How do I arrive and leave by Jungo Road on pedal power?

[Zhust]

This year, I'm building a pedal-powered tadpole tricycle (two front wheel steering, one rear wheel drive) and taking it on Jungo Road from Winnemucca to Burning Man. I have no intention of getting 5 miles due east of Black Rock City only to bike 20 miles south, then risking life and limb on 447 and 34 to bike 20 miles north to the proper entrance.

So my question is: what will really happen if I cross the tracks and head across the desert straight to the gate?

I expect the entry scenario will start with a pickup truck outside the trash fence racing toward me at 100 miles per hour. I'll then have a conversation with a surly and antisocial person and explain my predicament. If the situation warrants, I'll offer up a bribe/gift/peace offering of booze of some sort and/or brag about/demonstrate the design of the trike. Jee will then tell me to head straight to the gate and probably follow along.

I'll stick to my rule and stay until Monday when most people left. I'll reverse the procedure and probably not be bothered at all. I may be confronted by BLM, but since I'm not in a motor vehicle, I'll be given some kind of egomaniacal, authoritarian warning and sent on my way.

[Zhust]

Are you crazy or stupid? Jungo Road is impassible and you will certainly die.

Blah blah blah.

I know that already. I'm designing the trike and my own training to be able to handle the whole trip both ways. Worst case is that I have to miss Burning Man and walk back to Winnemucca and pay someone to go get my broken stuff. While that would suck, that's part of the worst-case planning.

[ygmir]

an admirable adventure.........but, most likely, one of those surly (though usually quite handsome) perimeter guys, after approaching at 100 mph, sliding sideways to a stop right in front of you, and gracefully exiting said truck



will explain you have to enter the event via the access road, and, direct you to pedal your ass over there.
They may, if feelin nice, allow you to go across playa to get there, it's even said, at times and with the correct attitude, they'd put your bike in the truck and give you a ride.........well, that may happen, but, favors may elicit this response.

Otherwise, if attitude is incorrect, they may well also require you to return to "east playa highway" and proceed to playa entrance.

I'd just not bet on being able to cross the tracks and head straight for the gate, it may happen, but, don't bet on it.

good luck, though.

[AntiM]

Yep, must arrive and depart through The Gate.

[oneeyeddick]

When you see the perimiter truck speeding towards you, you might want to tape your ticket to your forehead at that point.

This might lessen the beatings they give you.

Good luck riding Jungo with pedal power, bring lots of patch kits and extra innertubes.

[Zed the Mailman]

I ride dirt bikes all around N Nevada. I haven't actually ridden the Jungo Road but any road that requires a high clearance 4wd vehicle is going to absolute torture on a recumbent trike. I'd strongly recommend doing a reconnaissance or getting beta from someone who has ridden that.

[Zed the Mailman]

getting into the event once you reach the playa will be the least of your difficulties.

[oneeyeddick]

Jungo does not require any extra clearance, can easily be done in pretty much any car or truck.

[Rice]

So, are you going to have a support vehicle or something??? Water? Are you going to haul all your burn gear on that bike?

What if something goes wrong with you bike? Do you have some way of calling for help? It is a safe assumption that a cell phone will not work...

BMORG says

Getting to Gerlach from the East
From Winnemucca, there is really only one primary option:
I-80 is the primary route to follow for 130 miles to exit 43 then follow the same directions as above from Reno.

The other route, Jungo Road, visible on a map, is a very rough dirt road with easy-to-miss turns, mining vehicles, a couple of treacherous dips and is guaranteed to cause one flat if not more. Please do not attempt this route.

http://www.burningman.com/preparation/e ... there.html

Lets assume that you do make it to black rock. There is an exclusion zone around BRC that will basically mean that you need to bike to Gerlach and then take the 8 mile entrance like every other participant. On that side of the city is the airport and it's runway. I would not want to be in the way when a plane is landing or taking off. (that is a very good way to meet several perimeter crew and a a BLM ranger or two)

I am not saying you shouldn't try this. Just make sure you have a plan, and a backup plan, and a disaster plan.

Love Rice

[SisterMableSyrup]

Why not trailer it in? Just curious.

-Mable

[hookahdude]

This year, I'm building a pedal-powered tadpole tricycle (two front wheel steering, one rear wheel drive) and taking it on Jungo Road from Winnemucca to Burning Man. I have no intention of getting 5 miles due east of Black Rock City only to bike 20 miles south, then risking life and limb on 447 and 34 to bike 20 miles north to the proper entrance.

I was told that a "true" playa name is one that is given to you - if you are given more than one - you get to pick....

I am assuming Jayce is your real name - therefore - should you swing by Apokiliptika and we meet, I will call you HogNuts... Because I am pretty sure hog balls, relative to total body weight, are the largest on the planet. To undertake this - you surely have a pair.

All negativity aside - GOOD LUCK!

[oneeyeddick]

Apokiliptika is all about the balls.

