We arrived at media checkin an hour later than we’d hoped. Not because of traffic. In fact, we saw very little traffic on the super-secret back entrance route that we took to avoid the bumper-to-bumper stuff on I-24.

Let’s just say the directions were less than clear.

The scenery, over Monteagle and through Altamont, Coalmont and Viola, was worth the trip.

Along the way we kept hearing from the people who gave us directions that word was out that the traffic wasn’t bad.

That proved to be true once we arrived at the check-in area. Where last year it there was a line out the door and around the building, today we walked right in.

Something feels weird. It got weirder when we drove to the camping area and saw that we we among the first to arrive. Maybe the rumors that admissions, which is capped at 80,000, is down.

That seemed illogical after we parked and were forced to park right on top of our neighbor. In true Bonnaroo fashion, we all griped for a second or two and then set about working together to make it work.

Walking the site without people in it, the place looks even bigger. Huge actually, and empty. It’s early though.

Inside the press tent, a couple of media types from Buffalo said they’d heard admission was down 20,000 and that they’d eliminated some some camping areas.