Attn: Minnesota Burners

[NellieX]

MN Burners, I have a question!

If you've driven to the Burn, how long does it take you to make the trip? I'm trying to work out a timeline to present to my new boss (yes, they want to know already). I think the trip would be doable in 2 days, but part of me fears that may be insane.

Please feel free to share any other tips, or fun experiences you've had driving from Minnesota to Nevada!

[AntiM]

Even truckers don't push it that hard. Do you have drivers to switch off?

[BBadger]

It takes 8 tiring hours to get from Salt Lake City to Reno. I can't imagine how much it'd suck to do it from Minnesota. But hey, it is possible; just switch off drivers.

[NellieX]

Even truckers don't push it that hard. Do you have drivers to switch off?

I knew I was crazy. We'll have two drivers (as of now). Maybe we better plan for 4 days.

[AntiM]

Even truckers don't push it that hard. Do you have drivers to switch off?

I knew I was crazy. We'll have two drivers (as of now). Maybe we better plan for 4 days.

Even with two drivers, and coming from Utah, we stop in Winnemucca for a nap. Of course, we go a bit slower because towing a trailer means slightly less than full freeway speed.

[NellieX]

Even truckers don't push it that hard. Do you have drivers to switch off?

I knew I was crazy. We'll have two drivers (as of now). Maybe we better plan for 4 days.

Even with two drivers, and coming from Utah, we stop in Winnemucca for a nap. Of course, we go a bit slower because towing a trailer means slightly less than full freeway speed.

I'm trying to figure out strategically-placed KO sites along our route...tent camping is $25/night.

[Savannah]

A big part of the equation is: is each driver capable of sleeping 7-8 hours while the other is driving? And do you even want to? Some drivers like music or company.

I pretty much can't sleep sitting up at all, but I could (probably) sleep in the back of an RV. I've never had the ability to test this.

Google maps says it would take you 29 hours, you'll probably want to add 3+ hours to that, because Google Maps results generally strike me as optimistic* and assumes that you are driving a regular car . . . at the top speed limit . . . with average traffic (whereas a Burning Man vehicle is usually heavily loaded, and you'll not be driving 65 by the time you're within several hours of the event). Add an unknown time in line on the way in--depending on what time you arrive--and an average exodus time (3 hours seems to be very average for me) and you're looking at a minimum of 3 days, particularly if you don't know if one or both of you can sleep while the other is driving.

4 days is safer if you can get away with it. On the way back, you will be tired.

*Google Maps says it takes 12 hrs 26 minutes from my city, but it's never taken less than 15.5-16 hours + waiting in line.

[NellieX]

A big part of the equation is: is each driver capable of sleeping 7-8 hours while the other is driving? And do you even want to? Some drivers like music or company.

I pretty much can't sleep sitting up at all, but I could (probably) sleep in the back of an RV. I've never had the ability to test this.

Google maps says it would take you 29 hours, you'll probably want to add 3+ hours to that, because Google Maps results generally strike me as optimistic* and assumes that you are driving a regular car . . . at the top speed limit . . . with average traffic (whereas a Burning Man vehicle is usually heavily loaded, and you'll not be driving 65 by the time you're within several hours of the event). Add an unknown time in line on the way in--depending on what time you arrive--and an average exodus time (3 hours seems to be very average for me) and you're looking at a minimum of 3 days, particularly if you don't know if one or both of you can sleep while the other is driving.

4 days is safer if you can get away with it. On the way back, you will be tired.

*Google Maps says it takes 12 hrs 26 minutes from my city, but it's never taken less than 15.5-16 hours + waiting in line.

Thanks for your advice

[Sic Pup]

I don't know if this is any help but it's what I did last year, and will do again this year:

Long Island, NY to Chicago, IL 857 miles 14 hours
Chicago to North Platte, NE 731 miles 12 hours
North Platte to SLC, UT 661 miles 10 hours
SLC to Fernley,NV 500 miles 7 1/2 hours

Traveling alone, avoiding driving at night, many short stops (hydrating) and maybe one 20-30 minute meal break each day.
I couldn't have done it without 5 hour energy drinks. I stayed with a friend in Chi, hotels the other cities.

