Another story - Creation NW or bust

My plan for Creation NW was to arrive about 10:30 a.m. on July 23, set up my tent and get to the line at the gate as soon as possible. It's usually too hot to wait in my tent anyway. From the Motel 6 in Ontario, OR to The Gorge is approximately a 6 hour drive providing I don't stop or get lost. Both scenarios were unlikely. I did stop a few times, and I did get lost. I wasn't hopelessly lost, actually, I just wasn't clear on a turnoff or two. Fortunatley I passed one and just had to turn around. The other wasn't totally clear and for once I picked the right direction. LOL I probably only had about 5-1/2 to 6 hours of sleep, so by the time I arrived (which was closer to noon) I was ready for a break. It took a while to get my tent spot and to get set up, but I finally made my way to the gate to wait, wait and wait some more. I was pretty close to the front. A lot of people were hanging around in chairs by the gate and didn't seem to concerned about their position. I suppose if you aren't headed for the main stage it wasn't such a big concern. I was headed for the main stage. I took my place at the gate and waited to meet Bri. We had hoped to hang out for the whole Creation fest, but she ended up getting a job. The funny thing about jobs is that they rather expect you to show up. LOL Still, she was able to come and meet me there and to see one of her favorites - Hawk Nelson. We had a decent time visiting with one another and hanging out. Finally the time for the gate to open became nearer. I was at the front of the line. At Creation, everyone goes through security and the gates, and lines up in front of a line of security guys holding tape. The goal is to make the long trek down the hill towards the main stage without anyone running, pushing, shoving, etc. (nice goal - easier said than done.) I was at the coveted front... but I would still have to make a run for it once we reached the stage area. They always tell people not to run. I try, but people always to, and I always have to try and keep up. This year the crowd was pretty pushy going down the hill. I lost my water bottle, and I didn't dare stoop to pick it up. At last we made it down the hill, and the race for prime real estate for the night commenced. I found a decent spot on the barricade to the right. Bri and I were separated. Most of the rest of the night we ended up just texting one another here and there. Flyleaf was set to play first and they really were everything I had hoped and then some. I enjoyed their set immensely. For a real contrast, Leeland played next and as always was definitley worth hearing. Leeland and a wonderful voice and heart for worship. Hawk Nelson (who Bri come to see most) was a lot of fun as always. Once Hawk Nelson's set was over, Bri ended up leaving to meet up with them, and had a great time. I stayed in the crazy crowd. LOL I was really rather sad that we didn't get to actually say goodbye in person. Texting isn't the same. Finally Kutless played and put on an awesome concert. Night one ended, I picked up a little bit of trash along the way and I headed off for some much needed sleep.

