Chase logistics
Chase food and fuel
On a chase day, food is fuel and fuel is life. Here is the real logistics — from Braums to Casey's to the abandoned pump at Elm Creek.
The chase food philosophy
You will not stop for a proper meal. You will eat gas station food. Here are the rules:
- Eat before target time.
- Snack constantly. Blood sugar drives decisions.
- Hydrate constantly. Dehydration = bad calls.
- Avoid caffeine spikes — even feeling isn't worth the crash.
- Never chase hangry.
- Skip the fried gas station chicken. Trust me.
The chase pantry
Protein bars
Clif, RxBar, Quest. 200-300 cal each. Don't melt.
Beef jerky
Shelf-stable protein.
Nuts
Almonds, cashews. Healthy fats.
Dried fruit
Sugar without crash.
Sports drinks
Electrolyte replacement.
Water bottles
2+ per person.
Bananas
Potassium, easy to eat.
Peanut butter
Little dips of PB from a jar — sustainable.
Sandwiches
Made ahead. Refrigerated.
Trail mix
Custom mix.
The gas station reality
Casey's General Store
Best pizza in the Plains, hands down. Reliable clean bathroom.
Kum & Go
Iowa/Nebraska. Clean, well-lit.
Braums
Oklahoma tradition. Ice cream and burgers.
Love's Travel Stops
Truck stop scale. Restaurant, big bathroom, showers.
Pilot / Flying J
Same.
Allsups
New Mexico specialty. Burrito legend.
Kwik Shop
Kansas.
Dollar General
Not a gas station but often the only option.
Buc-ee's
Texas legend. Not on Plains chase route usually.
Local rural stations
Cash only, close at 8 PM, no bathroom.
The fuel strategy
- Fill up when tank is at 1/2 in western Kansas / TX Panhandle.
- Fill up when at 1/4 elsewhere.
- Note gas station hours — rural ones close 8-10 PM.
- Have $50 cash for cash-only pumps.
- Backup fuel cans if going deep rural.
- Diesel? Fewer diesel pumps in rural — plan.
- Fuel-efficient chase vehicles save serious money.
- Chase can burn 20-30 gal in a 12-hr day.
The bathroom situation
Real talk: chasers pee outside constantly. It's a fact of chase life.
- Gas station bathrooms: Casey's > Kum & Go > Love's > truck stops.
- When target zone has no gas: pick a spot 200 yards off the road.
- Women: SheWee, GoGirl, or similar make outdoor pees possible.
- Camping toilet in vehicle for extreme situations.
- Never pee in someone's field with them watching.
- Never leave TP on ground.
Post-chase meals
Braums (OK)
Late-night burgers.
Casey's pizza
By-the-slice.
Denny's / IHOP
24-hr. Reliable when nothing else is open.
Local dive diners
The chase community favorites often — Grill 149 (Woodward), Boomer's (Norman).
Sonic
Drive-in reliable.
Whataburger
Texas late-night.
Waffle House
Southern chasers.
McDonald's
Nothing beats a McFlurry at midnight after a chase.
The chase morning routine
- Wake early to review morning forecast.
- Coffee and continental breakfast at hotel.
- Pack food and drinks for the day.
- Fuel up before targeting.
- Hit the road by 10-11 AM.
- Lunch in target area at 12-1 PM.
- Storm chase 2-9 PM.
- Dinner in whatever town you end up in.
Hotels
- Book night-of if possible — chase location changes daily.
- Chase hubs: Woodward OK, Elk City OK, Salina KS, Kearney NE.
- Airbnb sometimes cheaper for groups.
- Motel 6, Super 8, Comfort Inn — reliable and cheap.
- Ask about early check-in / late check-out.
- Some chasers live in RVs during season.
When you're broke
- Sleep in vehicle at truck stop or rest area (Walmart lots often OK for one night).
- Eat entirely from Dollar General.
- Fuel up in low-gas-tax states (KS, NE lower than CO).
- Skip the chase tours.
- Camp at state parks (backup for hotel).
The chase snack meta-game
- Peanut M&Ms are chase food.
- Beef jerky in variety pack.
- Slim Jims for the truly gross moments.
- Sunflower seeds keep you awake.
- Vernors ginger ale for storm-day nausea.
- Chocolate melts in a hot car — skip it in July.
- Water > everything else.