Six PM Gate Opening on Sunday

[dragonpilot]

I haven't seen a thing about this.

We had an Early Arrival Pass and arrived at Gate about 10 PM on Sunday night. Gate just took our tickets and waved us through..didn't even ask for the EAP. We then offered it up the Gate person said no worries that the Gates opened at 6 PM...something about last year's traffic backup/jam through Gerlach, etc.

Not a word of this was mentioned going into this year's event. The vast majority of folks who abided by the rules of not arriving early were in essence treated like children IMHO by not being told of this early opening. I understand that it relieved much of the traffic problems that Gerlach has had to endure in years past, but how is this going to help them next year>

So, does this mean for next year...assuming there IS a Burning Man next year....that we all show up at 4 PM or earlier?

[ygmir]

I haven't seen a thing about this.

We had an Early Arrival Pass and arrived at Gate about 10 PM on Sunday night. Gate just took our tickets and waved us through..didn't even ask for the EAP. We then offered it up the Gate person said no worries that the Gates opened at 6 PM...something about last year's traffic backup/jam through Gerlach, etc.

Not a word of this was mentioned going into this year's event. The vast majority of folks who abided by the rules of not arriving early were in essence treated like children IMHO by not being told of this early opening. I understand that it relieved much of the traffic problems that Gerlach has had to endure in years past, but how is this going to help them next year>

So, does this mean for next year...assuming there IS a Burning Man next year....that we all show up at 4 PM or earlier?

you may have answered your own question, in a way, there, DP:

I bet they didn't announce it, in advance, because, they knew people would just show up that much earlier.
I'd say, the idea, was as stated, to alleviate the traffic backup.

[googbox]

Well, I heard rumors of this floating around Reno. I heard from 3 or 4 different people that there was a "rumor" that they were going to open gates at 6pm, but that they weren't going to post it on the websites, etc. and it was something that you would only know about if you heard it via word-of-mouth.

I was skeptical. I thought this was another Daft Punk thing and that if I showed up I would wind up hanging out in D lot forever.

Then we had some of our early entry people calling saying yes, gates are open NOW. But alas, we were still struggling to finish up packing up trailers, getting last minute supplies, herding cats, etc. so we couldn't make it there before midnight anyway. We left Reno at 1:30 a.m and rolled up to our camp at 8:30 am.

I just never know what rumors to believe and what rumors to chalk up as Daft Punk is playing at the Trash Fence on Sunday at 7pm after the gates open.

[LostinReno]

I'd kind of forgotten about it, yeah we heard about it from a friend of ours that had early entry. We actually thought about heading out there but then decided to just come in Monday morning as planned and not be part of the problem. It will be interesting to see what they do to prevent this from happening in '11.

[AntiM]

From what I heard from a quasi-official source, it was largely unplanned and at the request of law enforcement. Who? No clue. I also heard that the new permit would open the gates at 6 on Sunday next year.

Rumor Control, over and out.

[Bounce530]

Nope, didn't happen, nu-uh...Gates opened, and will continue to open at midnight, don't show up before...

Nevermind the fact that I was on my block, pounding rebar at 11:45pm sunday w/o an early entry pass. Me and 2 other cars where the only ones cruising in from the pavement to the gates at 11:30.

[penrose]

Word in the city Sunday afternoon was that the gates would open early at LE's request because of concern that bad weather would cause a bunch of people to get stranded who otherwise could be settled in. But I never knew what really happened.

[Just_Joe]

I heard from several people (already inside) early Sunday afternoon that gates would open @6pm. No explanation why tho.
Two noobs came up to me at 2pm looking for "The Utah Camp". I sent them over to AntiM's
They just showed up early (waaay before 6) and were let in.

[ygmir]

I was on perimeter then........there was much celebration, and jubilation, from the participants in line..........

[theCryptofishist]

I heard about it, don't remember when. It must have been on the internet though...

[Isotopia]

Maybe it had something to do with the forecast of rain.

A slogging stampede at 12:01am would have fucked things up in a terrible way had the schedule been stuck to.

Not knowing for sure I suspect it was a preventative measure to keep things moving.

[Pink Daddy]

This was what I had heard, as well. The fear of the impending rain storm (that was delayed to Monday) was enough to open the gates early, hoping to quell the mad rush and prevent a nasty backup through Gerlach, with the playa being shut down from rain.

[bluetick]

Gate just took our tickets and waved us through..didn't even ask for the EAP.

Did they give the tickets back?? They belong to you and not the person working the gate.

[ygmir]

Gate just took our tickets and waved us through..didn't even ask for the EAP.

Did they give the tickets back?? They belong to you and not the person working the gate.

Gate takes the ticket, tears it, and gives you back the stub.

[Kinetik V]

Who cares if it wasn't announced in advance. Take it as a playa gift. And as with many things playa related, don't count on it happening next year.

