Best part of 2013?

[Elliot]

It seems strange, but I thoroughly enjoyed spending much of my time in my own camp this year. We were not a registered theme camp, but my Bicycle Service generated many hours of intense “interaction” each day. I enjoyed “performing my show” for so many people, who all left with a smile and a once-again-functioning bicycle. (Well, most -- there were a couple of bikes I could not fix.) I’ve never run any such business in real life, so it was a treat to play that role.

Next year I want to set limited shop hours – or enlist at least one more highly-dedicated mechanic – so I can resume traveling BRC like a normal burner. But I have absolutely no regrets about having dedicated myself to the shop this year.

In fact, I soon came to think of it as having everybody else come to me, sparing me the effort of bicycling around to meet them.

Also… with my work for GP&E pre-event, I spent a personal record of 15 days on Playa this year. I’d make it 30 days if I could. I simply love living in the BRC community.

[Lassen Forge]

Missing all the drama - for some reason after the double shitload in '12 and earlier this year, this went extremely well.

Of course, I had to miss the burn to do it... but since I had to miss the burn anyway (but got my new job - one I can live with for a few more years!) it was one saving grace. OK, there were a couple more (Examples - Got to Fly Fish some *really* private property up near Grass Lake that is NEVER open to the likes of us non-CEO non politico plebians with my wifeypoo!) but seriously, NOT having to deal with the Radically Self-Entitlement & Co. crap of '12 fucking ROCKED.

Oh yeah - seeing the pix of home, too!!

[Ratty]

Thank you Elliot for the great service you performed on so many bikes. You make a huge difference to the grateful burners that can't do it themselves. And THANK YOU for helping me with my hilarious bike problem. 2 girls that their bike rack broke, 2 guys from the Netherlands and God only knows who else turned our camp into a bike depository. I did like you suggested and wheeled, (or carried) the rest over to 5:30 and A. Our camp is 2 people with 12 chairs, 4 tables and plenty of company but the bike pile on Monday morning was a shocker. (The rumor of rain may have contributed to everyone heading for the hills). I'm just glad they left bikes and not bags of garbage. I hope to see you at Decompression or the Makers fair.

[delle]

I absolutely adore Elliott-the-never-clothed!!! His smile just melts me.

Your bike, Elliott, so generously loaned for the week, was the best I've ever ridden. The only hiccup I had with it was getting my too-long pirate-tux tutu stuck in the back hub. Because it was a one-speed I could not back the material out.

Fortunately I was right next to an emergency medical station at the time and they were able to cut me out with surgical scissors.

...of course... what else can one expect at burningman.

[Sundial]

I wonder if medical has a statistic for tutu-related casualties?

[delle]

I'm presuming it would probably just fall under the blanket "costume related mishaps" category.

Or, "treatments not at all related to medical emergencies".

Both, of course, being reports I'm now itching to get my hands on.

[Ratty]

I can add to the list. My new too-long fur vest caught in the chain at night. Good thing I didn't have scissors. Instead I flipped it over and spent an eternity trying to work it free. AND my camp mate got his tutu stuck in the chain twice before I took it off of him. I'm remaking both articles before next year.

[Elliot]

*comes running in from barn*

Ooooo.... A memory just returned! Early in the week, a young man visited our camp and played classical style tunes on a small string instrument -- which I neglected to ask the name of. It was the size of a violin, but was plucked like a guitar. He was a music student, and obviously doing well at it. I have a tin ear so I don't remember the melodies, but I do remember almost shivering with pleasure while listening.

More such strolling musicians at BM!

[Ratty]

He might have been plucking a tres.

[delle]

And are we certain this wasn't Andy's Aaron who serenaded us all week long with his sweet and soft yuke and voice?

Yet a-fucking-nother one of those highlights... the list of which is so long I'm not even going to try to bother sorting it all out.

Its all just a stellar moments monkey pile.

[Elliot]

He might have been plucking a tres.

*looks up tres on Wikipedia*

It looked different in shape, and I think it was smaller also. And the melodies were European in style -- maybe Renaissance.

I'll ask a camp mate who was also present. I seem to remember he knew.

[Savannah]

I wonder if medical has a statistic for tutu-related casualties?

They don't.

I think we just assume ALL injuries are tutu-related.

Rebar laceration? Shouldn't have staked your tutu down so @#$ing hard. Dehydrated? Maybe you should save the tulle for day, and the latex for night, my tutu'd friend.

Here is the trick to riding in a tutu of any length:

1) Wear social underpants.
2) Tie the back strips into one end-over-end twist. Sit on it firmly.
3) Do the same with the front.
4) Pretend you meant to look like this.
5) Get where you're going and shake yourself out, all casual-like.

[Lonesomebri]

Hey Elliot, I thought long and hard about your advice to me not to be a foolish old man.....anyway....how'd the nude photo shoot go?

Temple Burn night. Tossed a box full of cards my dead wife collected into the fire, half were from me. Stayed at the embers and had 2 ½ chocolate chip cookies from The FrontPorch art car. Watched the mad and beautiful dance and play music before me while I sat on my chariot and drank beer. Was hugged and told I was the burn. Asked for a light by three young people from Turkey, I gave them my lighter “I won’t be around everytime you need to set something on fire.” They asked me what Burning Man was all about, eyes full of joy. I piled all 3 on my Chariot and rode thru the dancers in front of a sound car, we rode into the dark and both wheels on the Chariot collapsed and crumpled from the weight, spilling the load across the desert as they laughed. TO THE POINT OF DESTRUCTION. We hugged and parted. I dragged the bike and chariot towards camp, unhooked the chariot and made my way home. The next morning returned to collect, the attached cooler was full of my now empty beer cans, crushed and returned. They had been drunk that early morning by whoever relaxed on the seat of the destroyed chariot, and the empties returned to the cooler. After my own heart. I love these people.

