bring some of that cold weather down from Buffalo. Nothing like spending a day traveling south in the middle of January for some nice Florida sunshine, only to wake up in the morning and it was in the high 20's. Food was amazing, people were even better. For this Yankee, I did learn that moonshine is dangerous. Thanks Sugarlands, now I have to try and get some shipped up north. To everyone that worked setting this up and busting their butt all weekend thanks for making a memorable weekend. My only regret was that saturday was a travel day for us so we missed alot during the day. Definitely going to have to make my way down again.
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[Floridahanger]

So much to be thankful for and will need a few days to process such a GREAT week for me.

A hardy few are waking up this morning to clean up after 270+ campers. Thanks to you all for your dedication. Indeed after so many folk came and went, yesterday the place looked fantastic so thanks to all for their LNT practices.

Gumbo and Timberrr are amazing in their efforts to keep this tradition going so we can all get together and have a single location to call home for a few days.

If any of you ate something that you may consider a good meal like I did, that would be ricktorfla, the "HangCon cook". Rick, you absolutely slayed the pork butts. Didn't need any kind of sauce whatsoever. Perfect.

Mark(HYOH), yes, thanks for the cold. We hit a low of 28* and quite a few weren't expecting that, including a lot of you Northerners(that's anyone North of I-10:The Frozen North to us). I'm so glad you and Jonathan could bring your boys for at least a night. I really enjoyed listening to the taping of the podcast. Hey Jonathan, you sound just like the podcast. Mark, watch that shine, luckily there were no complaints about us around the firepit late into the night. Keep sending more pics if you have them.

Smurf Nation, Dream Hammocks for most, are such a great family. What a treat it was to spend the day with you. Thanks for indulging me in a little wet fun. Next year, we will be victorious in our quest. And I can't wait to see the pics Deanna is going to get.

It was such a great event to have so many of our family come down from different states. I'm so glad you were able to make it and I hope you had as much fun as I did. I know this is also a working trip for you, but to me, it's family first and vendor second. Batchstovez, UGQ, Dream Hammocks, Dutch. Yall have made this a perennial gathering and I look forward to it every year. I know there are more and my apologizes for not remembering all. I just get to spend a little more time with them around the fire and camp.

RSBTR, Terrapin Outfitters, I didn't get to see yall much and look forward to doing so more in the future. And Sugarlands, Greg and Jen, are such a wonderful couple and I had a great time with yall. Come on back next year, I think we can include you in our family as well.

Hopefully I can put up a few pics later. Please send more pics.

[Gresh]

I was asked to come out of HammockForums retirement to share my experiences.

Edited for content, originally posted to http://www.GreshOutdoors.com

Y'all write this down: January 2018 is the month and the year that I had to eat my words. Fortunately for me, my words taste like delicious bacon.

After years of unabashedly trash-talking HangCon in Florida and refusing to go because of the experiences that had been shared to my by several people from all over the country (all of whom I hold in high regard when it comes to how an event should run) I went this year. The super cool guys at Hang Your Own Hang Podcast smooth-talked me and my ego into going this year to take part in a live recording and I'm glad they did.

Hangcon, while not a part of any official or organized group, is the picture of how a 300ish person event should run. As the mantra for the weekend states, "Everyone does a little and a lot gets done." The hosts, "Timberr" and "Gumbo" as they're known online were the very portraits of professionalism and fairness - even to the point of asking me aside to discuss some of the things I'd heard and sharing with me that they could have handled things differently. Nobody's perfect you guys, but that took gumption.

Daniel Tosh, the comedian, is from Florida and famously describes it as "hot, flat, and stupid." I have to say I disagree with 33% of that - it was colder than a bullfrog's underside. Being fair, the PEOPLE in Florida didn't seem dumb - nice folks all around - but Florida itself is dumb and it's no wonder to me at all that God keeps trying to wipe it off the map with hurricanes. I'M LOOKING AT YOU, FLORIDA TRAFFIC AND LACK OF CELLULAR SERVICE.

