Friday, November 22, 2013

To Dust We Shall Return

"The desert is an environment of revelation, genetically and psychologically alien, sensorily austere, esthetically abstract, historically inimical... Its forms are bold and suggestive. The mind is beset by light and space, the kinesthetic novelty of aridity,  high temperature, and wind... To the desert go prophets and hermits; through the deserts go pilgrims and exiles. Here the leaders of the great religions have sought the therapeutic and spiritual values of retreat, not to escape but to find reality."


Paul Shepard, Man in the Landscape: A Historic View of the Esthetics of Nature




Dust, the conglomerate hodgepodge of particulate matter that humans spend most of their lives trying to avoid. We erect walls of stone and brick, constantly battle its buildup in our homes, and cleanse our bodies daily. All vain attempts to exclude an entity that always seems to find its way back in. Yet, there is something to be said about the gritty, unkempt state of mind that dust demands from us. Being dirty invokes an instant feeling of revulsion, which quickly devolves into complacent acceptance. The eventual outcome of this perpetual dustiness brings about a profound and intense sense of freedom—an unfiltered experience of revelation. Thus, it is most fitting that dust is the first veil one must pass through upon arrival in Black Rock City, the fine alkaline layer of white clay that will stick with the traveler long after their exodus from the Playa.

Goggle day
Indeed, dust serves as nature’s first line of defense against societal norms in BRC. The afore mentioned feeling of revulsion is quick and fleeting, as one leaves the “default” world behind and gives themselves fully to the vivid energy that is Burning Man. I suppose this act of letting go is one of the central tenets of the festival. An “I’m going to do whatever the fuck I want this week” attitude contagiously spreads through the endless rows of tents, RV’s, towers, and vibrating dance floors. As Burners begin to shed their default skins, a strong sense of community develops out in the barren Northern Nevada desert.

I shit you not
Because nothing exemplifies community more than an
older man in a G-string helping to push an RV
Speaking of community, Burning man is commonly known as a festival of radical self-reliance, where one has to “rough it” to survive. Participants are told to bring enough supplies to last for seven days in a harsh desert landscape. Yet, I argue a person could show up on the Playa with nothing but the clothes on their back and live quite comfortably during their week in the dust. Hungry? Your neighbors are cooking and trust me, they have enough to share. Gin and tonic your drink of choice? There is an entire tent dedicated to serving G&T’s and only G&T’s.  Like pickles? Head over to the Pickle Camp complete with giant glowing pickle statues and all the preserved cucumbers one could ask for. Need a place to crash? The orgy tents are air conditioned and I hear they have comfy couches.

Burning Man survival kit: Food, booze, hula-hoop
The gifting society that has developed on the Playa is both humbling and awesome. All forms of currency are abolished at the festival, and offering to pay for something is seen as more offensive than not accepting the gift. A pure act of generosity, without an expectation of reciprocation, is an extremely powerful notion. These acts of kindness blanket Black Rock City, from the passing stranger who mists you with their fan, to the girl who is a bit too "out of it" to try and fix your broken bike, but still gives it her best shot anyways.

Hallucinating (yet helpful) bystanders aside, perhaps the most important gifts provided by the Burner community are the countless forms of art that decorate the Playa and its inhabitants. From dancing statues that reach hundreds of feet into the sky, to roaming techno dinosaur mobiles, to a small necklace made from home-blown glass, everyone finds a way to radically express themselves out on that expansive stretch of sand and clay. Imagine people arriving weeks in advance, and staying weeks after, to build and dismantle the massive art installations and infrastructure that hold BRC together. The entire city itself is a work of art, with its wide avenues, public plazas, and disco roller rinks.







Situated at the heart of the event is the open Playa. Here one will find a random and seemingly endless collection of art installations ranging from glowing flower gardens and moving art car dance parties, to the impossibly huge Man structure that resides at the city's center. To the north, beyond The Man, Black Rock City unfolds into the deep playa that reaches north to the horizon and the mountains in the distance.  In this wide open land one may stumble upon secret performance stages, bicycle graveyards, and oddities that only a handful of the 68,000 participants are likely to discover.


