burning man

[nibot]

I am going to Burning Man. It's probably as much a surprise to me as it is to you--perhaps more so! I have been hanging out at Dan and Rob's place and working on the The Art Car, meanwhile being urged to attend, and then a ticket became available, and I could not refuse. The Art Car is called Strangelove. It is a giant Ford truck from the seventies. It now has a giant geodesic dome affixed to it. (I'm told it gets six miles to the gallon.) You can tell it's been a boys' project, with emphasis on welding before aesthetics, though that is changing with recent additions of fiber optic lights and various textiles purchased in the Fabric District. (Did you know that Los Angeles has a "Fabric District"?)

Perhaps I should back up a little bit. Rob is the senior graduate student in the lab in which I work (actually the only grad student there other than me). Dan is Dan Busby, who was, by random chance, the first person I emailed when I was preparing to move to Pasadena, looking for co-ops and the like. Also by chance he happens to be my predecessor in the lab in which Rob and I work, and, indeed, Rob's housemate. And we are all tied together via the Mentor House, the quasi-co-op where Bree and I landed when we arrived here in Pasadena. The Mentor House seems to be the epicenter of a Burning Man theme camp called True Prophet. This camp has graciously accepted me into their ranks.

I can't stomach the usual Burning Man propaganda--this year's theme is the "green man," but any idea that Burning Man can be an environmentally responsible event seems absurd--but now, working in the backyard and making preparations with my friends (and making friends!), it is becoming less abstract and more appealing. Now it's about camaraderie and this ridiculous roving geodesic dome and we have an authentic mongolian yurt that some Prophet actually went to Mongolia to obtain. How awesome is that?

We are camping at Boreal and 4:30.

Who else here from my friendslist is going? Those who have been before: what do I need to know?

Comments

[sonicsonia.livejournal.com]

jeez, i envy u! i could turn into a green burrito just to get the possibility to enjoy this years theme )

[erinmack.livejournal.com]

Congrats Tobin. You are officially _one of them_ now. haha

[rezendi.livejournal.com]

I've been twice (not going this year, alas) and wrote about it at some considerable length (http://rezendi.com/blog/2003/09/let-it-burn-baby-burn-let-it-burn.html) after my first stint in 2003.

[janviere.livejournal.com]

Ignore the propaganda. You've got it right with the camaraderie and the random awesomeness... that's basically the whole week in a nutshell, all you need to know to expect. Maybe more fire.

Make sure you bring goggles and closed toe shoes. I'm assuming your camp is taking care of most of the rest, or can help you with it.

[wouch.livejournal.com]

1. Cash-free economy means booze and cigarettes are currency. Bring lots even if you don't drink of smoke.
2. The cameras ARE rolling, even if you don't see them.

I'll be going!

[nanomonkey.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure where we will be staying. Most likely in the walk in area unless someone wants to invite us to their camp.

Currently we have three tank parachutes, 6 - 10'x2" PVC pipes, 300' rope, 2 giant fresnel lens, 3 bikes, 3 SpokePOV LED arrays, 100's of Luxeon III LEDs and god knows what else.

It's going to be fun!!!

[furzicle.livejournal.com]

On field trips to the desert I experienced comfortable feet while wearing hiking boots and thick wool socks. Other members of the same group in sandals complained constantly of hot feet.

Consider the benefits of insulation. Also, Take 2 pairs, one boots, one light weight. Eric got serious ebola (well, that's what we called his scary looking foot rashes) while wearing combat boots in Iraq for 7 months at a time.