Final Thoughts on our 2011 Burning Man Experience

For those of you who are not familiar with Burning Man it is a one week adventure in the Black Rock desert of Nevada.  This year was its 25th anniversary and for the first time in the event's history tickets were sold out, somewhere around 53,000.  A month before people show up the Burning Man organization and a huge contingent of volunteers go to the desert and build Black Rock City.  Like any city there are numerous departments like fire, medical, police, etc., with names such as DPW (Department of Public Works), DMV (Department of Mutant Vehicles).   People who attend Burning Man must show up with their own shelter, food, and water.  It is a hot, dry, and dusty environment and a physical and mental challenge to survive.  Burning Man is a commerce free environment- a gifting community.  The only thing you can buy is coffee and ice.  Given the environment preparation is critical. You have to force yourself to drink fluids and electrolytes or you can count on becoming dehydrated.  Consequently, with that much water and electrolytes intake you end up going to the porta-potties at least every hour. It sort of became a joke about how much time you spend at the porta-potties.  The dust is everywhere and unavoidable.  It is very fine like talcum powder.   Baby wipes are essential for removal.

This was our second time to attend Burning Man so the audio-visual shock we encountered when we arrived  was not as extreme as last time.  When you enter the gates you are usually greeted by people dressed up in costumes and clothing that you have never seen in your life.  It is like you are entering some sort of science fiction movie.  So between dealing with the extreme harsh environment and the extreme audio-visual stimuli it takes a couple of days to adjust to your surroundings.  When you first arrive you have to go the area you have decided on to set up your camp.  Last time we came to Burning Man we came in a RV.  This time we built special fabric structures to sleep in and cook in and of course the all important shade structure.  We brought an outdoor shower and evaporation pond to get minimal showers.  Burning Man is a leave no trace event so you cannot dump any water or trash on the playa (desert surface).

At night Burning Man comes alive. There are no street lights or any source of light to illuminate the city so every person and moving vehicle is lit up like a Christmas tree.  Those that are not are referred to as “darkwads” and run the risk of being accidentally run over in the dark.  There are only three ways to get around Burning Man.  You walk, ride a bike, or ride on a Mutant Vehicle.  The Mutant Vehicles are some sort of vehicle that has been highly mutated to resemble another form like an animal, space craft or whatever the person building it can imagine.  Out on the open playa where the Man and the Temple have been erected there are a huge number of individual art structures. All of this art is lit up at night.  It is an unbelievable spectacle out on the playa at night. There is nothing like it in the world.

Most people are in costumes of some sort and clothes are optional at BM so that adds to visual excitement. The men try not to be too obvious about looking at the topless girls and the girls try not to be too obvious about checking out the naked men. There is loud music 24/7. Techno music prevails so if you hope to sleep at night ear plugs are a must.  Saturday night is the night the Man burns.  All 50,000 plus people gather around the Man and an incredible fireworks show starts the burn off.  The energy level is extremely high on burn night.  Sunday night the Temple burns.  It tends to be a more somber event.  Monday is the last day and the mass exodus starts on Sunday and Monday.

Looking back Sara and I realize that Burning Man is not only a test of your ability to deal with a harsh environment but an opportunity to take part in a truly unique fascinating experience like none other in the world.  Both times we have gone have changed our perspective on life.  For one week in the desert there is no Internet, no phones, no TV, no world news and no politics; just the dust, heat, great friends, the biggest party in the world, and memories that will last a lifetime.  Will we go back? Maybe but we have to finish cleaning up all the dust in our stuff first.  

 

Here are a few burner comments and statements we got a kick out of:

 

“I’ve lost my bike and friends but it sure is pretty over there" – From a burner who walked up to us Friday night – he wondered off into the night.

“Forecast- Dusty" - Written on one of the porta-potties.

"Sorry- we're open" - A sign on one of the music theme camps.

“I’m already against the next war"  - A bumper sticker on a burner's car

"Forget the mistake, remember the lesson" - Written on a porta-potty wall.

