Coming from the northwest

[twister5voy]

I have a couple questions that I searched for but couldn't really find an answer to.
Advice from those that go the Eugene, Klamath Falls, Alturas route would be greatly appreciated.

1. Where is the last place that you can buy dry ice at? Is there somewhere in Alturas that sells it? I found this topic http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic.php?t=10012
that had the dry ice directory but seeing as its 7 years old I didn't want to trust it.

2. Where is the best place to dump your garbage on the way back? The survival guide lists a lot of options but there all for those heading toward I-80.

3. What would be the closest shower on the way back? I was thinking my best bet would be a hotel in Alturas or the Eagles Nest. Didn't see that any of the big name truck stops are along that route, not until you hit the middle of Oregon at least.

I promise I searched for hours and hours, using google to search the site too. Maybe I still just suck at looking. Just doesn't seem like there is very much "official" information for those of us heading to/coming from the north. Thanks in advance!

[unjonharley]

I'm in Salem.. I go 22 to La Pine.. Just south of La Pine I turn east and haed for Lakeview.. Half way there is a hot springs (burner friendly) just west of Paisley.
I plan on spending Sat. night there.. Then stop there on the return trip..

Suggest you call Alturas and ask in person about dry ice..

There are NO dependable gas or water stops after Alturas or Lakeview..
After Cedarville there is two or three little burgs.. Some with tavern and quicky Marts.. Never noticed if they were open..

WATCH FOR SPEED LIMITS AT THE LITTLE BURGS.. Some are 25ph before you see any building.

Cedarville is very burner friendly..It has a card gas station, small store and a couple of nice cafes..

[Savannah]

I googled "Groceries Alturas" to find the name of the market I always see, as a Northwesterner myself. It's directly on your NW route (you don't even have to leave the highway; it's across the street from the famous Alturas Chevron where most Northwesterners stop to top off their gas). Try calling:

Four Corners Market
(530) 233-3822
1077 N Main St, Alturas, CA 96101

I would call them once now, and once in August, to determine whether they stock dry ice, and a lot of it, and what their hours are. (Alturas is a small town, and while they make a good chunk of change when Burners pass through, a lot of businesses there shut down at 9 or 10pm.) The same Google search brought up Holiday Quality Foods and Rubios Market; you could google those too if necessary. Good to have a backup.

I always tote my trash all the way home, so I can't give personal experience with disposal--and you're right, the main site does not list trash sites for Northwesterners (on the route I take). Bringing drawstring bags that are allowed to air slightly at the top (when you're in camp) helps dry out trash, as does drying fruit rinds in bags made of netting before putting rinds fully away. Have extra bags so you can double up if something is leaky.

On the return, the first showering opportunity could be Cedarville (if there is a motel to be had--which there may not be; they're a tiny town and tend to shut down at night except for the friendly bar & grill that serves BBQ). I wouldn't count on getting a shower there, but it's nice if you see a sign or an open motel. Next opportunity would be an Alturas motel, after that might be Eagle's Nest RV park in Tionesta, CA, whose proprieter (name of Wedeliver) is an ePlayan. There are showers.

http://www.eaglesnestrvpark.com/

The earliest I've ever stopped for a shower was actually Chemult, OR, which is a good halfway point for sleeping on the journey back home.

[unjonharley]

A few miles west of Gerlach is a cattle loading shut just off the road.. I take a quick shower out of the shower bag.. I'm a boy and let it all hang out but that first shower sure do feel good.

[teardropper]

Yeah, you can get dry ice in K Falls, don't know about Alturas...

Don't know when you go down. It makes a difference. Both Alturas and Cedarville are open all night on Sun/Mon. Alturas has a place you can get other stuff, too.

Cedarville has a 24 hour self serv gas and a small store that I buy what junk (junk FOOD, I mean) to make it. I think the little grocery is usually open, too. It ain't the Safeway, but good for pretty much the middle of, you know, the desert. I like Cedarville. I got a mug there last year to use on the playa. I have several, but it was cool. And a nice bookstore. Got a copy of the Neil Young bio, "Shakey", there. And he gave me a BM poster from the year before.