You've got about 900 less miles and a second driver, no reason you can't do it in three days, leisurely.

The drive back I find trying because of the time changes in particular.
Last year I did the west coast after BM, this year I won't go further west than Reno and probably dawdle along the way.

YMWV

[NellieX]

I don't know if this is any help but it's what I did last year, and will do again this year:

Long Island, NY to Chicago, IL 857 miles 14 hours
Chicago to North Platte, NE 731 miles 12 hours
North Platte to SLC, UT 661 miles 10 hours
SLC to Fernley,NV 500 miles 7 1/2 hours

Traveling alone, avoiding driving at night, many short stops (hydrating) and maybe one 20-30 minute meal break each day.
I couldn't have done it without 5 hour energy drinks. I stayed with a friend in Chi, hotels the other cities.

You've got about 900 less miles and a second driver, no reason you can't do it in three days, leisurely.

The drive back I find trying because of the time changes in particular.
Last year I did the west coast after BM, this year I won't go further west than Reno and probably dawdle along the way.

YMWV

Thanks, this is helpful.

We drove from Minneapolis to Dallas in 1 day (took about 16 hours), so I'm sure we could cut it in 3 if we needed to! I guess we'll see what the driving situation is like.

[Turnip]

We make it from Chicago area in about 40-42 hours.


Edit:

I just did the math again and realized it was more like 45-47ish hours.


Then again we have a 36 gallon tank, so don't have to stop as often for gas.

Evanston, Wyoming is our resting point, about 21 hours from our go-point. From there it's only 10 hours to the Playa, leaving Sunday afternoon. We're hoping to be in line around 1am. I wanted to plan for a day time arrival, but everyone involved is scared of the bus overheating.

[AntiM]

Many burners go to Reno Monday night to eat, shower and sleep so we know ALL (or both) drivers are fully rested. Something to consider.

I sleep pretty much the whole way, I don't have a license. Unless I'm busy keeping Larry awake. He dries a truck, so he's used to the route and the routine.

[FIGJAM]

Whatever you do make sure you are well rested for that last leg of your journey.

I go alone.

Last year I left at 4am and got to fernley at 8pm.

My eyes felt like they had been boiled, so I tried to nap till midnight, was too exited to sleep and got back on the road at 11:30pm.

Was parked and turning the motor off at 8am!!!

DON'T DO WHAT I DID!

[NellieX]

Many burners go to Reno Monday night to eat, shower and sleep so we know ALL (or both) drivers are fully rested. Something to consider.

I sleep pretty much the whole way, I don't have a license. Unless I'm busy keeping Larry awake. He dries a truck, so he's used to the route and the routine.

I'm planning on a night in Reno, to recharge after the long drive. I think one last night in a real bed before the event will do us good

[NellieX]

We make it from Chicago area in about 40-42 hours.


Edit:

I just did the math again and realized it was more like 45-47ish hours.


Then again we have a 36 gallon tank, so don't have to stop as often for gas.

Evanston, Wyoming is our resting point, about 21 hours from our go-point. From there it's only 10 hours to the Playa, leaving Sunday afternoon. We're hoping to be in line around 1am. I wanted to plan for a day time arrival, but everyone involved is scared of the bus overheating.

10 hours from Wyoming? That doesn't sound bad. We're thinking:

Minneapolis to South Dakota, one night camping in the Badlands (the pussy-camping area)
Badlands to Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City to Reno, rest, the on to BRC.

[NellieX]

Also, South Dakota is infinitely more interesting to drive through than Nebraska. Eesh.

[Turnip]

Well, tenish hours from basically the Wyoming/Utah border.

&Dude you are so right on the Nebraska thing. I despise driving through it.

[NellieX]

Well, tenish hours from basically the Wyoming/Utah border.

&Dude you are so right on the Nebraska thing. I despise driving through it.

Good to know. We're looking for a 3rd person to come along, so we can maybe do it in 2 days.

