Middle Earth Ranger Forum

I have to say again that the trip you guys had looked really awesome! I get out and go with Addreonynn as much as I can, but going with other rangers is an experience I have never had, seems like a great chance to learn from others. I also think it's great how the department, I'm guessing, out there not only welcomes M. E. rangers but also encourages them as well in subtle ways. I have to add as well, with the whole girlfriend/fiance'/wife thing, that my fiance' really isn't into "ranging" I tried to get her into it, but it didn't happen. I tried swordplay and archery, which she didn't particularly enjoy. She also agreed to go minimalist camping with a group of our friends and left the morning after our first night. So she thinks I'm crazy sometimes as well, and doesn't agree with everything I do, but she understands that it's my thing... and I've been doing it for much longer than she's been with me, so she accepts it. It's the same as how I don't understand why she would sit and read for a couple hours when you could go ranging through the wilderness. Everyone partakes in different endeavors, as long as you don't hurt anyone and it makes you happy then go for it!

It's around four-hundred miles one way for me to make these moots/treks, though I certainly don't expect others to make that kind of haul for a day or two. The key is - and this goes for anything really - that if it is something you want to do then you must decide to do it. Waiting till the last moment to decide (oh, it's too late now anyway...) or hedging over it (I really should do X instead...) or needing the approval of some other just condemns you to perpetual non-doing. If you have decided that you will do a thing, then the time and distance doesn't matter.

As to the matter of significant others, I'd say if they're keeping you from that which you enjoy, there are some unresolved issues that need addressing. It's not like you're blowin' the month's rent in Vegas and waking up in someone else's bed with a needle in your arm. It's basically a camping trip. That's what "normal" guys do, isn't it? So what if it's in funny clothes and you won't have a generator and HDTV to watch "the game" on. If that's not their thing, fine, but it hardly seems worthy of contempt. Like Tolstoy said of marriage, "it's not so much how compatible you are but how you deal with incompatibility."

Odigan: while I mostly agree with you in theory, I have discovered that the reality of a committed relationship is, for me at least, a lot more complicated. Dealing with incompatibility is certainly hitting the nail on the head, I think. Overall though, you are right about what you said up top. It's the whole Yoda thing: "do or do not. There is no try."

This year I finally made it to an out-of-state renaissance festival for the first time ever. That was, in itself, quite the adventure, and also very outside the norm for me. I figure there's no reason I can't make something like this work at some point.

Apathy is one of the greatest enemies we as a modern society face.
The many faces of evil that we so vigilently watch for seldom include the face in the mirror that stares back at us from beneath heavy eyelids and says lethargically: "Someday."

Odigan wrote:It's around four-hundred miles one way for me to make these moots/treks, though I certainly don't expect others to make that kind of haul for a day or two. The key is - and this goes for anything really - that if it is something you want to do then you must decide to do it. Waiting till the last moment to decide (oh, it's too late now anyway...) or hedging over it (I really should do X instead...) or needing the approval of some other just condemns you to perpetual non-doing. If you have decided that you will do a thing, then the time and distance doesn't matter.

As to the matter of significant others, I'd say if they're keeping you from that which you enjoy, there are some unresolved issues that need addressing. It's not like you're blowin' the month's rent in Vegas and waking up in someone else's bed with a needle in your arm. It's basically a camping trip. That's what "normal" guys do, isn't it? So what if it's in funny clothes and you won't have a generator and HDTV to watch "the game" on. If that's not their thing, fine, but it hardly seems worthy of contempt. Like Tolstoy said of marriage, "it's not so much how compatible you are but how you deal with incompatibility."

I agree fully, with both points!

Straelbora wrote:

Manveruon wrote:Every time I look at this and hear (er... read) you guys talk about a moot, all I want to do is go out there. I wish it was easier for me to just say, "well, I'm off to another state for the weekend! Cheers everybody!" I feel like I could probably do that if I really, really wanted to (it's not like it would be a particularly expensive trip), but my girlfriend would think I was nuts, and I don't have a clue if I could get the time off work anyhow. Still, one of these days I might just have to say "screw it" and just go for it.

I live about 45 minutes away from Greg and it took a bit of cajoling to convince my wife that we all aren't crazy. I think when she saw how much fun our 3 year old son had, she turned a corner. But, yeah, I'd like to do the full spring '14 hike without preschooler in tow, and I guess I'd better get working on that now.

I think all of this is doable, guys. The nice thing is, though the vast majority of the forum is concentrated around the Carolinas and outward, we have the makings of a very focused and well-attended moot for next spring, without the burden of any official organization like the SCA to go through. We have four forumites in Indiana alone, with Representatives in Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Kentucky. Colorado is a stretch to say you're close, but you're always welcome! If the locations I just mentioned provided one attendee each plus a few local boys that I know are interested but aren't on the forum to learn all attended at once, we'd have a dozen Rangers in the woods. It isn't an un-reachable figure...scheduling and commitment are the biggest hurdles to overcome. With the interest shown here, I'm really tempted to get a planning thread started now-ish, to start discussion potential dates and activities.

