Camping at the challenge?

Bumped thread from 2016:

I know I asked about camping at the Mitty but what about the $2016 challenge? I am trying to do this is cheap as I can and saving a couple of bucks sleeping on the ground would help.

What he said... and the hotel is cheap

Challenge, on the Cheap

Let me first start with my immediate advice to your question.
1. Room share
2. Make a reservation now

Expanding on that...
GRM is more than just a title or brand it is a "lifestyle". As a board member here you are not pretending to be frugal, you are more than likely living it and/or daily learning more about living it. This can be evident to the many postings here such as "learn me refurb computer" or "smartphone plan w/o gouging" or "learn me Used AMG R63" and many many more on any varied topic. All these topics kind of boil down to "how can I get it all without getting charged too much.
The Challenge is one of the annual pilgrimages of this lifestyle. The Pilgrims beliefs have some variation. Some will rather build the part over buying it and others like myself will buy and race a discarded, hail damaged car; someone else's "cast off." The point being, The Pilgrams are more similar than they are different.

Room share:
I have not firmed my plans for 2016 but at most I will be a team of two (maybe one.) The hotel does offer roll-away beds (but these go quickly) so the possibility of up to 5 sleeping spaces in one room are easy. No one is really sure how many students the college teams get to one room
If you are going to sleep on the ground, it should be no problem at the very least to make that ground the floor of someone's room. Maybe with some expense share, maybe without.

Other onsite:
In years past we brought Steve's bus, Mongo. We were very discrete but we did sleep in the bus, every night, on or near the grounds of the hotel. Through the generosity and kindness of other GRM'ers we did borrow "shower time" in various hotel rooms every day. If you were bringing a van or wagon and were discrete you could successfully pull off sleeping in the parking lot then daily borrowing a shower in someone's room.

Don't miss breakfast:
The staff of GRM are more than just pretending this lifestyle and as an example, this year have changed the event date so as to avoid inflated hotel rates.
The hotel really does serve as the central rally point of all festivities. Here are some things you want to be a part of:
Thursday night parking lot: This is the scene of final preparation and the anticipation of the event. Everyone is still a viable competitor and no one has lost yet. Walk around and size up the competition while learning more and making friends.
Breakfast: The hotel does a standard breakfast included (coffee, cereal, waffle, yogart, etc.) The great value is that for $3 extra, you can get a custom omelet made-to-order. The real reason to not miss breakfast is that it is one of my favorite times where you sit shoulder to shoulder with your competitors, friends and the "like minded". It really is, in the returning years, a great gathering and your real additional cost is somewhere between "included" and $3! Don't sleep in and miss it.

At the track on Friday you will be busy but there is a concession stand open to grab some lunch if you remember (I recommend the chicken fingers with fries.) Bring a cooler since you will be out in the sun all day. Dinner on Friday is catered at the track and included with your entry. Dinner Saturday night (banquet) is included in your entry price too.

My point #2 above was to make a reservation now.
If history repeats itself, the hotel will sell out. Making a reservation will cost you nothing (other than a CC hold) but having a room can put you in the driver's seat to run a room-share when there are no other rooms.

In summary, yeah, The Challenge is not specifically inexpensive but from the very core, the organizers and the competitors are all working toward your same goal.

Hotel phone number: 352/331-3336
Call direct and specify the GRM event for special rate of $109
In: Thurs Sept 29
Out: Sunday Oct 1

Bring your own food and drinks in a cooler, track food is always expensive.

Stay at the hotel, you will miss half the event by not being present.

do you just call the hotel and tell them you need a room in the grassroots motorsports block?

food: bring cooler. stop in town(gainesville) at either of the Hogan's Sandwiches shops and get a large sandwich and bring to the shop. it'll feed you for 3 meals for $8. and it's one of the best sandwich shops i've found in my travels up and down the east coast.

Yes, just call. Give them the dates and if the rate they tell you is not $109 then drop on them the GRM name.

Hotel phone number: 352/331-3336
Call direct and specify the GRM event for special rate of $109
In: Thurs Sept 29
Out: Sunday Oct 1

Yes! Those sandwiches that we did Saturday were epic.

EDIT: I just reread my reservation email. In summary, if I do nothing, I could be charged for one nights stay but the day before I can cancel or change the room to someone else's name.
Considering the time spent on the board by must of us, The Challenge date is not going to "sneak up" on any of us and highly unlikely that you will forget to cancel reservation if you happen to not attend.

Hmmm, I need to start planning for this if we're going to go. I 'think' I have the time off.

My wife just said she may be coerced into going, after showing her the article from the latest issue, but apparently we'd need a Q45 or 7 series with full interior, working AC, and zero chance for breakdowns, for her to drive that far .

Bring it and we can strip it all down Thursday night and hope she wants to get home enough not to complain about it going home.

In reply to XLR99:

Challenge starter kit in Cinci:
http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/cto/5446147699.html

Other "easy pickens"
http://sandusky.craigslist.org/cto/5460529004.html
http://cleveland.craigslist.org/cto/5463253947.html
http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/5461526180.html
http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/cto/5430421469.html

Thanks! That silver Q45 looks great apart from the ridiculous BRO! wheels.

Realistically, I just need to reassemble the 9-5 that's strewn across most of my garage untouched for the past month.

