Leaving Burning Man before the Burn

flatlander13 · Post by **flatlander13** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:25 pm

What do you think about leaving Burning Man before the Burn?

I find that the actual burning of the Man on Saturday has no meaning for meâ€¦â€¦.this was my 5th burn.

After 10 days on the playa this year I and my campmates left Saturday afternoon before the burn.

What do you think?

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:35 pm

Help yourself. Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

Kidding. We made a hasty retreat on Sunday as well, being careful not to kick up too much dust.

Maybe we should have stayed. The Temple Burn is supposed to be pretty significant.

Token · Post by **Token** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:35 pm

I personally had to stay and work off my ticket via the Fire Conclave. Plus the parties are pretty choice after the burn.

I do have to say that the man burn was the most impressive one since the big pyramid burn in 03.

Temple was nice as well.

Bottom line is whatever creams your coffee.

misfit · Post by **misfit** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:55 pm

for us, the DPW party post event, is our burn...... stay as long or as little...

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:57 pm

Sunday has never failed to be one of, if not the, best nights at a burn for me.

geospyder · Post by **geospyder** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:58 pm

This was my virgin year. I was disappointed that people were leaving early (Saturday and Sunday). It was like going to a convention that is scheduled to close at 5pm only to arrive and see that half the vendors left at noon. We were camped out at 7 and Kinship. Saturday afternoon the area was almost vacant. Sunday morning many of the camps along the Esplanade were being torn down. Maybe sad instead of disappointed might be the word. I didn't want to leave. I'm definitely coming back next year.

LostinReno · Post by **LostinReno** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 2:18 pm

This was also my virgin year, we had several vetarans in our camp. One of which left Friday (it was her 9th burn) the others that were veterans have also left early in past years. I think I would have enjoyed the temple burn more than the man burn. We left right before the temple burn. I had enough of the sand storms at that point. Next year I will be better prepared for the sand storms. (scarf was not effective enough). Baby wipes even hurt my sand blasted face! Personally I enjoyed early in the week more than later. I'm not sure why? Maybe people weren't as dehydrated/hungover/burnt out yet

I agree, it was sad seeing what seemed to be a mass exodus beginning Friday afternoon.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 2:50 pm

You're not a burner until you're burnt something. Duh.

Boijoy · Post by **Boijoy** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 2:53 pm

I always leave Sat. am before the burn. I would rather miss it than be in a 4 hour traffic jam. I think that may be the "evolution" of burning man. The folks that arrive & leave early & the folks that leave late.

Artemis · Post by **Artemis** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 3:18 pm

Boijoy has evolved to no longer be a potato head.

I miss the potato head.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 3:25 pm

Nobody is hanging out at the gate with stopwatches on patrol for people sneaking out before the burn.
"HEY! Where do you think you're going? You get back in there and burn like you're supposed to!"
Wouldn't that be grand.

Boijoy · Post by **Boijoy** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 3:42 pm

I KNoWWwWWW Artemis. I miss my potato also but do not have the computer skills to make it small enough. && I don't think I should ask my IT guy here at work.

He's kinda' a dick.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:13 pm

Boijoy wrote:I KNoWWwWWW Artemis. I miss my potato also but do not have the computer skills to make it small enough. && I don't think I should ask my IT guy here at work. :? He's kinda' a dick.

Make that jerk earn his salary.
Too bad you're not the it guy, I bet you could blackmail him for downloading all that pornography.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:14 pm

I don't want to leave Monday. And I just can't handle the crowds at the big burns. So leaving early is an option for me.

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 8:51 pm

geospyder wrote:Sunday morning many of the camps along the Esplanade were being torn down. Maybe sad instead of disappointed might be the word. I didn't want to leave. I'm definitely coming back next year.

You have to consider the theme camps and villages were out there as much as a week prior to gate opening for the masses doing their setup and being ready for the event opening on Monday morning.

We're ragged and burnt out by Sunday as well and in addition to our regular gear, we have to tear down and pack up all that wonderful fun stuff we brought out for you to play with all week. If it took 3 or 4 days to build it, its gonna take just as many (or more) to bring it all down and pack it up.

We didn't roll out until Tuesday after coming in the Friday before gate opened and had a three day, 1600 mile drive home in a slow ass bus ahead of us to boot.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade it for anything, but we're ready to roll at the end as well.

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 11:19 pm

we leave Sunday morning too. i wish i could stay and watch the Temple burn but the default world starts to call back after a while. bleh.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 11:26 pm

I don't leave till all the bacon is gone.

this year it was wednesday...at 6:22 PM.

Risky · Post by **Risky** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:21 am

yup, thirteen days for me; left Wed post burn.

And I didn't want to leave.

LostinReno · Post by **LostinReno** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 10:04 am

oneeyeddick wrote:I don't leave till all the bacon is gone.

this year it was wednesday...at 6:22 PM.

You should've came to our camp, we were cookin it up until the last minute. I think we went thru 16 pounds. Hubby had his cholesterol checked last week.

Can hardly wait for those results! LMAO!!

geospyder · Post by **geospyder** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 1:05 pm

LostinReno wrote:
oneeyeddick wrote:I don't leave till all the bacon is gone.

this year it was wednesday...at 6:22 PM.
You should've came to our camp, we were cookin it up until the last minute. I think we went thru 16 pounds. Hubby had his cholesterol checked last week. Can hardly wait for those results! LMAO!!

Yep - that time of year. My tests are tomorrow. Picture look familiar - Bacon and Playa dust.

