If Burning Man Moved, Would You Still Go?...

[theCryptofishist]

I wonder how many epi pens they'd go through if it were on grass. Although, with bees dieing off like that, it might not be an issue...

[Captain Goddammit]

Let's just rent Boeing's Everett, WA assembly plant (I believe it's the largest building in the world) and hold the whole thing indoors! On a smooth concrete floor even!

[theCryptofishist]

Woo-hoo! Finally, a place where I wont be handicapped! And Boeing gets some much needed money!

[Captain Goddammit]

Shit there's even water and power!

[Eric]

Although I'll still say I've walked on acres and acres of grass in my life and have yet to find it anywhere near as dangerous as you're making it out to be!

Were 65,000+ people in various states of intoxication walking across it with you? At least the playa surface reminds most people about LNT, grass seems to inspire messes


(Glastonbury aftermath)

[BBadger]

Goddammit don't be making sensible difficult-to-argue with counterpoints. I'm trying to have a lazy day today.

Is that supposed to be self-referring?

No really, you do make some good points.

[pink]

Grass makes me itch. I'll take the dust even if it is rusting my poor Beastie.

[mulch]

If it were held in a place that didn't suck so badly, they could charge more for admission.

You guys rationalizing the positives of a desolate hell hole coated with a hazardous substance is kind of funny.

I braved it and enjoyed myself for sure, but come one, a nice prairie or rock surface would be sooo much better.

[Dr Helix]

As long as it's level I don't care.

[theCryptofishist]

So, if they move to an easier site they can charge more for admission, then the douche factor would increase. Win-win!

[Dr Helix]

Although I'll still say I've walked on acres and acres of grass in my life and have yet to find it anywhere near as dangerous as you're making it out to be!

Were 65,000+ people in various states of intoxication walking across it with you? At least the playa surface reminds most people about LNT, grass seems to inspire messes


(Glastonbury aftermath)

Here's a pictorial showing the cleanup after Glastonbury is over:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/gall ... 47&index=0

[Ratty]

I vote for dust! No on the grass, (which wouldn't exactly be grass by the 2nd year. It comes with it's own set of evils. I absolutely LOVE having no bugs to contend with.

[Captain Goddammit]

If Glastonbury was held in Black Rock Desert it would look just as shitty afterwards. That has nothing to do with the existence of grass at that event.

[Elliot]

If Glastonbury was held in Black Rock Desert it would look just as shitty afterwards. That has nothing to do with the existence of grass at that event.

...Which is one reason I feel it is important to uphold the Burning Man "ethos" (which I keep harping on ). Remember the saying about the camel's nose under the tent flap? A disaster like that Glastonbury trash begins with the first piece. (Today's sermon over. )

Since this thread appears to be largely about fanciful speculation, let me try this informal poll: Who believes it to be hypothetically likely that an organization like BM has a file cabinet dedicated to potential alternate sites, with each file growing steadily as information is gathered -- weather patterns, land ownership, local political leanings, local ordinances, etc?

My personal guess is that such a file cabinet exists and is in regular use. Surely there must be people with business education involved in an operation of this size.

Granted, BM has invested a good deal in the Black Rock area, but any business can come to a situation where an asset is best abandoned in favor of a greater long term benefit.

So.... How crazy is my thinking today?

[Dr Helix]

If Glastonbury was held in Black Rock Desert it would look just as shitty afterwards. That has nothing to do with the existence of grass at that event.

Agreed. It's the people, not the terrain. I don't know if Glastonbury works hard on a LNT policy or just assumes a mess will be made. Even with all the LNT that goes on at BM we still need folks to stay and clean up. I for one am glad we do as good as job as we do. Looks like a giant garbage dump over there

[Eric]

If Glastonbury was held in Black Rock Desert it would look just as shitty afterwards. That has nothing to do with the existence of grass at that event.

Look at the current state of BRC on Friday/ Saturday. Now imagine trying to pick up all that MOOP if it was buried in grass.

