Hi, vehicle campers! Thank you for behaving yourselves and reading this post, like I just told you to.
So, you may have received a postcard from us in the mail (if you haven't, you'll either receive it within a day or two, or you threw it out with the junk mail already). That postcard delineates a very important new rule regarding vehicle camping:
YOU CANNOT PARK ON RABBIT RUN ROAD BEFORE TUESDAY (July 15) AT 3:00 PM.
That means that the happy-party-fun-time that used to happen on Rabbit Run Road starting on Sunday night before the festival (or Saturday afternoon, as was the case last year) CANNOT HAPPEN this year. So let's rock the rest of this FAQ-style:
WHEN CAN I LINE UP?
You can start lining up on Tuesday at 3:00 PM.
WHERE CAN I GO BEFORE THEN?
You will need to find legal parking or camping accommodations elsewhere. We recommend checking out some of our beautiful local state parks (check them out at our camping page under "Additional Camping Options"), or spend a couple of days exploring the beautiful Finger Lakes Wine Region. Fun!
CAN I CAMP AT THE OFFSITE PARKING LOT UNTIL TUESDAY?
Sorry, but no. Our permit regulations and insurance don't allow us to let anyone camp or park at our Agard Road lot until the morning of Thursday, July 17.
WHY IS THIS THE NEW RULE?
It's not our rule, so we're honestly not 100% clear on the reasons. The Town of Ulysses (which is the official name of the township in which the Village of Trumansburg resides) has decided that it's in the best interest of everyone to disallow camping and parking on that road during the week leading up to the festival. I guess it has to do with neighbor complaints, as well as concerns about safety - both perfectly reasonable.
BUT... WHY!!?!?! IT'S NOT FAIR!!!!
Stop asking me stuff! I don't know! I just write the blog, I don't even work here! Okay, I do work here, but I try very hard not to make any important decisions, because I hate responsibility!
WILL I BE ABLE TO PARK THERE DURING THE FESTIVAL?
We kind of think so, but we're still waiting on the results of a final Town Board meeting that will take place this week. If not, parking at Agard Road will still be available, and still be free.
I FEEL THE NEED TO REBEL, AND I'M CONSIDERING LINING UP ON RABBIT RUN ROAD EARLY NO MATTER WHAT. WHAT BAD THINGS MIGHT HAPPEN TO ME?
Well, first of all, your car will get towed, and that's super-annoying and really expensive and not a very fun way to start your festival. Then, you'll probably be struck by lightning. Then, some internet hacker will find their way into your checking account and rob you blind. Then, a group of hippopotamuses will stampede through your house. Then, I'll slap you around for awhile while screaming, "I told you so!" So... don't do it. Please.
WILL THE BACK GATE STILL OPEN AT THE SAME TIME?
Yeah, around noonish on Thursday morning. We'll have our band of merry men and women walking down the line to greet your car starting around 8:00 am, and get you stickered and ready to roll in all orderly-like when the gates actually open. We have been known to open the gates a bit early, if we're feeling like things are in good order and ready to go, so it's worth being prepared for that scenario as well. Meaning, be somewhere in the vicinity of your car and don't start drinking Bloody Marys until you're inside.
WHICH DO YOU LIKE BETTER, HORSEYS OR PUPPIES?
Definitely horseys.
Feel free to leave a comment and ask any other questions - I'll try my darnedest to answer them as completely as I can.
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31 comments:
Hi Megan,
Regarding rabbit run road... Might you be able to tell us if we can place an unoccupied canopy there? Or will they "tow" that too? hehehehehe
I have been doing this for 16 years now, this sucks! ):
I am guessing that they would collapse and confiscate a canopy. I know it's a total bummer... we wish there was more we could tell you.
One last thing-I certainly hope they plan on putting up signage for those that do not read the postcards because the street shows parking is legal as it sits right now.
larry silba
There'll be lots and lots of signage, and probably other ways of marking off the roadsides. This variance, written by the Ulysses Town Board, was specifically targeted at our event. I'm not sure when the signs will go up exactly. I'm assuming that they'll give us more information soon.