Another gem that can be found out in this deep wasteland is the view of the chaos, which affords the observer a true depiction of the sheer size and scope of Black Rock City. There is nothing quite like watching the nighttime skyline glow, sway, and vibrate with constant movement of art cars, lasers, people, and sound waves. This energy can be seen flowing through the city, as if it were the lifeblood of some super-organism that has settled into the dust for the night.

Of course, while watching the nighttime playa from afar is tranquil and mesmerizing, the setting inside of the city during the evening is difficult to describe in words. Most noticeable, are the lights. When the sun sets, thousands of bikes, art cars, people, and dance floors erupt to shining, pulsating life. Tens of thousands of colors squirm and flicker to the deep bass-driven beats that emanate from the infinite number of radios, speakers, and double-decker unicorn party buses that rage throughout the night.  Music is a constant on the Playa, day
or night.  However, the vibe created by the nighttime dance parties and DJ sets flows into the streets and seeps into the soul of every participant. The party never stops at Burning Man, but the hours one spends awake while the sun is not, will undoubtedly be the most wild.
Flaming Skeeball?
That's an angry looking unicorn


Although every night on the Playa is hectic, the night of the Burn is undeniably the most intense. The Man burns on the Saturday before Labor Day, the second to last night of the event. As the sun sets, people slowly begin to form a wide circle around the man.  When the drums begin to beat and the glowing green Man raises his arms in the air, the crowd sits down in the dust.


The ceremony begins with one of the largest displays of fire dancing in the world, followed by a pyrotechnic show that was either supposed to be a ten minute long grand finale, or the reenactment of an accident at a fireworks factory.  Suddenly, the entire structure explodes in an immense fireball that shoots hundreds of feet into the sky. The massive crowd roars as the building slowly begins to crumble to the ground. After the collapse, the ash covered observers make their may to watch smaller burns, and dance through the city until the wee hours of the morning.


I will never forget the feeling of watching the huge unidentified flying object that I had been admiring all week burn to the ground. The sigh of relief that passed through the gathering was palpable. Sixty eight thousand people watched their worries and anxieties vanish in the flames. Sitting there on the Playa, next to friends both old and new, was one of the more powerful experiences I have ever been lucky enough to be a part of. 



While the sights, sounds, and parties are beyond imagination, the most important moments on the Playa are in the friends you make, the conversations you share, and the lifelong bonds that are formed. If the reader is considering making their own journey to the Playa some day, my advice is to do so without hesitation, and do so wholeheartedly. A big thanks to the people who helped make my first week in the dust one to remember, and congratulations to Camp International Shantytown Village on our inaugural Burn, may there be many more to come.  




The desert is an environment of contrast. Just as the sand suddenly meets the sky and the temperature swings from day to night, Burners say farewell to the Playa with mixed emotions. One walks away tired, yet energized. Dumbfounded, yet enlightened. The long journey home provides an opportunity for the mind to process what it just endured, while preparing for the decompression to come. Indeed, just as that first coating of dust can cleanse the soul of the participant upon arrival, the cleansing of that dust serves as the first step in the reentry to reality. To this day, I still find playa stuck in nooks and crevices of those cherished items that joined me on my adventure. There it will remain until I can return the fine silky powder to its rightful home, out there on that wind swept dry lake bed, tucked away in a small corner of the Nevada desert. Until next time, Black Rock City. The Universe is conspiring in your favor.






Friday, November 4, 2011

An Ode To My Flips

Oh, dearest flip-flops....we have had many great times together.  I thought that you would be with me forever, but alas, you have finally broken.

A gruesome scene, indeed

You may think its weird that I have decided to dedicate an entire post to a pair of sandals, but let me tell you, these are no ordinary flips.  When I moved into my college dorm five years ago, one my first tasks was to walk to The Hill and purchase this delightful pair of Rainbows.  I wore them everywhere.  Rain, snow, or shine, these puppies were pretty much glued to my feet.  They were with me during early morning chem lectures, and late night benders.  I took them on countless camping trips, backpacking through Moab, and of course, on all of my spring break adventures throughout Mexico and California. 

