Uncharted Territory: My First RV Adventure at the F1 United States Grand Prix 2024 in Austin, TX

United States Grand Prix 2024

DAY 1 at Circuit of the Americas

The 2024 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, has been circled on my calendar for months. This year, I paid extra for early access to the campground. Since the campsites are first come, first served, I wanted to make sure I snagged a good spot. That meant leaving home bright and early at 6 AM, before the kids were even awake. Even though they were soundly sleeping (a rare quiet moment in our house with four kids) I still kissed them goodbye. Kristen, my wonderful wife (who’s not at all bothered by how much this trip is costing), walked me to the door, kissed me goodbye, and I was off.

The Journey Begins

First stop—Buc-ee’s in Katy, TX, for breakfast. There’s no better way to kick off a road trip than a Buc-ee’s breakfast taco and some fresh coffee. After fueling up myself, I drove for about two hours and made another pit stop at the Buc-ee’s in Bastrop to fill up the truck and take a quick bathroom break. The road to Austin was smooth, and before I knew it, I arrived at the campground.

The Arrival

Upon entering the campground, I received my campground information package, which included some fun little freebies—like can koozies—and four wristbands for happy hour on Friday night. The timing couldn't be better since Kristen will be joining me for just one night, and it happens to be Friday! Life as parents of four kids means we need all the mini-celebrations we can get. The information package also contained a wealth of details, including how to access the showers (which, surprisingly, you have to pay to use for the weekend on top of the already high cost of a dry campsite) and the procedure for signing up for water delivery and black tank emptying (yay for handling the gross stuff!).

Setting Up at Turn 3

Only a few campers had arrived ahead of me, and I managed to get a campsite on Turn 3. It’s a decent spot, but after scouting the campground, I’ve already made a mental note for next year: Turn 6 looks like it’s the place to be. I’ll definitely aim for that in 2025. The campground is all dry camping—no hookups—and apparently, the waitlist for one of the few spots with power is about three years long! Luckily, I came prepared with a small solar panel. I zip-tied it to the roof, and it’s doing its job, giving me enough juice to power the lights and water pump as long as the sun is out (remember this comment for later).

Setting up the camper solo didn’t take long—less than an hour—and before I knew it, I was ready to start my workday. Yep, still considered "working from home," even out here!

Campsite on Turn 3

Supply Run and a Sweet Surprise

Of course, I forgot a few essentials (bread, of all things), so a quick store run was necessary. While I was at it, I grabbed some propane and ended up buying two new tanks—something I’m sure Kristen isn’t thrilled about.

Back at the campground, I discovered a sweet surprise: Kristen had snuck a care package into the camper before I left. Inside were some sweet treats, notes, and handmade cards from the kids. She also made me a few custom shirts featuring my favorite team, Ferrari, plus a roll of toilet paper with a rather humorous quote. Seriously, how did I get so lucky? I called her right away to thank her and make sure the kids haven't taken over control of command central.

Care package from wifey!

A Peaceful Evening

Today was unexpectedly chilly for Texas in October, with a strong wind blowing across the campground. It was pretty quiet, with only a handful of other campers set up so far. Honestly, I realized paying for early access probably wasn’t necessary—most people don’t show up until mid-day tomorrow. I could’ve rolled in tomorrow morning and still landed a great spot.

After booking a parking spot for Kristen when she joins me on Friday, I spent the rest of the day relaxing. I sat in my trusty old man rocking chair, sipping a couple of Dos XX as I watched the sun set over the track. It was peaceful and serene—a rare moment of calm before the excitement of the race weekend.

I recorded a little message for Kristen, telling her how much I love and appreciate her, and sent it off. All in all, Day 1 was a chill start to what’s sure to be an epic F1 weekend.

Tomorrow will be another quiet day around the campground before the real fun begins on Friday!