Sound off when you made it home safe!

[MyDearFriend]

Made it home to my dear husband in DC late last night after an uneventful flight from Vegas.

Graidawg & I stayed on the playa until Tuesday afternoon, had a nice visit with Moonrise at the Last Bar Standing on the way out so getting to pavement was not an issue (except for the long & winding wash-board road to get there from BRC).

Had a great night in Reno at the Sands Regency THANK YOU DOC PYRO for recommending that place, don't know how they manage to keep their high-pressure showers running in these days of low-flow plumbing.

Then a long lonely drive Reno to Vegas for me, on Wednesday, plenty of time to think & cry & sort myself out... oh gosh. Well maybe I am still working on that.

Got everything cleaned/sorted/repacked on Thursday, woo hoo I win, I left my monkey hut/tent/camp kitchen in Vegas for next year and dropped the rest of my stuff with UPS.

Flew back across the continent to another world. Wow.

[Drawingablank]

We arrived home Friday around 2 PM.

Left Sunday night / Monday morning at 4:15 and it was 3 hours 15 minutes to the pavement. Trip was uneventful and lucked out with only 5 minutes of heavy rain although we did hit quite a few showers along the way. Passed the last obvious burner on I-80 near Chicago - a black school bus.

Drove through several flooded areas in Pa and NJ and on arrival at home my yard and garden were thrashed by the 2 hurricanes / tropical storms that had passed through. No damage other than to the plant life luckily.

Spent the rest of the day cleaning gear, but still a long way to go on that.

Our neighbor on the Playa said as we left "what sucks is that the first person you talk to in defaultia will ask you for money" - true. But what really sucks is I'll be at work in a few minutes and I'll have to be asking people for money.

[MyDearFriend]

DAB!!!

How did I miss you at the M&G? or did I miss you? I was so distracted. Next year, not working that thing, just enjoying it. I seriously thought you were not there until I found your entry on the "spread sheet" while I was washing it out for JKisha.

[moonrise]

Yea, Illy and Jungle, you two missed eachother at the MnG by 3 to 5 minutes...it was great meeting you two and everyone else...

Glad ya made it home safe n sound MDF!! You're a mega-stealth burner...and it was bitter sweet saying good bye at The Last (lost) Bar Standing....one of my base camps (when WILL I ever settle down? slummin' it is toooo much fun, har har)

Much love...Moon

[Sic Pup]

I was at DPW dropoff 7AM Monday, I starting my yesterday in Chicago at 4:30AM, six extra strenth 5 Hr energy bottles and many gritted teeth and clenched fingers on the steering wheel later I pulled into my driveway at 9:30 PM.

I guess a fully packed Jetta Sportswagen (more glass than metal) constitutes a potential credible threat to a rookie cop on the GW bridge. Before he even got close enough to ask to search I requested a Sgt. I think the Sgt thought letting me through to potentially blow the city to smithereens was the better option than the alternative of pulling out and going through all my shit (either that or the PBA card and my explaining that I have 3 nephews and a godson on the job held some sway.)

This was after unkind things were said of my lineage for letting a few folk in front of me at the toll rather than have them clog up the EZ Pass lanes (like *I* didnt want to be home ASAP after spending 16 hours on the road?). In contrast, I did have a minor lapse from the Burn aftergow and called some misguided fellow an asshole for weaving in and out of traffic at an unsafe speed on the LIE. I did, however, later scold myself for being judgemental (maybe he was mentlaly incapacitated?). You can take the boy out of the city.......

I started to pull some of the shit out of the car today, thought better of it and basically napped on and off all day, spooning with Sic Pup as the opportunity arose. I still have the vague but unmistakable,feeling of shooting down the highway at 75MPH. As awesome as it was to be home, after spending more than half of the last 17 days on the road there's no place like home (the other one).

Many harrowing tales which I will post in the travel log thread if/when the inspiration strikes.

[Drawingablank]

I was at DPW dropoff 7AM Monday, I starting my yesterday in Chicago at 4:30AM, six extra strenth 5 Hr energy bottles and many gritted teeth and clenched fingers on the steering wheel later I pulled into my driveway at 9:30 PM.

I guess a fully packed Jetta Sportswagen (more glass than metal) constitutes a potential credible threat to a rookie cop on the GW bridge. Before he even got close enough to ask to search I requested a Sgt. I think the Sgt thought letting me through to potentially blow the city to smithereens was the better option than the alternative of pulling out and going through all my shit (either that or the PBA card and my explaining that I have 3 nephews and a godson on the job held some sway.)

