Yaaay, we're going to Wildflower this weekend!
Wildflower is this triathlon that's pretty popular in California, because it's within driving distance of both L.A. and San Francisco, and because it has something for everyone - a half-Ironman distance, an Olympic distance and a mountain bike one, and because it's kind of a crazy scene where everybody goes into this county park and CAMPS all weekend - so you have a captive audience of athletes who cheer everybody else when they're not racing themselves. The atmosphere is pretty electric - imagine seven thousand athletes in a very small area, all hopped up on close quarters and race nerves. It's probably the rare mass-camping experience where lights are truly out by 9 or 10 p.m. - but it's not clear whether anyone is able to sleep.
Its popularity waxes and wanes, though. It's one of those triathlons to check off your list, I guess, like Escape from Alcatraz, and the Chicago one (a.k.a. Mrs. T's, a.k.a. the nation's largest), so I imagine most (local) people get there fairly early in their racing careers. The first time Ned and I went, we were doing a project in Oakland the week prior and overheard one girl in a Starbucks greet her friend:
"Hey! How's it going! You doing Wildflower???"
"Who isn't."
Back In The Day, the long course used to sell out in hours. HOURS. They'd open registration on, like, December 1 at midnight, and people would stay up at night, go to the site, and click refresh until they got in. In 2001 or 2, it sold out in three hours. The Olympic sold out in three days.
But Race Director Terry Davis (everyone knows his name, nobody knows what he looks like, he's like the Wizard of Oz) knew a good thing when he had it, and kept raising entry fees till there was a point when everyone I knew got mad and decided to blow him off. I don't know if the race ever sold out that year. But the following year a whole bunch of people I know went anyway - maybe because every other race hiked its fees and it wasn't so exhorbitant by comparison.
Like I say, it comes and goes - there are years when it seems like everyone you know is going, and there are years you decide to skip it, and learn that most of the people you know are skipping it too. Not sure why; it's a zeitgeisty thing, right? But also by its campy nature, going has everything to do with whether your friends are going. Every year in January I see a flurry of e-mails as people debate whether they're going to register that year.
It's also a huge Team in Training event. Huuuuge. So you get a lot of numbers there.
And its weather is notorious. People don't say, "I was there in 2003" or "I raced in 2004." They say, "That was the wet year", or "the hot year," and the other person groans in sympathy. It can be a freezing downpour during your bike, or it can be 110 degrees during your hilly half marathon. But you don't know what it's going to be when you sign up. I won't say anything about this year's forecast, I don't want to jinx it.
ANYWAY. I'm not racing because I didn't want any pressure to try to work out so soon after Boston - and it's too expensive for a throwaway race (they all are). But I'm going down to cheer! It's a great place to cheer! And Boots is coming up from San Diego, and KK is flying in from New York, and I'm driving down with Ace and Scooter. And Rad and Lyle will be there!
So, long lead in to solicit some camping suggestions. We're going to get down there Friday night. Saturday a lot of milling around and cheering for TRIbe teammates doing the long course, and a potluck party at either/both of TRIbe's party and/or San Diego Tri Club's party, and/or possibly the Zoom party - if there is one. Early to bed and then on Sunday (for me), cheering for my favorite people. And the drive back.
I put together a packing list I've shared with Boots and KK and Scooter but I wanted to see whether anybody's got some good ideas. The last time you camped, what did you wish you had/run out of/envied others for having? It's been trial and error for me - my friend Stacey once brought the ingredients for Snugglers (hot chocolate plus peppermint schnapps) that went over like gangbusters, but then I brought the same thing another year and they went over like a lead balloon.
Here's my list. I challenge you to improve it.
Wildflower Camping Packing Checklist
- See other list
- Bike tool kit
- Extra tubes
- Floor pump
- Trainer, if you’re a geek
- Water bottles
- Race food
- Cheering paraphernalia
- Clothes for hot
- Clothes for cold
- Swimsuit
- Clothes to keep sun/bugs off
- Clothes to keep rain off
- Sunglasses
- Warm hat
- Sun hat
- Tarp
- Tent
- Air-rest
- Pillow
- Foldy chairs
- Matches
- Pot/pan
- Something to stir with
- Sterno/butane stove
- Plate/bowl/cup/fork/spoon
- Paper towels
- Dish suds
- Sponge
- Zip-loc bags
- Can opener
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Cooler
- Ice
- Skewers
- Warm p.j.s or long underwear
- Slip-on shoes or sandals
- Alarm clock
- Eye shades
- Ear plugs
- Flashlight/headlamp
- Umbrella
- Pocket knife
- Citronella oil spray
- Candles
- Shampoo, conditioner
- Facial soap
- Deoderant soap
- Antiperspirant
- Sunscreen
- Toilet Paper
- Hand sanitizer
- Bug spray
- B vitamins (keeps bugs away)
- Towels (shower, beach, face, washcloth)
- Snacks for way there
- Snacks for way back
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Delicious snacks
- Morning tasty beverages
- Nighttime tasty beverages
- Mini marshmallows for cocoa
- Big marshmallows for roasting
Such fun! Camping and a race. Awesome!
Posted by: africankelli | May 02, 2007 at 03:49 PM
Sorry, I know not a thing about camping or the necessities thereof. Just stopping to say- HAVE FUN!
Posted by: Art Nerd | May 02, 2007 at 08:47 PM
Thanks guys! This is going to be a good year, I can feel it.
Just like I can see the rain coming down outside my office window. Wait. Rain? We haven't had precipitation all spring and this is when you decide to rain?
Posted by: TasterSpoon | May 03, 2007 at 07:41 PM
Now we have a great walkway that goes to the beach and to the canals that came from the partnership of community with government
Posted by: Belstaff Outlet | December 04, 2011 at 07:08 PM