I'm cycling from Reno to BM. Any suggestions?

[Mistyvixentits]

I'm planning to take a few days to ride bicycle to BM, and hope to find a cool bike shop while in Reno for some advice. Does anyone know an alternative to I-80 from Reno to Wadsworth? How is SR-447 for shoulders, rest stops, and crazy drivers? Has anyone had trouble with thorny plant-life along SR-447? I'm still planning which type of tires to use.

Cheers!
Misty

[ygmir]

oh my........were is that thread about biking..........you might want to read it.

[Shambala]

I'm still planning which type of tires to use.

May I suggest automobile tires!

[Eric]

read this thread first:

http://eplaya.burningman.com/viewtopic.php?t=34418&highlight=biking

WARNING: it's not a pretty read. The information you want is in there.

[ygmir]

haha, you just beat me, again, Eric.
I'm always the bridesmaid, you your rapacious intellect.

viewtopic.php?t=34418&start=0

[Mistyvixentits]

Thanks for the link, I just read the whole thing. It's true that A LOT of motorists are discouraged by cyclists. For the record, I don't live in Nevada and have no idea what the roads are like. I live in a city that offers little bike lanes, and I cycle all year round even in the winter in the snow and ice. I've been called a crazy cyclist before, but I follow the rules of the road. It's not like I'm going to jet out in front of your car, It's not in my best interest too! So please don't drop F bombs on my question (like the above link). I am looking for sincere advice from other cyclists.

It's funny that a festival that encourages cycling at the event offers little information about cycling to the event. In my mind 120 miles is not very far. I am taking a mountain bike and might explore off road routes.

[golgotha-a-go-go]

Hi Misty,

I'm a cyclist, used to race, toured a lot, expedition mountain bike a lot. I'm a veteran burner too. Here's my advice: SR447 is no place for a bicycle during Burning Man. Really narrow 2-lane, no-shoulder road zipping with behemoth trailers, trucks, semis, and all sort of wheeled contraptions heading to Gerlach and beyond. Past Gerlach is even narrower! You cannot believe the density of high-speed traffic on that road. I as a motorist am on high alert on my way in, and especially out of Burning Man. I'm pretty fearless on my bike but I still would not attempt the 447 ride before, during or just after Burning Man. Now, off-season, it could be a great tour with wonderful side trips. The road is desolate then, for the most part.

[theCryptofishist]

Misty
There's nothing so useless as unsolicited advice from the internet, so here is some.
Don't worry about the "f-bombs" on this site. There's a heck of a lot of knowledge and experience gathered here, and you can quickly get several opinions on almost any burningman related topic. But the people on this board are stubborn, opinionated, crass, snarky, and verbally explicit. There's also a huge percentage who have hearts of gold.
AntiM, Ygmir, Elliot, OED, Risky, Piney, TITWI, Ugly Dougly, Eric, and on and on...
Sometimes the best presents are very crudely wrapped. I'd advice you to learn to read around the language that makes you uncomfortable, especially when it's not even directed your way. It's worth it.
(PS The Burningman Tribe on tribe.net is the same way. I don't know--there must be other sites where burningman information is given out, but I have no specific knowledge of the quality of advise or the culture of those boards. Burningman is a place where people "live large." While I'd agree that that doesn't have to mean "strong language", I'd be a fool to expect that is a universal practice.)

[Eric]

It's funny that a festival that encourages cycling at the event offers little information about cycling to the event.

That's because it's extremely DANGEROUS to bike there- for both the cyclist and the thousands of overloaded vehicles using the road.

Seriously, if you read the whole thread I posted you wouldn't be thinking of biking up 447. Bike to Reno, look for a ride from there. I would like you to make it to the event alive, and without accidentally causing harm to someone else.

If your need to cycle outweighs the risks that you'll be putting yourself & others into, up to and including possible death (not kidding), then you might not be ready for the event.

There, F-bomb free enough?

[mudpuppy000]

I'm a cyclist too, and would never even attempt that. There's no shoulder, crazy drivers with huge rental vehicles they're not used to, towing stuff, speeding and passing unsafely... You'll get killed out there, or cause a huge accident.

[Playa Foot]

I drove from Gerlach to Empire this week and made it a point to look at the road from a cyclists viewpoint. The road is narrow. There are no shoulders, none. This week the traffic was minimal, you should have been there, there still were several trucks from US Gypsum and hay trucks going balls out. During the burn the traffic will be nasty.

If you have your heart set on this suicidal mission you may consider the Pyramid Highway from Sparks to Pyramid Lake. It has a few hills and is relatively narrow but the traffic is noy bad when you run out of bike lanes.

A final word of advice, Don't

[Elliot]

I'm still planning which type of tires to use.

May I suggest automobile tires!

Like my bicycle from 2007?



Seriously.... Dear Misty: Please listen to us on this point. Then we'll see you safely on the Playa!

I'm going up early on an Early Entry Pass, but perhaps I can transport you back to Reno after the event. PM me if you like.

Bicycling is good. Surviving it is preferable.