OK Stampie that's hysterical! 'No clue where the door panels or seats went, honey... Oh crap, they took the AC system too! That's wierd..."

q45's are played out at the challenge

i was actually quite impressed when i ran it down the strip and contemplated picking one up for a winter backup, which would have come in handy since the snaab started knocking the week before the challenge last year.

i have room booked, $105 a night isn't bad considering i get a king plus a full size pull out for the kids. and the pool looks pretty incredible, so if the wife and kids get bored at the track they can come back and swim.

If it's still around on Tues we may go scope it out. I've pretty much always wanted one since 1989, and didn't get the stink eye when I showed her the ad. Apparently women prefer purchasing running, driving vehicles? Weird.

I've actually made some headway here today with this plan. I'm thinking drive down Tuesday, do a day at Disney ($100 a person, really?) to sucker my wife and daughter into going. Looks like 1:45 to Disney, then we can be back at the hotel Thursday evening for the shenanigans to begin.

XLR99 wrote: Apparently women prefer purchasing running, driving vehicles? Weird.

Yea I've never understood them. Maybe why I'm single and happy. The last three I've bought were:

A) Me telling him that it wasn't safe to drive more than his cul da sac and getting it for half what he was asking.

B) Seller asking when the tow truck would come get it and me saying it's OK I'm only like 3 miles away as I drove off. Very interesting 3 miles.

C) Seller, as he's signing the title, making REALLY sure I understood it was as is no warranty.

I'm sure I couldn't have bought any of these works of art when I was married.

In reply to XLR99:

If you are saying that you are going to look at the silver Q45 on Tuesday, be sure to read what I have written here about knock sensors.
If the seller says "it just needs a tune up" I would recommend passing or buying really cheap.
https://classicmotorsports.com/forum/grm/decoupling-a-q45-from-its-tether/110514/page1/

Actually, no matter what, buy really cheap. I assure you that no one else is looking at it; no one.

The Lincoln Mark 8 is a really easy target too. Last years was second best in Aristocrats for drag. It got no attention for autox other than a set of used sticky 200 treadwear tires. It also got a poor concourse score which would be an easy place to increase if you had some prep time.
Here is a typical example: http://sandusky.craigslist.org/cto/5447546495.html
This one happens to be in my home town if you need me to look it over.

JohnRW1621 wrote: Yes, just call. Give them the dates and if the rate they tell you is not $109 then drop on them the GRM name. Hotel phone number: 352/331-3336 Call direct and specify the GRM event for special rate of $109 In: Thurs Sept 29 Out: Sunday Oct 1 Yes! Those sandwiches that we did Saturday were epic. EDIT: I just reread my reservation email. In summary, if I do nothing, I could be charged for one nights stay but the day before I can cancel or change the room to someone else's name. Considering the time spent on the board by must of us, The Challenge date is not going to "sneak up" on any of us and highly unlikely that you will forget to cancel reservation if you happen to not attend.

FYI the King Deluxe is $105, $4 less a night than the 2 doubles and it has a fullsize pullout, perfect for a kid. We did the evil kingdom last year after the challenge, that'll get me out of going back for at least 5-6 years. I'd recommend the national park in homosassa instead, manatees are cool. I'm plotting on house shopping this year while down there, not necessarily ready to buy but to get a good idea of areas to look and areas to stay away from. Time to get a winter compound going so i can get serious about a plan i've been working on for some time now.

patgizz wrote:

JohnRW1621 wrote: Yes, just call. Give them the dates and if the rate they tell you is not $109 then drop on them the GRM name. Hotel phone number: 352/331-3336 Call direct and specify the GRM event for special rate of $109 In: Thurs Sept 29 Out: Sunday Oct 1 Yes! Those sandwiches that we did Saturday were epic. EDIT: I just reread my reservation email. In summary, if I do nothing, I could be charged for one nights stay but the day before I can cancel or change the room to someone else's name. Considering the time spent on the board by must of us, The Challenge date is not going to "sneak up" on any of us and highly unlikely that you will forget to cancel reservation if you happen to not attend.

FYI the King Deluxe is $105, $4 less a night than the 2 doubles and it has a fullsize pullout, perfect for a kid. We did the evil kingdom last year after the challenge, that'll get me out of going back for at least 5-6 years. I'd recommend the national park in homosassa instead, manatees are cool. I'm plotting on house shopping this year while down there, not necessarily ready to buy but to get a good idea of areas to look and areas to stay away from. Time to get a winter compound going so i can get serious about a plan i've been working on for some time now.

Want to stick around after the Challenge this year and remodel our bathroom? After seeing your work, I'd love to hire you to do something similar!

Alright, point taken gang. I am calling now.

Thanks for the rollaway tip.

Great.
We'll see you at breakfast.

When does the fun start on Thursday? I am 15 hours away and likely can't leave until Wednesday night.

I usually aim to be there by 4 or 5pm.

Its only a 45 hour drive.... Or 55 or so hours in the RV.... Oh and 372 Gallons 0f gas each way

In reply to java230: BTDT, no more, parking the RV will be an issue at the hotel.

In reply to aussiesmg:

Thats what side streets are for! But yeah, that's a LONG ass drive @ 8mpg at best....

is someone trying to steal me longest drive award again this next year? thats it have to figure out a longer drive then to get there.....

Anybody else planning to camp for the $2018 Challenge?  I have reservations at Kate's Fish Camp, 18 miles away from the Best Western Gateway Grand and 13 miles away from Gainesville Raceway.  $9/night for little "rig", with electricity.

I figure I shouldn't setup my camper at the Best Western...

I hope I don't miss too much of the shenanigans.