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 futurecowboy on Apr 25, 2006 15:08:08 GMT -5
I've only camped by the car. I bring a TON of crap. A TON. I'm there to have the greatest 5 days of my year, and I'd rather have it and not need it. You can take AC breaks, lock your stuff up, no hassle carrying anything back & forth when you arrive or leave. I can't imagine trying tent-only -- but a lot of people swear by it.
I usually fill up the bed of my truck with stuff (leaving my co-pilot with barely any space). Camping-only would require me to treat 'Roo as a backpacking trip (which I do enjoy), but I'd rather have all the little things that make car camping a much easier experience.
I as well have only camped by my car, but am considering tent only for this year. Its the closest camping to centeroo and if my friends and I arrive in different cars, at different times, it allows us to pitch a communal campsite. I'll probably have a small tent by the car, perhaps to sleep in (its noisy by centeroo if you are, by chance, napping daytime blowing off the headliner, or trying to turn in early). I do love taking AC breaks, as people have mentioned, its nice to chill in the car for 15 min or so. Has anyone had problems with dead batteries? My friend (who's car we took) rationed out our AC breaks for fear that the battery would die, but someone else told me that on myth busters they disproved that AC drains your battery, but I don't see how that's right. Anybody?
Last Edit: Apr 25, 2006 16:19:55 GMT -5 by clutch - Back to Top
Has anyone had problems with dead batteries? My friend (who's car we took) rationed out our AC breaks for fear that the battery would die, but someone else told me that on myth busters they disproved that AC drains your battery, but I don't see how that's right. Anybody?
It depends on your alternator. Most alternators don't produce enough amps at idle to run the engine and recharge the battery. It's usually over 2K RPM before the alternator makes enough juice. So unless you're revving the engine, you'll lose some battery power from the initial start.
I too am debating about whether to go with car camping or tent-only this year.
I too have only camped by my car and loved it. The only downside to our site last year and that was that it was a really long walk, but the again we had so much fun on the walks every day, I can't remember actually how long it was... so maybe it's not that big of a deal. We had a really sweet set-up and great people in our little neighborhood. I could still hear the headliner main stage shows from our site, which was when we usually took our break from centeroo before going back in for late night. Although it would be really nice to be close to centeroo and just pop in and out, I'm hesitant about having to carry all of my sh!t (probably a couple trips) up to tent-only, and not having a place to secure stuff. The more I think about it the more I am leaning back towards my car.
It's a tough choice for me but it's good to know it will definately kick ass either way
Post by keithk1055 on Apr 25, 2006 17:33:14 GMT -5
i would base it on how far away you are. my first year we had a 3o minute walk. it would have been a bitch to move everything up there but it would have been nice to be that close. last year we only had a 2 or 3 minute walk to centeroo and it would have been silly to carry everything when we were already that close.
also the cinema tent is airconditioned. there has been some debate about weter or not the cinema ten is airconditoned but i went in there and took an airconditined nap last year. so i know that it was aircondidtoned on saturday afternoon last year.
Post by poopzilla33 on Apr 25, 2006 21:25:57 GMT -5
i'm deffiantly doing tent only. i love backpacking and trying to live on what i can carry. plus i plan on getting there really early so i'll most likely get stuck with a bad spot (p.s. the new springsteen rocks)
Post by keithk1055 on Apr 25, 2006 22:37:29 GMT -5
i wish they would allow framed backpacks into centeroo. id just hook up my backpacking setup and bivy in centeroo. of course thats probably a reason they dont allow it. beside i drink a sh.itload of water and i dont know how i could manage without my 3 coolers full of frozen water bottles.
well, if youve been there, its kinda obvious, i am a rareity, being a camping only person. throught a 100,000 people being there, the camping only section is rather small, but you can sprawl out. we got there thursday afternoon last year and had a nice setup in camping only. we are driving down this year, and really, no matter where we are, we will be in camping only. its nice to sprawl out and relax. the tent can be cool enough if you do things right. but no walk is too far, we walked to the back of the lot to meet friends a couple times. so, if you dont need space, then stay at your car. i enjoy the space of the camping area. i enjoy my tent, and dont need a cell phone or any electronics. if you do, then use the vehicle spot. hope this helps...
