Getting Water at Gerlach: Pros and Cons?

Aneurysm_Man · Post by **Aneurysm_Man** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 12:05 am

Hey all,

Me and my campmates are in the planning stages for 2011 and we're considering whether or not to fill up on water in Gerlach.

We're wondering what other Burner's experiences have been with filling up in Gerlach.

--J

P.S.
There are going be about 4 of us and we haven't decided on containers yet.

C187 · Post by **C187** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 12:24 am

I do hope this is a late April Fool joke. If not, I'll make it simple.

You can not fill up on water in Gerlach.

Now I know what your thinking, it's logical to get water in that small village.
But here is why it's logically not:
-It's a village right next to a prehistoric dry lake bed, otherwise called the playa, or a desert. So a limited resource of water.
-You have to drive over a hour from Reno just to get to the village, so whats the chances of a pipe going up to it?
-If you look at it on a map, you'll notice only one main road, and few building. So how well do you think they would be able to store, sell, and deal with the logistical nightmare of dealing with 50,000+ people (with 20-40k in the first 24 hours) buying [ trucked in ] water?
bonus: If you do decided to come in the first 12 hours (gatecrash), you will be able to see what it's like moving all those people/cars/trucks/rvs/schoolbus'/hippievans on a two lane road.

So if your not bringing water with you, buy it in Reno, or Sparks, or Fernley depending on what way your coming in. But don't fill it up with the local tap. If all else falls and you have a lot of cash to blow, I hear ice melts into water. You can buy ice during the event.

Trishntek · Post by **Trishntek** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 12:29 am

Gerlach itself has a very limited water supply. Do not plan on getting much of anything there. If you are able to top off your fuel tank in Gerlach, consider yourself fortunate.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 1:02 am

Buy it in Reno. You dont have any mountains to climb after that. They stock it on pallets at the grocery stores just for us!

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:32 am

The store in Empire will be OPEN, buy water there, they could use your financial support!

Minxy · Post by **Minxy** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 9:45 am

The store in Empire will be open?!

I've been wondering about this but could find nothing written about it online. Do you know the folks who own/run it, OED?!

I've been oh so curious about how it will be this year with the plant closing out there. I was expecting a ghost town!

Trishntek · Post by **Trishntek** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 10:06 am

If they are coming from Seattle, why would they go through Reno or Empire?

hookahdude · Post by **hookahdude** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 10:18 am

Minxy wrote:The store in Empire will be open?!

I've been wondering about this but could find nothing written about it online. Do you know the folks who own/run it, OED?!

I've been oh so curious about how it will be this year with the plant closing out there. I was expecting a ghost town!

I was wondering also - when I went out to the Playa a couple of weeks ago on a personal pilgrimage I passed by the store and I swear to god I saw them closing up for the day... I did a double take on the way back and took a peek inside - there was stock on the shelves. So my own hopes were elevated.

My own thoughts are to confirm this closer ot the burn and them buy lighter in Reno on certain items that I know the store is going to carry so I can do my part to give them a record breaking year.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 10:56 am

Trishntek wrote:If they are coming from Seattle, why would they go through Reno or Empire?

Unless they take 447 all the way down..country rd. 34 is dirt until you reach the ranch. either way, is a whole lot of nothing.

much2naughty2 · Post by **much2naughty2** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 3:57 pm

As Trishntek said, if you are comming from Seattle, as your profile says, your route might more likely take you through Altura, and Cedarville.

We found Cedarville to be particularly burner friendly and camped at a little RV park on the north side of town. I filled my 120 gallon water tank there for $15. Take time to walk around town and support them. Liquor is cheap a the corner store as compared to Washington State.

If you're coming down highway 97, you might also consier camping Sat or Sun nights at Summer Lake Hot Springs. Burners take over the hot springs for both weekend and last year, they brought in live music. They also serve good food. The springs are great to soak in to get the playa dust out of your skin on the way home.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:02 pm

Came from Seattle for 10 years before moving to Reno 3 years ago, but we always swung down to Empire regardless(friends with a few people there, and gas is ususally cheaper there than at Bruno's in Gerlach.)
Also we used to buy the BM calendars there every year...

and yes, Minxy, I know the people that run it now,and the ones that ran it before this...and the time before that too!

much2naughty2 · Post by **much2naughty2** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:03 pm

Also, considering your choice of water containers. The camp next to us decided to use one big assed barrel for water. They put it on a table and went out on the playa. When they got back, the table had fallen over and all the water was soaking into the dust. Lucky for them, I had filled up in Cedarville with 120 gallons as had my camp mates.

Moral of the story I guess is don't put all your eggs in one basket.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 5:04 pm

much2naughty2 wrote:As Trishntek said, if you are comming from Seattle, as your profile says, your route might more likely take you through Altura, and Cedarville.

We found Cedarville to be particularly burner friendly and camped at a little RV park on the north side of town. I filled my 120 gallon water tank there for $15. Take time to walk around town and support them. Liquor is cheap a the corner store as compared to Washington State.

If you're coming down highway 97, you might also consier camping Sat or Sun nights at Summer Lake Hot Springs. Burners take over the hot springs for both weekend and last year, they brought in live music. They also serve good food. The springs are great to soak in to get the playa dust out of your skin on the way home.

.

Why do people keep leading newbes to Alture.. From Seattle way south of the turn off to Cedarville.. There is a burner in Cedarville that leaves his garden hose out in his driveway for other burners.. Hope he will again this year.. It would not hurt to leave a few bucks for water.. Not that he has ever asked for any.. Just do the right thing.. It's 80 mile into Black Rock City from Cedarville with a couple of good climbs between.. Two gallon a day for 4 people is 64 gallon.. Any boat supplie store has a good water filter that attaches to a water hose, Bout $24 and worth it for safty, taste and hair washing..

