Tailgaters show their Coug spirit

Each home football game, as many as 400 RVs roll onto the Washington State University’s Pullman campus for a four-day party.

The first of the loyal Cougar RVers begin cueing up along Stadium Way around 4 p.m. on the Thursday before each game.

“A group of us caravan to all the games,” says Ron Hoover of Spokane. “We’ll arrive on campus late Thursday afternoon and wait until they let us into the VIP lot at 5 p.m.”

Hoover and his wife, Anne, are among the 150 season ticket holders who have paid $200 for a special pass to park in the South Beasley lot directly across the street from the football stadium.

“We all have our favorite parking spots that we’ve had for years and years,” says the semi-retired real estate construction company owner. Hoover started tailgating in 1974 in a pickup truck and camper.

“But years before,” he recalls, “my favorite uncle would take me to Cougar games back in the ‘40s. We would go pheasant hunting along the back roads on Saturday morning and see a football game in the afternoon.”

These days the Hoovers make the trip over to Pullman in their 40-foot Monaco Windsor diesel pusher.

The Hoovers and a group of loyal Coug RVers caravanned twice to the Rose Bowl. “What a blast,” says Hoover, “we’re chomping at the bit to go again.”

RV parking on WSU campus

The VIP lot isn’t the only place to park an RV on the WSU campus.

“We try to accommodate everyone that we can,” says John David Wicker, assistant athletic director for events and facility operations at WSU.

According to Wicker, there are three levels of RV parking on campus. First is the VIP reserve lot across from the stadium. That lot is sold out for the 2005 season.

Alternative nonreserved RV parking is available for $20 per game in the area behind the Indoor Practice Facility and in the lot across from the South Fairway Playfield. There are payment boxes located within each lot, and parking’s on a first-come, first-serve basis.

A few blocks away from the stadium are two free nonreserved RV lots. These parking areas are the Wilson Road lot across from the Cooper Publication Building and the Feed Plant lot on Grimes Way.

If you are planning your first trip to the WSU campus in an RV, the best information can be found online at the WSU Parking and Transportation Services Web site (www.wsu.edu/parking/rvparking.html).

If you do not have access to the Internet, call the parking office at (509) 335-1316 or the WSU Visitor Center at (509) 335-8633.

Basically, all RVs must be self-contained because there are no hookups or dumping stations available on campus. Also, all RVs must park in a designated RV lot.

In other words, RVs can not be parked willy-nilly all over the campus.

“Because we don’t have the capacity to mark RV spaces in the lots,” says Wicker, “we ask people to be reasonable with the amount of space they take up. If someone’s campsite is really spread out, we will make them move. We realize that RVers don’t like to tear down their sites once they are up, so they need to be aware of where they are parking.”

Tailgating party pointers

To help folks join in the fan festivities, the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (www.rvia.com) offers a few pointers for creating the perfect tailgating party.

“ Tailgating in an RV means bringing your kitchen along. Anything you can prepare at home, you can make in an RV, serve up fresh and take home safely.

“ Prepare and freeze hors d’oeuvres ahead of time. Then pop them in the RV’s microwave when you arrive at the game.

“ Have food ready two hours before the game starts. Allow plenty of time to eat and mingle with guests before kickoff time.

“ After the game, tailgate some more. Or sit back and relax while fans fight to exit the crowded parking lot. Pop a snack in the RV’s microwave and continue the tailgating fun.

“ Leave your parking area clean. Store leftovers safely in the RV’s fridge and make plans for the next game.

Tailgate recipes

Joe “Commissioner of Tailgating” Cohn has attended hundreds of tailgate parties as an unofficial ambassador for pre-game fun and good eating.

The former New Orleans Cajun cooking school owner has dozens of free recipes on his Web page. Just go to www.tailgating.com/recipes.htm and feel your mouth start to water.