ONF and The Rainbow People?

“I want to go back to the ONF in the next month or so. I was hearing that the Rainbows would be there. Would you guys advise against going while they are there?
How long do they stay? Do they stay in certain parts of the forest?
I want to go make a Friday car camp, go in Sat., come out Sunday. with my son. Any TTer's interested?”

“Is this some secret code?”

“O National Forest?”

“Exactly who are the rainbow people? ?

The funniest thing I ever saw hiking was a bunch of crossdressing males in wigs, full makeup and heels (yes heels, on the trail). They were raising money for some cause. I think it was breast cancer-- a charity hike. Priceless.”

“Ü”

“Interested? Yes, but I'm pretty well booked until April. I don't think it would happen for me.

From what I've heard I'd stay away from Buck Lake.

A nice short trip would be to come in at Farles lake campground (nothing impressive there) and hike north to the edge of Farles Prairie and back. Farles is very nice.

Juniper Springs, Alexander Springs and Hopkins Prairie are all good car camp locations. You could just do an out and back from any of them. Water is in short supply from Juniper south until Farles Prairie.

I don't know about Lake Delancy or Grassy Pond to the north though.”

“I thought Rainbow People were those little green leppercauhns with the pot of gold......NO?”

“Oh yeah, he's talking about Ocala National Forest in Florida.

The rainbows are a bunch of hippies that winter down there. Allegedly there is a very unsavory element that has started to hang out with them too. If stories are true it involves stealing, raping and the like.

Just be careful.”

“They are the RAINBOW FAMILY and extremely nice(most of them)

I went to a gathering in '98 in Arizona on July 4 weekend.

Some stay for a month or so, depends on the gathering crowd, the July 4 week is around 20-40 k people.

But this time of year there will be many but not enough to bother you.

Remember, they dont sell, they like to trade or barter for the reason to keep the law of thier asses from taxes on sales.

Its great you'll meet alot of people.”

“I heard they are having the winter gathering at Salt Springs starting 2/14. Some are camped out in Lake Catherine now. Alexander and south might be good hiking territory. There are some neat swamps about 4 or 5 miles south of Alexander.

Sadly I will not be able to join anytime soon - wish I could.”

“I may be interested in going, flat. The rainbows usually hang at Hopkins. I'm told that they get very loud, especially at night. If you go in to Hidden Pond from Juniper, you shouldn't run into them (or maybe not many). I'll check my maps, but it may be possible to do an overnighter on the section south of Juniper if we run a car shuttle. Mom and Whispering Bill said that is a very beautiful section.

Where are you planning to go to/from?”

“Keep me in the loop on this one guys.”

“If you're wary of the Rainbow People, just bring along a 3-piece suit. If they start to bother you, just put it on. Then they'll probably leave you alone.”

“of Raindowsters just south(?) of Hopkins last weekend. They're amassin'!”

“"I may be interested in going, flat. ..........

Where are you planning to go to/from?"
arclite
11:54:16 AM
02/08/02

Arclite
No special plans, I just know I want to go back. Maybe the last weekend of Feb or first few Weekends in March? I am pretty open on weekends right now. My only problem is no time off work. So I would have to come in late on Friday and leave Sunday evening.
Doesn't really matter where. I am open to suggestions. I did like hidden pond, would like to go back and camp on that point. However, seeing somewhere else sounds good too. Also some kind of hike, water trip would be nice. I had a great time just following the crowd last weekend. I am open to suggestion.

HumanpackMule:
I will keep you posted.”

“Never Trust a Hippy, Don't Touch Me - Sleaze Bag!”

“They seem cool to me, but I have never been to a gathering...

I really like the idea!

Check out the Rainbow web site!”

“If the dates work out, I'm interested!”

“They are stinky.
I like them...


My daddy and unkel ate supper with some ranebo girls. They were crazy girls! They was in Unkel Johns town cuz ther boy frends had to go to the poleese! They was in the peepel kendel! BOL!

The nother ones we seen was ever wher aroun the Windtooths.”

“I feel the need to clarify.

I have no problem with the Rainbows. I have a problem with the hangers-on that are giving the rainbows a bad rap.”

“Old story. I'll let the reader decide on accuracy.

A few years ago at a rainbow gathering a Mercedes filled with 2 couples in 3-piece suits and designer dresses stopped at a small garage. They paid the garage owner several hundred bucks to watch the Mercedes for a couple of weeks. Then the couples went into a backroom and changed clothes. They came out dressed in some old raggedy hippy clothes, stood on the hiway in front of the garage, and hitchhiked to the rainbow gathering.”

“rainbows are awesome....some of the nicest huggiest ppl i know do the rainbow thing...i knew this one gal who took off to live in the dessert for a bit to see life clearer and without all the #&%!$ of society. She gave me her journal to read about the time she spent out there.”