I thought Kansas was bad...then I went to Nebraska. We only drove through a corner of it, but I was practically eating my hair from boredom. Iowa is pretty awful, too.

[Savannah]

Many burners go to Reno Monday night to eat, shower and sleep so we know ALL (or both) drivers are fully rested. Something to consider.

I sleep pretty much the whole way, I don't have a license. Unless I'm busy keeping Larry awake. He dries a truck, so he's used to the route and the routine.

I'm planning on a night in Reno, to recharge after the long drive. I think one last night in a real bed before the event will do us good

It will!

It's always a bit hard to leave the last nice bathroom before the playa. One year, two girlfriends and I spent 3 hours at a large store 5 hours from the playa, and we must have used the bathroom 3 times each, just because we could.

[BAS]

Well, tenish hours from basically the Wyoming/Utah border.

&Dude you are so right on the Nebraska thing. I despise driving through it.

Good to know. We're looking for a 3rd person to come along, so we can maybe do it in 2 days.

I thought Kansas was bad...then I went to Nebraska. We only drove through a corner of it, but I was practically eating my hair from boredom. Iowa is pretty awful, too.

Iowa is better than southern Illinois-- which is a place to avoid if you want to keep your sanity. I got to go through Nebraska in the middle of the night on the way out. It is where I learned my car was perfectly happy sustaining 90 - 100 miles per hour. (Even in the dark it was that dull-- and the highway that empty.) On the way back I was so sick I was passing out and hallucinating behind the wheel, so, even though it was in the broad daylight, the drive was exciting in all the wrong ways. I switched drivers in Lincoln and slept (or something) all the way back to Chicago, despite a triple espresso from Starbucks.

[Turnip]

Well, tenish hours from basically the Wyoming/Utah border.

&Dude you are so right on the Nebraska thing. I despise driving through it.

Good to know. We're looking for a 3rd person to come along, so we can maybe do it in 2 days.

I thought Kansas was bad...then I went to Nebraska. We only drove through a corner of it, but I was practically eating my hair from boredom. Iowa is pretty awful, too.

Iowa is better than southern Illinois-- which is a place to avoid if you want to keep your sanity. I got to go through Nebraska in the middle of the night on the way out. It is where I learned my car was perfectly happy sustaining 90 - 100 miles per hour. (Even in the dark it was that dull-- and the highway that empty.) On the way back I was so sick I was passing out and hallucinating behind the wheel, so, even though it was in the broad daylight, the drive was exciting in all the wrong ways. I switched drivers in Lincoln and slept (or something) all the way back to Chicago, despite a triple espresso from Starbucks.

I wrote a huge post about how southern illinois is miles above Nebraska. Then eplaya ate it and I don't feel like rewriting it.

[Cooky]

Resting in Reno before you head to the playa is great. Probably even more important is planning a real shower and real sleep when you come off the playa. Depending on when you leave, when 15,000 other people decide to leave, if the cows are on the road, and what accidents happen -- Exodus traffic out can be literally killer. For me, the most important part of the road trip back home to the midwest has been a first night off playa spent in Fernley. Some years it's only taken us 3 hours to do that 80 mile drive, some years it's been 10 hours.

[NellieX]

Resting in Reno before you head to the playa is great. Probably even more important is planning a real shower and real sleep when you come off the playa. Depending on when you leave, when 15,000 other people decide to leave, if the cows are on the road, and what accidents happen -- Exodus traffic out can be literally killer. For me, the most important part of the road trip back home to the midwest has been a first night off playa spent in Fernley. Some years it's only taken us 3 hours to do that 80 mile drive, some years it's been 10 hours.

I think we'll probably end up leaving either Sunday afternoon, or Sunday evening after the Temple Burn, and after the traffic dies down a little.

[burnwine]

New to Rochester MN, and I'll be spinning most wednesday evenings. I've got extra kevlar for fire hoop/poi. If your in the area please send word (I haven't found much community in Rochester yet). Also I'll be working on a bowtop wagon once I find the right dual axel trailer.

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