The Golden Gear Retirement Weekend Chronicles

From the 2nd to 4th of December, The Golden Gear celebrated their first "Weekend Retirement".
Major Jacques Lovesteel had been preparing this event for quite a long time, and many fellow members of this forum had been waiting for it for many weeks, even months.
After a few ups and downs, it even seemed a one moment that we weren't going to be able to make them happen. Nevertheless after a little help from yours truely and Sir Jack Winchester, Major Lovesteel relocated the original reunion place (Burgos) to a little and cosy cottage at a small village not all that far from Madrid called Cenicientos.

There we would have the most astonishing retirement weekend where we would all meet and get to know each other during three days. There we had workshops (Raygun making and painting, Photographic Developing), an exposition of all our creations, photo sessions...
We had a barbeque,we ate, drank, we even paid a visit to the first and only true Steampunk Pub "Ithillien" Saturday night. A very complete weekend in the nature that started with friends but ended as a family.

Now I will start the Chronicles of our Retirement Weekend.

Chronicle of a Retirement Weekend Foretold Vol I.
Friday.


I firmly recommend the listening of this song during the reading of the text in order to achieve a full audiovisual experience. Thank you..


Friday night, and the soft sea breeze blew while Professors Klauss and Brokenheimer made their way towards Alicante's bus station. Their suitcases made and laptop, handheld consoles and mobile phones completely charged up in a attempt to make the long nocturnal journey to Madrid more enjoyable.
The trip was far more pleasent than expected had it not been for the two travellers in the front seats, who would not cease in moving around and pushing their seats back and forth all night. However, nothing that a good, jolly old game of Cadillacs and Dinosaurs couldn't soothe. When hunger grew on us we enjoyed a couple of homemade sandwiches prepared before departing while watching a very interesting biographic documentary based on Lemmy -Mötorhead main component- absolutely marvellous.

Darkness surrounded us all the way to our destination, the eternal darkness that followed the bus wherever we went. At the end we glimpsed a ray of Madrid's morning light that received us with the madness typical of a capital.
Our next target was not very far at all... the subway station.

Baffled at what we thought was a true swarming crowd, we easily found our way to the subway and managed to find out which was our stop. Once we emerged to the surface to start our walk up to the "Specter Lodge". Then it started to rain. Actually, we hadn't even started to climb the subway stairs up to the surface -the mechanical stairs had broken down- with our very heavy suitcases when we saw our indeed wet future.
A slight drizzle enhanced the halo of light shining from the lampposts, reason for which we seeked for a roof in a humble tavern across the road from Spectre Lodge. Although we knew that the always obliging Mortred and Asmodelia were surely awake and already started their daily routines, it was only seven o'clock in the morning, and we did not want to wake Mr and Mrs Spectre.
So sheltered at the warmth of the tavern, with very nice made hot coffee and splendid toasts we waited until it was a decent hour to bother Sir Jack and Lady Elizabeth Winchester. When we deemed it was appropiate we called in to announce our arrival and we were greeted arms open.

Lady Elizabeth did not haste in making the last adjustments to our outfits, the official Ars Obscura outfits she so kindly made herself. Such an obliging and reliable lady as I have ever seen in my life. Working so hard, up until the last moment, and asking for absolutely nothing in return.

After a jolly good breakfast, Sir Jack Winchester had to leave the Lodge to attend some kind of business -he couldn't say what or he would have to kill us after- so Lady Elizabeth offered to show us a little round Madrid, make a few last minutes purchases and take us an absolutely astonishing oriental supplier. On our way round we had to make a short stop at Major Lovesteel's house to collect the necessary apparatus for the "Photographic Developing Workshop" the Major had promised he would give. I met him in person for the first time, and I must say that for being a Confederate he is a very kind and affable person. After he helped us take all the goods and chattles down we talked for a little while and we left Major Lovesteel's mansion and made way back to the Specter Lodge to complete the preparations for the journey and of course have a wonderful dinner.

The gripping Madrid cold and the constant rain threats did not diminish our spirits or our path and after a few highly fruitful purchases we enjoyed a superb Chinese take away lunch


Here we can see Professor Klauss starting the makes of Lady Elizabeth's new raygun.

Shortly afterwards Sir Jack came back to the Specter Lodge. After a while amazed by the Winchesters' musical collection we started to make the attempt of fitting everything we intented to take into the Spectremobile. Professor Klauss and myself would have been horribly incapable of achieving such task, but Lady Elizabeth -as marvellous as always- managed to fit everything in such a manner that I could say we were almost confortable. Impressive indeed.
With everything packed in the car we started our journey to Cenicientos, not without a few small incidents on the way. However, I must say that this little village of Madrid is slightly hidden and difficult to find.
Nevertheless, more later than sooner, we found our way. When we arrived, several of our comrades came out to receive us, Major Lovesteel and Mr. DiFerro among them.

The cottage was ultimately perfect. A cottage with four apartments for four people, each with its own equipped kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms, and a very large dining room. I do have to say that Major Jacques Lovesteel chose a perfect location for our Steampunk Residential Weekend. We saw that we were not the last ones to arrive as many others were still expected.

Hours went by and we chatted away getting to know each other when supper time crawled on us. Between one thing an another we had no time to buy anything for supper, but Major Lovesteel came to the rescue once again and bought a large batch of ramen (Chinese instant noodles). Also Mr Aguín and Lady Romana delighted us with beverages and Mr DiFerro and Miss Irwen Lovelace presented us with an enormous "empanada gallega" (Galician tuna pie). And when I say huge, I surely mean huge. I had never seen a tuna pie of such proportions. When I asked if this was normal, I was replied "these are the ones we keep for ourselves, the ones we do not sell to tourists". Astonishing at least.


The blur in the background is hardly visible, but I assure you it is Major Lovesteel preparing ramen at the speed of lighting.

While Major Lovesteel prepared all the ramen with the invaluable help of Doctor Schnabel Von Rom and Mr. Max Von Tannhauser among others, we hung our forum banner canvas, The Golden Gear Banner, presiding the south end of the table, mede by yours truely to make clear that it was a "Golden Gear Spanish Steampunk Forum" official supper.


Mr. Max Von Tannhauser and Detective Anton McGregor O'Guiver hanging up the Golden Gear canvas.

Once we had finished with the tuna pie (there were plenty leftovers for the next day) and with all the ramen available (I asked for a hot and spicy ramen, and oh boy did Major Lovesteel make me one hot and spicy. For crying out loud, I think my tongue still burns today!) Miss Irwen had yet another surprise for us, a fantastic dessert. Nothing less than a whole batch of the own Steampunk Cupcakes! Marvellous! I am not exactly know for having a sweet tooth, but they were absolutely scrumptious! Yours truely at least ate three or four! I would kill for those cupcakes.


A photograph of Miss Irwen's astonishing cupcakes..

Once supper had ended and everything was clean and put away, Mr. Von Tannhauser did not hesitate in offering us to taste some of the vast array of beers he had bought with him, from Franziskaner to Erdinger. I had to choose a Franziskaner, no one can resist to one. Nice and cold, as it should be.

Our after-supper chatting went on till late hours of the night -and one some conversation topics I really prefer no to mention due to their scatological demeanor- while Major Jacques Lovesteel assisted by Mr. McGregor O'Guiver planned out next day's workshop schedule. However, the weight of the long journeys and the few sleeping hours made easy the infamous Morpheus' task. Wearing our best sleeping garments we all went to our chambers to peacefully dream with what awaited us the next day. Saturday.

Coming soon, "Chronicle of a Retirement Weekend Foretold. Vol II. Saturday".