That first trek to Pennsic

That first trek to Pennsic.

When the day came to leave I had already been up for 3 days sewing, had closed several issues at work and gone to our friends storage area to pick up everything needed for 10 days at Pennsic and packed it into my huge Dodge Ram truck and the order dictated by our friend.  

At 7 am we headed to Philly airport  for a 9 am flight to pick up our friend from a business trip and to be on our way by 10 am.

That was the plan anyway.

ETA at Pennsic… 4 pm

THe flight was delayed, luggage was lost, luggage insurance claimed filed ( after waiting in line for 1 hour ) only to have them find said luggage before the ink was dry on the claim form.

We load the luggage in the truck, pay the rape fee for parking and head to another friends house to drop off luggage.

It is now 2:30 pm.

ETA at Pennsic… 8 pm

The drive across Pennsylvania to Pennsic will truly test your desire and commitment to go to Pennsic.

Construction, accidents, detours and the like can double or triple  the time it will take to get there.

By midnight … we were still an hour away….. drive on ...

With a migraine pounding, sleep deprivation in full force …I was starting to lose it.

“Are we almost there ?!”, I ask.

“ Yea, we are close”, he says.

I ask, “How close?….I CAN NOT take this anymore ! …  do you smell wood smoke ?”

He chuckles, “Wait for it…. wait for it …” (yea,  he can be such a dick )

We pass a grouping of trees and we see the sprinkled lights of camp fires and torches that are mirroring the stars in the clear night sky….we have arrived.

It is now 1:30 am.

We pay our site fee and lumbered my big diesel truck to our site.

Exhausted we all spoon on the bench seats of my truck...ahhhh sleep.

Breathing each others breath and seat buckles digging into my side, the angry voice in my head is saying, “ I don’t care, I am tired and this had better be freaking worth it !”

Waking at dawn, condensation from our breath clouding the windows, I sit up and look around.

Canvas tents partially blocking  the rising sun and the air is still misty from the cool night.

It was one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen.

If I only had that one memory it would have already been worth it.

We set up camp and our journey begins.

The next 9 days are etched in my memory.

I can still smell them, taste them and feel them.

Yes, it was worth it.

And now we dream of Pennsic.

How we see the Dream

How we see the dream.

Seven years ago all we knew of the SCA was that it was a group of people who chose a place in time in the pre 1600 world and recreate that time and place for themselves within the society and to be as historically accurate as possible.

I am by no means a history buff, please don’t get me wrong, I enjoy history, it is just not my motivation for being in the SCA. 

My interest comes from the recreation of the goods used in my time and place of interest.

The idea of taking a piece of fabric and creating something to wear that would have been worn by our ancestors is ... well... fascinating to me. 

So much so as to where I have sheep to raise wool, to spin and make a wearable item of clothing. And this fascination  pertains to anything that has use, baskets, jewelry, pottery… you know... useful, practical l things.

The thought of taking raw goods and making something useful is a bit of a quest.

 It draws me in, and becomes an obsession. 

At first my thoughts were to do Norse/Viking/Northern European…mostly  because that is my ancestry.

After acquiring linen and making several apron dresses( Viking) I knew the simplicity of the sewing required would soon bore me.

I looked at Elizabethan… too restricting, too snooty and way too over the top for me. 

Italian … oh, Italian.. Yes ! 

While I am not outwardly feminine and girly ... an Italian persona allows me to be very feminine and a bit girly.

Seven years ago Allie wanted to be a fur-clad barbarian bunny and now she wants 15th C. Ottoman / Persian…. whew…. dodged that bullet !

Why this Blog.

Why this Blog.

For seven years Allie and I have said that 'we  are going to Pennsic this year!' and as time passes, we forget, more time passes, July rolls around and we say "shit !, Well NEXT year !" ... rinse and repeat.

Pennsic started this past week and so our journey begins, with the idea of documenting our weekly progress, our successes and failures and to help keep us focused… please stop laughing !

That we are both now in the same Shire, a Shire with lots of activities and great people and the fact that we are together a lot to keep each other focused and motivated.

We have come up with a plan to meet every Tuesday to work on those things that we need to go to Pennsic and other events. 

For Allie to learn to sew (by hand and machine) and draft patterns. 

I hope to chronicle our progress to Pennsic ...and  our road to Pennsic.

We dream of Pennsic.

We dream of Pennsic... and have dreamed of it for seven years.

Seven years ago Allie and I were introduced to the world of the SCA.
In July of 2007 , we were asked to attend Southern Regional War Camp by Baron Ramos of Carillon
Best attempt at clothing he said.
So finding a Simplicity pattern and some clearance, sea foam green fabric for me and using  white sheets for Allies.
I made garb.
We drove a few short miles to the Ukrainian homestead in Lehighton, Pennsylvania.
We attended the event as Day Trippers.
My most vivid memory was watching Allie shoot a long bow for the first time  and doing remarkably well. She was in a field, back-lit by the setting sun with dragonflies and a host of other flying critters dancing off the tops of the high grass. She turned in my direction, drawn bow in hand and threw me a huge smile.... yup, that's my girl !
We were happy.
We were relaxed.
We were exhausted.
We were infected and overcome by the beauty of the SCA.

There was a conversation that was going around behind me and it was about "The War"
The War as it turns out is a gathering of SCAdians that occurs the last week of July and runs in to August.
It is everything SCA on a grand scale. Camping, Arts and Sciences, weapons, classes and most importantly ... camaraderie.

They said that words can not describe it and you just have to go.

I looked to our friend inquisitively and he said with a big grin " If you want to go I'll take you"
I said " sure ... why not, when is it "?
 Oh, it is in 11 days. 
I informed Allie that 'we are going to War' in less than two weeks and she said "oh....ok...sure '!

Loving referred to as The War it is called Pennsic and now we dream of it. 




Find out more :
http://www.sca.org/
http://www.eastkingdom.org/
http://www.hartshorn-dale.org/
http://www.ronlutzii-photographer.com/