Hi folks… I’m on a flight now back from Reno to Albanay. Today is Diane and my 22nd anniversary. I am so happy to be on my way back to lush green VT.. and my family. I don’t have time to upload my pictures now.. Theire closing the door. Many more pictures later. Love to you all.
Love you Sam
-me
Saturday midday – dust storm
I’m writing you from the internet room here at blacK rock city. We’ve just gone through a dust storm and the room is crammed with folks like me trying to get out of the dust. It’s everywhere.. inside and outside..
The internet isn’t working well.. so I’ll make it brief. Last night was kinda quiet.. we cooked and watched the sun drop.. Then a few of us went out in the middle of the playa to get some peace.. We ended up walking out to a small classroom thing folks had set up in the middle of the playa.. a few school desks, some books and a chalkboard. We had a glass of wine and looked at the lights about a half mile away in all directions.. It was pretty magical. I came back earlyish (midnight) with a thought of getting some sleep.. but then ran into some campmates and went out to the ‘opulent temple’ a rave/video/fire place up the street. I ran into Max there which was great. I hadn’t gotten a chance to hang out with him much during the day.. I stayed there till about 2.. then went home.. and ran into John M and Duane.. who dragged me back out..
I got home pretty late… and slept great.
This morning Max and I were on to cook.. We made crepes that came out great… Now out in the dust storm…
I’m feeling pretty low key today.. maybe thinking about going.. or missing home…
But… still very happy to be here .
They burn the man tonight.. then we leave around 4AM.. for the airport.
I’ll post now.. and maybe add pictures if that works
Hi Diane and Gabe.. I miss you guys.. See you tomorrow
Miss you all.. miss you Sam
-me
(Well.. got some bandwidth.. but not enough time to comment.. I’m going back and adding some captions jc- 9/1/08)
Hurray.. the parade of the potty suckers. These babies kept the porta potty’s livable.
This camp brought a tramp (sounds like Dr. Suess)
Mmmmm. a fountain of Sake !
Cool steam punk conveyance.. it was a horse pulling a wagon
a buddist meditation camp.. Burning Man had lots of meditation things to counter the general craziness.
I met this robot that pee-ed on me..
I got back to camp…. we all climbed on top of the RV to watch the sunset. nice.
Then out on the town for another night of music and lights.
On our trip out to the playa we found a perfect little office cubicle someone had set up as some sort of statement.
We went into a musical planetarium.. I left a SamStone on one of the instruments. .
The man presided over the playa. wearing some nice neon
In the distance we saw what we thought was an accident.. turns out it was an intentinal burn of one of the pieces.. a pyramid
These guys were all wearing balck with electroluniscent wire figures.. they looked SO cool .
Then on to the Oppulent Temple.. for the evening rave.. I really loved this place.
On the way out we saw soem amazing art cars.. this duck was huge.. the size of a bus.. with 50-70 people on its back,, it shot fire and had searchlights for eyes.
here’s the chisire cat mobile
and an angler fish car.. (just like maxs nagler fish costume)
and a triceratops car
Saw this painted on a bus !
Got about 3 ohours sleep htne it was our turn to make breakfast. Max and I made crepes..
I think they were pretty good.. though.. I did’t eat one.
ABy this point the alkali had started to rot both Max and my feet.. owww
I spent the rest of the mornign just walking around in the camps by myself..
Friday afternoon – more from the playa
This Burning Man festival has been one of the most amazingexperiences of my life.. Like any experience.. it’s not going to be easy todescribe. . I think most of the storiesare going to have to leak out over time. I can say that it’s wonderful being here as a dad with Max..it’s wonderful being here as a geek to see all the cool science/art. It’s coolbeing here as a human with all of these really wonderful folks.. And it’swonderful being here for Sam’s memory. I’ve handed out nearly a 100 pounds ofSamStones.. and met so many people over his story.
I’ll add a bunch of pictures here if bandwidth allows…
Diane and Gabel.. I love you guys. I think you’d like it here too…
Sam.. you’re all over this place..
More tomorrow
-me
Here’s my seat mate on the plane to Reno..Menachim .. a rabbi for the def.. goign to the Burn for the 8th year.
The continental divide !
First thing you see off the plane.. Here’s Ben spending our first dollar
And our winnings !
The drive up was amazing.. it’s such an alien landscape
Solid burnign man traffic the whole 2 hour drive…
We hit a sandstorm when we got to burning man !
Here’s our crew ready to enter
Pierre hitting the ‘burning man virgin’ bell.. .
Here;s the wonderfu camp that Duane, John and mark had set up for us
The clan getting ready to go out on the ‘town’
The view from the desert.. and keep in mind.. there’s no electricity here.. everything comes from peoples generators.
There is ton of high tech fire sports.. I’ve got some GREAT ideas of stuff to build.
This is my favorite.. a metal dragon made out of bakery tins that shot fire.
Lots of amazing art cars..
And light up clothing.
and EVERYTHING caked with alkali dust.
Max came in soemtime.. and slept through the morning.. as did most of us.
