Setting the Scene in Jacksonville
Let the games begin.
It may only be Thursday afternoon, but that hasn't stopped Florida and Georgia fans from setting up shop in lot E, just outside of Alltel Stadium.
Six rows of parking spaces are lined with massive RVs. More RVs are parallel parked on the sides of the lot. Georgia and Florida flags are raised high on flagpoles. The grills, smokers, lawn chairs, and satellite dishes are all out there.
People have brought their babies, dogs, Halloween decorations, televisions, and enough food and beverages to feed us Road Trippers for weeks (hopefully they'll share some of that on Saturday).
And there's still 48 hours before kickoff.
Georgia fan Bob Samples was working the grill when we caught up with him, preparing chicken and beef. Pork and ribs will be on tomorrow's menu. He's been in Jacksonville since Tuesday, and he's been coming to the event for 25 years now. Samples doesn't exclude Gators fans from his tailgates.
"We've got as many Florida fans as we do Georgia fans," he said.
But, he also said Georgia fans tailgate better than Florida fans.
"No way. No way," UF fan Dan DaMato said.
DaMato arrived yesterday afternoon at 4:00. He's been tailgating in Jacksonville all his life. Outside his RV, he has a tombstone that says "RIP Bulldogs."
"It's a good rivalry every year between the tailgaters."
Thursday afternoon was quite fun. Saturday afternoon is going to be insane.
