Hello everyone. The family and I will be making our first trip to oshkosh this year. We are planning on arriving Sunday evening at camp Scholler to tent camp through Thursday. I'm really wondering what to expect. Would it be better to arrive on Saturday? We are experience tent campers just new to oshkosh. Also what is the weather usually like? Hopefully cooler than what it is in central Ms. right now.
Thanks
W Vaughan
The only thing that happens the later you arrive is that you camp further away. Scholler is HUGE and you'll always have some place to go. Some of the outlying spaces are quieter anyhow. Scholler is very light weight camping if you are used to that thing. Toilets (mostly port-o-lets, but a few flushing), showers (of various levels depending on where you are in the camp), groceries and food are all conveniently located. Since it's likely you have a car, you'll have in and out privs in that and there's restaurants and walmart and such just up the highway from the EAA grounds.
Scholler is real well run, you pull in and they can sell you everything you need: your campsite credentials and your show admission (wristbands). If you're not yet an EAA member (REQUIRED to camp) then they can sell you that too. You can pay cash or they even take credit cards. Once past the gate you go find yourself some bare ground and pitch camp. I don't think Saturday v. Sunday is going to make a whole lot of difference. The crazies have been there for weeks occupying the closest in spots.
So far it's looking to be a little cooler than average (hopefully not so bad as last year). In Oshkosh you must be prepared for everything from the 50's (or cooler at night) up to 100 degrees. You can count at least one gully-washing thunderstorm sometime during the week too.
Like Ron mentioned, arriving on Saturday may get you a better camping location. It's really hard to predict. Unfortunately, the trend is for folks to stake sites early and the number of folks doing so has been increasing. I've been camping with a group that has two guys arrive the Monday before to stake the group sites. We've been pushed about four or five streets west since I started camping. Although with a single site, you can never tell where there may be an open site available. It's somewhat like going to the mall at Christmas trying to find a parking spot. Which is a reason to arrive early. Sometimes it can be rather humorous watching people hunt for spots or squeezing into one. I can remember one year in which a Class A RV pulled in between the portajohns and a line of trees about 8' away. I think they were about 2" away for the back of the portajohns. I personally would have found another spot.
I go early on Saturday for a several reasons. The first is that flying in early on Saturday is a little less hectic. I enjoy watching the mass arrivals on Saturday afternoon. Last but not least, I volunteer to help set up on Sunday.
You can never tell what the weather may bring.
This document is a couple years old, but most of the info is still current. It does a good job at describing Camp Scholler camping.
bob
http://www.upaero.com/oshkoshairshowcampingguide.pdf
I try to arrive as early as I can fit it into my schedule. I think Saturday would be better than Sunday for a couple of reasons, some of which have been mentioned already. First of all you are spending an extra night with all of your new aviation friends you met during the day. But the best part is watching all the activity on Sunday from all the airplanes arriving and all the displays being assembled. When I leave 9 days later I wonder where the time went and then think about the things I missed because there were not enough hours in the day.
I've been leaving OKC on Wednesday (the week before the show) and staying through Friday. It's interesting and fun to watch the frenzy of the exibitors trying to get set in a very short time on Saturday & Sunday. We get to see a lot of airplanes arriving. We've been staying in Sleepy Hollow Farm campground since we started going to OSH 14 years ago. Going to Oshkosh is sort of like riding a motorcycle on a trip, you need to pack 4 seasons of clothes because you never know what the weather will bring. And like has been mentioned already, there WILL be at least one huge rain storm during the week. It may come during the night or all of one day. Just be prepared.
I fly in, so I don't know about Scholler, other than to ride the tram through it. My observation is that in wet years, it can be pretty muddy.
Other than that, the whole OSH experience is great. I used to come for 3 days, then 4, and now I come on Saturday and leave the last day. I have a large tent, so it's sort of my second home, there and elsewhere. I bring a folding bike, but there aren't too many places it can be used--I go off the airport to visit friends, and I go to the museum on it, but otherwise walk, take a bus, or take a tram--and that's really the way to go, as the bus and tram service is very good.
Weather is hugely variable, but it is typically pretty hot in the day, cooling at night to reasonable comfort if your tent is ventilated--I put a fan in the top of mine and that helps on the hotter nights. Days seem to vary from a low of about 80 to a high of 105. Every year I've been there, a monster storm has hit at least once, so stake your tent well. There is no such thing as an adequate self-supporting tent! And button it up when you're not there, because sometimes those storms come in very quickly.
Last year was a change of vendors, and the change was great. Food is good, plentiful, and not overly expensive, so other than my morning coffee fixings and a few other snack items, it's really not necessary to pack much food.