[Zhust]

Don't derail the thread, but I'm working on a way to bike Jungo Road from Winnemucca to Burning Man next year. That said, I'm coming in from the east and taking the train to Winnemucca. Then it's just a mere 100 miles due west: 60 miles somewhat maintained, 40 miles unmaintained.

That said, I do not recommend attempting it cold. Look into it for a bit first -- i.e. get a ride from Reno if you want. I'll be checking it out this year personally, but my understanding is that Jungo is possible on bike as long as you know it's long, hot, treacherous, untraveled, covered in pointy rocks, dust-filled ruts, and it's easy to lose track of where exactly the road is.

[Token]

You guys make it sound like its Death Race 3000 out there on 447.

For the past three years that I had early entry I passed several cyclists each year.

They all lived. No one was killed.

For a bunch of hard-ass anarchists you sure get all in a tizzy_fit over some imaginary danger.

It's a lot safer cycling 447 than hanging out by the carbeque in Gigsville.

[ygmir]

you know, I'd rather say it, and, be told to "STFU" I'll do it anyway, and, I don't need your advise.

than say "Jeeze, I wish I had said something, before".

[Token]

I just don't see the data to back up the claims that biking is a suicide mission.

Sure it's a tough road and it can be scary but I doubt its any more dangerous than riding in SF or LA.

The only fatalities and serious injuries on 447 that I have seen reported in the last ten years were SUVs, trailers and trucks.

I'm open to changing my view on this if there is information to back up the claims of danger.

[Eric]

I'm open to changing my view on this if there is information to back up the claims of danger.

I can only find info that there were 10 crashes on 447 in 2008, but not what type of vehicles were involved.

Fuck it- bike there. Not my problem. I still think its reckless with all the vehicles on the road, but that's apparently a gut instinct, not a fact.

*washes hands of it*

[oneeyeddick]

I will tell anyone that asks about it to please not put yourself into a situation where you or motorists are unecessarily at risk.
There are quite a few bloody spots on 447 from cow, deer and whatever else, I really hope I never see one that is human blood.
and Token, your beard is ugly, and in 2002(i think , could be 2003) there was a headon/rollover accident on Monday, on the way home.
They(the cops) said that the RV and trailor were swerving to avoid a bicycle rider that they couldn't see in time.
It was right on the other side of the crest of a hill about 12 miles south of Empire.
The word was out and everyone was hanging out in Empire/gerlach waiting for the road to reopen.
It closed both lanes on 447 for about 4-5 hours.

Many other accidents have happened over the years because of cows in the road and drivers not being able to see them in time, both during the day and at night.
If there was some way to tell the cows to stay off the road so that they don't get hit or cause such an accident, I would.

Burners should be smarter than cows.

Oh yeah, and fucking goddammit all to hell anyhow !

[Elliot]

Burners should be smarter than cows.

And it doesn't take much to be smarter than cows. That's why I drive kind'a slowly on 447, and slow down even more for curves. There really is great truth in the old rule of being able to stop in the distance you can see. I notice a lot of folks barreling around curves at the full 70 MPH or more -- very scary.

[Shambala]

Let me draw a picture of the road for you, and then you can decide for yourself. I would imagine that at some point the police will stop and get you off that road.

During the time NOT around BM, there is very little traffic along 447(maybe 70 miles). From mid August to mid September, there will be steady and constant trucks, RVs, cars, van and mutant vehicles--all with supplies, crap, metal, wood and other various junk ties to their roofs. This will be in both directions. Some drive very slow for safety, and some are trying to pass everyone to get to the playa fast. Drivers are tired and not used to driving the vehicles they're in. Trailers are swinging back and forth due to speed. In many cases, vehicles can't move over for bikes because of vehicles coming the other direction and in other cases, they are just not paying attention. There are no usable shoulders on the road--just soft sand most of the way. (always fun to see the cars who pull over and get stuck in the deep sand) There are grates in the road to keep cows from straying and bikes must be carried over them, along with supplies. I see at least a few motor vehicle accidents every year, with some of the vehicles disintigrated.

You are getting real advice from people who have travelled this road for years.

Have a safe trip!

[TomServo]

Its a narrow highway, with lots of blind hills, sudden cliffs and inattentive motorists. If you want to walk all the dangerous parts, on the safest side, you should make it by burn night.

[Zhust]

They(the cops) said that the RV and trailor were swerving to avoid a bicycle rider that they couldn't see in time.

Proof positive. Definitely safer on a bike. Do not hitch a ride with a suicidal hippie nutjob who can't control their rig.

[mudpuppy000]

They(the cops) said that the RV and trailor were swerving to avoid a bicycle rider that they couldn't see in time.

Proof positive. Definitely safer on a bike. Do not hitch a ride with a suicidal hippie nutjob who can't control their rig.

Yeah, definitely safer just to run over whatever is in the road. Hopefully not a cyclist.

[geekster]

If I were going to bike from Reno, I would go out 445 (Pyramid Way) through Sparks, through Spanish Springs out past the BLM wild mustang corral to Pyramid lake. Turn Right on 446 to Nixon. At Nixon, turn left on 447 to Gerlach.

The terrain is hilly. It is hot. You will likely be going up hill at over 100 degree temperatures. Make sure you can do it or you might very well kill yourself.