Hey it’s been a while I’d guess since this has been brought up.
Think it was in '06. I believe Burning Man in the Black Rock dessert in coming up. And unicycles and Unicyclists are in their element there.
And it IS about freedom, sharring, to be accepted and be your self.
OK…Thread started…
Whats up guys?
Black Rock Dessert… sounds yummy! 
There are unicyclists that get together at Burning Man; not sure how many of them read here. If you’re there you will probably find them though…
I am not made out of dust.
hey, we are all just dust in the wind.
Burning Man has gotten very big! I was there in 2005…was just learning to ride at the time and decided to leave the uni at home, not yet ready…also had not yet discovered this internet community and so did not know how many of us are around…
yet I didn’t notice a single unicyclist during the week I was there. I found out afterward there had been lots of them on the playa…but the event has gotten so huge that I wouldn’t count on just running into one at random.
edit: I forgot to mention: I won’t be there this year but it’d be cool to find out which forum members meet up there.
Burning Man is an excuse for dirty old men to rape extremely intoxicated young women in the desert using an obviously fake name in a scenario that cannot be recreated. It’s also an excuse for people to do enough drugs that they appreciate “art” that nobody else would appreciate under normal circumstances. A bunch of other people get in on the mix to make a profit and voila: the biggest waste of money hippie festival this side of the mississip’.
The only reason I don’t entirely hate the dust festival is that it gives me a chance to buy some water at wholesale by the pallet and turn it over for 300% profit in just a couple of days- kaching. Also, my work makes a freakin killing selling pretty much everything but soap to these losers.
Around here, if someone list something on craigslist and the post has “Perfect for burning man” or something of the sort you know it’s absolute garbage. Perfect for dumping in the desert or setting ablaze. Also, you can immediately tell when someone is short a few braincells when they have BM tattoos or apparel.
To be quite honest, I did sneak out there for the last two days back in 05’ for free. It was kinda cool, but there was too much drug abuse and naked old perverts to make it worth the $400 ticket and $1000+ in expenses the average attendee pays.
My advice would be to give all your supplies to a buddy and get a map ahead of time. Then drop some acid, strip down to your birthday suit and roll in the dust for a bit before riding your unicycle into the back of the esplanade right in between 11 and 1o’clock(on the map not time). A BRC ranger will probably find you, figure you’re just too fucked up to know how lost you are and take you back to center camp, earning you a free admission. Otherwise you can just ride towards the pretty and soon to be psychedelic lights.
Anyone going this year should come visit me! I’ll be camping with Pancake Playhouse in the 9 o’clock plaza.
@Catboy. It might not be your thing, but you should think twice about blanket insults statements.
FYI, I won’t be raping anyone, I’m not a hippie, and I’ll be enjoying often incredible art/performances drug free.
This is one of my favorite BM moments. Fast forward to 2:48 if you can’t want to sit through the fireworks. For reference, the wooden oil derrick (which had stairs going to the viewing platform up top) was 10 stories tall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWGx0PhDGlU
I must have gone down the wedge 100 times last year
…turn in their unicyclist card for missing out on VanUni weekend.
stares at mike
Son, I am dissapoint.
ed.
I’ll be unicycling there at least. …and thinking of you.
Well I’ve never been there…physicaly, (burning man).
But I do know this…
Unicyclists dig having Fun, that’s why we ride em, so, what’s fun?
A friend showed me the schedule book. And a lot fantastic, fun and cool stuff goes on there. There’s NO WAY you can see it all, no way, Amazing list.
Which makes you think, how much of it is killer, how much is a bummer?
Doubt it’s much of the later.
So I did some research and found some interesting psycological interviews about the burning man experience from several Universities.
And thought it’d be interesting to see the replies regarding burning man.
There are in fact wierd people everywhere you go. But it doesn’t appear to be the majority at all. What’s odd, even with the well known premise, to be free, and feel accepted, for who you are, (what would that be like?)
Still, some people really struggle to accept this, perhaps because of their habitual belief system and quickly judge the masses. Hey, it’s human.
I myself was closed minded about it at first. (fat nude men=barf).
But evidentaly, the beautiful people out number the ugly…at least “attitute wise”, which is cool.
Additionaly, the interviews I mentioned, and the Unicycle collective showed me another side, and Ironicly it IS the larger picture of what really goes on.
