Freedom Festivals

I think the most important thing I've taken away from my trip to New Hampshire is this: the people who attended Forkfest and Porcfest are friendly, welcoming, kind, and caring people. They were what really made my time there special. That doesn't necessarily mean there weren't some bumps in the road at the events, or that there was perfect maneuvering by those involved, but the overwhelming sense of togetherness really permeated my time there. I can't overemphasize how nice and everyone I met was/is, and I enjoyed getting to spend some time with them. I'm already contemplating when I can go back next, and considering moving to New Hampshire, all because of that community of people.

One interesting aspect was meeting folks whose podcasts I've been listening to a bit in recent months. I met Ian, Darryl, and Mark of Free Talk Live, as well as several other folks who have been on their show. I also met Ernest Hancock of Declare Your Independence, and Will Coley and Aria Dimezzo of The Call to Freedom. It was neat to be able to connect the actual people with the voices I'd been hearing.

The scenery was amazing, as well, and the weather was almost perfect, which added to the experience. It did rain one day, but even then I still had a good time. I came back to North Carolina last week, and the highs have been in the 90s most days. I told my mom about how much more pleasant it was there, and she reminded me that I hadn't experienced a winter there. This is true, but then again I have methods for dealing with extreme cold: stay inside, have multiple options for heat sources, have many blankets/socks stockpiled, use electric blankets, don't drive, and keep warm outside by running around and playing in the snow. It's worked pretty well in the past, and I'm sure I could get advice on how to improve my approach.

Some would probably suggest crypto mining, since the hardware required (I guess? in some cases?) tends to put off heat. Not a bad option, considering New Hampshire has places that are crypto friendly. Forkfest and Porcfest certainly were; I used some to purchase food and beverages while I was there. I was even gifted some Dash while I was there, as well as Zencash. That was nice mostly because it also entailed meeting new people, like Mark Mason and Joël Valenzuela of Dash Force News.

I did venture out of camp and into town (Lancaster) once or twice, and saw The Incredibles II at the Rialto Theatre. I love that place! It was beautifully designed and maintained. The theater I was in was huge, with wood floors throughout and tables at the back for those who wanted to sit and eat there. They sold various foodstuffs, and beverages - including wine and beer. I quite enjoyed it.

I also have some more practical advice, which I hope to keep in mind for next time:

• Sunscreen is your friend. Just because the highs are in the 70s doesn't mean you won't get sunburned.
• Bug spray is another friend that's good to have along. I didn't get completely et up by mosquitoes, but they were definitely there.
• Don't expose your flesh to the ground unless you're willing to risk getting ringworm. I sat on the ground while wearing shorts, not thinking about it, and, yep, I appear to have ringworm on my leg now. (The treatment for which is a simple anti-fungal cream.)
• Don't expect great wifi. The Mesh Network is an interesting concept, and hopefully it will continue to grow and improve, but I've gotten better results this week from using my phone as a hotspot for other devices.
• If you need something, or want something, say something. Someone is likely to be willing to try to help you, even if that just means pointing you in the right direction or being on the lookout for what you're after.
• Bring a flashlight or have your phone charged so you can see where you're going at night. I know I needed mine.
• Bring things to keep warm! Some of the lows were in the 30s and 40s. The highs were in the 60s and 70s.

Other than that, just have fun and be safe!

Edited for grammar.