Learning to Burn

[Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan]

I come bringing story.
well... if I come, I guess?

[thelerner]

This is where I type pointless words you don't listen to anyways. Right here...

and here.

 

the above was me quoting from the official Bman page. Sadly it's no longer possible to do what I did 5 years ago, buy a ticket 4 days out and start driving. The last couple of years tickets sell out fast. But there are Bman events across the country. You find regional info link at the Bman site.

 

I've been hitting Lakes of Fire regularly, $40 for a fun mini Burn long weekend. There are other organizations out there too.

 

Also, I don't think your words are pointless. Off topic little bit, but not pointless

[zerostao]

this year i wont be making it out to my first burn. but i became a mod!

plus i have this final year of undergrad beginning the 19th.

next year looks like a better possiblity.

and yes, it is never too soon to prepare for such a journey,

[thelerner]

The ultimate picture from last year:

http://michaelholden.com/burning-man-2012-gigapixel-panorama

Remember to enlarge the picture and take it for a spin.

Edited August 15, 2013 by thelerner

[rene]

That is amazing, Michael. Thanks for showing us. You ready to go?

[thelerner]

That is amazing, Michael. Thanks for showing us. You ready to go?

Sorta. I'll leave the 23rd for the 30 hour drive. I still have lots to do, pack, buy food, make sure my tent is useable. I hit the library for audio material. For entertainment I have Stephen King's '11/22/63' unabridged, 30 CD's = 33 hours of Time Travel terror. Anne Rice's Metaphysical thriller- 'Of Love and EviI', 5 CD's. More educationally based I have 'The Heart and the Fist- The Education of a Humanitarian, The Making of Navy Seal', 9 CD's and 'Drive- The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us'.

 

5 years ago I went there 'cold' and pretty unprepared but lucked out. The last few years going to regionals I've done better, giving as much as I've taken. This year my gift/art is music. I have a portable record player and lots of records. Mostly cheap .50 centers from the library and Half Price books, though I splurged for Duran Duran's RIO, $3.99 to relive my college years. I've got a portable speaker for my ipod and a playlist of funny drinking songs.

 

Foodwise I'll hit up Trader Joe's for there precooked brown rice, curry sauces, jerky's, granola, chili beans, dried salami, cookies etc., Whiskey and Dust has a kitchen area.

 

For voyeurs there should be some camera feeds set up on the playa, there's a radio station too. Facebook is hopping with threads from the Burning Man site plus the official website. My camp Whiskey and Dust is on facebook.

 

I have to admit there's a little fear. Fear of driving across the country, fear of meeting new people, fear of forgetting their names, fear of missing my family, fear of harsh desert camping, fear of burn out.. But fear is a good thing. It means we're stretching, leaving our comfort zone.

 

A good article: 'An Emotional Survival Guide to Burning Man' http://www.fest300.com/magazine/an-emotional-survival-guide-to-burning-man

 

nice pics from last year

http://stuckincustoms.smugmug.com/Burning-Man-Page

 

Live Cam from Burning Man http://www.burningman.com/preparation/travel_info/gerlach_webcam.html

Edited August 22, 2013 by thelerner

[thelerner]

Here is a write up of last years Regional Burning Man. One of the shorter smaller ones that try to replicate the spirit of the Big Burn in Nevada. Which is going on right now, Burning Man 2011; themed Rites of Passage. Wish I could be there.

 

 

 

Lakes of Fire is a regional burning man event. There are a couple of them (6 or 7) around the country each year. Lakes of Fire (LoF) is the Midwest's one. They're cheap, LoF was only $40 to sign up. It lasted four days 3 nights. There were only about 1,000 or so tickets sold. It could be considered Burning Man (BM) light.

 

I was a bit apprehenscous heading to it...

 

Regionals and Decompression parties happen all across the U.S. There are also other similar events happening. Its a great way to meet other strange people, experience strange things, kick back and try to create your own little piece of paradise....

