I left Delaware around 3pm and drove straight to Manchester, TN. Took about 18-20 hours total including rest stops and food breaks. While passing through southwest Virginia I ran headlong into a thunderstorm, which caused zero visibility while driving on two lanes next to tractor trailers. Somehow I survived and enjoyed views of lightening over the Applician Mountains once I got out of the path. Simply beautiful. I stopped for two hours at a rest stop about ten miles south of the farm to catch up on some sleep.
Thursday, June 9th
After waking up already drowning in the hippie Bonnaroo crowd. At least 30 cars or Rvs where parked around, most occupants either sitting on the grass talking or passed out in their cars. I drove down to the next exit and filled up on gas. (I'd heard many horror stories about the wait to get into the farm) Twenty minutes later I'm on the tail end of a 4-hour wait to get into the farm, and I already have to go to the bathroom. Along the access roads (the main line is on the highway shoulder and then takes an exit and follows some country (access) roads for about a mile or two. Many people looking for tickets, selling necklaces, giving out water bottles, and the like. Once I reached the security checkpoint it was hell. I got through fine, other people no so lucky. The girls in the van next to me had a ton of beer in glass bottles (glass is a huge no-no, barefoot people are the reason). One old beat-up van broke down 10 feet after the toll, the occupants pushed it to the campgrounds I believe. From there the line moved smoothly, even though I ended up a good mile walk from Centeroo (the actual venue). After parking, setting up my tent, getting to know a few neighbors and checking out the map, I set out. After reaching Centeroo I try to get used to the layout and names of the different stages (Which Stage, This Tent, That Tent, What Stage, The Other Tent, etc.). I knew I'd get lost at some point during the festival, which I did, for about an hour. It started raining later in the day and this is where all the mud came from. I spent the rest of the day walking around sitting in on some breakdancing groups, belly dancers and a few bands.
Friday, June 10th
I woke up around 9am to people listening to radios, talking and extreme heat. Even though I had the shade of the trees on my side my tent was baking. I would swip off the sweat on my forehead and not even 10 seconds later new sweat would take its place, no joking. I spent all day in Centeroo listening to Joss Stone, Allman Brothers Band, Dave Matthews Band, Brazilian Girls and Mars Volta. Of course I walked through and listened to others but I have no clue who they were, I was having enough trouble going from point A to point B.
Saturday, June 11th
Saturday I saw Kings of Leon, Gov't Mule, Xavier Rudd, Yonder Mountain String Band, OAR, Jack Johnson, Keller Williams, Widespread Panic, Trey Anastaio, Secret Machines and many more. Half way though Widespread I got bored with the corwd. I had ended up up front and the crowd was a little to jumpy for me. So I headed over to the smallers stages and ended up watching people play at Sonic Village (light poles that have motion sensors that make the pole blink or chirp. Apparently a group of drummers had gathered in the middle of the forest and had a large crowd around them dancing. Compeletely amazing are the only words I have to describe that.
Sunday, June 12th
The last day of Bonnaroo started just as the other days, sticky and hot. By now the mud from Thursday was ankle deep or more in most places. Flipflops were death traps, a booth selling new slip proof clog things had a pile of at least 1,000 rubber flipflops. People were handing the money over the pile of shoes to buy new pairs. Today was Amos Lee, Umphrey's McGee, Citizen Cope, My Morning Jacket, Modest Mouse, Donna the Buffalo and another Widespread show. While walking back to the campgrounds I joined a group of kids from Kansas, one obviously tripping on something crazy. He points out to everyone the beautiful 'Bonnaroo Sunset' that is setting over Centeroo. The moment will be with me forever: Covered in mud up to my butt, not bathed in 5 days yet enjoying a beautiful pink and blue sky.
Monday, June 13th
I wake up at 7am with almost all my neighbors gone except the ones directly surounding me, meaning I can't leave until they do. After two hours there's a hole and I follow an SUV to the entrance, weaving in and out of people still camping, garbage and mud holes. Two cars are already stuck in mud at the exit so the line leaving my campground has to go around them...over garbage and the like. Once I make it to the access roads it's smooth sailing until I hit traffic for an hour south of Manchester. Half the cars around were Bonnaroo cars, some with windows broken out (whethere from locking keys or people being retarded). Fianlly the parking lot formerly known at Rt 24 lets up and I don't hit traffic until I reach Washington DC. I stop in a Perkins in some little north Tennesse town and eat by myself, covered in mud and smelling (although I can't smell anything but I'm sure I do). I reach home and discover two sores from my flipflops (one which is now a scar). The shower I took upon arriving home was the best shower in my life.
