Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Welcome to Camp Journeylizm


As a first-time Burner, I was happy to have an invitation to join an established camp like Camp Journeylizm. Two of the organizers are my buddies, Niel and Arthur, who I traveled with in Palawan, Philippines a couple of years ago.
Everyone at Camp Journeylizm pays $50 dues which is money well spent. By the time I arrived, someone else had schlepped the couches, the RV kitchen, the $9000 tarp, extra bikes, tools, etc. etc. and set it all up. We are a camp of working journalists, but not a Plug and Play camp. I heard that some really rich Silicon Valley execs pay up to $25,000 to fly into Black Rock airport, be chauffeured to their custom RVs, have all their meals prepared by a private chef...and all they have to do is enjoy the party. Here's what Burning Man is doing to end Turnkey Culture. 
This is Mike from USA Today, just one of many photographers and journalists from around the globe.
We even had occasional internet, thanks to the IT skills of Arthur in the red shirt.
Camp Journeylizm provides a small shower (bring your own water) and a kitchen (bring your own food). Sometimes we shared meals.
Compared to other camps, Camp Journeylizm is fairly quiet and I was able to sleep well, but we did host one cocktail party. I brought the sparkling Martinelli's apple cider for me and the other children.
The morning after.
I appreciated having a place to hang out, especially when it was too hot inside my little tent, but also to get to know the other burners.
Camp Journeylizm at night. Another cool feature is the scaffolding which gave us a nice view of Black Rock City.
Andy, a photographer/reporter from the Reno paper, shares his Burning Man photos with Jackie and her girlfriend, and his son Andrew.


Randy, the director of Camp Journeylizm brought his two youngest sons and his mother Diane.
"Hot Wheels," youngest son of "Hot Rod" Randy, was the youngest member of Camp Journeylizm. This was his second time at Burning Man. The first time he was in his mommy's belly.
Randy's mom was a great trooper. She was happy to spend time with her two sons and three of her grandkids. She and I became fast friends.
The camp next door had a trampoline, which was a lot of fun for our kids. That's Emly, Randy's niece on the left, Andrew, and Milo, Randy's son, on the right.
As you might guess, I quickly bonded with 8-year-old Emlyn -- a beautiful, smart, athletic, fearless little girl.

Divya and Tom did a commitment ceremony at the temple on the Playa.
Congratulations to the happy couple and their officiating pastor Randy (minus his tie-dye suit jacket).

Here's the newlyweds with their necklace bearer Emlyn, in front of the temple on the Playa.

Pradeep came from Malaysia for his first Burning Man. I doubt it will be his last.

Pradeep waits out the worst dust storm at Camp Journeylizm. I heard the white-outs hadn't been this bad in years.
A pair of young girls decided to leave camp a couple of days early rather than battle the dust anymore. A young documentary videographer who fell asleep with his face near the dust ended up with a nasty cough.
The crazy strong winds were blowing my little tent flat and then inflating it like a giant lung. So I threw my table and chair, water jugs, and everything else inside to keep it from blowing away. Luckily, Randy had loaned me rebar stakes and a big mallet to re-enforce my shade structure and tent. My only casualty was one ripped corner loop which I repaired with duct tape.
Once the winds calmed down, I got to work sweeping up the thick layer of dust.

A clean tent is a happy tent. Notice how most of my things were safely locked up in plastic bins.
No matter what you do, Playa dust will infiltrate everything....nose, eyes, ears, hair, everything.

Emlyn at the top of Panorama. She was my side-kick for most of the week. I got to answer her 8-year-old questions like, "Why are so many naked people?" and "What's a slut?"

Emlyn met her cousin and his mommy for the first time. Instead of a stroller, Hot Wheels got around in a circus cart.

One of two videographers who documented themselves hitchhiking from Minnesota or some such mid-western state. 

Another member of Camp Journeylizm. Seems like she disappeared early, but not sure where she went.


I look remarkably clean in this picture. It must have been taken early in the week.



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