Message to Fest goers

Greetings all.  In just 3 days, we will be joining in the woods for what promises to be a fantastic time.  I'm going to try and be brief here (hah)--passing on the important details.   If anyone has trouble reading the rich-text in this email, please let me know immediately.

Contents:

• Getting there - car
• Carpooling! Drivers needed
  
• What to bring
• What not to bring
• Schedule
  

Getting there - car
Here is a link to a google map of the intersection you will turn on to to enter the lodge. 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Township+Road+537+%26+Charter+Oak+Rd,+Petersburg,+Huntingdon,+Pennsylvania+16669,+United+States&sll=40.663712,-77.91152&sspn=0.023308,0.039911&ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&ll=40.705498,-77.86869&spn=0.088359,0.160675&z=13&iwloc=addr

If you click "get directions" you can enter your address and get pretty decent directions.  I am going to annotate the basic 12-mile directions google gives from a major intersection in State College, PA:  US 322 Business (aka Atherton Street, in State College) and PA 26 (aka College Avenue).

12.4 mi – about 22 mins

1. Head northwest on S Atherton St/US-322-BR toward W Calder Way 0.1 mi ( they're assuming we're coming from 322 East here (i.e. Harrisburg)
   
2. Turn left at W College Ave/PA-26 S Continue to follow PA-26 S 5.1 mi 10 mins
   
• Again, from 322 E--if you were coming from 322 (i.e. I-80, then you'd turn right. 
  
• 26 makes 2 right angle bends during this stretch. 
  
• The first is an easy bend to the left. 
  
• The 2nd is a right where 26 meets (and joins for a while) PA rt. 45.  If you are actually coming from the east (philly, etc), google directions will send you to this intersection ON route 45 (having picked it up in the nearby village of Boalsburg.
  
3. Turn left at PA-26/Water St Continue to follow PA-26 4.1 mi 6 mins (this intersection is a flashing yellow/red in the town of Pine Grove Mills.  As soon as you turn, you will begin to climb a mountain.  If views tickle your fancy, you can park at the top of the mountain and see 'happy valley' in all of its blue and white glory (blech)). 
   
4. Turn right at Charter Oak Rd 3.1 mi 6 mins  This is the first paved right turn you can make on the other side of the mountain. We will have a bright orange Catalpa Fest Sign on the road.
5. You will travel 3.1 miles to the 2nd entrance for the "Stone Valley Recreation Area".  If you see anything about "Shavers Creek Environmental Centre and/or Raptor Centre--keep driving for now.  You're looking for the entrance that mentions a boat launch)  We'll have another Orange Catalpa Fest sign out on the road. 
   
6. From here, you'll be looking to make a left into a gated drive.  If you reach the boat launch, you've gone too far.  Drive straight ahead and park in the paved area behind the lodge.

That should be it for those of you with a car.

Carpooling! Drivers needed

For those of you living nearby, there has been some interest in organizing rides for those without vehicles, etc.  It would be super if anyone with a free seat or two could arrange to pick up these folks.  To facilitate this, I've set up a (no registration require) thread in the dwacres forums.  Please visit and offer to help out, as well as express your need for a ride.  You can find it here:
http://dwacres.com/rides

I will be deleting this forum immediately after the event, so don't worry too much about privacy.

What to bring

• rain gear (a shower is possible Saturday night) our stages are covered, but the crowd area for stage #2 is not.
• sleeping bag/linens/blankets/pillow.  The bunks have mattresses, but nothing else.  It is supposed to be muggy with a low in the mid 60s.
• towel & toiletries (the showers have hot water).
• Eating and drinking vessels.  As mentioned on our site, we're providing beer, dinner, and breakfast.  We will also have coffee, tea, and spring water available.  A plate, bowl, cup, fork and spoon would be a good idea to bring.  We may have some plastic ware available, but if you can, please bring your own.
• cash--if you have not paid online already, please bring exact change and arrive between 2-4 pm on Saturday (if possible).  You might also want some spendin' money to buy some of the fabulous recordings our musicians will be offering.
• Good shoes--hey--it's a lovely place, with lots of nearby hiking trails:  http://www.psu.edu/Stone_Valley/sitefiles/trailmap.pdf\
• boats--seriously--if you have one, that'd be great.  We are not permitted to rent any ourselves because we are serving alcohol.  You probably would be able to rent your own though:  http://www.psu.edu/Stone_Valley/boating.htm

What not to bring

• tents--they are expressly prohibited throughout the area.  If you are planning on staying the night, you need to stay in a cabin.
• pets (especially dogs)--the reservoir has a naturally-occurring bacteria that has killed dogs in the past.  I sure wish we could bring our dog, but I'm not going to risk it.
• plans to swim (see above).
  

Schedule

• 2-4 pm checkin time.  Please try to arrive by 4 if you can, so the volunteers staffing the 'door' can start to party too.
• 2-5 pm Sound 'Experiments.'  (Folks who've signed up for this will be getting another email from me shortly).
• Artwork All Evening: works by artists Annike Myers and Suzanne Bruening will be on display in the lodge.  An installation by Ben Wolfe and Lauren Luloff will be evolving throughout the day in a nearby meadow.  Projected media will be on display throughout the evening of music.  It will include work by Tom Bugaj, Noah Levey, and Norm Fetter. 
  
• 5 pm dinner:  We'll have a variety of super-fresh from the (clean & local) farm vegetarian fair.  You won't go hungry!
• Organized Music (Sadly, Audrey, aka Hunter Gatherer will be attending, but is unable to perform) :
• Stage 2   6:15     Enumclaw
• Stage 1   7:00     Tusk Lord
• Stage 2   7:45     Eric Carbonara
• Stage 1   8:30     Evening Fires
• Stage 2   9:15     Nick Schillace
• Stage 1  10:00     Niagara Falls
• Stage 2  10:45     Crow Tongue
• Stage 1  11:30     Mike Tamburo
• 12:15 - ? Dancing, music courtesy of those w/ the will and an ipod-like device.
• "Some Decent Hour of the Morning":  Breakfast!

I'm sure I've forgotten, or misspelled something--sorry!  If anyone has any questions, please let me know.