Town Park virgin? Get your answers here!

[bgriffin]

I live in Montrose, and it's about an hour and a half drive to Tellluride one way!
I've been known to make it in just over an hour with no traffic, but I know the road real well!

The headliners for the late sets are usually more of a jam set, and I doubt if Alison will be scheduled that late. Your parents should be able to enjoy her set.

If your hotel is in Montrose, I'm sure your parents may not want to stay past 9 or 10 if they have to look forward to that long of a drive, but you never know.
Once they get to listening to the music the time goes by pretty quick.
Then again, once the sun goes down in Telluride it gets COLD pretty quick, so be sure to have warm clothes along for that.

An hour and a half isn't too bad.  I'm assuming that's the closest place to get a decent hotel without paying two arms and a leg for it? 

I was hoping the late night sets were jam sessions.  Those would be fun to stay for but if they start getting tired it won't be a big deal to miss some of it.

How cold does it get after the sun goes down?

[Auntie Hope]

30

 Listening to: The car warming up for the trip to see Bela & Chick!

[arcticdesertnomad]

Forgive me if this has been covered already, but here goes.  I have 2 town park passes, but no vehicle pass.  Are there areas in town that are designated as festival parking?  This is my first time coming to TBF, and I won't have a lot of time to make alternate travel plans as I will be arriving back in the states from Afghanistan around June 1.  Am I out of luck, or do I have to start looking to carpool with someone passing through Omaha?

Thanks for any info you can give.

[Mark in Alabama]

Articdesertnomad:

You will be able to drive your car into Town Park and unload all of your gear.  Then you will park your car outside of town, or up at Mountain Village, and take either  a shuttle or the Gondola back into town.  Unless you have a Vehicle that you sleep in, there is no need for a Parking Pass.   

 Listening to: my assistant complain

[TellurideTom]

Articdesertnomad:

You will be able to drive your car into Town Park and unload all of your gear.  Then you will park your car outside of town, or up at Mountain Village, and take either  a shuttle or the Gondola back into town.  Unless you have a Vehicle that you sleep in, there is no need for a Parking Pass.   

Actually, you may not have to park too far away if you get there earlier.
I doubt if you'd have to park in Mountain Village, but if you get there the day before the festival or later you may have to park just outside town and take the shuttle back to camp.

[arcticdesertnomad]

Unless you have a Vehicle that you sleep in, there is no need for a Parking Pass

Wait, so if I can sleep in my car (station wagon), then I don't need a parking pass?  I am planning on getting there somtime on Monday the 18th.  Would that be soon enough to find a decent parking spot?  Thanks for the answers by the way.

[TellurideTom]

Unless you have a Vehicle that you sleep in, there is no need for a Parking Pass

Wait, so if I can sleep in my car (station wagon), then I don't need a parking pass?  I am planning on getting there somtime on Monday the 18th.  Would that be soon enough to find a decent parking spot?  Thanks for the answers by the way.

I don't think you understand....
You only need a vehicle pass if you're going to have your vehicle in Town Park, and are going to sleep in it. Vehicle passes are extremely limited, and I seriously doubt you'll find one. A Town Park vehicle pass is somewhere around $100 and a parking pass is free. Parking passes on the other hand, mean that you can park your car somewhere OUTSIDE of Town Park, and you CANNOT sleep in it.

Does that make any more sense?

[arcticdesertnomad]

OK, I think I got it now.

Provided I arrive early enough, I will be able to park (relatively) close to Town Park fro free, and I will have to bring a tent to sleep in.  How is security at the event?  Would I have to worry about leaving my vehicle (or tent for that matter) unattended, or are most festival goers made of better stuff than that?

[TellurideTom]

The festivarians are much better people! Your possesions should be safe in your tent. I'd just be sure it was zipped up when not around. Nobody is going to attempt to unzip a tent to steal something, and find someone inside sleeping anyway. I've heard a story of someone losing thier wallet, only to have it found and returned by some kind soul that actually PUT more money into it first as a joke. The lost and found is always the place to take things you found or get things back that you lost.

[Daniela]

Hi, Friends!  How many of ya'll have been at the festival all four days???

