WeekendsOctober 4, 20264 min read
Okemos is close enough to campus that a fall Saturday can turn into a game day on short notice. The people who enjoy it most are not the ones with the biggest setup. They are the ones who never have to go back home for something they forgot.
Our rule is simple: if it is useful every game, it lives in one bin in the trunk until the season ends. Here is what goes in ours.
1. A tire inflator, because parking lots are hard on tires
Grass lots and gravel shoulders find every slow leak. A portable tire inflator plugs into the car, reads the pressure and stops by itself. It turns a flat-looking tire into a five-minute fix instead of a phone call.
2. A car emergency kit you never think about
Jumper cables, a flashlight, a first aid pouch and a blanket, packed once and left alone. The Everlit car emergency kit covers all of it in one bag that fits under the cargo floor.
3. Sunglasses for the noon kickoffs
An early game in September means staring into the sun for three hours. A spare pair of aviator sunglasses in the glove box costs less than lunch and saves the afternoon.
4. A mini vacuum for the ride home
Chips, grass and confetti come home with you. A mini car vacuum clears the seats in the time it takes the lot to empty.
5. A warm layer for the fourth quarter
November games get cold after dark. A weighted blanket folded on the back seat doubles as a stadium blanket and a nap blanket for the drive back.
Keep it simple: one bin, five items, packed on Labor Day and unpacked at Thanksgiving. Check the tire inflator charge once a month.