While the culture of Burning Man is obviously LNT, how many camps are going to crawl across grass on their hands & knees looking for MOOP? Think about how hard it is to find things now, and multiply that by "hidden in the grass" - we've just become Glastonbury Jr. I don't think Burners would ever let it completely devolve down to that level, but it would get much worse just due to the simple fact that it's hard to find things in grass.

Besides, there is no way Nevada wants to let our little cash-cow go away. I'm not too worried about us moving.

[Captain Goddammit]

Oh yeah grass would have disadvantages for sure. I don't think it would become a rutted mud pit if Black Rock doesn't. I think grass would be more resistant to that than bare dirt is.

I love Black Rock. I prefer hardwood floors to carpet. I just hate the corrosion and wear and tear on expensive machinery the damn playa dust causes.

I ain't got no better idea.

[Elliot]

.
Always remember this: It's all good! We are discussing details only.

[tatonka]

The Oregon Playa

[Captain Goddammit]

Well shit what's wrong with that?!! Oh, it's too far from California…
Why aren't Oregon regionals held there? Is it available for such monkey business? Is it a corrosive alkaline abomination like Black Rock? Are there bugs?
Maybe it's too-close proximity to too many hippies.

[tatonka]

there is hots springs around and upsidedown lakes ( ya can stand on a pile of grass and it bounces cause the water is underneath ) But its BLM land so the same rules more than likely.

[BBadger]

Oh yeah grass would have disadvantages for sure. I don't think it would become a rutted mud pit if Black Rock doesn't. I think grass would be more resistant to that than bare dirt is.

I love Black Rock. I prefer hardwood floors to carpet. I just hate the corrosion and wear and tear on expensive machinery the damn playa dust causes.

I ain't got no better idea.

It's not that the playa is really any better at resisting rutting. Oh sure it's pretty hard, but it suffers from damage too. The real reason the playa is great as a location is that it gets paved over every year by water. That is what makes the play so good.

Well shit what's wrong with that?!! Oh, it's too far from California…
Why aren't Oregon regionals held there? Is it available for such monkey business? Is it a corrosive alkaline abomination like Black Rock? Are there bugs?
Maybe it's too-close proximity to too many hippies.

Is that Alvord Desert? That's an alkaline desert too. For the most part all such dry lake beds are alkaline, and going to be corrosive. Pick your poison.

[tatonka]

yes its the Alvord

[BBadger]

I do think that BRC should consider other options if only just to use as leverage with counties and states that want to make life difficult. It may be hard to get permits for some of these places though. The event is pretty well established here so there's some momentum to allow it to keep going, but other places it will require a whole new permit negotiation process, environmental assessments, etc.

[Captain Goddammit]

For the most part all such dry lake beds are alkaline, and going to be corrosive. Pick your poison.

Well crap. How about a Super WalMart parking lot then? They allow free RV parking because they almost always sell stuff to the campers. Imagine how well they'd do with 60,000 potential customers!

Wal-Man! That's my vote!

[BBadger]

Well crap. How about a Super WalMart parking lot then? They allow free RV parking because they almost always sell stuff to the campers. Imagine how well they'd do with 60,000 potential customers!

But then we'd lose jkisha.

[Eric]

Well crap. How about a Super WalMart parking lot then? They allow free RV parking because they almost always sell stuff to the campers. Imagine how well they'd do with 60,000 potential customers!

But then we'd lose jkisha.

And me. Won't do Walmart, corporate shitheads that they are.

Maybe we can find our own Slab City - there are tons of unused military bases, and imagine the fun of discovering unexploded ordinance in your sector of the city!

[ranger magnum]

The Oregon Playa

This looks awesome! It gets my vote.

[FossaFerox]

I don't know... that rock looks dangerous.

[Captain Goddammit]

I checked into Alvord a little… it's only about a hundred miles north of Black Rock and a lot smaller and probably has no advantage over Black Rock. And it IS in the outback of Oregon, so there is likely to be a hippy infestation problem.