Arrival on Sunday or Monday

[LeonardPotato]

Here is my quandry...

The last "leg" of my trip to BRC would be a 12-13 hour push and I would get to BRC somewhere around 9-10 pm.

I know you are not the oracle and that you can't see the future... but I am debating on going right to the gate road or stopping short and spending the night with plans to enter on Monday. I have a trailer so if I went in, I would be able to park and go to bed.

All things considered, time to get in, availability of prime camping spots, my love of sleep, downsides of arriving in the dark... What would you say is the better move?

Appreciate the feedback.

[Papa Bear]

My suggestion would be to stop short, get a good night's sleep, and enter early Monday morning.

There's no telling how long your wait to get in will be - arrive at night, and you still might not reach your camping spot until morning. In fact, if there's an accident on 447, you could take most of the night just getting to the entry line.

Lines do tend to be shorter in the morning, but even if it isn't, it'll be a lot easier to take if you've had some recent sleep. It'll also be a lot easier to pick out a clear camping spot (or find your theme camp) in daylight.

[some seeing eye]

It is hard to predict the gate wait. Even when tired, it is better to set up camp outside the heat of day 9AM-4PM. You can decide in the moment.

If you share the diving, everyone will be less tired.

The 2 side fills slower than the 10 side and IMO is less dusty. Given most of the city is pre-placed, "prime" spots closer in and nearer plazas will be filled by the very first gate arrivers. You could sleep in the D-Lot, or pull over outside the L street. But I would try to plan to be rested and drive safe before hitting the playa and set up cool hours as early in the week as you can.

Of course people set up camp all hours.

[lucky420]

you cant camp or even park for long on Gate road, that also goes for along Highway 447. You can buy an overnight camping pass and camp along Pyramid Lake.

Prime camping spot? Hell youre in BRC so any place is pretty much prime...

[Token]

"Plan" and "Gate" are 100% incompatible concepts.

What you need instead of a "plan" is options.

Option 1 - Spend the night in Fernley. There are casinos, two truck stops, etc.

Option 2 - Spend the night camping at Pyramid lake, after getting the permit form the tribal office.

Option 3 - Keep on trucking to gate.

You need options for the following reasons.

You will not know how tired you are until you actually execute the driving. Maybe you are beat, maybe you are energized.

You will not know what your head and heart will say when you see thousands of vehicles heading down the road to BM, loaded with all kinds of cool stuff.

BTW, arriving at night is a feature and a benefit, not something to be avoided. It is magnificent to first see the glow of the city in the distance, then let the pieces come into focus as you approach gate. Getting there in the daytime is a bit underwhelming by comparison.

[Dr. Pyro]

Or you can take advantage of the Barbie Death Village Reno hotel deal at the Sands Sunday night and be refreshed (and able to drive safely) first thing Monday morning.

[LeonardPotato]

you cant camp or even park for long on Gate road, that also goes for along Highway 447. You can buy an overnight camping pass and camp along Pyramid Lake.

Prime camping spot? Hell youre in BRC so any place is pretty much prime...

I purchased my camping pass for Sunday night. I can always cruise past if I am still feeling froggy when I get to the junction.

[Ratty]

Leonard, Good for you. Listening and actually taking advice. (Can you teach?) There are people that go to the event every year and camp on the outermost road. On purpose. I go visit that neighborhood with candy so let me say, they are a fun group. You will need a bike anyway. Don't be obsessed with getting as close to the man as possible. The city doesn't completely fill up. Arriving Sunday or Monday you'll have no trouble pulling into a spot.

[lucky420]

you cant camp or even park for long on Gate road, that also goes for along Highway 447. You can buy an overnight camping pass and camp along Pyramid Lake.

Prime camping spot? Hell youre in BRC so any place is pretty much prime...

I purchased my camping pass for Sunday night. I can always cruise past if I am still feeling froggy when I get to the junction.

YAY! and if you do stay at the lake and happen to be there when the sun rises...gorgeous

[Ratty]

Leonard, I just want to chime in here and add...You can't expect to drive right up to gate road on Sunday or Monday. (I'm posting this for others to read and absorb.) You may be at a standstill on the Hwy for several hours. It happens. Then several more hours in line after you turn onto Gate Rd. Just sayin. Enjoy the pre-party.

[LeonardPotato]

Leonard, I just want to chime in here and add...You can't expect to drive right up to gate road on Sunday or Monday. (I'm posting this for others to read and absorb.) You may be at a standstill on the Hwy for several hours. It happens. Then several more hours in line after you turn onto Gate Rd. Just sayin. Enjoy the pre-party.

A good point for sure. I figure I will reach the lake camp around 8pm local time. I can push the lack of sleep if I set my mind to it, but I am thinking that starting fresh on Monday and heading in then is the way to go. Come what may to get in, good time to start meeting people and mentally prepping.

[Chowski]

If you get to the campground at 8PM, get a few hours of sleep - set an alarm for 2 or 3 AM, and get on the road. There will be a line getting in to the city, but it almost certainly be a little shorter in the wee hours. You will likely arrive on playa and find a spot to camp around sunrise or within the first hour or two after sunrise, and can have enough coolish weather to set up shade. Once you have shade up, you can take your time setting up a tent and unpacking your vehicle, and if you need more sleep, you can crash in your shade.

[some seeing eye]

Many mapping apps with traffic data provide real time commute time estimates based on mobile phone data between map points, like Wadsworth and Gerlach / a map point dropped at the 8 milepoint on Route 34. Twitter @bmantraffic provides gate delay wait in line time estimates. The gate time data is available for last year on that Twitter. YMMV.

[Token]

What Chowski said. Good advice.

BTW, the Burning Man experience is predicated on sleep deprivation. No matter how hard you try, it will be that extra spice for the full flavor. There is just too much darn shiny out there to sleep with any kind of regularity.

[Molotov]

Sleep deprivation plus mass consumption of intoxicants upon arrival is not good juju. I saw a lot of folks laid low by alcohol poisoning the first night after gate opening. What were they thinking?

Not a real good way to start your burn week.

[Papa Bear]

BTW, the Burning Man experience is predicated on sleep deprivation. No matter how hard you try, it will be that extra spice for the full flavor. There is just too much darn shiny out there to sleep with any kind of regularity.

Oddly enough, I seem to get more and higher-quality sleep out there than I do at home.

That may or may not have to do with the fact that I have kids.