Y'know, it would be really interesting to see if we could maybe even start up one really big, somewhat organized annual moot, and move it to a different location every year - a bit like the "North American Longbow Safari" a few folks have talked about around here. I'm thinking something with an open invite, but some basic ground rules and regulations regarding costume and kit, etc. Otherwise, basically open it up to rangers from around the world, and maybe even create a dedicated website for it.

Anyway, it's just idle musing on my part, but eventually something like that might be fun. Incidentally, this also kind of ties into the post I'm trying to write about your "night at a tavern" event idea, Greg. I feel like someone should do something similar with that, but I'll post about that over on that thread.

Manveruon wrote:Y'know, it would be really interesting to see if we could maybe even start up one really big, somewhat organized annual moot, and move it to a different location every year - a bit like the "North American Longbow Safari" a few folks have talked about around here. I'm thinking something with an open invite, but some basic ground rules and regulations regarding costume and kit, etc. Otherwise, basically open it up to rangers from around the world, and maybe even create a dedicated website for it.

Anyway, it's just idle musing on my part, but eventually something like that might be fun. Incidentally, this also kind of ties into the post I'm trying to write about your "night at a tavern" event idea, Greg. I feel like someone should do something similar with that, but I'll post about that over on that thread.

this sounds like an amazing idea! we could do a thing kinda like the old rendezvous, and have friendly combat, archery, firemaking etc competitions. trading, that kinda thing

Precisely my thought.

That being said, it would require a level of organization beyond what any of us has really done before. Not sure if anyone is actually up for that responsibility. I can safely say that sort of thing doesn't appeal to me like it used to.

Manveruon wrote:Precisely my thought.

That being said, it would require a level of organization beyond what any of us has really done before. Not sure if anyone is actually up for that responsibility. I can safely say that sort of thing doesn't appeal to me like it used to.

Having autocrated a few SCA events in the past, I can attest to how much work it is to put something on like that. A few years ago i could have done it, but not anymore.

Actually it's more difficult then the average event. In a typical event, you use what's local: site, available services, etc. In this type of event you would have to rely on unsupervised individuals in the floating locales. Either that or the entire responsibility for the event would have to float depending on the yearly locale.

If we are to do either it would be beneficial for those members who have experience in event running to make a list for those who havn't. This type of event is a little different from a SCA/Larp/Gaming party as emergency services will most likely be a good distance away.

So here's a small list of considerations: ( ANY AND ALL ADDITIONS ARE WELCOME)

Parks or Private lands that could act as a site
Maps of the host sites
Preview of the site taking into account elevation, whether live fires are allowed, water runoff and weather extremes for the locale
Where and how to contact emergency services if needed
After people have indicated whether they intend to come to the event, a questionaire could be sent out asking if they have any health needs including allergies or medical skills, and what equipment they intent to bring so duplications could be reduced. (do we really need to bring 8 pots if there are 8 participants ? or 8 medical kits ? )
In a normal event food and activities are one of the primary considerations- I believe both of these should still be considerations. A common meal for the group would be a social event and possibly an archery/thrown weapons or some other skills contests just for fun.

Please add to the list or express your opinions.

I love your thoughts, Peter!

Should this be split into its own topic, perhaps?

I am now the veteran of two Rangermoots in the Autocrat's seat, however I consider myself a novice as I have only been in the recent SCA for a bit over three years.
I do however get to run all Kingdom throwing events as well as those on the Shire level in my own Shire and any other group that require my assistance, so in that limited capacity I have gotten very comfortable.

What Peter suggests is a great start and makes me realize how thankful I should be to have a covering organization like the SCA, that has established proceedures and guidlines for events like these.

In fact one can really take for granted the amount of work behind the scenes that is needed to pull off even small events if you want to make a memorable a smooth gathering happen.

Of course I enjoy dreaming up the contests and making the prizes, then getting good people to run them as I float around making sure things are going well, people are having fun and putting out the occasional fire when I need too.

An experienced and enthusiastic staff is precious, as are great meals and good activities. But really when you consider the surroundings and the activity, it is hard, even in inclement weather, not to have a great time being out doing what you love with people who share the same interests as you do.

Excellent list, Pete.

For this Indy trek, we discussed in advance just a few quick shared kit items...Odigan carried our only hatchet and a canvas emergency tarp shelter, and I carried our first aid kit and water pump.

I'd highly support making a separate thread to discuss true "Ranger Moot" event organization. I'll draft up my own list shortly, and we'll toss up a new thread for this in Gartherings.