Dates: Thursday, 9/5/24, to Sunday, 9/8/24. All dates and times are local EST.
Who: HOWA community members, all nomads and the nomad curious, and everyone who supports nomads and HOWA’s mission of Together, we are changing lives, building a supportive community, and preventing homelessness one person at a time. All participants must be 18 years of age or older.
Registration: Registration closes Monday, September 2, 2024. HOWA reserves the right to place a limit on registration if the event becomes too large.
Cost: Free as always for the HOWA community, but donations to HOWA are welcome and encouraged. Don’t forget to bring your checkbook or donate online here.
Communication: Please submit all communications to caravan@howa.org.
Location: Available upon registration. HOWA will share the exact location and directions with all confirmed registrants at noon on Tuesday, 9/3/24. For planning purposes, the location is in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest Conasauga Ranger District and will require approximately an hour of travel on gravel roads. Four-wheel drive is not needed, and most vehicles with standard clearance can make the trip. HOWA asks that you do not share the location with anyone other than your personal emergency contacts. Please note the location is not exclusive to HOWA, and we may be sharing part of the dispersed camping area, so others outside our group may not adhere to all HOWA requirements and recommendations. We will report any illegal activity but otherwise will take a live-and-let-live attitude towards our neighbors.
Nearest supplies: Chatsworth, GA or Ellijay, GA are both approximately one hour, with the majority of the drive on gravel roads. Stop for supplies prior to passing through these towns.
Emergency:
- USFS Conasauga Ranger District 706-695-6736
- Campsite is located in Murray County. Murray County Sheriff’s Office 706-695-4592
- Nearest hospital: Hamilton Medical Center, 1200 Memorial Dr, Dalton, GA 30720. Approximately 1 1/2 hours west. Open 24 hours.
Opportunities and Activities:
- There are multiple hiking opportunities, fishing (GA fishing license required), swimming, mountain biking, relaxing, bird watching, volunteer cleanup, etc.
- Each evening, there will be an optional potluck around the campfire. Please plan accordingly to provide a potluck item if you are interested in participating. We understand that by the final night, it will likely just be bags of snacks as our coolers grow empty.
- Free pile exchange. Bring what you are looking to get rid of that others might need. Note if any item does not go it will need to be packed home by the one who brought it.
- There will be a group campfire every evening (maybe some mornings). HOWA will provide firewood, but please bring any wood you may want to contribute to the group.
- Make new friends, share ideas and nomad survival tricks, recommend vendors in the southeast, get insight on your issues, etc. Rig Tour if participants are interested.
- Q&A around the campfire with the HOWA Executive Director.
- Those who are a little handy can give advice to those who may have a minor repair they’ve been putting off. This is not intended to be a rig repair or maintenance event, but you may find someone willing to discuss how to proceed with your minor repairs. Please be respectful of the time and hospitality of those who may be willing to assist you.
- Group photo. A photo release is included in your approved registration.
- If we have enough participants, we will conduct a USFS-sanctioned clean-up of the dispersed camping site and surrounding areas. HOWA will provide trash bags, a shovel to clean out firepits, and a magnet to pick up nails in and around firepits. Please bring gloves to assist. HOWA will haul out all cleaned-up trash but not attendees’ personal trash.
- HOWA will provide:
- Name tag stickers and a Sharpie.
- There will be minimal firewood for an hour or two of evening fires. Please bring firewood if you are able or willing to collect dead and downed wood. No live or standing wood is to be collected.
- Supplies for making s’mores each evening.
- Trash bags and shovel for dispersed campground cleanup. Trash bags are not for participant use.
Guidelines and Rules:
- Come and go as you please. You are welcome to spend the entire time with the group or to come late, leave early, or both. We ask that you coordinate with HOWA staff when you leave so we are not worried about you. We intentionally scheduled this event to allow both those available on weekdays and weekends to participate.
- All who support HOWA and the HOWA mission are welcome, even if you are not a full-time nomad. This is a remote location but a safe space. As at all events, HOWA welcomes BIPOC, first-time nomads and nomad curious, all genders, foreign born, and all others who have not been traditionally welcome in the nomad or camping community.
