Winfield 28 - 1999

Prelude

I had camping stuff scattered across three locations in two states, but got it all together in time to leave from Jackson, MS on the 11th. The drive to Dallas went so much faster than I'd expected that I was ready to drive on to Winfield. So was Cindy, so that's what we did...

Home(s) at Winfield 28

Giant Jinga

Bruce Graybill had the best idea since the 1996 Bluegrass Jeopardy when he used leftover material from a remodeling project and Carol's clogging board to make to make a Winfield-sized Jinga game. Begin with 25 layers consisting of 3 2x4 pieces each, with each layer at right angles to adjacent layers. Players alternate moves until the tower falls.

Rules: Using one hand remove one board and place it appropriately on the (new) topmost layer A move is considered successful if the tower stands for 5 seconds after the placement (the "Wind Rule") or an opponent touches the Jinga stack If a piece is moved but not placed on the topmost layer, a "reasonable attempt" to return it to it's original position is required before or after a successful move is made After a successful move, an opponent is allowed to use one hand (and the same forearm, if necessary) to re-arrange the topmost layer to adjust the balance of the stack Children are allowed to use 2 hands when playing against each other, and required to wear bicycle helmets if the stack becomes taller than them...
	In the "teamwork" game the objective is to set a camp record for the highest tower (Bruce and Van? at 42 completed layers?) and in the cutthroat game the objective is to cause your opponent(s) to lose on their next turn. In both versions a surprising amount of tension and spectator interest result. The game got really good when the rain made the boards swell...

Speaking of rain...

The weather was actually about as perfect as we could expect. Downpours had happened before we got there, and again after all our stuff was safely inside the tents or under camp cover. Most of the hard rains happened at night, and I think that contributed to more sleeping than usual at Winfield (at least for me). And the days were uniformly pleasant, though the walkabouts were pretty muddy.

Birthday

My birthday happens to fall when I am at Winfield, and this year instead of humiliating me or bothering the neighbors, to celebrate my campmates provided me a Winfield-special gift...

Note that it will still be good next year! They actually gave that to me a few minutes before my birthday, 'cause I was headed out for my first "Hot 'N Bothered" (the new name for Maria's Delight):

Double espresso
Double chocolate dose in the steamed milk
Double malt

Photo courtesy Harry Dursema

I actually had more than are indicated on the card, but I paid for some including the ones I got for somebody else... The cake was had Friday in celebration of about four camp birthdays and two anniversaries. Happy Happy

Dress for the Walnut Grove	Dress for the Pecan Grove

Rats!

Assistants The second annual band scramble at River Rats was another success. In deference to good taste, I was not a judge this year, but joined Barb as a tabulator, so I still got a button.

Scramble audience

The Rats' camp theme this year was 2000-1: An Odd Ratyssey and I decided to enter the costume contest in the "Favorite Space Character" category. (I thought of going as Stanley Kubrat but couldn't figure out what category that would be.)

R2K1 and competition
Photo courtesy Harry Dursema

I went as "R(at)2K1" - the acoustic predeccessor of R2D2. I might've won another button were it not for the cute baby in the competition. I'm not sure what character it was, but it looked like a large Hershey's kiss, and the allusion to chocolate combined with youth was unbeatable.

1999 Stages

Trip Reports	Winfield Wide Web	Unofficial Winfield Pages	Official Winfield Pages

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

	The second annual band scramble at River Rats was another success. In deference to good taste, I was not a judge this year, but joined Barb as a tabulator, so I still got a button.