An Introvert’s Week at Wasteland Weekend 2024

Outside the front gates of Wasteland City.

Sometimes, when you return from a trip, the highlight comes not from the things that happened on the trip but from the fact the trip even took place at all.

As I continue to reflect on all the crazy and fascinating things I experienced at Wasteland Weekend 2024, my mind continues to drift back to being fascinated I even made it out to the desert in the first place. Ten months ago, I discovered Wasteland Weekend and tried as hard as I could to sell my friends on the event. Pleading with them to join me on this adventure but to no avail.

I was met with, what felt like, countless “if it's great, I'll go next time”s. In years past, I would have dropped it there. This time was different. After talking about the event with my incredible wife, she was my constant encouragement to go out and do the thing.

So I did.

When tickets became available, I jumped at the chance and started my preparations in earnest. I slowly accumulated the required camping and survival gear. I built out a costume. I scoured the various wasteland groups to try to glean as many tips and tricks as I could to get out in the dirt by myself.

But for all those months, anxiety and fear lurked in the darkest places of my mind. Why should I waste my time? Why should I waste my money? There were so many times I wanted to call off the trip because of massive self doubt.

But I didn't.

Finally, the week came and I packed my bags multiple times in preparation. I used every inch and every pound of my two 50lbs checked bags to fit everything I had amassed. Frankly, there's still a ton of stuff I wish I had but it was enough. Hopefully, I would be too.

Wednesday

Somehow, I found myself sitting at the airport. Bags of camping equipment and costumes checked and on their way to the plane and me sitting by myself staring out the window.

I'm doing it.

Once I arrived in California, I grabbed my bags and rushed to get my car and head towards the desert. However, I needed to get supplies first. Food, water, cooking supplies. All the things I couldn't shove into my luggage or take on a plane.

And let me tell you, it was a cluster. Spilling water in the car, forgetting a bunch of things and making additional stops. Until finally, I made the turn onto ‘Rosewood Blvd’ outside California City. I was greeted with the Wasteland Salute as I turned and slowly drove down what seemed like an endless dirt road. Every half mile or so, there was a sign to tune into Wasteland Radio or to stop by the Last Chance Casino. I was here. However, there was a line. A really long line.

An hour later, and a couple signatures on some paperwork, I was in! Now to pick a spot. I drove around, trying to find a good spot to pitch my tent. I finally settled on a patch of dirt out in the Northern Outskirts. It was about as far from Wasteland City as you could be but it was home. That is…after I set up my tent, which was a struggle. The W(ind) decided that was the perfect time to pick up and I had a hell of a time getting even the first stakes into the ground. Luckily, some passersby stopped and helped me. I might still be struggling with it if they hadn’t stopped.

After I got everything setup in my tent and cooked some dinner, I donned my costume in the desert for the first time and made my way to town. It was a solid quartermile from my tent to the gates.

To put it mildly, I was overwhelmed. There. Is. So. Much. Going. On. At. All. Times.

Parties, variety shows, concerts; I had no idea where to start or what to do and, spoiler alert, that became an underlying theme for me. I wandered around the city until I couldn’t keep my eyes open and then went to sleep.

Thursday

After my complete confusion the night before, I sat down with my journal and event schedule to pick out a few things to do.

Feral Children’s Kindergarten
RC Death Race
1/64 Diecast Race
Jugger Match

I had ample time between events, so I figured I could do some bounty hunting or something between things.

Just one of countless Mad Max style cars

First things first, I dropped off my mixer donation for the Atomic Cafe and then visited the Slammer to pick up my first bounty poster before Feral Children’s Kindergarten.

Kindergarten on my first full day was a GREAT idea. They introduced a whole batch of newbies to a bunch of different tribes and theme camps. Midway through one of the visits, I spotted my first bounty and immediately challenged him to the customary rock-paper-scissors battle in the middle of the street. Unfortunately, I lost and he escaped.

Right after Kindergarten, I made my way over to the RC Death Race and that was a blast. So much chaos and so many little cars making big jumps. By the end of the races, it was past noon and I was hungry so I made the hike back to camp to eat and get out of the sun for a bit. Spoiler alert: the desert dries out bread and turns it into toast QUICK.

After lunch, I made my way to 7 Sisters Petroleum for the 1/64 Diecast race. I would have won if one of the other racers hadn’t gotten a giant head-start. It’s fine though, it was fun seeing all the little cars people had made.

Then I sat in the shade outside the DXC (a saloon) until the Slow Motorcycle Race. This race was hilarious. Riders in these apocalypse-styled motorcycles trying to be the last ones across the finish line without their feet touching the dirt. It was a hoot. I then wandered for a little while before making my way back to camp to rest, eat dinner and hydrate. I ended up staying in camp until a little after 6pm.

