early arrival camping

AlanM

AlanM

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Needles
Hi. As I live in the Chicago area, I thought it would be worth a car trip up to OSH to "stake my claim" in Camp Schoeler when it officially opens on Friday, June 26. I don't cherish the idea of walking far to the main entrance (or any entrance) and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to where I should stake the claim to the camp spot (even though I'll be paying for it from that time forward)??? I'd appreciate your help. Thank you. PS: I'm not flying in when OSH starts but driving in w/ an RV.
 
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Are you flying in? I didn't know you could pre-arrange a camp site on the flight line. They direct you where you're going to go when you get there ....
 
txflyer said:
Are you flying in? I didn't know you could pre-arrange a camp site on the flight line. They direct you where you're going to go when you get there ....
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Camp Scholler is not the North 40. There are no airplanes, it's only tents & campers.
 
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Expect a line on Friday morning. I know people who got there in their RV's and campers yesterday, 3 days ahead of time and party on the road while waiting in line. Being first in line is bragging rights. :rolleyes:
 
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AlanM said:
Hi. As I live in the Chicago area, I thought it would be worth a car trip up to OSH to "stake my claim" in Camp Schoeler when it officially opens on Friday, June 26. I don't cherish the idea of walking far to the main entrance (or any entrance) and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions as to where I should stake the claim to the camp spot (even though I'll be paying for it from that time forward)??? I'd appreciate your help. Thank you. PS: I'm not flying in when OSH starts but driving in w/ an RV.
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I'm not sure I'd drive 3-4 hours each way to stage a tent to reserve my spot so I don't have to walk an extra 5 minutes 2 or 4 times a day at an event where you will log *miles* everyday anyway, but to each his own.

A couple thoughts then.

1) Have you looked at the map yet? (http://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/plan-your-eaa-airventure-trip/maps/camp-scholler-map) The left side of the map is furthest from the show. You mention wanting to be near the "main entrance", but your parenthetical comment is more on the money. Just being near any entrance is probably good enough. The right side of the map is toward the show. The main exhibit area is above "Paul's Park" where there are four hangars labelled A, B, C, D. Right of the map is vintage airplane parking and south of that is the ultralight field. North of the main vendor area are the pavilions and more outdoor exhibitors.

2) Look at the map again, notice that there are different rules for different sections. You mention an RV, so make sure you get into the section you want with the rules and/or services you want.

3) I would suggest not getting a spot on one of the main roads nor on an end cap. Much more traffic and annoying noise. Middle of a row will reduce that some.
 
Geico266 said:
Expect a line on Friday morning. I know people who got there in their RV's and campers yesterday, 3 days ahead of time and party on the road while waiting in line. Being first in line is bragging rights. :rolleyes:
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Note he said JUNE 26. No line then! We're staking our claim on July 8th with Camp Bacon, then driving up (we'll probably rent a van to haul all the stuff) the Saturday before the show officially opens.
 
He is talking about June 26 which is FRIDAY. The line dissipates fairly quickly once the gates officially open however.
 
gprellwitz said:
Note he said JUNE 26. No line then! We're staking our claim on July 8th with Camp Bacon, then driving up (we'll probably rent a van to haul all the stuff) the Saturday before the show officially opens.
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How exactly do you stake your claim if you have a tent, Grant? Must you put it up, or can you just rope it off or something? My timing was going to be similar to yours.
 
I think some are setting up shop already.

TOWN OF OSHKOSH — A bear was spotted Tuesday, June 23, near the area of Ryf Road and Shangri La Point Road, authorities said.

Although bear sightings are not common in the area, they do happen from time to time, according to the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office. People who see a bear should make noise, so the bear knows they are there; they also should slowly back away and allow the bear a clear exit.
 
You tape/rope of the area you want and place your credentials indicating the spot is paid for (typically in a zip lock bag) on one of the stakes holding it up.
 
Hi to all who were wondering why I did this crazy thing called "staking out my spot" on Friday, June 26 -- the opening day of Camp Schoeller. Well, I'm apparently not the only kook-head out there as when I arrived at 600 am today for an opening of the ticket booths at 700 am, I was probably the 6th car in line. When I left after performing the stake-out, oh around 1000 am, there was not a single car in line. But, here's what I learned -- not saying that this is good or bad advice, just my experience:

- I drove around for about 3/4 hour just checking the place out as this was the first time I've ever had plans to camp at OSH. My strategy, given that I didn't think I needed to be in a hurry given that so few cars were in que, was to figure out the lay of the land.
- I decided that I wanted to be near the Red Barn camp store and the related shower facility, so I picked a spot next to a group of 40 stake-outers who were setting up in Paul's Woods. These dudes have been camping there since the dawn of creation, so I politely asked if they minded if I camped next to them. In typical OSH hospitality, they said it was ok w/ them.
- My spot in Paul's Wood is adjacent to a "fire road" (just a clean cut of grass "road") near the intersection of Lindbergh and Deischer. It also abuts Deischer, so there is easy access to the camp site.
- To perform the stake-out, I had 9" garden stakes (8) and 2 100-foot cords of poly rope. I measured out an area of 30 ft by 25-ish ft, placed stakes in the ground w/ a rubber mallet, and started stringing the rope through the stakes.
- The people who were setting up for the group of 40 people had stakes that were hip-high and after their stake-out, they went around to each post and spray-painted the lawn to "ensure" that no one moved their posts on them -- I don't know what one would do IF the posts were moved, but that was their procedure. Also, they used 3 inch yellow "caution tape," which is much more visible that my 9 inch stakes and rope combo.
- To my delight, there were an abundant supply of porta-potties across the road.
- I stayed overnight on Thursday evening at a near-by hotel where the fire alarm went off at 200 am due to some drunken and high kids smoking in their room / not part of the OSH crowd, though.
- In my opinion, I feel very good about spending the extra $500-ish to secure a campsite on opening day because I am close to the Red Barn, to the Main Entrance and because I won't have to walk 2 miles from the west end of Camp Schoeller or take the bus. (I don't like to walk far to the entrance, but I know I'll be doing a lot of walking AT AirVenture itself.)
- In the process of doing all of this, I met a bunch of really nice people, thus making me geared-up for getting there as soon as possible.
- For the poster who was inquiring of setting up a tent "now," you don't have to do that -- all you need to do is stake out your space (which would be a whole lot smaller than 30 by 25).
- Oh, to prove that you are the "owner" of your spot, you secure one portion of the two-part "credentials" you obtain upon check-in to a stake and pound it into the ground. In theory, it should still be there upon your arrival at OSH later in July.

So, that's my brain dump. FYI, on both the trip to and the trip from OSH, it was a 3 hour drive to/from the Chicago suburb in which I live. Well worth FOR ME, maybe not for others. So be it. Good luck and best wishes to all.
 
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That sounds like a fun time. I'm sure you got a nice spot. There are a lot crazier things you could be doing, you can even go up early once or twice and start setting up, before the big gig.
 
sourdough44 said:
That sounds like a fun time. I'm sure you got a nice spot. There are a lot crazier things you could be doing, you can even go up early once or twice and start setting up, before the big gig.
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Actually........a guy I met is a volunteer in the Pilot Briefing area and he too lives in a Chicago suburb......and, he DOES goes up every few weeks to check things out.:yikes:
 
A friend of ours had his Bo parked up real close to the red barn last year and he put stakes with orange ribbon around it to keep people and kids from running underneath the wings when it rained and laying under them out of the sun for the airshow.

He didn't want to do it, but we were walking back to the plane the first day and a couple of little kids were parked by their mom underneath the wings out of the sun and one of them was fiddling with the landing gear door and touching things.

Mom needed to watch those kids a little better. "Johnny! quit taking things off the airplanes!" :lol:
 
When I was in Scholler, I camped as close to the entrance of the camp as possible. Very open, plenty of space, not much foot traffic through my campsite, and I was almost always within 100ft. sight of a 24/hr manned security/observation post. No traffic to contend with to drive my car out of camp and into town.

The thing that made this campsite bearable was that I had a bicycle and I could bike to the gate faster than people who lived 1/4 the distance away could walk.
 
AlanM said:
Hi to all who were wondering why I did this crazy thing called "staking out my spot" on Friday, June 26 -- the opening day of Camp Schoeller. Well, I'm apparently not the only kook-head out there as when I arrived at 600 am today for an opening of the ticket booths at 700 am, I was probably the 6th car in line. When I left after performing the stake-out, oh around 1000 am, there was not a single car in line. But, here's what I learned -- not saying that this is good or bad advice, just my experience:

- I drove around for about 3/4 hour just checking the place out as this was the first time I've ever had plans to camp at OSH. My strategy, given that I didn't think I needed to be in a hurry given that so few cars were in que, was to figure out the lay of the land.
- I decided that I wanted to be near the Red Barn camp store and the related shower facility, so I picked a spot next to a group of 40 stake-outers who were setting up in Paul's Woods. These dudes have been camping there since the dawn of creation, so I politely asked if they minded if I camped next to them. In typical OSH hospitality, they said it was ok w/ them.
- My spot in Paul's Wood is adjacent to a "fire road" (just a clean cut of grass "road") near the intersection of Lindbergh and Deischer. It also abuts Deischer, so there is easy access to the camp site.
- To perform the stake-out, I had 9" garden stakes (8) and 2 100-foot cords of poly rope. I measured out an area of 30 ft by 25-ish ft, placed stakes in the ground w/ a rubber mallet, and started stringing the rope through the stakes.
- The people who were setting up for the group of 40 people had stakes that were hip-high and after their stake-out, they went around to each post and spray-painted the lawn to "ensure" that no one moved their posts on them -- I don't know what one would do IF the posts were moved, but that was their procedure. Also, they used 3 inch yellow "caution tape," which is much more visible that my 9 inch stakes and rope combo.
- To my delight, there were an abundant supply of porta-potties across the road.
- I stayed overnight on Thursday evening at a near-by hotel where the fire alarm went off at 200 am due to some drunken and high kids smoking in their room / not part of the OSH crowd, though.
- In my opinion, I feel very good about spending the extra $500-ish to secure a campsite on opening day because I am close to the Red Barn, to the Main Entrance and because I won't have to walk 2 miles from the west end of Camp Schoeller or take the bus. (I don't like to walk far to the entrance, but I know I'll be doing a lot of walking AT AirVenture itself.)
- In the process of doing all of this, I met a bunch of really nice people, thus making me geared-up for getting there as soon as possible.
- For the poster who was inquiring of setting up a tent "now," you don't have to do that -- all you need to do is stake out your space (which would be a whole lot smaller than 30 by 25).
- Oh, to prove that you are the "owner" of your spot, you secure one portion of the two-part "credentials" you obtain upon check-in to a stake and pound it into the ground. In theory, it should still be there upon your arrival at OSH later in July.

So, that's my brain dump. FYI, on both the trip to and the trip from OSH, it was a 3 hour drive to/from the Chicago suburb in which I live. Well worth FOR ME, maybe not for others. So be it. Good luck and best wishes to all.
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You're not far from where we're going to be. See the map in the Camp Scholler Jambalaya/Chili thread! Plan on coming over sometime!
 
Grant -- I'm pretty sure my cousin and I will be coming over to the Chili event. I'm just waiting on him. See you there, hopefully. Alan
 
Just drove by today. RVs are already in Camp Scholler and port-a-potties are all over the place. So sad I'm going to miss Oshkosh this year.
 
nddons said:
Why are you going to miss it?
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Going to Ohio that week to visit family and such. Haven't been home in about 2 years, so it's time. And the wife is going to a Pez convention in Cleveland for a few days.
 
JB1842 said:
Going to Ohio that week to visit family and such. Haven't been home in about 2 years, so it's time.
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Something wonderfully ironic about me gong to Wisconsin for holiday and you coming to Ohio. Of course, just about anyone would label us daft for going to either for holiday.

JB1842 said:
And the wife is going to a Pez convention in Cleveland for a few days.
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I'm not at all certain I want to know what happens at a Pez convention.
 
steingar said:
Something wonderfully ironic about me gong to Wisconsin for holiday and you coming to Ohio. Of course, just about anyone would label us daft for going to either for holiday.




I'm not at all certain I want to know what happens at a Pez convention.
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Haven't been to Cedar Point or Put in Bay in a few years. Pez conventions are like Oshkosh. Food, drinking, seminars, and stuff to buy. All that is different is people get excited over plastic toys instead of airplanes and there is no airshow.
 
JB1842 said:
Pez conventions are like Oshkosh. Food, drinking, seminars, and stuff to buy. All that is different is people get excited over plastic toys instead of airplanes and there is no airshow.
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:nono:
How many campsites at a Pez convention? How many attendees? Believe me, this is no Oshkosh! :no:

:D
 
JB1842 said:
I know it's not. I'm just lying to myself to make me feel better.
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Have your smart phone tuned in to AirVenture runway cams, and when people complain that you're not paying attention, you can tell them that there's a fugutive on the loose in Oshkosh, and you're on to him. In fact, his name rhymes with Brant Pezwitz, thus the need to be at the Pez Convention. :D

:thumbsup:
 
I staked out my camping spot in Paul's Woods this morning!! It was about 80% full, but the rest of camping was largely empty except for some RV areas. I'm fired up!
 
Has anyone tried flying in before the show starts and staking their spot in Scholler? Wondering if tying down at Basler is the way to go. They list rides to the EAA museum but not a courtesy car. Hmmm.
 
