Burning man with the GF

[gyre]

Everyone should know how to deal with risks, even though you shouldn't take them, in the same way that it is known that there are safer ways to drive with alcohol intake.
Politics is the reason they aren't taught.

Think ahead.
What happens when you trip?
Is there a place to land or will you land on a piece of angle iron with your head ? (This is to be avoided.)
If you fall off a vehicle will you then be run over by something else?
(Motorcyclists are often subject to secondary collisions.)

Most importantly, do you know what happens when you don't match the speed of a moving vehicle?
I have been forced to jump on moving vehicles by the driver, on the playa.
But I have much more experience than the average person.
Let me explain why.

Most people's experience is with bicycles and children's merrygorounds, which are usually light enough to have some give when someone jumps on.
That give is very forgiving.
And that makes all the difference.
When something is heavy enough to ignore you, if you don't match the speed, your body will instantly take up the slack.
This can be extremely violent.

I worked on a very rare antique handmade carousel for a summer.
It weighs 62 tons and has an extremely stable speed once run up.
By the end of the summer, I could hop on from standing while holding two full cups, and not spill a drop.
But it was always the same speed.
It is very different to match a vehicle's speed.
The first time I jumped on the carousel, and very carefully I might add, I was just slightly off.
I was slammed to the floor hard.
Faster than I could blink too.
Get it very wrong and I've seen people thrown thirty feet off of it.

So that's how you try to be safe.
And that's why it's not a good idea.

By the way, getting caught in the machinery is what really terrified me.
I knew how many minutes it took to stop it.
My successor died in the clockworks.
I used to take naps in there, but I always tried to be sure that even if I fell, it would be in a different direction from the machinery.

[gyre]

When I jumped on that vehicle, I fell, but into the back.
I tried to be moving faster than the vehicle, which seems safer, if you have somewhere to land.
If you're going slower and grab on, your body will catch up in a hurry and you will be flung forward, or you will lose your grip completely.
Or maybe flung somewhere unpleasant?
Faster and you decelerate on contact.
See where this is going?


And protect your head at all costs.
It is really hard to appreciate how serious that is.

[ibdave]

^
It was moving really slow and was no taller than a small pick up truck. No risks were taken.

"Dave's Train"..... Not Dave's Trains fault, but Kathy did died while jumping off a SLOW MOVING Mutant Vehicle... Shit Happens for no reason at all sometimes...

[theCryptofishist]

^
It was moving really slow and was no taller than a small pick up truck. No risks were taken.

It's the unapparent risks that get you every time. It is a #'s game. Statistically risk takers will get the thing they gamble against. Believe me it is no fun being injured. I'm with Crypto. Always choose good over lucky. Especially once you pass the age of 32.

Good health insurance would be important as well.

[theCryptofishist]

^
It was moving really slow and was no taller than a small pick up truck. No risks were taken.

"Dave's Train"..... Not Dave's Trains fault, but Kathy did died while jumping off a SLOW MOVING Mutant Vehicle... Shit Happens for no reason at all sometimes... :shock: :roll: :shock:

Here, here!

[bm_cricket]

I've heard some things about burning man can either make or breake a relationship. I am just wondering if anyone can give me a few tips for making it go smoothly.

The only thing better than going with an unseasoned girl friend is going with your girlfriend and having your ex-girlfriend close by - usually in the same camp.

It provides HOURS of entertainment for the rest of us.

I witnessed this little adventure in 2008 in my camp. Thankfully I kept my distance from the whole thing. One guy, One current girlfriend. One ex-girlfriend. One random girl around Thursday or Friday.. Oh god it was awful... And in spite it all I kept WALKING IN ON DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF THEM?!!!?!?!!!

My GF rocked at BM this year. As a virgin she:

• She did a ton of research and reading about the event.
  Took shifts with the BRC Volunteer FD, including the Man burn Saturday
  Camped on the esplanade with us in a theme camp, had early entry, and did a hell of a job helping setup and tear down the camp.
  She watched camp members for overheating/overload and pulled them into our air conditioned trailer for breaks and cool down time when needed.
  She got her BF a front row seat to the Man burn.

She kicked my ass in participation level for sure. We did have a stressful incident early in the week but in the end we came out of the experience closer than we have ever been. I'm sure it helps that she's a total tomboy and loves camping. I did change my burn a lot as I worried about her experience much of the time and tried to support her.

Kudos to you babe. You totally rock my world. I can't wait for next year.

What are you doing talking about my girlfriend?! That's what Jes did in 2009!!! I'm glad to hear you had the same experience I did (Not the same girl.. I hope....?) I hope you both make it out in 2010. I know Jes and I have plans!

[Isotopia]

Oh god it was awful... And in spite it all I kept WALKING IN ON DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF THEM?!!!?!?!!!

Awful for you perhaps but think of the rest of us who found the entertainment awe-some.

[H.G.Crosby]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/21/world ... china.html

[bm_cricket]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/21/world ... china.html

Oh silly China, is there anything you won't do to repress your people?

