WTF, Road America? Camp$$ites.

[G.]

I may have whined about this last year, so excuse me if I did. Nothing showed up in search.

Every year, me and the g. go to RA for the IMSA races. We always camp, and for the last 10 years or so we've gotten Carosel sites, even as late as a month or so before the race. No matter, we can always get other spots if the Carosel is sold out, right?

Money is tight right now, and has been for a while. Last year, a month before the race weekend in early August, we tried to reserve a campsite, and the website said they were "Sold Out". Only Overflow was available, and for only a small surcharge of $265.00.

I called to get a site, assuming that they had a website glitch. Nope. Every single site listed on the website was shown as "Sold Out" and the person I was talking to was obviously a teenager+, just an hourly worker doing what they were supposed to do. We could ONLY get a site in the Lavender overflow (WAY behind S/F line, over by the medical helipad) and since they have to set it up, bring out portable showers and toilets, it will cost $330 (not the normal $65) for tent camping.

We bit the bullet, but something sure felt fishy, since there were places on the camping map that I have CAMPED at, that didn't show up as campsites any longer (on the website). I asked the girl on the phone specifically about these sites, but like I said, she was just a nice customer service worker that didn't know anything.

We showed up tents and lots of extra lighting, ready for Lavendar overflow field.
They put us in the "Owl" campsite, right next to the Briggs and Stratton tunnel. One of those sites that I've been at that didn't show up on the website.

Summary: Normal Tent Campsite $330 instead of the normal $65.




OK, this year we are going to reserve our spot earlier.
Go to website beginning of June. SAME BS!

Anyone know why they are pulling this crap? I think that the old owner (George something??) turned it over to his kid, and he's the one making all the changes around the track. He's spending like crazy, but they have never resorted to screwing people over before.

Anyone know how to get a normally-priced tent site at RA for IMSA Sportscar Weekend, Aug 3-6?
Are there any deals, secret handshakes, people to bribe?? A direct phone number/code for regular yearly visitors? Buy a case of Johnsonville Brats, get a weekend pass??

I can't go back in time and reserve a spot in October, 2022.


(Anyone remember the name of the lady that ran the FarmHouse? Everyone had to check-in with her for credentials - drivers, flaggers, team members, course workers, etc. I'm sure she chose to retire by now, but she would fix this **** right quick! She was awesome.)

[SteveH]

That’s crazy. Many many years ago we used to camp across from the main gate at Ken and Ev’s. It was a little edgy. I think it’s been gone for years. But it was cheap. The last time I was there we camped for free at a gravel pit just outside of the carousel. You might say we were squatters. :D

[TravelGal]

Let g give you some social media tips. They have this thing called the internet. There are 875,000+ followers on their Facebook Page. Probably more on Twitter and/or Instagram. Message, post, tweet. That's where you have the best chance of getting an answer beyond the script someone on the phone is following. On the phone, it's just the two of you. On social mediate, the audience for your problem is huge. They want to get it solved.

[RTKar]

Check Plymouth Rock Campground across from the track.

[RTKar]

That’s crazy. Many many years ago we used to camp across from the main gate at Ken and Ev’s. It was a little edgy. I think it’s been gone for years. But it was cheap. The last time I was there we camped for free at a gravel pit just outside of the carousel. You might say we were squatters. :D

:D

[G.]

Let g give you some social media tips. They have this thing called the internet. There are 875,000+ followers on their Facebook Page. Probably more on Twitter and/or Instagram. Message, post, tweet.

I'm too shy for social media.
Actually, I just despise FaceBook, but you make a great point. I'll have to bitch and moan to the correct Russianbot to see what I can do.


Check Plymouth Rock Campground across from the track.

Actually, a buddy have a lot there, with a trailer...
He's got room for a tent and some unwashed racefans.
(I think he's up at the "cabin" every weekend, so BYOTent).

[TravelGal]

I'm too shy for social media.
Actually, I just despise FaceBook, but you make a great point. I'll have to bitch and moan to the correct Russianbot to see what I can do.


In general Tweets get the quickest action, from what I've heard. You'd have to check how many followers they have on Twitter vs the other two.

PS, I didn't say you. I said g. :p

[G.]

To finish the story, I talked to a salesman-in-training, Jace, that gave me the whole song and dance that everything is taken and all that can be done is the waiting list for a normally-priced tent site. I worked some sad stories, pitiful stories, threatening stories (no I didn't), etc. and he magically opened up a site in the carousel for the normal price.

It was still kinda strange. The place is crowded, and more campers than I've ever seen, but I just don't get what their sales strategy is. They didn't sell anything more in the overflow, and they never opened the Lavendar campground.

Well, we're here. So are the micro bursts, tornadoes, 700 mph winds, etc.
Many dead canopies, tents, people left their camper open and went into town, porta john blew over (I won't go into details), and I lost my brand new Eureka tent. Tub and rainfly trashed.

Just another weekend at Road America!

[TravelGal]

To finish the story, I talked to a salesman-in-training, Jace, that gave me the whole song and dance that everything is taken and all that can be done is the waiting list for a normally-priced tent site. I worked some sad stories, pitiful stories, threatening stories (no I didn't), etc. and he magically opened up a site in the carousel for the normal price.

It was still kinda strange. The place is crowded, and more campers than I've ever seen, but I just don't get what their sales strategy is. They didn't sell anything more in the overflow, and they never opened the Lavendar campground.

Well, we're here. So are the micro bursts, tornadoes, 700 mph winds, etc.
Many dead canopies, tents, people left their camper open and went into town, porta john blew over (I won't go into details), and I lost my brand new Eureka tent. Tub and rainfly trashed.

Just another weekend at Road America!

Dear Lord. I'll have to watch just for "out takes" from the area around the track.

[RTKar]

Makes my 101 mile drive back and forth for a couple days seem like a piece of cake.

[G.]

Makes my 101 mile drive back and forth for a couple days seem like a piece of cake.

The g. and I have a tradition of wandering through the paddock on Friday night to see who's having a crappy weekend. There's usually a few people working, and the rest trying to look busy, so they are willing to talk, let us in to get closeup pics, sit in cars, etc.
Security is starting to catch on a bit, but they cant really chase us out if we are sitting down with the team owner and a driver (that actually happened about 3 years ago. Security just wandered away.).

My commute back and forth is close to 3 hours each way, so that kills a bit too much time. We also go hang with the Turn 8 crowd for a bit - teaches the g. some of the dangers of over-indulgence by watching the over-indulged do stupid stuff.

:laugh:

This year the micro-burst or whatever it was happened early-ish Thursday, so I doubt you would see very much evidence of it on TV. Usually they have dumpsters in a few spots in the carosel, but this year they all were a bit of a walk, so most people left their broken stuff by their campsite. I was looking forward to seing the piles of bent steel and aluminum sticking out of the dumpster. This has also become a tradition at RA. :(

Good thing that several weather reports said that there was a 30% chance of mild rain on Thursday, right up to the point when they said that a heavy thunderstom was coming at you NOW.

But it was still great fun, and finally met RTKar after all these years.

[TravelGal]

Good thing that several weather reports said that there was a 30% chance of mild rain on Thursday, right up to the point when they said that a heavy thunderstom was coming at you NOW.
:laugh::laugh:
But it was still great fun, and finally met RTKar after all these years.
:thumbup:

[RTKar]

:thumbup::cool: