How to prepare for your first visit to Ivanpah

Quote: Originally posted by RonH

IB2 is a 1st for all!! I do remember my 1st trip to NABX... The rooms are cheap enough that sharing with 1 other is ok. Vegas is 30 - 40 min out without traffic!!! I know the guys in Vegas have received gear before. How to dress - Hot, Cold = yes Playa Dust - I think it's still coming out of places:o Quote: Originally posted by MyAikenCheeks   How about some planning tips for some of us that are thinking about coming out to IB2 for the first time BB? How many people can we stuff into a room at Buffalo Bills? I haven't used the code to see the price, know about what a room cost per night and do they give weekly rates with the code? Aren't there cheap rooms in Las Vegas? And how far is Vegas away from the playa? What about the shipping of gear? Ship to who where? My bug weights in at about a 100 pounds. Did you ever ship one from South Georgia out there? I would think the cost 2 ways would be $$$ with insurance and all. Are there other things for us to think about? As to driving, I always see my drv. moving time and total time on my GPS when I'm on the road. Seems to be a pretty good difference. And with an RV if you push the envelope they just suck down the fuel by 100 dollar bills. Your mostly right about things BB. Anything else for us to think about? Road checks for illegals? Have our shot records up to date? Is there Cell phone service? How to dress, hot and or cold? and how about that dust? Help us out BB. :puzzled:

Ron gave very good advice. I'll fill in a little.

On the rooms, at $32 a night on the weekdays, it should be very economical to share with one other or splurge on yourself and have a room to yourself. You have to use the room code to get those prices. There are rooms in Vegas for $25-30 a night on weekdays, but that's with a 30-40 minute drive each way every day and the weekend premium will cost you more.

You can ship to my house or Brian Holgate's. Just let me know you would like to and I'll give you the address. To make it easy on yourself, save your boxes and pre arrange your return shipping. We will help with receiving your stuff, storing it, and dropping it off at the shipper of your choice but would require you have preprinted shipping labels so it's just a drop off. I live 12 minutes from the airport and closer to the rental car spot, so you can be on your way to the playa quicklyafter stopping by to get your gear. Depending on volume, I don't mind getting some stuff to Ivanpah for participants if it works for both of us. As far as the cost of shipping, weight and volume costs money. Don't bring the bigfoot tires so you don't wear them out and don't have to pay for that big heavy box they fill up. Setting up an account with Fedex or UPS is free and not very hard to do. It gives you a discount and you can get an even better deal by printing out your own shipping labels yourself. Return labels are just as easy as checking a box when you set up your shipment to here.

For driving speed and fuel mileage, I'm questioning if the rented RV is an economic alternative. Add up the rental and the high fuel costs compared to your car or a rental car that gets triple the mileage and can cruise at 70-75 mph all day along with the cheap hotels, and you will have to decide if the RV is worth it for you. You can be diligent and make it in 2 days in a car, but an RV will require at least 3 if not 4 days each way. Do the math and add in your desires for the trip and a decision will float to the top. Seeing the country is interesting, and most so in NM and AZ IMHO at least on I 40.

No road checks unless you take the long way around into California. Don't bring fruit, vegetables, or plants through the Needles checkpoint or they likely end their trip there. They took my apple one time so been there and done that.

No one will care about your shots. No mosquitoes to speak of in the desert. Not really many bugs at all. Cell service is great for me with Verizon all over the playa and into Vegas. I'm not sure about other carriers. Wifi can be really weak in the hotel. Don't count on speed there, but you might get lucky .

For weather planning, you need to remember it's mid spring and you can get the whole range. You could need sunscreen, or a ski parka. Typically, I'll be wearing jeans or shorts and a sweatshirt and maybe a jacket to layer in the morning and shed during the day as it warms up. Mid day, you could be seeking shade and be in shorts and a tshirt.

Yes it can be dusty. This time of year not so much but there is still some. More traffic and higher winds increases the dust but you just deal with it. It washes off you in the shower and on your most fun days, you will turn the shower water brown for awhile. Make sure to wash EVERYWHERE, particularly if you don't wear a full face helmet. When you ride, there will be a low pressure area behind you and it's full of dust. Your moms advice to wash behind and in your ears really applies in this situation. A full face helmet keeps your ears clean.

Bring something to put your garbage in, since there is no one to clean up after us but us and so when we leave, if everyone pulls their weight, we don't get fined and look like good stewards of the treasure that Ivanpah is to wind riders.

Bring plenty of water with you and have snacks and lunch with you each day. There are many restaurants in the casinos and in and in front of the outlet mall, but the closest is a 10-12 minute drive off the playa. Come out planning to stay the day for your convenience.

The thing with the water is that you have to remember to drink it. Grab a drink every time you stop riding. It's hard to make yourself do it but you can drink alot and still be dehydrating yourself through the day. The air is dry and you will be having so much fun you won't realize you are working hard. You are sweating but you'll never see it on your skin. Some sort of lip protection is huge as well. I've ended up with cracked lips every year I've been. It's preventable if you keep something on your lips to keep them from drying out (and remember to drink your water).

