You may add your comments about the event here.

-- richard (zpub@sirius.com), September 04, 1999

Answers

actually, I have no idea who you are.

-- mark reveley (mark_from_ark@hotmail.com), December 19, 2000.

Remember me, anyone? I was the "King Of Baboon Politics," with a soap box and a tiny little personal PA system? I had a bullhorn too, and I kept talking about how, "I believe in electricity. I BELIEVE in cheap cosmetics. I BELIEVE in the strip mall." Anyway, it was a blast, as always. Much love to all my brothers from The Plastic Family.

-Jackson Henry Rake (http://www.geocities.com/Jackson_rake.htm)

-- Jackson Rake (jackrake@hotmail.com), June 09, 2000.

Burning Man is just the only "plain and simple single entity" to touch me in the last twenty years - I am middle-aged. Burning Man has led me beyond Corporate America, beyond the promise of a career, beyond my own ridiculous inhibited view of reality.

I have attended Burning Man for several years. Alas, I am not a Bloody Burning Man virgin... When I read/hear people writing that Burning Man 1999 was less or bad or somehow compromised, I want to say to them to fucking go back to New Jersey... Of Course this is not an appropriate answer. I would much more like to share with them my incredible experiences...

So... How was my 1999 Burning Man?

It was LUMINESCENT

...And Burning Man 2000 - I just cannot not be there. (This is PERIOD - SORRY BUT - PERIOD FUCKING EXCLAMATION POINT).

Sincerely yours, and best personal regards,

A. Lincoln (Springfield, Illinois)

-- A. Lincoln (Springfield, Illinois) (bridgesvic@aol.com), January 19, 2000.

LONG BURN THE MAN! I am a three year veteran but my lady Dena was a BM virgin, so I just had to introduce the two loves of my life. They both enjoyed the experience immensely. We arrived at BRC shortly after noon on monday with the wind. With some Canadan help from Mike and Doug we were able to erect a large blue 'living room tunnel' and our flag at Mars & 4:50 (two camps down from the ever infamous Naked NoNo).

I could go on about the thousands of memorys I have of the week But I'll spare you all and narrow it down some. Thank you to Ernesto of the Burning Man spa & resort who made our beds and placed a nice card and a mint on our pillows. Thank you to the players who put on the production of DJ SUPERSTAR. Thank you to Harvey for the vision!

I would like to thank the Man for watching over us as I proposed marrage to M'Lady Dena at his feet............(She said YES!)

And to my sister burner who asked for a tech answer to why the arms did'nt raise, I was in the inner circle as the man rose and was on the rope to pull his arms up. We had the rope in our hands and were pulling but it felt as if there were still a lock on. Then all the sudden it felt as if a pulley or some other hardware broke off because the rope slacked. Some brave soul shimmied up the Mans left leg like a mouse on a repair mission, alas decending in vain.

Then you know the rest of the story. I't did seem interesting to me that the Mans spontanious commbustion occured in the area of his heart chakra. Was this what you saw, and what was your postition time wise? The Question is open for all comments, please.

Burn the Man, tem

P.S. We're getting married in S.F. on Nov.6th

-- tim (explodingboy@uswest.net), October 28, 1999.

LONG BURN THE MAN! I am a three year veteran but my lady Dena was a BM virgin, so I just had to introduce the two loves of my life. They both enjoyed the experience immensely. We arrived at BRC shortly after noon on monday with the wind. With some Canadan help from Mike and Doug we were able to erect a large blue 'living room tunnel' and our flag at Mars & 4:50 (two camps down from the ever infamous Naked NoNo).

I could go on about the thousands of memorys I have of the week But I'll spare you all and narrow it down some. Thank you to Ernesto of the Burning Man spa & resort who made our beds and placed a nice card and a mint on our pillows.

-- tim (explodingboy@uswest.net), October 28, 1999.

How to put into words that which can only be experienced... My second year, last year was about survival but this year I THRIVED. The most fun I have had in 15 years, in a life that is FULL of inspiring experiences...

