as big as a bus?

jaycatski · Post by **jaycatski** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 2:30 pm

judging by the photos its seems that havin a bike is a good idea, is this the case? and how big is the site? in a square mile kind of way.

headquarters · Post by **headquarters** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 2:39 pm

its huge, i'm not sure square milage but its the fact that everyone is on these concentric semi-circles. so if you walk around an entire semi-circle it takes like 20 min on the inside one, probably an hour on the outer ring. a bike is completly necessary. YOU WILL BE VERY UNHAPPY WITHOUT A BICYCLE!!!!

jaycatski · Post by **jaycatski** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 2:44 pm

well we are flying over from england, so is there a place to do with bm that sort out cheap, loseable bikes? or is there a local shortage running up to the event?!!

III · Post by **III** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 2:48 pm

>>loseable

while bikes get lost at burning man, you should not consider them disposeable - everything you bring with you should go back out.

that being said, there *are* opportunities to order cheap bikes - pay attention to the jackrabbitspeaks, and jump on it quick.

jaycatski · Post by **jaycatski** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 2:58 pm

did say and mean loseable NOT disposable, have no intention of littering the beautiful desert.

Tiara · Post by **Tiara** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 5:31 pm

Here's some info on the layout of Black Rock City 2004 that was provided in a recent Jack Rabbit Speaks:

2004 CITY SURVEYED

For those of you who are interested, please see Rod Garrett's survey
measurements and coordinates for the 2004 version of Black Rock City.

Burning Man location: -119 14 11.105358W 40 45 17.162029N
-Elevation: 3904'
-True North/South is along road at 4:30 o'clock
-Promenades are 50' wide on the 3:00/9:00 and 6:00/12:00 axis, with
lampposts every 100'
-The first road (Esplanade) is 2100' from the Man, the next is 2500',
then every 200' (400' between 4:30 and 7:30 and fourth and sixth road),
all roads measured from center line. The City is 8200 ft in diameter.
-The roads are 30' wide, except the fourth and the outer roads (roads
at 2900' and 4100'), and 2:00, 3:30, 5:30, 6:30, 8:30, and 10:00 spoke
roads, which are all 40' wide.
-Man to the center of Center Camp: 2400'
-Camp Center Theme Camps radius: 250' inside and 485' outside (500'
radius to the center of the outer circle road)
-Outposts are at 3:00 and 9:00 on road 2500', and are 250' in diameter
-DPW and Fire/Services are 800' from outer road, center to center
-Outer road to Greeter area: 1,100'
-Walk in Camping Area is within area beyond outer road to pentagon
between lines extended from 2:00 and 5:00
-There are approximately 35 miles of roads within the City
-Man to outer fence pentagon points: approx. 6500', 7600' between points
-(pentagon contains over one hundred million sq.ft., or 2,300 acres)
-Greeter Area to Gate: 1 mile
-Gate to Highway 34: 1/2 mile
--to Gerlach: 13 miles
--to Reno: 120 miles
--to San Francisco: 337 miles

shitmouse · Post by **shitmouse** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 8:04 pm

a bike is very good. --- on the other hand, i'm surprised by how many peds i see. -- but a bike is a must for sure. -- and a throw some style on it while your building/putting her together. -(if you have headlight, keep it low -- filter it -- . nobody likes the "gettin' pulled over vibe")...
-b

Icepack · Post by **Icepack** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 8:29 pm

jaycatski wrote:well we are flying over from england, so is there a place to do with bm that sort out cheap, loseable bikes? or is there a local shortage running up to the event?!!

In years past there has been an International Hostel for burners coming from overseas. check him out if you can find him.

Sandwichman · Post by **Sandwichman** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 8:37 pm

I am so badly debating the bike issue and here are the points I have that are tearing me in two.

-If you bring a bike you must look after it
-You have to worry about the bike being borrowed/stolen
-While riding a bike tyou don't get to interact with people as much
-With a bike travel on the playa is easier
-With a bike it is possible to see more camps
-with a good basket a bike makes transport of items easier

Feel free to add to this list and help me find valid points. Please understand I am very fit and accustomed to desert hiking in midday temps. I am mostly debating over how much I will see and how much interaction I will have.

Jason

Lydia Love · Post by **Lydia Love** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 9:25 pm

With a bike it's easier to go deep playa to visit the art in the middle of the night.

I've found that I'll often walk my bike *to* my destination (and get that good interaction stuff) and be really really happy I had it when I either A. wanted to get home to eat something or B. had to get to a porta-potty, the faster the better.

