Whether it's your first Bonnaroo or you’re a music festival veteran, we welcome you to Inforoo.
Here you'll find info about artists, rumors, camping tips, and the infamous Roo Clues. Have a look around then create an account and join in the fun. See you at Bonnaroo!!
Post by famousblueraincoat on Feb 2, 2006 23:39:43 GMT -5
I hate to do it, but I'm not going to be able to get more than two days off of work in June and I have to drive into Bonnaroo from Chicago. Thus, I'm not going to be able to leave until 5 PM on Thursday evening, putting my vehicle in the line somewhere in the vicinity of 1-2 AM Friday morning. Has anyone ever done this before? What should I expect? I hate missing the Thursday night activities. Last time (2004), we came in on Wednesday night and were setting up camp by noon on Thursday... right across from Centeroo.
Part of me thinks maybe traffic will have died down by the middle of the night Thursday night/Friday morning. Part of me dreads the opposite. Either way, we're almost certain to be a long haul from Centeroo. Has anyone ever been far away? How long does the walk get? Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions?
I'll come fully loaded with cold Red Bull to keep me on my feet should I not get any sleep before the festival starts on Friday morning. I'm not missing a minute of this thing.
I think I slept ten hours total the whole weekend last time.
Post by ziggyandthemonkeys on Feb 2, 2006 23:55:51 GMT -5
Last year i came in thurdsday afternoon, a little before the bands started playing, and the traffic really wasnt even that bad then. We were prolly in like for about 20-30 minutes and were set up and settled within an hour of getting in line. I think it should be real easy getting in thursday night, as long as they have the traffic worked out well again.
Post by skillfull87 on Feb 3, 2006 10:30:37 GMT -5
So when would the ideal time be go to? And how exactly does it start/work. I understand that it starts friday, so you want to be there on at least thursday, but in terms of traffic, when do you think the most prime time to go is? not to mention I live in nashville, so it is MAYBE an hour away if i drive, and i am pretty compitent with the back roads so i might be able to manuever around some i-24 traffic. if i24 is even the interstate, i know that is the way to manchester.
I have left Chicago between 4 and 6 pm on Thursday every year (I would leave earlier if I could but my wife always has to work). The expereience has been completely different every year, with our wait time in line decreasing dramatically every year.
'02: hit Manchester a little after midnight, in line 12+ hours '03: Manchester around 3am, in line 6-8 hours '04: Manchaester around 3am, in line 3-4 hours '05: Manchester around 4am, basically drove straight in (we were dumbfounded)
They have made huge traffic improvments from the first few years and I think that each year more and more people go earlier and earlier. Its all very unpredictable but I think Friday morning is actually a good time to arrive in terms of traffic at this point.
As far as the campsite, this varies pretty dramatically year to year as well. With attendence capped at 80,000, I don't think anyone will have the huge (more than 20 minutes) distances to deal with. Our sites got farther and farther away from '02 through '04, starting with a great site with a five or ten minute walk (but no sightline to Centeroo) and ending up in what was supposed to be a parking lot in '04 that was a solid half hour walk (closer as the crow flies, but over a mile with the route you had to take). Then in '05 we drove right in and got a sweet spot similar to the one we had in '02.
Post by skillfull87 on Feb 3, 2006 13:30:42 GMT -5
do you know if there is any sort of pattern or system to the placement. because getting good placement sounds like a good plan to me if it can be done.
no way you have any control over placement. I've had odd experiences getting in. 2003 I got there at like 1 or 2 pm Thursday and waited in line for maybe an hour. Once we got in we had like a 15 min. walk to centeroo. Awesome camping spot near ice and water and everything. 2004 got there around the same time and waited like a half hour and got a good camping spot like 20 min. from centeroo. Last year I got there at like 4 pm thursday and waited like 3 and half hours in traffic. Camping spot was kinda nice cuz it was low key but we were like a 35 min. walk away from centeroo. I guess I just got real lucky the first two years cuz the traffic gets better every year yet I had the longest wait last year.