Most memorable: Insane winds Sunday and Monday bringing home the danger element of BM, taking down our incapasitated $1000 dome tent while the winds whipped the PVC pipe at incredible force. Peaking on mushrooms Wednesday night 10:00 pm and seeing the most incredible streak of what looked like 7 shooting stars cross the entire sky at the speed of a small airplane wondering "how in the world did someone pull that off?" (official explanation: Russian rocket booster re-entering the atmosphere from low orbit found out after our return home). Falling down "The Rabbit Hole", Riding my bike with not much of anything on amongst 20,000 people, ahhhhhh! That was the best.

Stayed for 8 days and got to witness the country-side turn urban and the impact we humans have on the environment. A speeded up version of what goes on in the "real world".

Counting down the days til next year when I can once again experience full freedom of expression and share space with crazies like me!

Dorene

-- Dorene Garvin (Dorene@moon.eorbit.net), October 11, 1999.

I loved the comments.... it was our second year. My husband calls Burning Man... "a little bit of sanity". ;)

We met, lived with and loved, several longtime internet pals. Too good. Seeya next year. (As a public school teacher who must *fly* thousands of miles to be back at the chalkboard two days later, this is a sizeable commitment.

-- Linda Rightmire (cstjohn@direct.ca), October 02, 1999.

Thank you Larry Harvey for a fantastic vision & the mindfulness to make it a reality for us to enjoy, contribute to & grow from!

THANK YOU ALL OF YOU BEAUTIFUL, FREAKY, CREATIVE, OPEN, SHARING UNFORGETTABLE PEOPLE FOR PROVIDING US ALL WITH A SPIRITUAL & MIND OPENING EXPERIENCE I FOR ONE WILL CARRY WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!! Thank you Gene & Sasha (the other Ice Cone Men), Helen, Kelly, Dave, Lena, Star, Greg, Jenifer, Scott (& the rest of the gang), Olin, Jen & Ingrid, Pete & Phil, Kelly (the intelligent & beautiful Canadian masseuse in the green velvet mini dress...WOW!), all of the Melissas, Chris, Vanessa & all those whose names I forgot (please forgive me) to mention for your friendship, company & smiles (among other things) @ this year's event. You will all live forever in my soul as family.

I now know that I am not alone in this universe. I look forward with unfathomable anticipation to returning home to my family next year @ Black Rock City...and to contributing on an even greater level upon my return.

-- Lou

P.S.: If anyone knows of a bus for sale (preferably, a Greyhound-style bus as opposed to the school bus style) or a way to find out about buses for sale, I would appreciate an e-mail from you. Thanks again. Love to you all!

-- Lou the Ice Cone Man (actually, 1 of 3) (rolivari@netscape.com), September 23, 1999.

Burning Man is the most fun you can have with your clothes off!!!

I think the shared experience of surving in the harsh desert environment bonded us together. The incredible freedom, creativity, tolerance and generosity of the people of Black Rock City has renewed my faith in humanity.

Reentry into the "real world" took about a week, but I am committed to incorporating the principles on which our city is founded into my year-round existence. No more will I hold back because I am worried about what people will think.

We have much more freedom, even in a repressive society, than we think. I intend to exercise that freedom as much and as often as possible.

-- Norman Hawker (normanhawker@hotmail.com), September 21, 1999.

Postapocalyptic alien conversion, spacevoudo cybervisonquest, eroticpotlatch, technopagan futureprimitive ex-stasis, serpentfire, dreamvision getdown, psycedelicdanc, shamanic liberation orgasmicfest, satanichristanbuddhislaamic ritual, antifear pleasuredome, elemental journey

-- greenman (hotstar_24@hotmail.com), September 14, 1999.

This was my 2nd Burning Man and my 1st Theme Camp. A special thanks to all the people who honked and waved on the drive back on Labor Day; of course3 it helps to have The Man painted on the bubble top of the van and to drive slow.

A wonderful time and wonderful people that I met, and complimented me on my theme camp and the structure and my book selection.

But, it was a bittersweet event. You've all heard various platitudes of 'shit happens and life goes on' add to it ' the bottom falls out of your world and the fantastic things happen'

It was a wonderful time at BM, and at High Sierra Music Festival with my Tipi and solar power(just rechaging flashlight batteries) where I seemed to be the most popular non-musical event there, where apparently 95% of the people at HSMF had never seen a live Tipi before or solar power system. For in early March the love of my life died after a traffic accident; but I bought Debbie a ticket anyway and fed the ticket to the flame; I feel alot better now.