Beauty, in its purest form

My flips were there to cushion my steps as I ambled about campus, sheisty house parties, and the beer soaked floors of many a bar.  They accompanied me on a two thousand mile journey to Rothbury, Michigan, where they gladly accepted all of the the abuse that my wild dancing could deal them.  In fact, those of you who know me well know just how crazy my fancy feet can be, and my Rainbows never missed a beat.  Clearly,  these flips where with me when I expanded my mind through textbooks, and when I expanded my mind through...ahem...other means.  A pair of flip flops that survive four years of college are impressive enough, yet these particular ones have been through so much more.  They were my companions on a life-changing voyage around the globe.  According to my sources, that works out to around 28,178 miles, give or take a few hundred.  They have trekked through the sands of the Sahara, climbed the steps of the Great Wall, explored the hectic streets of Tokyo, and rested themselves on the shores of Hawaii.  I am sure that the dirt, smell, and essence of India will forever be caked in the cracks and crevasses that have developed on their soles throughout the years.  They have seen the far corners of the world, as well as the absolute center (0 degrees latitude and longitude).  In fact, they have been loved so much that one can clearly see holes where my big toes used to rub.

Physical evidence supporting the theory that I am always on my toes

My flips supported me as I received my college diploma, when I stood in my cap and gown, surrounded by my friends and classmates during a sunny day on the grass of Folsom Field.   Their final journey consisted of a month-long backpacking trek throughout Europe.  One last hoorah to cap off an amazing four years of adventures.  The Rainbows spent their last days frolicking about a Boulder summer.  They eventually gave out on a drunken dance floor on a warm evening in July.  My dancing had finally proven too much to handle.

In all, the sandals have trodden on the soil of 18 nations.  With each step, I gained knowledge and insight about myself and my place in this world  The person who bought these shoes five years ago is much different than the person who is retiring them today.  When I wore them, I was constantly looking to the next step, always excited about what I would discover next.  For the past few months, I have sat and reminisced about the past and the places my flips have been.  I woke up this morning and realized that I really have nothing to look forward to in the near future.  You would assume that that would be a depressing thought, yet strangely, I felt free.  Indeed, an ideal moment to officially let go of my flips.  If I have learned anything over the past five years, its that life is about living in the moment.  Next spring, when I buy a new pair of sandals, I will be sure to appreciate every step.  No matter where your journey takes you, embrace life fully by being present, and be thankful for the companions on your feet.  They will take you wherever you need to be.

RIP

I'm sorry that this blog has remained so quiet over the past few months.  I suppose that I have recently rediscovered my inspiration.  I have been slowly getting used to living in one place again.  Home finally feels like home again, and its good to be here.  I promise to keep on posting, and next time the topic wont just be about an old fucking pair of  shoes.  As always, keep on rambling.  Now get off the internet, put your flips on, and go outside for Christ's sake.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Across the Pond

After my journey around the world, four months of finishing up college was more than enough to fuel my ever-growing wanderlust.  Naturally, a month in Europe sounded right up my alley.


What better place to begin the journey than London?  Thanks to all of our friends there for showing us a great time and putting a roof over our heads.

The London Eye may be pretty neat, but the Singapore Flyer still takes the cake in my book
Way bigger than I thought it was going to be
After a few days of double-decker buses, Tube rides, and fish & chips, an adventure into the English countryside was in order.

Note to self:  Become rich, buy land in the UK
Before I knew it, I was making my way across the country to the northern coast.  However, no journey through this region would be complete without a stop at perhaps the most recognizable site on earth.

Not the nicest day to visit Stonehenge, but that will do, donkey
A quick ferry ride across the Irish Sea brought me to Rosslare Harbor, a beautiful little Irish town that is worth the visit for the beach alone.

