Advice por favor!!

[QueenOfTheBeans]

My last post was answered by many a kind folk, so I figured I should turn to you all once again with a new question. We just found out that one of the people we're going with absolutely cannot leave until mid-morning on Tuesday, the 29th. It's about an 8 hours drive for us to BRC. First of all, have any of you tried to set up at night? Also, if any of you have had to arrive late in the past, did it alter your experience negatively? I mean, obviously it would be better if we could get there are the very beginning, but I'm just hoping it'll give us enough time to really enjoy the whole experience.

Oh! I also just remembered hearing rumors about short term parking...true?

Hugs,
The Queen

[Dork]

Tuesday night is still fairly early. You'll have plenty of time to see the city grow, turn into a big party, then get torn down.

I actually prefer to arrive at night. That way, after a long drive I can quickly set up my tent, get oriented a tad, get a nice night's sleep, and set things up for real in the morning refreshed. Contrast that with leaving at midnight, driving 8 hours, then getting partially set up just in time for it to be too hot to get any sleep.

[neccessity]

Gonna give you an honest reply, so try not to be scared:

Last year was my first burn. We got a little lost on the way in and ended up not coming into BRC until well after dark. In a dust storm. I mean, a SERIOUS dust storm. We found a place good enough to call home for the night, parked, and fought the wind out to walk to the man. My elders felt that this was important, being new and all, but I felt that it was cold and windy and awefully... white for nightime.

In the end I realized that this was way harder than expected and wwwaaaayyy more worth it than I'd thought possible.

So, in short: Nightime entry possibly a huge freakout to virgins but no big to a veteran of even one year.

[Hoolie]

Last year was my first burn. We got a little lost on the way in and ended up not coming into BRC until well after dark. In a dust storm. I mean, a SERIOUS dust storm.

The same thing happened to my group last year (Mon Night). Visibility was so low, it was all we could do to find a place to park on the outer road and pitch a tent. Less than ideal, but the next morning, we took our bikes out and scouted a great site.

[dav725]

Getting to BM on time, if you can, is really a great way to do it. Arriving at night is no fun at all...setting up at night is a pain in the ass. You have to redo and reinforce everything in the morning. You can't really let people dictate your trip. If one person in your party can't arrive until Tuesday, you should leave without them and let them come and find you.

[geekster]

And as it turned out last year, Monday night was the only really bad dust storm. It did suck, though, as it struck when many were still setting up causing much wreckage to tarps and other covers that were in the process of being secured by people who had arrived on Sunday and started setting up domes, etc.


There isn't going to be much moon early in the week as it is new moon the week before the event. Moon rise will be after midnight and will be less than half so there isn't going to be a lot of light. The moon will rise progressively earlier and become fuller during the event. It you are a placed theme camp the placers will show you where you go.

Setting up at night is easier when you have done it all before. Practice setting each structure up at least once before you hit the playa. One thing I would suggest getting set up immediately even if you are going to wait till morning to really get started is some sort of shade structures and some chairs so in the morning when you really get cracking on stuff, you have a shady place to take a break and rehydrate when the sun gets hot.

If you have a genny and flood lamps, there's no reason you can't build all night.

[unjonharley]

Got there in the middle of the night. Throw out a cot and sleeping bag. Woke up ready to set up. Been doing this since 01. Those dust stormes/dustouts are a matter of attitude.

[pbmaniac2000]

Here is what i have been doing. I am leaving the springs really late at night on thursday. That way i can get into reno around 1 on friday. Then we are grabbing a few last minute items grabbing a last "real" meal, then catching some sleep in our truck for a few hours. This is a great thing to do because now you are not itching to get out of you vehicle when you get to the playa. You will not have just been driving for 8 hours. You will also not be super tired and ready for bed. You will think clearer. I also suggest putting up your tent before you even leave. This way you know exactly what you are doing, and there are no "what does this thing do?" questions when its pitch black out.

[ibdave]

Hey pbmanic, are you on the early list?? But this goes out to all.... The early list entry is going to be very tight this year.. Don't plan on getting in till midnight sunday.. The event opens Midnight 12:01 monday. Hate to see the turn arounds like we saw last year. Thats my FYI for the day..

