Pisgah's tip of the week vol. 7

Hey Everybody, for this week's installment I want to talk about camping supplies. My tip for preparing for Bonnaroo, still four months away?

Start buying the camping gear you need.
and
Know your equipment before you go!

Tents are expensive. Shade structures are expensive. 5 day coolers are expensive. Battery operated whatzits and 4 days worth of batteries are expensive. Sleeping bags/Air mattresses are expensive. The last thing you want, in the days and weeks leading up to Bonnaroo, is to worry about which you want more: cash on hand or camp comfort. Spread the expenses over the next couple of months and it will be less painful.

Example: I need a new tent and EZ up. My tent was crushed by a dust devil in '06 but with some duct tape I've kept it alive. It's seen it's last Bonnaroo though. New tent: $120. My EZ up also was destroyed by wind, but not at Roo, in my backyard. I like the folding style, not the get-the-neighbors-we're-having-a-barn-raisin' style, so it'll cost me $125-$200 to replace that. Crap! To replace those items alone costs as much as a ticket. Good thing I started saving my spare change back in December!

Oh, also, once you get the new equipment...... test it! Know your gear before you go. Make sure everything has all its parts. A propane stove without a regulator is useless! Yes! You need every pole that came with that tent!