I think if you have dry ice packed well it will do OK from where ever you come from. If you're using a dry ice trick, I think I'd just get it before I left and know it was done.

And I just carry my trash home...

I have stopped at Eagle's Nest on the way down a couple of times. Just puts another day between defaultia and home. It's fun...

[Savannah]

Yeah, you can get dry ice in K Falls, don't know about Alturas...

This might be wisest, yeah . . . Klamath Falls is the last stop I count on for a good selection of anything. Their Fred Meyer store is a great place; I always end up going a bit nuts in it (although I've never asked for dry ice, and can't vouch that they--in particular--have it). It's only about 5 hours from the playa, whereas Alturas is maybe 2.5 - 3.0 hours away. Not a big difference.

[twister5voy]

It seems so weird that the survival guide, BM.com, ect doesn't have more information for us from the Northwest. There has got to be a LOT of burners coming from this direction and you think they would. Cant cater to everyone though, radical self reliance and all that.

My plan (tentatively) would be to show up Tuesday so I don't deal with the rush on the way in. Sounds like most of the stores should be open on my way down.
I figured that K Falls would have dry ice and that should work, 5 hours to the playa is better than 14-15 hours. Guess I'll just pre-ice here and top off when I get closer.

Thanks for the tips! Us burgins really appreciate the wisdom of those that have already weathered the dust.

[theCryptofishist]

It seems so weird that the survival guide, BM.com, ect doesn't have more information for us from the Northwest. There has got to be a LOT of burners coming from this direction and you think they would. Cant cater to everyone though, radical self reliance and all that.

Some of the deficit may be made up for in jrs.

[teardropper]

Just took a look -- Albertson's and Safeway in K Falls both sell dry ice. Yes, 5 hours is closer than 14.

http://www.kensice.com/dryiceinfo.htm#locals

[teardropper]

Some of the deficit may be made up for in jrs.

Fishy means Jack Rabbit Speaks...


I think...

[Savannah]

Some of the deficit may be made up for in jrs.

Fishy means Jack Rabbit Speaks...


I think...

Likely! The Jack Rabbit Speaks newsletter would indeed be inclined to list resources that the main site does not (or would be slower to include).

http://www.burningman.com/blackrockcity ... lists.html

[twister5voy]

Some of the deficit may be made up for in jrs.

Fishy means Jack Rabbit Speaks...

That's what I figured. How often is a newsletter sent out? I signed up but haven't seen anything yet (aside from the confirmation email).

@teardropper- Awesome link. Thanks.

[Savannah]

Jack Rabbit Speaks seems to be sent every 4-6 weeks at this time of year, but the frequency picks up as we get closer to the event.

[teardropper]

My plan (tentatively) would be to show up Tuesday so I don't deal with the rush on the way in.

Pretty funny... BRC is way bigger than the town I live in. I try to imagine if everyone was out of town -- and all came back at the same time.

Don't know if you can avoid the 'rush'. Embrace it...

After all, I think Monday night on the playa is my favorite.

[theCryptofishist]

Jack Rabbit Speaks seems to be sent every 4-6 weeks at this time of year, but the frequency picks up as we get closer to the event.

I think there are past issues on the main site.

[twister5voy]

Pretty funny... BRC is way bigger than the town I live in. I try to imagine if everyone was out of town -- and all came back at the same time.
Don't know if you can avoid the 'rush'. Embrace it... After all, I think Monday night on the playa is my favorite.

I know what you mean by that. The Aberdeen/Hoquiam combined population is about 26,000 people. I couldn't even began to imagine double that trying to come in and out all at once.

And its not so much that I don't want to be there early, I just don't wanna be the overheated car on the side of the road. I would love to be there as early as possible before the weekend warriors start to show up but I was also planning on staying until the Tuesday after.

