Ice skating/skaters at Burning Man?

serafaery · Post by **serafaery** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 4:14 pm

I wanted some feedback from anyone who might be interested in skating at Burning Man. (I'm a figure skater.) There is a kind of plastic that one can skate on by spraying it down with silicone spray - this is often used in theatre productions or small winter shows where actual ice is impossible to set up, but an ice-skating effect is desired.

I realize this would take a lot of careful covering - could only be exposed when the wind is down, for short periods of time, to keep it from getting too dusty too fast. (I have no idea how it would be cleaned.) Plus dust (and this plastic stuff for that matter) is horrible for blades.

BUT - I was just wondering if anyone here would be interested in participating, if such a surface were provided. It probably couldn't be any bigger than 20 x 20 feet, so jumps and fancy tricks would be pretty impossible. But it might be an awesome effect for a couple days, if there were more than just me skating on it.

Thoughts? Imput? Would anyone be willing to pitch in/help set up/participate with me, if I were to research the possibility of such a thing? I would love to bring this aspect of myself to the playa, if possible, and maybe grab a few used skates to lend out for the public to skate on, too.

If you think it's a terrible idea, feel free to post that too - I will assume a lack of interest means it's just not possible or interesting to try.

Thanks for your time!

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 5:17 pm

Well... here's what I have to say:
My sister was an ice dancer too, but I have absolutely zero interest in ice skating.
HOWEVER, if you DO, and you can handle the logistics, by all means go for it. I've done some BM projects that were way beyond the scope of what many would consider possible. Or sane.
I love it when people come to BM and do something ridiculously impractical, just for the hell of it. That's what it's all about!

Major Roosevelt · Post by **Major Roosevelt** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 6:35 pm

I think someone did roller skating/blading one year with great success.

You'd probably want to bring a few pairs of figure and hockey skates in key sizes as no one is likely to have their with them (other than those who pick up on your pre-event "marketing").

Have you tried spraying glycerine before instead of silicon? Also, since the glycerine disappears naturally it will be easier to sweep off the rink periodically while silicon will likely build up into a horrible paste.

Much more environmentally friendly, very slick (works great on temporary plastic ice rinks) and doesn't stay stuck on you like silicon.

Very bully idea!!

sputnik · Post by **sputnik** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 7:21 pm

Any chance you can team up with someone who has a big dome? Putting inside might help with the dust issue some, especially if it's well sealed. I was in a dome last year that was practically dust free (plus it was air conditioned)

Lady V · Post by **Lady V** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:43 pm

I absolutely LOVE your idea. :0) I will be watching this thread to see how it develops and what I can do to help. :)

Atar · Post by **Atar** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:24 pm

First thing you want to do, I think, is find a place where they sell it. Or go by places where they use it and ask if they have any excess laying around. Maybe they wanna part with it if you tell them your idea. Don't be scared to spew your ideas on them, I find that people are often more helpful if they know what they are dealing with (and that its art they're dealing with

). I myself like to put on those high, long distance skates but that probaly won't work. I believe the BRC Roller Disco had rollerskates to borrow, it would be great if you could arange that.

Just some ideas, and a promise I'll try my best to look you up if you succeed.

Regards,
a Dutch guy

Major Roosevelt · Post by **Major Roosevelt** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:36 am

Polypropylene is what most of these are made from. You can get 4x8 sheets of this stuff from most building supply or plastic houses. The trick is to keep it from buckling. If you don't create slot and grooves in the plastic it will tend to move a lot when there is movement, weight and friction on top.

Here is a place that has perfected the manufacture of the stuff thoght it CAN be done "homemade" style with some design thinking.

http://www.coldproducts.com/ezglide.php

Note they ship a mysterious "Super Glide" solution to spray on the plastic. This, I assume is glycerine mixed with water in a spray bottle. Very easy to make yourself. Main thing is to reduce friction between blade and plastic.

Another thing, the edge of the "rink" needs to be pretty "tight" to keep the sheets together. This is likely 2x4's and a bunch of really long iron stakes into the playa. Having "staked" tents at Apokiliptika I know that even a long stake can easily break free from vibration and stress.

Lots of planning but that's what makes it fun!

serafaery · Post by **serafaery** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 5:50 pm

omg all these ideas and imput are so awesome - thanks for the glycerine lesson!

Yes, sealing the rink would be crucial - Personally, I cannot skate if there are no barriers - 2x4s wouldn't be enough - I'd need the walls to be at least 3 feet high to be able to see in my peripheral vision to keep from skating out onto the playa.

I would LOVE to put it in a huge dome, but I don't know any burners at all (other than my 2 camp-mates), let alone that would construct a dome just for my little plastic rink, hehe.

I shall let this idea incubate in my brain for a little while and see what happens. Unfortunately, I think the construction and cost would take a hell of a lot more manpower than little me could ever manage to rummage up, but I'll keep asking around and see if it sparks the interest of anyone who might have the resources. I would looooove to skate on the playa and I think it would be so funny to see someone ice skating out there. I'm convinced it's a worthy and do-able idea, I just can't do it alone, so I need to figure out how to um, apply for help? Heh.

Thanks so much for the support! <3

Atar · Post by **Atar** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:30 pm

You could attach multiple attachmentpoints on the corners of all those plates and use a couple of these things to make them stick together (I don't know their name in English):

serafaery · Post by **serafaery** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 3:24 pm

Looking through the projects that got funding, I think the best thing to do is wait and get a really solid proposal together and see if I can apply for a grant sometime in the future, when I'm more ready. I'll stick to smaller things for now. Unless we have a "frozen world" theme next year - I would take that as a definite sign to move forward!

Thanks again for all of the input and ideas. I have a much better idea of how I would go about this project, and I know people at enough rinks that I'm sure I could get lots of skates for people to borrow, to make sure it's interractive to the extreme!

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 3:28 pm

Atar wrote:You could attach multiple attachmentpoints on the corners of all those plates and use a couple of these things to make them stick together (I don't know their name in English):

Rachet straps. They use them to tie down cargo on sflatbed semi's, and to hold cars onto tow truck wheel lifts when they get towed. FInd them at truck stops (and supply houses) or tow truck supply places.

bb

Desert Duck · Post by **Desert Duck** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 4:38 pm

Hey, listen. There's a bunch o folks with a 35' dome and no theme. You guys should get together. You guys together could probably get placed, even. I'd LOVE to see this happen. I'm not a figure skater but one of my cousins was back in the day.

Shoonzy · Post by **Shoonzy** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:49 pm

I would help out with this if youre serious, I could even provide what financial support I can.

Toi Box · Post by **Toi Box** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:25 pm

Hey, I am trying to start the Black rock city Roller girls for roller skating on the playa. I know there a couple of other roller skating "rinks" on the playa already but maybe we could all combine something.

This floor looks like it could be something that could be skated on with wheels or blades. (although I think I will have to double check that)

I would love to be a part of something like this

Toi Box #23
Terminal City Roller Girls

Ron · Post by **Ron** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 6:26 pm

Just a quick shout out for Roller Derby! I went to a Rat City Rollergirls show a few weeks ago and had an absolute blast. If you haven't supported your local rollergirls, go to! They rock.

Ron