What To Bring Camping : The Gorge Amphitheatre Edition

I searched numerous times for a blog to help me pack insanely efficiently for Sasquatch this year and most of them just told me what I already knew. So here is what I wish I knew before I went.

Clothing:

One day it was mid 70s and I was sweating-a lot.

The next I was freezing and in constant rain.

I cannot say it enough, the east side has very versatile / unpredictable weather, so pack accordingly. And even though (girls) in my little head I was like OMG I want to look so cute and I'm going to be  so stylish and festivally and glittered rainbowed facepainted out the fact of the matter was I didn't give a shit when I was slipping in the mud and trying to not get dripped on by the mainstage overhang during Ryan Bingham.

Obviously I didn't want to miss a second of him.

So clothing: 

• Bedtime: 
• sweats
• thermal top
• maybe bottoms if you get cold easily
• a hooded sweatshirt 
• snuggly socks
• A pair of shorts to change into as soon as you wake up because it goes from freezing to fucking hot in a tent in a matter of minutes.

• Outerwear: 
• a WATER PROOF rain jacket. 
• A hat. 
• Rain boots (or some kind of water proof bad ass ones). 
• An umbrella wouldn't hurt but don't be that asshole that stands in front of everyone with it open.
• Footwear:
• flip flops to toss on and off when you get out of the tent
• Rain boots (or some kind of water proof bad ass ones)
• Comfortable shoes (I don't care how cute your other ones are you won't care after walking and dancing so much!) that you don't mind trashing. I bought a pair from Value Village right before I left that did quite nicely.
• Flip flops for the shower (if you chose to do so.)
• Skivvies:
• Bring one of those cool bras that can go strapless, crisscross, asymmetrical and normal. 
• Bags:
• I brought a fanny pack which was very helpful but not enough. I didn't lose my id, cash, phone, chapstick or gum (that I know of) but I also was that annoying friend asking other people with backpacks to hold my stuff. At Paradiso it was handy but that's because you lose your shit there and Sasquatch its a bit more mild...in most aspects.
• Bring a backpack. One that can hold an extra coat for when you go in midday and stay through the night. And have snacks. And a water bottle ($3 a water got so damn expensive and  they have stations to fill up at but then you have to wait in a long ass line). A carabiner to loop a waterbottle on is also a smart idea if you don't have a holder.
• Shit you don't want to forget:
• BABY WIPES
• Dry shampoo (I use baby powder)
• Sunscreen (you will get burnt)
• Sunglasses
• Deoterant 
• Lotion
• Ear plugs
• A pair of shorts to change into as soon as you wake up because it goes from freezing to fucking hot in a tent in a matter of minutes.
• Finger nail clippers SO ANNOYING when yours breaks and you keep biting it.

Daywear

This gets its own section because I really love thrifting and clothing and while I'm not super edgy cool I still tried to pick outfits that would be fun to wear but not a pain in the ass.

1. Snag a hoodie that's neutral so it can go under and over many things. Mine is a heather gray.
2. The jacket I have over it is NOT waterproof but it's lightweight and has an insane amount of cargo pockets which came in handy.
3. Jeggings: comfy goes with a crop top or a tunic. BOOM.
4. Boots...as I said before.

1. The sweater is from Value Village and could be layered over something or cropped. It was nice to cover myself from the sun while looking sexay.
2. Paired with jean shorts. I know you know to bring those.
3. Bangles. Always fun and an easy way to add some gypsy boho chicness.

1. Ignore my face. But bring a statement necklace. I wore this with just about everything because it made me feel like a bad ass.

1. I almost threw this top out because it was too short for me (like all of my clothes since I'm tall) but I ended up making it into a crop top.
2. The skirt was AMAZING to wear and just perfect. I highly reccomend a maxi because it says sexy without the skimpy, you can dance with it, you can sit on it and it keeps you warm when it gets cold.
3. Oh and I was a big fan of braids while I was there.

1. Layer it up! A vest like the one I'm wearing is a great extra layer whether you bring it for warmth or an accent piece.
2. Also this is the drummer and singer from Deep Sea Divers. YES!

1. Wear what you want. If you have something goofy and ridiculous this is the time to rock it. Like my Merican flag skirt/shirt/thing.

