The Godforsaken Thorn-Infested Horse Patch, LOT 4

[bobert]

Despite arriving mid-day on Thursday when Lot 8 was still half-empty, somehow my crew ended up in the left lane of the dirt road routing traffic into the campgrounds. Everyone in the right lane got prime spots in Lot 8. We were sent to the far corner of Lot 4 where the tortures of the damned awaited me and my fellow campers. I could have learned to live with the 20 minute walk to the festival entrance that effectively ruined any reasonable opportunities for in and outs. The dry yellow crab-grass was a poor excuse for the polo turf in lot 8, but I could have learned to live with that too. Even the inexcusable number porta potties could have been tolerated, but the real cherry on top of this shit sundae was the thorns. Every square inch of dirt in that shit hole was blanketed in a layer of small thorn-like prickly burs. These things were like nature's caltrops. The exact source of the thorns was never determined though my girlfriend assures me they're common in the desert. I have some theories about their origin. I believe they came from hell.

This morning I woke up covered in dirt. I literally had to peel my eyes open and when I did I noticed that every item in my tent shared the same coating of dirt. Things came out of my nose that I won't even attempt to describe. Musically this was one of the best Coachellas I've ever been to but I think this was the last year I'll ever camp.

[algunz]

Those baby heads were horrible. We got 3 flat tires.

[JMANLBC]

Were you car camping? Gotta bring a tarp and lay it on the floor. Camping in the desert aint easy. Sorry you had such a rough time

[bennimon]

I'm still pulling thorns/stickers out of my ass. LOT 4 is NOT where you want to be if you're car camping weekend 2.

[Vic Viper]

thanks for making this thread; agreed 100% on all counts; really just an inexcusable "fuck you" from goldenvoice. this is the first time i've ever actually put thought and effort into writing a formal complaint to a faceless company that will probably use my letter as toliet paper, but i have to say something.

goldenvoice for fuck's sake re-sod Lot 4 if you intend on using it for camping again next year.

[Drewski27]

I, too, was in that terrible place. The thorns were the first thing I noticed being that I have always taken my shoes off to feel the grass. Well, there really wasn't any grass to feel but I went ahead anyways and immediately regretted it. Then there was the porta potties. Or should I say the lack of them. Several times I was tempted to piss through the fence out of contempt and a full bladder. But for me, the undigested corn kernel on a steaming pile of shit was the fact that there were no showers in the lot. Even though there is a little icon on the map saying otherwise, we had to walk all the way to lot 7. I wouldn't bitch too much about the walk if it wasn't for the fucking thorns. Jesus fuck. I have always had a great time camping but this was an atrocity.

[lt.roast.a.botch]

Drove through lot 4 on the way out today and couldn't believe they used that lot for camping. It was in poor shape. I also heard about the shower situation or the lack of. I would be upset as well.

[xuclarockerx]

Glad I'm not the only one disappointed a bit with camping this year; this sounds near identical to my situation. Last year we showed up at 10pm and got a pretty decent Lot 7 spot, first row in front of showers before Broadway I think. This year - 3pm entry to security line, got in before 5, BOOM Lot 4. And not just Lot 4, but the last car on the row, so we were by the back entrance for companion parking I imagine. The thorns were annoying but the far walk to anything was the worst. Also NO showers despite marking on the map.

Side note #1: Got crickets in my tent Friday night and I'm a pussy with critters so I slept in the car. This was not a problem last year, not sure if the shit location had anything to do with it.

Side note #2: My little melodica instrument was jacked which pissed me the fuck off. If it's legit not allowed, fine, but I perused the not allowed lists pretty thoroughly so if I'm wrong show me where.

[Kropladop]

My group was the second group to be sent into Hell. First thing I do after setting up is throw off my shoes. I had a splinter within an hour of getting to Coachella. Sure the shit and puke infested porta potties and the lack of showers sucked but what really killed me were all the fucking flies in that lot. And of course the walk was fucking cruel, especially for people that got there early. I know its a big fest and theres a lot of shit to coordinate but I paid over $400 to have (if not the greatest time ever) a similar expierience to everyone else paying out their ass to have the experience advertised by Goldenvoice. Lot 4 was the "We take your money and shit down your throat, sue us" lot.

[Y0UNGBL00D]

damn, i was already concerned about not getting into indio early enough on thursday to get a lot 8 spot...

[Rynoo]

Did everyone that get lot 4 use the group meetup are? Im thinking that's what fucked us. We all went down that left lane when we wanted the right. Fuck lot 4, sanuks were the worst shoes to have because you would just collect those damn things. And no showers really. Fuck gvs planning.

