Bonnaroo Info Thread

Sprunkn7 wrote:

Actually I have a question about Crocs. everybody on the Inforoo site loves them and I love them, but I tend to get blisters when sand and dirt get in them. I'm worried about my feet...

Good footwear is a must for Bonnaroo. I've never tried crocs (I refuse to put those ugly things on my feet) but have heard they are very comfortable.

I usually wear either sandals or regular tennis shoes at Bonnaroo. It is a good idea to get new insoles for any shoes or boots you plan to wear at Roo.

restlesssoul wrote:

so, i fly into nashville, how do i get to manchester with no car? cab or.....?

You might want to look into the Bonnaroo shuttle. I hear it's pricey, but the service is great. The line-ups are huge driving to Bonnaroo, but the shuttle service gets to go the VIP route right into Bonnaroo. It gets you inside in a flash. Plus if you camp in "tent city" which makes you very close to Centeroo. Hope that helps.

SPEEDY MCCREADY wrote:

no electric or water hookup?????

wtf is that all about???? hehehehe

YIKES!!!!!

As someone said, you have to bring a generator, but according to the longtime RVing roo'er that posted this, they have a water fill service for $50


http://bonnaroo.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=logistics&action=display&thread=1188265361

Gene's FAQ On Bringing a RV to Bonnaroo & VIP Info
Thread Started on Aug 27, 2007, 8:42pm

This is a list of “Things to Know” about bringing a RV to Bonnaroo and "Dry Camping".

I put this list together after being on the Inforoo message board for two years and trying to help out people who are headed to Bonnaroo with a RV / Camper.

We have attended two Bonnaroo festivals, in 06&07. Both times we have stayed in the VIP area. I also attend up four NASCAR events each year where we "Dry Camp"

Here are some things you will need to know, some of my personal observations are in ().

****************************
RV INFORMATION
****************************

Batteries:
-Used for powering 12 volt appliances like lights, water pump, electronics on refrigerator and water heater.
-Batteries do not run air conditioners.

Generators:
-You will need a generator if you are bringing a camper and want to use air conditioning.
-Most motorized (Class A&C) motorhomes have built in Generators.
-When you run the generator it charges the batteries that run the 12 volt appliances as described above.
-Quiet portable generators are quite expensive (you can purchase them for around $2,000 – $3,000 for a Honda or Yamaha).
-Watch out for “contractor type” generators, they can be quite loud. You do not want this.
-Look to see where you can rent a generator instead of purchasing one.
-Bring a cable or chain and lock to secure the generator to the RV from theft.

Wattage:
-If you are going to use a portable generator for a camper (travel trailer, fifth wheel or pop-up) and you want to use air conditioning you will need a 2800 watt generator at a minimum.
-Do not run the air conditioner and coffee maker, hair dryer, electric water heater with a generator less then 4,500 watts. If you must use one or the other appliances turn off the air conditioner.
-(We have a 3000 watt generator, Honda EU3000is)

Fuel Consumption of Generators:
-Check to see how much fuel you will need to bring. If you are renting a RV make sure the fuel tank is close to full before entering the festival. Most built-in generators will shut off when the campers fuel tanks get below 1/4 full.
-(From my experience you fill be fine for the four days if the fuel tank is close to full when you enter the festival)
-(Our Honda’s EU3000is uses less then .5 gallon per hour at full load. We bring 15 gallons and have only ever used 10 gallons)

Fuel Consumption of RV's / Trucks towing trailers:
-If you are renting a class C motorhome (most common) figure on 9-11 miles per gallon

Air Conditioning:
-Air conditioning in the camper will make your experience much more pleasurable.
-Most campers have air conditioning with the exception of some pop-ups. If you are renting a pop-up check with the rental company to make sure it has air conditioning.
-(We only run the air conditioner and generator when we are at the camper. We never run the air conditioning at night, it has cooled down enough after sunset.
We will start it up before we go to bed for a while to cool down the camper, then shut it off and then open the windows for the night. No doubt that you fire it back up by 7-8 AM to keep the camper cool.)
-Note: Air conditions do not run on the campers batteries or propane. You will need a generator.

Fresh Water
-Most campers hold between 30 and 80 gallons.
-A 12 volt electric on-board water pump draws water out of the fresh water holding tank and distributes water to faucets.
-Fresh water filling has been $50 per fill. This fee does not matter if you need 10 or 100 gallons.
-Another option would be 7 gallon aqua containers and a radio flyer type wagon to transport the water from the wash stations. Then poor or siphon the water in the fresh water tank.
-This is our fresh water system. With this setup we can leave the camper parked and still get freshwater to fill/refill our tank. Many festivals have a central place to obtain water for free.
I acquired a 55 gallon poly drum, (weighs <10lbs empty) then I installed a bulkhead fitting installed along with a 1/2" ball valve.
To get the water out of the drum into the camper I use a 120 volt transfer pump (available at Tractor Supply or Northern Tool)
The pump came with a small hose that goes between the drum and the pump, then I connect my fresh water hose to the discharge of the pump into the camper fresh water tank fill.
This set up makes refilling the fresh water tanks very easy.


Gray Water (Showering and Sink Drain):
-Most campers hold between 30 and 60 gallons.
-Plan to take “Navy Showers” Rinse, stop water, soap, and rinse. Most campers have a valve on the shower head to easily turn on and off he water for this purpose.
-The gray water tank will fill very quickly if you take long showers (take navy showers) and wash dishes (use paper products).

