What I love about Burning Man

[DancingTofu]

I like to pop by the e-Playa while I'm at work, for a quick moment away from, well, work. Then I see in depth discussions about what sucks about Burning Man.

So!

I love, love, love reliving the approach to the playa. It's almost 6 am, and the sun is thinking about getting around to rising. I've just come out of Gerlach, and driving around the lazy loop of the road, I can just barely see it... the blue glow of the Man. He drifts in and out of sight as the road dips and turns, and soon, soon, soon I know I'll have my feet back on the playa...

Whee! I get all shivery and goosebumpy and, yes, even giggly.

And you...?

[robotland]

Yeah, I liked that a lot. I pulled the GPS co-ords from this site before leaving for BRC last year, so in addition to the excitement of spotting the glow we had a countdown and an arrow pointing to THE MAN. Made my little nerd heart flutter!

The first time that I walked out into the deep playa alone at night, and beheld the city in its glory, was pretty cool too.

[Captain Goddammit]

I like night BRC approaches. I'll never forget my first (BM 2000), at about midnight. After driving seemingly forever and thinking I was almost there, I came upon the lights of another city. But that city turned out to be BRC... I couldn't believe the size of it.
When I got closer there were lasers and flames and sparks in the air.
And the rest was history...

[Desi Arnaz]

I love that first bike ride around the playa, seeing that year's man for the first time, seeing art projects under construction, etc. Basically getting my first look at the city for the year.

[Toque]

I also like that first look around. The first visit to the Cafe is always great.

I love watcing the city expand and take shape, too. Some friends of mine climbed our neighbour's windmill tower twice a day in 2000 (my 1st year), and they would take a photo at the same angle every day, once at noon and once at sunset, documenting the city's growth. I heard they were going to make the photos into a slideshow to accompany some homegrown compooter muzak or sum'n.

I always write such long posts, so I'll just leave it there this time

Next?

[stuart]

god damnit I love the drive in. I have arrived at various times but I think I like a daylight arrival best. We come up from L.A. so we got plenty of time to get tired of being on the road. Something magical happens when you get over the pass on 80. That last stop for gas is so charged. It's like your whole being knows that the next time you get out of your vehicle things are gonna be really different. Then you get on the meandering 2 lane blacktop. My first sighting of playa is always ultra cool. I take about a dozen photos of it even though I know they are gonna be identical looking. It's just a way to express my excitement I guess. Gate and Greeters is always a big joy and I love leaping out and taking those first steps on the playa but somehow setting your first foot on what will be your camps spot gives an even bigger thrill. Then the question; do we start unloading? Fuck no! just get the bikes out so we can take a quick spin. Inevitably this quick spin takes us from our spot to 10 to 2 and back including a peek at the platform for the man (the man aint up yet).

Is it time yet?

[Tiahaar]

Hi everyone, oh boy all of your arrival stories are really really getting me excited to once again be on that trip! I'm going to come back to this thread often to help get through the seemingly endless prep work.

My super favorite point was, after 16+ hours of piloting a monsterous old coach and listening to the rumbling diesel in the back, finally backing into the camp spot and shutting down the engine. Then the airbrakes hissed one last time...and it was like "Houston, the Eagle has landed". Thereafter followed one of the best weeks of my life (so far!)!!

[AntiM]

Synchronicity in unexpected places on the trip out. I looove road trips in the first place. The midnight stop at Winnemucca, chatting up other burners on their way. Playing spot the burner on the road. Driving in on I-80 from the east, there's a point when you start picking up the oldies rock station, quite a relief after the looong stretch of only three stations of the Christian variety (note to self, install cd player). The change in radio stations lets me know fernley is nearby and we'll be turning off to the two lane. Odd thing, three times out of four trips (three to BRC, once just to Reno) a Doors song was on, and two times it was "City of Night." Bizarre. either that, or a limited playlist.

don't think about the white horse.

Anti m

[Captain Goddammit]

That last stop for gas is so charged. It's like your whole being knows that the next time you get out of your vehicle things are gonna be really different.

I love leaping out and taking those first steps on the playa but somehow setting your first foot on what will be your camps spot gives an even bigger thrill.

YES! YES! I love that first step onto the playa! And backing the boat off the trailer and onto it's home turf. And getting back into the truck after the LAST pre-playa stop, knowing that the next stop will be ON THE PLAYA!!

WOOHOO! I am getting sooo pumped!

(and I mean that in a hetero way, you assholes!)

[DancingTofu]

I was hunkering down in my tent during last year's dust storm toward the end of the week. I was bored, having read eveything there was to read, including the food labels and the "Keep fire and heat sources away from this tent" label. So I scounged up a mask and went walking. I pointed myself down the road, shut my eyes and walked.

I ended up at the VW Bus Camp eventually. One of the guys invited me to have a seat, they were just fixing dinner. And it was then that I had the most delicious thing I've ever eaten. It was a simple salad of very cold cottage cheese and amazingly ripe tomato. It was the most refreshing food ever!

It's a quick head trip back to the playa whenever I fix that now. Delightful!