Let's Bungle in the Jungle!

When I think about the rainforest, typically I conjure images of lush vegetation, singing birds, isolation from civilization.  Rarely if ever do pulsing bass and and light shows come to mind.  But that's exactly what we found last Saturday.  Alejandro called Aaron in the afternoon and asked if anyone else was interested in heading to an Electronic music fest in Rio Grande. Of course I told him to count me in.

A group of us left the station around 10 pm.  Now, when I heard Rio Grande, I imagined it would be somewhere in town.  But at the end of the station's driveway, we turned left and drove up the hill instead of down.  Where are we going?!  We turned down another road that I have run past a dozen times.  After winding a little further through he mountains, we saw a line of cars waiting to turn off the road.  We followed them and were directed to the parking area.  It was up a steep hill in a muddy clearing.

Since both of the station vehicles have been in for repairs, Seth was able to drive us in the rental van.  However, the little Kia mini van wasn't exactly equipped to handle off-road conditions.  It got stuck at least twice while trying to find an open space to park.  At one point we briefly considered lifting and pivoting the back end of a crookedly parked Honda del Sol to make space.  But another spot eventually opened up.  It took a few multipoint turns and a lot of pushing to finally get the van parked in that disaster of a lot.

Ruts in the mud left by our van.

The festival was actually at the Rio Grande Plantation, a resort in the middle of the rainforest.  There were three separate stages with different DJs performing through the night.  We wandered between the three and danced until well after 2 am, but the show was scheduled until 6 am!  I guess that's the definition of "all night rager." After a little more tire spinning and mud flinging, we pointed the van towards home.  We could still hear the music as we drove away.  Even the coquis seemed to chirp in rhythm to dupstep wafting through the tabonuncos.  You really never know what you'll find in the jungle!

Alejandro and Aaron stroll through the Bass Jungle