Pennsic XLIII

[Stanislaw]

The shopping is huge, BTW. We usually spend 2 days just doing that. It's all geared towards SCAdians and re-enactors, so it's not just the typical renfaire sort of shops, though there's a lot of cross-over.

That's awesome!

[Ian]

Anyone going to Pennsic this year?  I think Lord Dane is attending, yes?  I'd love to just have the opportunity to check out the artisans and merchants.

[Sir Edward]

Anyone going to Pennsic this year?  I think Lord Dane is attending, yes?  I'd love to just have the opportunity to check out the artisans and merchants.

We're not making it this year. I'm not sure about next year either, since we essentially postponed doing a summer vacation until next year (because of air-conditioner replacement cost)... but it's been a while. We last went in 2008, so we definitely want to get out there again.

It's an event like no other.

If you go, you might run into Christian Tobler out there. He often hangs out at the Revival Clothing booth. That's assuming they're going this year.

[Lord Dane]

Anyone going to Pennsic this year?  I think Lord Dane is attending, yes?  I'd love to just have the opportunity to check out the artisans and merchants.

Lord Dane is trying to this year. My combat group will be attending from SCA. Not sure if I will get the time off. 2 weeks is a lot for me.

[Thorsteinn]

While my parents grew up 2 hrs from the site it seems that life says I'll never get to go at this point. 

[Ian]

It's split in to two weeks right, one is peace and one is war?  Are the merchants and artisans available during either week?  I'm assuming war week is the second week.  I'd definitely like to see things like CoTT and some of the big field battles.

[Aiden of Oreland]

I can't wait to attend, it has been right at my state. Hopefully I will get to go next year, after I learn a thing or two about SCA and its combat.

[Sir Edward]

It's split in to two weeks right, one is peace and one is war?  Are the merchants and artisans available during either week?  I'm assuming war week is the second week.  I'd definitely like to see things like CoTT and some of the big field battles.

Yep, I think that's right-- War week is the second week. As I recall, the merchants/artisans tend to set up in the middle of the first week, and close down mid to late second week. So it's pretty safe that they'll be there from Thursday through the following Wednesday.

In fact, on the second Wednesday night is what they call "midnight madness", as the merchants keep the shops open late into the night, with sales, to reduce how much the need to pack up the following day. It's a huge party in the streets, with musicians, entertainers, and so on.

The archery range tends to open up for access on the Friday or Saturday in the middle of the event, and stays open during war week.

[Stanislaw]

Welp, due to Pennsic being located pretty obnoxiously far from my house, (6+ hour drive!!!) I won't be going this year. Sorry!

[Lord Chagatai]

Ya its pretty far for me too...


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[Sir Edward]

It's about 5.5 hours for us as well. What we've done usually, is to gather everything into one spot in advance. Then, pack the truck first thing in the morning on the day that we're going, and make the long drive starting before lunch. That we we can get there with plenty of daylight, set up the tent, then look for something to have for dinner. By doing the return trip in a similar fashion, the two travel days are quite manageable, and still have some time left over to do things on site.

If you go to the event for 5+ days total, setting aside two of the days as mostly travel isn't so bad.

[Thorsteinn]

IIRC it's a 3+ day drive from here depending on if you drive 8 or 12 hrs a day.

6+ hrs to Pennsic? Hell We had someone drive 6+ hrs to get to West Crown weekend event from here.

For us almost all SCA events are at least 2+ hrs away and usually 3-4. While the geographic center of the kingdom is 30 miles east, the pop center is 140 miles west. (the West is smallish, only 615 miles side-to-side).

[Aiden of Oreland]

Hey, I live in PA, and its still a 5 hour drive for me! I would go this summer, but I would have had to make plans months in advance. It doesn't help I don't have a car yet, so it'll have to wait for next summer. Gives me time to. Save up money for it too.

[Ian]

IIRC it's a 3+ day drive from here depending on if you drive 8 or 12 hrs a day.

6+ hrs to Pennsic? Hell We had someone drive 6+ hrs to get to West Crown weekend event from here.

For us almost all SCA events are at least 2+ hrs away and usually 3-4. While the geographic center of the kingdom is 30 miles east, the pop center is 140 miles west. (the West is smallish, only 615 miles side-to-side).

Thorsteinn, I don't think the East Coast guys understand that West Coast reality of everything being a 3+ hour drive.  A normal errand out in the West is road trip in the East.

[Thorsteinn]

Thorsteinn, I don't think the East Coast guys understand that West Coast reality of everything being a 3+ hour drive.  A normal errand out in the West is road trip in the East.

Yeah I noticed how everything seemed really close together when I was out east for work a few years back (sorry I didn't say "Hi" back then. I wasn't yet part of the Order). I remember weirding out someone from back east by saying that Seattle was, for a week long trip, gladly only one days drive away. He said "but that's got to be close to 700 miles!?", and I replied "Yep, about 12 hrs", which for a week long trip isn't undoable.

Hell my last college class was 34 miles from my home to the next closest town. Just 45 min each way twice a week. It was not uncommon a few years ago to drive 120 miles round trip every holiday to see all my family, and I never left "the Reno Metro Area".

Which reminds me, I've got to plan my & my Fiancee's day trip to Sac. Figure it to be 4.5 hrs of driving in total.