Anybody up for cycling from the Reno Airport?

[bowersie]

I'm planning on landing in Reno and then aiming to find the nearest K-Mart to buy the crappiest bike they have. That way I can ride it up to BRC and also have the bonus of having a bike during my stay. On the return-trip I plan on donating it before I leave Reno. I obviously don't plan on riding at high-noon through the desert, but at a distance of 100 miles, a semi-experienced cyclist should not have a problem covering that distance in the cooler hours. If anyone thinks it's an interesting idea, I'd like to hear from them. Thanks.

[lemur]

this sounds like the worst idea ever.

unlike SOME people around here, i am all for people biking to the burn, thats cool

but this doesnt sound all that well thought out!


(a burner pal of mine bikes up,..at least once from australia, like, to/from airport in aussieland from san fran up to the burn/back but he comes prepared has a bike trailer ..does this all year round and is awesome and doesnt have 'the crappiest bike')

[nilasnake]

plus with all the vehicles over burdened with crap and a narrow road with no real shoulder...you are asking to get side-swiped.

[bowersie]

this sounds like the worst idea ever.

unlike SOME people around here, i am all for people biking to the burn, thats cool

but this doesnt sound all that well thought out!


(a burner pal of mine bikes up,..at least once from australia, like, to/from airport in aussieland from san fran up to the burn/back but he comes prepared has a bike trailer ..does this all year round and is awesome and doesnt have 'the crappiest bike')

I've put serious thought into it... about 3 mins worth. I've done more grueling trips in the past using the same technique... ALSO almost forgot about K-Mart's legendary 30 day "no questions asked" return policy .

[knowmad]

Read this and Think about everything once again.
No one want's to be the person that runs you over, why endanger yourself and others for your own benefit?

[mgb327]

NFW. the 447 is insane during the arrival, nowhere to hide. Death wish?

[bowersie]

Read this and Think about everything once again.
No one want's to be the person that runs you over, why endanger yourself and others for your own benefit?

The same reason you endanger yourself and others when you get in a car/bus/whatever to go wherever you have to go. That said, I have not experienced that highway ever (except on street view) and I understand the concern. Thanks for the link to the other thread BTW.

My real issue is going to be with the amount of stuff I'd need to have on me... it would be a lot to carry on a bike... on a busy road... in a desert, this is not arguable. Somebody, somewhere in Australia has allegedly performed this task before, and I imagine more than a few others have too though. Anyone know if the shuttle buses have bike racks?

[Rice]

Read this and Think about everything once again.
No one want's to be the person that runs you over, why endanger yourself and others for your own benefit?

The same reason you endanger yourself and others when you get in a car/bus/whatever to go wherever you have to go. That said, I have not experienced that highway ever (except on street view) and I understand the concern. Thanks for the link to the other thread BTW.

My real issue is going to be with the amount of stuff I'd need to have on me... it would be a lot to carry on a bike... on a busy road... in a desert, this is not arguable. Somebody, somewhere in Australia has allegedly performed this task before, and I imagine more than a few others have too though. Anyone know if the shuttle buses have bike racks?

There will be 20,000 cars driving on a single lane highway over steep hills and blind turns. There is no shoulder. Unfortunately, the majority of the drivers are used to interstate type driving and will not necessarily take a bicycle into account. The speed limit on that road is between 60 & 70 miles an hour.

Many of the vehicles on the road will barely fit in the lane provided, some don't. When they get to you there will be no where for them to go and your only choice would be to hit the soft sand off the pavement.

You would need to be well lit (both front and back). You will need enough water for BM (thats 8 days of water @ 1.5 gallons per day --> 12 gallons @ 8 pounds each ==> 96 pounds of water alone). Plus camping gear, food, clothing, etc... Maybe if you were hauling a bike trailer it could be done. - Maybe.

The best time to ride, heat wise, would be after dark... That is also the best time to get run over too. Since the road is completely pitch black, with cows & bunnies.

You will either listen to our (ok, my) well-intentioned advice or not. In the end, if you feel the risk is worth it -- its your life.

Good luck in whatever you decide,

Love Rice.

[lemur]

these threads are always awesome.


somehow i always block out anything the naysayers say and it comes out as 'OMG YER GONNA BE IN MY WAY, AND SLOW ME DOWN!'

[Rice]

these threads are always awesome.


somehow i always block out anything the naysayers say and it comes out as 'OMG YER GONNA BE IN MY WAY, AND SLOW ME DOWN!'

Popcorn??

[knowmad]

no, it's not equivical to the chances and dangers I or any other person takes by driving a car or taking a bus.
It is a poor plan with much more risk.
But you'll do what you want so why bother asking unless all you want is an internet argument.

When you pass the fourth bridge out sign the flaming death is all yours.

[Captain Goddammit]

I have so much to say to this idiot but I promised to be nice and not the snark flamer I used to be.
So I'm gonna say nothing.

[Rice]

I have so much to say to this idiot but I promised to be nice and not the snark flamer I used to be.
So I'm gonna say nothing.

He admits to only thinking about it for 5 minutes, and also looking at a portion of the highway with google street view.

What more preparations should he make?? Seriously What Could Go Wrong??

[trilobyte]

As others have said, this is a terrible idea. I don't doubt that you've got the ability to pedal that distance in other places, but factors like high altitude desert, no sidewalks or even soft shoulders for much of the way make this a very bad idea. Please, do yourself a favor and give radical self reliance a chance - read the survival guide, first timer's guide, and check the Burner Express site (for answers on what you'd be able to take on it). Good luck!

[FIGJAM]

Looks like there's a road going north out of Sparks.

The Pyramid hwy that hits 447 just north of Gerlach.

Try that route.

[lucky420]

The road figjam talks about is very similar as the 447. VERY.

I will be very fucking pissed off if I hit you and it ruins my burn

[FIGJAM]

I thought it would have less traffic.

Sorry Lucky.

[lucky420]

It might,but it's really the same terrain
I do know burners take this route too
. And you have the traffic from lake users and the residents that live out there too.

If you take pyramid hwy from Sparks you can turn right at the lake and it will put you in Nixon.

Were you talking about going all the way around the lake? Yes there might be less traffic that way. Not sure how much longer that route would be but you'd miss the clusterfuck that is Empire

[FIGJAM]

It turns into another road north of the lake that joins 447 north of Gerlach.

[Captain Goddammit]

Charlie Darwin, are you reading this? We need you!

[gaminwench]

Is it page 2 yet?

[Bumble]

I'm planning on landing in Reno and then aiming to find the nearest K-Mart to buy the crappiest bike they have. That way I can ride it up to BRC and also have the bonus of having a bike during my stay. On the return-trip I plan on donating it before I leave Reno. I obviously don't plan on riding at high-noon through the desert, but at a distance of 100 miles, a semi-experienced cyclist should not have a problem covering that distance in the cooler hours. If anyone thinks it's an interesting idea, I'd like to hear from them. Thanks.

Ok spill - who do you know or whose sock are you?
Surely this is purely to get a rise.....

If not, Good luck, Walmart has current specials on cruisers, you could splurge and get one with a basket to hold your water for the rave in the desert too - google map it, surely walkable from the airport. Don't worry about food, who needs it when you're raving to all the latest DJs you'll hear out there - amazballs!!