[Vic Viper]

Did everyone that get lot 4 use the group meetup are? Im thinking that's what fucked us. We all went down that left lane when we wanted the right. Fuck lot 4, sanuks were the worst shoes to have because you would just collect those damn things. And no showers really. Fuck gvs planning.

i walked in ahead of my group and it didn't matter what lane you were in, they were alternating between each lot. i stood and watched them do this at least a few times to try and understand what the logic was. there wasn't any to be found.

[KungFuJoe]

If I were to drive in Friday morning when gates open is it likely i'd get stuck in lot 4? I'm going to do everything I can to avoid that shit, especially since I'm probably going to be heading in solo.

[amyzzz]

Arrive to camping at 9am on Thursday, next time -- green grass as far as the eye can see and you're right by the entrance.

[bemerritt]

this happened to us as well. needless to say we were pissed and will be arriving by nine next year instead of one.

[JustSteve]

Arrive to camping at 9am on Thursday weekend 1, next time -- green grass as far as the I can see and you're right by the entrance.

fixed

[ww_crimson]

Fuck everything about Lot 4, except for the people. Does anyone know the best way to write to golden voice? email? paper letter? addressed to a coachella group vs the HQ? I have a lot of shit to say that I want them to hear... the first post in this thread barely touches on how terrible Lot 4 was.

[KungFuJoe]

Lot 4 is where they had the tent only campers camp last year right? That was shitty. It was nice where they had the tent only campers park, but the grounds for the actual camping were shit. You'd think they would've figured that out last year.

[vertin]

Got through security around 3:30 Thursday and was directed left past lot 7 and into 4. I was really pissed initially and wanted to drive and do my own thing because I could see that 8 was only half full..we ended up getting close to the exit/entrance of 4 so it wasn't terrible..what sucked was no showers and all the thorns in the grass! I wore shoes all weekend and didn't bother barefoot..the walk kinda sucked but I skipped the car camping entrance lines by cutting down street 109 and going through the other entrance which had way shorter lines..it's super lame though that the veterans who arrived early didn't all get in lot 8 like they deserve

[scenicworld]

I was in lot 4 and I really didn't like being down there. we got there early enough to have a good spot, but it seemed like large groups were punished and forced to the farthest lot while there was still a lot of spots in lot 8. I really hated having to wear shoes while in my camp site just so I didn't step on those fucking thorn things every 2 steps. I take a lot of rugs, but by the second and third day, those things were all over the rugs and even in the tents so there was really no safe haven. I mean, I even stepped on one while driving home!!

I was the lead car of our 15 cars and I was waiting for the attendant to stop traffic and let our group in. instead of allowing us to merge, the guy said "don't you want to go this way?" and I just pointed to the right and leaned out my window to talk to him but he didn't really want to listen to me and just told me to get moving.

[Vic Viper]

Lot 4 is where they had the tent only campers camp last year right? That was shitty. It was nice where they had the tent only campers park, but the grounds for the actual camping were shit. You'd think they would've figured that out last year.

lot 4 has been day parking for the past several years.

tent camping last year was the area in the southeast corner of lot 4 where they had a bunch of RVs and other equipment penned up this year. i'm not sure why lot 5 was not used for camping this year as i remember the grass being much nicer in that field than in lot 4; not to mention it would've cut about 7-8 minutes off our walks to and from camp.

[eatsugardienow]

Having to pull thorns out of my shoes every 8 steps and the walk to the festival was the worst. Most of my cash went to the bikers that were transporting people all day. No way would I have made it all day if I had to do that death march every time to and back from the festival.

[michaele]

my group of friends who have always camped (except for me) didn't even want to talk about camping this year, and they always love it! lot 4 seemed to be a dark dark place. any pictures?

[ww_crimson]

Not much to take pictures of. The thorns were embedded into the grass and not visible to the naked eye. One time I reached down to push in a tent stake and had a thorn jam up my finger nail.. There were no showers to take pictures of, and there were very few porta potties to take pictures of.

[xuclarockerx]

Paging Dani to thread...

[coachellalove]

STAY AWAY FROM LOT 4!!! Still picking thorns from muh feet.

[ww_crimson]

I wrote a pretty long email to info@coachella.com about this. I also submitted it via the goldenvoice.com contact form. Anyone know of another good place to send it?

I'm fucking torqued that I spent the same money for lot 4 that people paid for campsites with ample bathrooms, showers, grass, and water fill stations.

[SpicySammich]

Fuk! I am nervous as shit that my group will end up here! i will bust through security if we start going that route! I am taking some newbies and dont want them to suffer through this as they already have a negative outlook on the camping.

[Corona89]

Damn that lot sounds like a nightmare. My buddy and I are leaving around 8-9 tomorrow, hoping to be at the fields by 10 or 11. How would one suggest we avoid the dreaded lot 4? Stay on the right side?

[xuclarockerx]

They'll get a lot of complaints but not enough to justify doing anything about it. Your voices will be miniscule.