[Zona]

Not good, you might come to a bad end not under your control. Someone might take a picture of you taking a piss with your sister brushing your hair while the staff looks on in a back street. Where was the camera Duke of York?

[orangepeelmoses]

BRC is one of the most romantic places on Earth
IMO

Opm

[Melimell87]

I'm super nervous about bringing my bf to burning man. I didn't want him to go initially but he wants to. Any advice? To be honest I'm afraid he'll be looking at naked girls, I can't be naked cause some family members are going. I wanna be able to relax and meditate without worrying about him, how should I approach this

[ibdave]

I'm super nervous about bringing my bf to burning man. To be honest I'm afraid he'll be looking at naked girls, I can't be naked cause some family members are going. I wanna be able to relax and meditate without worrying about him, how should I approach this

I'm sorry, your ticket has been destroyed..... Look Mel, we all look

If your mind is not open to trust your relationship then your NOT READY to attend.. Yes really...

Is he worried about you looking at dicks?? More swinging dicks then bOObies.. Yup, your NOT READY.....

note to boyfriend: GOOD DARK GLASSES always help with the glare....

[AntiM]

Mel, he's already looking at boobies, you just don't know it. There's lots of boobies in the world, be happy he's looking at them instead of looking at the dicks.

Perhaps not ready, there's a huge learning curve in front of her. Should be an interesting aftermath. Do come back and tell us about it.

Maybe she should camp next to Casanova.

[theCryptofishist]

One of my grandfathers died in the fifties, the other in the seventies.

[illy dilly]

I'm super nervous about bringing my bf to burning man. I didn't want him to go initially but he wants to. Any advice? To be honest I'm afraid he'll be looking at naked girls, I can't be naked cause some family members are going. I wanna be able to relax and meditate without worrying about him, how should I approach this

Coming from a guy who really really likes looking at naked women (and don't tell the guys at work I said this) by Wednesday he'll have seen so many boobs and butts, that he wont even notice any more. I have a pretty bad rubber neck, I'll slow down while driving to watch that hottie on her bike in spandex (I know I'm a perv), but even I was over the nakedness by Wednesday.

Plus whats wrong with looking?

[kman]

I'm super nervous about bringing my bf to burning man. I didn't want him to go initially but he wants to. Any advice? To be honest I'm afraid he'll be looking at naked girls, I can't be naked cause some family members are going. I wanna be able to relax and meditate without worrying about him, how should I approach this

Sounds like you're way too uptight and insecure about your relationship to enjoy having him at BM.

BM is a very open environment. If you're not comfortable with that, are you in the right place? BM is a lousy place for blushing personalities.

If you're bothered by the thought of your BF looking at naked people at BM, you either shouldn't bring him or should reconsider your relationship.

I'd also pass on going with the family members, if their being there is going to hinder your freedom to relax and enjoy yourself however you like... including going naked, if that's what you like. At the very least, I'd be sure to camp as far away as possible.

[Parasitoid]

ah yes. the nudity sure is great. My wife is coming with me this year (my second, her first). She is excited to see some tittas.

[LostinReno]

My husband is the gawker of all boobies....unless they were spectacular, even he was pretty over it by Weds...sounds more like you have trust issues.


In the words of Betty White "Just because I'm chained to the fence, doesn't mean I can't bark at the cars!"

[Savannah]

Sounds like you're way too uptight and insecure about your relationship to enjoy having him at BM.

BM is a very open environment. If you're not comfortable with that, are you in the right place? BM is a lousy place for blushing personalities.

If you're bothered by the thought of your BF looking at naked people at BM, you either shouldn't bring him or should reconsider your relationship.

I'd also pass on going with the family members, if their being there is going to hinder your freedom to relax and enjoy yourself however you like... including going naked, if that's what you like. At the very least, I'd be sure to camp as far away as possible.

All good things to think about.

Particularly when you are very young, I suppose it can be difficult to accept that appreciative Looking (for all genders) is normal, and way different than touching or cheating.

There is nothing wrong with agreeing beforehand to be discreet about appreciating the sights, Melimell87. While that might sound awkward, you might take a few seconds to ask that courtesy of your boyfriend, and of course tell him you'll be polite yourself. It's the polite thing for the naked people as well, unless they're up on stage or something.

[ibdave]

Mel87,
we have a code word for hOOters that might be near by. "nice shoes"

My wife of 30years join in the search. and like most after a few days skin is skin...

Now she really enjoys her walk-about with our gay camp-mates for the swinging dicks and they rate them... I'm told I rate in the upper range.

[klondike_bar]

This will be my second year going, and my girlfriends first burn.

Im not worried about her, she is very capable of taking care of herself, the only thing that truly gives me due pause is timing.

we are both with the lamplighters, so luckily that puts a certain set of timelines to our day (prep/light lamps at 5pm), but other then that i truly dont know what to expect; if well travel everywhere together or become easily seperated, roaming the playa indivually and without one another.

either way well be ending each day in our tent, or with the knowledge that nothing is going 'astray" otherwise.

[Finnegan]

It was something to do with bulgar wheat if I recall correctly.

Those darn Bulgars and their wheat!