I've got a couple of OrinocoSilver cards and some EnterasysCards, but my current plan is probably to run SVEC or Minitar APs in bridge mode, with a POE downlink to my router/firewall box.
Next steps are to get the antenna built and installed, before getting some nearby people ConnectingToTheNetworkFAQ.
Ad Hoc Networking: by Charles E Perkins:Not cheap, but an overview of some 'ad hoc' protocols, more or less from the IETF perspective. See also his homepage for a list of publications.