When in doubt, Run in circles, Scream and Shout

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri May 20, 2005 4:33 pm

With the upside down weather we have been having. This just may be the year of the "big rain" on the playa. It's going to be great fun watching the whiners running for home. I plan to stay until it dries out and the tow trucks have had there day. It will be a bumpy ride getting to the pavement for me. At least I wont have a tow bill and a longer vacation. If your stupid enough to drive on wet playa. You are entitled to every thing you get. I know, I know you have to be back to work on Tue. morning. Your trip was ruined by water, you are no a hater of BM. Suck it up, read, sleep, visit other camps, relax and live easy for a while. Your not going far for awhile.

hunter S · Post by **hunter S** » Fri May 20, 2005 5:33 pm

Unjon, I'm an optimist! lived in northern NV. 30 years sittin on the plya for an exstra couple weeks ok with me but my guess is the late wet whether leads to extra hot dry summer, better be ready for a scorcher dial up the sp on the sun block! you fellers that live where their are trees might be inclined to bail out eary.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri May 20, 2005 5:48 pm

hunter S wrote:Unjon, I'm an optimist! lived in northern NV. 30 years sittin on the plya for an exstra couple weeks ok with me but my guess is the late wet whether leads to extra hot dry summer, better be ready for a scorcher dial up the sp on the sun block! you fellers that live where their are trees might be inclined to bail out eary.

~
This old boy will have to ware a full rob this year. Those spots on my skin are getting a little out of hand. Figure a 12x5 10oz cotton painters tarp will do. Extrem camping is my cup of tea. Now if I can just find The Chia Guy to serve it up. I just think it would be f..in funny if it rains. Separates the men from the boys. It sure will mess up the "herd" mind set.

Mister Jellyfish Mister · Post by **Mister Jellyfish Mister** » Sat May 21, 2005 8:54 am

Look to the test of our society during the great depression. If everybody is out of just about everything for two extra weeks we could become a very close bunch. "We're all in this shit together... literally!" Just don't hop the hobo train at Apokiliptika unless you want a steaming hot cup of playa soup.

"Oh there's food around the corner..."

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Sat May 21, 2005 9:00 am

Mister Jellyfish Mister wrote:Look to the test of our society during the great depression. If everybody is out of just about everything for two extra weeks we could become a very close bunch. "We're all in this shit together... literally!" Just don't hop the hobo train at Apokiliptika unless you want a steaming hot cup of playa soup.

"Oh there's food around the corner..."

~
Great idea, I'll throw in the stock pot and dry makens just in case. Rice and BEANs! Hot!

geekster · Post by **geekster** » Sat May 21, 2005 5:55 pm

Bring snow chains just in case. It can help the slippy in the mud thing.

blyslv · Post by **blyslv** » Mon May 23, 2005 2:48 pm

re: rain There was a similar rumor floating around last year.

Weather happens, whetehr you like it or not. Bring a poop tube and Scotch.

the_iconoclast · Post by **the_iconoclast** » Mon May 23, 2005 10:18 pm

blyslv wrote:re: rain There was a similar rumor floating around last year.

Weather happens, whetehr you like it or not. Bring a poop tube and Scotch.

Difference - this year a lake moved across the Playa at speeds up to 30 feet a minute. On both DPW MOOP weekends, as of Friday, BRC was fully exposed, and by Sat. Morning - it was totally submerged. Talking to a few people - it seems that the residents of Gerlach have never seen water so far down Playa. That and add the fact that Northern Nevada has received in excess of 175% the average rainfall this year, and areas all along I-80 between Reno and Wendover are flooded and look like marshlands... if any year was going to see precipitation, IMHO, I'd vote this one..

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue May 24, 2005 5:35 am

I'll be curious to see if that neck of the woods goes into flower-blooming overdrive, as other parts of the West have recently... And should I wear a snorkel at all times, in case this roving lake sneaks up on me? May have to pull a Snoopy and sleep on top of the car!

Post by **AntiM** » Tue May 24, 2005 1:26 pm

It's the frickin' desert. It'll dry up by August. That's what deserts do.

blyslv · Post by **blyslv** » Tue May 24, 2005 1:35 pm

There are two kinds of fools. Those who predict the weather, and those who believe them.

Mark Twain

It's possible it will rain. Be prepared.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue May 24, 2005 1:39 pm

Prepared Aye Aye! No, I simply refuse to ChickenLittle about a wet desert. It will dry up eventually. It will be rained upon eventually. Cluck cluck.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Tue May 24, 2005 1:50 pm

My whole point in starting this thread was to say stay put. It will dry up. But dumb shits will try to leave. This will make a big mess for everone. There will be stuck car/trucks. The rut will be very deep. Tempers will blow. I would not think it could rain for a whole day. Just saying if it happens have your shit togeather and hang out like you knew enough too. It could turn into one hell of a party.

Blue Jester · Post by **Blue Jester** » Tue May 24, 2005 3:02 pm

I have facts and all that fancy prove you wrong tactics and I have come to the conclusion it will rain........alot. So save yourself and alot of other people the hassle and just don't go it's that easy.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue May 24, 2005 6:56 pm

My response was based on months hence outlook, not days. Spring in the desert is simply a different matter than high summer in the desert. Panties are bunching early this year.

I certainly know enough to sit tight during rain on a wet lakebed. Sheesh, it isn't like I've never sat out a typhoon with a dacquiri in my hand. A day of rain on the playa? Yeah, that's going to bother me.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed May 25, 2005 8:50 am

Ah, AntiM. What a difference wisdom makes. When it all falls apart and I revert to duckling behavior, you're the mother duck I plan to imprint on!

