[Steve12]

I have lots of time next year. I want to go to the grand. Has anyone written a thread on what you need to do before going and what to do and see at the grand. I will be 68 by then and staying healthy is my plan. I know nothing about lodging. On and on.
I have a year to plan.
What do I do now. Money isn't a problem. I am not going to leave it to my children.
Steve

 

[jjhess]

Get your lodging now, get you targets in so you arnt penalized

 

[postmastertim]

I suppose you're flying into St Louis and renting a car.

Biggest decision is housing. I would consider renting a camper and staying on the grounds for the convenience or book early with the Holiday Inn Sparta or look at some of the nicer Air BnBs.

Other than that shooting, shopping and maybe a Cardinals game.

 

[bankerbob]

Ok I have done the following lodging in Sparta over the years
1) Hotel in O’Fallon , Illinois, 45 miles one way.
Pros - lots of food choices and it keeps you on track of a routine . Drive an hour, set up, shoot, drive an hour, clean up and eat, and than sleep. Start all over
Cons - heat mitigation , long days
2) Local Hotel, non Holiday Inn
Pros- cheaper than O’Fallon, quicker drive
Cons - heat mitigation
3) Local BNB
Pros - comfy and homey
Cons - heat mitigation
4) Camper lot and rental of travel trailer
Pros - Really helps mitigate the heat between the events. Food cost are lower for the cooking people
Cons - Expensive when using a professional travel trailer company. Quality and cleanliness of a locally owned trailer can be horrible, complete boredom unless you have friends in the rental lots.
At the end of day , it can be very hot and humid in southern Illinois. This is not a dry heat.
If you fly, how will you bring your items to shoot and take back all the items you find on vendor row?
More tips, if you are not camping on the grounds, try to make sure all of your events are in the same section.
Make sure your not on a final group for one event and the first one out on the next event.
This place is huge!!

 

[Steve12]

Ok I have done the following lodging in Sparta over the years
1) Hotel in O’Fallon , Illinois, 45 miles one way.
Pros - lots of food choices and it keeps you on track of a routine . Drive an hour, set up, shoot, drive an hour, clean up and eat, and than sleep. Start all over
Cons - heat mitigation , long days
2) Local Hotel, non Holiday Inn
Pros- cheaper than O’Fallon, quicker drive
Cons - heat mitigation
3) Local BNB
Pros - comfy and homey
Cons - heat mitigation
4) Camper lot and rental of travel trailer
Pros - Really helps mitigate the heat between the events. Food cost are lower for the cooking people
Cons - Expensive when using a professional travel trailer company. Quality and cleanliness of a locally owned trailer can be horrible, complete boredom unless you have friends in the rental lots.
At the end of day , it can be very hot and humid in southern Illinois. This is not a dry heat.
If you fly, how will you bring your items to shoot and take back all the items you find on vendor row?
More tips, if you are not camping on the grounds, try to make sure all of your events are in the same section.
Make sure your not on a final group for one event and the first one out on the next event.
This place is huge!!

Wow scary . I could just buy a new motor home and drive from California. Leave a couple weeks earlier.
Got rid of my fifth wheel. I was told the humidity is bad. How is getting a place to camp on the grounds in the motor home?
I want to bring stuff back.can you drive into the grand and park to walk to your first round. This will be a big vacation for me. Can I bring my dog?
Tons of questions. Two bad Iowa isn't closer. Have relative there!
Steve

 

[Trapper12]

I'm planning on being a newbie-Grand shooter in 2022 also. Is there a place I can dry camp in my camper van on site? If not on-site, is there an inexpensive place to dry camp nearby? Or do I stealth camp at the Sparta WalMart ...

 

[bankerbob]

Iowa is close , you are driving from California, what’s another 300-400 miles , lol.
Yes you can bring your dog!!
You can contact the ATA to see if they have an open spot or use the thread, that George started for camp spots.
Will you tow a car? Yes you will need to drive ( golf cart, sxs, or truck/vehicle) from the camp grounds to your shooting location.

