Okay, here's the input from the 43-year-OLD woman in the group:
Goatman, you and all that do that voodoo that you do to make this happen totally rock! It's an amazing event. And I had fun being there solo this year; kids stayed home as did the dog. Oh, and there's that amazing buggy run I got to drive on, too!!
I first went to GoatFest 2 years ago thinking it was a SoCalXJ event since the guys were talking about it on the SCXJ Yahoo Group. I showed up in a 90 unlifted XJ on 235/75/15's with rockrails, no lockers, no tow points, and a D35 rear axle [Hey, how times (don't) change... same tires & rails on a 1998 with an 8.25 now, have all towpoints, but still no lift/lockers/etc...but getting closer!]. I also brought my 3 kids (ages 12, 13, & 15), and my dog. Even though I only knew a few of the
guys who were also SCXJ members, we all had a blast. We went on the Scenic run up to the top of Clawhammer, and then headed back to camp with someone who was having brake issues. Everyone was great. My kids & dog knew where my tent & Jeep were, and I can't say I stayed sober either night after I ate dinner. But then again, my kids are pretty self-sufficient. And I blame Ryan's homebrews for the lack of sobriety =). When my kids were younger, I stayed sober & kept an eye on them whenever we camped/played away from civilization.
I've been to JV twice since then; and everyone is great, and there's a lot of background caretaking that some don't see. I know a few folks were counting rigs at the top of Aftershock on Saturday, making sure all were thru safely. There are a lot of headcounts made in the evenings too, and if you are listening and watching, you'll see folks checking if someone left for home, or is still expected back and just really late (because there's always someone that takes off by themselves... which is another big no-no).
There's always a few howling-at-the-moon drunks, but other than wishing they maybe parked a little further from camp, I can usually drown them out with my snoring. Maybe THAT's the noise that kept everyone up? My snoring could probably be mistaken for a loud generator! Or 3. And Ryan, your little Honda generator purrs quieter than my cat!
Gunfire should
always be away from camp, just on a logic and safety level--sober or not. Drunk folks should not use guns. Obviously. Ryan, Kevin (and me, as Kevin's bitch for the day), and John McH ran up the back way to the top of Aftershock Sat a.m. after Kevin replaced his driveshaft. Shomsky & co in the lifted MJ tagged along, as well as a couple in a white XJ that were out driving around and crossed our path. Shomsky & co were shooting (and drinking but not obviously plowed), but heeded Kevin's request to move down a non-trail canyon when they started to shoot in the same area where we'd just driven up, in case anyone else was following. Kevin, Ryan, John & I all then walked down to watch the rigs working on Depreciation Knob (I think). The MJ was gone when we came back up to where we'd stopped. Maybe they had gone back to camp and drank all of Robert K's jello shots? (Thanks, Robert & Allie, for giving me the one lonely shot you had left!)
Anyway, GoatFest is a blast, and if you can see drunk-as-f*ck folks as the local free amusement, it's all good. My kids have a blast watching "the grownups" drink. Highly entertaining to them.
I know that Dave Taylor's folks just removed themselves from the scene on Sat afternoon and camped elsewhere, to avoid the yelling and screaming that got to them on Friday night. They came back to camp on Sunday a.m. Dave's dad hiked up most of the runs we did Sunday a.m in the buggies, taking pictures. He's amazing, and so is his wife Pat. And they're definitely not young anymore. They make me feel young in comparison!
Okay, I've rambled enough. It happens when you're "old" =). Old people rock!