[knowmad]

I'd kind of forgotten about it, yeah we heard about it from a friend of ours that had early entry. We actually thought about heading out there but then decided to just come in Monday morning as planned and not be part of the problem. It will be interesting to see what they do to prevent this from happening in '11.

And I am guessing it was a pretty smooth and quick entry?

We were in early to install Art, and Set up Camp. so when we heard about a 6:00 opening we were ready for the land rush that would ensue. Being a non-placed theme camp we were prevented from camping at our desired B street address untill the gates came up at 6:00 we moved over across the street, set up in a snap, passed out. when we came to there was a Citty, and all our friends were there, and I was a bunny.

[teardropper]

We were at Eagle's Nest and heard about it. The rumor made it North. A couple of folks took off. I, of course, didn't believe it. We went ahead with our scheduled departure, to find that they did let them in. No big deal They'd have to not announce it again for it to work. Many would be there at 6, and it would do little.

Thinking about Entrance and Exodus: Entrance is one slow moving, engine running drag. Exodus was long, but kinda' fun. Got another chance to play with more crazies. Liked Exodus, even though it was long. Didn't like entrance, but probably not possible to 'pulse' then. Again, no big deal.

[Joe Buck]

Concerns about the weather is what we heard in our camp before the gate was scheduled to open. I had early arrival (Sat morning). Cold temps and combined dust/rain storm on arrival had the BORG and LEOs a bit spooked about what was to come when the bulk of the storm front passed through I guess because we heard about the 6 pm gate opening soon after.

We made it to the gate just before the first people arrived at greeters and everyone was very excited. It was the most fun I have had at the gate, and we were treated to one of the most beautiful sunsets I can remember on the playa. Not sure how much it helped the traffic back-up; from the upper deck of the art car (Walter the world biggest VW Bus!) we could see headlights stretching far into the distance beyond Gerlach even by 8 pm!

[mars]

All I know is, next year it's gonna be crazy on that Highway with people arriving earlier than whatever the posted opening time is.

[junglesmacks]

All I know is, next year it's gonna be crazy on that Highway with people arriving earlier than whatever the posted opening time is.

Yet another reason of many why early arrival is key

I'll be there from the Wednesday the week before next year..

[Fire_Moose]

All I know is, next year it's gonna be crazy on that Highway with people arriving earlier than whatever the posted opening time is.

Yet another reason of many why early arrival is key

I'll be there from the Wednesday the week before next year..

true day. It's almost not even worth going if you don't have EA

[junglesmacks]

All I know is, next year it's gonna be crazy on that Highway with people arriving earlier than whatever the posted opening time is.

Yet another reason of many why early arrival is key

I'll be there from the Wednesday the week before next year..

true day. It's almost not even worth going if you don't have EA

I heard next year won't be as good anyway..

[mars]

Yet another reason of many why early arrival is key

I'll be there from the Wednesday the week before next year..

true day. It's almost not even worth going if you don't have EA

I heard next year won't be as good anyway..

Well, it certainly won't be as good as the year after last year.

[ygmir]

true day. It's almost not even worth going if you don't have EA

I heard next year won't be as good anyway..

Well, it certainly won't be as good as the year after last year.

wasn't this year, next year, last year?
or, was it year after next, two years ago?

[Token]

It's called a "soft open". It happens most years, this was not the first time it did. Sometimes it's 6pm, sometimes 8pm or 10 pm. It s driven by event safety considerations.

Move on. These are not the Druids your looking for.

[dragonpilot]

Getting back in here...actually, I was told about the 6 PM opening about 30 days beforehand by a medical person traveling with us who was doing EMS vol work...the EMS vol coordinator told her she didn't need an EAP if she was arriving after 6 PM on Sunday...didn't have anything to do with weather forecast...was all about the good citizens of Gerlach and Empire wanting their towns back during Entrance.

I'm glad the Gate opened at 6 PM relieving traffic congestion, but I anticipate that next year we'll have loads of folks showing up before 6 PM thinking that if they don't get there earlier that they won't get choice spots during the land grab.

Rumor has it that Gate will be opening at 4 PM!

[Token]

I personally wouldn't mind if they soft opened the gate on Friday or Saturday, bumped up the price for those arriving before Monday by $20 or $40 to pay the BLM and JOTS service.

Fuck all the low income hippies, get a job and save up.

I've been on the Playa pre-event several times and all the infrastructure is pretty much in place by Thursday.

The parties are way better when there is one or two spots to go to anyway.

/end old man jaded burner fuck editorial.

[Snow]

I've been on the Playa pre-event several times and all the infrastructure is pretty much in place by Thursday.

The parties are way better when there is one or two spots to go to anyway.

SSSShhhhhHH there are NO parties, nothing happening, no burns, only hard work, heat and dust. Pre burn is the worst time of the whole event, I avoid it at all costs. Move along nothing to see here.

[weirdscience]

sorry to be off topic but i searched the whole site and i cant find how i acquire a EAP how do i acquire one

[Snow]

to get a EAP you need to have a reason to be on playa early. If you need to be there, you'll have one.