Tweaking

Half the fun of going on a trip is planning for it.  While I can only speak for myself, as a diehard chili cook-off attendee this is an event that I plan and look forward to since the moment I leave the campgrounds.

All year long when I happen to be out and about or thinking about purchasing something in the back of my mind I think, how can I use it in Terlingua?  Is this something that I can incorporate into my campsite?  I have a container in which I start putting my purchases and little things that I might forget along with an updated packing list that I seem to revise all the time. This year I have managed to fill up three containers so I have to pair down a bit.  If I had Terlita it would not be a problem but with a sedan I have to be rather selective because I don’t have much room to work with.


Last year I took two medium size coolers in the back seat, one for my beer and another for my food.  The only problem is that I then had to pile on all my clothes, chairs, full-length mirror (hey I’m a girl!) my zero gravity chair, along with a 6-gallon water container.  It is rather difficult to move all that out of the way when you are trying to get to your beer.  So this year my beer is going in the trunk where I can have easy access to it.

The trunk if pretty much packed with my folding table, tent, tent shower, shower stand, and garden sprayer as well as all the necessary paraphenalia to set them up.  Will also fill up all the nooks and crannies with miscellaneous items. 

Just in case you might be wondering, why a garden sprayer?  That is one of the best tips I got in the Burning Man Tips and Tricks forum http://eplaya.burningman.com/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=270da2d902088d4586714cf2c275c784 you can save a lot of water using them to take a shower.  Remember this is the desert and water is not readily available neither in Terlingua nor in Black Rock City.  You can go into town to bathe at the coin showers but the lines get pretty long later in the week plus you also take a chance of being stopped by the DPS which swarm the area starting on Wednesday.  You will be pulled over for the most minor infraction as they are really looking for drunk drivers, so if you are drinking don’t even think about driving or you will get a free ride to Alpine. 

Packed my back seat with my 120 quart ice chest where I was hoping to fit 10 gallons of water but it takes up too much space.  I had placed my old sleeping bag to keep it from sweating on to the seats as I was also going to buy a couple of bags of block ice but I think I will make do with one ice chest this year.  But make no mistake about it I am taking TWO sleeping bags this year as I do not plan on freezing to death like last year.

Tomorrow I will go through Terlita to try to find my winter stuff and complete my packing.  I bought all my can goods (since I do not cook) while I was in Houston as things are much cheaper there than in Del Rio.  Just need to go buy bread and beer and I am pretty much set.


While the CASI (Chili Appreciation Society International) is officially only a three-day event…Thursday, Friday and Saturday people get there way before.  Some of the people that camp around me arrived tonight and some will be arriving Friday and Saturday.  The latecomers will get there Sunday or in my case, I hope to get there on Monday.


Halloween has always been a fun holiday for me and while I am no longer a child I still enjoy it.  The local towns people bring their kids to trick or treat. There are actually more people at the cook-off than in their respective towns of Study Butte, Terlingua and Lajitas.  It is fun to see the kids smiling and showing off their costumes.  Remember if you decide to come, don’t forget the candy.