Hurricane tailgating survival guideWe here in Technician sports are hoping and praying Hanna’s track doesn’t divert it away from the triangle. Hanna offers a once-in-a-college-career chance to practice the art of extreme tailgating. If Raleigh is lucky enough to see the effects of the storm — as long as it’s not strong enough to cause serious damage — tailgaters must be prepared. Here are a few tips for hosting your own hurricane tailgate.
Strategy: Rain vs WindThe way the Fairground lots are set up, tailgaters get the choice of being out in the open at a higher elevation, or under the cover of trees at the base of several small hills. This brings us to the fundamental question: would you rather take on the wind or the water. At a low elevation, the water could run down and accumulate. But at the higher elevation, you won’t have the cover of trees to protect you from the elements. Choose wisely.
Helpful hintsThere are a few important things to remember in the middle of downpours: – Make sure to keep your cell phone and tickets inside the car. You may be out of luck if you get to the stadium and your ticket has been destroyed by the rain. – Bring plenty of towels. Keep them in your car and use them on anything that needs a quick dry — a grill, your cornhole bean bag, your feet, etc.- Dress for the occasion. Swimsuits would be a good idea for comfort, and a poncho does a nice job guarding you from both wind and rain. -Bring cups with lids or plan on drinking out of cans or bottles. No one likes diluted drinks.
Cover your grills and judge the windA grill with a pull down cover is a must to protect your precious heat source from the rain. Your tailgate party also should elect an expert wind judger, who can tell the direction of the wind at any given time and point the grill away from the gusts.
Be adaptableYour normal tailgating games will be made a lot more difficult this weekend. You should plan on adjusting for the wind in games that involve trajectory like cornhole. Try variations of the traditional favorites. Instead of using cups and a ping pong ball, try using buckets filled with water and a tennis ball with drink in hand.
Ditch the tentIf the winds get too strong, you’ll need some amazing stakes to keep your tent from flying away. You’re probably just better off mentally preparing yourself for rain and wind and toughing it out. But if people do bring tents, keep a safe eye out for runaways that may get loose.