I knew I wanted to be at the main stage by 7pm for the Jugger match, so I headed that way and caught the end of a wrestling match as well. The wrestling match was silly but the Jugger match was a highlight of the day. It’s an absolutely crazy sport and I couldn’t get enough of it. The red team won, go them!

After the match, I wandered around a bit more, trying to be more adventurous until I saw some lights at the Thunderdome. I made a beeline to the dome so I could have a front row spot. While a crowd gathered, I ended up talking to some veterans who gave me some great insight on how to make my second full day much better.

Watching as the crowd grew ON TOP of the Thunderdome was insane.

The Thunderdome. Wow. There aren’t enough adjectives to properly describe just how cool the Thunderdome was. From the incredibly artsy pregame show to an awesome DJ to crazy light effects to the over-the-top fights; it was so much better than I even imagined it could be. Watching people climb up the structure to get a better view and then the chanting and cheering during the event. Just. Wow.

The action inside the Thunderdome was so fun.

Friday

I was determined to make Friday the best day yet. I knew I could do it. My to-do list for the day:

RC Death Race
Car Show
Last Blade of the Wastes

Side bar, it got SO COLD Thursday night. I was shivering. I knew it was going to get chilly at night but I never expected it to get as cold as it got.

I started my Friday off by getting a new bounty poster; spoiler alert - I never found this guy and I was pretty disappointed about it. After the poster, I made my way over to the Apocs to do my first quest. In world, the Apocs are squabbling with the Scofield Drifters but the Drifters were their main contact for bandages. As such, I was tasked with taking a bundle of herbs to Last Rites (I think), who traded me a bottle of sarsaparilla which is what the Drifters love to drink. I then made my way over to the Drifters who gave me bandages in exchange for the drink. Then it was back to the Apocs, who gave me a drink ticket to their bar as a reward. It was a simple task but it finally helped me feel comfortable in the dirt. I can’t thank the Apocs enough for unknowingly helping me feel like I could actually do something other than wander around in the heat.

Then, I had to catch the RC Death Race. It was just as entertaining as the first day.

After that, I made my way back to my tent for lunch and a bit of rest before returning to town to catch the end of the Car Show. I still can’t believe some of the incredible feats of engineering and design that people brought out. It was incredible.

Then I decided to volunteer with the Wasteland Communication Corporation’s post office and deliver some mail. My very first delivery ended up being my favorite moment from the entire week.

I was tasked with delivering mail to a ‘Sgt. Pants’ at the Rabid Radstag Saloon. Based off all my wandering, I knew exactly where that was. Upon arrive at the saloon, I noticed that everyone seemed to be in a bit of a tizzy.

“Hey, everyone, I have a delivery for a Sgt. Pants?” I announced.

“Sorry to tell you, but he just got captured,” someone replied. “If you want to join up with the NCR, you can be a part of the rescue team to get him back and complete your job.”

I, of course, said yes and was immediately recruited into the New California Republic Militia. I got an official armband and everything. After a quick ‘draught of courage’, a group of about 20 of us marched down mainstreet, brandishing our weapons. We stormed the Mushroom Crowd Lounge and, after a terse exchange, retrieved the captured Sgt. Pants. We made our way back to the saloon to celebrate and everyone who had been recruited was offered citizenship in the NCR if they were to complete the initiation the next day. I politely finished my initial quest of delivering mail and left the saloon.

As I walked back down main street, I couldn’t help but think about how ‘video game’ my experience was. ‘Lowly mercenary gets a delivery quest but accidentally finds himself on a military rescue mission’? It doesn’t get more video game than that!

Upon returning to the post office, I received an official WCC Volunteer cap before delivering another piece of mail. That delivery was just across the street from the post office, so it didn’t have quite as much flair attached.

After that delivery, I decided to meet with the Farlanders about delivering one of their vital containers of guzzolene. After appraising my abilities, they gave me a red container which are highly sought after by raiders in the wastes and tasked me with delivering it to the Harbingers. Down Main Street, then across Fury Road and then to Buzzard Lane. I knew my path was going to be out in the open and I had to move quickly to avoid raiders. I ducked between buildings, followed closely behind cars and motorcycles until I got past the walls of the city proper. Unfortunately, I missed the Harbinger camp at first and was ambushed by a raider. She appeared from between a row of tents with her gun drawn, demanding the container of guzzolene. However, she didn’t expect retaliation and I sent her packing after a quick game of rock-paper-scissors. I then sprinted into the Harbingers camp and dropped off the container before taking the payment medallion back to the Farlanders.

The Farlanders were very impressed with my quickdraw and storytelling skills and rewarded me with three of their currency patches. Unfortunately, I never made it to the bank to see if I could turn them into anything else.

After that quest, it was time for The Last Blade of the Wastes, a rock-paper-scissors battle royale! I made quick work of my first opponent but was struck down by my second. I got to lay in the middle of the road and was splashed with “blood” (paint) for my hard work.

The rest of the day was similar to Thursday; dinner and then Thunderdome.

