A quick update while I'm back at the house to feed the animals (And do a little quick laundry.)
First date you could get in: August 21.
I went down to park in the City Park "waiting area" on Friday, August 29. Unofficially, about No. 175 in line. Warnings about rising rivers led to moving about 30 or so earlier arrivals who were parked near the river, and all those of us who arrived Friday or later - to the asphalt apron and roads behind the barns. The river did rise by about 7 feet during the next two days, but only minimally "invaded" any camping areas.
Thursday, Sept 4, was the move to "Lineup" in the Pecan Grove. They decided this year to separate "Walnutters" and "Pecaners" in the Lineup, so all the guys with the big self contained units are parked in the shade in the Pecan Grove Oval, with electrical outlets left over and plenty of water. Those of us who will actually camp in the Pecan grove are in the sun and the mud South of the oval - with mostly NO electricity and marginal water.
I was early enough to get No. 52 in the lineup for the Pecan grove, (about 150 Walnutters as of Lineup) so I'm only in the 3d row south of the road, and I did manage to get to an electrical hookup with "only" 258 feet of extension cord. Fortunately, 150 feet of it is #10, but the little electrons sort of dribble out the end, and squeal and holler a bit before they go to work. We have been able to run the few things that are important. They haven't cranked up the water pressure yet, so by the time it gets through 340 feet of garden hose it's more of a dribble than a flow, but we've managed to keep the coffee pot running.
Pickin' has been pretty good both of the weekends that I've been there, but a little thin during the week. A lot of people bring down their campers or tents to get in line, but go back home (or unhappily to work) during these early weeks.
The unofficial report was that there are about 400 units in Lineup now, (about 128 Pecan Grove?) which is somewhat fewer than at this point in recent years. Landrush, when we can set up "permanent" camps, is Thursday (Sept 11), and most of the people who come down then, or later, are likely to stay the course, so the "real party" starts then. The best campground pickin' (or at least the most "intense") is often on "Landrush weekend" - before the "casuals" and "just listeners" get too thick.
The weather has been good since it quit raining, and the forcast is pretty encouraging. The crowd seems smaller than usual, which should help for those who "must" come a little later, but we're waiting for y'all to join in.