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Wed May 25, 2005 12:50 pm

Yep, methinks (in addition to AntiM's sage advice)...

An extra case of red wine and water cubes, and an extra case of box chili, and an extra tank of Propane, and backup brownies, for the "just in case" scenario? Maybe an inflatable raft or even an inflatable swimming pool to keep your stuff outta the lake... >>shrug<< And an extra week or so on the playa? The downside being???

I'll give you the other scenario. Extremely wet playa ends up becoming excess dust in late summer, combined with an unusually high air flow/depression cycle, ends up becoming the mother of all alphas on Friday (or better, Saturday) morning, lasting a week or 2... Can you imagine 40-50K people stuck in an alpha? Woah!! Not to worry tho, if you're ready - Same rules apply, plus 2 or 3. Add to the above list some rope to make trailways between your camp and the closest ones (like between the buildings at Thule AFB, Greenland, for blizzard conditions), extra tarps for additional wind/dust resistance, and a *good* respirator w/ extra filters (not the cruddy paper ones) and goggles so you can survive the 7-10 days it may take until the winds calm down... A first aid kit to help the walking wounded (Those will increase manifestly in a continuous roiling duststorm) and shovels and hoes to dig out cars and camps (or campers). IF we get an early hard alpha, or a torrential downpour, it will be the true desert experience - expect and prepare for anything.

Now the biggie - do you prepare for such happenings? Or do you pray to the Gods and Goddesses that it won't happen? Can *your* camp survive an extra week or 2 on the playa if need be? Or will you have starving and pissed people there? Something to think about (and remember, you may even need to take on refugees from other destroyed camps...)

In fact, If you ahve an awesome, big theme camo, you *may* want to have an "alpha" plan of your own, a flood plan as well, and a disaster plan. It's like survival training - prepare for the worst, so you don't have to use it. If you don't, you *will* experience the worst, and be caught with your pants up...

Wakawaka · Post by **Wakawaka** » Wed May 25, 2005 1:20 pm

Oh my. C’mon now folks. Black Rock desert is only about 80miles by 20 miles, it’s not the frickin Sahara (which is about the size of the US). I agree with prepare for anything and I follow that, but I also believe in realistic preparation. Extra case of wine would not hurt either way that's for sure.

Anyone see that crap movie Sahara that was out recently?

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Wed May 25, 2005 10:57 pm

Wakawaka wrote:only about 80 miles by 20 miles

aaiiee, tempting fate are ye? you could also mention that BRC is only a couple miles from a nice paved road...such a slight distance but impossible to traverse in either wet muck or duststorm white-out...I too go for the extra provisions/stay-put route.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu May 26, 2005 8:03 am

Two words, Tiahaar--Raver Causeway.

Post by **AntiM** » Thu May 26, 2005 8:38 am

I'm a fishy mummy?! Woohooo quacksplash.

(getting fried from the road, but hey, I'm sitting in a truck in Winslow Arizona, what a fine sight to see!)

must go losing wifi .....fififififiifi ...iiiii

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Thu May 26, 2005 5:51 pm

People have died less than a mile from the road. And less than 5 miles from "civilization" from being unprepared for an unexpected disaster.

So... you must always be prepared for the worst. Extra cases of wine. An extra bottle opener in case the one you have breaks. Spare clean underwear (because mommy said...). 3 rolls of toilet paper, because, well, you know JOTS, esp. post event. Spare rolling papers. And bottles of "no refrigeration necesary" caviar, truffles (the mushroom type), and desert chocolate truffles (the chocolate type). Oh, and a shelter with enough space to let cute "survivors" who lost their camps hang out, with cool candles and pillows.

OK, maybe an extra bottle of water or 2... ;~)

________________

Life is too short to drink bad wine...

Mister Jellyfish Mister · Post by **Mister Jellyfish Mister** » Thu May 26, 2005 9:54 pm

blyslv wrote:
There are two kinds of fools. Those who predict the weather, and those who believe them.

Mark Twain
It's possible it will rain. Be prepared.

Another from Twain:
"Whiskey's for drinking and water's for fighting over".

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Fri May 27, 2005 5:06 am

And another...."Everybody TALKS about the weather, but nobody ever does anything about it."

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri May 27, 2005 8:41 am

You're going to take all this from the man who's coldest winter "was a summer in San Francisco?"

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Fri May 27, 2005 9:03 am

What puzzles me is that whenever you hear that Mark Twain's coming, Hal Holbrook suddenly "gets a phone call".....I don't think I've ever seen them in the same room!
In fact, without his glasses.....Oh, never mind. It's too crazy.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri May 27, 2005 9:16 am

robotland wrote:What puzzles me is that whenever you hear that Mark Twain's coming, Hal Holbrook suddenly "gets a phone call".....I don't think I've ever seen them in the same room!
In fact, without his glasses.....Oh, never mind. It's too crazy.

~
Ya having a slow day?

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Tue May 31, 2005 9:41 am

theCryptofishist wrote:Two words, Tiahaar--Raver Causeway.

^^ snicker ^^

hey wait not me! Look! HE has more glow lights than I do!! Besides I'm too OLD to be a raver...take the hippies!! Ow!! Hey I'm too YOUNG to be a hippie!! The yahoos, take the yahoos then!! I'm definitely a PARTICIPANT dammit!!!