That was 2010, nowadays its $90 and hosts 2,400 people.  Hit it last weekend, Thursday to Sunday, had a nice mellow time.  Third time going, the last two were at Lucky Lake campground near Rothbury Michigan.  Much nicer place then that original burn, where we were eaten alive and it has a lovely lake.  Still the original spirit back in 2010 was amazing.  The giveaways at the camp were so generous, Raku pottery, photo opportunites, etc.,   There was less big giveaways but maybe thats because there were so many more people. 

 

The FireCreek Saloon people weren't there either.  They had a wild place.  Late night strip dancing.  This year there was a XXX adult space away from the main area.  I didn't hang out there much.  I did follow one of my camp mates to a 'beaver eating' contest in one of the large tents but I didn't go in myself.  Hours later he emerged ecstatic. 

 

Instead I went nearby to the Radical Consent bar.  It was small and outdoor, a guy was pounding the table and coughing violently.  I told the bartender 'I'll have what he's having.'  I was no, I had to do the Pachinko machine.  It was about 7 feet high, had an opening at the top, a puck you put in that bounced around on nails, then landing into a bottom slot.  Mine landed on BEER.  note the next in line landed on 'Show your Junk' and she did.

 

Told the bartender and mentioned I thought that was kinda boring.  He asked if I wanted the house specialty.   I said yes, cause thats the way of Burning Man, 'Yes' is the word.  He poured me a tall shot of a Pepper Whiskey, made in my home town.  I eat spicy so it was no problem, a quick downing, and loud Haaah to see if there vapors coming out of my mouth.  Nope. 

 

It was pretty mellow time.  Favorite things, watching movies or collections of short videos late at night at the Videogasm tent.  Drinking and playing pinball at the Secret Gentleman's Club.  They served top notch drinks.  I kept it simple, bourbon and soda.  Big place, they had a generator that ran everything including the pinball machines.  An old Mata Hari, where four people could play.  Being an old timer, I rock at pinball.  I was even able to solve some problems when the ball would get stuck.  They had a talent show one night.  Amazing talent on stage.  Really blew me away.  From belly dancing, extremely witty comedy acts to great great singers.   I'm sure some of them were professionals. 

 

The lake didn't have the floating bar it had last time, but it did have a float.  No volleyball nets either.  But it had a nice, if somewhat cliquey crowd.   I helped a small boat dock to it and was rewarded with some beer.  Just like colorful mutant vehicles, colorful boats came and went.  One with a mermaid lounged casually.  Without being double decker there was no relief from the sun, so I left after 45 minutes, a bit redder for the experience. 

 

Jumping off I got some lake water into my horn cup.  Hopefully not too much.  On shore someone with a portable was making fruit smoothies.  I had'em pour some in hoping the cold would neutralize any bad lake bug remnants.  Not recommended, but I didn't get sick.  Strangely I didn't get hangovers in the mornings either.  Sun and fresh air, little sleep, must neutralize the poisons some how. 

 

As usual my favorite times were spent sitting and bullshitting with others.  I found a camp of native Michiganers who had built a big geodesic dome.  Entered, introduced myself, got a drink and sat around talking to them.  We talked about stuff, particularly a discussion on aspects of human nature, good or bad.   It made for a mellow evening.  My nearby tent mates were half my age and bit more drug oriented.   So being with an older mellow crowd was nice.  There's usually an undercurrent of desperation with those who are into drugs. 

 

My tent neighbor Jazz had a fateful story.  The night before I got there he was camping and a random guy came into his tent.  He nudged him to leave but the guy was passed out.  In the morning he got up on all fours, threw up, and left.  Thank god it wasn't my tent.  But that's burning man for you. 

 

At night the Smorgasm camp always a camp fire and smore material, including strawberries, that roasted and worked very nicely.  Two camps had gourmet pancake giveaways.  That were delicious and much appreciated since I'd brought 8 frozen Smucker premade PBJ sandwiches with me.  Plus junk food, wine, cheese, crackers and cereal. 

 

That's about it, unless I think of more. 

