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“The Man Burns – WTF?” by N&J
BRC, Nevada (aug 31/13) – As the week wore on, some conditions in the camp deteriorated. On Saturday morning, awoken to no electricity to run Gizmo’s fridge (warm beer!?!); J (being part of the electrical team) investigated and found that the massive 85 kilowatt diesel generator which provided power to the Reverbia Camp and an adjacent camp had stopped… it was out of fuel. After scrounging up some extra diesel, the generator was restarted on a limited basis. Sufficient enough to quench the playa ‘beer cough’. The large water tank used to supply the kitchen, drinking & shower supply had also run dry… awaiting water delivery that never happened. This…
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“Goodbyes” by N&J
BRC, Nevada (Sep 2/13) – After spending most of yesterday hanging out with ‘old friends’ around camp and saying goodbyes; it is time to tear down the Reverbia Camp and the camp around Gizmo… in preparation for the ‘great exodus’ (60,000+ leaving at the same time). The exit line-ups can be 8-10 hours!!! The Burning Man (BM) officials issued a warning that a substantial rain storm was to happen on Monday around noon. If that happened, nobody would be allowed to drive anywhere in Black Rock City… the water would make it a greasy, slippery quagmire. So the race was on to get the encampment down as soon as possible……
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“On the Road Again” by N&J
Nevada/Utah (Sep 2-5/13) – N&J’s first day away from Burning Man was spent mostly on cleaning the dust from Gizmo & themselves…. it has found its way into every nook & cranny. The only thing that neutralizes the dust is vinegar… Costco size! Traveling south from Black Rock Desert NV found ‘Indian Tacos’ and a car wash for $10… a bargain for sure, Giz looks great… Ended up at Pyramid Lake on the Paiute Tribe Reservation. The cost to stay the night was only $9!!! The most beautiful salt lake in the world, dove in and thought they had died, it was so nice to be able to swim. Exhausted,…
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“Outdoor Playground” by N&J
Moab, UT (Sep 6-8/13) – After leaving Salt Lake City UT, and a 5 hour drive N&J came down into the red rock canyon of Moab UT. Absolutely stunning, over the top beautiful, they have found a little piece of heaven! Finding a campsite along the Colorado River they are able to take a dip in the very reddish/muddy water. J decides the clay must have healing properties and decides to spread it all over himself. click on pic to enlarge – right/left arrow to scroll thru the gallery Despite the colour of the water it was inviting and refreshing due to the scorching 38 degree celsius under the sunshine.…
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“River Rats” by N&J
Moab, UT (Sep 9/13) – Waking up to a deluge of rain N&J thought for sure the whitewater river rafting would be cancelled… Nope, they were stuck and had to go. A two hour drive getting to know the ‘very funny’ river guides for Canyon Voyages – Richard, Sarah and Scott. They lightened up to the idea of getting drenched while maneuvering down the class 3 or 4 rapids of the Colorado River. The rain subsided a bit and they were ready to embark on the adventure. The safety talk put them on edge a bit but soon discovered that they had a great (international) rafting team and all worked…
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“Freestyling” by N&J
Fort Collins, CO (Sep 12/13) – The first stop after leaving Moab was Vail, Colorado. Arriving later in the evening and seeing that there is ‘no parking allowed’ on the streets drove around the residential area. Being it’s the ski resort off-season, discovered that there are a fair number of homes unattended, soon find a suitable driveway to set up camp. N&J feeling rather proud of themselves for their ingenious ways of ‘Freestyling’ their way across the States are quite chipper until a nosy neighbour decides to drop by to check N&J out. J quickly puts on his friendly charm and soothes the man’s inquisitive concern… something about ‘their friends’ have…
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“Vacation Suspended” by N&J
Fort Thompson, SD (Sep 13-16/13) – Lucky for N&J, avoided any tragedy brought on by the terrible flood conditions in Colorado. After crossing into Wyoming at Cheyenne, traveled east on I-90 into Nebraska, dipping back into Julesburg CO to stay at a rest area for the evening. Playing a bit of frisbee in the evening as the sun set, they had a great sleep and were excited knowing would soon be at their defined destination. click on pic to enlarge – right/left arrow to scroll thru the gallery Next day made our way north to South Dakota. The expansive landscape afforded sweeping views in all directions. It was early in…
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“Opportunity Denied” by N&J
Crow Creek Indian Reserve, South Dakota (Sep 18-19/13) – Driving through a community is one thing; living here is a completely different experience. Immersion within this life comes at full force with eyes wide open… everything is foreign and N&J are not sure how to be. Comfort zone challenged… not ‘viewing from the sidelines’. Getting to know the locals, the natives of this land… talking to them in their backyard, on their turf up close & personal. A hand reaches out to shake theirs, welcoming into their space. At first it felt somewhat uncomfortable, unsure, more because of N&J’s own insecurities and the interpretation of their presence, quickly realize that they too are…
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“It Tickles !!!” by N&J
Fort Thompson, SD (Sep 20-21/13) – After 6 days of working on the Habitat project and being on their feet all day; aching muscles, a pair of torn shorts, a few cuts, inflamed plantar fasciitis, and paint left on the skin… N&J look back on the past week pleased at what has been accomplished. Approximately 100-120 collective hours has been put into the project. Some of that time was spent getting the lay of the land, figuring out the systems in place, and going over the master plan. Looking back… they ran telecom/data cable, pulled old wires off the building exterior, completed refurbishing the upstairs bathrooms, completed and confirmed the…
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“Day Off” by N&J
Crow Creek Indian Reservation, SD (Sep 21/13) – Saturday morning, have been here a week and it’s N&J’s first day to explore! Excited about heading into the ‘big city’ of Chamberlain SD, similar in scale to Hope BC. The first stop was the annual St. Joseph’s Indian School Pow Wow; traditional dress, native drummers and chanters festooned the school field with a pageantry of colour and music. The kids practice their dancing all year long at the chance of winning recognition and prizes. Parents sitting on the sidelines watching intently along with school supporters and spectators, enjoyed the performance under sunny skies. click on pic to enlarge – right/left arrow…