It’s about freedom and fun without the “man” or other social limits imprisoning the mind to social perimiters, or something like that. I’d bet most of us would be ok with that scene if we we’re able to kick it there for a week.
And no I’m not made of dust either, LOL.
But I have spent time in the desert, the sandbox, or whatever you want to call it.
So whatever…
“But that’s just my opinion”…as Dennis miller said…“I may be wrong”.
What do you think?
**
Burning Man
I’ll be there this year. I’m staying with Hushville Camp. 4:00 and E. I’m not sure whether to bring my 24 or 29. I don’t have room for both.
I was there in 2007, too. That oil derrick explosion was lovely! I loved the smell of jet fuel in the morning!
Catboy, r-e-l-a-x!
BTW Catboy, your comment " The BRC rangers will …take you back to center camp, earning you a free admission" makes no sense. Me suspecteth you weren’t ever there.
Usually I don’t think twice before trolling but I’ve actually thought about it about 10 times in the past decade. Every year the massive influx of losers turns this city into the sketchy side of the Haight for 3 weeks. Then a large portion of the residents are so permafried after the burn they have to have events the rest of the year to “decompress”. I’m pretty sure decompressing is just a way to describe coming together to feel like you aren’t a total loser even though you though you think it’s cool to be a burner. Let’s not forget all the money this city wastes on all the people with drug trafficking charges and DUI’s going to and from the man!
Oh, sorry I forgot to mention all the middle aged liberals who couldn’t use their brain to find something better to waste their time and money on. Nothing like indulging in massive waste and consumerism only to return to calling themselves eco-friendly the next week! Don’t forget alcohol is a drug too, Mike.
P.S. That squirt gun you got sprayed in the face with last time you went wasn’t just filled with water, and the effects you experienced afterwards wasn’t just from the good vibes and incense.
How am I supposed to relax when there are drugged out neon hippies invading my city with their foul patchouli smell and smug attitudes? A 99-foot oil derrick that consumed 900 gallons of jet fuel and 2,000 gallons of liquid propane to blast a mushroom cloud 300 feet high into the sky sure sounds like it’s green and leaves no trace on our ozone!
Burning Man was cool before it turned into something that contradicts almost everything it stands for. Back before that guy on ecstacy and acid and who knows what else killed 6 people driving his truck through the playa with no headlights in the middle of the night. Now it’s just like “WOo party woo look at meeeee!!! I’m some dusty naked fat guy on drugs rolling around on some giant plastic vagina in the desert listening to bad techno and trading the free product giveaways I got from a corporate sponsor for a “massage” from some underaged girl who’s too fucked up to know what she’s doing!”
Mike, I think I saw your unicycle down there, to the right of the bottom of the slide?
Catboy, I think you’re swiftly on your way to becoming a crotchety old man. I would wonder how much of an impact the BM crowd would have on Reno, but then I guess most of the people flying in will do it through there. I remember last year being able to identify all the returning BM cars because they were covered with white dust!
Poor Catboy! Looking for some attention!
From your comment “I did sneak out there for the last two days back in 05’ for free”, I’ll bet those are the only days you spent at BM. Those cheaters and moochers who sneak in are the goofs to be avoided. Sorry man, but that’s the truth.
I spend a week in Reno and Sparks before going to BM and you don’t see burners crawling all over the place. I really don’t think you’re talking from first hand experience.
But what the heck, enjoy yourself!
edit: I’m not fat, and the vagina was fabric, not plastic.
@BummerDave - If you weren’t so fried in the brain you would know that they open the gates the last two days. By sneaking out there I meant setting aside responsibilities(something you probably know nothing about) for a weekend to check the festivities out. The real moochers are the hundreds of people that hitchhike into Reno only to panhandle the money for a ticket… Yes hundreds. They started arriving weeks ago and are flooding downtown Reno with their stench and queries for help getting to the man. Yes I know from ten years of living in Reno and 4 years of working 80+ hour weeks before, during and after the man. The two days I spent out there gave me enough of a taste of the drugged out loser culture for a lifetime.
@John - thanks! I know I am maturing quite nicely.
Hey, Catboy. My son’s girlfriend is from Reno. Do you know her?
For her sake, I hope she doesn’t!!
edit: Aw shucks, I couldn’t resist!
Druggie burnout hippies are a real drag.