“John, what time is it?” – Asked by everyone who refused to wear their watches for the event.

“Days since last injury – 0” – Next to the Thunderdome, a large structure similar to Mad Max and the Thunderdome “

Here are two photo albums, click on the images below to start the slide show.  If you have any problems  go directly to this link: All Photo Albums

Burning Man 2011 - Playa Life

Burning Man 2011 - Camp Life

Heading Home

Had an epic time at Burning Man!  We've determine the event is a true survival experience combined with an art festival, we are pretty beat up, with minds full of the amazing sights we saw.  Left yesterday and stayed in a hotel last night, can't tell you how good the shower felt, and how well we slept!  The techo music plays 24 hours in Black Rock City, it was so quiet last night for a change!  We are now headed to Moab for a few nights of camping.

Here are some pictures, click on the image to see a larger view!

Almost There

Made it to Fernley, NV, just 90 miles from the gate of Burning Man. Uneventful two day 950 mile drive, saw lots of other burners on the road, and at the gas stations.  We are spending the night in a motel finishing up camera prep, costume sewing and water top-up, all normal tasks before any vacation!  We plan to get up early tomorrow and head north to the playa.  Once we get there we need to find where our friends have camped and get our own campsite setup.  Then nothing but fun for six days. We will post later when the fun has finished and we leave the desert!

Burning Man 2011

Today we leave Colorado for our second trip to Burning Man.  This years theme is Rites of Passage, and as usual we have been preparing for months.  Joining us on this adventure is Phil Huff and Jim and Judith O'Toole. We have all the necessary food, water, and shelter required to survive in the desert for a week.  Probably too much stuff, but in true Radical Self Reliance form we don't want to be a burden on the community.

Since our first event was in 2009 we are calling this is Burning Man 2.0.  We at least know what to expect, and are excited to experience Black Rock City again.  This time we have more costumes so we can participate in the Radical Self Expression principle!   We also want to try and see more of the city and theme camps than last time,.  

For those of you who need a recap of Burning Man, check out our 2009 postings: http://johnandsarastanford.blogspot.com/2009/08/burning-man-2009.html

We are taking an easier approach of no RV, since getting the RV prepared and out to the Playa about killed us last time.  Stay tuned as to how camping in the dust works for us!  Phil, John and I are convoying from Summit Country today, and anticipate arriving at the Playa Tuesday morning.   Jim and Judith are joining us Wednesday, hopefully we can all find each other in a city of 50,000.

We will send updates when possible, probably some during our 1,000 mile drive west, which is an adventure  in itself.  Doubtful we will have Internet access once we get to the Playa, but with Burning Man you never know.

The Man burns in 6 days!

Back to Buenos Aires and Final Thoughts on our South America trip

We returned to Buenos Aires Friday afternoon. Saturday we ventured out to a part of Buenos Aires called Caminito, in the La Boca neighborhood. It is wildly colorful. Many years ago when Italian immigrants moved to Buenos Aires to work in the shipyards they lived in a poor section of the city. Many of the homes and buildings were made of tin. To spice up their living environment they brought home left over paint from their work at the shipyards and painted their homes and buildings with a real mish mash of bright vivid paints. Not only is the area colorful and vibrant, they also have numerous cartoonish looking figures on many of their balconies. There is a lot of activity with many places to eat and tango dancing is very present. We also went to San Telmo which is another section of Buenos Aires.

Two weeks previously when we first arrived in Buenos Aires we spent the afternoon at Cementerio de la Recoleta. This cemetery was built in 1882 and is quite ornate. It is similar to the famous Pere Lachaise in Paris which we have also visited.

Sunday, our final day in Buenos Aires we decided to take in a polo match. There are three sports the Argentineans seem to be passionate about - polo, soccer, and car racing, and they have some of the best polo players in the world. The match was a lot of fun even though we really did not have a clue about how the game is played or the rules.

Click below to view the final set of photos!

