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NorrinRadd

Skydiving at Burning Man

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>Has anyone here done this?

Yes, two years ago.

>Were you involved with the Burning Sky theme camp?

Yes, everyone who jumps there has to work at the camp.

>What were your experiences like?

Great people and a lot of fun. However don't expect to get a lot of jumps in. Conditions are terrible - hot, windy, and the playa dust does not come out of gear. Bring extra closing loops because you will have to extend it several times to deal with the several pounds of dust your main will pick up.

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billvon

>Has anyone here done this?

Yes, two years ago.

>Were you involved with the Burning Sky theme camp?

Yes, everyone who jumps there has to work at the camp.

>What were your experiences like?

Great people and a lot of fun. However don't expect to get a lot of jumps in. Conditions are terrible - hot, windy, and the playa dust does not come out of gear. Bring extra closing loops because you will have to extend it several times to deal with the several pounds of dust your main will pick up.


The goal is to do this. Your photos make me feel rather excited. No BM this year... money is tight. But next year...
Ty for the advice, too! That dust gets into everything. Everywhere. For months. Worse than glitter.
Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

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GooniesKid

Ahh, the Burning Man extravaganza event.

Been there. It's like a poor-man's version of a rave but very dusty.
I'd rather bungee jump with the bungee attached to my testicle than endure Burning Man again.


Not for everyone, that is true. Sorry you had a bad experience. I would rather think of it is a collection of the craziest creative minds ever. And definitely not a poor man's rave... at $380 per ticket, plus flight there, plus supplies... yeah. I look at around $1200 to go.
Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

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NorrinRadd

That dust gets into everything. Everywhere. For months. Worse than glitter.



My home DZ supplies the aircraft for Burning Sky. It's fun to watch them prep the plane for the Playa - after several years they've gotten really good at knowing how to protect everything as best they can (seats get covered in plastic, etc.). Still, it always needs a deep, deep clean when it comes back. :D
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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NorrinRadd

***Ahh, the Burning Man extravaganza event.

Been there. It's like a poor-man's version of a rave but very dusty.
I'd rather bungee jump with the bungee attached to my testicle than endure Burning Man again.


Not for everyone, that is true. Sorry you had a bad experience. I would rather think of it is a collection of the craziest creative minds ever. And definitely not a poor man's rave... at $380 per ticket, plus flight there, plus supplies... yeah. I look at around $1200 to go.

Surfer,,yeah, i think it's the dust that got the best of me..i found dust in between my toes 2 weeks after Burning Man. But yes, not for everyone but worth trying out 1 time.

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>after several years they've gotten really good at knowing how to protect everything as
>best they can (seats get covered in plastic

Then there's the event itself. Often 90% of the slots on the plane are whuffos up for sightseeing rides. Everyone on board has to have a rig so people lend rigs to the effort. Seems simple.

But then they show up for the load. What do you do with the naked guy painted blue? Can't let someone smear paint (or worse) all over someone's Mirage. Or the people who are walking snag hazards? Or the people who are high? Leads to conversations like this:

"Sorry you have to put a shirt and some shorts on."
"Why?"
"Because you can't get paint all over this rig."
"Oh, that's cool, I won't use a rig, I'll keep my seatbelt on."
"No, you have to use a rig, and you have to put some clothes on . . ."

"I think you're going to have to take the leash off."
"You want me to take the collar off? Because I can't . . . "
"No, not the collar, just the leash."
"Oh. Why?"
"Because if it goes out the door, or gets snagged on someone exiting, that could be . . . bad."

(in the plane)
"Hey dude can I jump with you?"
"No, you have to stay in the plane, sorry."
"A friend of mine jumped here, he said someone took him."
"No, sorry, we don't do that here, but there's a DZ in Reno." (Not completely true; there have been a few very rare tandems at Burning Man.)
"Oh come on dude! I won't freak."

Then there is the "first jump course" which is basically "don't touch anything, protect your handles and rig, and if the pilot tells you to bail out run out the door, count one one thousand and pull this handle." The questions after those are fun.

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billvon

>No bartering tandems for hippy sex?

Oh, you don't need to offer a tandem to get hippy sex at Burning Man.



