| 2002: What I did on my summer vacation 2002 For those of you who did not know I have been going to the Annual Burning Man festival for a few years. For the last 3 trips we took our 1981 International/Superior school bus. It has been converted to a low rent R/V, it has bunks, dining table and couch. Food storage, bathroom, roof rack and awning. This year I converted it from Propane to Gasoline. After doing some research and asking around for advise, I drained and refit the fuel tanks for gasoline, installed; new fuel lines, a remotely switched valve (no more stopping the bus to change tanks) and uber-fuel pump (Thanks Ratboy!!), then last but not least, a new carburetor with electronic governor. (A must have to keep from over revving and blowing the motor). I was able to finish the refit in relatively good time, (ok before we left anyway.) We, (TradeMark and I) posted to the Burning Man ride board looking for passengers and got a slue of responses. It was nerve-racking trying to keep up with who was going and who suddenly had to bow out or got other connections. But Deposits came rolling in; we got a full load of 9 and even some cargo for friends already there. Most of us would be departing from Columbus and the others we would pick up on the way. We (TradeMark, Mason, Bill, Danielle, Mike, Chris and I) started loading the bus early Saturday morning and after a false start hit the road at full speed…… 70MPH sounds fast when dodging kids on the playground but on the open road, I mean really open road, like Wyoming it’s just not fast enough. (We went through work zones with posted speeds of 75mph) We rendezvous with Keith and Sonja then headed west in a big way. The bus preformed very well, except for some vapor lock or bad fuel issues. But we prevailed and made it to Black Rock City (Burning Man) in 50 hours. We had all afternoon Monday to unload, set up camp meet our campmates and have a look around the city. It is really amazing to get there early and watch the city grow around you. Tuesday the weather was beautiful. I hung out with the Opera with my Friend from Columbus, Carolyn, making shadow puppets and listing to monkey chant practice. TradeMark and I preformed in the center camp coffee house stage to a small but appreciative audience with Cheese and Pants Theater. And I ran into old friends who were camped nearby. (The Ryborg among others.) Wednesday I went for lunch at the commissary then out to the 80 Acres (BM off site storage) with Carl the head of our camp the CMR. He is part of the Department of Public Works, for the festive and helped build the city. Having left the festival grounds In the DPW truck you might think it would be no problem getting back in, well it was just not the case. We would need to get, The 'In/Out Pass'!! Fortunately we were following the legendary ‘Danger Ranger’ out the gate, after a green and scenic drive though the high Mountain Desert. We arrived at 80 Acres, Danger was very helpful after hearing Carl’s please for me and gave up a pass, but only if we took this crappy little 12’ fiberglass sailboat to a DPW camp. Well, we are a DPW camp and with plenty of space on the 24’ flatbed we were driving it was a done deal!! After dropping off some lunch to the DPW garage workers we set about scavenging wood for our fence and stage. The 80 Acres is a wonderful mix of old Art cars and large sculptures, from previous years festivals, piles of lumber and dusty junk, sagebrush and scorpions… Gloves are necessary, loading was successful and we saw young Bald Eagles, and a lovely view of the city, on the drive back in. We had no problem at the gate and my enthusiastic camp mates made short work of the unloading the truck and setting up of the camp. We had a rather marvelous bonding in our camp and everyone pitched in!! We built a stage on top of a small container with TradeMark’s sound system and Harlan’s engineering, we rocked out our neighborhood! Thursday Morning I decided since I had accomplished my main goals for the week I would see how drunk I could get before noon. Although I had no idea what time it was I started Drinking. I was not able to get that wasted so I just spent a lovely afternoon hanging out and flirting with Kerry, (Carolyn’s cousin the Opera singer). I eventually sobered up by night and spent the evening obnoxicating and running around watching things burn, then going to Clubs and Raves. Friday brought a water truck shower, touring the city by Bicycle, Web Surfing and streaming MP3s to our sound system and Obnoxicating from the Coast Guard. So much to see, I cannot describe all the crazy stuff out there. I suggest looking at some of the other images on the websites I have posted. In the evening it rained just enough to wet the dust, and leave it leopard spotty. At on point you could see colorful sunset over the mountains, a rainbow, blue sky and dark black clouds with lighting. Later that night I found myself doing shadow puppetry in the Opera and trying to keep Kerry warm. The Opera was about how Aliens gave Monkeys the inspiration to become Humans or something like that. It went well and had a large enthusiastic group watching. Saturday the Man Burned and I watched it with Kerry from the Opera Ark, very nice. It is always an amazing spectacle. Sunday, Is generally the main exodus of the fest and Kerry had to leave to get back to civilization, unfortunately in her rush to go she left Carolyn, (who was going to ride out with us but went early instead) to get home on her own. Fortunately one of our passengers was not returning with us so she fit right in to our travel plans. The Temple of Joy Burning was one of the most intense things I have ever experienced. Only about 1200 people were there (down from almost 2500) but the amazing thing was the reverence and silence of the crowd. When the Man Burns everyone is screaming, yelling and carrying on, playing drums, and making noise, but during the Temple Burn it was quiet. The Temple is constructed out of wooden 4’x 8’ sheets that have puzzle peaces cut out of them. So when they burn they really go fast. At one point we were showered with quarter size embers. Standing in a firestorm is just indescribable experience. Monday was spent packing and wondering around saying final goodbyes and we left BRC mid afternoon. It was a long drive out but eventually we were back on the road homeward bound. The return trip went very well, aside from some more fuel issues (nothing that stopped us for very long, even running out of gas) and everyone made it home safe and sound. So what now? Bus for sale! I cannot afford to keep this thing any more; I have been paying for its upkeep and repair for the last few years, fortunately it has not cost me to store it. So if you know anyone who would be interested in buying it hook us up, we should have a web site soonly. I will also be selling of some of my studio equipment, (my landlord is selling the building, and I have way to much stuff.) So if you are interested in any of my toys, make me an offer. A more formal list of stuff will be available later. Otherwise, More Cheese And Pants Theater! Time to make some more costumes and work on selling finished sculptures. (Micro-Fish Tank Machines.) Here are some links, I did not take a camera and have to rely on others. http://images.burningman.com/index.cgi?image=7000&q_year=2002&q_photog=&q_keyword=&q_category the Opera crew? http://rhythmagic.net/bm2002/pics.html more Opera crew http://images.burningman.com/index.cgi?image=6440&q_year=2002&q_photog=&q_keyword=&q_category= more Opera Ark http://www.obtainium.org/justfred/bm02/pix_medium/DSCN2063.jpg still more Opera Ark http://www.eddie.com/phpgraphy/?display=bman2002%2FIMG_3382.JPG Ark at dawn http://home.earthlink.net/~andrea63/picture_page/bm_2002/bm_02_69.html Opera Ark stage http://home.earthlink.net/~andrea63/picture_page/bm_2002/bm_02_68.html the camp next door http://www.eddie.com/phpgraphy/?display=bman2002%2FIMG_3356.JPG the camp next door http://www.eddie.com/phpgraphy/?display=bman2002%2FIMG_3416.JPG more neighbors http://www.eddie.com/phpgraphy/?display=bman2002%2FIMG_3451.JPG our next-door neighbors becomes Blanca’s smut shack. http://www.obtainium.org/justfred/bm02/pix_medium/DSCN2062.jpg the Ryborg’s Fuck Machine http://home.earthlink.net/~andrea63/picture_page/bm_2002/bm_02_38.html the temple of joy http://www.harrumph.com/burningman/pages/2002/015.htm showering |