WINDSURF MAGAZINE 65They continued to bring more rigs every year, and the camp grew. It took
off, the people loved it and guys & gals were ripping across the desert!
Their buddy Chad Nichols joined the crew and teaches hundreds of peo-
ple each season. Mike Gebhart and Chip Wasson are also alumni. Bill
passed away a few years ago but his legacy is carried on; his sons Logan
and Walker are ripping sailors and help organize Black Rock Yacht Club,
which just celebrated its 15th consecutive year on the playa. While the
Burning of the Man is the main event, there is also a temple, created each
year, where people can bring items, letters and memories of people whom
they have lost. Among thousands of loved ones, Bill is remembered each
year as the temple burns on the last day of the event, with his sail number
US-M9 etched into the temple walls.
THE DEAL
There’s no cell phone service, no internet, no Starbucks. You bring all
your own food and water. The only thing you can buy in the entire city
is ice and coffee, most certainly not from Starbucks. Everyone takes care
of themselves and takes care of each other. The cost of the general admis-
sion tickets are around $420, but what a deal. 8 days of art shows, danc-
ing, drinking, food, camping, heck I made money going there just by not
spending that somewhere else.
Burning Man’s philosophy is pretty cool. Include everyone, radical
self-reliance, radical self-expression (and let me tell you, people like to
express themselves), civic responsibility, and leaving no trace.
I like living simply, this was the final weekend of my 4 months of living
in my self-sufficient van, but there is a difference between van life and
leaving no trace. Leaving no trace means you can’t even put your dishwater
on the playa or road or anything. It is a little contradictory, because they
put water down on the roads, but nonetheless it is pretty difficult to haul
in and out all of your food, water and trash while not leaving a trace. My
van’s shower is outside and so showering without dripping water, making
a mess and sticking to the rules, is a little tricky. I managed to figure out
a shower bucket system that worked out pretty good. At first I was a little
hesitant to take a shower outside naked with 60,000 people, but by day
two I had my pants off, suds flying all over the place, just showering away
in a bucket right on the playa.. talk about self expression!
It’s a sign!