Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Burning Man?

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web
Register   Log in
crash-proof

crash-proof

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 10, 2002
Posts
782
I know that the typical poster here would never dream of going to Burning Man, but what the heck. Has anyone ever tried it out?

Me and the wifey are toying with some road trip ideas and out of nowhere came the crazy thought of going to Burning Man (late August). She had never heard of it but after showing some pics online she MAY be open to check it out. Since she's not the camping type we'd probably find us a hotel in Reno and drive over (about 1hr). For those who don't know, burning man's a sort of hippie comune mixed with Cirque Soleil theatrics. And real freaks!

So, anyone willing to come out of the woodwork and confess you've been there??

And just to make it clear we'd be going as human beings and not tooth fairies. :D I want to watch, not partake.
 
After doing some reading on their website, i'm not so sure i'm gonna do it.
They charge *gulp* $250 per person! Some rich hippies, eh?
They also charge an additional $20/person if you leave the premises and come back. They do not want passerby-ers, they want people to camp in and help build the "city" and take part in the activities. It's not exactly tourist or spectator friendly. I might be up for that but the wife wants a hotel, food, etc and there's zero infrastructure. Extreme hots during day and extreme colds at nite, and if it rains you're screwd.

I think I'll pass now on this one. :(
 
I have always wanted to go, but I am planning on during burning man as my "retirement" party.
 
crash-proof said:
After doing some reading on their website, i'm not so sure i'm gonna do it.
They charge *gulp* $250 per person! Some rich hippies, eh?
They also charge an additional $20/person if you leave the premises and come back. They do not want passerby-ers, they want people to camp in and help build the "city" and take part in the activities. It's not exactly tourist or spectator friendly. I might be up for that but the wife wants a hotel, food, etc and there's zero infrastructure. Extreme hots during day and extreme colds at nite, and if it rains you're screwd.

I think I'll pass now on this one. :(
Click to expand...

I've thought about going in the past, but the theme is rugged survivalism and community than anything else. Expect to suffer no matter what as it gets rough out there. Don't think I'll be attending any time soon, but it sounds fun minus the elements.
 
Had a friend that has gone a few times. He says it is all, and more: total freak show, live sex, S&M,... very decadent. Pretty much all the stuff that should be kept out of a civilized and moral culture. Not my cup of tea. The pictures give it a "Mad Max" sort of feel to it.
If you go, bring lots of water.
 
Burning Man is not real friendly to tourists... if you go, you go for the whole thing. That's one reason they charge $250. It requires a fair amount of planning and preparation. In addition to having $250 they are some very organized and motivated "hippies". For many long-time "burners" it is the highlight of the year and they take weeks off of work etc...

For many years they had an airstrip set up for those who wanted to fly themselves in... but I heard a rumor that they're not doing it anymore.
 
I went to it about 6 years ago and wont ever go back. The place is nuts, anything goes except violence of course. Drugs are everywhere and the people are nice but from a different planet it seems. The experience made me realize what freaks normal looking people become with percieved anarchy.
 
I heard you can rent an RV on site (pre-arranged). Maybe the wife would go for that. Not exactly a hotel but not camping either. Good luck!
 
I went last year, had a blast. The experience is totally what you make of it though, anything you can think of, from tame to wild, happens out there somewhere. You can hang out at your camp area the whole time if you want, or go out for days seeing everything

Last year, about 50,000 people attended. this year, there are no ticket sales at the gate, which is a good thing, since someone showing up at the last minute, probably has not done any planning and had no idea what they are getting into.

It is getting more expensive, but the earlier you buy the ticket, the cheaper it is. Burning Man organization is non-profit, and a lot of that money goes to BLM, getting emergency services people out there, all the planning and surveying that goes into it. and the art grants for some of the things there you see

It is about self expression, and self sufficiency. So in a way, both individualism and community. You bring your own food, water, shelter, all that stuff, there are no food stands, no vendor sales, no one out there with a water truck to take care of you when you run out.

I volunteered some at the airport, manning the unicom radio. I think a lot of pilots who are used to highly structured lives and careers, or who have repressed any last bit of individualism, would not enjoy BM. There is no one telling you were to be, what to wear, when you will eat, everything about BM it is up to you to decide how you will enjoy it.

The airport area is more sedate, the people there actually get up in the morning and have a community breakfast, and do a fair amount of flights, lots of mile high club certificates were given out. There was one private pilot there, he had his first multi engine flight, although two others rode in the back, and her feet kept hitting his head the whole time :) I think 150 airplanes came in during that week, from Cessna singles, to a AN-2, and a jet. There was this smoking hot woman with her own 206, and even some long haired pilots flying yak-52s.

