Burn this list

It's Day 2 of the Burning Man 2009, and Mick here is need of some ball beartings for his trailer. Yes, lots of people have pulled in over the past couple of days, and yes, they are still getting settled. But, there's more to Burning Man than getting settled. Let's go find that camp where they give you something to drink.....
Mick here is need of some ball bearings for his trailer. If you can help him out, he's over at 8:15 and H, in a camp called Spicy Pickle. Meanwhile, let's go find that camp where they give you something to drink.....

So we got our hands on the Who What Where book and checked off the things we thought were interesting.  For Tuesday, those things included getting a lesson in how to tie people up; having our bikes modified by the Pimp My Bike crew, formerly known as Mama Lillith’s Falafel Palace; checking out the hemp beauty bar; getting ourselves new outfits at the Boutique in Center Camp; … (deep breath) … visiting Martini Village for … right, martinis;  … and saying hello to the lovely folks at Beaverton.

But.

Um.

Forget the list. On the playa, other things happen. The playa will lead you where you need to go.

... Oh, here it is. It's called the Fur Bar, at Biology and 8:30. We drank strawberry pineapple daquiris. Brett, sitting at the bar, said, "It's mellow, chill out, and the music isn't bad, either." We concur.
Here was the first place the playa led us. The Fur Bar, at Biology and 8:30. We drank strawberry pineapple daquiris. Brett, sitting at the bar, said, "It's mellow, chilled out, and the music isn't bad, either." We concur.

This is Brett, who Rosalie thinks should be included in the Burning Man 2009 Christmas special. Brett's a freelance photographer and was a good sport about being on the other side of the lens.
This is Brett, who Rosalie thinks should be included in the Burning Man 2009 Christmas special. Brett's a freelance photographer and was a good sport about being on the other side of the lens.
Miss Phloss was also at the Fur Bar. She's a model, club kid, voice-over announcer, go-go dancer, actress and cyber-Lolita. (At least that's what her business card says.) You can see her at missphloss.com
Miss Phloss was also at the Fur Bar. She's a model, club kid, voice-over announcer, go-go dancer, actress and cyber-Lolita. (At least that's what her business card says.) You can see her at missphloss.com. ... Also? Mustaches are hot.
XXX from East Lansing, Michigan, who drove for four days to get to the desert. We came across him at the Psychic Trip Trance Cafe, where there were hammocks set up for all to enjoy. There was an impromptu Hammock Yoga session as well.
Ben from East Lansing, Michigan drove for four days to get to the desert. He and his girlfriend Lexy were drawn to the "comfyness" of the hammocks at the the Psychic Taxi Nomadic Cafe around the keyhole from Center Camp.
This is Rosalie, who was also over at the Psychic Taxi Nomadic Cafe. ... But things were a little boring there, and the yoga class that she had wanted to get into was kind of not that good, so we thought it would be a good idea if she led us in a Hammock Yoga class, which she was gracious enough to do.
And this is Rosalie, who turned out to be a hammock yoga instructor, as well as our co-conspirator on the Tuesday morning playa tour. My posture is much improved.

And that was just the morning.

We’ll see you again soon we hope. But right now it’s happy hour.

The playa will provide.

About the author: John Curley

John Curley (that's me) has been Burning since the relatively late date of 2004, and in 2008 I spent the better part of a month on the playa, documenting the building and burning of Black Rock City in words and pictures. I loved it, and I've been doing it ever since. I was a newspaper person in a previous life, and I spent many years at the San Francisco Chronicle. At the time I left, in 2007, I was the deputy managing editor in charge of Page One and the news sections of the paper. Since then, I've turned a passion for photography into a second career. I shoot for editorial, commercial and private clients. I've also taught a little bit, including two years at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism and a year at San Francisco State University. I live on the San Mateo coast, just south of San Francisco in California.

11 Comments on “Burn this list

  • sunn says:

    oh like many others here on the outside of BRC this year (should have been my 5th year) I am languishing at home looking at your blog pics…boo hoo for us who are not with our fellow burners. I am soooo close to hopping in my car and saying, Hell with it, I’m coming home anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • Thanks for the pictures and stories – they are a gift to all of us that couldn’t make it this year and are literally hanging on every word.

    THANK YOU!

    PS you are still too clean…

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  • Silver says:

    Oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please oh please go for a bondage ride at Suspended Animation Camp! I’m stuck here at home feeding the cats and I need a SugarBoy fix!!!

    Tell ’em Silver sent ya!

    – S

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  • you guys should totally get some stuff up here from the Dune-themed camp at 6 and Fossil. why? cos that’s where my amazingly amazing husband is. he’ll likely be going by Static, and he has faded teal hair. tell him Jess is having you spy on him via the blog ;p

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  • Oleg says:

    We are coming there soon!
    If this guy still looking for ball bearings, better speak now!
    Tell us what you need, we’ll bring you the stuff!

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  • tunedog says:

    Ahhhhhhhhh. I’m so jonesing to be out there, just like Sunn. This would have been my sixth year. Couldn’t pull it off, economically but maybe I can find all the lost change I ignored in my house the past year and buy a plane ticket. There’s quarters on the floor and behind the couch, i just know it. I’m in Florida so it’s tough to get out there. Please keep your blog coming…it’s the only lifeline for many of us…Arrrgggggggghhhhhhh.

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  • James Wright says:

    My brother-in-law, Michael Dosdall, is at Burning Man and we can’t reach him to notify him of a family tragedy – we have been trying for three days. If anyone is at Burning Man could you please make some flyers asking Michael Dosdall to call his sister Kristen at 801-995-5904? Thanks for your help, James Wright

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  • faye feinstein says:

    I love reading about and looking at pictures of Burning Man. It’s a way of living my younger days vicariously. My daughter goes almost every year, including this one, so I can’t wait to hear about her experiences there. I was able to make a couple of costumes for her, so you could say that part of me was there.

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  • marie-rose mehanna says:

    2 years ago heard about BRC from a cousin of mine living in Hollywood. It’s one of his dreams destination. And by tellin’ m about i got the fever.
    now i check the before during and after all data i can read and pics to feel like i’m there too.
    Although i don’t live in USA and never been there just got the flu of Burning Man Virus. Ooooooooooh a good one believe m. Hope one day i’ll make it to there too.
    Keep the beat burning and pump us wiz happy moments.
    love u guys.
    by the way i am a lebanese gal.
    and a nowheristan citizen. Check about at http://www.nowheristan.org

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  • Jamie Simpson says:

    Just wanted to give a shout out to the Pee Funnel Camp! My son Damien is there. Someone let him know I’m watching the live stream and I’m keeping my eye out for him. You would think in a group of only 49,000 I’d be able to pick out my son… geesh
    Damien, I’m really looking forward to seeing you in 2 weeks and our trip down to Tucson. Have FUN at BM!

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  • Ben Olson says:

    Wow. Wonderful times had on the playa. I’m very very happy that the hammock yoga was able to make it onto one of your blogs because it really did end up being one of the highlights of my first burn! I cannot wait to one day get back out to the playa. Thanks curley!

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