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The next day was load out.Our trucker Todd was loaning us his curved red trailer.We spent until the early hours of the morning loading it.The Fishbug was heading to burning man.
I spent the next week sleeping at shipyard and the Department of Spontaneous Combustion or the DSC (another metal shop affiliated with the people at the shipyard).Much of my time was spent frantically preparing for the festival.I went to the local army surplus store for most of the items.Sports Authority and Home Depot for the rest.I got a tent, goggles, rebar, a shade structure, the crappiest bike I have ever ridden, and other important desert survival gear.Getting the gear was an adventure in itself.
Quite a lot did happen over the course of the week but for this tale I think 2 conversations really mattered. I'll tell you about one.Michelle lived at the DSC and offered to let me stay.I preferred this to the Shipyard because they had hot water, a more comfortable couch, a shower, and a full kitchen.I had met her while working on the Fishbug and we quickly made friends.She had a thick Scottish accent and a bag full of expressions I have never heard of which kept me entertained.Michelle is also a master metal worker.We got to know each other better over that week.She had loads of stories that I just ate up.Her stories about sailing had me most intrigued.Michelle has circumnavigated the globe a handful of times on sailboats.She has been in the South Pacific, the Atlantic, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean Sea, and well… everywhere else too.She told me this one tale that just blew me away.She was sailing a few years ago across the Atlantic and found a message in a bottle.She popped open the cork and pulled out a faded picture, dated almost thirty years ago.On the back was a name and address of the woman in the picture.It said she lived in Sacramento.Michelle kept it with her during her voyage and eventually looked up that woman in Sacramento to find her alive and well.She returned the note and made a friend for life.I think Michelle told it better than I did but you get the picture.When I heard this story something shifted inside of me.I called my roommates back in Boston and told them that I wasn't coming home.I had been on the fence about it but this finally did it for me.I just couldn't get sailing out of my mind the rest of the night and the rest of the week for that matter.
Finally my departure date to Burning Man came.I had planned to car pool up to Black Rock with a girl named Jay who (also) lived at the Shipyard.We packed my car full of supplies and one James Brown album. There was so much stuff I had to leave some personals behind.
Jay and I drove up route 80 through the Sierras and into Nevada.The mountains were steep and had sharp edges.We drove into Reno on our way and picked up about 30 gallons of water at a Safeway. They knew we were coming.
Soon after we got off the route 80 exit and headed north up Route 437.The road narrow and was deserted for the most part.Further up, we drove through Pyramid lake reservation. The town looked very poor.Old broken down trucks and trailers littered the landscape.Signs for Indian tacos in colored spray paint dotted the highway.Much of the youth in these reservations leave and try to make a life in the city.It seemed like the last remains of generations of Native Americans.
We drove further outside the town and saw the sunset fall beneath the mountains behind Pyramid Lake.About an hour longer on the road and we passed through another small town called Gerlach.I think it consisted of one gas station, one restaurant, and bout 150 people.The traffic thickened though as we all continued our pilgrimage.
It was pitch dark by the time we finally arrived to the festival.There were no lights on the road and the entrance was difficult to find.Luckily Jay saw the sign that said special event and I swung my car right down the unpaved road.I had my foot light on the gas as my eyes got steadily wider.We were only going about 10 miles per hour but still managed somehow to kick up a huge dust cloud into the night sky.
We got to the gate and handed out tickets a guy with bright yellow goggles and a dusty leather vest with pieces of fabric hanging along the bottom trim. Everyone there looked like they had been in the desert for weeks.Another guy requested we get out of the vehicle while the searched it.Jay and I got out while he poked around my car with a flashlight.He then asked me if I had drugs.I said no in order to avoid a more detailed search.He said that was a shame.I looked at Jay and chuckled a bit.We got back in and rolled along to the main entrance.
Again we stopped and again we were asked to get out but this time by people who looked even dustier.I wondered why because they had just searched us.Welcome home they yelled as we entered the elements.They gave us a big hug covering our clean clothes with a layer of playa.They asked us if we were virgins to the festival.We both said yes and their eyes glowed.The man handed me a hammer and told me to step up to an oversized bell in front of us.Ring the bell to let the citizens of Black Rock City know of your arrival.I gripped the handle in my hand and gave the bell a smack. My ears rang as the metal vibrated.Jay then grabbed the hammer and smacked 3 or 4 more times.
Ok the man said.Now put your hands in the dirt.I looked over at Jay to make sure I wasn't the only one doing it.Now, grab 2 fistfuls of playa dust and put it all over yourselves.I grabbed two handfuls and began spreading the dust on my clothes and skin.
Ok the man said.Now, spank each other.You first Jay said.I cautiously bent over and she slapped my ass with the open palm of her hand.She bent over and I whacked her next.We both started laughing uncontrollably.Welcome home they said again as we drove off.
Back in the car and driving slowly once again.I could see lights in the distance and knew we were getting close.Along the windy road there were about 100 or more signs placed about every 10 feet or so.They were all covered in thought provoking quotes about evolution.Jay read them aloud as we drove by each one.
Finally we arrived and set out to find our friends who had been on the Playa for almost a week now setting up the Fishbug.The night was really dark on in Black Rock city and stars shone overhead.In the distance I saw a bright light and could make out the fiberglass brain of the Fishbug.Jay and I left the car jumped on our bikes and made out way to the work site.Rebecca and Jess were there with a few other familiar dusty faces.They gave us each a big hug getting us even dirtier.I glanced at the bug from up close.I had never seen it look this good.It looked beautiful.Burning Man was a good home for her.
We made our way back to the car and to our camp at 5:00 and C.You may be scratching your head and wondering what the hell does that mean.Let me explain.The entire burning man festival is set up around a circle.The streets go back alphabetically and the time is your position to the Man (which is at the very center of the circle).The esplanade is what they call the ring around the playa where all of the art installations are.The city is really easy to navigate this way.
Jay and I found where 5:00 and C was and turned right.I pulled off C or Chaos Street and found a clear space for us to set up camp.I unloaded my car and quickly put up my tent and 10x10 shade structure.I then laid out my rebar at each corner to reinforce everything.Jess told me that the wind could gust up to 70 miles an hour out there so I wasn't taking any chances.I went to my trunk to grab the mini sledgehammer I got just for this occasion and…. realized I had left it with my other things at the DSC.Damn I thought.I looked for a rock or something and saw only sand at my feet.I then saw a gleam off of a thick-bottomed Teflon frying pan from the light on my headlamp.I grabbed the handle and proceeded to pound in the 2 foot pieces of rebar into the desert sand.Every time I made contact with the rebar, my ears started ringing, but I kept going… and going.
Painfully, I finished staking in all 12 bars and sat down to catch my breath.My ears felt like they could be bleeding.I could already feel the 4,000ft elevation taking its toll on me.I drank some water and grabbed an apple from my cooler.Soon after, I made my way to bed and got some much needed rest.
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