So I survived Burning Man. What a hoot! It was probably the most interesting thing I did in a couple of years. I could go on and on about how it really draws you into the experience. It is, at least for me the interaction with people from all over the world, like minded and out for a good time made it. I most likely consumed more alcohol in the seven days I was there than I have in the last seven years (I not a big drinker). You can find excellent write ups of the event online, so I will not torture you all with my infantile prose trying to describe it.

What you won't find much of online is the airport. The Black Rock Air Force, Cultural Air Defense, has it's own camp, runway, entry facilities, lounge, prota-potties and is located offset enough from the event to be like sleeping next to a modest waterfall, one that plays techno, vice in a maelstrom of sound. Many of us gifted rides around the Playa for attendees. Now why wouldn't I want to take some hot French, Australian, English or even American chicks, who seemed to perhaps forgotten to put a top on that morning for a ride? I took guys as well. This made you instantly popular and gave access to various camps for additional revelry and merrymaking. Or like in the Lithuanian camp, access to a shower powered by a Gilligan's island type bicycle powered pump.

The crowd at the airport was beyond cool and it was relaxing to hang out after flying, under wings enjoying a cool, or hot, depending if anyone made an ice run, drink. I flew a lot of riders, a whole lot, so much so I blew through about 80 gallons of gas. The plane was, let say, not clean when I left, but rather appropriate for a 185. I'll post some more pics and some video later this week, but real life is intruding and I've got to catch up.



A shot in IR on the airport:


A shot of the Dog with some tall women:

Cool pics! Glad you made it out alive! Hahahaha.

awesome, I have friends that go every year and I need to go.. flying in would be the best, not to mention topless sight seeing rides.

Sounds really great, I would very much like to do this with my 170.

I would be concerned for the safety if my plane.

I have not been to Burning Man, but I did go to Testical Festival in Clinton, MT. <W/ a grass strip right next to it> It is an interesting venue w/ probably several mind altering chemicals if you looked for them. I was careful not to get into the Motorcycle Club tents & stay by my battle buddy.

Oh & we ran into 2 ATF types (under cover but can't hide a cop) who were working the MC crews. I assumed this would be like most "hippie" festivals.

Is burning Man a lot tamer?

There where a lot of 170's there, almost a club meeting. You could find "tame" at Burning Man, if you looked hard enough.
Short video of flying the Playa, sorry about the prop disc, forgot the ND filter, BTW if you don't like Techno, don't go to BM:

This event is on my bucket list.

I gifted 4 rides while at Burning Man and I scored a shower and breakfast this way. However, it's not about trading, it's about giving and that's what I really liked about this event. The art and the engineering behind some of the stuff that's there is amazing. And I agree, the people are what makes it. So yeah, if you don't like dubbeat, psy trance music, or topless 20-somethings, don't bother going. But if you like people, everything from the party till yo puke set to the aging hippies, this is a pretty good place to go. I tended to hang out with the aging hippies. I fit in better with them.

Never could get the gals to take off their shirts for the airplane ride. I am obviously not ready to leave the temple, Master Dog. I did get a playa name though... Stray Dog. My wife wants to go next year. Can't wait to take her. We're going to go to Burn the River in Sacramento in October so if a guy doesn't want to spend a lot of money or travel very far, the regional burns are a good way to experience a SMALL portion of playa life. I've never been to a regional so I suspect after going to Burning Man, I'm going to be a little let down. We'll see. I'll report back.

Sorry I didn't run into you there Dog. There was just... to much... there.

Yeah it was crazy, finding anybody specific was a challenge. Here is video of the actual burn of the "Man"

Air filter. Check. Goggles. Check. Chicks. Check

svanarts wrote:So yeah, if you don't like... topless 20-somethings, don't bother going.

Do these people exist??

Maybe next year we should have a fly-in, based at BM, with a couple days of high-desert flying, and a couple days (and the nights) of BM festivities.

Hey, aviation themed camp or art vehicle, with topless only rides for 20 somethings.

Let me clear it with the wife....

WOW!...I would have to get a lot more desperate for entertainment to go there.....putting my o540T thru that stuff dont look too healthy....! glad u guys had a blast...i am most thankful to have a business that i enjoy working at every day and am never bored....but still need more time to hang out in central idaho.,,,!

It is why you have an air filter, you toss it afterwards. I have a backountry aircraft to fly in crud. Spent years, like 7, flying in Africa, where conditions made BM look like a hospital room. My aircraft, all 23 of them never suffered. You clean them, you wash the turbines, be religious about filters, even your vacuum ones (something I notice almost nobody changes). It took 2.5 hours of cleaning to make the 185 look like a poser plane again (includes cleaning the engine).

Now BM is NOT a family affair, and defiantly NOT for everybody. It is NOT Disney, looking to appeal to a wide selection of humans. It is geared towards a narrow slice of humanity. All other should STAY AWAY.

We all are different, I can't gag down Salmon anymore, too much time in Alaska (rotting Salmon in the river, dog sh*t smells like Salmon, they feed it to the dogs, you eat Salmon all the time, you eat Squaw Candy while flying, Inuit rot it for vitamins and offer it to you in the plane, even the thought makes me gag now) So I can even begin to comprehend why people would pay money to fish for them. Face it, toss a string with a set of false teeth in the water and they'll bite. So I have the same sense of incredulity when folks talk of flying up to wherever to fish for them. Don't even get me started about how many aircraft re wasted in attempting to go fishing.

Different strokes.

This slice of humanity really enjoyed Burning Man and I'm definitely going back.

Black Rock Airport 88NV has gone to two runways this year! One for arrivals and one for departures. Wish I could make it this year.

http://88nv.burningman.com/wp-content/u ... t_Plan.pdf

The extremes we go to for proximity to titties n

I like titties.... Just sayin

Everyone needs a hobby.

Having flown out there numerous times over the past ten years I not certain I understand the logic behind the two runways.

More often than not many of the first time pilots fly the approach with a low pass and then go around. This only creates more complications for pilots out there whom many are making there first trip into an off airport strip. The lay out puts you into departing traffic where radio usage is limited as many of those that fly out do not read the published information.

Having the one designated strip that was every bit of 4000' was just fine. This now creates more confusion and will certainly be interesting. I am sure they have thought this through so we will wait and see.

If you have never been, it's well worth spending 24-36 hours out there I promise you...even if you think it's not your thing. You will be blown away....and I don't mean that in regards to the wind. If it looks to be windy, I too am not subjecting my plane to those kind of elements.

Akt

So it looks like Burning Man 2014 is sold out... Can you land and camp without tickets?