Wow scary . I could just buy a new motor home and drive from California. Leave a couple weeks earlier.
Got rid of my fifth wheel. I was told the humidity is bad. How is getting a place to camp on the grounds in the motor home?
I want to bring stuff back.can you drive into the grand and park to walk to your first round. This will be a big vacation for me. Can I bring my dog?
Tons of questions. Two bad Iowa isn't closer. Have relative there!
Steve

 

[John55]

If you have a motor home or trailer you can usually get a camping spot if you reserve one early. Lots of them from primitive to full hook up. Lots of motels in the general area, say from 20-50 miles from the complex. Okawville, Nashville, Mascoutah and Mt. Vernon to name a few towns with nice lodging.

 

[Steve12]

Iowa is close , you are driving from California, what’s another 300-400 miles , lol.
Yes you can bring your dog!!
You can contact the ATA to see if they have an open spot or use the thread, that George started for camp spots.
Will you tow a car? Yes you will need to drive ( golf cart, sxs, or truck/vehicle) from the camp grounds to your shooting location.

That good information. I forgot about what George posted. Thanks for the recommendations .
Se

 

[Donnie W]

Just get online when they open up campsites. This is the first time we’ve have done it no big deal. You can park behind any trap on the east side and have just a short walk. Yes you can bring your dog, There’s 3 in the campsite next to us.

 

[bankerbob]

Wow scary . I could just buy a new motor home and drive from California. Leave a couple weeks earlier.
Got rid of my fifth wheel. I was told the humidity is bad. How is getting a place to camp on the grounds in the motor home?
I want to bring stuff back.can you drive into the grand and park to walk to your first round. This will be a big vacation for me. Can I bring my dog?
Tons of questions. Two bad Iowa isn't closer. Have relative there!
Steve

Steve
Google “ World Shooting Complex”
Look at the image links and watch some YouTube videos.
3.5 miles of trap banks!!!!

 

[Steve12]

Steve
Google “ World Shooting Complex”
Look at the image links and watch some YouTube videos.
3.5 miles of trap banks!!!!

Awesome! Thanks
Steve

 

[DuckNut]

Steve, I have never been there but I think if I were going to turn it into a long vacation I would probably do something that resembles this:

Rent a trailer or RV and have the rentor drop it off and pick it up at my rented site. I would drive there doing some sight seeing to and from and take my time so I would not get too tired from the drive as it could take a while to recover. Leave the trailer/RV there the entire time and use the car to explore when time permits. If it were my first time I would much prefer to be on site than off so I can take in the entire experience. I would not enjoy it as much in a motel.

Since I had a year to plan I could (if wanted too) find someone or two to share the trailer and that would be a bit more fun sipping drinks and telling lies with friends than alone.

Having the car is very handy to go to town and get groceries and make day trips.

You have been on enough vacations I'm sure. Just plan it like you would like to maximize your enjoyment.

 

[Steve12]

Steve, I have never been there but I think if I were going to turn it into a long vacation I would probably do something that resembles this:

Rent a trailer or RV and have the rentor drop it off and pick it up at my rented site. I would drive there doing some sight seeing to and from and take my time so I would not get too tired from the drive as it could take a while to recover. Leave the trailer/RV there the entire time and use the car to explore when time permits. If it were my first time I would much prefer to be on site than off so I can take in the entire experience. I would not enjoy it as much in a motel.

Since I had a year to plan I could (if wanted too) find someone or two to share the trailer and that would be a bit more fun sipping drinks and telling lies with friends than alone.

Having the car is very handy to go to town and get groceries and make day trips.

You have been on enough vacations I'm sure. Just plan it like you would like to maximize your enjoyment.

