There comes a moment, between that time when the last partier has zipped up the tent in the primitive grounds or the RV door has closed for the night, and when the crews start setting the stage for the early morning sound check, that the darkened music festival fairgrounds belong to the silence. The sun hasn’t snuck up on the horizon, and the chorus of crickets is still in full-throated – or stridulating -glory.
For those cursed with the circadian rhythm of a cricket and who rise before the sun, what can you to do have fun before the crew has awakened? Maybe an outing that can wedge a little more adventure into your 24-hour day.
I got to thinking about this after reading a thread on a Facebook RV fan site about the conundrum of early risers in the campgrounds (yeah, admittedly a First-World dilemma). Some said they power up the Kindles or iPads. Some crack a book. Some flip the switch on the coffee maker they prepped the night before.
I’ll often grab the laptop, pray for an Internet connection, and try to bang out some words for my paying clients.
With #RoadtripMojo, we have our own approach. We’ll flip on the percolator and serve up some morning joe for our fellow campers. I might open the outdoor kitchen and start frying up some bacon. Nothing like the aroma of bacon on the skillet to stir the masses.
But sometimes, when we rise even earlier, it’s an opportunity to – as the cruise line says – “Get Out There!” It’s space and place rarely explored when multiple stages are serving up back-to-back sets ‘til long after the sun goes back down.
Most festivals suggest festival goers bring bikes to ease the distance. When you can turn a 15-minute trek from one stage to the next into a five-minute ride, you can get a great perch in front of the stage, or you can see more of the surroundings, or you can hang at the campsite a little longer.
They also suggest folk explore the grounds less traveled. So, we unpack the bikes from the pick-up beds or unhitch them from the bike racks and set out to see what’s around us. Whether at Spirit of Suwannee Music Park or The Farm of the Lockn’ Music Festival, there’s much to explore – even before the masses arise.
At Wanee Festival, we ride around the 800-acre park, up through the primitive campsites and down to the end of River Road and the banks of the Suwannee River. It’s inspiring to catch the river’s daily awakening.
Lockn’ boasts miles of well-prepped bike paths, perfect for exploring. So we’d awaken early mornings and set out to see the festival grounds and the impressive art installations and creative spaces.
Besides, many music parks and festival grounds are in the boonies where Internet access is worse than – well – Internet access on a good day.
When you struggle to cram 25 hours of music and exploration into a 24-hour day, waking early, plotting your day, and mounting your bike can help maximize your adventure. Best you start before dawn, especially when you suffer the circadian rhythm of crickets.