I am a local, i buy a vehicle camping pass but leave car outside so I can come and go to feed animals. I've camped there for twelve years now. Since I don't bring a vehicle in I am allowing for more room for everyone. I should be able to walk thru back gate when it opens without my vehicle and set my camp up.
As for this last question, I'm not sure if your question is related to this blog or not, but it's fine for you to walk in, if you possess a vehicle camping pass. However, you have to maintain your order in line - we can't just let people jump ahead just because they don't have a car.
I anticipate bigger problems than what the town is trying to eliminate to begin with. people ARE going to line up somewhere-that much I would think is fact. So the question then begins to center around WHERE they/we will line up. Certainly they don't want people lining up on rt 96, but I don't see where else we will line up.
We don't anticipate an entirely smooth transition either, but we do encourage people to procure legal non-street parking for any days earlier than Tuesday that they choose to arrive. Unless the road is marked off, street-side parking is not illegal in New York State, but we're assuming that the town will choose to mark off most of the roads. We're still waiting on absolute information, and we'll let you know as soon as we do.
i know people who are traveling in to tburg tuesday so i am sure they will not be happy with the new law. that really stinks
They'll be able to line up on Tuesday at 3:00 pm, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. If they get here a couple of hours early, they can hike the Taughannock Falls trail and have some lunch, and they'll be right on time to line up!
Campers/town officals,
As a 15 year veteran of Groots,
and a student of human nature, I foresee major trouble as a result of this new rule. We all know what happens with no exit stragity. To simply take away a right without a plan and hope for the best is naive and short-sighted.
I agree that the problem of ever increasing vehicles parked for longer and longer was becoming a problem for all especially locals. Unless a balance is divised to offset this change the locals will have no access to Rabbit run starting about 12:00 Tuesday and resulting in chaos 'till early evening. This will be the equivalent of musical chairs with awkward camping vehicles cramming for a spot at 3:00. If this was Nascar I would bring riot gear. Khym
We are under the impression that it will not be a "free-for-all"; rather, there will be police officers ready to assist with the traffic flow issues that may arise.
Megan, I hope the higher-up at G.R. do not expect the Cops to do anything more than the minimume, they need guidance! Beleive me I have been there and watched them. They do not care about how well organized this proccess is nor should they. We need them to inforce, thats their job. I do not want to be a doom sayer, but I love this festival and I do not want anything bad to happen. Please put me in touch with someone in charge with which I can donate my time and NRG. khymkaupelis@aol.com
Hi Megan,
I was wondering if you had any updated info from the town meeting.
thanks
let's be a little flexible and just accept change
Article in Ithaca Journal today with more details:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080711/NEWS01/807110320/1002
Let's try that URL behind a link, since it got cut off in my prior post...
Yep, just be forewarned - that article may be slightly misleading. All information that we've been getting from the Town of Ulysses says that they're opening the road on TUESDAY, though that article says WEDNESDAY. We're trying to get through for confirmation, but let's all try to go on the assumption of Tuesday for now!
First, has anyone considered the possibility of trying to get the local Court (Say Judge Rowley or Judge Sherman or Judge Mulvey) to enjoin this being enforced based upon the slim connection between the stated need to "mow" Rabbit Run, and the obvious reason for doing it?? They could mow today!!
Second, a "Rainbow"ish thought, how about a "Virtual Line" run by a Grass Roots anointed person at a card table, who takes people's names as they appear as if to line up, and then they get to go to the head of the line on Tuesday right before the mad rush???
Third - As for the inquiry of "thee supreme grassroots elder", how about instead of a canopy a large tarp supported in the air aat the four corners by porta-potties. . . . . .
The signs are up and say the road is closed until Wednesday 3:30 pm.
