We left Anchorage after Zach got off work and bought food. My car was packed more than I would like, I could feel it struggling to gain speed, could hear bumps easier, could hear road noise easier and those are pet peeves of mine. We figured the drive to Talkeetna would be easy and quick - two hours or 110 miles (whichever comes first). We arrived in Historic Talkeetna and were baffled to find no festival, no bluegrass and no camping. It turns out that the Talkeetna Bluegrass Festival is a few miles back to the highway exit and then a few miles north still. We turn around and return to the highway.
The only way to Fairbanks (so far as I can tell is this; one lane road north, with one lane southbound; obviously). Luckily we were stopping much sooner than the 6-8 hour drive to Fairbanks.
I was surprised to be greeted at the 'gate' with a toll of $35 a person. We didn't find that on the website and didn't expect a fee that high. After searching the car and each wallet we came up with $120, enough to get in. We were annoyed but got into the festival and expected to no longer need cash. I recalled what I read about Burning Man and expected to trade chicken, sausage, burgers, beer or shots of whiskey and rum for whatever we needed. With those, we were well stocked anyway.
Beyond the gate and a short drive through the woods on a paved dirt road (mostly rock), we found a large 'L' shaped field of more rocks, partially claimed by parked cars, tents and bonfire pits. This was the campground. We drove through the parallel red trash barrels into the field and turned left with the direction of the barrels and up the hill to a spot to camp. All available spots near the woods to our left were taken, to the right we found the Security hill and empty spots near the woods but avoided those spots; those spots being too far from the stage area. On Friday; day one, we arrived at 6 PM and were joining a few hundred campers in tents, RV's and beds in the beds of trucks. Early in the evening the campfire smoke was low and kept the air hazy, the weather was surprisingly sunny which caught the weather people lying (damn their pessimism - i expected rain!).
We vacated our first choice and moved to a spot with fewer large rocks to establish camp nearer the stage. From here, we could hear the music, see the entrance to the fenced area but not see the stage. After putting up camp we went to find the stage. The stage grounds (fair grounds) are inside a rectangle fence, at the entrance is security keeping us from bringing in food or drinks: as they have those for sale inside. Opposite the entrance is the stage at the far end of the rectangle, it is on a hill (past tense and present tense go well together, don't they?) The bands play in what looks like a manger, or the ones you see built to explain the Jesus story (three not four walls).
I don't think they sold a lot of beer or food. Each time we went to see the stage (maybe three times; for a few minutes each) it was a fairly empty. Most people brought beer and food and stayed in the campground. The rules were vague so the first drinks were hid in socks, hats and paper bags; thats how you stay safe, being clever like us! We soon realized that security was not interested in prohibiting us from our beer.
ATV mounted security patrolled the land telling people to drive the correct way on the one way motorways and did little more than that. Two instances of State Troopers driving through caused little disturbance to the most interesting camping experience of my life.
Check back for more, when I feel like writing more.
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