So I'm a little bummed. I'm local, in Santa Barbara anyway, and I camp at Casitas once a year or so. This year, I bought the membership so I could go to this event even though I knew I wouldn't be staying. Mostly, I wanted to say hello to Tasty after randomly meeting him in Concord last month and getting to taste his CYBI Citra DIPA from Kern River. I actually tasted the beer before the show was recorded, and I think I may have been the first to declare it "cloned" ;-)
Anyway, back on topic. On Saturday afternoon, the only chance I had to get there, I drove to the lake and saw the sign telling me to turn here for HBF. I did and the gate was locked. I could see everyone inside having a great time, but there was chain link and barbed wire and a lock gate between me and them. I drove to the main entrance of the lake/campground, and the guy there informed me that they "have no communication whatsoever with the festival organizers and have no idea why the gate is locked".
He told me I could pay $15 to drive in, but I didn't want to pay that on top of the $50 bucks I already paid when I really only had a couple hours to spend there. He said I could park at the entrance and walk in (about a mile). And honestly, I only had 2 hours, and spending 1 of them walking wasn't really appealing.
I drove back to the locked gate and looked for a spot to walk in, but again, nothing but chain link and barbed wire.
So if any of the organizers see this, I'm now wondering allowed why someone wasn't staffing the entrance on Saturday afternoon?
I'm borderline pissed about it. I really wanted to go, but I'm not in a club, so I joined in hopes of FINDING a club at the event. Now I'm out my $50 and reading about how I missed a great event. All because of a locked gate! To take responsibility of my own actions here, I acknowledge I should've gotten there earlier, or on Fri PM if possible, but I just couldn't make it. I'd love for anyone who reads this that's affiliated to please take the entrance more seriously, and communicate IN ADVANCE, online, if there will be limited entry hours.
Anyway, to end on a good note, I'm stoked for all that got to attend, and I bet the beer was fantastic. I know the weather was!