WOW!

What an awesome event. We got started with a bang when the nice Rangers
opened up the closed loop so we could all camp together. It got better from
there. Brent and Debbie showed up with an entire trailer of firewood, and
then some newcomers were given a hearty welcome when they contributed
another half trailer load. One bus broke down on arrival, one bus made it on
the left front brake (they knew because it was the only hot one), and one
bus arrived in tow. I think about ten busses were newcomers-the biggest
turnout of fresh people yet.

I know that there was a community breakfast on Saturday morning, but Dana
and I kind of missed it, unfortunately. Mad Uncle Dave cut out fairly early
in the Burrito Express to honorably serve in our country's defense, giving
us all vaguely uncomfortable thoughts for the remainder of the day. A
mountain bike ride was organized, but poorly attended. Charles and I gave it
a go for at least a mile before heading back.

Most of the day was spent visiting with the with the passengers of the
thirty busses in attendance. There was everything from half a dozen
Splitties to a brand new Eurovan with a side tent and a back tent. It was a
magnificent mishmash of models and years.

Saturday evening the fun began. Someone made fifteen gallons of homebrew and
coincidentally Maddog was selling hand etched commemorative pint glasses.
The community Irish themed dinner was variations of excellent Irish stews,
washed down with the brew. What a meal. I think that I never realized the
colossal importance of the community meal until this campout, when I watched
something like a dozen young kids fed, washed, and put to bed in about
thirty minutes flat. In the middle of all that dinnertime precision the kids
were also given their door prizes. One fortunate set of parents saw their
child awarded an elaborate water balloon launcher.

Maddog then gave out the Adult prizes, which ranged from t-shirts,
commemorative glasses, two supreme prints, and the other water balloon
launcher. We gave him a big sendoff for his Appalachian thru-hike, which he
begins on Tuesday. You can follow his progress at:
http://www.trailjournals.com/underdog

Then we all had to go home today. That part sucked.

Pictures will be posted whenever Snoopy gets around to it, so don't pester
him.

Tom and Dana Cates
Asheville, NC
83 Air-Cooled Westfalia, 'Hammurabi'
www.fullmoonbusclub.com/
www.type2.com/rescue/
http://members.home.net/fullmooninjoon/index.htm