I got there on Friday afternoon after a seven hour drive and checked in at the dining hall. There was somebody there to not only greet me, but to give me my complimentary patch and rundown of important things for me to know regarding parking, bear activity in the area, mealtimes, and to hold down the handle on the toilet because they were low-flow and were easily choked out. The event, I was told, was free but a suggested donation of $5/day was basically the norm. I'd left my wallet in the truck, so I forked over some dollars later and left the dining hall to set up.

It bears mention here that despite the campground being SUPER sandy, the dining hall was always clean and neat. I spent most of my cold, cold weekend in the dining hall reading and there was almost never NOT somebody in there with a push broom or dust mop sweeping. The community feeling of "taking care of this place" was all up ons.

I got set up near some friends and popped a squat under my tarp to do a little reading, and that was basically the rest of my weekend - doing a little reading. Did I do other stuff? Sure, Dream Hammock and UGQ Outdoor LLC was there and they're mighty fine friends of mine so I spent some time rubbing elbows with them. Sam from Batchstovez was there and I'd not seen him in some years, so I got to catch up with him. Dutchwaregear.com not only brought their entire staff, but Dutch had them doing all sorts of work in the kitchen the day I arrived (thanks for that, Dutch - you STAYED on the volunteer hustle and it didn't go unnoticed). Friends who'd come up to Palmetto State Hangers events made themselves known and I got to spend some time catching up with them. I made new friends. I recorded a podcast with Mark and Jonathan from HYOH.

Was there more to do? ABSOLUTELY, but I was down to relax - I didn't participate in any of the SEVERAL planned activities but I coulda did. I did participate in the Sugarlands Distilling Company tastings, though. If you guys read this, sorry I didn't stick around Monday morning - I had to get on the rooooad but I still love you and what you've done for butter pecan flavor everywhere.

I had fun, I saw some birds and chased them. I heard rumors of a bear trying to put out a fire that was left unattended and was spreading. Overall, though, I had to eat my words.

HangCon, much to my delight and chagrin, is THE premier family hammock camping event in the southeast and I can't wait to go again next year.

Thanks to all the vendors who were there to help make the raffle awesome, thanks to Sugarlands for making me MORE awesome (one cup at a time), thanks to Timberr, Gumbo, LilRicky, and all the other Florida crew for hosting this event, thanks to ALL THE VOLUNTEERS for cooking, cleaning, doing dishes, and literally everything else that needed to get done, and everybody who attended. Y'all showed me I was wrong, and I've never been so glad to have that done to me.

See y'all next year.

[New2trees]

Well,
What can you say about people who host a event that several hundred people attend and last's over 5 days. The countless hours of Planning, organizing, cooking, cleaning, and even policing such a event would tire the most energetic people. and yet it happens everything goes without a hitch breakfast gets served, even lunch , and dinner is always on time. I say Thank you! to all those who volunteer their time and talents to make this event happen.
A special thanks to Timber, Gumbo, Richtorfla, LilRicky, FlaHanger J-E-M. for your tireless efforts You Guys Rock!
Rick you did a awesome job on every meal from the pulled pork ( no sauce needed) to the Shrimp boil was perfect. Gumbo the Gumbo was outstanding!

As a vendor I'm fortunate that I get to meet a lot of people at HangCon I thoroughly enjoy the conversations and meeting you. Over the years many have grown to be part of My hangCon family.
Gresh It was good to finally meet you I enjoyed our conversations I hope you will be back next year.

I most enjoy Just trying to help out around the kitchen and cook tent it amazes me how that magic happens., Richtorfla,Ghang, Bomber21,Jim Love you guys.
we Had some new faces to step up this year 57Koop, Pete, cutty and several others that bounced in and out to make all that happen.
Fla hanger Thank you for the Upside down fire Sunday night just not the same without it.