[Eric]

We always get in at night- usually sometime between 8-10 PM. There's nothing lovelier than seeing the soft glow of BRC out on the dark playa as you pull in.

There's been good advice in this thread to plan for the night arrival, but that night-time view from 447 is so worth it.

[unjonharley]

We always get in at night- usually sometime between 8-10 PM. There's nothing lovelier than seeing the soft glow of BRC out on the dark playa as you pull in.

There's been good advice in this thread to plan for the night arrival, but that night-time view from 447 is so worth it.

/
Hope you not speaking 8-10 saterday evening. Not on the early arrival list. You will not get in. You can not park along the hyw. You can not hang around Gerlack. Oh fuck I quit.

[ibdave]

/
Hope you not speaking 8-10 saterday evening. Not on the early arrival list. You will not get in. You can not park along the hyw. You can not hang around Gerlack. Oh fuck I quit.

Unjon You starting training for the Playa already??

[robbidobbs]

If anyone comes in before 12:01am monday, they are invited to park at the Gate parking lot. There are potties out there.
If you come in at night, I recommend just laying out your sleepingbag or building your tent as best as you can, and then get to where you're supposed to be at dawn. Make sure you are'nt parking for the night in the middle of the street. That's always embarrassing, and dangerous.

[Eric]

Hope you not speaking 8-10 saterday evening. Not on the early arrival list. You will not get in. You can not park along the hyw. You can not hang around Gerlack. Oh fuck I quit.

Actually, Sunday evening, and I am on the Early Arrivals list, as is a chunk of the Piss Clear crew. We are not, however, on the Really Early Arrivals list, or the Super Really Early And Stay Late List.

[geekster]

Then there's the "secret narcissist special access list". The tip off that you have one of these is they roll in early and you ask their name and then you see the eyebrows first go up in surprise that you asked and then down into a frown because you asked (at this point they are thinking ... "are you new here? Do know who I am?") That's when you excuse yourself and run back to the shack and get the binders with the pictures.

If they are in the book you go back out, take their ticket (if they don't try to tell you that the bmorg was supposed to have "taken care of that"), remind them to have someone pick up their shit for them so they don't trace up the playa.

If they aren't in the book, they probably won't have a ticket either. They probably have some metalic credential from some government entity and think that black and white vehicle with the decal on the side along with the uniform would be enough to allow them entry. Great art car! Looks just like a Pershing County Sheriff's car! Dayum ... where'd you get that badge? That looks just like the real thing .... sorry pal. No ticket, no entry. So how do I know you are a real cop and not just an art project? Hell, no I'm not putting my hands on your car ... hey, WAIT A MINUTE ...

[Davoid]

I prolly won't be getting in 'til Monday night again, but I'm curious: how big is the midnight Sunday crowd waiting to get in?

[unjonharley]

If anyone comes in before 12:01am monday, they are invited to park at the Gate parking lot. There are potties out there.
If you come in at night, I recommend just laying out your sleepingbag or building your tent as best as you can, and then get to where you're supposed to be at dawn. Make sure you are'nt parking for the night in the middle of the street. That's always embarrassing, and dangerous.

/
In that case think I'll roll into the parking lot. We have bunks in the vans. Most times we stop in a gravel pit about 40 miles out. Take extra care driving the last 40 at night. We slow down at night. There are some large cow that like to sleep on the road. An hey don't race any jack rabbit into the dich. Hit the little bastards instead of wrecking off the road. All I have left to do is food and ice in the cooler.

[mojo]

The only other big secrets to setting up at night for a newbie (that hasn't already been mentioned are:

1) If you are going to use a generator or play loud music, check with your neighbors or be ready to move if you find in the morning that the noise is an issue for them.

2) Park your vehicle so it will block the wind, then set up your tent/shade on the leeward side.

3) Check the map that your greeter gives you and don't camp in a section reserved for theme camps.

[robbidobbs]

I prolly won't be getting in 'til Monday night again, but I'm curious: how big is the midnight Sunday crowd waiting to get in?

It's a kick-ass fookin' PARTY! bay-bee.