Did I plan this out wrong?

[BaudEByter]

I am flying into Sacramento. Leaving I for some reason also planned to fly out of Sacramento. I planned on leaving on the 3rd.getting to Sacramento at night and staying at a hotel and fly on on the fourth. I am driving solo at this point though that may change. Reading on exodus, I am starting to think that I messed up my timing.

Did I and any suggestion? Rather not leave early. Am I better off planning to arrive in Sacraments on the fourth and fly out on the 5th?

[Sham]

I am flying into Sacramento. Leaving I for some reason also planned to fly out of Sacramento. I planned on leaving on the 3rd.getting to Sacramento at night and staying at a hotel and fly on on the fourth. I am driving solo at this point though that may change. Reading on exodus, I am starting to think that I messed up my timing.

Did I and any suggestion? Rather not leave early. Am I better off planning to arrive in Sacraments on the fourth and fly out on the 5th?

Getting off the playa can be a bit of a crap shoot. Two years back things were stopped solid due to some teen girl who got lost with a new boyfriend, and it was considered a "lost child". No one left for hours. The year before, many of my camp mates left out site at the same time and never said goodbye because we expected to spend hours in the line together while leaving. Our cars never stopped while heading toward the paved road. We had to pull over in Gerlach to exchange hugs and kisses.

A rule that I have lived by, is that if you leave your camp site before 8:30am, you'll have no trouble leaving. From Gerlach to Sacramento, figure a 5 hour drive. Add time to clean up your rental. If you need more time, just leave earlier in the morning, or midnight the night before. How you manage your sleep time is completely up to you.

Add extra for accidents and pee stops. The math is now up to you.

[lucky420]

It has taken me 10 hours to get home from the playa before and 9 hours another time. I live in Reno. Those long hour exodi were on The Monday after the event. I. Usually leave on Tuesday for that reason

[BaudEByter]

Is Tuesday that much easier to leave on?

[Sham]

Is Tuesday that much easier to leave on?

Many people start breaking down their camps on Saturday so they can leave right after the Man burn on Saturday night. Others spend all day Sunday breaking things down for a quick exit right after the Temple burn on Sunday night. Monday is the last day of the event and most everyone remaining is heading towards the exit. By Tuesday, the playa is mostly empty of people and camps. Leaving on Tuesday is no problem because most everyone has gone over the previous 3 days.

[dragonpilot]

Is Tuesday that much easier to leave on?
[/quote

Officially, unless you're staying late as a theme camp member to help a theme camp clean up/pack up, ya gotta un-ass the playa on Monday.

[Canoe]

... Reading on exodus, I am starting to think that I messed up my timing...

Well, you can look at some of last year.
viewtopic.php?f=69&t=82621

Exodus is generally getting better and better, very stable, but shit happens.

You've got your time to drive/crawl through BRC to Gate, into the Exodus lines, exit the playa, get to & through Gerlach, get to Wadsworth, then to Reno.

But just about anything can happen. And has. Rain on the playa (nobody moves), rain at the edge/exit of the playa (nobody can leave), road washes out, traffic accident, pot hole repair, garbage/improperly-secured loads on highway, temporarily slowed/lane/closed for scheduled construction or wide-load event, brush/forest fire, ...

Lots of eplaya threads seeking advice on leaving in time to catch a flight in Reno. Look at the advice in those threads and add the time to get down the holiday weekend highways to and through California, which is regularly temporarily slowed, crawling, stopped or closed. Google searches eplaya better than eplaya search.

If you can easily change from flying out on the 4th over to the 5th, it gives you a lot more wiggle room, and less dependent on a busy/congested Monday.
Missing a flight can be drag and possibly a huge financial hit.

Perhaps two stages, get out of BRC to Reno,

• monitor the BRC radio station on weather/traffic and decide when you should leave
• you may wish to head out after the Sunday Burn, or early Monday for a Monday overnight in Reno

hotel overnight in Reno:

• gives you a chance to clean up so they'll let you on the flight
  (and in a town/hotel that's used to Burners just off the playa)
• AND REST: you just had a week long Burn and a (solo) drive out of BRC to Reno, and you've got a long (solo) drive to CA
  you will need to stay alert to survive congested conditions with tired drivers and some questionable/loose loads (bad to really really bad on Monday, not so bad on Tuesday; Tuesday usually != less time, less stress, less risk)
• check out the viewtopic.php?f=524&t=85650
• or check their price on the web from the parking lot (I walked in on the Sunday and paid ~$100 a night; guy behind me got $30 something a night booked online ($34 from Expedia?) from their parking lot)

Then get to Sacramento on Tuesday and hotel overnight, to fly out on Wednesday.

p.s.
Arrival: Reno to Wadsworth, then to Gerlach, through Gerlach, then to the playa, then to Gate, can also experience delays, even closures (and sometimes at Gate). Make sure you have snacks and water (electrolyte).

p.s.s.
You could pickup someone needing a rideshare to BRC from Reno Airport or Keystone. If you're getting last minute supplies in Reno, swing by the airport rideshare as there's bound to be someone(s) who would really appreciate driving around Reno with you for supplies before heading for BRC. If nothing else, they can help keep you alert on the drive to BRC. Google eplaya for details/advice, including making sure they have a ticket.
And there's usually people looking for rides back to Reno or CA. Some get on the BRC radio, others put notices up at the info board at Centre Camp, some hold up a sign or their thumb on the roads out of BRC proper to Gate. Do read up on safe-rides. You may even find someone in Reno who's heading back to CA from the Keystone rideshare.