1. Wear a cute lighter layer under your heavy ones becuase you never know when the sun will come out!

Random tips that didn't fit anywhere else:

• Get a schedule as soon as you can. they run out fast. Or make sure you print one from home.
• Also, life is life so times change, look at the website for help if you want updates on show times.
• There are a lot of Canadians. I didn't realize that there would be. And well they were pretty awesome.
• Get a headlamp. So helpful for the walk home and your tent at night.
• Bottle opener. Don't forget!
• A blanket that has a waterproof back on one side. From all the food, beer, rain that gets all over the hill you'll want one that doesn't soak it up.
• Get a flag or find one close to you so you don't get lost. I had a lame ass blow up turtle on my tent that got its shit rocked but I never went in the wrong tent.
• You have to have an empty waterbottle to get anywhere with it.
• If you have a full one it MUST be clear. I had MILO in my water at 9 am and the guy that guarded the trail to the venue made me pour it out because it wasn't clear.
• There's coffee that's overpriced and not bad like most of the food etc there. I'm from Seattle. I care about my coffee.
• Watch out for the vendors trying to jip you. MOST of them were AMAZING and I don't know how they do their jobs but more than once people would not give me back my full change. So do the math!

And I think that's it. Hope this helps.

Part II : Drive Drunk : Get Fucked.

You always hear this but I'm not going to be creative and use my writing skills because well this statement is true-It all happened so fast.


The glow of my cell phone fade after sending my friend a text. Looking down for somewhere to put my phone. My head whipping forward my body being jerked back by my seat belt. The unmistakable crunch of my car against another. My adrenaline pulsing, pumping.

Then everything slowed down, I left my body and watched myself come to the realization of what just happened. My hands shaking uncontrollably as I turned the keys. Crying, screaming, “Shit. Shit. Shit,” as the engine failed to start. This is really fucking happening. Right now. You just totaled your car. Oh God and you’re drunk.

Fuck.

PAUSE. Now, to address those of you assholes who are about to shake your head at me and my stupidity, my ignorance and my actions in what follows-SHUTTHEFUCKUP. I know I shouldn’t blow in the field, admit to drinking and driving, so crying in front of the officer. But if we are going that route you might as well throw in, I shouldn’t have driven. I shouldn’t have drank. I shouldn’t have called my ex. I shouldn’t have chugged vodka. BUT I FUCKING DID. Hence why there’s a story to be told. There are a million things I SHOULDN’T have done but this is what I did. So save it, because let me tell you, there wasn’t an hour for about 6 months that I didn’t think those thoughts myself.
PLAY.

Back to me ruining my life.

I hopped out of the car and ran home. THAT is how close I was. I barged through the door. Yelling at my parents the news they never want to hear. “I crashed Pearl-I’ve been drinking-mom HELP.”

My dad made a very valid point for it being roused, no jolted awake, at 1:30 am, “you left the scene of the accident?”

Oh. Shit. Yes, yes Dad it looks like I did.

I ran down my hill rounded the corner to the accident and knocked on the truck owner’s door. Telling him what I’d done. To my surprise he goes “Again?” My smart ass wants to say “No, no sir, this is the first time I’ve done this.” What he really meant was that this has happened before, since he’s an idiot that parks on a corner on a narrow road that’s lined on either side with cars – or not wait, if we are talking about idiots, I may have this one in the bag.

It gets blurry.

The cops came. The lights flashed way too bright for my liking. The cop was an ass. He was condescending and as my parents watched from the opposite side of the street he talked to his intern kid as though I wasn’t there. I remember walking that invisible line, the flash light in my eyes and my mom across the street with her hands to her face, horrified.

I got cuffed, put in the back of the car, because while I failed the tests, I succeeded in being caught drunk driving.

I blew once in the field .15, then at the station a .122 … that’s a ‘low blow’ 1.5 is a ‘high blow.’

My parents picked me up at around 3 AM, we drove past my car on the way to our house.

That was the first of many times that I’d get to pass the spot where my life changed forever. And for the past 10 months I have had to walk up onto the sidewalk that my car went up onto that fateful night.

That street is the quickest way to get to the bus and my gym.

Oh the irony.