I carry from home (500 mile).. This year going with a 5 gallon round water cooler, 5gallon water heating bag and a 5 gallon colapsable jug.. Found two containers to freeze blocks of ice for the water cooler.. Am using a boat filter for all the BM water..

Post by **Savannah** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:09 pm

Aneurysm_Man, go South East across Oregon through Klamath Falls, OR and get water there at the Fred Meyer. (Google the address) It's less than a mile from the highway on a main drag. Washburn, I think. They expect Burners and they're not a tiny town, just a small one. Fred Meyers will also allow you to pick up any number of things you've forgotten with relative surety.

From Klamath Falls, the best route is the 447 through Alturas and Cedarville, glimpsing Gerlach off to your right a mile away but NOT detouring through it. There's no need. Gerlach is a heck of a bottleneck at 12:01am Monday of the event. If you're coming on a Tuesday afternoon or something--not so bad.

2.5 gallon containers work pretty well. Very manageable.

Trishntek · Post by **Trishntek** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:11 pm

TomServo wrote:
Trishntek wrote:If they are coming from Seattle, why would they go through Reno or Empire?
Unless they take 447 all the way down..country rd. 34 is dirt until you reach the ranch. either way, is a whole lot of nothing.

sounds like 90% of the intermountain region to me!

lonestoner916 · Post by **lonestoner916** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 5:07 am

oneeyeddick wrote:The store in Empire will be OPEN, buy water there, they could use your financial support!

YES!

Minxy · Post by **Minxy** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 10:01 am

Thanks for the info, OED. I'm delighted to hear they will be open!!!

EspressoDude · Post by **EspressoDude** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 10:36 am

the big "WHAT IF"....

You get to Gerlach and there is no water to be had?...drive to Empire, drive back to Cedarville?
You might add to your water in Gerlach, but be self reliant and have your life saving water with you. Also store it near the center of your vehicle, not on roof or hanging off the ass end of your rig, leading to unsafe vehicle handling..

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 12:24 pm

There's plenty of bottled (1-2 gal containers) water to be had in Alturas, CA...or buy it in Klamath Falls, OR before. We come down from Lakeview, OR and stock up at the Safeway there...they're ready for Burners everywhere these days.

Freesponge · Post by **Freesponge** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 10:46 pm

What are the pros of getting water close to the event besides extra weight? My bus is a big diesel pusher and won't notice an extra 500 to 800L of water on board so I was thinking of just filling up the drums at home.

much2naughty2 · Post by **much2naughty2** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 11:14 pm

Forget the water. Bring lots of that good Canadian brew and you'll be very popular.

much2naughty2 · Post by **much2naughty2** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 11:16 pm

Weight and gas mileage are two biggest reasons I could think of for waiting to get your water. Water quality and avilablity re the best reason to bring it with you. Sounds like you mave have all that covered and have no reason not to bring water from home. Keep in mind that water makes a great gift on the playa if you can bring extra.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 9:40 am

.
Called the BLM station in Cedarville.. Ask if there was a way to get water there.. No way. They want every drop for fires..

rodiponer · Post by **rodiponer** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:36 am

I bought water in Gerlach last year. The water department was selling it. It was mentioned in the JRS, and then there were signs everywhere as we drove through.

It was very quick, easy, and inexpensive. The folks were nice and ran a hose right up to our van to fill our bottles. They said that they do it to raise money for their water department. There was no line the Friday before the event, so I don't know what the line was like on Monday.

But I am not sure I would do it again. If they were closed we would have had to turn around drive back to Fernley, and then drive back all the way back again, and at that point we were so anxious to get there that I just wanted to get onto the playa and start setting up.

Is there anywhere in Fernley to buy water where you can just get a hose? I have my own water jugs and don't want to buy a bunch of those thin plastic containers at WalMart.

Trishntek · Post by **Trishntek** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 12:43 pm

Love's truckstop you can just pull up to the RV dump. They offer potable water there from a hose spigot. There's also a RV camp village in town.

C187 · Post by **C187** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 1:36 pm

rodiponer wrote:Is there anywhere in Fernley to buy water where you can just get a hose? I have my own water jugs and don't want to buy a bunch of those thin plastic containers at WalMart.

The BP near Taco Bell had one, although if it's on or not is another question.

Leo · Post by **Leo** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 1:41 pm

much2,
Where are the Summer Lake Hot Springs located relative to Summer Lake and Paisley, OR? According to my road atlas, Summer Lake is on Oregon state highway 31 and not US highway 97. Are the hot springs located at a private campground, or are they located on public land? This sounds like a nice way to extend the burn at both the beginning and the end of the week.

Sic Pup · Post by **Sic Pup** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 1:56 pm

rodiponer wrote: Is there anywhere in Fernley to buy water where you can just get a hose? I have my own water jugs and don't want to buy a bunch of those thin plastic containers at WalMart.

I'm pretty sure there was a hose on the side of the Fernley Walmart but if you're relying on my perception of reality I'd call first. YMWV

much2naughty2 · Post by **much2naughty2** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 1:58 pm

Summer Lake Hot Springs is located about 3 miles North West of Paisley, just off Highway 31. The road is in good condition and pretty lightly traveled.

From Eugene, it addes 25 miles to your total

tiredofbeingnice · Post by **tiredofbeingnice** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 1:59 pm

Anyone saying you cant get water in Gerlach is fucking moron who is wasting their gasoline transporting water.

Just pay attention to the JRS and you will know what is up.

http://www.burningman.com/blackrockcity ... l#PLAYAP_3