Edited June 28, 2015 by thelerner

[Orion]

I've always wanted to take part in Burning Man, but it's a very privileged event that takes a lot of financial and material resources to take part in... which is one of the biggest critiques people tend to direct at it. The same can be said for most major festivals. I've done harm reduction at some festivals here on the west coast and those let me get in for free as a volunteer. But because of the United States of Arrogance, there can't be official harm reduction units in American festivals because they are seen as endorsing drug use, which the DEA doesn't allow. Burning Man's Zendo Project is totally renegate and I support it... they use the same model as one of the major festivals in Canada that I attend, but they have no ability to get you in at reduced cost.

 

I see all the wonder, beauty and amazement that happens at Burning Man, and from everything I've heard it sounds like an epic adventure. I just wish it wasn't so positively middle/upper class... there are so many barriers to entry.

[GreytoWhite]

Aye it is extremely expensive for many people. I would like to go next year - we shall see what arises but I'm going to some festival or another! It's been too long.

[LAOLONG]

-

Edited July 19, 2015 by cobi

[thelerner]

$90 for the Wednesday to Sunday morning regional Burn in Michigan (2400 people vs 70,000ish), that's $22.50 a night.  Not bad in my book, though you need to get there and camping supplies etc.,  FWIW, I didn't get tickets to Lakes of Fire the first day and was put on a waiting list.  A week before I got an email giving me 24 hours to buy a ticket.  An organizer told me most people on the waiting list had a chance to get a ticket, albeit very late in the game. 

 

Nevada has gotten expensive, though its what $400ish (for ticket, some <$300)?  That still under $100 a day, not too outrageous for a vacation of a lifetime.  Again, supplies and getting there easily double or triple that cost.  Still worth saving the ducats for and maybe contacting some of the established camps (2nd time around I joined Whiskey and Dust) in order to have community support once you land. 

 

My biggest complaint is that you can't get tickets at any price.  They sell out immediately.  Its a victim of its own success, until people start creating there own versions.  That how it started anyway.  A few dozen people camping and keeping things loose, building a little effigy and lightening it up. 

 

 Maybe its time for hundreds of 'Burning Twig' festivals, keeping the spirit & ideals, but losing the crowd. 

 

<actually that's brilliant.  Burning Twigs, the idea of setting up miniature unofficial Burns.  Advertise through a few channels.  Get the land, sell tickets 50 to 150.  I'd also say make sure most of the people, at least early on, were former Burners, because without the Burner spirit it'd just be camping. 

Edited June 28, 2015 by thelerner

[GreytoWhite]

Yeah I've been talking with my cousin about Burning Man but we may go to a different festival because of exactly that - no tickets.

[Spotless]

If you do go to the burn you will see more smiling people on average than any event you will ever attend except perhaps an old Dead concert.

 

Other than the cost of the ticket it is not very expensive because once you get there you are not trying to go somewhere else and you can't really spend any money unless you are buying drugs there and even then in the spirit of the event they are probably dirt cheap.

 

Many people are not into drugs or alchohol there so don't think it is one big naked drinking drug party - it IS a big art party.

In 1996 their was a two story drive through vagina. A huge 150 person Opera. An installation with 110 pianos and many other huge and wonderful installations all of which were burned to the ground and completely cleaned up and carted away at the end.

 

Some years it is very hot - some years they have rain - some years it is relatively mild but with intense wind/dust storms.

Their are quite a number of cops within the grounds but they are actually on a very friendly level with the staff and are basically hands off in trying to kill the goose. (They make massive amounts in traffic fines and fees and other things - the whole region has gone from nowhere to somewhere because of this event).

 

There are also some Special Ops in attendance - but believe it or not, they are there mainly to experiment with a massive temporary off grid city - what it is like and how it is happening. They are not in hiding and not there spying - I know this because they were in my camp the last two times I was there. (We had a big camp)

 

Many may not be aware of the following: if you are from the networks and news stations you must check in at central and be trained in how you will be there or you cannot be there. I remember the main camera man from ABC going in one door and coming out naked from the other. He shot in the nude for the entire burn. They are required to participate, not gawk, not horn in on the naked people and not intrude as though they are in any way special.

