Album: 08-22 Burning Man

Album:2012:08-22 Burning Man

I camp with 'Tangoed up in Blues' run by T/Edgar, which is a very peaceful camp, happily.

And super highlight of the year, I finally get to go in a plane trip over the city! Wow. Religious experience.

I teach a few Blues classes, but mostly I'm there to support the town and enjoy Burning Man. It's also my first year as an official greeter (though it turned out to be lots and lots of shifts for an early arrival pass that I never got).

Regardless, an amazing, great, super, drama-free year.

The entry tent popped up.
( comments)

The monster ballroom expands
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I spend an entire day
during teardown doing repairs to the struts and tent. ( comments)

To lift the big tent,
we need a massive balloon (it weighs >1000 pounds) ( comments)

Ted inside the balloon as it deflates.
( comments)

The tent constructed!
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The beginnings of the town
(before my bus needs to be moved) ( comments)

Aurora and I catch up
( comments)

In the brig
[photo Aurora Camille] ( comments)

I break out the Uke
for my Ogre Love Song [photo Aurora Camille] ( comments)

Aurora and I find some
fascinating hanging statues/sculptures [photo Aurora Camille] ( comments)

A greeter shot
that ended up being my neighbors, who realized they recognized me when it went up on FB. It's a small world. (Second time this has happened with a greeter photo) [photo Raquel Monterrey] ( comments)

I catch a ride
with Burning Sky, the skydiving camp, and finally get to fly over my city, a dream for 12 years! ( comments)

Walking out on the 'tarmac'
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A little helicopter in the distance
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Loading into the plane
( comments)

Looking out the wing
at the refueling station ( comments)

Our pilot
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The passengers (+ two skydivers)
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Taking off, the city behind.
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We veer over the Black Rock mountains
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Coming back in to the city
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Dorky grinning copilot
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Looking down on the city
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Home.
The most beautiful home I've had. ( comments)

Flying over the amazing city
[Video, 29.2M] ( comments)

Higher up.
[Video, 19.1M] ( comments)

The skydivers launch
[Video, 13M] ( comments)

And we dive!
[Video, 59.9M] ( comments)

And then we dive!
( comments)

The mountains in the distance
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Heavy bank in towards the airport,
we're racing the skydivers down. ( comments)

Back on the playa
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Dave and town head T/Edgar
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Hanging at the Hug Deli
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I run into B.O.B.
(the Buhpartment Of Buh-fense) which is Haley and Allen's crew. They are shamefully using a megaphone. We go from offensive newbies, to decent citizens, to offensive old-timers. ( comments)

B.O.B.
( comments)

Beautiful flame tornado.
No fans! Just convection/fuel pressure powered! ( comments)

Wow. The pier.
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Has a crashed ship this year,
and it's incredible. ( comments)

Someone combines two community bicycles,
and a ridiculous new form of transportation is created. ( comments)

The retardo-tandem
[photo Virginie B] ( comments)

Victor speeds by.
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Dave attacks the retardo-tandem.
( comments)

Ted's joy
[photo Virginie B] ( comments)

Kermit at the temple
[photo Virginie B] ( comments)

Happy T/Edgar
[photo Virginie B] ( comments)

Ted redirects the sun
[photo Virginie B] ( comments)

Campmates at the fire
[photo Virginie B] ( comments)

Andrew,
townie whom I meet giving a ride from Reno [photo Virginie B] ( comments)

Greeting Photo time.
( comments)

A praying mantis.
Found at the Greeter Station. Whack. ( comments)

Greeting Photo!
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Prepping for soccer
[photo Veronica Donati] ( comments)

Enjoying fire
(and chilling the propane tank) [photo Veronica Donati] ( comments)

Looking into fire.
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Victor jumps the fire.
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Fire jump!
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Propane Soccer in the morning
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Victor kicks
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Mander throws the ball,
and starts his hand on fire. ( comments)

Fire, stage right.
( comments)

Propane Soccer
( comments)

Air ball
[photo Veronica Donati] ( comments)

Propane soccer
[Video, 36.7M] ( comments)

Propane soccer
[photo Veronica Donati] ( comments)

Propane soccer
[Video by Mankoo Mitnick, 7.5M] ( comments)

Home,
and a beautiful sunset. ( comments)

Center camp.
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My part of the town,
Victor's monkey hut to the left. ( comments)

After walking in a white out,
I look 100 years old. ( comments)

I drop by B.O.B.
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Pre-burn gathering.
Amazing. ( comments)

Here comes the burn.
( comments)

Fireworks,
of course ( comments)

Man goes boom
[Video, 63M] ( comments)

And the fire begins
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And the fire takes off
(thermite??) [Video, 28.5M] ( comments)

Woosh!
( comments)

Dust devils
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Close to the fire.
( comments)

What's that I see
in the belly of an art car? ( comments)

A flux capacitor!
1.21 gigawatts! ( comments)

Dave, the moon, balloon.
( comments)

And Victor.
(We're standing on a 3-D maze) ( comments)

Dance starts in the main ballroom
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Wall Street is set on fire.
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And it burns fast.
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Theories went around that
both the Man and Wall Street used thermite to burn so quickly. ( comments)

Skeleton.
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The Bijou.
Showing The Wizard of Oz ( comments)

I get much closer to the Bijou
- one of my favorite places at BRC. I finally bring a small case of Junior Mints for them, and they disappear fast. I talk to the creators and might help them with their build next year. ( comments)

The city from a distance
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And the sun rises
at the trash fence. ( comments)

A small mutiny arises,
a number of people cross the trash fence, forcing Gate to come and usher everyone back. ( comments)

We thank Satan for another day.
( comments)

Sunrise at the fence.
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One last time at Temple Juno
( comments)

Which is fantastic, of course,
thanks to David Best's brilliant work. ( comments)

The inner sanctum
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The Man's burn platform
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Where we find someone making bacon
( comments)

And amazingly run into Giedre
from Lithuania ( comments)

The temple burn begins
( comments)

And is magic, of course
( comments)

And spreads quickly
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Beautiful shot of the temple burn
[photo Michael Holden] ( comments)

The crowd goes in.
( comments)

But it's different this year.
( comments)

Dave and T/Edgar at the burn
( comments)

The zones of fire break up the crowd,
and there's no ritualistic circling of the fire, and I like it. Save that for the man, the temple is a more spiritual experience. ( comments)