Buenos Aires

As we sat on the American Airlines 777 in 1st class on our flight back to Miami and Dallas we reflected back on our last three weeks.  (Have to love using reward miles for a trip!)   Peru was awesome, especially Machu Picchu and the small towns of the Sacred Valley. The people were warm, friendly, and helpful. The big surprise was the food. We had some really wonderful meals.

The mountains of Patagonia were truly beautiful. We were warned the weather could be volatile and that turned out to be true. I really think there is enough wind in Patagonia to light up the entire country of America. Nevertheless, the mountains in the Fitz Roy area and down in Torres del Paine in Chile are majestic.

Speaking of America, every time Sara and I go on a trip to another country it makes us realize what a wonderful country we live in. We often take for granted some of the small things like the quality of the water we get out of our faucets. We love and enjoy seeing different parts of the world and meeting people from other countries but we always look forward to returning home.

We hope you enjoyed our comments and pictures from our South American adventure.  What's next? Probably Thailand, Cambodia, and Burma.

Torres del Paine - Wild Patagonia

As I sit on the plane flying back from El Calafate I reflect back on our days in Torres del Paine.  We arrived there a bit on the nervous side, due to the lack of signage, gravel roads and horrendous weather.  After checking into the high dollar hotel everything smoothed out.

The next day (Tuesday 22nd) the weather was much better, but still very windy.  We spent the day driving through the park, and exploring the 62 kilometers of roads.  Torres del Paine is a very big Chilean National park.  It is very different than American National parks.  There are no services like gas stations or food stores and all the roads are gravel.  There are three or four hotels, campsites and a few hostels which are basic buildings for shelter, with no heat.  All electricity has to be generated, and all food and drinks brought in from the nearest town, about 100 miles away.  This is why it is called 'Wild Patagonia!'  The park is beautiful, with turquoise colored lanes and rugged mountains. 

There are a good number of llama looking animals called guanaco roaming wild in the park.  They have a face that reminded me of Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars.  There are also a number of interesting birds, and puma roam the park.  The puma is mostly nocturnal, and unfortunately we didn't see any.

The next morning Sara decided she would investigate a horse back ride.  So off we went to see the Cabarullos.  She had a delightful ride in the mountains with Alvaro her guide, who was full of information about the park and wildlife.

The rest of the day we spent exploring the park taking pictures and moving on Hosteria Pehoe, our last night  and hotel.  The hotel is the oldest hotel in the park and is actually on a small island on Pehoe lake, which is a beautiful turquoise color.  We walked across the 100 meter footbridge to get to the hotel, which has fantastic views of the spires of Torres del Paine.  We had a lovely meal that evening, and then off to bed since I had to get up at 5:15am for sunrise!

The next morning I got up and went to the spot I had picked shot my morning photos.  The sky to the east was red, which I was hoping would turn the light over Torres del Pain a pink color.  Unfortunately there were only small bits of pink, not the dramatic colors I had hoped for.

Patagonia - Torres del Paine

We spent the rest of the day crossing back into Argentina and driving back to El Calafate.  A long tiring drive of about 400 km, over 100 km on gravel.  Patagonia is very large and unpopulated, and we didn't  pass through any towns, and only saw the occasional house.  Luckily we had managed to buy a few gallons of gas at our first hotel, otherwise we would have been stranded in the middle of now where! 

To celebrate Thanksgiving we had a meal at a Parrilla in El Calafate, a traditional Patagonia grill.  We had massive amounts of lamb and beef, and left totally stuffed in normal Thanksgiving tradition.

Friday we flew to Buenos Aires, and now have just one more day to relax and explore before we fly home.









 

Patagonia - Where the Wind Never Stops Blowing

Now for the last phase of our trip. On Monday 15th we flew from Buenos Aires to El Calafate, Argentina, a small town where most people start their Patagonian adventures. We picked up our car and drove north about two hours to El Chalten a very small mountain town just below Mount Fitz Roy. The town is primarily full of backpackers, trekkers and climbers. We had a nice room at the Condor De Los Andes hostal and the next morning started our preparation for the trek to a camp at the base of Mount Fitz Roy.
 
