Tailgating 101: Must have essentials

[Al_4_State]

I probably sit for 20 minutes the entire time I'm tailgating. I have to sit at work. I have to sit when I drive down to Central Iowa for the game, and sit when I drive home.

I'm not going to sit while I tailgate. Hard to play bags, catch, beerball, flippy cup, etc from a chair.

 

[Sparkplug]

Don't forget the ceiling fan/light for the tent View attachment 21320

 

[dunar]

Now I just gotta figure out a flagpole...

I started out with this one: 16' Tailgating Flag Pole and 16' Tailgating Flag Poles (with Flag Accessories - Wheel Stand for 16' and 20' Poles)
and added this one: 28' Tailgating Flag Pole and 28' Tailgating Flag Poles (with Flag Accessories - Wheel Stand for 28' Pole)

Definitely not homemade units, but last fall I was the only one flying a 10' x 6' flag :biggrin: He who has the biggest flag wins, right???

 

[yler4cy]

I just bought a 22ft flag pole. It has worked great for camping and can't wait to use it for tailgating. The whole setup will be in full effect next weekend.

 

[ThurgoodMarshal]

A sack to carry beers from the grass lot tailgate to the paved tailgate, that way you dont have to trust a friend not to lose your cooler during games. A lockable cooler so you dont come out to find your beers missing to some highschool kids. 12 packs of ciggerettes. You would be amazed at how many ciggerettes 20 people who dont smoke can smoke during a 6 hour tailgate.

This! I used to find it shocking how many cigarettes the non-smoker's would blow through when there's alcohol around.

 

[dunar]

Can't believe no one has mentioned blankets yet. Gotta have those stadium blankets!

Any ideas where we could get a really nice stadium blanket with ISU colors?

My awesome wife made me this one:
View attachment 21322

 

[CysRage]

Here is what I use for a flag pole, it telescopes, I just zip tie it to whatever is available.
Swimline 3-Piece Aluminum Telescoping Pole*|*Meijer.com#

How do you keep the flag from falling? Or do you just zip tie it really tight? I was looking at options for tailgating flags and if this works well for you I might bite since it's so much cheaper!

 

[ianoconnor]

I started out with this one: 16' Tailgating Flag Pole and 16' Tailgating Flag Poles (with Flag Accessories - Wheel Stand for 16' and 20' Poles)
and added this one: 28' Tailgating Flag Pole and 28' Tailgating Flag Poles (with Flag Accessories - Wheel Stand for 28' Pole)

Definitely not homemade units, but last fall I was the only one flying a 10' x 6' flag :biggrin: He who has the biggest flag wins, right???

I fly a 6' x 10' American flag in G7. :wink:

 

[dunar]

I fly a 6' x 10' American flag in G7. :wink:

Should clarify - only 6'x10' Iowa State flag in the north lots :biggrin: I'm sure you've experienced the joy of easily directing friends to your tailgate, "Yeah, see the big flag? Yeah the biggest one. That's us."

The 16' pole now has a I-State on top, Jolly Roger on the bottom. Vintage (late 70s/early 80s) pennant hanging off the hatch strut (the same one that Webster had in his room, IRRC.)

 

[Kagavi]

My awesome wife made me this one:
View attachment 21322

Hey that's a neat quilt. Props to your wife! I like the geometric blocks in between the shirt scraps--both the original gold and current gold colors are represented.

 

[ianoconnor]

Should clarify - only 6'x10' Iowa State flag in the north lots :biggrin: I'm sure you've experienced the joy of easily directing friends to your tailgate, "Yeah, see the big flag? Yeah the biggest one. That's us."

Haha, yep! One of the funniest times was when a person passed us while talking on their phone, clearly looking lost, and I overheard "I dunno, I'm by the big @$$ American flag."

 

[CascadeClone]

Hot tub. Only thing about this is that the next year after we brought our hot tub on a trailor for multiple games, they made a rule for no Jacuzzis allowed. I said good thing we have a hot tub and not a Jacuzzi then.

Why would they ban a jacuzzi? It's not like you're pumping water out of a faucet on their dime. Fear of drunken nudity? Fear of spreading skin funguses? I don't get it.

 

[du4duks]

My ion tailgater rechargeable portable speaker. It is loud and plays my iPad library.

 

[CysRage]

Hot tub. Only thing about this is that the next year after we brought our hot tub on a trailor for multiple games, they made a rule for no Jacuzzis allowed. I said good thing we have a hot tub and not a Jacuzzi then.

So much win right here. I'm jealous I didn't think of this first!

 

[livinthedream]

I drilled 2 holes in the upper most section and put the zip ties thru the holes and into the flag, I then zip tie it to the ladder on the motorhome. works awsome and stores nicely.

 

[dmclone]

I definitely want to tailgate near you. It must take a couple hours for you to just get set up.

Probably 15 minutes. We've had a lot of practice.

 

[EforISU14]

so what time is everyone getting started the 31st against UNI?

 

[CysRage]

so what time is everyone getting started the 31st against UNI?

7 am of course! That's when the donor lots open up!

 

[Farnsworth]

Haha, yep! One of the funniest times was when a person passed us while talking on their phone, clearly looking lost, and I overheard "I dunno, I'm by the big @$$ American flag."

tailgating directions are the best. "ya uh, i'm like not on the fence line, but right across the gravel, oh hey man whats up long time no see, uh like 5 cars down from the campanile towards the bridge, oh ya I'll play bags with you give me a sec, no not central campus campanile you idiot, the one by reiman garden. Hey grab me a beer to while your at it. See the big Walking Cy Flag by the blue tent, ya near that." Except you have to add in the phone cutting out half the time.

 

[mganzeveld]

Those of you who are looking for ISU tailgate tents in Cedar Rapids, I just picked up one at Samsclub for $139. This is the same one that is on Amazon for $199 and on the Walmart site for $159. If you have a membership, they presently have two ISU tents left!