Our neighbors brught a Tramp.. gabe..
Here’s our road
And our camp from the top of the RV
Ben and sara taping on our mylar with me on the roof of the RV.. we wanted somethign to reflect the freaks walkign by
Peter cookng breakfast from above
Breakfast was yummy.
And here’s our mirror
Building the bikes
This guy wondered through our camp.. nice guy. but probably tripping. he grabbed a bag of samstoens and ran off throughg them into the desert. We caught him and collected them back.. Then got him soem water… It was wierd..
Our neighbor Two bear and his phots (this was a time exposure taken with moonlight !)
Two bear has the characters for Reiki tattoed on his arm.
The margarida girls down the street.
I ran into my buddy jeff J. in the internet bar.. he has a bus here.. We wnet buy and saw him and Micheelle on their party bus last night..
People searching for friends leave notes like this.
Weird stuff abounds
Snowcone anyone ?
I made the goggles out sf some plastic max had.
Irony abounds too
Duane in a loin cloth..
Dinner last night
There was a huge machine lanching smoke rings
I put soem lights on the bus.. snazzed it up massivly.. We also named it ‘Duanes’ world’
Then we cruzed the playa taking in the sites
I just LOVE the fire.. such cool sceince.. such great public art.
Breakfast this morning.. one of the best conversations I’v eever had on ‘kids today’ These guys are all amazing in that they’ve all been very suvccesssful in business.. and now devote all of their time and energy to helping others.. It’s really inspiring
Some of our clan came back with tem tattoos.
These two brother are about to send their dads ashes up in a huge rocket.. I told them about Sam ‘s ashes going up in 2 rockets and many fireworks.> The world is a strang and funny place.. no ?
Then I went to the ‘Temple’ a huge bulding covered with peoles memories of loved ones.. It was really moving. I spent a long time there.. I put out a bunch of sam stones.. and sat there talkign to Sam.. and cried.. I wasn’t alone. the spirit of the place was indescribable.. It was one of the most moving things I ever remember doing.> . I know that my purpose for comign here had been going to this place.. I can’t capture it in writing
Then I walked across the playa and saw the ‘man’ he burns tomorrow..
and he’ll burn with a samstone
I walked around all day.. there were lots of folks out walking, riding, singing.. it was amazing.
people run behind the water trucks washing off.
I came across Bobby bacons fish in the playa.. I knew it from the picture his mom had sent my mom..
And then I went and found Bbby, Annie and Tom.. It was so cool meeting them in person. Bob went to the same high shool I did.. 4 years earlier. Annie had a stroke a while back and has been gettng better since. I have been reading her blog. I feel a great kinship in healing through blogging. It was great meeting her in person..
Bob’s brother Tom showed up just as i was leaving.. (I got this picture with them for you Mary B !)
I then walked compleyly across the playa to get back to camp.. a mile or so of open dessert.. I came across this classroom somewhere in the middle
THat’s it for now.. Hope I can post this.. More tomorrow
Love you family.. U2 Sam
-me
Thursday afternoon – The Playa
There’s no internet or cellphone for about 50 miles.. so I’ll have to post this later. Maybe I can find internet somewhere in center camps. It’s going to be just impossible to describe the scene here at burning man . It’s the most amazing, chaotic, wonderful and nasty thing I’ve ever done. I’m typing this in nearly 100 degree weather, caked with alkali dust that;s so think that I look like a ghost.. We all stink mightily for lack of showers.. and I gotta say.. I FEEL GREAT. We got here last night around 7.. I’ll post the pictures when I get on. ) We waited in line for about 45 minutes to get in.. it was really cool seeing all the other burners in line.. lots of interesting style statements… for some reason cross dressing is a big thing this year.. and then… there are always a few naked pis minions had already set up everything for us. All we needed to do was to pitch people walking around.. I feel like a republican in my khaki shorts and tie die lab coat… We got to camp to find that Duane and his minions had set everything up for us… all we had to do was pitch our tent.. We settled in .. then headed out to check out the scene.. we went out in multiple groups… into the crowd.. there’s somewhere between 40 and 50 thousand folks here.. so it was pretty easy to lose track of folks.. I ended up by myself wandering around until about
I think the night is best captured in pictures.. so I’ll fill that in when I post…
I went home around 3… and went to sleep.. Max must have come in sometime after that.. because he was there when I woke up around 8. We’ve been sitting around camp ever scince decorating the RV, our bikes and our selves.. We had a great juevos rancheros breakfast a couple of hours back. Imax is off looking for some friends he made on the plane.. I’m going to find my friends Jeff and Michelle from
Tonight We’ll probably all cruise around together.. I’m sure it will be fiuun, amazing and exhausting…
I’ll let you know.. So.. happy burning folks.. u2 Sam.
-me
ps. Just found some internet… but forgot my camera cable.. sorrrrry !
pss.. Hi Diane and Gabe.. I love you guys !…
psss. We’re at Fairlane and 2:10 if anyone is looking for us !