We had brought all the backpacking equipment we needed from home for our four night, five day trek. The real problem started when we finished loading our packs and weighed them using our small digital travel scale. John had 50 pounds and Sara 40 pounds, with 20 pounds being camera gear – big mistake! Nevertheless, off we went and struggled through the three and a half hour hike to base camp. Fortunately the altitude was only a little over 3,000 feet, and the path wasn’t too steep. The weather was lovely, and the views magnificent.

The campsite was in a forested area which provided some protection from the wind, rain and snow; yes we got a little snow! The winds were relentless. They blew constantly, day and night, gusting up to 30-40 mph. It was very cold, low 40’s during the day, and 30’s at night, I’m not sure what the temperature was with the wind chill factor. Obviously the weather was less than ideal and Fitz Roy was often obscured by clouds. The only way to stay warm was in our sleeping bags, hence a lot of tent time! I don’t know how we could have slept at night without ear plugs. After five days of constant wind Sara and I both started to feel a little crazy from the constant roaring sound, and I swear my ears are still ringing.


Photography was less than ideal, but I did get some shots When the weather cleared Mt Fitz Roy and the surrounding mountains and glaciers were magnificent. Saturday morning we packed up and headed down the mountain, still in the relentless rain and wind! After a hot meal we drove back to El Calafate. We toyed with the idea of camping that night, but it was an easy decision to get a nice hotel room.

Click below to view the photos!

Patagonia - Fitz Roy Trek

Sunday morning we prepared for our drive to Chile and the Torres del Paine National Park. As we were getting gas we noticed one of the tires was low on air, and then Sara noticed a nail in the tire. Immediately I thought ‘Oh boy, here we go’, we are in a foreign country where we barely understand any conversation, and it is Sunday in a small town. The guy at the gas station gave us directions to a tire repair place, of which we understood about three words. By pure luck we found the shop, with a very helpful Argentinean customer who understood enough English to help us communicate our problem to the repair man. Forty-five minutes later and at a cost of 20 pesos (about five dollars), we were back on the road!

The journey to Torres Del Paine and Chile was about a six hour drive. We had expected such a large National park to be well sign posted, however that was not the case. By some miracle, and use of our global compass (purchased especially for the trip south of the equator) we made the correct turn on to the gravel road and crossed into Chile. I guess that GPS I thought about bringing would have been a good thing. Maybe this blog should be titled Gringos lost in Patagonia!

We drove about 80 km on the gravel roads and finally got close to the park. The mountain range was getting closer and more spectacular. We noticed the winds were extremely strong and it was very cold. Just outside the park was a Refugio, which is a very basic hostel. We stopped, thinking we would camp there. When we asked the girl about camping she looked at us like what fool would want to put up a tent in this wind and cold. She mentioned the option of staying in the unheated bunk rooms for 15,000 Chilean pesos per person or the individual heated rooms for 30,000 per person. (About 60 dollars each.) Easy decision! The food was good, the room basic but dry and warm, and we weren’t in the tent. Yahoo!


This morning, (Monday) we entered the park, along with several coach loads of backpackers, planning on hiking the five to ten day circuit around the park. The weather conditions had deteriorated to driving rain and gale force winds, and we were nervous because we had planned on camping two more nights before our next hotel reservation on Wednesday. We drove on more gravel roads to Las Torres Hotel which we had decided against during our original planning because it is about $300 a night. When we got to the hotel we sat in the car and debated if we should try to get one or two nights. As we got out of the car the wind and rain were so strong it almost knocked us over. We battled our way to the entrance, and at the front desk Sara looked at me and said “Do you think we should ask how much?”, without hesitation I immediately said ‘NO!” So thanks to the credit card we have two nights in a beautiful hotel with a fabulous view of the mountains. Well we think a fabulous view, because it is cloud covered and obscured at the moment.

So for the next few days we are warm, safe, dry and happy!