Io Pan Jam 2004, Day 1

[austin_tycho]

We got off to a bit of a late start, but managed to get out of town around 3pm or so. We both realized we were starving and stopped at DQ in Dripping Springs for burgers (note to self: DQ burgers suck.) and headed to Rec Plant, which is down dirt roads about 15 minutes from Dripping Springs proper. I've been going to Rec Plant for various events since about 1992 or so. In spite of this I did miss a turn, but eventually made it out. I saw that they'd cleared a lot of land way up from the main areas, which is a good thing since I've heard numbers for Flipside ranging from 1200 up to 1800... ugh. Anyway, so we wound our way in, and suddenly we were through the gate and driving by the bath houses- I was stunned, because the smallest event I've attended at Rec Plant was about 2-300, and there are usually people camped around the bath houses, and I hadn't seen a single soul so far- I hadn't even recognized that we were on the grounds already.

I sat there stunned, then inched forward until we spotted Gordon camped with a little group of friends. Content spied me driving around and came up to the van and signed us in. We circled around the upper field a bit more, marveling at all the unoccupied space. There's usually so little choice, we had some brain lock with all the options of where to camp. I wanted near the bathrooms but I didn't want to park in a high-traffic area either (you can see the problem with this). So we drove onto the lower field, and ended up parking right on the river bank in the far corner of the lower fields under a tree. In all the time I'd been to Rec Plant I'd never had a chance to camp by the river, so I jumped at the chance. This did put me a good hike from the bathrooms, but the view was definitely worth it.

Ellen was also parked by the river under another tree about 50 feet away, which seemed like enough space for breathing room. Hers was the nearest camp to ours. I know I'm harping about this, but I just couldn't get over it. Estimates for the event ran about 50-75 people... a little less than in past times, speculation was that reasons were mainly economical. Whatever the reasons, it was a completely different experience for me, and considering that my energy levels have been so low and I've been really needing to 'get away from it all' this was perfect for me.

We set up our camp to our liking- threw half the stuff outside, the other half in the front seats, and made up the futon with the back hatch open, draped with mosquito netting. We wandered around the grounds for a little while, chatting and relaxing. It was overcast and a little sprinkly but not unpleasantly so. I went to the 'Figs of Amoun Ra' ritual, a Jupiter invocation, which I'd heard about before and was really jazzed about- bring on the jovian vibes, baby!

It was the first OTO-type ritual I've ever been to. It was really strange and not anything like what I'm used to. Parts were in Latin (I think) and were not translated, and there were a lot of cryptic phrases and imagery used that I wasn't familiar with. At another time, this might have made me uncomfortable, but the vibe of the people running it was very intent and clear, and I didn't sense it was a matter of 'let's impress the rubes' or anything like that. It sort of set the theme of the weekend for me, which was that the brain does not need to be engaged, to go with the flow and trust that things are okay. In BOTA terms "From the exhaustless riches of its Limitless Substance, I draw all things needful, both spiritual and material." I was willing to not understand it intellectually and just enjoy the imagery and the sounds and everything. It was a relief to park the control-freak HPS aspect of myself outside the gate. As the ritual wrapped up, the Sun broke through a bank of clouds and filled the area with honey-gold light, which I just sat and basked in for a few minutes while everyone else started getting ready for dinner. The sunset was beautiful.

Hub heated up his pre-made paella for feast and took it up to the main stage. There, a woman whose name escapes me was running 'Temple Caffeina' which was more accurately the feeding station and munchy area for the weekend, open 24-7 and always with nibbles and drinks of all kinds available, lots of rugs to sit on and cheerful Christmas lights of all colors strung up everywhere. Dinner was no plastic buckets of potato salad and bags of chips; people really went all out. Someone (Antares?) made a minty chocolate cake that was absolutely divine! I stuffed myself and chatted a bit more with people I knew and new people I met.

Hub and I then wandered back to the van and enjoyed the fireflies and shagged ourselves into exhaustion. We had thought about going to the revel fire so I could drum but just felt like crashing. It sprinkled again during the night at least a couple of times, which is another reason why I love van camping over tent camping- the stuff that needed to stay dry had a place to be including us (somehow I always end up soggy in a tent if it rains). Except for a long, long hike to the bathrooms around 4am (and boy was it quiet!) we slept pretty well, and fairly late for a camping event- I think we finally got up around 9:30am.

Comments

[scorpionis.livejournal.com]

Yes, I brought the minty chocolate cake. I'm glad you enjoyed it! And I'm glad y'all came out and had a good time.