Disaster in the Pasture

[Pahaska]

I had looked forward for months to going to Smokey Wilson's "Party in the Pasture", thinking that it would be much like the many music festivals that I have attended over the years. What a disappointment excpt for the first day.

I had to be pulled out of a mudhole going in to the place. Once in, I set up in a beautiful spot under a big pecan tree with dewberries growing around the tree. The only thing I was worried about was chiggers.

There was very little music that first day, but what there was was great. I never found a place to jam, but I figured that came later.

What did come later were the generators; not RV generators, the noisy industrial kind. I slept that first night to the roar of one about 40' away. That was only the start. There was some fine music on the accoustic stage and I was still enjoying things.

On Friday, there was a lot more good music at the accoustic stage. I went back to the trailer to cook dinner, only to find a huge BBQ setup parked next to me with a 6000 watt generator in a pickup bed witthin 10' of my awning and two sets of industrial work lights blazing. With a whole big open meadow, they had to set up there. I was parked in and couldn't even move away from them. There was yelling and screaming everywhere and truck radios cranked up to maximum.

I yried to sleep that night in a cloud of BBQ smoke and generator fumes such that my smoke alarm sounded twice and woke up to beer cans and trash all over the place. I folded things up, asked a guy to move a pickup, and got out of there.

Having been there once, I could now avoid the worst of it, but I won't go back.

The photo was taken early Thursday before things fell apart.

[Stefrobrts]

Wow, what a huge dissapointment! How could it be better next time? Do you think you just happened to park in the most active corner of the pasture or something? Sounds like a lot of bad luck and inconsiderate people. You think the BBQ guy wouldn't have parked RIGHT NEXT you!

[Pahaska]

A lot of folks had generators, mostly the noisy el-cheapo kind, but just about all of them parked near the edge of the pasture and ran a line to a small generator out in the weeds and well away from other folks. I would say that most folks were very considerate; one fellow came and asked me whether I was going to sleep with the windows open and he located well away from me. Until late afternoon Friday, things were generally very pleasant with the exception of one close clown with a generator running day and night (windows open and no one in the trailer all day). Fortunately, his generator ran out of oil when he wasn't around and is no longer in working condition. I heard it sieze up while sitting under my awning; I just let it go.

The rowdy crown arrived after work on Friday with huge BBQ rigs, work lights, and BIG generators, too big to take out of the truck beds. With a wide open meadow, they wedged in between the existing trailers just like the fellow right by my awning. it was a rough-looking crowd and they were drinking pretty heavily, so I sure wasn't going to argue with them.

It was a different crowd than at the usual music festival; attendance at the music was very light considering the number of campers. I think it was more of a BBQ cookoff than a music festival.

[Pahaska]

and there wasn't near enough of it. These two guys were fantasic, they call themselves the "Texas Two-Piece", and the lady sang harmony with just about everyone that was up there.

[Janet H]

Sorry to hear about the crummy time - It is common at acoustic music festivals for generators to be prohibited - and somtimes i hear carping from RV owners about the prohibition but now we know why these bans are needed - sounds like an oversight at your bash.

If your feeling adventurous and still in nned of a jam fix, consider driving up to WA state in September for the Central Washington bluegrass festival (Moses Lake, WA) - best jamming I've ever heard - and good camping too.

[Porky Pig]

John,

I would let Smokey Wilson .. or whoever was running the show ... why you won't be returning next year.

They should be smart enough to make sure the vendors set up in one or two designated locations.

[mandolindave]

Most festivals now offer " Quiet sections ". Graves Bluegrass Fest has a
no generator zone.
But people are creatures of habit. I bet you parked right next to where
the loud smelly guys always camp.
We had the opposite problem a few times. We had set up 30 campers close together with a courtyard in the middle. We marked off an access road.
Some quiet people with kids came by and insisted that they park right in
the road next to our party. We warned them that we were noisey and
that we were late nighters.....They left in a huff.
Bottom line......if you want peace and quiet ....don't go to a party

[59toaster]

Originally Posted by Porky Pig

John,

I would let Smokey Wilson .. or whoever was running the show ... why you won't be returning next year.

They should be smart enough to make sure the vendors set up in one or two designated locations.

Exactly.

I have helped organize several large events where camping was included and venders on site. It was a BIG point that vendors and camping area be kept seperate. That was just poor planning that should not have happend.
Make the organizers aware that their bad planning has dissapointed you and you do not plan to attend the event again as a result.

[Pahaska]

There was a BBQ cookoff as part of the activities. The guys that set up next to my awning were contestants. I agree that the BBQ contestants should have been kept apart as they all showed up with the big lights and huge generators that ran all night.

Forgot to mention, sometime during the night I flushed the toilet and ran out of water in my fresh tank. It was so noisy that I never heard the pump running. I awoke when the propane detector chirped from low voltage to find my batteries almost flat as well.

Lesson learned! Once bitten, etc.