- No discussion of politics, religion, elections, candidates, or any other divisive topics. Also, no sales or social media production. You will be asked to leave if a problem arises.
- The pets of responsible human partners are very welcome. If your pet causes any concerns, you may be asked to leave. The best practice is to always keep your well-behaved animal partner on a six-foot leash.
- Bring your patience. This is HOWA’s first event or gathering in the East. We strive to make the event seamless and enjoyable for all, but circumstances will inevitably be beyond our control. Please bear with us as we move towards providing more regional, state, and local events in the future.
- By submitting your registration and having it confirmed by HOWA, you agree that you are responsible for your own well-being, safety, vehicle, and supplies.
- No bathrooms of any type, potable water, electrical hookups, dump stations, trash receptacles, etc.. Please plan accordingly to be self-sufficient and pack it in/pack it out.
- Generators are technically allowed at this location, but HOWA prefers you not to use them at HOWA events.
- Only one HOWA staff participant will be in attendance. Circumstances may require their absence due to unforeseen events and/or safety concerns.
- One main campfire only. We ask that you do not make another fire outside of the existing fire pits.
- We will all follow U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and local laws without exception. Anyone found breaking any laws will be reported and asked to leave immediately. This event has been registered with USFS local leadership and law enforcement. We hope to have USFS personnel stop by at least once.
- There is very little to no cell service in this area. Unless you have Starlink or something similar, please plan on not having access to cell service, Wi-Fi, or any other external communications. If you must reliably make or receive a call, please plan on what could realistically be a two-hour roundtrip from the campsite. HOWA does not have any additional communication capabilities other than a standard cell phone.
- Alcohol is allowed with moderation and discretion; however, this is not primarily a drinking event. Those who overuse will be asked to leave.
- Just as at all HOWA events we will strictly adhere to all Leave No Trace principles. No exceptions. We will leave this area better than we found it.
- This area is home to bears, snakes, deer, turkey, coyotes, and according to a surprisingly high number of people – sasquatch. Remember, we are visiting their home. Make sure all food items are secured in your rig, and drive slowly on the roads. Seeing wildlife is a guarantee during this gathering.
Schedule: (All times local: EST)
- This is a general schedule and should not be considered rigid. We are all here to have a good time, and if the group agrees to vary the schedule, that is OK.
- Thursday 9/5/24
- 12:00 noon – Arrival
- If anyone missing from the registration list J.D. may drive out in both directions to check on any participants trying to make their way in.
- 6:00 p.m. – Potluck and group campfire with s’mores. Continues until bedtime.
- Friday 9/6/24
- TBD – Morning coffee with a campfire if we have enough wood. Breakfast on your own.
- 9:00 a.m. – Visit Lake Conasauga day-use area ($5 parking fee.) Hike to Grassy Mountain Tower. (Ask USFS to open tower?)
- Lunch on your own. Recommend small groups with new friends.
- 3:00 p.m. – Gather at the campfire to begin dispersed area cleanup.
- 6:00 p.m. – Potluck and group campfire with s’mores. Continues until bedtime.
- Saturday 9/7/24
- TBD – Morning coffee with a campfire if we have enough wood.
- Unscheduled morning. Lunch on your own. Recommend small groups with new friends.
- 3:00 p.m. – Gather at the campfire to complete dispersed area cleanup.
- 6:00 p.m. – Group Photo. Potluck and group campfire with s’mores. Continues until bedtime.
- Sunday 9/8/24
- TBD – Morning coffee with a campfire if we have enough wood.
- 9:00 a.m. – Final sweep of dispersed camping area from any trash left overnight. Put out any remaining fires, including our own. Pack out all trash.
- 10:00 a.m. – The event formally ends, and HOWA will depart, but anyone wishing to stay is welcome to continue camping on our public lands. The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest has a 14-day stay limit, and we ask that everyone please adhere to this rule.
- If you are in any way concerned about your rig, please feel free to depart early or on time so that if anything occurs on your way out, other participants will come along behind you. We are assuming that at least some of us will be going out in both directions.
