ToFlame...what'd we forget?

[ZaphodBurner]

LOL! The ToFlame website is advertising the following:

"Our service picks you up close to home and brings you as close as we can get you to the playa. Choose when to come and go or leave after having seen it all, knowing you have a restful trip home with the new friends you've made. "

I wonder what "As close as we can get you to the playa" means. That would be awesome: "Last stop, Gerlach. This is as close as we can get you to the playa without actually going onto the playa. Which we can't do. Everybody off the bus."

"Each person is allowed to bring one large bag, one small bag, and a tent. 2 person tents for two reservations, and so on. You can transport a bike for a $50 additional charge, each way"

Imagine how much fun the Black Rock Desert is going to be with just what you can fit in one large bag, a carry-on, a one-person tent, and a one-way ticket to haul your bike. Apparently, you only have to pay $100 for bike transportation if you don't abandon your bike on the playa or just steal one when you get there and bring it home with you.

Interestingly, there's absolutely no mention of how much of a charge there is to transport the water necessary for your survival in the desert. It's gonna be an awesome burn!

[Jackass]

Duuuude, I thought you said you were gonna bring the water......UUUHHH?????

[AntiM]

Not even the chance to buy food in Empire and haul it in in flimsy plastic bags?

[trilobyte]

They've been doing bus service to the playa for years, though I've never used them. I'm sure they take you further than Gerlach (local law enforcement will have none of that 'dropping passengers in town' thing), but I don't believe it goes any further than the gates. If I recall (from a euroburner who made use of them a few years back) there is a stop along the way to get water, though if you're considering using them ask for details.

[theCryptofishist]

trilo
I think that green tortoise does round trips to gerlach and empire store, if open, so we don't have to cope with the cars driving in and out on errands. The only people who come to the playa on GT buses are those camping with GT.

At least that's my understanding. I'm often wrong.

[trilobyte]

Green Tortoise (different company from Toflame) does have arrangements made and cleared with the locals (otherwise they'd get tired of it fast), and does not involve dropping people and gear and directing them to walk (ZaphodBurner's post was suggesting/wondering).

[McStrangle]

I only registered so I could chime in on this lol...

In any case, we went with ToFlame last year, as our lift had fallen through just prior to flyign over, and coming from Australia we werent left with many options.

From what I understand it was The first year they had run the service, and it was a couple guys in New York who had chartered a bus (Delta I think, I dont remember)...I dont think they were even attending the burn, as we certainly had no contact with them beyond an email before and after asking what they could change about the service.

what they COULD have changed was the fact that they hadnt told the charter service that there would be 50 odd bikes to take on the bus, though the luggage thing was fairly open ended. everyone had water (We had a cheap suitcase with about 9 or 10 of those 2 litre jugs in them, but there were a couple people who had just the odd litre jug or so), and we did stop in reno for supplies (Which itself was pretty annoying because we had done our food shopping In SF and packed it all into various suitcases).

The Bus people thought they were just dropping people at the gates, but took pity on us and waited in line to willcall, then they managed to talk the willcall people into letting the bus drive into the city, but only by having one of the guys on the bus leave a monetary deposit (the price of a top tier ticket) in case the bus didnt come back. Then they took the guy back to get his money and he walked back in the BRC.

The bus pretty much dropped everyone off into one of the backstreets, everyone unloaded as quick as they could and it left. Most people made there way off to various pre-aranged camps, but we had no idea where we were going but figured it would work itself out.Thankfully the people camped where we were dropped off took pity on us and let us camp there, And we ended up having a grand old time, and even flew one of our campmates over here for a visit in february.

We figured there was a 50-50 chance the return bus would pick us up, we were supposed to meet it at will call on the monday. there was maybe 13 of the 50 odd passengers for the return trip so I guess everyone had the same uncertainty we did. The bus did turn up (hooray) but once again, the driver had no idea they had a 9+ hour wait before theyd even bo on the road again, but she ended up wandering around and socialising with other burners during the exodus and swore she was goign to come back next year, so there was that.

When we mentioned the lack of communication with the bus company people to them in an email they sent us back a fairly abusive email and pretty much told us to go fuck ourselves.

ToFlame Clusterfuck aside though we had an amazing burn, and cant wait for this year

[Elderberry]

I wonder if they are licensed?

My first year I came in on The Bio Bus. Those guys are burners, have a couple of busses converted to run on oil they collect from the alleys behind restaurants. And they go all over the country booking schools and talking to kids about biofuel and their busses.

They charged $50 bucks for the ride and made several trips in and out, always returning with a full bus. The ride was great fun, plus they stopped for supplies and a good time was had by all.

But alas, they were cited and I believe got a big fine for offering a bus service without a license and they no longer offer the service.

[AntiM]

The mistake made by BioBus was picking up passengers at the airport. Huge violation of some regulation or other.

Since there are no longer gate tickets, a cash deposit won't get a bus through the gate these days. Hmmm.

[Elderberry]

The mistake made by BioBus was picking up passengers at the airport. Huge violation of some regulation or other.

Since there are no longer gate tickets, a cash deposit won't get a bus through the gate these days. Hmmm.

Yes, you're right. I rememeber now. And it's a shame too because as far as I could tell, it was a great service provided by Burners for Burners.

[McStrangle]

I'm surprised a cash deposit worked last year TBH