My hobby's Civil War reenacting. i'm a civilian in an actual CW Confederate company. We're family-orientated, so women are allowed. My first reenacting taste came in 2005 when I saw my first battle. It was in Bedford, Va. It was the Battle of Hanging Rock and the Battle of Bedford during Hunter's Raid. Hunter's Raid was during 1864. The Union Army under David Hunter went on a spree down the Shenandoah valley to rout out the Confederates. The most dastardly thing he did was burn down the Virginia Military institute. VMI was just like West point as well as the Charleston Citadel. I was too shy to visit the camps that year. I went to the camps in 2006 and met up with a New York group as well as the 12th Virginia that came from the Richmond-Petersburg area. They were nice people. I met my own company, the 1st Kentucky, in 2007. The company's the sister company to the 51st Virginia. I made friends with Mike and Benny broom. They are 2 of the nicest people you'd ever meet. Mike's retired school teacher. They invited me down to the Stuart reenactment outside of Ararat, Va. it's the first weekend in Oct. It's at Laurel Hill, Jeb Stuart's birthplace in Patrick County, Va. I went to it for the weekend. I stayed in mount Airy, NC since Mount Airy was only 10 miles from the site. I had a nice weekend. I also spent a whole weekend in the camp itself in April 2008. The camp was in Bedford at the time. I'll never forget it since I heard that my company gave me a "hurray" or whatever it's called after the battle. cool beans! it was also the last reenactment in Bedford. I haven't found out why yet. I went the distance and went to their april camp at Isle of Wight County in 2009. What I mean is, I went at least 2000 miles that weekend and stayed in motels. One wasn't too far from where I lived during 1979-1982. It was nice to visit the area again after over 5 years or so. this is the year I found out I had colon cancer. I joined my company in 2010. I stayed with my them in Buchanan, Va in April 2010. Mike and Benny paid for the B+B room. I also went to the Stuart, going down the Blue Ridge from Roanoke to Rt 58. Boy, it brought back memories of the Parkway when I was a teen and in my 30's. I stayed again in Mount Airy. The last reenactment I've gone to was this year's April Buchanan.It was cool as heck. they may not go anymore due to the wild nature of some of the companies there. oh well. I wanted to go to others like Gettysburg, but something always came up, esp during the Stuart...extremely high car rental prices. I have booked a compact for my trip to see my in-laws I haven't seen since 2009 inspite of the cost. I might never see them again. hopefully, I'll be able to go up to see my family in Richmond during the trip. Anyway, as you all can see, I love reenacting since I'm a history buff. I just don't know what my role is in the company as a civilian.