Town Park virgin? Get your answers here!

[TellurideTom]

This question may have been answered before but maybe not in detail so...

What exactly is story regarding needing quarters for showers in Town Park?  How much does one quarter get you?  How many quarters do I need for a decent length shower?  Is it more quarters for a hot shower versus a cold shower?  Can I throw quarters up and over the curtain if someone ahead of me is using too many quarters?  Is there a change machine to get quarters near the shower area?  Will they take Chuck E Cheese tokens in lieu of quarters?   

No change machine!
It takes 8 quarters for about 5 minutes of warm/hot water depending on how busy the showers are, and the cold water is COLD!

[Hippie]

8 quarters gets you three minutes I think. It's a good idea to have another eight in reserve, just in case you really get into it. That blast of cold water at the end can be bracing

 

 Listening to: KPIG 1510 am

[Kaptain Karlos]

What exactly is story regarding needing quarters for showers in Town Park?  How much does one quarter get you?  How many quarters do I need for a decent length shower?  Is it more quarters for a hot shower versus a cold shower?  Can I throw quarters up and over the curtain if someone ahead of me is using too many quarters?  Is there a change machine to get quarters near the shower area?  Will they take Chuck E Cheese tokens in lieu of quarters?   

The bank in town will give you quarters in exchange for dollar bills, but it's a good idea to bring quarters with you just in case the bank decides to refuse the exchange.  Yes, you can throw quarters up and over if the guy in the shower is taking too long.  Just be sure they land in a stack on top of the shower machine, or else they are free game.  I do not know of a change machine close to the showers in Town Park or in the town of Telluride.  You live close... hop on your bike, ride to Telluride, and check it out for us.  No Chuck E Cheese tokens... but sometimes the keys from airport and bus depot lockers will work. 

Kaptain Karlos 

[Hooch]

Wow, dozens of quarters and lines for the showers and cold water too?  Sounds glorious.  Do people ever set up those little camping showers in their camping areas?  I've got one that I've never used and would gladly charge only $1.00 (or a swig of someone's drink) for a room-temperature shower.

[Dean]

8 quarters gets you three minutes I think. It's a good idea to have another eight in reserve, just in case you really get into it. That blast of cold water at the end can be bracing

The Condoid Version - about 1986 to2005 (rough guess) I routinely spent the night in line at the condo side. We lined up dutifully every night with chairs, sleeping-in bags, liquor, et al, and routinely slept not a wink from the last note of the last set until tarp run the next morning. Kennedy was/is always in first place.

I always brought carbohydrates and heat energy in the form of a quart of hot Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee and peach schnapps. (The heat part is important because the dry mountain air doesn't hold heat, therefore the air temperature can drop 30 degrees in 6 hours, say from 12 midnight to 7 am.)   

So one morning I met a nice young man, a real khaki-clad Patagonian from Indiana who was complaining about the number of quarters it took for a camper to take a shower down at the high school gym. Having split the one quart concoction of Jamaica Blue and liberal proportions of peach schnapps, we soon devised a money-saving solution to his hygienic dilemma - he could just dunk in the Uncompaghre River, right there at hand, and wash his sins away. Just strip down, grab a bar of soap, and belly flop into the rushing water! Yeah!

So he tried it, and I hear he lived.

Dean

 Listening to: Yo Yo Ma - Simply Baroque 2

[Hippie]

I love a great story... Thanks Dean. I guess we'll have to get work on that shower. I think Mt Roamer has the set up. Run a muck has one too. How bout a shower with a stage view?

 

 Listening to: Rose Maddox and Vern Williams from Arhoolie--- New

[TellurideTom]

So one morning I met a nice young man, a real khaki-clad Patagonian from Indiana who was complaining about the number of quarters it took for a camper to take a shower down at the high school gym. Having split the one quart concoction of Jamaica Blue and liberal proportions of peach schnapps, we soon devised a money-saving solution to his hygienic dilemma - he could just dunk in the Uncompaghre River, right there at hand, and wash his sins away. Just strip down, grab a bar of soap, and belly flop into the rushing water! Yeah!