[Elliot]

My camp mate says the musical instrument was probably a Charango. According to Wikipedia, this was invented in Bolivia, but with roots in Spain thanks to the Conquistadors. (Of course, there is no reason Renaissance style music could not be played on it.)

As for the Desert Spirits photo shoot, it seemed to go well, except that I had to watch from the sidelines. Mr. Tunick had wisely signed up something like 400 people to be sure 360 showed up at 5 AM. I was close to the first person to report for duty well before 5, paperwork in order, and I was given a yellow card as my ticket to collect my large white transparent/translucent sheet to wear as a "ghost".

But I'm not the kind to elbow my way forward in a line, and when the 360th sheet was handed out, I was one of 10 or 20 people who missed out.

Mr. Tunick arranged his Spirits just outside the trash fence. He photographed from the roof of an RV -- first with Trego Mountain in the background, and then with the rising sun. I was surprised he hand held the camera. He shot both digital and film.

[Savannah]

That is fantastic, Bri!

'TIL THE WHEELS COME OFF. Isn't that a saying, somewhere? Love it.

[Captain Goddammit]

Ha... I cruised people on the Land Yacht until one of my wheels actually broke!
(Of course I had come prepared to fix almost anything so it was ok)

[Elliot]

Oooooo.... That reminds me, I got to drive the Land Yacht! Very smooth and proper to drive -- obviously well engineered. Well done, goddammit!

[tattoogoddess]

Thank you for the ride Thursday night btw!!!

[Canoe]

... the bike pile on Monday morning was a shocker. ...

Anyone have photos of those?

[AntiM]

Elliott saved our trike after it was rammed by someone coming full tilt off a spoke street, across the Esplanade and onto the playa. Then it got a flat tire on the other side. Heh.

[Ratty]

My pile was all the people I camped near that intentionally left their bikes behind. There was a brand new Huffy, and an old one from the veteran in that camp. Their bike rack broke. Two Mongoose mountain bikes that the foreigners bought in Reno and a specialized that gave one of my neighbors alot of trouble. (He could run that gas powered, turbo charged margarita machine but couldn't fix his bike). Plus about 8 others that I took to the donation camp. They had about 1500 to 2000 bikes I would guess. When I walked by there Monday night the bike yard was aglow with ell wire and all manner of lighting. The 4 or 5 people that work there appeared to be shopping.

Next year if I stay late I'm taking some pictures of the bikes dumped, the broken tents abandoned, the interesting moop left behind. (I wish I had photographed those lonely sofas with mannequins on them. It was moop as art.) Not to help anyone retrieve their lost bike. Just because it would make a great photo array. I'm gonna need some extra memory cards.

[tattoogoddess]

We were at 3 and f and someone two camps down to the right on the man side, left a full sized couch and a coffee table. I was so pissed. We would have hauled it put but we were packed to the gills with shit our campers left behind. I don't understand why people leave stuff behind

[ygmir]

We were at 3 and f and someone two camps down to the right on the man side, left a full sized couch and a coffee table. I was so pissed. We would have hauled it put but we were packed to the gills with shit our campers left behind. I don't understand why people leave stuff behind

wow, that's the best part? ........well, if it makes ya happy............

[theCryptofishist]

We had an accordion player across the street...

[ygmir]

We had an accordion player across the street...

you must have been enraptured!! did he play polka?

[Lonesomebri]

My ultra nice neighbors looked over at my camp signs and said i didn't look like much of a threat. I told them wait until the wind blows their way.
From then on they called me "Threat". "Hey Threat, come over and have a beer." "Hey Threat, how many of those are you going to drink?"
Sure, I am Lonesomebri, but to be called "Threat"...... One of the more empowering moments in my life.

And I think I heard that accordion at the Temple burn.......

[theCryptofishist]

We had an accordion player across the street...

you must have been enraptured!! did he play polka?

No, she didn't. Still, it was lovely...

[Aurelia]

Some of my camp complained about noisy "pulse field " game going into the night
I didnt know what they were talking about (when I am tired I just go to sleep)
so I went over and played
What a very fine fun game !
and played
and played
xoA.

[Captain Goddammit]

One of the best parts of all?
Late one night, One Eyed Dick stopped by in his MV.. he said to me "Did anyone here order some fire?"
I said "Yes! Yes they did"
He then blew a ball of fire from four cannons that about gave me a sunburn! Holy SHIT!!!

The next day, a " burgin" in my camp was complaining about it. He'd been sleeping in his tent and was startled and scared by the fire blast. Thought my boat had blown up. He was sort of upset.
I told him "You're at Burning Man! There are flame cannons! This is normal!"

[Elliot]

...
I told him "You're at Burning Man! There are flame cannons! This is normal!"

Yet another great memory arises....

Early in the week, a young man was in my camp when the first near-by propane cannon went off on a passing MV. The young man jumped about two feet straight up like a startled armadillo. Busted -- a birgin! I think I remember who he was, but I won't tell without his permission. Kind'a cruel of me to laugh, but darn... it WAS funny.