The Grassroots organization, not the cops, really need to step up with leadership to avoid the chaos. The suggestion of a virtual line and queuing up somewhere like the offsite parking would solve this whole mess. As a local, I've seen year after year that not all of you are such good neighbors - trash left behind, camping in people's yards, and using a local barn for an outhouse has brought this on.
As much as it may be against the Groots culture, leadership really does work!
The GrassRoots organization is stretched thin enough as it is, I'm afraid. To our anonymous local neighbor, I ask which aspect of festival planning we should forego in order to go out and act as traffic cops, especially as we were only given two weeks notice in order to come up with any sort of plan? Prior to two weeks ago, we were told that any changes would not take place until 2009. Imagine our surprise when we discovered quite the opposite! Pardon my glib tone, but I find it quite offensive to have it suggested that we run without leadership - our group is exceedingly well-organized and hardly without leaders. Because of the sheer volume of humans, though, last-minute changes such as this one are more difficult (and expensive) to deal with than you can imagine. Already, the town leadership's flip-flopping has cost us several hundred dollars in postage and staff pay - money that would've otherwise gone to charity.
Campers, we are still getting word as to whether the signs will actually stay up until Wednesday at 3:30, or if they will be removed on Tuesday at 3:00, as was the original plan that we were given by the town. We'll let you all know as soon as we do!
Hi Megan -
Pleeezzzzeee -
Take a deep breath, grab a cold beer from somewhere, talk a nice walk out in the sunshine, sit down in the grass and look at one of the stages, and Imagine the Festival in a week. . . . .
We are in fact all really thankful for the hard work you do and are doing . . .
Now, stand back up, walk back to your workstation, take a deep breath, and then repeat the above again.
Now, when you finish this highly rated relaxation technique as many times as you need, and have a well earned and deserved smile on your face, do whatever you want to do. Just remember that it will all work out one way or another.. . . And if we campers sound a little like spoiled kids sometimes, it is appropriate to tell us where the bear went through the buckwheat sometimes. . . . . .
Megan,
Thanks for your prompt and thoughtful responses. If you are indeed the point person acting as liaison between GR management,campers and the town your job is a tough one, especially considering the time frame. The problem with organization by committee is no one person has a quick answer. As the potential chaos unfolds on Tue or Wed I hope there is one person with a radio and an answer. It wouldn't hurt to have as many volunteers as possible on the street with radios (even one is better than none). How taxing would this be on resources? Any prearranged communication could avoid potential big problems, and at least show campers you're doing something. I am willing to do what ever I can to help, even if it is simply continuing to be a considerate camper, keep my cool, and help others do the same, Khym Khymkaupelis@aol.com
I am not actually the point person here. Interestingly enough, this scenario is unique, and doesn't actually fall comfortably into any of our areas of coverage, and we're doing our best to work as a team.
We're going to have some of our volunteer security force doing their best to help campers line up in an orderly way. There's not much more that we can do. They probably will not have all of the answers that you're looking for, but we can't lose a staff person in the office at that time.
i am going to be on rabbit run on tuesday... i will be happy with whatever spot as long as i get a spot... i hope everyone is relaxed and in the groots spirit...but hopefully next year we wont have as many issues... maybe open offsite earlier... i dunno, but as prices go up, space is being negated, camping and parking ect...somethings got to give.
Can a vehicle be parked in line & left unattended from Tues after the appointed time until Thursday a.m.?
I certainly do NOT recommend leaving your car unattended in line. Though it's not likely that anything would happen to it, it just doesn't seem like a good idea to me. There's no official rule from our end, as all activities outside the gate and off our property are not legally our responsibility, but again, I can't recommend it.
this is my 7th festival (so I'm a relative rookie)- we'll can't get there until Friday this year - can we camp on Rabbit Run Road once the festival starts?
a good rule for camping, and the texas rv parks also use this as the good thing about this rule is, that people did not mess with each others or with the organizing staff.
as one got a lot of facilities at rv parks and in return they want us to abide by the rules and regulations. so everyone enjoyed fully without any problem.
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