I ish to thank you all for you time and effort and hospitality and I hope to see you all again next year. Johnny Jensen Casa del Pueblo The Reqading Room

-- johnny jensen (jonnyj@webtv.net), September 12, 1999.

Wow, words can hardly do the burning man experience justice. In short, it not only hit my 'reset' button big time, it forever changed my perception of humanity,community, and myself. The experience of burningman's gift/barter society can only be felt here, and evidences the love and beauty humans are capable of. Mystical, magical, supremely creative, unique. So many positive, wonderful things to see and experience. The rangers and firemen did a great job of taking care of everyone, making us feel safe without being policed. When our RV broke down there were plenty of people there to help out. Too much to describe here, just go to experience it.

When I got back to my Los Angeles, I felt the difference distinctly, I had been able to let my guard down at burningman and upon my return to LA felt the walls going back up. There's a lot of hungry wolves in this town. But not at burningman. I'll be back!

-- Christine (springtree), September 10, 1999.

God, where do I begin? It was the sweetest, most inclusive, amazing communal experience I've ever had. I had also been trying to get there for three years and deided with all the force of will I could summon that nothing would prevent me this year, so I snagged my mother's credit card, (still doing that at 37 but she knows, I do it all the time, and damnit I had to go), rented a big-ass motor home since I was too scared to try to rough it in a tent, and took my nine year old son. My man-friend joined us later in the week. We took huge rolls of astro turf and a pool for the kiddies and more water than I've ever seen, let alone hauled up steep mountains in a rackety RV, and about a thousand condoms which we turned into bracelets to pass out to a fraction of the people who said great things like, "thanks I'll go use that right now."

I kept a diary and was really dilligent about it, although it was really hard to do because every second spent recording memories was a lost moment in real time that could have been spent participating or, God forbid, "spectating". I kept a photo diary with my sony mavica as well and shot hundreds of pics to share with you once I get my site up and join the ring. I feel pretty intimidated by the awesome websites that have already been designed but I just have to express how beautiful and meaningful, wild and loving the experience is. I agree that it was like halloween and the fourth of july and woodstock without the corporate sponsorship. I loved the people, I loved their theme camps, I loved their art, I loved their open hearts. I loved The Gyna Tree the most and my son loved CoCo the Naked Ape, he liked the way he swung his dick around, go figure. I also liked the way the folks from LA Cacophany dressed, the girls always had something pretty and sparly on their nipples to match their shorts and skirts.

We were kids camp, we had a kiddie pool and free lemonade stands. We circled the wagons and let the kids play in the middle and pretty much everywhere else they wanted to. The burn was great but we wondered what happened to his arms and are waiting for a techinical description of the event, which someone will hopefully post.

Leaving was heartbreaking, we cried hard for about a half hour and when Radio Free Burning Man faded out we had this strong desire to turn back around. All along the highway and at rest stops and hotels, whenever we saw anyone with a dusty car, bikes, pvc, wood and tarps strapped on, or playa mud caked on their shoes, we honked and waved, blew kisses or hugged them if we could. It felt like we were family, part of a tribe of people who meant well and shared a sense of loss at the ending of something so magnificently free and hopeful, so full of love and trust.

I wanted to take one of the wooden signs that accompanied our journey in, but they were made of wood, hard to remove and might bring bad juju upon removal so we left them alone but I would have liked, "Slow the Fuck Down," or "Now Entering the Vacant Heart of the Wild West", or even "Piss Clear". My favorite sign was the giant UNDERPANTS sign, it was just so funny to see such a silly word in huge letters. My favorite bike was the huge red squid bike. My favorite large piece of art was that amazing spinning metal ball piece and I loved the scuba dog and baby. I have to say that my favorite art car was the Black Rock Taxi service because they gave all of us, including five very tired little kids a ride home to Kid's camp when our weary feet could carry us no farther. My favorite sound was anytime someone would say "Citizen's Of Black Rock City," cause it struck a deep and tender cord inside me and for once in my life made me feel like I was a part of a place where I belonged, where my creativity, my uniqueness, my sensitivity, were assets to be appreciated and that my non-conformity was actually the very opposite in this amazing mixed up place where the plainest of people stood out for their normalcy and I was able to literally lose my nightie with a spin of a karmic wheel and bike back home naked.

