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Well, I didn't expect my Bonnaroo to last only about 28 hours.
I showed up at 5 a.m. on Friday. (MISTAKE 1: Don't wait this late to arrive.) No real crowds and only a bit of confusion at security, as I ended up having a second group of guards try and search after the first one was done.
The first guard asked if I had any glass, weapons, drug paraphernalia or drugs, or dead bodies. "You can have all of those things; it's Bonnaroo, it's cool. But if you tell me you don't and I find 'em, I'll be pissed."
I couldn't believe how insanely tightly we were packed in. MISTAKE 2: traveling alone. Me and all the people around me, scrambling to get our tents up in the dark...I just typed "our tense up" and it was pretty accurate! I ended up with almost no room for my 9 by 8 tent. No room at all for my shade tent--it was a space barely as wide as my car.
I crawled into the tent and had a glass of microbrew as I tried for wifi. No luck. So I decided to take a bunch of stuff and head for Centeroo. MISTAKE 3: taking my laptop. I really thought I could get a connection up there. The problem turned out to be my own, though I didn't know it at the time: my hard drive may well be fried.
I was in Camp John Bender. Pretty damn far. Not the farthest, but I swear it qualifies for BFE. I was carrying way too much stuff to relax as I should the rest of the day.
No problem getting into Centeroo. No problem parking under a tree by the Other Tent and napping on my camp chair, my beach towel under me, my folding hat over my face, and an inflatable parrot for a pillow.
Eventually, my Richard Thompson pals began showing up. Two were camped somewhere nearby, two were in VIP, and two were in a hotel in Murfreesboro.
I enjoyed Uncle Earl and (especially) the Richard Thompson Band from front and center. (By the way, I have been told there are no druqs at Bonnaroo. I mean, apropos of nothing.) We went off and rode the ferris wheel--kick-ass. Then I snuck into VIP.
Yeah, I know, bad me. But what I got was essentially a nonverbal sales pitch for VIP. Big food tent, cooled, with black leather couches. Free showers with Garnier Fructis toiletries. Air-conditioned flush toilets. And, best of all, close close close to Centeroo, with space to breathe. Hanging with my friends there was one of the best parts of the day.
But my mood had been up and down all day. I was only about halfway back to my campsite when I decided I had to get the hell out. I called home. My husband found me a motel room in Murfreesboro. I said I'd take it if I could get out. It wasn't possible for me to figure out how to escape that night, though.
I slept in my tent. Heard the music, but it didn't bother me. My neighbors were all wonderful. Things were so peaceful. I can't stress enough how nice everyone was.
(I saw one Corncat shirt and pointed at the woman's chest and yelled "Nom nom nom!" She smiled. I wore my homemade "Nom nom nom" shirt after my illicit VIP shower.)
MISTAKE 4: a really crappy cot, messed up my neck and back. I woke up and had to GET OUT. The pod people were no help, really; it was all up to us in the campgrounds. I didn't have to move very many people--just two or three cars, and I got lots of help with lookouts. It was great.
I decamped to Murfreesboro, planning to take a day off and go back on Sunday. But when Sunday came, I was still lightheaded and bone-weary. So I hit the road.
I don't know how I could have prepared for this better. I did lots of research. (You guys--every one of you--were wonderful; I could never have done this at all without Inforoo.) I hydrated like crazy. I didn't overindulge in anything. (If anything, I underindulged!)
Would I go back? Only if I had friends with me in camping or a motel, and if I could somehow be closer to Centeroo.
I shoulda caught up with the Inforoo gang.
I regret missing the White Stripes and just lots and lots of fun experiences I know I could have had.
People (like my husband) keep telling me "It's for the young." They're wrong. My friends who were there are all older than me. Or "You weren't in good enough shape." One of my friends had a sprained ankle! She was still getting around. "Know thyself." Well, I do know myself. And I knew it would be hot, and the walks would be long.
I just didn't know how freakin' trapped and lonely I would feel at times, and just how long a long walk is or how intense the sun can be, despite years of festival experience.
So, in summary, if I had it to do over again....(1) Maybe I'd arrive earlier. Maybe not. It was worth seeing Thompson in a full show in Kentucky on Thursday, and having one less day to sleep on that damn cot, and I might have ended up in BFE anyway. (2) I would get a motel room or camp with friends. But I still don't know whether VIP is quite worth the money, though I'm more convinced than I was before I saw it for myself. (3) I would carry less stuff to Centeroo.
I hope everyone else had a better time than I did. My experience was mixed...I don't regret it one bit, and I still believe in the idea that is Bonnaroo.
Gotta go now, though, 'cause I'm not home yet and I'm on a pay computer in a Kinko's in Virginia...
An RV and get there earlier.... I was in camp chewbacca about 3 minutes walk from the centeroo entrance and it made my weekend.... i honestly think its like having the upper class suburbs over the ghetto that is the back
try again next year... if you can get around the heat and walking it can be the best time of your life
As your attorney I advise you to drive at top speed and it'll be a Goddamn miracle if we get there before you turn into some kind of wild animal. Are you ready for that? Checking into a Las Vegas hotel under a phony name with the intent to commit capital fraud with a head full of acid? I certainly hope so...
no offense, but I am 34 and it is getting harder and harder for me to do these things. By no means am I saying your "too old", but keep in mind what your body is capable of. Bonnaroo is a test of endurance. It is not a sprint but a marathon, no, a triathalon, wait, they have juiced up thursday which now makes it a tetrathalon (???), anyway, it is super tough.
You could have concidered bringing your tent to Camp Inforoo We were very close to the venue, a 6 mintue walk tops. I am sure someone would have helped you get there with your stuff.
Post by trippindaisy on Jun 19, 2007 17:24:59 GMT -5
Sorry you didn't really enjoy.
