Comments on: Did you make it out ok?

By: Tati

Tati — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:33:11 +0000

This photograph is so alive to me, and it is beyond beautiful.
It was my first burn, I will be back.

By: Marty

Marty — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:48:10 +0000

My first burn – wonderful to see the city grow all week long. Our camp loaded up at 4am Monday and hit the pavement less than 30 mins later, maybe 25? The road to Fernley was populated, but moving along fine. I’m glad we left before dawn – I wouldn’t have liked to see the city so empty when the sun came up on Monday morning. Early departure worked for me with a 13 hour drive to phoenix following.

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By: booblies

booblies — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 08:26:24 +0000

I went solo from Chicago (virgin burn) and had over 2 weeks to enjoy a road trip…I got to day 5 Sat and was enjoying everything including the survival mode that my body went into as far as the heat and the dust. And with that I left Saturady at 7pm when I heard that the burn would be postphoned til 10PM! I know it was my first burn but I learn a great deal, saw a lot and liked what I saw…So with this in mind it gives me a reason to return with friends in a rented RV and see both burns! PEACE!

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By: Jan DeLano

Jan DeLano — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:07:39 +0000

We had a fantastic time this year. We were all packed and ready to hit the road Sunday morning at 5:30am. Drove right out to the road. Right outside of Gerlach, I glanced over at the sunrise light and my car went off the road into the soft shoulder. I couldn’t believe it. In trying to recover the car, which I could not, the embankment got to be a 45 degree angle and as I tried harder to get the car back up, it hit some street signs, went airborne and flew about 20 feet in the air and landed on the roof. I was pinned inside. All of our stuff went all over the road. My husband was behind me and saw the whole thing.

So glad the road was heavily patrolled as the officers were able to get the Helivac from Renown Hospital for me. I spent 2 days in the ICU there and
have multiple fractures in my neck along with sterum and pelvis. I had to have neck surgery to fuse my 4, 5, 6, vertebrae together alnog with wires. I spent a week in the hospital there. I have along road ahead of me but its all a miracle that I didn’t hurt anyone else. Its going to take a year to fully recover. We lost our car, contents and wonderful playa bikes. Sad.

I am so grateful that I am alive and will have no spinal cord damage from this. It was terrible. I was treated so well by everyone and so thankful to all that have come to my aide.

I didn’t fall alseep and was not drinking, (don’t), speeding, or trying to pass anyone, just a quick distraction and off I went into that soft stuff.

So now I have my Playa Bling and my life.

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By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:47:43 +0000

we left after the Temple burn, around 3AM Monday morn

no traffic whatsoever!

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By: Smoothest exit EVER!!

Smoothest exit EVER!! — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 01:33:49 +0000

I shouldn’t tell you this, because everyone else will probably do it next year and eliminate the possibility of our repeating it…..but as I can’t stop from bragging about our Miraculously Good fortune I will tell you our secret exit strategy. Consider it our final Gift to this years Burning Man community…..my condolences to those who chose to skip the Temple Burn and ended up waiting in traffic.

After much tortured hemming and hawing over whether to leave before or after the Temple Burn, we finally somewhat sadly got in our car and decided to skip it in favor of not waiting in traffic. As we were driving out, we heard on BM radio that there was a wait. Figuring what the hell….if we have to wait anyways…..Drove to the Esplinade and caught one of the last art cars headed to the Burn. Saw the Burn. Jumped on the first art car leaving, scurried to our packed car, and drove out…..

Well, apparently that last wave of people committed to leaving early were just about gone by the time the Burn was over, creating a narrow window of ZERO traffic to be filled by the first wave of people that stayed for the Burn. As we were in that wave, it took us 15 MINUTES TO THE PAVEMENT!!!

60+ mph to Gerlach and we were pulling into our hotel in Reno by 1:30 AM !!

May the Traffic Gods bestow their blessings forever!!!

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By: smarty pants

smarty pants — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:48:52 +0000

This year I left about 2:00 on Monday and it took about 2 and 1/2 hours to the blacktop. Last year I left about the same time on Monday and it was smooth sailing all the way through (barely any waiting).

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By: Dangles

Dangles — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 22:16:19 +0000

Left Sunday morning.

Towed our friend’s van out to the road as her alternator wouldn’t have taken the idling in line.

She fired up and was off with us following.

Very generous parts folks in Fernley helped them put a new alternator in after we had split off.

Drive home was uneventful except nearly driving off the road in Idaho. Thereafter, my friend drove while I hallucinated from lack of sleep (believe me, I tried to sleep but could not).

Slept for 18 hours after we arrived back in Montana Monday evening. 1000 miles both ways is too far to drive in an old conversion van after a week in the dusty desert.

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By: Yellowdog

Yellowdog — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:26:55 +0000

We left at 1 pm on Monday, 2 hours to blacktop. Much better than the year (2006?) the road was closed at Gerlach by people trying to get gas. This year we were queried on the way in by Sheriffs to ensure we had enough gas to make it out. Good idea.

On exodus, each lane moved sequentially, but equally. Every time it seemed like everyone else was moving except us, we would move up to the same neighbor-cars we began with. Big kudos! Once we reached blacktop, it took 3 hours to I-80, due to a burner trailer rollover accident about a mile ahead of us (no ambulance, everyone walking around).

I agree with the above suggestion to publicise MVA statistics in several venues (website, Survival Guide, signage, BMIR). Besides actually seeing an accident, nothing gets your attention better than a reality-check listing of motor vehicle accidents and required hospitalizations. We love our fellow burners and want them to be safe.

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By: Sunshine

Sunshine — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:02:29 +0000

Considering time is a man-made concept that I don’t buy into, we left on the last day of the event ~ perhaps it was Monday, Sept 8th, but not really sure. We left our camp site, hit a porta potty, then made it 2 blocks when someone still sitting in their campsite (complete with welcoming firepit!) offered us baked potatos as we drove by. Having not had dinner yet, then looking over toward the exodus line, we pulled right in and joined them.

Ah, one last Playa connection before departing until next year. We spent the better part of the late night evening with them, snacking on baked potatos, spicy sausage, and drinking our water and coffee. Whoever they were, thank you! We loved your ‘parting hospitality!’

Once we headed out, we actually checked the time . . . strictly for nastalgia purposes, of course . . . and it was 11:40pm. We had made it a full 8 days on the Playa!!! There was no line to wait in, no departing crowds, and nearly all the signs that once lined the exit road were gone (where do those go?).

Once we got to the highway, we were immediately met by two huge semi’s going about 80,000 mph past us on the highway. Shocked by their violent pace, we sat there at the exit to the highway for a long time wondering if we really even wanted to leave. Once the right moment arrived, we entered the highway and began our journey home to San Diego.

Our first intended stop was Bishop; this would have been half way home for us . . . but we made it as far as Reno and checked in to the Grand Sierra Resort where there was a fantastic AfterBurn party going on. For $49 per night, we showered, slept, and bought clean clothes as if we were experiencing them for the first time. Did I mention I hit it big (twice!) on penny slot machines that paid for our entire three night stay, meals, and new outfits? Oh yeah, the Source is good to us and gifted us with a beautiful three day transition between our new home, the Playa, to our beach home in Ocean Beach, CA.

Thank you, Burning Man, for transforming our lives with 100% pure love and light. I have yet to find the words epic enough to tell our OBcean neighbors what exactly we experienced. . . how does one share life transforming Evolution into words?

We’ll see you next year in Metropolis! Until then, I wish you peace and love.

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