GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

[AAFO_WSagar]

Yep, every year, it begins with a recurring nightmare that I have on and off throughout the year waiting for RENO... pretty much same one, every time with some variation. It is based on a little discussed syndrome WHADIF (What Did I Forget) from which I suffer.

I usually bring about ninety percent of every tech instrument that I own, either recently used,.. or not!

I pack it into the back of my truck, double check it, then check it again.

Yet... I still have the nightmare!

So, here is my ghost:

I'm in WHATEVER photo opportunity at RENO, I have a mission, there is something really important that I'm needing to get... then, I realize, I don't have CHIT with me!!!!

Flashback to reality..

Now, I'm getting ready, I have the advantage that I'm going to stay in a motorhome that we drive down, I have all of its cargo space, plus, my beloved SILVERADO that was first owned by a Pearl Harbor Veteran, friend, with all of its cargo space.. In short, I can darn near bring everything I own with me.. yet..

I digress!

I think ya'all get what I'm tryin' to say.

Do you have these "panic" moments??

I have actually had to fly back to PDX to grab gear that I'd forgotten... and could not replace in time! ONLY ONCE!!!

OK..

You guys?

What will you forget?

Are you worried?

[supercub]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

Make a checklist

[Fence Sence]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

A jacket and shorts. Of course, I won’t forget to bring them. They’re already here.

Scanner w/ extra batteries, binoculars, hat are always at the top of my list.

[Reever]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

Make a checklist

Last year I made a check list, but I forgot the check list!

[Bigger Al]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

I do a lot of traveling by motorcycle, and I've found that the need for a checklist grows as I get older. It takes a lot of the stress and hassle out of getting ready for a trip.
We live about 120 miles from Stead, so I can actually head home to get anything that's vital and been forgotten.

[Race 8]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

I have a very big checklist.
If I forget something there is always Home Depot.

Dave

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

Last year I made a check list, but I forgot the check list!

That is EXACTLY my problem!

[wadeh]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

In addition to Reno every year, I'm an amateur astronomer and I have a regular dark sky event in central Oregon during each August new moon. I can save over 800 miles on the motorhome by leaving it in Oregon between the two events, since it's midway between Seattle and Reno. There is a service place in Bend, Oregon that I use for the annual service on the motorhome, and they are willing to keep it for me between the two trips.

The upshot of this is that I pack for much of the Reno trip and get stuff into the motorhome before the August trip. When we actually go to Reno, we'll drive the Subaru from Seattle to Bend and then tow it behind the motorhome to Reno and then back home.

Splitting it up this way makes it easy to forget stuff. This year is even more complicated because I don't actually know which vehicle that we're going to drive to Bend. My son and daughter-in-law have decided at the last minute to join us (we always buy some extra tickets because we're never sure who all is going). They will borrow our truck/camper, but won't get there until a few days after us. I'd like them to drive the truck so that I can still drive the Subaru to Bend, but there is a scenario where I'll need to drive the truck and camper to Bend and then have my other son caravan with it while I switch to the motorhome (and my first son will join us later with the Subaru). I won't know until the last minute. We're also got some friends that we're coordinating with.

It used to be much simpler, when my dad and I used to just either fly or drive down in a day and stay in a hotel. But I am delighted that I've got a bunch of family and friends that have become hooked on the Air Races and look forward to it almost as much as I do.

I'm doing what I can to increase attendance. It used to be two of us, and now it's pretty consistently a dozen or more. Maybe we should be thinking about a box...

It will be a bit tough this year, because we lost my dad since last year. It's been a few years since he could manage the trip, but I've always had an extra ticket for him, just in case...

Oh well, this was lots more rambling that I intended. I appreciate all the activity on this site as we're heading into race week. It's really helped me get into "Reno mode".

[Fence Sence]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

Don’t forget your AAFO name tag.

[Reever]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

That is EXACTLY my problem!

Biggest challenge over the years for me, and that is packing clothes. As changeable as Reno's weather is, how much is enough.

[Fence Sence]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

Like I said, shorts and a jacket.

Weather pattern looks pretty stable so far. Mid 80’s, calm. Lows at night are getting pretty cool. Low 50s to high 40s. Hopefully we’ll see a little more variation in the forecast over the next few days but so far it looks pretty mild.

[Reever]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

Like I said, shorts and a jacket.

Weather pattern looks pretty stable so far. Mid 80’s, calm. Lows at night are getting pretty cool. Low 50s to high 40s. Hopefully we’ll see a little more variation in the forecast over the next few days but so far it looks pretty mild.

How's the smoke situation?

[Fence Sence]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

^^^Nearly non existent. Non factor. AQI of 46 today.

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

As of today still getting smoke/haze as they get one fire out another one starts up. Temp still in the 90's but nights cooling off somewhat.

[Leo]

Re: GETTING READY: The What am I Going to Forget PHASE!

Todays smoke is THICK in places. When I drove into Reno this morning you could not see the mountains on the back side of Stead except for a dim outline. New fire is at Emigrant Gap, hope they get it out soon. California needs to ban fires and smoke instead of sending it here. That'll work, right?
Looking forward to next week, nothing but airplane noise and the smell of avgas and Aeroshell!