It's a good idea to have some sort of storage on your buggy to keep an extra kite or 2 and some water. My first year, I would decide which kite would be best for the average wind, have a brown trouser moment or 2 with it, come in, size down, realize it's still too much kite, and usually my second downsize would be the right size. Most of your fun riding will be with kites under 4 meters for fixed bridle kites (think 2.5-3.5 most of the time). For our HQ Montanas, usually the 7 or 9 m kites are fine. If you fly Arcs, a 9-12m will be just right almost all the time. There are days when a steady wind will blow for a large portion of the day that is too light for the kites I just described. I've flown 18 and 19m arcs, 14-15m depower foils and 10+m fixed bridle kites on these light wind days but it's generally harder flying, and you can get stranded miles from camp. You did pack a water bottle right?

If you get stranded, you can put a foot where your siderails connect to your downtube and kick your buggy back to camp like a skateboard while you hold onto the top of the fork. I always have a tow strap in case I have a flat or for some reason can't skate back to camp. I've used it to tow guys back to camp before too, if they damaged their kite or tangled their lines.

If you get injured or have an equipment malfunction and you can't get back into camp the old fashioned way, there will be event numbers you can call if you need emergency help. Whoever is on duty, will bring a vehicle out to help you or bring you back to camp.

If you get more than a mile away from camp, you might lose sight of cars parked at camp. Further out and you can lose sight of camp altogether. Don't worry, you can make your way back across the lakebed and camp will come back into view.

Don't leave your kites staked out on the playa so they are scooting back and forth. You could ruin your kite in a few hours easily from abrasion with the surface. Fold up and secure your kite if you are stopping. When riding, don't allow a downed kite to be dragged on the surface with tight lines. You can destroy your kite in 50-100 feet in certain conditions. If I have a kite luff, I immediately turn in a circle downwind and ride around the kite, stopping when I get upwind again. Loose lines won't damage the kite. If you need to assist your kite, it's not very easy to put a kite stake in the lakebed surface. I keep a bungee on the buggy to lock the fork in a turning position and hook my break loops to a carabiner on my side rails to hold my kite in place. You can also turn your buggy upside down. A 25 mph wind can easily blow your buggy away since the rolling resistance is so low. Secure it in higher winds.

Let me know if I created more questions or failed to mention something.

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Phillip, did you not have dust collect on the damp mouthpiece after drinking? Are there mouthpieces that get around this somehow? This is your chance to extol the virtues of being in the front of the pack and thus you didn't notice this problem I speak of.

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

Phillip, did you not have dust collect on the damp mouthpiece after drinking? Are there mouthpieces that get around this somehow? This is your chance to extol the virtues of being in the front of the pack and thus you didn't notice this problem I speak of.

Look for a camel back with a dust cap over the drinking valve. They sometimes cost a little more for those types of bladders or you can buy a replacement cap. You might have to look for a military type version. The problem is I don't know if these options are particularly hands free.

Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob

Phillip, did you not have dust collect on the damp mouthpiece after drinking? Are there mouthpieces that get around this somehow? This is your chance to extol the virtues of being in the front of the pack and thus you didn't notice this problem I speak of.

You let Philip pass you? :puzzled: Mistake #1 :frog:

Quote: Originally posted by USA_Eli_A

Shopping? I think there is a Costco near by.

if youre flying in and getting a rental car

there is a 24 Hour Walmart
6005 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV, United States ‎
Mccarran Marketplace

Quote: Originally posted by ripsessionkites

Do you offer shuttle service too?

Yes, but you have to be a minimum height to ride.

Now I know how Dino used to feel!

Seriously, I'll help out if my schedule allows.

Quote: Originally posted by DAKITEZ

He fits perfect in a booster seat. But he has to sit in the back seat .. its the law.

seriously that's all you could come up with? you're getting old in your old age in the 50 km/h club. :moon:

hows the taco stand? are you serving some up at the event this year.

Quote: Originally posted by Bladerunner

I know it is someplace but can somebody please post the address for the 24 hr Wallmart closest to the airport? Does it sell groceries as well as everything else? I don't get in until a bit late and will need to go there. Thanks

2310 E Serene Ave
Las Vegas, NV

This one is very handy from the airport and the closest to Ivanpah as well. It's a full supercenter Walmart. All adult beverages are available as well.

Quote: Originally posted by DAKITEZ

He fits perfect in a booster seat. But he has to sit in the back seat .. its the law.

He has to face backwards also behind the passenger seat. :frog:
Who makes buggies that small? Having a hard time finding buggies for my 2 yr old nephew!

Quote: Originally posted by USA_Eli_A

Quote: Originally posted by DAKITEZ   He fits perfect in a booster seat. But he has to sit in the back seat .. its the law. He has to face backwards also behind the passenger seat. :frog: Who makes buggies that small? Having a hard time finding buggies for my 2 yr old nephew!

GT does, lol.