Okay, now that that's out of the way, I'm a five-year veteran of TBF and a Town Park Virgin.  I have a zillion questions regarding how you roll in Town Park.  If anyone can answer these for me, I'd worship them forever.  Here goes:

1.  I'm planning on driving down on Tuesday night.  Is that too late to score a decent camping spot?  Would it be worth it for me to take Monday and Tuesday off and and arrive the Saturday before?  How much fun will I be missing out on by not being there Monday and Tuesday?  I have visions of rumballs dancing in my head.

2.  What is the best place to camp in order to score at least twenty minutes of sleep a night?  I know it's asking a lot, but I get crabby when I don't sleep.  You don't want to see this girl when she's crabby.  Plus I'm one of those freaks who has to get up every single morning for the tarp run.  I wouldn't miss it for the world. 

3.  How does the tarp run/line work for Town Park?  I think it's a different line, right?  I usually get up around 5:00am to get in line.  Is it the same thing for the Town Park line?  What's the system?  Is there a secret tarp run ceremony I need to know about? 

4.  How about food?  I keep hearing about oyster stew and rumballs and some kind of punch.  Is it each man for himself?  Do you bring food to share?  Or is it like the Alaskan fur trade where I need to bring an item to trade for a sip of the infamous oyster stew?

5.  Is there anything extra I need to bring besides just normal Colorado camping stuff to make my stay more comfortable?  A sunshade, extra lawnchairs, a hammock, ear plugs or a goat? 

6.  I was wondering if more of the Town Park veterans could post pictures of themselves in their profiles so I can put faces with the names.  That way when I eventually roll into Town Park on that magical day, I'll see all the friends I've been getting to know all these months.   

7.  Is it June yet?  Can we leave right now???

I think that's it for now.  If anyone has any other snippets of advice to share regarding the magic that is Town Park camping, please let me know. 

Hugs and tie-dye,

Daniela





 Listening to: "Packin' for Telluride" -James Buchanan

[TellurideTom]

1.  I'm sure you could find a decent spot Tuesday night, but I would take Monday and Tuesday off and get there earlier. More time to get to know us! Besides, you'd miss the oysters if you got there Tuesday night!

2.  You'd probably want to ask around once you got there so the veterans could point out where all the jamming camps are located. We'd hate to have you inadvertantly set up your tent right next to an all night jam/party camp.

3.  There is a different tarp line for Town Park, and some people stay in line all night long, but if you get up at 5:00 AM you should still get a decent spot. There's no secret ceremony, just a friendly group of runners.... get aquainted!

4.  It's BBQ'd oysters on the half shell, not stew, and anyone is welcome. If you want to bring something to share so much the better, but you don't have to. The rumballs consist of different fruit soaked for a couple days in Rum and other types of alcohol and are very tasty. There is a virgin version available for kids too.

5.  Whatever you normally bring would probably be fine, but the earplugs might help you sleep better at night. 

6.  It's up to the members what pictures they want in their profile, but I'll try to add a picture later from our annual festivarian photo shoot in the festival.

7. You can see how long you have to wait on either one of my websites, as I have  a countdown on both!


If you have any more questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

[Hippie]

  You can always view the countdown to rumballs at:
http://llamaman.com/telluride/countdown.html
It now also has a link to weather underground for the Telluride forecast.
I may have some time to actually put the slide show back in place, for now it just has a picture of the listivarians.


 Listening to: the rain falling outside

[Ron N Deb]

Personally i would say. ASaP !!!!!!!!
look one of us up
and we will help you out !

 

[Daniela]

Thanks for all the answers, Friends!  Say, here's one for the girls:  What's the shower situation like?  Is it possible to grab a quick shower once a day without too much hassle?  Are there wall outlets and such?  Where are the showers located?  Should I wear my hiking boots or will flip flops be enough for the trek? 

[LuAnna]

showers.. two shower houses  located in Town Park. flip flops are fine.  You get about five minutes of hot water for a pile of quarters. I think it was 2.50 last year. That's enough if you are real organized before you put the money in the machine. THe lines aren't too long.. but it's a good thing to ask if there is hot water cuz you can get all the COLD water you want without the quarters.

Yes, there are a couple of outlets... as well as a hand dryer that works well for hair if you point the nozzle up and if you watch out for the door!

LuAnna