This was after unkind things were said of my lineage for letting a few folk in front of me at the toll rather than have them clog up the EZ Pass lanes (like *I* didnt want to be home ASAP after spending 16 hours on the road?). In contrast, I did have a minor lapse from the Burn aftergow and called some misguided fellow an asshole for weaving in and out of traffic at an unsafe speed on the LIE. I did, however, later scold myself for being judgemental (maybe he was mentlaly incapacitated?). You can take the boy out of the city.......

I started to pull some of the shit out of the car today, thought better of it and basically napped on and off all day, spooning with Sic Pup as the opportunity arose. I still have the vague but unmistakable,feeling of shooting down the highway at 75MPH. As awesome as it was to be home, after spending more than half of the last 17 days on the road there's no place like home (the other one).

Many harrowing tales which I will post in the travel log thread if/when the inspiration strikes.

Glad to hear from you and happy you are back in defaultia safe.

I was getting worried as I was unable to find you on the playa even though we were within 2 blocks of where you planned to camp. Checked playa info on Tuesday and couldn't find you so assumed there was something dire that happened on the way.

Yah, the GW bridge a few miles from home was the first traffic we hit after getting out of the event. Oddly enough considering we live in an area with constant heavy traffic, the first traffic on our way out was not until we turned off the pavement at BM.

[Drawingablank]

DAB!!!

How did I miss you at the M&G? or did I miss you? I was so distracted. Next year, not working that thing, just enjoying it. I seriously thought you were not there until I found your entry on the "spread sheet" while I was washing it out for JKisha.

Actually we had about a 2 minute conversation, although you seemed very distracted at the time. Hopefully next year you will be less manic and we can chat more.

[MyDearFriend]

DAB!!!

How did I miss you at the M&G? or did I miss you? I was so distracted. Next year, not working that thing, just enjoying it. I seriously thought you were not there until I found your entry on the "spread sheet" while I was washing it out for JKisha.

Actually we had about a 2 minute conversation, although you seemed very distracted at the time. Hopefully next year you will be less manic and we can chat more.

I thought I left my defaultia auto-pilot back in DC. So sorry. I was really looking forward to meeting you...

If I ever start to even hint about working the M&G again, please grab me by the neck and give me a good shake. That was definitely the absolute rock-bottom skin-crawling worst part of the week for me.

[pizzamancer]

The Pizzamancer is home safe and sound in Japan. Nothing much seems to have change, except that now I have a new baby in the house.

Trinity says hello

[graidawg]

I jusr got back to london after a few days in tahoe with moonrise, then two days in vegas. could of done with a few more months with you guys its going to be horrible waiting for next year. you guys all made it so wonderful i wish i had the energy to have spent more time with you all.

[MyDearFriend]

(((Graidawg)))

[junglesmacks]

Trinity says hello

Whaaaaaaaaat?? The has to be one of the cutest newborn pics that I've ever seen while taken still in the hospital! Baby looks about 2 months old.. not newborn? I've never seen one smile like that?!

Congrats!

[pizzamancer]

She was two days old when that pic was taken. Only 2000 grams, just under 4 and a half pounds.

[junglesmacks]

She was two days old when that pic was taken. Only 2000 grams, just under 4 and a half pounds.

Absolutely beautiful.. and great to hear and see such a smiling success with what I'm assuming is a preemie delivery by a few weeks or more! I'll never forget holding my hand next to (who I thought was at the time) my 1lb 13oz and 9 week premature daughter in the neonatal ICU. She definitely was not smiling at the time..

[Foxfur]

I left the playa on Tuesday morning. Gave Knowmad a ride home to Washington state. We took it slow, camped out halfway thru Oregon, grilled T-bones over the fire, and dropped him off on Wednesday night. Thursday morning I headed out to Mt. St. Helens. Made it to the Windy Ridge viewpoint on the east side on Friday morning and took in a lecture about the eruption. Made it up to Mt. Ranier nat'l park that afternoon and set up camp by nightfall. Saturday I headed out to the coast and hit the National Maritime Museum in Astoria (hit the Goodwill there too!), went for a bike ride amongst the breakers in Seaside, and camped in a favorite off-road spot near Garibaldi. On Sunday I drove down to Tillamook and went to the Tillamook Creamery to get a pound of special reserve 3 year old extra sharp white cheddar for me and a pound of chocolate hazelnut fudge for Sweetpea. Got a great stainless steel ring @ the gift shop. Noticing I was almost out of coffee and knowing I had a new jar at home (hate re-buying schtuff when I don't have to), I reluctantly headed home.
I called Sweetpea every day to update her on how things were going. She was really happy I was taking my time and getting in so many new things that have been on my wish list for such a long time. She was surprised when I came home early as she had told me to take a week or two if I wished.
I really had fun .