[lonestoner916]

an admirable adventure.........but, most likely, one of those surly (though usually quite handsome) perimeter guys, after approaching at 100 mph, sliding sideways to a stop right in front of you, and gracefully exiting said truck



will explain you have to enter the event via the access road, and, direct you to pedal your ass over there.
They may, if feelin nice, allow you to go across playa to get there, it's even said, at times and with the correct attitude, they'd put your bike in the truck and give you a ride.........well, that may happen, but, favors may elicit this response.

Otherwise, if attitude is incorrect, they may well also require you to return to "east playa highway" and proceed to playa entrance.

I'd just not bet on being able to cross the tracks and head straight for the gate, it may happen, but, don't bet on it.

good luck, though.

My quite handsome friend makes a good point. However, if Gate/Perimeter knew you were coming I think you would probably be greeted with a cold beverage and a ride to the main Gate, where you could be processed per ususal. PM me if you'd like, and I can put you in touch with the "higher ups." Good on ya for making such a savage journey Jason!

[mudpuppy000]

Kind of curious, are you going to put big fat tires on it? I've never been on Jungo road but most of the desert roads in CA are pretty sandy, and would be really tough on a mountain bike, not to mention a trike. Might want to test it out on the beach first before you haul it across country.

[ygmir]

it's not so sandy, as rocky, and sharp rocks, tire cutter as such.
there are sort of sandy spots, but, not real big,
I'd worry most about flats.

[Kinetik V]

Jungo Road is quite doable on a bike. Will it be easy? No.

I love Jungo....it's a rite of passage for some of us. As for doing it on a bike may I offer a few suggestions?
1: A good tire liner. Don't just put slime in your tires and expect it to save you. You want a good liner between the tread and that tube. And bring spares. 4 is recommended.
2: Visibility. The more you can do to flag yourself the better. A flag like you put on a dune buggy? Yep. LED lights? Absolutely. Day or night LED's on the back will save your ass. You want to be lit up like a proverbial Christmas tree.
3: Extra water. I know the weight issue comes into play but you need to almost be over prepared on water.
4: Be aware of the train crossings. If you're tired from riding that freight train looks slow. It's hauling ass at 70. Be prepared.
5: Resist the shortcut urge. What looks like a good viable shortcut will suddenly turn into nothing more than a buggy trail at best.
6: Did I mention visibility?

Speed limit on Jungo: 55 mostly from Winnemucca to Sulphur, 45 or less to Empire. Mining trucks like to think their driving in the Baja 1000 and they will be on top of you before you know it. And they ain't looking for a pedal powered bike...you gotta let them know you are there. Again LED lighting.

Beyond that...it has been done on a regular bike. You can do it. The key is preparation. And being radically self reliant....cause they don't run SAG trucks up Jungo Road and cell phones flat out crap out in the middle of it. I wish you luck...when you get back home post event make sure and post about how it went.

[TomServo]

If someone finds your bones, I will personally put them in the Man!

[oneeyeddick]

They would be better off in the Temple, next to that beaver.

[Bluemandrew]

This year, I'm building a pedal-powered tadpole tricycle (two front wheel steering, one rear wheel drive) and taking it on Jungo Road from Winnemucca to Burning Man. I have no intention of getting 5 miles due east of Black Rock City only to bike 20 miles south, then risking life and limb on 447 and 34 to bike 20 miles north to the proper entrance.

So my question is: what will really happen if I cross the tracks and head across the desert straight to the gate?

I expect the entry scenario will start with a pickup truck outside the trash fence racing toward me at 100 miles per hour. I'll then have a conversation with a surly and antisocial person and explain my predicament. If the situation warrants, I'll offer up a bribe/gift/peace offering of booze of some sort and/or brag about/demonstrate the design of the trike. Jee will then tell me to head straight to the gate and probably follow along.

I'll stick to my rule and stay until Monday when most people left. I'll reverse the procedure and probably not be bothered at all. I may be confronted by BLM, but since I'm not in a motor vehicle, I'll be given some kind of egomaniacal, authoritarian warning and sent on my way.

I know nothing of what awaits you, as coming from CT Jungo road is not much of a consideration. However, thanks for being a crazy bastard.

[fbcota]

I think this is a pretty amazing idea and I hope you succeed :).

[Zhust]

Why not trailer it in? Just curious.

The point is the journey. I've driven the 5,230 mile round-trip four times, and it seems ... oh ... just a tad astonishingly wasteful. The idea is to take the Amtrak to Winnemucca and human-power it from there. Burning Man itself is just gravy.

[oneeyeddick]

There is a little gas station/store right before you cross over the bridge on your way to Jungo from downtown Winnemucca on the left side of the road, stop there to get a nice lttle detailed map printout of Jungo road to BM, they are very burner friendly there also.

Good luck, and wear a hat.

[AntiM]

Do we get the blog later? And pictures, yay!?

[Zhust]

Kind of curious, are you going to put big fat tires on it?

