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Oshkosh first time camping with plane questions.

RickWoodall

RickWoodall

Well Known Member
I have been spoiled in years past with a 28'trailer with full power, air, shower, cold beer, wife making great meals etc. This year will be my first camping at my plane with none of the above. Any suggestions for first timers? Is it just easier to buy all meals on the grounds or thumb it into town? Is it realistic to get into town every day or two and buy a few beers/food to keep in a cooler? Any suggestions on what to take or not take in the very limited room in an rv? Obviously basic clothes small tent, sleeping bag, bug spray...but looking for other tips.

Thanks for any tips. Thought of staying in a hotel but..this seems like a right of passage. :rolleyes:
 
Beer Tent

It took me a couple of OSH's to notice that at the back of HBC (Homebuilt Camping) is a hole in the fence near the cell tower.

Go through the hole onto the parking lot road, turn left toward the main entrance and bus station. Just when you get to the main road in you'll see the "SOS Brothers" beer tent. Great beer (not 'cheap awful beer') and great food. Live music too. They often have a glowing yellow balloon visible above the trees on a tether. It has "beer" written on it!

They are outside the EAA grounds, so you get much more for your money and it tastes better!

Cheers,
..lance
 
I have tent camped every time but one. I have arrived by motorcycle or RV each of those times, so I have never had much space. I usually buy a Styrofoam ice chest, groceries, and beer at the store in Camp Scholler. I cook on a small camp stove. At least half my meals are purchased out, either at the venue, one of the places just off site, or I'll hitch a ride in to a restaurant in town with someone.

You can mail extra supplies to yourself. See shipping information towards the bottom of the page here: http://www.airventure.org/planning/services.html I haven't actually tried shipping anything, but may this year. My wife and I are used to traveling light and haven't really needed to. I don't like carrying my stove on the plane. If I ship it, I could ship one with two burners. Oh the luxury! Hmm, maybe I could use a real ice chest too.

Uh Oh, I'm getting soft. :eek:
 
Target

Don't worry about hauling things like an air mattress. Target is the place to go for the supplies you'll need for the week. It's an easy walk about 1/4 mile past Frier Tucks or you can take the shuttle bus that takes you right to the front. This will save you space and weight in the plane. Pack light, you won't need much more than some changes of underwear, shorts, and shirts. A small one man tent and a sleeping bag and your all set. There are plenty of places to eat and the cafe right next to the work shop area has dinner specials every night and the food is tasty. Breakfasts at the Warbirds cafe, lunch....the church Brat stand right outside the main gate.

I'm a North 40 guy every year. It is a great place with lots of people to schmooze with plus it's quiet.
 
ginge said:
It took me a couple of OSH's to notice that at the back of HBC (Homebuilt Camping) is a hole in the fence near the cell tower.

Go through the hole onto the parking lot road, turn left toward the main entrance and bus station. Just when you get to the main road in you'll see the "SOS Brothers" beer tent. Great beer (not 'cheap awful beer') and great food. Live music too. They often have a glowing yellow balloon visible above the trees on a tether. It has "beer" written on it!

They are outside the EAA grounds, so you get much more for your money and it tastes better!

Cheers,
..lance
Click to expand...

Excellent advise. The SOS brothers do a great job - excellent food, good prices, cold beer, and a bunch of pilots shooting the breeze. I can't tell you how many incredible discussions I've had with complete strangers under the SOS tent.
 
ginge said:
It took me a couple of OSH's to notice that at the back of HBC (Homebuilt Camping) is a hole in the fence near the cell tower.

Go through the hole onto the parking lot road, turn left toward the main entrance and bus station. Just when you get to the main road in you'll see the "SOS Brothers" beer tent. Great beer (not 'cheap awful beer') and great food. Live music too. They often have a glowing yellow balloon visible above the trees on a tether. It has "beer" written on it!

They are outside the EAA grounds, so you get much more for your money and it tastes better!

Cheers,
..lance
Click to expand...

Not to mention young co-eds in bikini's serving the beer! :D
 
RV (the big ugly kind) camping

I am renting a class C rv for the first time. It's something I have always wanted to do. And suggestions and recommendations for items to bring with and good places to park at the campgrounds. I plan on bringing a couple bikes to get back and forth. Any feedback would be apprecaited.
 
