Rumor mill: Last year at this location?

[mdmf007]

Even if the event moved there would still be significant restrictions and permitting costs involved. Not to the tune of the BLM permit fees im thinking though.

If BMORG saved 500k a year over fees with BLM on private property, that 500k would be quite a mortgage payment even if the land was overpriced at 8 million. Personally I would liek to see BM held on property like this:


These turf farms exceed the size of our footprint and are on manicured weed free grass. Would be awesome under foot...

[DustHand]

Even if the event moved there would still be significant restrictions and permitting costs involved. Not to the tune of the BLM permit fees im thinking though.

If BMORG saved 500k a year over fees with BLM on private property, that 500k would be quite a mortgage payment even if the land was overpriced at 8 million. Personally I would liek to see BM held on property like this:


These turf farms exceed the size of our footprint and are on manicured weed free grass. Would be awesome under foot...

IMHO, it would be AWESOME for about 2 days. Then it would turn into some sort of crushed grass, soupy, muddy, nasty mess.

[BBadger]

IMHO, it would be AWESOME for about 2 days. Then it would turn into some sort of crushed grass, soupy, muddy, nasty mess.

Yeah, and I like the whole "apocalyptic" feel of clouds of dust, desert heat, and the surface of the flat alkaline lake bed. Seeing moving clouds of dust caused by the fires is just plain amazing. Plus, I'd hate the humidity of some field like that.

[illy dilly]

IMHO, it would be AWESOME for about 2 days. Then it would turn into some sort of crushed grass, soupy, muddy, nasty mess.

I think it would only turn muddy if it rained. But vegetation like that really only grows were it rains, at least some.
Holding Burning Man on top of almost any vegetation would probably kill it.
The desert floor of Black Rock is perfect, its almost like natural concrete, but with a little bit more give when you eat shit. But not as soft as sand.

[trilobyte]

I've been hearing that this would be the last year at that site ever since I started going (back in 2004).

Part of the rumor may have come from the fact that the event does move every year. There are a couple different spots on the playa, and they alternate between them to give the playa a little extra time to heal as the event has grown larger.

Another part of the rumor (this time around) may have come from the fact that the renewal of the 5-year permit hinges on the outcome of an environmental study (basically a bunch of experts giving their professional opinion about the impact of our Leave No Trace efforts). That study won't be completed until later this year, which led the BLM & BMOrg to make this year a permit extension from last year's terms (which is why the cap didn't change and why tickets sold out). If, on some remote chance, that report came back and found horrible things, then the permit would likely not be renewed and the event would have to move. In all likelihood it won't find horrible things, but instead show the successes of the cleanup efforts, as well as pick up some ideas for additional measures that could be taken in naturally.

[mdmf007]

The turn farms im talking about are in eastern oregon, looks like the desert around Gerlach. It has to be irrigated and doesnt rain anymore there than Gerlach. Its as wet or dry as you want it.

Of course the playa turns to a soupy mess when wet.

[Roberto Dobbisano]

due to an ever increasing pattern of seismic activity around the ring of fire, this will finally be the year that No One can go "home" after the Burn to San Francisco or L.A...because it wont be there...

However, the votes still out...(i picked San Diego, but no one listens to me).

[DustHand]

The turn farms im talking about are in eastern oregon, looks like the desert around Gerlach. It has to be irrigated and doesnt rain anymore there than Gerlach. Its as wet or dry as you want it.

Of course the playa turns to a soupy mess when wet.

I get that the playa can get nasty, but any event I have been to with lots of people milling about on vegitation always crushes said plant matter into a messy nastiness very quickly. I can only imagine the mutant vehicles trying to navigate. Even dry grass is slippery.

[euthlogo]

2012 would be a good last burn at black rock, if they dig the apocalypse thing.

That's part of my reason for making it a priority to go next year.

-Tim