Incidentally, the museum is superb--try to work it into your schedule. Also, the Seaplane Base is one of my favorite places--a whole lot like walking into a Jimmy Buffet video, very relaxed and laid back.
Mostly, have lots of fun!
Cary
"I have slipped the surly bonds of earth...,
put out my hand and touched the face of God." J.G. Magee
As one of the staff responsible for the museum - I thank you for that!Originally Posted by Cary
-Zack
OOOOoooo.....Bring a bike for each of you. You might be camping out away from mass transportation. Plus a bike will let you wander around and see the whole campground and let you come and go as you please without having to wait for the crowded bus. Come on Sunday, you won't regret it, more than enough to see and do. HAVE FUN!!!!!!
Greg
Cary, I wonder if you ever eat at the Charcoal Broiler in Ft. Collins? It is just a couple of blocks due south of the middle of the runway, good food , with some variety and reasonable prices. The only strange thing is that there are no windows at all so if you walk in from a sunny day, at first you think you have gone blind until your eyes adjust.
I won't repeat the excellent comments and advice above, just try to add.
There are areas designated for pets, RVs, 24-hour generator use, etc. Pay attention to your site selection. We rolled in once at 3am, pitched the tents, and awoke late morning to found ourselves in the RV area. Generators are common, and can be annoying to those not on the inside of the RV. But, we all share. Sometimes you can plan your site layout so the vehicle is closest to the gen, helping to block some of the noise. Honda gens don't seem nearly as noisy, even tolerable.
You can have campfires (unless there is a burn-ban), but buy wood locally. Carrying firewood long distance is a no-no, due to non-native bugs, etc.
The campgrounds have free wi-fi.
There is a Pik-n-Sav grocery store not far from the north end of the field. It's full-service, well-stocked, and the staff seem to really appreciate the EAAers that take over the city for a week. So, not necessary to bring all your food. There are plenty of restaurants, but they'll be busy with others like you. The city gears up for this annually, so extra staff makes it work.
The bikes were mentioned. Good idea if you can bring them, but a recent addition is bike rental in the campsite. There is a bike corral very close to the entrance gates to the show, so it minimizes walking.
There is a bus that circulates the camp. If you're not near a shower, or barn store, it helps (assuming you don't have a bike). There are also busses that go off-field to the grocery and Target stores. I don't know if there is a charge, but it won't be much.
The new food vendor added some nice choices. But, like any convention or show, eating there isn't cheap. It's not outrageous by any means, but we usually go back to camp to make lunch and take a break. The barn stores sell ice (and are quite well-equipped for small stores), so it's easy to keep your food in good condition. If you like beer, buy the local beers, cheeses and sausages. Wisconsin is outstanding in these. Oh, alcohol sales stop at 9pm.
This place is BIG. You will walk a lot. Have good shoes, and if you've never worn sock liners and hiking socks, try them now; they help. I see plenty of flip-flop wearers in the show, and don't know how they do it. Also, learn the tram system. It will save not only footsteps, but time, which is precious. They're free and frequent. (Say thanks to your volunteer driver.) When you check in, you'll get a map of the grounds layout and the tram system. They have extra maps, and it's worth having them. Carry water with you. It's readily available at scattered fountains, but you're less likely to get dehydrated on hot days if you drink continuously.
Backpacks work well to carry water, snacks, trinkets you buy, and hold your raingear. It's the midwest, so weather can change quickly. Good conditions can usually be predicted pretty well, so some days you can be confident of no rain. But, in general, be prepared. At least the storms usually move through quickly, so wet conditions come then go. Rain can be continuous for a couple of straight days, but that's the exception. If you have a smartphone, have a weather app (or several!). Then you can see the rain inbound. Remember that most phone radar is 5-20 minutes old. Oshkosh may be northern, but you can get a good sunburn.
The Museum admittance is included in your wristbands. Don't miss it. You can spend most of a day. Good for stormy days, but many others have the same idea.
You can buy your wristbands in advance for a little discount right now on the EAA website. You can also buy your camping in advance. It does speed check-in. You are charged for the full duration of camping, and will be refunded if leaving early. Checkout is 1200, as I recall, or you'll pay for another day.
If you are interested in the forums (speakers), you can download the schedule ahead of time. It really helps to plan these, since they're toward the north end of the field. Also, there has been an AirVenture app in the past (by Sporty's, I believe) that's free and very useful. It has the sched of a lot of things.
You're gonna love it. If you're not retired, advise your workplace, because you might not come back!
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