Saturday

Opening of the Gate
Checking into my Flight
Capri Sun Drinking Contest
Jugger
Smashbotz

Saturday had the caveat of needing to make my way into an actual town to check-in for my flight the next day, so I planned my events around that. Additionally, I slept HARD Friday night and that was awesome.

The line of cars before the Opening of the Gate.

While waiting for the Opening of the Gate, I delivered more mail. This one was a bit more abstract ‘deliver this to someone who REALLY loves the ocean’. So, knowing I had seen a pirate ship earlier, I knew just where to go. They were excited to receive their delivery.

After delivering mail, I made sure to find a spot close to the gate for the ceremony and it was WORTH IT. They did a scene from Furiosa before the car parade and the parade was so cool (even if it didn’t feature all the cars that were there).

After the opening of the gates, I started to get a really bad heat headache and decided it would be a good idea if I went into California City earlier than expected. I spent a good while at Jesse’s Pizza in California City and it was INCREDIBLE! I was very thankful to sit in the air conditioning and sip on a cold drink for a while.

A quick fights to spike the skull during a Jugger match

After checking-in for my flight, I made a beeline back to Wasteland. Unfortunately, I was running late and missed the Capri Sun Drinking Contest but I did get to watch Jugger again. The second game was even more brutal than the first with two players having to leave due to injuries.

Unfortunately, Smashbotz was not quite as intriguing as I had hoped it would be so I wandered a bit more before giving into exhaustion and turning in early.

Sunday

My last day in the dirt, wasn’t really a day in the dirt. I knew I had to pack up my tent, pack the car, get rid of my trash, shower and make it back to the airport. As such, I didn’t get to go back into town again on the final day. Luckily, teardown went very smoothly and I was able to donate some of the items I couldn’t take with me (camping butane, my Styrofoam cooler, ect) before leaving.

Also, a shower has never felt so good.

Observations and Musings

Here are some thoughts and things that didn't really fit in any other section:

The amount of stuff going on at any given time is insane. The fact that 99.9% of everything is community driven is even more impressive.
There are scads of people who, seemingly, spend the entire day in their camp in tent city. They'd be there each time I'd walk to and from town. I'm sure many were conserving energy before the nighttime festivities but it was still impressive.
I want to get into the quest/larp scene more. My best experiences came from this part of Wasteland Weekend and I want to explore it more in the future.
Equipment ratings:

Tent: B - overall, I'm incredibly pleased with how well my tent performed, outside of how hot it got during the day. It felt like I was resting in a convection oven during my afternoon rest. I needed some kind of shade structure over the tent but I simply didn't have the space in my luggage. I definitely want a tent with a shaded vestibule if I can't get something to fully cover a tent.

Side note: the long stakes and impact driver performed great when the W picked up

Sleeping setup: A- - with a different sleeping pad, this is an A+. My sleeping pad deflated multiple times and that got frustrating.
Costume:

Clothes: A+ - long sleeve shirt and pants were the way to go. They kept the sun off my skin and trapped in my sweat to keep me cool.
Shoulder armor: A - no complaints on this and really happy with how it turned out
Bracers: C- - I got a bunch of compliments on these but the laces SUCKED. They were either too tight or too loose.
Hip bag: B - this was so close to great but it started to rip Friday night and wouldn't stay tight, so it constantly felt like it was about to fall down. That said, it held my extra water, cup and stuff I wanted quick access to very well
Water bladder backpack: A+ - no notes, quick access to water and a place to hang my watch were perfect

Conclusion

I didn’t want my time in the dirt to be over but I was ready to be back home. I still can’t believe I made it. I still can’t believe I did it.

Going to this event by myself was so far outside my comfort zone, I can’t even begin to put it into words. (Which, that's a weird sentence considering the 3.2k words I just wrote)

However, if I could do it all over again, I would probably do everything differently (minus watching Jugger matches and the Thunderdome). I spent my first day and a half absolutely shell shocked. I was too nervous to do anything/talk to anyone and too overwhelmed by everything going on. Then I overdid it on Friday, even if that was my best day, so that’s fine.

Next time, I need better shade and better air circulation when at camp during the day. That was probably my biggest miss.

I’m sad about the million missed opportunities and all of the what-ifs rattling around in my head. That said, I’m so freaking proud of what I did.

If I do this again, which I definitely want to, I need a group. I think there are people out there who would THRIVE as a solo participant. I am not one of those people. I’m not outgoing enough. I’m not extroverted enough to feel like people want me to join in on their fun (even if people come out and say exactly that). I’ve always been an observer first and a participant second when I’m by myself. It is awful but it’s a habit I don’t know how to break.

With a group of like-minded friends, though? Having even a speck of self confidence would open up an entirely new side of this event. And now that I have an idea of what’s going on, where to go, where to avoid and some first hand experience? Witness Me!

An Introvert’s Week at Wasteland Weekend 2024

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