by Greg Kochersperger
I camped in Camp Scholler last year (2023), and even though we arrived the Friday before the show the campsites were already quite full and we ended up with a very long walk from our tents to the front gate. On that walk, I passed by many roped off sites that were reserved for various EAA Chapters. Many of these sites were in prime locations. I learned that EAA goes out weeks before the show and marks off these sites before the big crowds start to arrive. I resolved that we’ll try to do that for 2024.
So, in March, on the first day of Chapter Camping Registration, I took a gamble and reserved and paid for three sites in the name of Chapter 168. Over the next few months, I recruited a group of about 10 campers to share the spots. Walt Beaulieu and his wife, Tom White and his wife, Pete Miller, Marc Delgado and wife, as well as myself, my adult nephew, my wife and both of our young boys represented Chapter 168. Walt also extended an invitation to Matt Melgar and Erica Rivera from Chapter 34 in Arlington to join us. Matt and Erica were the Ray Aviation Scholarship recipients for Chapter 34 and were speakers on Saturday at the EAA Learn to Fly Center.
We arrived to find EAA had staked out our spots exactly where we had asked at the corner of 25th and Lindberg. Great location, a short walk to showers and the Red One Market grocery store, and a short walk or bus ride to the one of the main entrances of AirVenture. What didn’t show up on the map is that the main water supply used by the numerous maintenance vehicles is also right at the corner of 25th and Lindberg, and we were treated to the early morning sound of landscape trucks, street sweepers, and even porta-potty service vehicle topping off their water supply. It really wasn’t that bad, but next time we will ask to be 100 yards south of 25th and Lindberg to get away from the traffic.
The heavy rains leading up to AirVenture had left the ground very moist, and although it had dried out significantly by the time we arrived, I’m not sure when they had last had a chance to mow. The grass was pretty tall. Luckily there was a kid with a mower at an adjacent camp site and we paid him generously to mow our sites before we set up our tents. It was worth it – I spent much of my time at camp barefoot walking through our beautifully manicured lawn.
With so many of us driving in, we had some nice amenities and made a good home base. Walt set up his 13’ trailer along one end of our site while Tom set up his 35’ Class C motor home along an adjacent side, forming an L. We set up tents and an easy-up awning in the middle, along with our new Chapter 168 flag. Unfortunately, people were coming and going all day everyday and I don’t believe there was a single time that all of us were at the campsite at the same time to get a group photo. We did have a nice time on most nights though regrouping and sharing stories back at camp with those of us that were still awake.
Camp Scholler packs in pretty tightly with campers, but we had very nice neighbors and really couldn’t have asked for a better spot. The logistics of the whole thing went very smoothly and was much easier than the land rush of trying to claim a decent spot in Scholler. So next year, please plan to join us. Whether you’re a Camp Scholler veteran or a newbie, Chapter Camping makes everything much easier. Even if you’re flying in you can camp with us; it was easy for Pete to hitch a ride to and from his airplane on the Homebuilt Welcome Wagon.
I expect registration to open again around the first of March, so be looking for the announcement and call for campers in February.