[lucky420]

Glad all you weary travelers have made it home safe and sound.

mmmmmmm....fudge

[RedHeaven]

I made a big farkin' mistake this year and I gotta vent! Its nothing serious, just need to tell my story, May I? No choice...anyway, its Monday and my past 5 burns I do my 2 hours of moop and secure my truck load and drive out by myself into the day/eve. This year, I think, no different. I am not required to stay, everything is close to done.

I met an amazing "friend" this year, so I make my way over to his camp before I leave to say bye. We had made plans the night before to meet up at the Peppermill in Reno after exodus so we could spend some Default time together and shower and not be distracted by anything Playa and vibe the fuck out. I got enough reception to secure the reservation. So I go say bye around noon. He still has a lot of stuff to do. I figure about 2 hours worth, so I dont ask questions.....We already made a cool plan and talked a lot about our lives together so I was feeling ethereal and not stressed at that point, didnt feel like drilling him for info. (DUMB!) "See you in Reno!" we gleefully said to each other, hugged and kissed goodbye for now.

I drive off into the day, the afternoon, the eve, the night.....took me 10 hours to get to Reno from BRC. I was prepared for XODust: Food, beverages, shade, spray bottle, and a pen and paper. Wrote a thousand poems. Listened to BMIR. Met some people. It was a long day.

I get to Reno. Mind you, I live 2 hours away over the Donner summit, I usually just drive home afterwards. But I was stoked to get another night in with my new pal! I go to the Peppermill, a place Ive never been before, and it is overwhelming and I am ALONE. Blinky glowy and flashy, but not Burny. Sigh. It is Absolutely HUGE and INSANE. There are some burners arriving but nobody wants to talk. Its 10pm and I settle into a VERY nice "romantic" room might I add. Wow. I shower and wander. I figure 2 hours my friend should get there. He has no cell phone. Ruh-roh. I am tired but not too bad because I am excited, and got a decent night sleep the night before but of course I am playa haggard. We didnt make specific plans but I figure he would ask for me at the front desk.....but for some reason I didnt want to take the chance so I lingered around the lobby for HOURS. I missed dinner (I dont do fancy hotels usually and didnt realize there was 24 hour room service) so I continue to snack on fucking nutz and seeds. OMG I am a complete wreck hahahahahaaa!! What a TOTAL loser.

So I drink and talk on the phone and end up getting a little buzzed. I go to the lobby to see who is checking in often, lots and lots of grumpy burners, that was it.....I couldnt even get a convo out of any of em. Exodus left everyone pissed off I guess.

I shoudla went to sleep but I just couldnt miss out on seeing my new friend! At this point i realize I fucked up On Playa by being too vague and I was paying the consequences.

I walk out to my truck to get a few more things and I just burst into tears. I am so fucking tired, its fucking 3am. This slicky pimpy New Zealander dressed in all black sees me crying. "Come here! Cry it out!" He was a virgin burner and was absolutely ecstatic. He wanted nothing but to help me out. He gave me his drink and hugged me. I finally calmed down and for the first time all day since I left BRC, someone was really talking to me in person that felt my vibes.

I settled down and went back to my room. That was it, I am now going to go to sleep...fuck it. But I decide to go down for one more looksy in the lobby. Sure enough, dusty exodus pissed burners are still arriving in droves. Hotel lobby is working overtime tonite. Just then I see some familiar faces from my new friends camp!!! IS HE HERE IS HE HERE? They look at me haggardly with shit fucked looks on their faces and pout "yes" as if it was like asking them to drive me to Texas. I look towards the front door and its him!!! He drops what hes holding and runs over to me and hugs me and kisses me all happy slap. Its 4am now.....but he seems unaffected. One of the things i liked about this person is that they are super easy going.....but the trick with easy going people is that you gotta ask them questions and make some plans because they are too easy going to do that. heh. heh. heh.
He check his party in an runs over to me and goes up to my room with me and jumps in the shower and orders us omlettes from the room service menu. I wont go into details but lets just say I was SO glad I got decent sleep on Sunday night.

My 2 hour drive home to the Sierra Foothills the next day was fabulously easy and nice. The Peppermill will always give me the creeps though! I was so alone there for SOOOO many hours.......

NEXT YEAR: STAY AND HELP A CAMP AND LEAVE WITH A CARAVAN. DUH.

[troubledenergy]

I made it safe.... but I was LEAVING home - not returning to it.

I miss the playa!

[illy dilly]

Red Heaven,
I'm really glad it all worked out!
The middle of the story had me thinking he wasn't going to show.