I saw the best fireworks displays there I had ever seen before, lots of explosions too, so if you think its a hippy kumbaya event, its not that at all.

It can be a harsh environment though, with sandstorms, sunburn, sleep deprivation, etc, but if you are prepared, its no problem. If one goes there unprepared, it would be a completely miserable experience. Also you cant drive around there, so bring a bicycle

I certainly do not see it as some decadent immoral event. There is nothing inherently wrong with people just being themselves, having a great time. I think I met more genuine real people there, than anyplace else. There is no trying to impress others with clothing logos or cars, no one could care about status or background, its just who you are as a person. Something you creatively made, is going to be impressive to others, not something you bought.

All in all, I had a great time, and hope to go again. However, I would also not recommend it for everyone, because it is not for everyone either. I think a lot of people, especially in commercial aviation, would just not get what it is about.
 
Rick James said:
The place is nuts, anything goes except violence of course. Drugs are everywhere and the people are nice but from a different planet it seems. The experience made me realize what freaks normal looking people become with percieved anarchy.
Click to expand...

AWESOME!! Sounds like a baby Woodstock!! I wanna go!!
 
414Flyer said:
I went last year, had a blast. The experience is totally what you make of it though, anything you can think of, from tame to wild, happens out there somewhere. You can hang out at your camp area the whole time if you want, or go out for days seeing everything

Last year, about 50,000 people attended. this year, there are no ticket sales at the gate, which is a good thing, since someone showing up at the last minute, probably has not done any planning and had no idea what they are getting into.

It is getting more expensive, but the earlier you buy the ticket, the cheaper it is. Burning Man organization is non-profit, and a lot of that money goes to BLM, getting emergency services people out there, all the planning and surveying that goes into it. and the art grants for some of the things there you see

It is about self expression, and self sufficiency. So in a way, both individualism and community. You bring your own food, water, shelter, all that stuff, there are no food stands, no vendor sales, no one out there with a water truck to take care of you when you run out.

I volunteered some at the airport, manning the unicom radio. I think a lot of pilots who are used to highly structured lives and careers, or who have repressed any last bit of individualism, would not enjoy BM. There is no one telling you were to be, what to wear, when you will eat, everything about BM it is up to you to decide how you will enjoy it.

The airport area is more sedate, the people there actually get up in the morning and have a community breakfast, and do a fair amount of flights, lots of mile high club certificates were given out. There was one private pilot there, he had his first multi engine flight, although two others rode in the back, and her feet kept hitting his head the whole time :) I think 150 airplanes came in during that week, from Cessna singles, to a AN-2, and a jet. There was this smoking hot woman with her own 206, and even some long haired pilots flying yak-52s.

I saw the best fireworks displays there I had ever seen before, lots of explosions too, so if you think its a hippy kumbaya event, its not that at all.

It can be a harsh environment though, with sandstorms, sunburn, sleep deprivation, etc, but if you are prepared, its no problem. If one goes there unprepared, it would be a completely miserable experience. Also you cant drive around there, so bring a bicycle

I certainly do not see it as some decadent immoral event. There is nothing inherently wrong with people just being themselves, having a great time. I think I met more genuine real people there, than anyplace else. There is no trying to impress others with clothing logos or cars, no one could care about status or background, its just who you are as a person. Something you creatively made, is going to be impressive to others, not something you bought.

All in all, I had a great time, and hope to go again. However, I would also not recommend it for everyone, because it is not for everyone either. I think a lot of people, especially in commercial aviation, would just not get what it is about.
Click to expand...


The smoking hot woman in the 206 was probably Ramona Cox ( skychick ) . She is awesome !!
 
Any good stories behind the cirrus and seneca? It looked like the tail was broken off the cirrus, I don't think that's even fixable.
 
Last I heard, Cirrus is still sitting there, all by itself out there, almost like a piece of litter in the desert. I had already left, when that happened, so I do not have much info on it.

The Seneca, it was taxiing out there and had the nose gear catch what is called a "sand serpent", like a couple - few inches high sand dune, and the nose gear collapsed, prop strikes. They tried raised it up to move the plane out of the way and then a main collapsed too, then causing wing damage. thats planes life is over with
 

Share this page

Latest posts

Latest resources

Latest media

Carbon Cub FX-3 Shenandoah Valley
Carbon Cub at Kittyhawk
FX-3 in the backcountry
IFR Panel in a Carbon Cub FX-3
Cub-Provo-UT-c.jpg
Back
Top Bottom