Also, there is nothing quite like being dressed in your best, most outrageous dress, speeding across the playa on a bicycle. It's a sensation I wouldn't trade for anything.

calsur · Post by **calsur** » Tue Apr 06, 2004 10:11 pm

The International Hostel can be found here:

http://www.blackrockburnerhostel.com/index.html

Enjoy

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 7:49 am

look, if you bring a bike you don't have to be chained to it. It gives you the option. If you don't bring a bike you'll be pissed you didn't.

you don't have to babysit your bike, just lock it up. Get a simple cheap lock that you are comfortable with.

without a bike you will never...

spontaneously decide to bike to the trash fence
spontaneously decide to go see the big art thing way over there
spontaneously decide to bike from 10 to 2 because the music will be better
spontaneously decide to bike to the temple
spontaneously decide to go see if your new best friends are around on the other side of the city

well, I guess you can suddenly decide on those things, but you will not be able to do them all in one day, and you will want to, on foot.

headquarters · Post by **headquarters** » Wed Apr 07, 2004 8:15 am

its true that a bike can take away from your interaction with others. but after a couple days you'll be annoyed each time you have to run to center camp for ice, go to the bathroom etc. Quite often i would use my bike to do things in the daytime and then end up walking around at night.

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 9:03 am

In the real world I bike everyday...work...gym...store...home.

Lots of miles, save lots of gas money for burning getting to Burning Man.

First year was last year, brought art pedal trike but left bike home on purpose so I could walk. The silent thinking time walking across open playa between widely spaced artworks was priceless. The scale of the place is marvelous! This year maybe I'll bring a kickbike (like a big kid's Razor scooter) and the trike, maybe a bike, my campmates got on great with a couple old tenspeeds (I worried the narrow wheels would sink in the playa but last year was a hard surface). Bikes are great (its flat as a pancake out there for heaven's sake, great-grandma could pedal her way around) and yeah the power scooters are a blast but why not save your hearing for the music to beat-up on instead. Its just sweet to park in one place and be free of driving and commuting and schedules and just go wander at will. Now I'm rambling... and so excited getting ready to be there this fall!!

Simply Joel · Post by **Simply Joel** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:11 am

stuart wrote:look, if you bring a bike you don't have to be chained to it. It gives you the option. If you don't bring a bike you'll be pissed you didn't.

you don't have to babysit your bike, just lock it up. Get a simple cheap lock that you are comfortable with.

without a bike you will never...

spontaneously decide to bike to the trash fence
spontaneously decide to go see the big art thing way over there
spontaneously decide to bike from 10 to 2 because the music will be better
spontaneously decide to bike to the temple
spontaneously decide to go see if your new best friends are around on the other side of the city

well, I guess you can suddenly decide on those things, but you will not be able to do them all in one day, and you will want to, on foot.

I just had to agree with Stuart about something, and this would be it.

Taniwha · Post by **Taniwha** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 10:33 am

the playa serpents might get you ....

Post by **actiongrl** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 11:26 am

Keep your eyes on the JRS. I think I have heard that Da Rat in Sparks is going to set up a rent-a-playa-cruiser program. He's the greatest - out in front of his house all summer tinkering with playa bikes under a shade structure.

Tiara · Post by **Tiara** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 11:30 am

-You have to worry about the bike being borrowed/stolen

I have never worried. I just put a bike lock around the frame through one of the wheels when I leave it unattended in busy places to keep someone from accidentally taking it. Since my playa bike isn't a beater, I also lock it to my rack at night on Fri/Sat/Sun.

Icepack · Post by **Icepack** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 1:56 pm

Tiahaar wrote:In the real world I bike everyday...work...gym...store...home.

Lots of miles, save lots of gas money for burning getting to Burning Man.

First year was last year, brought art pedal trike but left bike home on purpose so I could walk. The silent thinking time walking across open playa between widely spaced artworks was priceless. The scale of the place is marvelous! This year maybe I'll bring a kickbike (like a big kid's Razor scooter) and the trike, maybe a bike, my campmates got on great with a couple old tenspeeds (I worried the narrow wheels would sink in the playa but last year was a hard surface). Bikes are great (its flat as a pancake out there for heaven's sake, great-grandma could pedal her way around) and yeah the power scooters are a blast but why not save your hearing for the music to beat-up on instead. Its just sweet to park in one place and be free of driving and commuting and schedules and just go wander at will. Now I'm rambling... and so excited getting ready to be there this fall!!