A special thanks to all the Vendors. I wasn't as lucky this year :-( Guess I will just have to get more raffle tickets next year.
George ( Loco libre Gear ) I hope your well my friend once again I missed our fireside chat.
I had a few firsts this year: My wife Anna maria received her Trail Name ( Cold Spot) that's a story I will let her tell.
My first taste of moonshine thanks to Sugarland ( Greg and Jen) Greg I enjoyed our conversations Sunday night and our bear deterrent expedition! LOL
And last My first day in the sunshine state without any sunshine.

[Randonneur]

While I didn't really enjoy the freezing temps,rain and wind, I did enjoy meeting so many kindred spirits. The vendors that I met were absolutely fantastic and went above and beyond to help this fairly new member to the hammock community understand all the differences between gear. I made a lot of new friends, reconnected with a couple of others and was blown away by the camaraderie. Much has been said already about the planners and organizers of this event and all I can do is agree with everything that has been said. I'm not sure what next year holds for me but If I'm able, I look forward to attending.

[Randonneur]

it was great to meet all of you and I would like to also thank Timber gumbo and all the vendors for making this a great 1st time at hangcon. we will be back next year. and also a great big thank you to Rando for giving my car a jump so I could get home, much appreciated sir.

I'm glad to know you made it home safe and sound.

[Floridahanger]

Sorry for throwing a non-continual report. Writing as I process.

Thanks Dutch for that awesome shirt with HangCon 2018 on it. It fits great and looks even better. Almost hides my.... A great feeling shirt.

Also thanks to CoolBobby for the Pocket Bellows. It was used quite a bit this weekend. A very cool gift and I think it will be appreciated by folks for years to come.

And 2 very big thanks to:
-Timberrr and Gumbo for lending me several TQ/UQ combos to keep my family warm. We weren't prepared for 28* Florida Winter. My last look at the forecast had us in mid to low 40's.
-Flip and Spider Bite(the name does flow nicely) for gifting me a silpoly hex tarp(choked me up a bit) (and maybe a little tear) . My old DIY tarp failed me in the rain and with my current lack of funds it would be quite a while before I can fix it and longer to get a new tarp. Thanks you two. I will cherish the tarp with every rain that comes my way.

So many wonderful folk keep coming in to HangCon to make this a very special hang. Enter Trip Smith(Formerly SailingandSuch on YouTube) to bring the "Geetar" to the fire pit. We love us some Sweet Sounds of SailingandSuch Singing and picking. G-Hang(I know not your first HangCon) to do everything asked of him. Good karma points paid off in the raffle. Country Bear for jumping in and helping me and Flip pack my car. I'm sure there was a lot to do Tuesday as well.

Gresh, that was very well said and I'm glad you took the time to find out for yourself. Also glad you could take time to relax and read a little. Next year, come read around the fire pit. There was Plato being read and discussed there. I'll mark out a small reading area with chairs and hopefully some Sugarland in every cup holder.

*Edit*
LuvmyBonnet, almost forgot, thanks for the thermal bag and little extra gift in it. Will enjoy putting fish in it whilst kayak fishing and hopefully can get an overnight on a spoil island as well.

HYOH Podcast. Everyone should go to the right of the main page and click the HYOH image to hear their podcasts. All of them are there to hear in order if you wish. They're a great couple of guys and have some super respectful kids enjoying the outdoors. Mark and Jonathan recorded a podcast at HangCon 2018 if you weren't aware of it. They had a small round table, well rectangle, with some very good guests. Should be very entertaining and informative. Also, Jonathan, you sound just the same in person.....I like to creep you out.

[Gresh]

There was Plato being read and discussed there.

I'm not sure if I believe you, but I'm willing to put it to the test. Next year I'm bringing my copy of The Meditations and see how that lands.

[Floridahanger]

I'm not sure if I believe you, but I'm willing to put it to the test. Next year I'm bringing my copy of The Meditations and see how that lands.

I have totally spaced on the name of our guest reading the book. He is really tall, dark hair, a few kids. Trip was filming the fire mid day as he was roasting sausage for lunch. I hope he got the footage... or it didn't happen?