So much going on... my so called life, part 1

There has been so much happening lately that I don't even know where to begin. I'm not even sure where the beginning is. LOL This will, in all likelihood be a novella.
Creation West was amazing, but by the time the last day came around I was rather glad it didn't go on for one more day. My body was telling me it was enough of a good thing. :)
I am not a good long distance driver. My max is generally about 5 hours. It's more than twice that to The Gorge. Somehow I made it with very little sleep. On Tuesday (the 24th) I was up about 8 a.m. to help load up all of my daughter's salon furnishings (stations, sinks, hair dryers, cabinets, etc.) into a moving truck to be placed into storage. My plan was to leave for Creation at about 3 p.m., but we didn't finish with the salon business until about 2:30 and afterwards we went to have a late lunch (or was that early dinner?) By the time I got home, showered and the car loaded for the trip, it was after 6 p.m. I pulled out of the driveway at 6:22 p.m.
I did rather well the first part of the trip, but I was very tired. I had thought about stopping and sleeping a few hours at about Ontario, OR at the Motel 6 there, but since I left so late I decided not to. Instead I slept at a rest stop for about 2 hours. I stopped one other time to sleep along the way for about an hour. The other driver's on the road were rather appreciative that I finally was off the road, I have a feeling. I wanted to make Creation by 8 a.m. when the gates opened, but I ended up arriving closer to 9:45 a.m. - which was about 1/2 hr. ahead of my time last year. The funny thing is that I ended up almost in the same spot as last year. The Honeybuckets weren't too far away - fortunately far enough away, though. LOL The showers were not exactly close, but not too far. Everything else was a pretty good hike from my campsite. Setting up the tent was easy since I have a self-erecting tent. It was so hot at the campsite I decided I might as well wait at the gate, so I took my sunscreen, my snacks, a few drinks, the items I took for RK and my blanket and headed for the gate. It was a long wait as the gate didn't open for another four hours, but I was the first person in line. LOL In the end, I'm not sure how much that accounted for. Slowly people started joining me in line. Second in line was a Hawk Nelson fan I met last year and her friend. Eventually a group of young people had joined me, and they decided to play a game called "Big Booty." It was pretty funny. They tried to get me to play, but I was a party pooper. The game did take some concentration and on 3 hours of sleep, it just wasn't going to happen for me. LOL The game went on nearly the entire 4 hours, with new people joining and leaving the whole time. I do think there were a few hardy souls who lasted the entire game. Time seemed to just crawl by. The sun beat down, but all of us stood rather firm.
At last it was time for the gates to open. Everyone started heading through security. Some of the people that came after me promised to try and keep me at the front, but it all fell through. I think they tried, though, we just were separated. In the end, I was not exactly at the front. A few tall guys locked arms in front of me and wouldn't budge. Somehow during the trip down the hill, they hit a roadblock and fell back and I ended up in front after all. So I did get my spot in front of the stage, right where Jon S. would be during Relient K's set. That is exactly where I wanted to be. I knew I would be leaving, though, so the tricky part was hanging onto the spot. I started discussing my dilemma with about 4 or 5 people around me and told them I really needed to go and meet someone and not lose my spot. I finally told them who I was meeting, so they said they'd hold it for me, and I literally ran up the hill towards the merch tents. Did I say that I was too old and out of shape for this? LOL I made it to the top and hit an area that was blocked off. I asked how to get to the tents from there and the security guy instructed me to walk all the way around. I simply said, "I can't" and he took pity on me and let me take a short cut for which I was extremely grateful. I finally arrived at the tents, and found that they weren't supposed to open for another 15 minutes. SO, I was waiting, and thinking I wasn't going to make it back in time to keep my place. Then I saw Jon and shouted out to him. He came to the gate and the security guard said I couldn't go in, so Jon flashed his badge and said he was with the band and that worked. We had a nice visit, and I took pics. I tried to video for Brittany, but I couldn't remember how to work the recorder on my camera, so Jon wrote a note for her and I took a pic of him to go with it. He's cool that way. :) I was such a ditz the entire time. I mean, I'm a ditz anyway, but on such little sleep and all the oxygen deprivation from running up the hill, I was extra loopy. (Thanks Jon for being so patient.) Anyway, I finally said my good-byes, and headed back for the stage. When I got back I needed something to drink badly, so I stopped by the medical table, and tried to get something, but the guy said, "just a minute" and pretty much ignored me. There was one gal there with a couple of skinned knees and a few others sitting. It was so hot standing there that I just went back to my spot by the stage, which I was very grateful to still have. At one point I asked security if it was possible to get a little bit of water and he said I'd have to go to the medical table. (Been there, done that, didn't work.) So, I decided to take a chance and tough it out. I'm stubborn that way. He said if I had to be hauled out, I wouldn't like it. A few times I almost thought I'd have to be. But, I survived. Hawk Nelson put on an awesome show as they did last year. I think I had to sit down during part of their set because I was nauseous, though. Superchick was amazing and very energetic. I was especially looking forward to seeing Jars of Clay and Relient K, and I wasn't disappointed in either. Jars of Clay was fun, and I still get a kick out of their shorts and crew socks. I wasn't surprised, though since I'd seen pics from other festivals this summer. I did hear quite a few comments, though. I think others got a kick out of their attire as well. I think CW was Relient K's best show that I've seen to date. Matty was really animated on stage and really seemed to be having fun. I tried, in vain, to get some decent photos. Matty gave me a shout out (kind of a quiet shout out), but it sounded like he said, "Mellie" so I wasn't sure if he was talking about me or not. LOL I was just pretty excited that they were doing Sloop John B, because I love their rendition. Jon was fun to watch on stage, as always. And, as always, the set just seemed to go by too quickly.
I stayed after and picked up trash, as I usually do. I am just amazed that people leave so much garbage behind! If everyone decided to take two items more than they left behind and tossed them, I don't think there'd be anything for the clean-up crew to do, and I think they'd be o.k. with that, actually. I had kinda hoped to see Jon again, but never did catch up with him afterwards. I'm sure he had a long day as well. On the way back to the campsite I stopped at the tent for the "midnight" show and stayed for the remainder of Nazareth's show. He was pretty funny, and I really enjoyed it. Then I headed back to my campsite, ate some tuna salad with crackers, had some very vanilla soy milk and turned in for some much needed sleep. Day 1 was long and hot, but good.
Stay tuned for more... But first, I'd better actually get something accomplished today. LOL
Peace out,
Melanie
P.S. still to come... Days 2-4 and the trip home, closing the chapter on my daughter's salon, and 2 nights of David Meece. Oh, and pics. :)
P.S.S. If you check out Wednesday's Creation West 2007 podcast at http://www.monsterpod.com/ I can be seen going through the gate. Thanks to Socks for letting me know. Kinda scray, huh?