While walking into the parking lot on Sunday morning, with the looming monster park hanging in the background, an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia sweeps over. An all out volley of stimulants assaults my senses, whether it was the smell of delicious food or the displays of team paraphernalia I suddenly felt a rush of excitement and anxiety that intoxicated both my mind and body. Just a little farther on from the entrance I noticed a white truck set up with barbecue pits, food stands, and a bevy of ’49ers gear, unexpectedly it starts blasting Thin Lizzy’s classic, “The Boys are Back in Town”, pushing me even further along. I begin to be overcome by a tingling sensation, I turn to my left and see my uncle and my friend both with the same gleeful look as I, then I look to my right and see a group of people I’ve never met before but with a crazed look in their faces, then all at once we roar, like a group of yawping barbarians, “9ERS!” Tailgating to some is just a way to waste time before the main event, but to others it is the main event. It’s something special, it’s a time to spend with your extended family, your fan family. A 20 year tailgating veteran, Johnathan Francis, says. “It’s like Thanksgiving every Sunday. You get to eat a lot of great food, talk with people who you only see once in a while, and just get to relax and have fun.”Many tailgaters arrive hours before the game starts to set up their stands. Each person does it differently so a sense of rivalry flares up. One person brings a boom box, another a stereo, one brings a T.V. with an antenna, another brings a Jumbo screen with a satellite. Although many wouldn’t consider tailgating artful, the tailgaters themselves take it to another level, presenting their team paraphernalia in unique ways. Streaming blankets and banners, hanging classic moments of 49er lore, and arranging home made art in creative ways to show further fan loyalty. One man spray painted the side of his car with the 49er’s logo and another, using pebbles created a swirling art floor of red and gold. The food that is served at the tailgates ranges from barbequed ribs to fried calamari and for those vegetarians out there, tofu hot dogs. There are plenty of different sides like corn on the cob, gumbo, macaroni salad, cherry pepper poppers, ’49ers chili, and collard greens. While most of the over 21 crowd drinks alcohol, including some bringing huge kegs, there are also sodas, lemonade, water, and one man was making red and gold snowcones (in red and gold of course). Although the food is great, that is not what tailgating is about, it’s the tailgaters themselves. The tailgaters talk about the coming game, what’s happening around the league, and other non sports related jargon, but the tailgaters who are the most interesting are the old timers. One man recounted the time when he watched Joe Montana throw to Dwight Clark in the end zone, The Catch, to seal the NFC championship and later the Superbowl.While some tailgaters are rude drunks, most are genuinely nice people willing to share a seat, food, and stories. That is as long as you’re a 49ers fan.