All sounds like fun.
Steve

 

[todddietrich]

I have lots of time next year. I want to go to the grand. Has anyone written a thread on what you need to do before going and what to do and see at the grand. I will be 68 by then and staying healthy is my plan. I know nothing about lodging. On and on.
I have a year to plan.
What do I do now. Money isn't a problem. I am not going to leave it to my children.
Steve

First off, I hope you have a great trip. I am about as local to the World Shooting Complex as anyone. If I were to plan a similar trip in the opposite direction, I would hope to stay as close as possible to the event. As much as I love my home area, I can't recommend it as a tourist destination for much more than fishing, hunting, and of course Trap Shooting. There is plenty to do in the immediate St. Louis area, but you're looking at a good hour drive. With that being said, I would suggest renting a camper that is setup on the grounds and for convenience also renting or bringing a golf cart or side by side. If you bring one, make sure you have the proper insurance paperwork with you. They are pretty specific.
You can park a vehicle and walk to any bank with the walk being only 50 - 100 yds., but the golf carts are by far more convenient. If your concerned about the heat and humidity, I would squad as early in the day as you can. That is another bonus for staying on the grounds.

good luck and see you next year!

 

[Harv Shell]

Ducknut and Todd pretty much mirrored my best times there. Stayed in motels the first few years, then rented trailers for a number of years, always found a premium lot here in the classifieds within 2 months of the Grand.
Rented a cart for a few years before buying one, cheaper to rent than buy (including the trailer).
We would take the dog over to the fields at the end of the day to run, with potty bags of course. Then go up to the shootoffs to shoot or watch, depending on my luck.
The shootoffs are pretty much the meeting place at the end of the day.
Can't beat going to the trailer between events to cool down, have a bite to eat and watch the scores. Especially nice to relax there before shootoffs.
Go and have the time of your life, we only get one crack at it.

 

[Schnurb]

Pro Tips:

The metal bathroom doors that face west on the vendor buildings can get pretty warm. Open them with your shoulder and not your bare hands.

There are lots of sweat bees although nothing like what I experienced at another Illinois club yesterday. Bug spray might help. My dad taught me to slowly spin your finger around and make them dizzy for easy smashing. Good technique for the bench, not so much while shooting.

Make sure you understand the doubles matrix and that they start two squads at a time. It can be easy to miss your squad after a long day if you are not thinking. Thankfully I only did that my first time shooting doubles at the Grand.

Butcher Block/Farm Bureau is probably regarded as the best food sold on site by most.

Keep your head on a swivel on the lots and roads. Lots of vehicles and carts and people wearing blinders.

Print a summary schedule as that is easier to look at than your cashier tape. You can print another one near the end as it is updated with your scores.

 

[Steve12]

Ducknut and Todd pretty much mirrored my best times there. Stayed in motels the first few years, then rented trailers for a number of years, always found a premium lot here in the classifieds within 2 months of the Grand.
Rented a cart for a few years before buying one, cheaper to rent than buy (including the trailer).
We would take the dog over to the fields at the end of the day to run, with potty bags of course. Then go up to the shootoffs to shoot or watch, depending on my luck.
The shootoffs are pretty much the meeting place at the end of the day.
Can't beat going to the trailer between events to cool down, have a bite to eat and watch the scores. Especially nice to relax there before shootoffs.
Go and have the time of your life, we only get one crack at it.

Hope to make it to a few. Age is creeping up
Steve

 

[Steve12]

Pro Tips:

The metal bathroom doors that face west on the vendor buildings can get pretty warm. Open them with your shoulder and not your bare hands.

There are lots of sweat bees although nothing like what I experienced at another Illinois club yesterday. Bug spray might help. My dad taught me to slowly spin your finger around and make them dizzy for easy smashing. Good technique for the bench, not so much while shooting.

Make sure you understand the doubles matrix and that they start two squads at a time. It can be easy to miss your squad after a long day if you are not thinking. Thankfully I only did that my first time shooting doubles at the Grand.

Butcher Block/Farm Bureau is probably regarded as the best food sold on site by most.

Keep your head on a swivel on the lots and roads. Lots of vehicles and carts and people wearing blinders.

Print a summary schedule as that is easier to look at than your cashier tape. You can print another one near the end as it is updated with your scores.

Are those the yellow ones?
Steve

 

[RickN]

A neat flyover of the club.