CapSmashy · Post by **CapSmashy** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:08 pm

Risky wrote:yup, thirteen days for me; left Wed post burn.

And I didn't want to leave.

You don't count, you're like crazy and stuff. Smooches!

DoctorIknow · Post by **DoctorIknow** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:16 pm

If one is working on Tuesday, then it is so logical and sane to leave Saturday.

Also, big empathy to those who just want out!

But, I'm always amused at those who leave Saturday because they can't fathom sitting in line for a few hours. After months of prep, big bucks invested, road time there perhaps harrowing, AND missing what COULD be some great experiences on Sat and Sunday....well, it's just odd...

I would bet some of these pre-manburn exit-ers are the same people passing me EVERY YEAR as I enter the playa and crawl at 5mph past the Burma-Shave signs on the way to the Greeters. (BTW, you speeders are missing a great thing by not reading them!) Maybe these people are the same ones who like to cut in line if in exodus I'm more than 12 feet behind the vehicle in front of me.

bigbluedoggy · Post by **bigbluedoggy** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:11 pm

Many of our group arrived on Friday before opening and spent the next 3 solid days building our Esplanade camp. While it doesn't take 3 days to take it down, it does take a very full day to pack it all up and stuff it back into the truck. This year we dismantled both games by Saturday night and completely tore camp down all day Sunday. We left Monday morning by 10 and had a 2+ hour Exodus... not too bad really.

Truth is we still have 2 - 3 more days of stuff to do before we are really "done". I had to return to work Thursday morning and had pretty much been MIA for almost 3 weeks between prep, packing, travel, BM and the reverse. If we waited any longer to tear down our camp we'd be doing it with far fewer people, as many folks want to leave Monday morning.

Frankly, the early part of the week has much better energy to me than the weekend, when you get so many more last minute gawkers and tourists. The energy changes radically over the course of the week. While we love having our camp full of folks enjoying our lounge and playing the games, practicality steps in and we tear down when we need to. We did have a few folks come by Saturday night who were surprised to see the games dismantled, but even they seemed to understand.

I know we aren't the only Esplanade camp that packs up Sunday as many of our neighbors were doing the same thing. It makes the Temple burn all that more poignant, as it is truly like a celebration and closure event for an amazing week. On Monday morning, we pack up our personal tents, do the final cleanup of our space and head out.

If you truly think it's odd that so many camps pack up early, try staging a large theme camp some time and figuring out the logistics... you might be surprised at some of the obvious truths you will encounter about volunteers, timing, and commitment.

Thanks for a wonderful year! Hope you enjoyed our camp (before Saturday night

!

Risky · Post by **Risky** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:23 pm

CapSmashy wrote:
Risky wrote:yup, thirteen days for me; left Wed post burn.

And I didn't want to leave.
You don't count, you're like crazy and stuff. Smooches!

Come be crazy right along with me!
I got to do church on Tuesday.
Juplaya or Bust!

303jewels · Post by **303jewels** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 2:57 pm

Was my first burn.

Helped this guy carry out his stuff to the fire conclave in the dust storm. Dust got worse, couldnt see fuck all (didnt mind the dust at all really) but was aiming for 7.30 and Esplanade and somehow ended up at the man 3 times!!!!. Got back eventually, didnt think it was gonna go off cos' of storm, had run out of drugs so thought 'fuck it' and went to sleep. Missed the burn, woke up Sunday and hit the Tequila - felt fine, temple burn was nice. So thanks and all......

philosopher · Post by **philosopher** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:19 pm

It seemed that a larger number than usual left early this year. I don't remember ever seeing so many close-in spaces empty on Saturday afternoon.

The temple burn has always been The Big Event for me. For health reasons, I almost had to leave early this year, but am glad I was able to stay all the way through. The temple burn was again the on-ramp to a magical meditation.

brcprincess · Post by **brcprincess** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 10:49 pm

We noticed a lot of people arrived earlier in the week this year, the space around us was almost completely full by Tuesday, whereas in previous years, it was later in the week.

I can understand people arriving earlier and leaving earlier, especially people who've been coming a long time. It's a different vibe on the weekend. My favorite time is definitely early to midweek.

C187 · Post by **C187** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 10:39 pm

Just don't be that guy that parks in the middle of camp and leaves early forcing people to move their tents. In other words park next to the street and head 5mph on your way out. Oh! Even though greaters love talking to people, you need to keep to the right on your way out early. Ok? Ok.

Here and there · Post by **Here and there** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:49 pm

philosopher wrote:It seemed that a larger number than usual left early this year. I don't remember ever seeing so many close-in spaces empty on Saturday afternoon.

The temple burn has always been The Big Event for me. For health reasons, I almost had to leave early this year, but am glad I was able to stay all the way through. The temple burn was again the on-ramp to a magical meditation.

Filling in the record for those who follow such things - this would seem to have been the philosopher's final post to eplaya. See: this post

Mosin · Post by **Mosin** » Tue Jun 15, 2010 2:45 pm

flatlander13 wrote:What do you think about leaving Burning Man before the Burn?

I find that the actual burning of the Man on Saturday has no meaning for meâ€¦â€¦.this was my 5th burn.

After 10 days on the playa this year I and my campmates left Saturday afternoon before the burn.

What do you think?

I think you should stay home and troll on ePlaya instead, dickhead.

Leaving Burning Man before the Burn

Leaving Burning Man before the Burn

Re: Leaving Burning Man before the Burn