I'm not sure about attornaroo's dillema, but overall I think you have a little control over placement. If you're on your toes and have a good idea of the layout (study that map while you're jammed up in the gate) once you make it past the entrance check you can speed up and slow down and choose your route. The traffic directors have no real authority and are likely to just let you go your own way. We were being funneled way out to BFE last year and just took a right and ended up 5 minutes from Centeroo. Your results may vary of course, but I think with a little good karma and a good eye, you can ease your way in to a good spot.
I arrived in Manchester at about 3:00am Friday morning last year and we were parked by 3:30am. We brought an RV and were parked within a 20 minute walk to centeroo.
Sorry to hassle you guys with what I'm sure is a common newbie question. This is my first year going to 'Roo, and I'm driving all the way from New Jersey (10+ hours) to get there. From what I've read in these forums, the general consensus is that even though the music starts on Friday you should really get there on Thursday, the 15th?
The problem here is that I graduate on the 15th and couldn't leave until, at the earliest, midnight of that Thursday, arriving probably noon-ish on Friday (later, with traffic).
Is this gonna screw me over? Will I be in an 8 hour line to get in? What do you guys think.
Thanks in advance
It changes every year, but from my experiance, I would guess that lines won't be a problem if you are arriving that late. You'll be showing up right when the main event is getting under way so it would certainly be better to get there sooner if you can, but I got in about that time in '02 and had a blast.
So Radiohead will be starting their set noon on Friday?
No, definitely not (sorry for the confusion). So far, it seems that Radiohead will be Friday night, around 8:30, although we don't know for sure. By the main event, I meant that the full schedule of bands starts around noon on Friday (generally speaking, the bigger acts are later in the day although there are exceptions). There are a few shows on Thursday night (these are always lesser known acts), but starting Friday afternoon the full schedule is on. Check out this thread for more discussion on the schedule: bonnaroo.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1138992622
Post by thickasabrick on Feb 11, 2006 22:27:29 GMT -5
Oh, okay, thank you Ka. I don't mind missing the very beginning, my only worry now is by showing up by Friday afternoon I'm gonna get a really terrible camp site.
Over the years, I've heard rumours about "back way" to get into Roo. Anyone know where these are? I've done this 4 times - the shortest it has taken me was 8 hours. This year, I'm going to be coming down on Thursday PM so I need to find all the angles!
Over the years, I've heard rumours about "back way" to get into Roo. Anyone know where these are? I've done this 4 times - the shortest it has taken me was 8 hours. This year, I'm going to be coming down on Thursday PM so I need to find all the angles!
I've come the "back way" twice previously, and they parked us right by that entrance - over a 35 minute walk to Centeroo. Trust me, you would rather sit in line for a while longer (it did only take us about 3 hours that way) to possibly get closer to Centeroo. Those long walks back to camp just killed me.
The "back way", if you're still interested, is the west-bound portion of Bushy Branch Road. The entrance off SR53 is the east-bound portion of bushy Branch Road.
Post by placidcasual79 on May 25, 2006 14:48:21 GMT -5
ok i searched and found this thread. Looks like we might not make it in until 2-4 am friday morning. Can anybody explain or recap their experiences with this. I am mainly concerned with the logistics up setting up camp in the middle of the night. the last 2 years we have come late but met up with our friends who arrived thursday morning and had things situated already.
Post by bohemianboy on May 25, 2006 14:50:36 GMT -5
placidcasual79 said:
ok i searched and found this thread. Looks like we might not make it in until 2-4 am friday morning. Can anybody explain or recap their experiences with this. I am mainly concerned with the logistics up setting up camp in the middle of the night. the last 2 years we have come late but met up with our friends who arrived thursday morning and had things situated already.
My suggestion: Bring a flashlight. Bring a few flashlights. Hell, bring a lantern if you can. The last thing you are going to want to do is be tripping all over people's tents and stuff while you're trying to find a campsite, and then note be able to see while you are putting your tent up
Unless you're doing tent only, you'll be pulling in to your campsite with other people in the same boat. We pulled in during the wee morning hours of Thursday in 2004 and everybody was helping each other out, sharing lanterns, or whatever else was needed to get it done in the dark. It's not like you're climbing through a bunch of people trying to sleep or anything.