[BaudEByter]

GREAT advice! I did move my departure to the 5th. I will leave on Monday the 3rd an have a hotel in Sacramento the night of the fourth. I’ll see if I can find something in Reno for Monday night.

Is there an official rideshare place at the airport or is this like something through Craigslist?

... Reading on exodus, I am starting to think that I messed up my timing...

Well, you can look at some of last year.
viewtopic.php?f=69&t=82621

Exodus is generally getting better and better, very stable, but shit happens.

You've got your time to drive/crawl through BRC to Gate, into the Exodus lines, exit the playa, get to & through Gerlach, get to Wadsworth, then to Reno.

But just about anything can happen. And has. Rain on the playa (nobody moves), rain at the edge/exit of the playa (nobody can leave), road washes out, traffic accident, pot hole repair, garbage/improperly-secured loads on highway, temporarily slowed/lane/closed for scheduled construction or wide-load event, brush/forest fire, ...

Lots of eplaya threads seeking advice on leaving in time to catch a flight in Reno. Look at the advice in those threads and add the time to get down the holiday weekend highways to and through California, which is regularly temporarily slowed, crawling, stopped or closed. Google searches eplaya better than eplaya search.

If you can easily change from flying out on the 4th over to the 5th, it gives you a lot more wiggle room, and less dependent on a busy/congested Monday.
Missing a flight can be drag and possibly a huge financial hit.

Perhaps two stages, get out of BRC to Reno,

• monitor the BRC radio station on weather/traffic and decide when you should leave
• you may wish to head out after the Sunday Burn, or early Monday for a Monday overnight in Reno

hotel overnight in Reno:

• gives you a chance to clean up so they'll let you on the flight
  (and in a town/hotel that's used to Burners just off the playa)
• AND REST: you just had a week long Burn and a (solo) drive out of BRC to Reno, and you've got a long (solo) drive to CA
  you will need to stay alert to survive congested conditions with tired drivers and some questionable/loose loads (bad to really really bad on Monday, not so bad on Tuesday; Tuesday usually != less time, less stress, less risk)
• check out the viewtopic.php?f=524&t=85650
• or check their price on the web from the parking lot (I walked in on the Sunday and paid ~$100 a night; guy behind me got $30 something a night booked online ($34 from Expedia?) from their parking lot)

Then get to Sacramento on Tuesday and hotel overnight, to fly out on Wednesday.

p.s.
Arrival: Reno to Wadsworth, then to Gerlach, through Gerlach, then to the playa, then to Gate, can also experience delays, even closures (and sometimes at Gate). Make sure you have snacks and water (electrolyte).

p.s.s.
You could pickup someone needing a rideshare to BRC from Reno Airport or Keystone. If you're getting last minute supplies in Reno, swing by the airport rideshare as there's bound to be someone(s) who would really appreciate driving around Reno with you for supplies before heading for BRC. If nothing else, they can help keep you alert on the drive to BRC. Google eplaya for details/advice, including making sure they have a ticket.
And there's usually people looking for rides back to Reno or CA. Some get on the BRC radio, others put notices up at the info board at Centre Camp, some hold up a sign or their thumb on the roads out of BRC proper to Gate. Do read up on safe-rides. You may even find someone in Reno who's heading back to CA from the Keystone rideshare.

[Canoe]

GREAT advice! I did move my departure to the 5th. I will leave on Monday the 3rd an have a hotel in Sacramento the night of the fourth. I’ll see if I can find something in Reno for Monday night.

Monday is the busiest.
For getting out of BRC to Reno, and for needing a hotel Reservation?
For emphasis.

[*]monitor the BRC radio station on weather/traffic and decide when you should leave
[*]you may wish to head out after the Sunday Burn, or early Monday for a Monday overnight in Reno
[*]check out viewtopic.php?f=524&t=85650 or check their price on the web from the parking lot (I walked in on the Sunday and paid ~$100 a night; guy behind me got $30 something a night booked online ($34 from Expedia?) from their parking lot)

Is there an official rideshare place at the airport or is this like something through Craigslist?

There's the Rideshare board, but there's tons of last minute on-the-spot Rideshares.
Check this year's Survival Guide to confirm, but two Rideshare locations are Reno Airport and the Keystone Savemart parking lot. Burners usually stick out a bit, and one holding a "Heading Home" sign is pretty much going to be someone heading to BRC. Before ticket scarcity (and ticket thefts/muggings), used to be one of those signs was good for getting/giving a ride from around Reno. Now? Not so sure. I'd stick to the Rideshare locations.

Burning Man usually has a presence at Reno Airport. Air Playa Info will advise (assist?) people looking for rides to BRC. Usually shuts down late Thursday, so from then it's a self-run Rideshare location. I've seen helpers at the Keystone Savemart Rideshare and I've seen it unattended.

Use google to find the many eplaya threads (getting to BRC, airport, etc.) discussing Rideshare ins and outs, and safety, along with checking for tickets (so the car and everyone in it isn't turn away at Gate, possibly banned for the event).

Convention is to take who has been waiting the longest, subject to who has/needs supplies vs. your being able to swing by stores, etc.. However, be safe; BRC is a great place but Usual Rules Apply.
Nice if people can offer to help with gas. Nice if you can gift the ride without that. Your call.
A few stories about Ridesharing experiences on eplaya and the burningman blog.

Of particular value for those flying in, is if you are able/willing to drive them to pickup supplies, be it groceries/water, UPS Store shipments, etc.. If you have any odd-ball things to pickup that are way out of the way, they may be worthwhile for you to pickup first, leaving the usual shopping/pickup stops for you and a rideshare or two. Keystone Rideshares are more likely to have everything already.