It’s spring term, the sun is out and we all know what that means… Shasta is just around the corner! It always seems to sneak up on us in Eugene; just as we begin to shed our layers of Patagonia’s and parkas, it is suddenly time to strip down to our bathing suits. It can be an incredibly stressful situation, preparing yourself for the wonders of Lake Shasta and that’s why I have created this “how to” in order to alleviate some of your worries and go over the necessities.
How To: Pack For Shasta
The number one rule you need to remember while packing your bags for this weekend adventure, is do not bring aboard anything that you will be upset about losing or completely ruining. Items tend to be misplaced or mud-covered by the end of the trip. The most essential item to pack (other than your bathing suit), is some sort of water shoe. The islands that the boats park on are completely covered in sharp rocks and mud. You really don’t want to be bare footing it, or for that matter exposing your toes at all! Sunscreen is also a key thing that people tend to forget. The sun doesn’t stop shining all day, so be sure to apply first thing in the morning before you become dazed and confused. The last item that can make or break your Shasta experience is your water jug. Realistically you will be filling it up with anything but water, but regardless it’s an item you can’t go without. This is your beverage cup for the entire weekend, so be sure to personalize it with puff paint, stickers, permanent markers or anything that will make it stand out from everyone else’s!
How To: Stay Safe
With the sun shining, music blaring and the liquor flowing it is easy to get carried away on the islands of Lake Shasta. It is the most unique and incomparable experience, but you can’t let yourself forget the constant dangers of being intoxicated on the water. DO NOT boat hop! Although the various house boats will be tied up side by side and you will be tempted to make the simple step over from one roof top to the other, this is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Terrible incidents have taken place in the past that could have been easily avoided by better decision making. Another thing to remember is to resist from jumping/flipping off of the boats regardless of how entertaining it appears. If you are hot and want to cool down, grab a floaty and hang out in the lake, but hurling your body off the side of a boat while in an unbalanced state of mind is never a good idea to follow through with. Lastly, always remember to be aware of your friends. Things can become chaotic and while you are enjoying the moment of drinking, dancing and nonsense, people surrounding you might be choosing to make less wise decisions that you need to be conscious of.
How To: Create The Perfect Shasta Play List
In my personal experience, we started off our 6 am wake up calls with the Lion Kings ‘Circle Of Life’. Keep your mornings mellow, not everyone is used to raging this hard, and those morning head aches need to be tended to with beer sipping and mellow beats. As the day progresses, start to intensify your tunes by adding in some Calvin Harris or everyones favorite 90’s throw backs to slur along to. You can never go wrong with the America themed classics such as Sweet Home Alabama, Don’t Stop Believing, Chicken Fried, or All Summer Long. Once you start to fade into darkness and the bonfire starts burning, people are going to need some lyrical motivation to keep them energized. This is when you can turn up some Macklemore then bring in a little Swedish House, Steve Aoki or A$AP Rocky. If you are the designated DJ , be warned that over ecstatic boys and girls will approach you throughout the day persisting on playing Party In The USA, Call Me Maybe or everyones favorite, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Keep the crowd satisfied and don’t let the party end!
How To: Capture The Perfect Moments
I struggled last year with my decision of bringing my digital camera on board with me or not. I knew I wanted to have pictures and memories to take back with me, but I wasn’t keen on losing my nice camera to the depths of the lake. In my final decision, I went old school and bought five digital, plastic cameras. I unintentionally left each camera in a different location throughout the weekend, and when the film was developed, I found that friends and strangers alike had been capturing fantastic photos randomly throughout the entire trip! Forget adding filters, because when you use these ancient devices they somehow present a perfectly classic tone that exemplifies just how breathtaking the Shasta experience is. As long as you manage to retrace your tracks and come home with your disposable cameras, you will have photos and memories that you can relive forever.
Finally, the last and most important thing you need to know about a rage filled weekend at Shasta is,
How To: Hang
There will be those who foul out day 1, and those who sit inside the boats all weekend looking like a lobster because they chose the SPF free route. DO NOT BE THESE PEOPLE! The secret to success lies in the nap (no pun intended). Find that perfect mid-day time to sneak away to your tent or bunk and get in an hour long nap. This will allow you to get your day fade on and be revived to party on into the night! My next word of advice is obvious, but seems to be the number one forgotten aspect. Hydration. I am not sure who started the rumor that drinking water will decrease your buzz, but this is not true. In fact consistently hydrating with water as you consume alcohol, can only help you to avoid a morning hangover and be ready for round two! So use this tactic to be the weekend MVP and walk away feeling like a champ. When it comes to Shasta meals, I am afraid to inform you there will be no salads, steaks or fruit bowls. In this three day period, your diet will consist mostly of beer, hot dogs and chicken burgers. This leads me to my final piece of advice which is pack your snacks. Power bars, trail mix, pretzels or anything that can be used as what I like to refer to as a “soak”. Getting some nutrients in your body when your going this hard can make or break your retention rate for the next morning. As far as sleep goes… there will be none, so pack your bags, grab your shades and get ready to show off all your hard work of shastasizing!