Yeah, I almost went back and edited to be clearer. Club plane - I can rent this weekend. I can't rent Oshkosh week. Figured I would pop up there and get a better spot closer to Camp Bacon instead of closer to Minnesota.
 
I went back up to Camp Scholler today to check on my staked-out spot to make sure no one moved it (I'm originally from Chicago, so I trust no one) and mow it before setting up camp next Friday. I brought my mower up only to find out that the EAA folks mowed it even after I staked it. Good people!

People are starting to camp out, and you can feel a buzz already. I'm looking forward to my first time camping at EAA.
 
We must have passed each other! I flew up and parked by Vintage:). Hitched a ride with volunteers to pay. Hitched another ride to Paul's woods. Staked it out. Then hitched another ride back to the plane. Landed right as the rain started.

Excitement definitely there. And already some plane campers too.
 
steingar said:
Why would anyone fly in and camp in Scholler?
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If you could find someone willing to set up a nice RV with a real bed and all you have to do is fly in and then get over there to sleep in it, that'd be one good reason. Heh. :)

Personally I've done the North 40 and love flying the airplane in, of course, but if I'm doing a week, I'll stick to the camper trailer in Scholler.

Lame, I know. But my back bugged me for a month after three nights in the North 40 in a tent even with a decent ground blow up mat thingy under a sleeping bag. I couldn't do a full week. I'd need to hire a masseuse for daily care if I were even going to attempt it again.

Love the old Proud Bird with the Brass Ass (Continental Airlines) but I really screwed up my back throwing... cough... carefully placing luggage in the bins in narrowbodies in my youth.

Along with many other bad things like rolling my Jeep... And tossing mail for USPS... And working on a pig farm... All long long ago.

Walking all week is great for it. Love all the walking. Honestly. But hard ground and I as bedfellows just don't get along too well.

Didn't do super well the year a friend and I did the tents in Scholler either, but at least I could twist and turn and stretch stuff better in the morning in a bigger tent than flies in the airplane.

I probably just need a bigger airplane. A C-130 with a nice mattress tossed in the back ought to do it. Heh. Maybe a bar back there too. Heh.
 
denverpilot said:
If you could find someone willing to set up a nice RV with a real bed and all you have to do is fly in and then get over there to sleep in it, that'd be one good reason. Heh. :)

Personally I've done the North 40 and love flying the airplane in, of course, but if I'm doing a week, I'll stick to the camper trailer in Scholler.

Lame, I know. But my back bugged me for a month after three nights in the North 40 in a tent even with a decent ground blow up mat thingy under a sleeping bag. I couldn't do a full week. I'd need to hire a masseuse for daily care if I were even going to attempt it again.

Love the old Proud Bird with the Brass Ass (Continental Airlines) but I really screwed up my back throwing... cough... carefully placing luggage in the bins in narrowbodies in my youth.

Along with many other bad things like rolling my Jeep... And tossing mail for USPS... And working on a pig farm... All long long ago.

Walking all week is great for it. Love all the walking. Honestly. But hard ground and I as bedfellows just don't get along too well.

Didn't do super well the year a friend and I did the tents in Scholler either, but at least I could twist and turn and stretch stuff better in the morning in a bigger tent than flies in the airplane.

I probably just need a bigger airplane. A C-130 with a nice mattress tossed in the back ought to do it. Heh. Maybe a bar back there too. Heh.
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I just set up camp in Scholler this afternoon! This is my first tent camping in 35 years - what could go wrong? :)

I packed the F-150 with so much crap, I would need a Cessna Caravan if I flew in. But, as my wife said, "you are in your 50's." Ouch.

I have a massive cot from Cabelas, which makes my six-man tent into a two-man tent. But I have a stove, 2 1/2 cases of beer, some Bombay Safire, and some Makers Mark. It should be a good week.

I'm in Paul's Woods if anyone wants to stop by. PM me.
 
nddons said:
I just set up camp in Scholler this afternoon! This is my first tent camping in 35 years - what could go wrong? :)

I packed the F-150 with so much crap, I would need a Cessna Caravan if I flew in. But, as my wife said, "you are in your 50's." Ouch.

I have a massive cot from Cabelas, which makes my six-man tent into a two-man tent. But I have a stove, 2 1/2 cases of beer, some Bombay Safire, and some Makers Mark. It should be a good week.

I'm in Paul's Woods if anyone wants to stop by. PM me.
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We had to rent a minivan to haul all our stuff, including a big stove, 10 person tent, 2 cots, 2 tables, and kitchen sink (no, I'm not kidding), were in Camp Bacon, just a block from Paul's Woods. Larry is already there. Stop by and say Hi!
 
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