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What: A gathering of friends, new and old on the Black Rock Desert. When: Saturday, July 14th, 4pm until Noon Sunday, July 15th, 2007. Where: The Black Rock Desert, Black Rock Nevada. |
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Arrr Mateys!
Welcome to the Burning Pirate 2007 information page.
This will be the 2nd annual trip of friends, acquaintances, family, lover and potential future lovers to the Black Rock Desert, in Black Rock Nevada.
Five of us did this last year, sort of on a whim while we were in Empire cleaning our storage space for Burning man, well as it turns out, camping on the Playa in mid summer, over a month before Black Rock City arrives is a lot of fun! So we’re doing it again.
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All are welcome to join our motley little crew on the playa, whether you’re a camper or not, burner or not, come spend an evening with us under the most amazing canopy of stars in one of the most beautiful and desolate locations in North America.
We will be meeting for diner at Bruno’s Country Club, located in the town of Gerlach, at 4pm.
To reach Gerlach take highway 80 from San Francisco all the way to Reno Nevada, continue beyond Reno around 20 miles to the town of Wadsworth, here you will want to turn onto highway 447 and head north. Be careful to obey the speed limits in Wadsworth and other towns, as the local constabulary is pretty strict about giving out tickets.
You will head north on 447 roughly 75 miles until you reach the town of Gerlach, just beyond the Union Pacific train tracks. If you care to join us for diner, we will be at Bruno’s at 4pm, you can’t miss it, it’s the biggest joint in town with huge sign that says “Bruno’s Country Club”
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If you can make it, come join us for dinner, if not, you will find us in the desert, on the playa around 6pm.
To reach the playa, head north out of Gerlach, and take a right on 34, where the highway splits, continue on 34 (with the playa on your right) for about 12 miles.
You will want to get off at the “12 mile entrance” I don’t believe its marked, well it might be, but it’s the last entrance you can take onto the playa, it’s on your right just as 34 takes a hard left, and away from the playa. (12 mile entrance is a few miles beyond the traditional entrance to Burning Man).
Once you turn onto the playa, follow the rutted road worn into the playa, as you’re driving you’ll see the playa “shore” to your left, (small hills with scrub and bushes), to your right you’ll see the playa, continue driving about a mile or so into the playa, soon you should see our camp. If it’s getting dark by the time you arrive, you will see a yellow blinking beacon guiding you to the camp. Remember, this isn’t Burning Man, we’re likely to be one camp among very few others, or very likely no others at all, so if you see an encampment, and especially the yellow beacon, then that’s us.
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Burning Pirate FAQ: (updated 6/29/2007)
Why Burning Pirate? Are you Pirate?
I used to be a Pirate in the Commodore 64 days, but that’s another story.
I registered Burningpirate.com in anticipation of this cool game coming out in a few months called Pirates of the Burning Seas. (for a possible fan page) However the game has been delayed, and since then the domain has been dormant, I needed a site for this page about this event, and since Burning Pirate is kind of Burningman-esque, it made sense to use burningpirate.com and call our little mini-event Burning Pirate.
Will a Pirate be Burned?
Hmmm… maybe.
Is there really no place to Poop (see below)
A few people have emailed me with concerns about the lack of a place to take a crap on the playa (below). All I can say is, if you lay some cable that afternoon, say in Reno or Gerlach, and then you immediately have to take a dump a few hours later, then you may need more fiber in your diet, or perhaps you have some sort of medical condition that needs to be addressed, either way just try to empty your holding tank before arriving, I’m sure you can last 16 hours without taking a dump? If you really can’t do that, well I suppose you could pick up one of these at Target.
What do I bring?
It’s only one night, so you don’t need much. If you want to put up a tent that’s fine, but last year it was so warm we just slept under the stars. At a minimum you should bring a sleeping bag, maybe a cot if you want to be off the playa, and maybe a camping chair or two to sit on.
You won’t need any food either, as we’ll be eating diner (and breakfast the next day) at Brunos, however if you want to bring snacks, and of course, beer, then that’s encouraged, also bring enough drinking water for the evening and next morning.
How many people are coming?
That’s hard to say. Last year there were five of us, and this year I’ve already heard from around 7-8 people who are coming, I’m guessing we get maybe 15-20, which would be great, the more the merrier!
What about trash?
Like Burning man, everything you bring in, you have to bring out, so please be prepared to take your garbage out with you.
What if I have to poop or pee?
It’s one night, so try to crap before you show up, either at home, on the road, or in Gerlach. If you have to pee, there will be plenty of bushes (the shoreline) around 50 yards away.
Music?
Yes, we will have a basic sound system set up, maybe even Kareoke, but at a minimum we’ll be spinning tunes.
Will there be Fire?
Yes we will have a campfire as well, in a protected “burn barrel” or other device as to not scar the playa.
Is everyone driving straight from San Francisco on Saturday?
Some are, some are driving direct from Sacramento, and some people are going to Reno Friday night, and driving up Saturday afternoon. Any way works as long as you make it Saturday evening.
What about those mysterious lights?
Last year, some members of our camp saw some mysterious lights about a 1/2 mile out on the playa. During Burning man its obviously no big deal to see lights, they’re everywhere, however yes, some of us were a little spooked by these mystery lights, will they show up again? Who knows, but that’s half the fun, there are a lot of mysteries in the desert.
So what’s the point of all this?
If you’ve never been to the Black Rock Desert when it’s empty, it’s hard to describe, but it really is one of the most beautiful places on the planet, and nothing beats a night under the most amazing portrait of the milky way galaxy with good friends, great stories, and a few beers in front of the fire.
If you’ve done it before, you understand, if you want to find out, then come join us!
If you have any other questions, send me an email
Hope to see you on the playa!
- Porter
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Burning Pirate 2007 was a great success! Catch you on the playa next summer! |