So he tried it, and I hear he lived.

Dean

That reminds me of someone named "Slo" (yes that's how it sounds) that used to camp in a tee-pee a while ago, and he used to bathe in the Bear Creek falls every day. Now that man has a constitution!

[Auntie Hope]

How bout a shower with a stage view?

I'm sure as long as the folks on stage don't mind the view and it doesn't interupt the music a shower with a stage view would be just fine Hippie.

By the way, I'll be in line at the high school on the other end of town. 

Hope Lin 

 Listening to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WQHh7ojTS8

[suki]

In the evenings - is there alot of mosquito activity?

[TellurideTom]

In the evenings - is there alot of mosquito activity?

It sort of depends on the season.... some years are good, some are bad.
It's best to bring some insect repellant just to be safe.

[Kaptain Karlos]

  Do people ever set up those little camping showers in their camping areas?  I've got one that I've never used and would gladly charge only $1.00 (or a swig of someone's drink) for a room-temperature shower.

If you have a portable shower and are planning on bringing it to TBF,  Make sure the grey-water run-off does not encroach upon another person's tent or campsite.  Finding a good location with proper drainage for a portable shower can be a challenge in an over-populated campground such as Town Park.

The Kaptain

[Hooch]

Kaptain,

Good point.  I've already killed off that idea in my mind but it seemed semi-feasible at the time I posted the question.   

[Prospector]

Dean,
Thanks for a great story. Very fine writing you do. Reminds of the time I went hiking in the Smokies with a friend who said bring a cocktail for the campfire. I was into Tanguaray & tonics at the time, and backpacking and all like we were, I mixed it 75/25, Tanguerey & tonic water of course. Had a big liter water bottle full. Turns out everybody else brought an ounce of their favorite brandy.  I drank the whole liter of Tanguaray that night. Felt real good. Next day, we hike 12 miles, mostly uphill, of course I kept thinking if I get over that next hill, all is well. Well I drank my water bottle by 8:30am, dry and all like I was. Before you know it, I am bent over in mud puddles, got the end of my water filter stuck in the bottom of a mud puddle trying to suck me up something good to drink. There is not too much water on top of a mountain in the Smokies. He hiked until the front of your thighs were cookin' goin uphill, then we hiked downhill 'til you didn't think your hamstrings could take one more shock. My head was pounding from too much gin and I swore if I ever got to a creek I was goin' in face first. Best hiking trip I ever been on. Hope Telluride is similar.
Thanks for your great story, got a few of my own.

Prospector.

 Listening to: Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley

[Courtney]

I understand the virgin nerves, the curiousity and quest of the ultimate TBF experience.  I lucked into Town Park two years ago having not a clue of what I was in for.  I told friends I would go two weeks early so reserve a spot and that was that.  But, as for Town Park, I could replace "cool" with convienient.  To wake up and hear the festival, have some coffee over at Tom & Jerry's     I don't camp often but love it so it "completes me".  But, that said, being with friends, new, old, any campsite/condo probably has advantages and "coolness".  In a condo, you have a toilet and shower advantage.  I guess what I'm saying is "Everything is everything." 

Here's the best tip - When you get to the festival, on the days of the festival, feel completely free to move about the tarps and meet people.  Many townparkians spend the night in line with their tarps to get good spots.  People are very friendly and if there's space - you can ask if you can sit a spell on someone else's tarp.  That's a great way to get an overall of the wonders of the festival festivarian spirit.  Check out the folks with the sun shelters too.  They are so nice.

[Ron N Deb]

ahh the great hot shower debate ...a few of the camps that will remain Nameless have the one or two
coleman hot water on demand systems with shower tents set up and im sure if you offer to haul your own water and maybe a small bottle of propane they will set you up. Hint just look for one ponytailed mexican
just dont tell anyone its a secret