09 hobo convention, britt iowa

[Dmac]

hey you hobos out there! i am in omaha and have lots of space available for people going to and comming from the convention in britt iowa. i lucked into a caretaking job for a 14 acher spread in omaha. this old horse stable used to house 60 to 80 horses. now there is only 1 old racehorse, 2 donkeys, and one jackass (me!).
there is room for 60-80 people in the loft, comfortably. go to google earth and search, chandler road west and 36 street, bellevue NE. just south, where surburban drive intersects 36th street, you will see an unnamed "u" shaped drive. that is the place. you cannot miss the barn (it is on the east side of 36th) the pictures are 4 years old, lookes like dirt on 2 sides of the barn. now it is green like a park. i see deer, turkeys, foxes, raccoones, opossums, feral cats, and bats almost dayly. unfortunatly a skunk shows up mow and then. oh did i mention the rabits and woodchucks? there is pleanty of parking and really good secluded spots to camp
no fires unless they are well away from the barn (it is a historical landmark, built in 1896) don't worry about getting firewood just bring a saw. fresh water is readialy available, but there are no bathroom facilities.(liquoe store thrift store and groceries within 1 mile) i have the means to make an outhouse, i just need the motivation. that would chance if i expected travelers. :zombie:

 

[churl]

sounds great, you kick ass by the way!

 

[Shoestring]

Say, perhaps they should move the "N.H.C." there! lol! (80 folks is a lot of room)!
I went to the convention in 2000 and in 2001, but with the way they elect a hobo king/queen, it seems a bit unfair to the true, full-time railroad riders that they'll elect somebody that has only ridden 3,000 or 4,000 miles in their entire life!!! I mean, voting for somebody by popularity instead of by rail knowledge seems a bit unfair to real hoboes.....(Ones like "Stretch")! Thank God he got elected king!!! At least 2008-2009 has a real hobo as king!!!
At one point, Britt suggested letting the local residents that live in Britt year-round run for hobo king/queen! (Thank God that never was voted into happening)!!!

 

[Ravie]

eh ive heard about that convention, some say it can get pretty steriotypical. ut shoestring, youve been there twice. how is it?

 

[Shoestring]

All in all, it actually "IS" pretty fun!
They have a hobo town march during the election day, have mulligan stew cook-off, hobo art sales, story telling, kids activities, live hobo music, then the election.
After the king/queen has been elected, a designated spot "usually" is agreed upon to have the "hobo kings party"......"Stretch's" kings party was over in Minnesota. "Tuck" (Hobo king the year before last), and a few others were there for that; I just wish I'd gone to that one! I was so close too! "Stretch", "Tuck", and "Bodeen" of course were all there! The three Bo's I mentioned above are real, true, honest hoboes I have met several times,... and rode with too, so that'd been righteous to have been there for that and to've got to seen them!!!
It really is a neat happening the first weekend of every August. (I just have, any many others too, see things that could be changed as far as how they elect, who they elect, etc, etc, etc...). Although it has gotten a lot better lately. Just so glad they did'n choose to elect the townspeople for hobo king/queen! If they'd have done that, then nobody would ever shown up after that!!!
It's worth going to just to say you've been to it.
Amory, Mississippi railroad convention is my favorite! Also there is one in Pennsylvania every year too that's quite neat as well. Dunsmuir, California hobo get together too is quite neat also!

eh ive heard about that convention, some say it can get pretty steriotypical. ut shoestring, youve been there twice. how is it?

 

[Ravie]

they have something in dunsmiuir? i guess that would be m area. what goes on there?

 

[Shoestring]

Thanksgiving week they have a hobo get together.
"Butcher" a Professional Hobo back in like 1992 was there and got to be the cookie and got to carve the turkey then as well for all!
I first met "Butcher" in Havre, Montana back in like 1994. He's a pretty cool hobo as well...
He actually acquired the name "Butcher" during that get together being that he carved the turkey,...hence the name Butcher! hahaha!

they have something in dunsmiuir? i guess that would be m area. what goes on there?

 

[Ravie]

lol mmm thanks giving is the shit. the shit indeed.

 

[bote]

just a rumour, but I heard the Dunsmuir one had problems with oogles and its future was uncertain. Any truth to that?

 

[Shoestring]

I'm not sure about that???
The last time I even went to that one was in 1998 I believe it was.

just a rumour, but I heard the Dunsmuir one had problems with oogles and its future was uncertain. Any truth to that?

 

[Dmac]

you are talking about streatch, and burlington dog right? i have read his posts, if i ate as well as burlington, i would be evan fatter than i already am!

 

[Shoestring]

Yeppers'ies.......
Hobo king 2008-2009. (NHC hobo king).

you are talking about streatch, and burlington dog right? i have read his posts, if i ate as well as burlington, i would be evan fatter than i already am!

 

[Dameon]

There's three of us headed out to Britt for this, despite how ridiculous and cheesy it looks. Even if it's horrible, at least we can get drunk and laugh our asses off at all the ridiculousness.

Just a reminder, it's coming up, August 6-9.

 

[Acorn]

I'm stoked whistler! I'll try to find you today...