Speaking of co-eds, the city bus will run you in and
back from the University area until about 10 P.M.
There are some bars and eating joints within an easy
walk from the bus stop. They all seem to be full
of OSH attendees. Round trip cost is about $3.00,
(exact fair only). It is a good option if you don't have
ground transportation.
Tom
 
Hey Rick,

I will be camping in scholler. I will have wheels and plenty of brew. I can hook you up. 262-391-797three. Others are welcome as well.
 
Tent Camping Can Be Expensive

Rick, last year my wife and I spent our wedding anniversary tent camping at AirVenture. Now I know why expensive gold jewelry vendors are there in hangar B. You didn't mention if your wife is tent camping with you. Believe me, this changes everything!
 
No wife

We get our new golden retreiver two weeks before oshkosh so my wife will be staying home with the pup and kids. I may take a flying buddy, or my father in law. Only planning on being there from sat pm, through to tues or wed morning.
The camping and showers and all is no issue, we do lots of camping. I was just looking for suggestions on eating and drinking. I am not a fast food fan and cant imagine eating concession stand food all day long for days. Just basic tips, suggestions on rides into town, suggestions on a few of the better places to grab a little better meal. Thats all much appreciated. Going down to the ultralights and having breakfast sounds great. Walking through the hole in the fence to the SOS tent, that kind of stuff is very helpful.

When I had the big camper, many years I lined up fellow builders from vaf that were in tents or planes and they would come by for a couple beers, a steak, burger etc one night. Worked out great.

Tony, depending what nights you are there, I would love to swing by for a beer or two. Thanks.
 
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pssst...

Access to the supermarket, Target, Friar Tucks, the Hilton (for breakfast), LaShures, and all the other food joints is mucho easier if you camp in the west end of the North 40 and not in HBC with all the other RVs. There's still plenty of RVs in the N40 to look at.
The showers in the N40 are nicer (i.e. not a mobile trailer) especially the brand new one put into service last year. WiFi service is also available at the showers.
School buses circle the N40 and will take you to the beginning of the Red tram route or the "stores" exit gate. The Red tram is usually full up by the time it reaches the RV corral.
If you go to downtown Oshkosh, say to the AceyDuecy Club, either campground is about the same distance to the city bus stop in the grand scheme of things.
 
Another vote for the North 40 campground. If you get lucky, you may have a good place to watch arrivals and departures to/from Runway 9/27.

Plus we found out the best time to hit the shower house is during the airshow every afternoon.

If you don't mind walking about 2 milles at 5:30 AM, La Sure's is the place to eat breakfast.

AirVenture is like Disney World. You can't do it all in one trip; just pick what you want to do and enjoy!
 
How about "mixed" camping?

We are going as a 3 ship of 2 rv's and a Bellanca. We intend to all park/camp together in the the "classics" area. Several years ago this was done with the same Bellanca and a different RV without problem... Can we expect the same treatment, or will they boot us over to the north 40?
 
good grub

Another good place to get a hot meal is across the street (cant remember the name of the street) from the Red Barn. The place is called Vickies. Good breakfasts, and dinners. No brewskies but they don't care if you bring your own...
 
Other things to bring

I have camped next to my plane several times at Oshkosh. I always take a folding chair to sit in next to my plane and during the airshows. I also take a backpack, which I carry my things in while wandering around each day. Take a rain coat, umbrella, sunscreen, camera, etc. Taking showers during the afternoon airshows is a good idea too--no crowds.

Dan Miller
RV-8
 
Toobuilder said:
Can we expect the same treatment, or will they boot us over to the north 40?
Click to expand...
You should be OK with this plan. Just make sure you all have the proper signage, ie. VAC signs for Vintage Aircraft Camping. Of course, if you want to get a good seat to the show, get there early, as things are going to fill up quickly this year.
 
SOS Bros. is directly across the street North of Sleepy Hollow. Sleepy Hollow also has a bbq/ice cream tent.
Sleepy Hollow is where we've stayed for the past 9 years, space 69. We have a 38' 5th wheel. My wife and daughters always have something homemade cooked up.:):) Anyone is welcome to drop in on us.

Marshall Alexander
 
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