Where the Gathering will be in 2002

This year the North American Rainbow Gathering (hence referred to as the Gathering) will be in Michigan near the town of Watersmeet in Ottawa National Forest, from July 1 - July 7.

Directions:

From Watersmeet, Michigan go about 5 miles north to a sign for "Robbin's Pond Campground". Turn left. Go about 1/2 mile to the 1st left onto FS 5230. Drive down FS 5230 about 4-5 miles to the parking lot. Welcome Home! (this was previously listed as 2530, but the map says 5230).

For an overview map, go to this link, while this link is more of a closeup of where I think the site is. I'll nail down exactly where it is shortly. For how this looks on the official Forest Service map, try this link on the Great Lakes Rainbow Family site. For the most fun, here's a TerraServer photo of the site.

The Forest Service is trying to close a portion of the site because it supposedly contains archeological remains. The site is called the Choate Township The site is scheduled by the Forest Service for logging in this plan, where they also talk about ATV and 4x4 use of the this land. Included in this plan is clear-cutting over 1000 acres. This area covers the west side of Sucker Creek. For some reason, the Forest Service is assuming that the Rainbow Gathering will cause more damage to the resource than ATV, 4x4s, and clear-cutting.

Ignore all rumors of cancellation or organization! Live Lightly with the Land and People!


For more information specifically on this gathering, here are some more documents.

Other Sources of Information

Now that it's Spring Time, the Forest Service is cranking up their disinformation propoganda machine. While the USFS tries heavily to freak out the locals about the coming Gathering, usually the result is no where as bad as they try to lead folks to believe. Here's a few general media articles looking back on things from the perspective of a year later.


Rainbow Guide
P.O. Box 3433
Ann Arbor
MI 48106-3433

The current address for this years All Ways Free is:
ALL WAYS FREE
PO Box 2424
Mesa AZ 85214
allwaysfree@welcomehome.org
The staff at All Ways Free are asking you for Art work, articles, and whatever else you'd like to see in the issue this year.

Please send them: articles, poems, heartsongs, visions, artwork, photos and (of course) donations of Green Energy.

There are usually a few rideboards, so folks can find rides or passengers. Here is this year's crop.