 

The main job of the Rangers is to see that the spirit of the event is open and free, that people coming to the event inadequately prepared are warm at night, they take care of lost people and people over the top on drugs or booze. They help people that are dehydrated, have lost a boyfriend or girlfriend, broken a bone or torn a muscle or had a heart attack.

 

For several years my camp had a portable radiology lab - it saved many a great deal of money and reduced helicopter "emergency" flights to real emergency flights.

 

The Rav camps are generally way out in the perimeter areas so the noise from them is not a problem.

 

In the early days their were very few RVs and only a handful of planes. None of the fireworks were commercial fireworks and it was all a bit more mad max and tents.

Today the commerical fireworks are huge, the airport has a great many planes and the wealthy "dropping by" and a fair number staying in $3000 a day condo RVs. I drove a group of them around one day in our Angler Fish art car - unfortunately while this group was all a bunch of great looking girls, some very famous, they were not in the Zen of it and were actually stereotypical brats - but with the overwhelming fun of cruising around in a great art car and being fully in the Zen of it - I had a very good time anyway (and some were quite nice in every way).

If you are able to arrive a week or more before the main 4 days you are in for a treat.

 

During my first year the heat was intense and oppressive from 11am to 4:30ish so getting up early to see the day was the best - and in the Playa the lighting is also the best at this time - the cracks in the dry lake are black from the angle of the sun.

1996 - over a week before the main events: you wake up a sunrise and jump on your bike and drive to the nearest spec.

The spec is a two story vagina. Next spec a long way off and it is a huge hanging wire face. Next spec you arrive to see two tall two story towers connected by a bridge - it is still being stuccoed - it is the setting for the Opera. Next spec - 110 pianos.

And so on and so forth each day.

 

Then there is the big tent raising and Ms P is serving coffee. After that it's off to shoot propane tanks and then off to the mud baths area outside of the burn perimeter. Or you might just have decided to drive your car 100+ with your hands behind your head because there are no lanes and the place is flat as a pancake.

Is is amazing to see fewer than 100 people at the playa and then within about 6 days it goes to 25,000 - and now it's upwards of 75,000 with corporate sponsors spending $300,000 or more on super big burns that are many stories high (without a single corporate logo or corporate related agenda). At today's burn the Man is among the smaller burns.

 

Go for the art and the freedom to be who ever you would Like to be - the vast majority are not naked or drunk or drugged - their is no need to be paranoid unless you are clearly missing a few bolts - drive in and out at the speed limit. Take in what you will need and take out all of your trash and you will be fine and have a very good and unique time.

 

I used to pack two or three sealed and taped shut coolers with dry ice in them. Opening them one at a time as needed.

Now I typically fly in on one of our camp planes and stay in one of several air conditioned RVs (sick - but I have never paid to go to the burn and I am not wealthy by any stretch - friends just invited me and some of the big Whigs that started the event used to crew on my sail boats).

 

Playa dust is so fine it will infiltrate your phone, cameras and every pore in your body - you will get in touch with your humanity out there and the wild life that is everywhere having the time of their life.

Edited June 29, 2015 by Spotless

[Perceiver]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the opening post.

[thelerner]

I enjoyed reading Spotless's account.

[Blackfinger]

Hey Thelerner

 

Just discovered this thread....have only read half of the first post so far (saving the rest for later) but it's a good read, very entertaining, informative...easy on the eye, crisp and solid prose. Kerouac meets Bukowski  Thanks for posting - look forward to reading my way through the pages

 

and if you have anything similar, i'd say: keep em coming!

 

all the best

[thelerner]

Burning Man News, the big burn starts tomorrow.  Won't be there.  Should be a great time, I hear a the strange plague of black biting insects that swarmed Black Rock city last week dispersed as mysteriously as they came.

 

A week before this year's Midwest regional burn 'Lakes of Fire', I was offered a ticket, went and had a great time.  I did a write up of it a couple posts above.