One comment though. It has nothing to do with age. I am 40 and I don't enjoy being out in the heat, but this was my 2nd Roo and I plan on going back every year because it is what you make it. There are plenty of people there much older than me also having a great time. I learned from my 1st year mistakes and now I know what to expect. I love the diversity of the music, the people, the atmosphere, and just pretty much everything about it and really age should never come into it (unless of course you have health problems). I was stage hopping all day long on Sunday while my 15 year old daughter stayed in the shade under the bleachers all day - she couldn't keep with me what can I say
An RV and get there earlier.... I was in camp chewbacca about 3 minutes walk from the centeroo entrance and it made my weekend.... i honestly think its like having the upper class suburbs over the ghetto that is the back
try again next year... if you can get around the heat and walking it can be the best time of your life
It was mine and my fianceé's first year to Bonnaroo and we also got put in Camp Chewbacca. To see how far out the land stretched and to see how far some people had to walk, I was SO relieved we got put where we did. Just sucked though, we came pretty much bare bones minimum prepared. Didn't help either that I got all frustrated, sweaty, and stinky putting the tent up because I have never put a tent up in my life.
When I put the tent up, I read a little thing in the bag that says, "You should put this tent up at least once before camping, blah blah blah... to get familiar with it."
I had the guy next to me help me put it up and he and I both said they had NEVER seen a tent designed like we had, but we couldn't complain about our spot being so close when others were so far.
Where abouts were you in Chewbacca? Maybe we knew ya'.
I'm 36 and my wife is 33, both in pretty good shape overall but not athletes. We did VIP and had no problems at all. Still, we seriously are considering an RV next year as the lack of sleep burned us out pretty bad by Sunday. I could not imagine doing the GA thing. I would go 5150 by Friday night, for sure.
But I've heard voices not in the head Out in the air they called ahead Through ripped out speakers Through thick and thin They found a shelter Under my skin -Evgeny Aleksandrovitch Nikolaev
Post by famousblueraincoat on Jun 19, 2007 18:25:47 GMT -5
Yes, I'm finally giving in and going VIP RV next year. I just can't handle 2-3 hours of sleep a night. I need time for my legs to rejuvenate so I can dance. I hated being at Girl Talk on Saturday night and just bobbing my shoulders up and down b/c it was painful to try and dance. I will never stop going to Bonnaroo, but I may just have to pony up for a bit more convenience.
I'm 44 and was in extreme BFE (the last car in teh corner of Camp Goldmember - 30 minues walk to the arch without stopping). I was cursing my luck until I woke Friday am at 9:30 and found I was completly in the trree shade. Saturday I slept until 10:30. Best campsite ever. I basically lived in Centeroo and just came back to sleep. Although I had some aching limbs (and I'm no athlete at all) I felt great all the way through to at least 3:00am each night.
My keys? Limited alcohol, daily vitamins, water, water, water, earplugs and (by luck) shade.
Hey, just my experience...I certainly didn't mean to knock 'Roo in general. I'm still keen on what it's about. And I hope I made it clear that I was moderate.
Yeah, I wish I'd made it to Camp Inforoo...it'd have been great to meet some of you folks.
BTW, my tent was relatively easy to put up--and I did try it before I left. It was just unwieldy--all those tent poles swishing around, someone coulda lost an eye. (Which would have made the pirate costume easier, I guess.) I really like it, and I'll be using it a lot this summer.
Other things I liked: (1) The people in general--their happy vibe. (2) Radio Bonnaroo. (3) The ferris wheel! (4) The jerk chicken. (5) The seemingly endless work of Clean Vibes.
Post by strumntheguitar on Jun 20, 2007 12:26:09 GMT -5
I've enjoyed camping in the rugged outdoors for the majority of my life, so being at Roo in a tent wasn't anything unusual for me. However I could definitely see problems arrising based on the conditions. I really think an RV or VIP is the way to go for people that had the weather take it's toll on them. Going with friends always makes things better, sure it's easy to meet people there but to me nothing is worse than setting up your tent and getting everything all situated and then sitting down to rest and having nobody else to rest with you. I'd encourage you to give it atleast one more try next year or shortly thereafter. If you still have a less than phenomenal time, then I'm all out of advice...
Oh Sibella, I feel you. I am so sorry it turned out that way for you.
This was the first Bonnaroo for me and my group of four. We sat for about 4 hours on the highway, got there like 5:30 on Thursday. My sister drove and swung wide (and we got out to tell the other cars in line with us to do the same) and had decent space; but setting up camp and 8-9 hours int he car that day did not help things.
We headed to Centeroo and though I had been here for months lurking and asking a few questions, viewing online Roo photo albums and reading everything i could find, I wasn't prepared for the experience. the crowds, the dust, the massive amounts of people and tents and everything. I came back to camp at the end of the day and wished i could go home the next morning.
But I couldn't because I was with 3 other people so I toughed it out. By about 5pm on Friday I finally felt acclimated to everything, and Saturday morning I was having an awesome time and mentally thinking of what I would do differently for my trip to Bonnaroo next year to make it even more fabulous.
The only thing I can think of for me, is have more people with me next time. We had nice enough neighbors (camp Hansel) but they were super quiet and well lovely people but boring. I wish I took more time to be by myself with experiences, and I wish I had more people to get excited with. And my experience was good with car camping - not too long of a walk, close to porta potties/food/water but not right near trash or spotlights, but it was very laid-back and too quiet. A different location may have left a totally different experience.
I, too, was a Roo virgin this year. My wife( a vet) and I crapped out late Sunday morning. The heat did us in. We will be back, as it was one of the most fabulous experiences I've ever had, but we decided we need to get in better shape before '08.
