The Steam Tent Co-operative - Goldrush Camp

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Wayland

Hárbarðr
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Our second camp of the 2019 season, once again at Rough Close, our favourite venue in the Midlands carried an optional “Goldrush” theme to allow people to be in touch with their inner 49ers, Gamblers, Outlaws or Showgirls if they liked but as always we just want people to come along and join into the spirit of things.

A relatively small camp again with a nice relaxed feel.

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Of course, much of the main camp remains the same whatever the theme, People are hardly going to change their whole set-up just because we are doing something with a more Western theme and because we are not a living history or re-enactment group that is completely fine.

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It tends to be the details that vary and that is part of the fun, spotting little projects or gags that people have put together for the camp.

Good food is always an important feature of our encampments but this meeting definitely required Canned Peaches of course so that a portion of Peach Cobbler could chase down a hearty meal of sausages and mash.

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There was plenty of Dynamite about but only Steve thought to bring along a detonator.

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It was generally felt by all that the Western / Goldrush theme fitted in well with what we normally do and was certainly a rich seam of ideas. Definitely something we will explore again in the future I think.

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Most of us had other ideas that we hadn’t quite had time to complete before this camp and I was still finishing some of the leather work I wanted to do while sat around the fire on Saturday.

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For me, crafts and camping are a perfect mix, although I enjoy relaxing around camp I tend to want something to do with my hands and this weekend I leathered the stock of my Winchester replica with a built in bullet rack and used the six rounds I had spare to make a classic gun belt as well.

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I had also offered to teach anyone that was interested some of the basics of the craft which was eagerly taken up by Josie who proved to be an excellent student and fast learner.

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Colin was in charge of the assay office and seemed to run an even set of scales.

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Steve the Texan (Mesquite) on the other hand ran a most disorderly saloon.

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There was a good selection of vintage stoves and cookware on hand with the main communal fire rig available as usual for all to use.

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The Utilitent seemed perfectly in keeping with a mining operation. while providing a space for tools, stores and anything that needed tidying away

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The clothing of the period is quite practical for outdoor use.

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As midsummer approaches the days get longer and the evenings lighter.

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This means we can get much more done before dark of course but many of us feel that the evening is the most magical time when out camping and the Steam Tent Co-operative encampments certainly develop a wonderful atmosphere when the lights are lit.

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Summer is a busy time for most of us with Meet Ups, Moots and Festivals to go to and discussion around the camp fire soon falls to “when shall we do this again?”. With the success of last years Halloween Camp we all agreed we should do that again which left just one date that most of us felt we could make so perhaps surprisingly for a group working on the fringes of Steampunk we decided to go for a camp on the August Bank Holiday weekend.

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While most British Steampunks are descending on Lincoln for the Asylum Steampunk Festival, we will be enjoying a Craft and Skills based camp here at Rough Close.

I guess we just like to do things a bit differently.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
Excellent. Half a dozen gold pans would have fit in.
Dollops of brass brazing rod look fairly authentic.
However, panning takes a lot of water. Do you have a creek nearby?
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,664
McBride, BC
No room for the thirsty, huh? I'd make a mercy trip to town to fix that.
I like your site with the canopy of big trees.
Here, the spruce and pine have branches right to the ground.
 

TinkyPete

Full Member
Sep 4, 2009
1,966
191
uk mainly in the Midlands though
Sorry I could not make it in the end, was helping out Dave.

Great pictures looks like a good time was had by all.

The August Bank holiday dates sound great and is now in the diary for that slot. The gathering being the weekend before. I hope to make some of the Moot this year as well as my normal Instructional course in August has not been cancelled.

So I may well bring along my steam tent stuff to that if you are having a little corner of the Moot there for the set ups. I have a part spare arctic 10 man tent canvas which I may well be converting into a large open shelter or I still have my light small set up as well. I am adding bit a pieces as I go, a few more tools and boxes done which would have featured but will save them for other camps. I also have a load of stuff in the pipeline for stuff I want to make and do and just got to work on them to increase my set ups for various camps.
 

Wayland

Hárbarðr
I'm afraid I'm not going to the Moot this year, I tend to do every other year. Tony was considering the idea of a Steam Tent Corner somewhere though and the Naughty Corner theme might be Steampunk next year..

Make another date for the weekend before Halloween if you can make it. We'll have another Monster Mash this year.
 

Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
27,803
2,892
62
~Hemel Hempstead~
Here's my pics from the weekend (part 1)

Some assistants just wanted to relax instead of help pack :)
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I'd always fancied making my own take down rope bed and finally got round to it.

With a thick sleep mat it gave me proably the best sleep I've had in the woods... it needs a couple tweaks but it's a definite keeper and will be a regular bit of kit :)
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The Svea 123R I cleaned up in this post came along with me and fitted right in with my kit :)
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Of course there was the bush TV with dancing fire ladies
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In the morning there was bacon fried for bacon rolls...
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This was my pitch... a rather dry saloon because I'd forgotten the booze :lmao:
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The weekend was also my birthday bash and I was fortunate to be gifted this lovely TBS Boar folder from Man of Tanith. :)
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As you saw in the previous picture there was a teddy bear with a mohawk in the wood of a box lid :)
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The Assay Office seemed very well equiped with some excellent scales :)
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The Sheriff kept a close eye on the Assay Office
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The path to the Assay Office
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There was a well armed guard for the golden nugget
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Mesquite

It is what it is.
Mar 5, 2008
27,803
2,892
62
~Hemel Hempstead~
Part 2 of my pics

The Marshall got very serious at times
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Saturday night saw the usual communal meal and traditionally for my birthday bash that's a Sausage and Mash Bash with a Peach Cobbler and custard for pudding. It was extremely tasty :)
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Another view of my pitch
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In the morning there also had to be coffee :)

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There were several dynamite boxes for kit
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There was even a blasting box and some dynamite :)
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The Marshall decided to check out the Saloon
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Whilst their our neighbours came over for a look around our camp, by all accounts they really enjoyed their visit
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Some of the kit from the leather craft lesson
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Gary was kind enough to let me take some pics of his travel sewing kit
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My camp was well lit at night
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The bush entertainment never got boring, especially when you get Tricky Dicky making an appearance :)
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Wayland

Hárbarðr
Great set of pictures including quite a few things I missed. Hopefully Colin might post up some of the shots he got as well.

We were quite lucky with the weather over the weekend. We had a little rain on Sunday but by then we had plenty of cover set up that we could work under.

Monday morning started clear which allowed us to get the largest tents down dry. Unfortunately a light shower mid morning caught a few of the others which meant some of the canvasses required driying out at home.

Always a risk with traditional canvas of course.
 

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