TX>Fairfield Lake State Park>November 8-10, 2013 - 2013 Texas Fall Group Hang ver 5.0

[Trambo]

If anyone is taking kids along, check out the free
Junior ranger explorer backpacks.

Guyz, good question about being locked in....
the website says Gate open 8am until 10pm

[Guyz]

Mike, have you heard from any of the music folks yet? I heard you had a jammin' good time last year. I would enjoy a repeat of that!

[Throkda]

We're in - along with the dingo. Posting from the phone while celebrating National Hammock Day in my livingroom, but we'll get on the spreadsheet later.

[Trambo]

Was it really national hammock day?

[Caveman]

July 22nd was national hammock day

[UncleMJM]

Hey folks, sorry for the slow response to some questions. I have been limited on computer time the last few days and will be away from most technology until the end of the month.

I do want to address a couple of things and encourage the continued conversation.

For those planning on coming for the first time, we're glad to have you join in on the fun. I know there are a lot of questions. Please don’t be shy about asking but by the same token please take the time to check the links in the first post. You’ll find the planning spreadsheet, accurate park information, ideas we’ve discussed in the past, and pictures of past hangs to get a good feel for the area.

We will be at Fairfield Lake State Park in the Springfield (water only) section. This camp section closes each year for a couple of months from mid November until after the new year some time. It has very little activity during November and in all likelihood we will be the only ones there. Although it has 36 sites, not all are conducive to multiple hammocks but many are. Reservations are not a requirement however; many folks prefer to make them just to be safe.

As for the 45 pages of last years hang, you're right it is laborious. Part of what made so many pages though came from answering the same questions several times for several folks who didn't read what had been posted in the same thread. As an aide to help keep this year's thread more manageable, my hope is that folks will use last year's thread as a resource.

Just to reiterate, please take the time to check the resources linked to help keep this thread to a manageable length. I'll work at keeping my verbose posts to a minimum.

To that end, if you see something there you'd like to point folks to, please use a hyperlink and not cut and paste.

Although we will have a central site for a community campfire, a Saturday breakfast and Saturday night pot luck followed by gear give aways, not everything done in the past will necessarily be done every year.

Park information may change. Activities and individual commitment to do various things may also change from year to year. That's where questions and ideas on this thread come to play.

I really miss all you guys!

We miss you too buddy, come join us again!

Okay guys.... called and reserved my site. One problem is that it is first come first serve in regards to Which site we actually get.

Glad you've made your reservation! As far as site selection being first come..., that is the policy of all the state parks in Texas and has not been an issue for us in the past.

We can get the group desk to help us and actually reserve site numbers, but we need to reserve at least twenty one sites.

This seems easily attainable. Should we abandon individual reservations and just do a large group reservation, so that people can choose actual site numbers?

That information is partially accurate. A group reservation of that size does allow a group of sites to be together, but the first come first serve rule still applies as to the specific sites.

Personally, I would love to group reserve so that we all can be in a concentrated area without people stressing about first come first serve.

Is an alternative just to let people reserve on their own? If we reserve all 36 water only sites, does this guarantee us to be close to each other? Are the sites too close to even worry about this stuff?

My suggestion is to keep to the individual reservations unless someone chooses to bankroll all 36 sites. (Some prefer a bit of solitude for camping and then participate in the group activities as they choose.) They are all fairly close so no worries about long treks. This is a relatively small loop area. (For those who went to the Butt Bake, the trail head camp where we spent Friday night is about half the size of where we will be at Fairfield.)

I've not reserved or even decided to attend. I HOPE/THINK I can. I don't have a state park pass, so would need to pay to enter. Having all those sites reserved would be great. No issues then for people who can't show up until like 9 PM. Another concern however is parking. I believe they say only 2 cars per site. If we have 4 people, from four directions, that might be an issue. I thought perhaps if a say a family of 4 shows up in one car, then another site can simply "park over there".
Is that a concern?

I hope you can make it this year too! Park passes are a great idea for folks who hit a state park several times a year, especially families.

There is not a problem with a late arrival and the parking typically works out as you have described.

I personally don't want the "crutch" of having a car nearby, so I am hoping that there is secure off-site parking nearby. I would even suggest a parking-swap. Find another campsite a few down from yours. Switch parking with them. Both of Your cars will be several sites away, which will reduce desire to go to car for unneeded things. You are still close enough for a quick important trip.

Those are certainly workable options. Another that some have considered is to camp at the primitive hike in sites and then drive to the car camp areas for the Saturday activities. There's plenty of flexibility for anyone to do what makes their stay the most enjoyable.

There is a dining hall to rent, but it is a hundred dollars and Sits 60 people at tables and chairs. Is it worth the 1.50 to
everyone? This is extra walking, plus less "roughing it". How did your pot luck fare last time? Did people bring enough tables to make it easy, or did you just make do?

The group dining area is certainly an option but it is more than a short walk away and most cook at their site and carry food to the "buffet line". My hunch is the group dining spot would be more trouble than it's worth. We have the pot luck at what I refer to as the "community site" and we will need people to bring extra tables. Otherwise making do is not that big a deal.

There is an annual pass for 100 dollars. This gives admission for holder and five guests. A second card can be added on for just ten bucks. This would mean you could get entrance for ten people plus the two card holders. This just for two nights is a 96 dollar value, plus you get 50 percent discount on the second camping night (4 coupons).

Actually this information is not completely correct, more information on park passes can be found on the TPWD site at this link.

This is more of a car camping event for most than not. I'll want my car close. And, if you haven't been to Fairfield before you'll need to know that the Raccoons are no joke and they WILL open your left out cooler, foods, trash bags, unzipping of hammocks for that left over beef jerky in your pocket, ect. So, you'll want your vehicle close by to put things up for the night.

True words.

I also am planning a geocache game. Should be fun!

I bet you'll find some geocache takers. Sounds like a fun option.

Unfortunately I won't be able to attend this years hang. I will miss everyone for sure though!!

Bummer. We'll miss you. It Justin won't be the same.

Does FLSP lock you in at night. Some of us might be late coming in.

If anyone is taking kids along, check out the free
Junior ranger explorer backpacks.

Guyz, good question about being locked in....
the website says Gate open 8am until 10pm

Good call on the Junior Ranger info. This is a family event and there will certainly be kids there who may enjoy that.

Although some parks actually do lock a gate at night, this is not the case where are going.

Mike, have you heard from any of the music folks yet? I heard you had a jammin' good time last year. I would enjoy a repeat of that!

I haven't heard specifically yet. A lot of folks did enjoy it last time and I bet there will be some musicians along this time as well.

We're in - along with the dingo.

Glad to have you two and the critter again.

[UncleMJM]

In addition to a pure giveaway, it would be fun to host a white elephant gift swap. Anyone who brings an item to swap (value 3 dollars and up) can take part in the white elephant. It would be funny to see which gear gets grabbed the most, and a white elephant is awfully fun!

That could be fun.

[babelfish5]

I'm in. Mrs Babelfish5 will be coming along as well. We should be there on the 7th.

[Wisp]

I'm in and I'll probably bring my sheepdog working partner for company. It'll be great to meet other forum hangers and check out everyone's gear.

[Wisp]

Since there may be a few other kids at this hang, I'm thinking that I could bring my daughter. We are short an UQ and I'm trying to figure out how to rig one of her sleeping bags as an UQ in conjunction with a pad in the hammock.

Anyway, I think she'd get a lot out of the experience if there are a few others near her age around.

The feast from last year looked awesome as did the campfire gathering Saturday night. I'm really looking forward to this hang.