Pretty much car tires from my decommissioned Civic, albeit so under-capacity that they'll essentially be run-flats; nonetheless I'll have a patch kit handy. The trike design is calling for a full suspension (A-arms in front, motorcycle-style pivot in back.) The caveat is that the trike transform into container(s) compatible with train travel, which kind of necessitates more containers than vehicles, so I'll probably need a trailer. Depending on how things look for transport (especially water) I'll tune the design of the trailer and its tires for how much I'll need for it to carry.

Of course, it's still nearly all on paper right now, but I'm solidifying the various design elements and will go to CAD as necessary and hopefully be riding something by mid-May. Then comes testing, lighting, breaking, fixing, etc.

[Zhust]

Do we get the blog later? And pictures, yay!?

I had thought about making a website/blog kind of thing, but it's a distraction from getting things done. Maybe if I'm more comfortable about my schedule I'll start one. At the very least, I'll be sure to get back here and post something about the adventure.

[Zhust]

A good tire liner.

See above — going with steel-belted radials. More weight may slow me down, but I'm more tortoise than hare in this one.

Day or night LED's on the back will save your ass. You want to be lit up like a proverbial Christmas tree.

In the works ... I've been biking and driving observing bicycles and what works and what doesn't. Rearward is paramount and I'm shooting for several watts of LED's in big housings. The idea is to look like a slow-moving tractor rather than "uhh, what was that I just hit?"

Extra water.

I'll have the week's worth with me plus a bit more. I hate to plan for other people, but I expect I'll find at least one person who's leaving on Sunday who has extra water and I'll take theirs. Just my luck, I'll be stuck melting ice.

Be aware of the train crossings.

Yeah, I'm pretty scared of the train crossing, but at least I'll have plenty of silence and plenty of patience.

Resist the shortcut urge.

I'm hoping the Sulphur-to-Gerlach run is as obvious as it looks on Google Street View. Nonetheless, the car GPS should show the basics and the USGS topographic maps should fill me in on the details.

Mining trucks like to think their driving in the Baja 1000 and they will be on top of you before you know it. And they ain't looking for a pedal powered bike...you gotta let them know you are there. Again LED lighting.

From what I've seen, I'm more concerned with the heavier traffic right around Winnemucca — I assume it gets more sparse and steady (like 1 truck every 2 minutes). Nonetheless, I'm set with several visibility strategies and a few backup plans.

The key is preparation. And being radically self reliant....cause they don't run SAG trucks up Jungo Road and cell phones flat out crap out in the middle of it. I wish you luck...when you get back home post event make sure and post about how it went.

The way I figure it, unless I get splattered by a mining truck, at worst I can walk 30 miles to Gerlach, Sulphur, or Winnemucca. I highly doubt it'll come to that. I've been bringing custom bikes and stuff to Burning Man for years that I didn't specifically design for indestructibility and despite all the abuse, they have always survived. I think I'm ready — but it is a challenge! Thanks for your support!

[mudpuppy000]

Sounds like an epic trip, good luck!

One of those "spot" personal trackers might be cool to have to log your trip. I think you can have it update your coordinates via satellite at regular intervals so people can see where you are in real time and whether you're stuck someplace.

[fbcota]

Spots are really cool devices, I used one to track a trip around the world last year. It allowed friends and family to pop on a website and see where I was. It worked everywhere I went, and has full coverage in NV.

If you pull this off I will make you a reserved parking spot at The Pier. When the time gets closer if you decide to make the journey send me your name and other sign info and I will make one and put it on the art. The idea for this journey is really inspirational to me, and sparks a sense of adventure that I absolutely admire.

[Kinetik V]

From the looks of things you've thought this out...and you've got some experience. The train crossings aren't that bad...the first one about 30 miles West of Winnemucca is a a matter of timing. If you catch Uncle Pete (Union Pacific) sneaking an AC unit around those dropping S - Curves before the crossing and the wind is blowing you won't hear it until he's pretty close. So just cross the tracks quickly and get on your way. Traffic seems to vary...about the time someone tells you one section will be without traffic you'll see 5 vehicles. You're on track with the GPS too...I've run almost every major brand of GPS and some homebrewed solutions and not had any trouble. The only time I had a problem was when I left the event and went North from the 12 mile playa entrance and then angled off towards Sulphur....and then it got real interesting and the topos saved my ass. You won't be doing that so you won't have those pucker moments when your top of the line off-road SUV starts sinking like a pig in a slop pit like I did.

In all seriousness I wish you the very best of luck and I really hope you will share your experience when you get back. One last bit of advice...out of everything I've wrote I hope this is the one thing you will do and take to heart. Stop once in a while....and just look. The views will make it worth your time. I stop and get out and just look....and listen and I've done that with everyone I've taken across there....and it's something they always talk about when the subject of Jungo comes up in conversations. To me Jungo enhances my Burning Man experience. That road makes getting to Burning Man an event all to itself.

[Major Krash]

Neat idea...do not under estimate the mining trucks between Sulphur and Winnemucca...they scare the crap out of me when they race by and I drive an F350 pickup (they seem to like the middle of the road). And the dust....

Vehicles go by every hour or so during the burn...(I was broke down for half a day once...very quite)