I agree about the silent time walking across the open playa. The day I walked from the Cafe out to the Man and then out to the temple by myself was awesome. Then I walked over to 2pm and back down to 6pm. I remember someone offering me a ride in an art car, but I turned him down. I was just enjoying drifting across the playa, sipping from my Camelback and taking in the largeness of our world.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Thu Apr 08, 2004 2:09 pm

I just had to agree with Stuart about something, and this would be it.

shitmouse · Post by **shitmouse** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 10:57 am

if you are coming through SF at all,
contact Road Rage bicycles. -(on folsom between 6th and 7th).

they will have playa cruisers for you that you can buy or rent, then take them back.
-b

Lydia Love · Post by **Lydia Love** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 12:37 pm

I do a ton of walking at night (blisters as big as grapes by the end of the week) mostly because I get nervous riding at night.

It's sort of a thread drift but I'm going to do a little begging...

please wear a little bit of light when you are walking about altered at night. or when you go out into the deep playa and lie down on the ground... a little blinky or somethign on you will help keep others from running you over. I call unlit high people speedbumps... but I'd feel really bad if I actually hit someone.

spectabillis · Post by **spectabillis** » Sun Apr 11, 2004 11:52 pm

Standing next to a 2am bonefire, drum circle, musicians, people dancing, people looking for things to keep the fire going ...next thing I knew a bike landed in the fire.

Guy next to me... "ah shit, there goes my bike...", looks at me "my friends suck."

True story, but doubt this happens to many people.

Icepack · Post by **Icepack** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 12:54 pm

spectabillis wrote:Standing next to a 2am bonefire, drum circle, musicians, people dancing, people looking for things to keep the fire going ...next thing I knew a bike landed in the fire.

Guy next to me... "ah shit, there goes my bike...", looks at me "my friends suck."

True story, but doubt this happens to many people.

I cannot imagine a bicycle would be good for much burning.

III · Post by **III** » Mon Apr 12, 2004 1:44 pm

>>cannot imagine a bicycle would be good for much burning

doesn't keep people from trying.

in '99, jeff bezos threw a bicycle into the gigsville car-b-q.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:56 pm

Oh man, no way in hell would I neglect to bring a bike!
Bring a shitty bike, the playa dirt is very corrosive, also you'll frequently leave it in a pile of 9,000,000 other bikes and it's nice not to have to worry much about it. Hell, bring a spare! You can always round up old shitty bikes for free or cheap. And there's kind of a reverse-snobbery thing; the screwier your bike is, the cooler. The coolest vehicles to go to BM in are old busses and old hearses... riding a high-end full-suspension mountain bike would be like showing up in a new BMW and wearing a tie. Of course, if you aren't wearing anything else BUT the tie, that's different...

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Thu Apr 15, 2004 11:01 pm

>>cannot imagine a bicycle would be good for much burning

Must a' missed it a while back when the Marin county mountain bike mogul brought oodles of flawed, magnesium bike frames to toss on the embers of the Man. My retinas are still semi fused.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 11:47 am

Lydia Love wrote: please wear a little bit of light when you are walking about altered at night. or when you go out into the deep playa and lie down on the ground... a little blinky or somethign on you will help keep others from running you over. I call unlit high people speedbumps... but I'd feel really bad if I actually hit someone.

Lydia is absolutely correct on this one. I cannot describe the fear that riding shotgun on playa last year with Emergency Services induced. Actually trying to spot the suicidal little bunnies--whoops, Burners--before they threw themselves under our tires while on emergency calls gives me incredible respect for the pure luck that must have been operating to allow some of these people survive long enough to grow up and get to the playa in the first place.
(Take that, Charlie Darwin!!)
So light up and more is better and bring extras to gift! Bikes too!

PurpleKoosh · Post by **PurpleKoosh** » Mon Apr 19, 2004 7:16 pm

theCryptofishist wrote:Lydia is absolutely correct on this one. I cannot describe the fear that riding shotgun on playa last year with Emergency Services induced.

Word. I went out into the open playa with Fire2 a couple of times last year...going from the Temple to JOTS to whateverthehell that other thing was Sunday night was ab-fucking-surd. There were at least as many people not illuminated as illuminated (though most of 'em were pretty well lit, if you get me).

Lights on your body (front AND back!), lights on your bike. Please.

III · Post by **III** » Tue Apr 20, 2004 9:31 am

still seems that the onus on the big moving vehicel to be responsible. if you're on a bike, get a couple of krypton flashlights, and go slow. if you're in a vehicle, you're supposed to be going 5mph, which is a nice slow walk. you can't overdrive your headlights at 5mph. and emergency vehicles (especially the llc operated ones) should have rally lights.

there's no excuse to not see where you're going.

yeah, wearing lights is a good thing to do, to protect yourself from the irresponsible. but the responsibility is *still* with the larger faster moving objects.

as big as a bus?

as big as a bus?

just a thought

Hostel

Of course there's always a down side to taking a bike ....

walking

burning bikes

Re: burning bikes