I am sure you don't, that was pretty tongue in cheek.

I can see why you wouldn't want to do tandems there. Tricky landing conditions, hot windy, turbulent. Getting a 14k tandem rig ruined by nice alkaline dust. No pay off since everything is on the barter system.
"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

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DougH

***>No bartering tandems for hippy sex?

Oh, you don't need to offer a tandem to get hippy sex at Burning Man.



I am sure you don't, that was pretty tongue in cheek.

I can see why you wouldn't want to do tandems there. Tricky landing conditions, hot windy, turbulent. Getting a 14k tandem rig ruined by nice alkaline dust. No pay off since everything is on the barter system.
Gifting economy, not barter :)
Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

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billvon

>No bartering tandems for hippy sex?

Oh, you don't need to offer a tandem to get hippy sex at Burning Man.



Wait a minute;
If there is hippy sex there, how could GooniesKid *not* have had a good time???:o

[goes off to check calendar of BM]
"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

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swisschris62

How is "hippy sex" different then regular sex?
I imagine the difference being an over abundance of hair ( in different regions) , maybe a little extra stink and....I don't know.
Care to enlighten someone who has never been there?


There definitely are hippies there, but there are plenty of non hippies too. And after a week of hot desert sun, dust, dance, and very little showering (desert), most folks are gettin a little ripe.
Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

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Quote


There definitely are hippies there, but there are plenty of non hippies too. And after a week of hot desert sun, dust, dance, and very little showering (desert), most folks are gettin a little ripe.



Finally. Someone who knows how to spell hippie. 'Hippy' has more to do with lack of exercise. Children... what to do with them? If you were born in the 60's or later, just sit down, park your keyboard, and watch. ;)
Every fight is a food fight if you're a cannibal

Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man. - Anthony Burgess

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NorrinRadd

Has anyone here done this? Were you involved with the Burning Sky theme camp? What were your experiences like?



Back to the OP. Contact the Burning Sky folks and set it up. I personally purchased a handfull of tickets that could be used for jumps or for gifting a firefly ride to someone who was particularly cool. Buy them and if someone does something worthy of a free flight, gift them with it. I've even arranged for tickets for folks when I could not be there.

The camp is full of great people and is an excellent place to camp. I ended up working with a different group too so I camped with them. It was a lot of work working at both camps though. You will work but it is loads of fun.

Read up on the Burning Man website. Take them very seriously about being self sufficient. If you would like a particular amenity (food, water, shelter, sunscreen, unicorn outfit, etc.) you need to bring that. Also, don't bring your shiniest skydiving gear. Bring the stuff that can be permanently scarred from the dust. I used a Stiletto that will never ever be the same.

When I look back on my life, that experience stands out over most of the rest of them. Definitely do it!

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Also -

If you have a chance to do the night jump, do it. One of my top 5 best jumps of all time. (And one of the more puckery. Pyro, strobes, a wind report from a station 50 miles away, fireworks and lasers regularly in use on the ground - and they wanted me to spot.)

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NorrinRadd

Has anyone here done this? Were you involved with the Burning Sky theme camp? What were your experiences like?



I worked medical at BM for about 6 years, and enjoyed the festival. Its changed a lot since then but I wont go there since its more controversial than religion or politics.

As for the jump itself, a few of my friends do it yearly and the video they sent is pretty slick. BurningMan from the sky is a REALLY pretty sight to see. Amazing what people can create in the desert.

I've heard the weather and landing conditions can be a bit dicey but generally favourable (it can get windy during the evening especially, watch for dust-devils).
You are not the contents of your wallet.

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NorrinRadd

Has anyone here done this?



Yep, was there in 2012 and we just made 6 jumps!

Quote

Were you involved with the Burning Sky theme camp?



Yes, as it is also the only DZ operating there. But it's not like the other DZ in the world, it's the DZ you make it exist by participating.

Quote

What were your experiences like?



One of my best BM ever ^^

All informations you need to know are on their website.
(min. 100 skydive, your one rig, etc...)
It's really something great and awesome.
Can't go this year, but it's planned for next year.

Have fun !

http://youtu.be/KPxTmN_9Zgc

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