Black Water (Toilet Waste):
-Most campers hold between 20 and 40 gallons.
-Pump out service is available for $50, this is to empty the black and gray tanks.
-If you can hold out over the weekend without the need to be pumped out look for dump stations on RV Dumps
-(Our camper holds 22 gallons. It will take four days and four adults to fill it).

Propane:
-Refrigerators, cook tops, furnaces, ovens and water heaters run off of propane.
-Make sure tanks are filled before the weekend.

Placement of camper:
-Again make sure the camper is level as possible.
-Watch when you park. Look to see where other campers exhaust pipes are. You will not be happy breathing in generator exhaust all weekend. Not to mention possible carbon monoxide poisoning.
-Try to position the right (passenger, awning) side or the camper to the north or west. The main stage is south, so opposite of that. This will give you a little shade during the day.


Other notes for RV's:
-Make sure the camper is level. Not only will this make your sleeping more comfortable but it is necessary for the refrigerator to operate properly. Bring some 2X8 planks to level the camper with.
-Most rental campers do not have awnings, check with the rental company and make sure to bring your own shade.
-If you do rent a camper make sure everything works before you leave the rental office. Refrigerator, water heater, water pump, air conditioner, generator, awning, also make sure the propane tanks full. Check to see if they have Roadside assistance numbers. See if they have a reference manual just incase you forget how to operate the appliances.

********************************
VIP Area Q&A
***********************


Cost for VIP:
2007:
$1,125.75 for two VIP Tickets
75.00 RV Pass
12.00 Shipping Fee
65.00 Service Fee
$1,274.40 Total

Food:
They start serving food on Thursday at 6ish PM (Free drinks on Thursday).
Friday - Sunday is Noon until 10PM.
No Breakfast or Coffee is served.
Some vegetarian selection, but not much.

Bathrooms & Showers:
Showers are open 24 hours from the time you get there on Thursday.
Bathrooms: some are air conditioned, some port-o-potties.

Area Lighting:
The VIP area has construction type lighting on during the night. There is also light infiltrating from other areas that surround the VIP area such as the main stage and roadways. A small pocket sized flashlight LED type will be handy for reading maps and artist lineups.

WiFi:
The service is very spotty and slow. I had most luck before 9 AM.

Other notes:
Dust:
Bring a disposable dust masks (a 3M type from Home Depot), the dust in 07 was incredible.

Drinking Water:
Get yourself a Camelbak to drink water out of. We used four cases (24-16 oz bottles) for four of us in 07. This was along with Vitamin water, Gatorade and soda.
Next year I will bring a case and two gallons of water per person. I will use the gallon water to fill the Camelbaks.

Shade:
We have a 10'X10' Caravan Caravan Canopies shade canopy. This is along with the awning on our trailer. If you are bringing a tent you might want to consider two, one for shading the tent and one to sit under.

rhinomagic wrote:

I saw that post on the Bonnaroo boards a couple of days ago.

That is, by far, THE most useful thing I've read about the Bonnaroo experience in terms of living there for a few days. Makes me want to rent the RV and DO IT!

.

That's an expensive trip though. VIP by itself is say $1300 for 2 ppl. And an RV - say 4 ppl might be say $2000..plus gas, food, beer..that's quite the trip. I may go that route, but it's not spur of the moment..I've been planning it for 6 months now. I'm doing VIP for sure; just now sure about the RV

dontloseyourheat wrote:

Does anyone know what time the music starts on Thursday and ends Sunday?

Last year was I believe soemthing like this:

Thurs: 8pm-midnight
Fri: Noon-3:30am
Sat: Noon-5:30am
Sunday: Noon-Midnight

I may be slightly off..

Do they sell bags of ice?

Do venders take Credit/Debit Cards or is it all cash only?

LukinFan wrote:

Do they sell bags of ice?

Do venders take Credit/Debit Cards or is it all cash only?

You can buy ice there, but it will be expensive. Around $5.00 for a small bag, 1/4 of which might melt by the time you get to camp. Try to keep your cooler closed and out of the sun so you don't have to buy too much.

Most of the vendors in Centeroo (including the official merchandise stands) take credit cards. But in the campground most only took cash. They do have on site ATMs in Centeroo, but they could run out of cash so be prepared.

NeilJam wrote:

You do not have to get VIP tickets to take an RV. You can just get regular tickets and the additional RV pass.

Sweet. That's what I was thinking.

Thanks.

.

NeilJam wrote:

You can buy ice there, but it will be expensive. Around $5.00 for a small bag, 1/4 of which might melt by the time you get to camp. Try to keep your cooler closed and out of the sun so you don't have to buy too much.

Most of the vendors in Centeroo (including the official merchandise stands) take credit cards. But in the campground most only took cash. They do have on site ATMs in Centeroo, but they could run out of cash so be prepared.

Thank you so much.

Red Lukin wrote:

To avoid buying expensive ice and having cold beer and water all weekend here's what I did. Bought a large 5 day cooler, frooze water bottles that almost filled the cooler, then topped it up with beer and some water at fridge temperature. In the hot Tenneessee sun my cooler kept cold for 4-5 days, and I didn't start taking the frozen water bottles til Sunday. Throughout the weekend I would keep filling up my cooler with warm beer and water once I took from it. I don't recommend sharing your cooler with more than one other person - if so you may end up having to buy ice and drinking warm beer.

Great idea, thanks!