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RAINBOW GATHERING PICTURES

PENNSYLVANIA

GATHERING

1986

Caravan to Pennsylvania, with frequent stops at interesting places along the way, sometimes even out of the way if the signpost was interesting enough. We found a back road behind the Gathering site and parked on a ridge where we could pack downhill to our campsite.
We had a nice little meadow that was level and dry with our vehicles straight up the hill behind us and the main trail the other side of the stream. We liked the privacy of our camp, we couild hear everything on the main trail but were hidden from all but the most adventurous.
The site was a long narrow canyon that widened to several big meadows that were quite a distance apart. We were about in the middle of the gathering. There were several teepee circles between us and the main meadow and many camps along the trail.
It's amazing who you can run across on the trail. Some of them we haven't seen since last years Gathering.
The Sufi camp and dance circle was a long way down the canyon. As it cooled off at night a dense ground fog would form, sometimes only a few feet thick. You could see the trees and other people around you but you couldn't see your own feet or the trail. I spent part of one night trying to get home from the dances and finally stayed at a friendly camp I wondered into. I wasn't lost, I just couldn't find my own tent.
The main meadow was large and inviting with camps and kitchens around the edges. Some of the media coverage was negative and many local people came in to see what was going on. All of them that we talked with were impressed with how happy everyone seemed. Many of them came back with their own camping gear and joined the festivities.
Old friends meet on the trail and it seems as if the time between Gatherings disappears. Haven't we always been camped out together? I hope those gone beyond are having as good a time as they did at this Gathering. There are kitchens hidden everywhere.
Tea and crumpets on the trail is not unusual. Old friends can catch up on what has been happening in the forbidden parts of the world, new music, new stories.
The trade circle thrives. A good trade is when both parties think they got the best of the deal. If the nights are dark and your batteries are almost dead, only you can say what new ones are worth. At one Gathering there was a Knight of Road who came into scout camp with only the clothes on his back. By the end of the Gathering he had a pretty nice camping outfit, an old pickup truck, and a girlfriend in town. He was natural born Trader.
The Taco Kitchen was at the far end of the Gathering but worth the walk. Carnivors welcome.
There's always something going on at the main circle, weddings, workshops and playshops.
After the Gathering some of us took the long way home, north and east on back roads to the north woods in Maine
Yep, that's really the only gasoline station in the North Woods! This is as far east as you can go in the US
Email bobfoote@lycos.com