Last-minute: luxe living at Burning Man with RV package

Still not sure about committing to a hot and sandy week at Burning Man, Aug. 25 to Sept. 1, 2008, in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada? If you don’t like to play dirty and you’ve got some (substantial) cash to spare, you might want to consider going in an RV. If so, you’d better act now.

I called several RV-rental companies that have long been sold out for Burning Man week. However, El Monte RV has some vehicles remaining, including a couple under its upscale “cool deal” tailored specifically for burners.

Deal: What’s the price of luxury on the playa? $11,906 (including taxes). What you’ll get is a 2008 Fleetwood Bounder 35E motor home with three sleeping areas for four adults. It will be driven to your designated camp at Burning Man on the Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of the event (price is the same, no matter which day you choose), all set up and stocked for you.

You’ll eat well and stay squeaky clean thanks to your fridge/freezer, stove, microwave, oven, sink, A/C, fresh water tank, shower, toilet and more. And forget surviving on Tasty Bites the whole week - you can preorder groceries online, which will be awaiting you. This package also includes two beach cruisers, a kitchen kit, bedding, basic liability insurance and unlimited free usage of generator, and the rental service deals with cleaning and sewage dumping at the end.

Cheaper rentals: El Monte RV still has very limited availability at a couple of its locations, including Van Nuys, for do-it-yourself rentals. There, for instance, at time of research, a 28-foot C28 motor home was available for $1,882 (pre-tax), for Aug. 25 to Sept. 2, 2008 (offices are closed on Labor Day, so you won’t be able to drop off any of these DIY rentals on Sept. 1).

Planning for next year: If you’re skipping this year but considering the RV route in 2009, plan way, way ahead. Some people, according to the staff person I spoke with at El Monte RV, book their RVs for Burning Man 11 or 12 months ahead of time.

Contact: El Monte RV, (800) 367-3687

RVs at the festival are “equally loved and abhorred by participants,” according to the Burning Man website.

What are your thoughts? Have you traveled to Black Rock City in an RV?

- Susan Derby, Special to the Los Angeles Times

[Photo: ElMonteRV.com]

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at 5:06 pm by Susan Derby and is filed under Festival, Lake Tahoe & Eastern Sierra, Last Minute, Luxury Travel, Outdoors & Adventure, Summer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.