Then you get into bringing extra food and water and plan for extra days and blah blah blah. I guess it really is only one extra day.......

[twister5voy]

I think there are past issues on the main site.

Found it.
http://www.burningman.com/blackrockcity_yearround/jrs/
Thanks for the tip.

[theCryptofishist]

I think there are past issues on the main site.

Found it.
http://www.burningman.com/blackrockcity_yearround/jrs/
Thanks for the tip.

Thank you for looking it up yourself. I'm feeling a little burnt at finding stuff for newbs today...

[teardropper]

I just don't wanna be the overheated car on the side of the road...

While that's an unhappy prospect, on that route, I can't imagine a better place to be broken. Can't tell you what it's like after Monday, but there is, while not a continuous, a pretty regular flow of traffic, headed to BRC. A caravan of vehicles, a minute or two, then more...... I'm going to Eagle's Nest on Saturday and not leaving BRC till Tuesday morning. My Burn starts when I leave the driveway and doesn't end till I get there again...

[twister5voy]

Thank you for looking it up yourself. I'm feeling a little burnt at finding stuff for newbs today...

No problem. I don't ask to have the fish handed to me, just to be taught how to fish.
Although I suppose fishing doesn't come in too handy in the desert.

[Savannah]

There was a pier last year, and . . . well, people were fishing off of it. I took a lifeguard shift there, as a matter of fact. No one drowns on my watch.

http://galleries.burningman.com/photos/ ... lesp.44163

[theCryptofishist]

I am simply going to ignore the possible sexual subtext in that reply...

Or is it cannibalism?

I'm just not as good as symbolism as I was in college. Just not one of those skills needed in day to day life.

[teardropper]

Ooh, cannibalistic sex... Oh, yeah...

[theCryptofishist]

Wanna play...Praying Mantis?

[twister5voy]

.....

Did I mention how great the thread drift is on this forum?

[Stickygreen]

coming from Vancouver, I've driven the Klamath Falls, Akturus, Cedarville route many times. I've never found dri ice in Alturus, and I looks about 3 years ago, so I would doubt it will be availabel, as for getting dri ice in Klamath falls, skip the safeway and go to an industrial gas supply place ( http://g.co/maps/5tpku ) I'd recommend Airgas, there really nice people, and they do get a few burners passing thru. By going to a gas supply place, you can get larger size pieces, and they last longer in your cooler. plus i'd imagine it's cheaper.

as for dumping your garbage, I usually just huck it out when I get to the I-5, find some mega mall or something.. the survival guid says not to do this, but the amount of people that head northwest after the burn isn't nearly what it is that go straight west, and nobody seems to mind. But i don't create very much garbage at all, after my week in the desert, I usually produce one standard size shopping bag full... with nothing that smells, or leaks, so it's really an non-concern for me.

As for a pit stop and clean up on the way home, that is one of the best parts of Burning man, check this place out - http://summerlakehotsprings.com/ about 50% of people that travel northwest to get home will detour and stop at this little jem. It's like a burning man reunion all over again... I see you found the Eagles Nest camp ground, and that's a pretty good place to stay pre event, but it's a little out of the way for me, I try and reduce my travel time and maximize my playa time.. to each there own i guess....

[some seeing eye]

Have to agree with Mr Stickygreen, Summer Lake Hot Springs is a great stop in my experience. It requires a different route than going through K Falls. You could easily travel K Falls to the burn and go home through a choice of Central Oregon routes after visiting Summer Lake. The GWally page details them http://gwally.com/directions/cat_routes.php.

Outbound, you can find not too expensive places to stay (shower), but stellar places to eat in Bend, Hood River and Portland. K Falls has some food options but nothing to write home about.

Many truck stops have showers, you could check these: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/MCT/STOPS.shtml

Inbound, the places that are your options for picking up dry ice are separated by only a few hours, it is not going to evaporate significantly in a few hours, and dry ice is not heavy, like say, water.