These wayward adventurers sure enjoyed the view

Early the next morning, a train whisked me northward to Dublin.  What an amazing city!   Insane nightlife, beautiful lasses, and live music in just about every pub, oh how I loved Ireland.

Travelers beware, the Guinness "brewery" is not so much of a brewery as it is a giant tourist trap.  However, the view from the towering skybar makes it all worthwhile

No Eurotrip would be complete without a stop at my next destination.  Can you guess where it was?

Lets just say that coffee isn't the only thing they serve...
Amsterdam is a beautiful city filled with canals and bicycles (shit-tons of bicycles).

See?
My hostel was located right in the heart of the Red Light District.  Anyone who ever finds themselves in this area should pay a visit to a little restaurant named Wok to Walk.  Honestly, I still have wet dreams about the stir-fry.

Hill Street Blues is a coffee shop with cool artwork, chill vibes, and nice greenery. Find a window seat in the sun, enjoy a spliff, and ponder how you ended up here in the first place
A boat full of Ben & Jerry's sounds great when you have extreme cottonmouth on the canal tour
After the smoke cleared, I found myself smack-dab in the middle of Paris.  What else can I say except bread, cheese, wine, repeat.

Most romantic spot in the world?  Not when you are there with 3 other dudes.  It's still strikingly beautiful  though
We came, we Louvred, we cracked the Da Vinci code
I would not have been able to live with myself without stopping to pay my respects to one of the greatest artists of the 20th Century

Rest in peace, Jim.  We miss you
After the hustle and bustle of Paris, I found myself in the mood for the beach.  Luckily, our next destination was the southern French city of Marseilles.  Here we rented a little apartment in the city.  Our days were spent cooking our own meals, drinking, and laying on the beach.

Sunset from our back terrace
I don't want to name any names, but George Watkins should probably wear sunscreen more often
Continuing with my quest for sand and sun, I made my way over to Barcelona, one of the most amazing cities on earth. We mistakenly arrived on the 24th of June, which is the day of Fiesta de San Joan.  Imagine fireworks exploding everywhere, sangria flowing through the streets, and 50,000 people raging on the beach until six in the morning.

Oh, and Hippies literally live in trees here
The market on calle Las Ramblas is definitely worth making a stop for
So long Barca, I'll be back someday (preferably tying up my yacht in this harbor)
I finally made my way west to the lovely city of Madrid.  There, I stayed with a friend's family that live just outside the city, up in the mountains. 

I presume they moved here for the view
This makes me seem artsier than I really am
A Beautiful final day in Europe
If you find yourself in Plaza Mayor, Madrid (which you will), ask around for an awesome little place named Artebar.  They will take good care of you there. (Shout-out to Maggie Z. for the recommendation)

Plaza Mayor
The Parque Buen Retiro is a lush oasis in the midst of bustling Madrid
As with any epic journey, my time in Europe did not seem to last long enough.  I'm beginning to realize that this is a general trend when it comes to traveling.  Perhaps another reason to appreciate every second of every journey we take, whether big or small.  I believe that sitting at home watching the news tends to cause us to slowly lose faith in humanity.  How can we not when we are constantly bombarded with stories of war, famine, and economic woes?  If there is one nugget of truth that I have learned in all of my travels, its that the world is generally a good place.  The act of travel itself opens our eyes to all of the atrocities and triumphs of mankind.  I realize now that those who travel slowly learn to view the world in a more positive light.  What I'm getting at here is, if you are feeling down or troubled, get out and go.  I promise you will feel better.  Whether it is a voyage around the world, or an hour-long hike outside of your neighborhood, us humans are designed to be mobile, so give in to your instincts.  If you are ever feeling lost, continue to get lost.  I guarantee that you will always rediscover yourself.

Now that my college days are over, I'm beginning to sense that familiar feeling of the rambles building up inside of my head.  So stay tuned for more of my ranting and raving, as I discover just how lost I can get.  Until next time, ramble on my fellow ramblers.