Posts in the Travel Category

Its been exactly a week since the night the man burned. I have decided to write some free form ideas and facts about the festival and post a few great videos (from Time.com) instead of my normal posting style. Much of what happened for me this year at the burn was deeply personal and transformational. The overall feeling that I want to convey to anyone that reads this is that Burning Man is without a doubt one of the best things I have ever done in my entire life–on multiple levels. I am without a doubt still flying high on the post-burn cloud nine. This year I was very fortunate to be able to share this experience with 4 of my closest friends–that also happen to be my business partners.

The video below from Time.com should give you a really good feel for what Burning Man looks like–certainly better than any words could describe.

Click here to view the time.com Burning Man video

< ![endif]–>

< ![endif]–>

< ![endif]–>

< ![endif]–>

Some hard facts! and a few opinions thrown in….

—————————————————————————————————————————-

Massive preparation takes place pre-burn including painstaking trips to both Wal-Mart and Target to buy EVERYTHING we need for the entire week in the desert.

A 32 ft RV is secured that we duly christened,”The Space boat”.

The costumes that we bought in thrift shops are completely necessary as you pretty much wear them the entire time.

The “Space boat” embarked for “the Playa” by way of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

“The Playa” is a prehistoric lake bottom 3 hours north of Reno, Nevada in the desert and has been the site for Burning Man for a very long time.

The playa is a dust bowl. Goggles and breathing mask are required on your person at all times for protection if the wind whips up.

Burning Man has been going on for over 20 years, originating on the beaches of San Francisco in the 80’s.

The “Space boat” docked at “Disorient”- which is a longstanding Burning Man camp filled to the brim with very cool people from New York, LA, and San Fran.

Camp preparations are made including setting up the inside of our RV for maximum comfort—and laying out our outside sitting circle.

On day 1 we are put to work building Disorient’s Art Car Wash–which is not an actual car wash and more like a daytime dance club. Many tools were required.

Through this process we realize a true sense of just how much hard work goes into Burning Man. Being a part of a huge camp was such a different experience then last year when we were completely on our own and we really enjoyed it.

Cheap bikes were procured at Walmart during our preparation and we used them throughout the week to cover the 8 square mile large Playa. Bikes are completely necessary to correctly navigate Burning Man.

Black Rock City is in the shape of a clock with “The Man” in the center.

“The Man” is a giant art installation in the exact center of the Burning Man site (the center of the clock). It burns on Saturday Night to a massive party.

The Temple is located at 12:00 on the clock.

The Temple is a giant art installation made of wood. During the week people write messages in marker on the walls—and leave pictures of loved ones that they have lost during the previous year. The Temple burns on Sunday night to silence as past memories and problems literally go up in flames. The mood is incredibly somber and silent.

At 3:00 and 9:00 on the clock there are huge dance clubs. Armin Van Buren, DJ Dan, and Thievery Corporation played at the Burn. The music lineup consists of all DJ’s—and no bands.

Positioned at 6:00 on the clock grid is Center Camp which is a chill place full of hundreds of couches and a stage where people can “gift” their talents.

Center Camp is the only place you can buy anything on the entire site and you can only buy coffee and tea. Everything else has to be brought in including water and food.

Burning Man is based on gifting. Everyone brings gifts to share with others. Some people throw happy hours, while others build art cars and drive people around the playa.

Seriously, there is no buying or selling of anything in any shape or form.

We cooked dinner one of the nights for the 130 people at Disorient. The Chicken Curry went over well—the rice had much room for improvement.

There are many smart  and interesting people that lecture about various topics through the week. I saw author Daniel Pinchbeck give a talk about the “shift of consciousness”.

Firedancers own the nights.

The Moon was unbelievably full during the entire week—coming to its full prominence on Saturday Night.

A few of us did Yoga throughout the week. I did an acro-yoga class on Saturday morning that was amazing.

< ![endif]–>

There are masseuses, reiki practitioners, acupuncturists, and other healers that gifted their healing ability throughout the week to complete strangers at the “Hee-Bee Gee-Bee camp”—one of my favorite camps.

Nectar Village–another camp–had a giant solar panel and gave away free electricity throughout the week for people to recharge whatever needed recharging.

The Hee-Bee Gee-Bee camp also gifted a giant steam bath—reminiscent of a Native American Sweat Lodge.

One of our guys bumped into Sergey Brin-co-founder of Google–during a yoga class.

Everyone is in costume(s) for the entire week. After two years we are all beginning to build up quite the BM costume collection.

The theme for 2009 was Evolution. The theme for 2010 is “Metropolis”

When the dust blows at its hardest, you only have about 3 ft of visibility.

Upon “Exodus” from Burning Man it is incredibly easy to identify burners–as everyone’s cars are completely white due to the dust.

Burning Man is very much about individual freedom and clothing is most definitely optional.

At the end of the week art of all forms is symbolically burned in big pits all over the place.

Burning Man is without a doubt a ritual—and I am very glad to have gone through it with 4 of the guys that I am building my business with.

The goal of Burning Man is to “leave no trace”. Meaning the playa is restored to the exact same condition as it is found every year.

Litter is referred to as “ MOOP”—and moop is not tolerated.

The port-o-potties are kept surprisingly clean.

The Party doesn’t stop from the time you arrive to the time you leave–its all about how much of the party you personally want.

Burning Man has been accurately described as “Mad Max” meets “Alice in Wonderland”.

You can truly find whatever they are looking for at Burning Man–and I mean “whatever” you are looking for.

I saw a talk led by a guy named Dr. Dream. And yes, he was a little bit out there.

On Thursday Night a giant rocket was supposed to be launched—but it turned out to only make a loud boom.

You can literally ride out miles away from the Burning Man site—into the actual middle of nowhere.

The sunrises are amazing—and routinely witnessed by thousands.

Hundreds of “Lamp-Lighters” parade each evening illuminating the Playa.

Skydivers routinely join the burn throughout the course of the week.

Art Cars are huge art projects that can cruise around the site at a maximum speed of 5 miles per hour. Many pump music and double as “moving dance parties”.

The Night of the “Man Burn” is without a doubt the biggest party I have ever experienced. The positive energy in the air was electric.

I could literally go on for days with facts like this. But, I think I will stop now and leave you with this second video from Time.com from the night the Man Burned..

Click here to view the video of the Man Burning…

Popularity: 62% [?]