One Bite At A Time

Everybody’s in a much brighter mood around here this week. The temps broke into the high 50s and the 60s earlier this week and we lost much of the snow that seems to have been here for what seems like the last five decades.

As the snow leaves us, reality also starts to sink in on how much needs to get done before the gates open on July 27. It’s a challenge, to be sure, but it will be exciting as we accomplish each step.

There will be a couple changes in food stands at Oshkosh this year. With things moving around on the site, there’s an opportunity to adjust some food stands to prime traffic areas as the new look takes shape.

If you started attending AirVenture before 1995, you’ll recognize one of the new food locations. It will be at the corner of Waukau Avenue and Knapp Street Road, kitty-corner from the new control tower. Back in the “old” days, before Winnebago County expanded the airport property, the private owner had food service in their front yard. The old Shakey’s Pizza, which no longer exists in Oshkosh, set up shop there at the time.

Just an aside: I also recall that they had campers set up in the old cattle pasture there, too. I never was sure if that area kept all the “natural features” even as people put up their tents…

In addition, the food stands that last year were east of the FAA building, next to the Honda Pavilion, are now gone. Between the food stands just to the north across Waukau Ave., next to the Wearhouse and just east of AeroShell Square, that area is still well serviced.

Even with the relocated Main Gate, the Sacred Heart food stand will be staying in the same position on the newly rerouted Forest Home Avenue. There will also be a food stand at the intersection of Waukau Avenue and the northeast walkway leading from the Main Gate, as shown on the map here (click on it for a larger version).
I’ve been spending a lot of time over the past two weeks trying to put the final details on the basis site map that will be used for all the other maps you’ll be seeing in the coming weeks. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s good in some ways, since it focused us on finalizing locations for some areas where we still had questions.

One thing goes through my mind on occasion as we put the pieces together for 2009: I have to remind myself not to think of the grounds as they were last year, or in 1994 before we built the exhibit hangars, or even in the early 1980s when I was growing up just down the road from the AirVenture grounds. We must focus on what the grounds require to serve visitors in future years. It’s always easier remembering than predicting, because we know what happened in the past. We have to gauge the future using the best information we have right now.

All this leaves one final question: Do I take Louisville or North Carolina in the NCAA pool?