 

 

Here's a ditty on the travails of Burning Man <actually sometimes it is this bad, but usually its a blast>

 

 

Posted by Sudden Disruption at 7:55 AM

This anonymous email just arrived in time to remind us all of what it's REALLY like on the playa...

Not going to Burning Man?Here's how to enjoy Burning Man from the comfort of your own home...Pay an escort of your preference to not bathe for five days, coverthemselves in glitter, dust, and sunscreen, wear a skanky neon wig,dance naked, then say they have a lover back home at the end of thenight.Tear down your house. Put it in a truck. Drive 10 hours in anydirection. Put the house back together.Invite everyone you meet to come over and party. When they leave,follow them back to their homes, drink all their booze,and break things.Stack all your fans in one corner of the living room.Put on your most fabulous outfit.Turn the fans on full blast.Dump a vacuum cleaner bag in front of them.Buy a new set of expensive camping gear.Break it.Lean back in a chair until that point where you're just about tofall over, but you catch yourself at the last moment.Hold that position for 9 hours.Only use the toilet in a house that is at least 3 blocks away.Drain all the water from the toilet. Only flush it every 3 days.Hide all the toilet paper.Set your house thermostat so it's 50 degrees for the first hourof sleep and 100 degrees the rest of the night.Before eating any food, drop it in a sandbox and lick a battery.Spend thousands of dollars and several months of your life buildinga deeply personal art work. Hide it in a funhouse on the edge ofthe city.Hire people to come by and alternate saying "I love it" and "dude,this sucks". Then burn it.Set up a DJ system downwind of a three alarm fire. Play a shortloop of drum'n'bass until the embers are cold.Make a list of all the things you'll do different next year.Never look at it.Have a 3 a.m. soul baring conversation with a drag nun in platforms,a crocodile and Bugs Bunny. Be unable to tell if you're hallucinating.Lust after Bugs Bunny.Cut, burn, electrocute, bruise, and sunburn various parts of your body.Forget how you did it. Don't go to a doctor."Downsize" last year's camp by adding two geodesic domes, a new soundsystem, art car, and 20 newbies.Don't sleep for 5 days. Take a wide variety of hallucinogenic/emotionaltering drugs. Pick a fight with your boyfriend/girlfriend, or both.Spend a whole year rummaging through thrift stores for the perfect,most outrageous costume. Forget to pack it.Shop at Wal-mart, Cost-Co, and Home Depot until your car is completelypacked with stuff.Tell everyone that you're going to a "Leave-No-Trace" event.Empty your car into a dumpster.Listen to music you hate for 168 hours straight, or until youthink you are going to scream. Scream.Realize you'll love the music for the rest of your life.Spend 5 months planning a "theme camp" like it's theinvasion of Normandy.Spend Monday-Wednesday building the camp.Spend Thurs-Sunday nowhere near camp because you're sick of itor can't find it.Walk around your neighborhood and knock on doors until someoneoffers you cocktails and dinner.Bust your ass for a "community." See all the attention get focusedon the drama queen crybaby.Get so drunk you can't recognize your own house.Walk slowly around the block for 5 hours.Tell your boss you aren't coming to work this week but he should"gift" you a paycheck anyway. When he refuses accuse him of notloving the "community".Search alleys until you find a couch so unbelievably tacky andnasty filthy that a state college frat house wouldn't want it.Take a nap on the couch and sleep like you are king of the world.Ask your most annoying neighbor to interrupt your fun severaltimes a day with third hand gossip about every horrible thingthat's happened in the last 24 hours.Have them wear khaki.Go to a museum. Find one of Salvador Dali's more disturbing,but beautiful paintings.Climb inside it.

Edited August 29, 2015 by thelerner

[thelerner]

There's a theme picked out for this years big burn.  Da Vinci's Workshop.  Sounds like a fertile seed for the creative.

 

This is a good site for Burn nostalgia, full of history, pictures and video- http://www.burn.life/

 

I hope to hit a burn in 2016.  I'd like to sign up to be a volunteer too.  While there is lots to see, if you want to enjoy community you have to support community.  Also I tend to burn out from 3:00 to 6:00 at these events, so it'll be a good time to re-engage my energies somewhere fruitful. 