The retreats into the air conditioned car for a few minutes in the morning have been pretty valuable for me in the past. Also, like others have said, I just throw a bunch of sh*t into my car (would rather toss it in and not worry) and use it as a nice locked up homebase. I can definitely see the appeal of camping only though. The location and laid back setup is kind of nice.
Post by Lucid Interval on Apr 26, 2006 10:43:59 GMT -5
poopzilla33 said:
i'm deffiantly doing tent only. i love backpacking and trying to live on what i can carry. plus i plan on getting there really early so i'll most likely get stuck with a bad spot (p.s. the new springsteen rocks)
Im totally this way to, i bring only what i need and it all fits on my back, its how i hit up most fests... You can walk right in the gate when it opens, no traffic, no hassle you pick your prime spot set up and rest from travel or the previous adventure while everyone else gets parked....
Its alot of fun doing the solo backpacking thing at fests, I always seem to meet tons of other people who came solo as well, its like we all find each other just cause we came alone, kinda cool...
Water is the one drawback, you gotta work it into your budget, but if you're a minimalist like me tent only is the obvious choice... If you wanna bring everything but the kitchen sink to have all the comforts of home it'll be too much work IMO... I guess it all depends on how much you bring and how motivated your group is to haul stuff around...
Post by augustwest on Apr 26, 2006 12:34:02 GMT -5
I'm thinking of having a tent at camping only to chill during the day and to take breaks between shows, and another smaller site by the car for sleeping overnite and hanging out in the mornings. Last year we were in bfe, and i missed a couple of shows because i wasn't motivated into taking the long trek more than a couple of times a day.
I can't say for sure cuz I've only camped by my car but I heard a couple different stories about people having all sorts of stuff stolen in the camping only area. I guess if you decide to do camping without the car then I would leave all the valuables back at your car.
I have to put a vote in for tent camping. It works for me because
It is a very short walk to centeroo.
You can spread out as much as you want.
Depending on where in the area you camp, you can see and hear the main stage. If a band I wasn't really interested in was playing, I could head back to the camp, make some food, mellow out in the beach chair, etc. while still listening to the music.
You can pace yourself easier. If you are a 30+ min walk from centeroo, you pretty much have to commit to staying there once you go. By being close you can listen to bands for a while, go back to camp and take a little nap, then head back refreshed and see more bands. This is really key if you want to see the late night (till 4am) shows.
Some reasons someone might not want to camp there
You've got to haul your stuff there. A cooler w/ wheels helps, but it is still a pain. If you stay to Monday morn you may be able to pull your car up to your campsite so loading back up would be easy (I've been able to do it the last 2 years but no promises).
Things can get stolen. I've heard the rumors of rampant theft but I've never had anything taken nor talked to anyone (in person or online) who has had anything taken, but it's always possible.
You don't get to meet as many people walking to centeroo. People have mentioned this as a reason, but you can wander through the tent city anytime you want so I don't really get it.
So there's positives and negatives but I'll be back there this year.
Post by Lucid Interval on Apr 26, 2006 22:23:33 GMT -5
I think the big key to aviod theft is to have a group setup, like a communal camp that obviously belongs to a group and not just one or two peeps and if you're group's big enough there will be someone hanging around the site just about all the time... Even if you only come with 2 or 3 peeps try to link up with neighbors and set up some kind of little community, they can watch your stuff and you theirs... Some random tent all by itself with a shiny cooler sitting outside and some camping gear laying around might be asking for trouble...
The bottom line in MY opinion is that the theft rumours thing is kinda blown out of proportion, im sure it happens but i wouldnt say its a common thing, and i myself would be more worried about getting stuff stolen far away from centeroo during shows than i would the tent only where there's almost always someone lounging around nearby....
This is going to be mine and my girlfriend's first roo. We're flying down from Canada and bringing all our stuff on our backs. I very much enjoy camping with nothing but a full pack as well, and am really looking forward to being so close to Centeroo. If anyone's interested in setting up one of these little communities you speak of, let me know. It sounds like a great idea.
The Wallmart is not that far, I hard a lot of people walking from there to the festival...also there is a convience store on the way in....I never have been in there but they are always busy...They also have a store on the festival grounds...not sure if they sold coolers last year, and items there can be a little pricey...you do have some options