Playa Rollerskiing!

PavementBlues · Post by **PavementBlues** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:25 pm

That's right folks, it's the next wave of fashionable playa madness! It's the new craze! The self-proclaimed, LLC-endorsed, minister-ordained official new sport of Burning Man that is practiced by Mr. Larry himself! It's playa rollerskiing, that's right, PLAYA ROLLERSKIING. What is this fantastic new invention, you ask? Well hop on the trend wagon and find out!

Here's what you need: one strong rope and one pair of rollerblades.

Here's what you do: find an art car that is willing to let you tie your rope onto the back. Go out to the playa where there aren't any people. Go fast. Results are fucking awesome, though they include scars as a result of soft spots on the playa not working well with seven dollar thrift store roller blades.

It was after my initial experimentation in 2007, however, that I found these:

OFF-ROAD ROLLER BLADES.

Now I'm not advertising, but I WANT THESE. They seem perfectly designed for the playa, and could make playa rollerskiing seriously fantastic (though it would probably be best outside of the Burn week itself, when there are too many people to really make this a safe idea).

I just wanted to share this with you, because I have never seen these on the playa and they seem really cool.

BurningJim · Post by **BurningJim** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 7:03 pm

At 369.99, I'll pass

PavementBlues · Post by **PavementBlues** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 3:42 am

Hence "I WANT THESE" as opposed to "I HAVE THESE".

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:52 am

This is a completely stupid idea. After the first dune you hit you'll be eating playa and dragged behind the car.

Only a moron would try that. Quit giving people stupid ideas PB. They already come up with enough by themselves...

Badger

PavementBlues · Post by **PavementBlues** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 1:39 am

Just trying to help out anyone who might have to carry the burden of intelligence. Can't blame a guy for caring.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:04 am

This isn't a new idea, it's been done quite a bit.
There are a lot of rules about operating motor vehicles at Burning Man.
I used to have a board with wheels that I towed behind my mutant boat, and other people had their own and did exactly what you're talking about, and yep it's fun, but the DMV says "No, you can't do that." Things like that started getting attention after Kathy was killed in a mutant vehicle/trailer accident at BM.
Any mutant vehicle that tows you is risking their playa license.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:44 am

I have never heard of that rule, where is that at ?

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:31 pm

It was made clear to me by the DMV in person. Otherwise you'd see a skier behind my boat a lot... I have a board and ski-rope all set up.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:54 pm

Hmmmm.....I wanna call bullshit on that one.
They need to put that crap in print, IMO.

I've done that many times too.....towing surfboards and such. More so in the "floating word" year.

Where does that leave those bikers that grab onto the side of your MV for a free tug ??

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:13 pm

oneeyeddick wrote:Hmmmm.....I wanna call bullshit on that one.
They need to put that crap in print, IMO.

I've done that many times too.....towing surfboards and such. More so in the "floating word" year.

Where does that leave those bikers that grab onto the side of your MV for a free tug ??

Where it usually leaves them is knocked on their ass, I try to tell them I have rear steering and the back end they're hanging onto is gonna swing right into them... but they don't listen.

As for calling bullshit, there's a lot of shit that isn't in print, but just IS.
Like last year's brand-new, out-of-the-blue, entirely unannounced requirement for two red tail lights on all mutant vehicles.

(And much thanks to Wedeliver for happening to be there when I brought my Land Yacht to the DMV and lending me his trailer tail lights for the duration of the event so I could get my mutant vehicle license!)

capjbadger · Post by **capjbadger** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 12:20 am

Red tail lights? Hmmm.. now that you mention it I do seem to recall hearing that somewhere, but not in print. Guess I'll either have to hook up the trailer lights or swap out the rear lights with some red ones.

Badger