[thelerner]

Tickets available (lottery for them) for the Midwest Regional Burning Man Event- Lakes of Fire. 

 

It's a nice approachable, more laid back, Burning Man light kind of event with a 1,000 or so people, surrounding a lovely lake.  Well worth it, easy camping versus the big burn in Nevada.

 

I put my hat in for a ticket.  It'd be nice to see other Dao Bums there. 

 

 

http://lakesoffire.org/the-event/

LAKES OF FIRE 2016: Mythical Creatures JUNE 15 – 19, 2016

Every year, the Lakes of Fire community chooses a theme to rally around – a central focus that many people use when deciding on the art they will bring, the costumes they will create to express themselves, and the art cars they will design.

 

If you join us for 2016, you will see beasts of legend writ with fire, wood, paint and fur. You’re sure to run into satyrs and banshees, giants and dragons.  Of course, what would an event on the water be without mermaids?  If we’re lucky, maybe Nessie will put in an appearance!

 

What creature of legend speaks to you? What does it want to say through your hands?

[zerostao]

http://journal.burningman.org/2016/03/global-network/burners-without-borders/the-jungle-a-refugee-camp-served-by-the-burners-of-calais/

[thelerner]

<sigh> just tried to get tickets to Apogaea, the Colorado Burning Man regional.  Sold out in seconds .  

I'm on the waiting list for the Michigan Lakes of Fire.  We'll see what comes.  I wish there were more regionals, even if they were done cheapyly and amateurishly.

 

 

addon> 2 years later in 2019 I would make it to Apogaea.  Lotta fun, cool people but strangely no camp fires or burning effigies big or small allowed, due to fire restrictions in the area.  Still it had the spirit. 

Edited February 14, 2020 by thelerner

[thelerner]

I'm missing the Big Burn now, but I hit the Midwest regional, Lakes of Fire.  It was a blast, I lucked out and found a great camp to hang with, Tea and Strumpets, super nice people.  Great thanks to Chillary.  Its much smaller and milder then the big burn in Nevada.  Hangin, drinking coffee at a coffee camps, beer at Belgian Beer bus, movies at Videogasm.  Lots of nice of memories.

 

Speaking of memories, here's a great video on the spirit and scenes and heart of Burning Man-

 

[Orion]

I've been to Burning Man before and I've attended many regional parties. I guess I'm a voice of dissent in that I'll never go back. I have never seen such an excessive waste of resources ever in my lifetime. It's just... mind bogglingly unjustifiable. The amount of fossil fuels alone that go into making it happen, I just can't support it anymore.

 

It's white privilege on full display and in full technicolor. (I'm white, before you start making assumptions.)

 

Yes, the art is impressive, but at what cost? In my second and last year I was part of the cleanup crew. There is NO such thing as leave no trace. The Black Rock desert has been irreparably harmed by years of hosting this event. The amount of garbage and ground squall left behind... absolutely sickening.

 

There are so many better smaller events around the world that deliberately limit their numbers and their ethos is about coming together in resource conscious ways.

 

Planet earth should not have to suffer so that narcissistic human beings can have their "mind expanding" experience. It reminds me of people who fly all over the world because they think traveling betters their lives, with no awareness of how jet fuel is ruining the biosphere, or how locals can't even afford to live in their own towns anymore because of foreign money.

 

Burning Man is not a sign of the new era. It's the pinnacle of our age of degeneration. People are literally pouring potable drinking water into the desert just because they can. It doesn't get anymore bourgeois than that.

Edited August 25, 2017 by Orion

[thelerner]

Burning Man is not an ecological event, though there are groups increasingly pushing for that. 

 

Speaking of regionals-

I signed up hoping to score tickets for the Midwest Lakes of Fire, Burning Man Regional- http://lakesoffire.org/ticketing/, its done by lottery.  If anyone else cares to share the experience.  Degeneration is option but recommended. 

 

Edited February 14, 2020 by thelerner

[Spotless]