So… tickets are sold out - well, not exactly but i have one ticket and one camping pass traveling from Nashville - do people go by themselves? I think I can do it… but is this a norm?
people certainly travel to telluride alone…
for my first telluride, i made the trip by myself and drove from asheville.
and lucky me, i met a wonderful young lady on the forum who ended up riding back with me to asheville, because she had also traveled to telluride by herself. and now we’re married! :love
i would almost go as far to say that, going to telluride solo may the best way to experience the wonders of the san juan and the grandadday of all festivals for the first time. plus, you’re never really alone at telluride. there’s so many good family and festivarians that look out for one another in a general festivating manner, that i bet you’ll have nothing to worry about :thumbsup
where are you camping?
Yes, people do travel alone… But, you may want to contact Hope. She will be coming from Nashville too!
i’m camping at mary e! think it will be awesome… honestly, i think i would have more fun because no one else i know appreciates bluegrass the way i do around here (i know there are some in nashville, i just don’t know them) anyway, i can do my thing… love your story by the way - sounds like it came right out of a dream! 
and who is hope?
by the way, mr. and mrs. asheville - did y’all drive out there? what route did you take? through kansas or ok, tx, and nm? did you do it in two days? three?
lets see, as for the route out there i’d have to do some looking around to find the exact way i went… it was pretty straitforward and directly from mapquest i believe. i think i remember lots of highway 40 and 70. but the cities on the way there went like this…
day 1: asheville > st.louis
day 2: st.louis > somewhere in mid kansas…
day 3: mid kansas > denver
day 4: denver > telluride
on the way back, it wasn’t as straightforward as we went up to nederland before heading back and stopped for a night in nashville. but that trip went like…
day 1: telluride > nederland
day 2: nederland > somewhere in mid kansas
day 3: mid kansas > nashville
day 4: nashville > asheville
so i guess the drive took four days each way. from nashville, i bet you could do it in 3 days if you’re comfortable with long drive times (at least 8-10 hours) each day.
I’ve done 40 many times cross-country. It’s pretty easy from ABQ- Nashville. . It takes me 3 full days from Tucson to Nashville w/ kids and only myself driving.
I used to make it from Northern California to Telluride in two days, but I guess I was just obsessed with getting there. :lol
Get outta my way… I’m heading to Telluride… :drive
:drive :drive Tom :evil Better pull over man… It’s only 19 and a half hours from San Francisco :giggle :giggle
:peace
I’ll be traveling alone too and also staying at Mary e illium
And I’ve seen pictures of your speedometer hitting 120 mph. 
It was another 6 or so from Eureka and I had to sleep at some point. :wave
Ok Chard24,
I’m Auntie Hope and I live in Nashville. I have a “feeling” we may have already met somewhere around town.
I live and work in South Nashville. Which part of town to you live/work/hang?
I’m off work Monday (today) and and will be out and about for coffee/tea. Starbuck’s at 30th and West End or Bongo Java? You pick! Let me know. I’ll send you a PM with my number. Call. :thumbsup
Ypu can find PM’s in the upper right hand corner of this screen.
DO NOT CALL BEFORE 10 AM… EVER! :lol :lol :lol
Auntie Hope :festivarian2 :green
So, around 2000, I decided to go to Telluride after many years of Merlefest and a gazillion other east coast festivals. I pulled out of Johnson City, TN on Sun. AM after breaking down my festival, Blue Plum, and headed out I-81 & I-40. I pulled into T’ride not knowing a soul orther than some of the performers and met my best friends in the world. I have never missed one since and I too am now married to a festivarian. I also left the sunny South 7 years ago and now live in the Montana Rockies. That solo trip to TBF truly changed my life, so have no doubts about doing this. And, I would strongly recommend driving I-40, turning north at Albuquerque and driving one of the most beautiful stretchs of road on the earth, 550. The biggest downside to driving alone is that you have to pay attention to the road and not the scenery.
Peace,
Ellen
Lots of people go to Telluride Bluegrass alone.
Nobody Festivates alone.
Nobody leaves alone.
Nobody returns alone.
:thumbsup
It’s all good. I live in a small town where I’m the only local I know who goes to festivals. I’ve travelled to Wakarusa, Sonic Bloom, Desert Rocks, Rhythms on the Rio, Rocky Grass, Red Rocks… many shows over many years. Usually solo. Never alone. Never lonely.
I sometimes feel guilty about the one person in a car thing, but my '95 Geo gets over 40 mpg, and like I said, I don’t know anyone in my neck of the woods with which to carpool. My wife prefers staying home with the dogs, and they’re all there for me when my weary bones get home, so I don’t exactly mind if my Geo ain’t exactly a babe-magnet, if ya know what I mean.
Man, that is soooo true!!! Newbies don’t need to worry about being alone for long. They all get sucked in pretty quickly.
That’s awesome! :thumbsup I knew there must be other people who had a similar experience to us 
Falling in love with a festival, falling in love with the people, falling in love with the mountains… :love
After my initial trip I knew I was hooked, and living in the Blue Ridge Mountains with my festivarian hubby is the best choice I’ve ever made in my life!
As for your driving suggestions, I definitely want us to try out 550 on our way out this year!