I can't tell you how much I love and miss every single one of you. You are my family. You are my true home. I will forever treasure this dust.

All my love, jacqui

-- jacqui hyland (maltibar@aol.com), September 08, 1999.

the week was great this year, except the 100 mile-an-hour winds that ripped through black rock on sunday and monday in the beggining...the rest of the week was excellent!! --the burn how-ever was very kicked back this year, we were wondering if the propane bomb someone let off was the premise for such a laid-back burn this year?? --or was it malfunction??--(his arms never raised) last year the burn was full of wild energy, this year it was very quiet, and controlled. ---but beautiful non-the-less! again thursday really rocked! thanks to all the folks that dropped by our "un-declared" camp at 9:00 and mars...we had some nice red lanterns (9ft. red tikis) guiding the way for people to see.. the response from the early burners was exceptional!!! see you all next yea

-- brandon r. voss (brandon@keechstudio.com), September 08, 1999.

Yeah... it was awesome...its really all i can talk about now that im back. I think im starting to drive people crazy...it was such an enlightening experience...The feeling of cruising naked on a traveling living room through the desert, drinking a margarita with beuitful women, can not be found anywhere else on the planet...Burning man was the funnest thing ever...chaotic, crazy, liberating, pleasureable beyond my expectations...I laughed the whole time...except for one experience: one night I rode the Living room barge all the way across the playa to another party that was happening...3 miles out on the playa...they were burning lots of stuff and I was high on mushrooms and had been drinking sake on my way out there...there were probablly about 100 people out there having fun and I was standing there enjoying the fire one second... next second (in my mind) Im laying with my face on the playa...im completely alone...burning embers all around me...3 miles away from the Black Rock City...I made it back just fine after chasing down an RV that was out there driving around but I was very dehydrated and after inspecting my jacket I found that it had burns all over the back of it..I had been laying in the fire....that was a kinda harsh experience and I dont remember what happened to me between the time of feelin happy with friends and waking up...some say I may have been abducted..some say I was the victim of a GHB dosing...Im not really sure what happened but im glad i diddnt die...over all it was a very positive experience....Im in love with Burning MAn

-- Kilgore Trout (magnetic8@yahoo.com), September 08, 1999.

This was my first BM after trying unsuccessfully to participate the previous 3 years. Even though I read about it in the news and surfed all the web sites, nothing prepared me for what I experienced at Burning Man. For the first time in my life I felt part of something and member of a community where I was understood and loved for just being me. It was everything and I am grateful for the thoughts, ideas, and emotions that I received at Burning Man. I can't wait to be with my new Burning Man family again next year.

-- Maria Celeste Tucker (maria358@yahoo.com), September 07, 1999.

Wow! I have never experienced or even imagined anything like this years Burning man. One morning at camp we were talking about the burning we had witnessed the night before. Someone asked " So what was it like" I responded the only way I could. I said " This is Burning Man, it isn't LIKE anyting" Everyone agreed.

Several of us decided it would be a good idea to try to come up with some kind of description that we could take back to the real world, this is what we concluded: Begin with the movie Road Warrior, add all the lights of Las Vegas, throw in the best and loudest music available in Western Civilization, invite 22,000 really strange people, and make it clothing optional, make it halloween for a week, add all the 4th of July fireworks you have ever seen in your life combined, multiply all of that by 100, put it all on another planet, half way through the next century. As near as we could tell that would give the outline version of the event.

I am back in the real world, and if there is one thing that I know for sure it is that I am a citizen of Black Rock City. I am one with the universe, I am transformed. I will live as a devote to the collective environment of my people until I can once again look into their smiling blue faces for I am humbled by their presence.

-- Phil Teller (pgteller@nwlink.com), September 07, 1999.