Road Trip to Burning Man

Please Burn My Pain

2011-11-18T14:00:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos which, in my opinion, best represent what Black Rock City really is. You won’t find any naked girls, parties, nice landscape or an intriguing piece of art. Yes, BRC has all of that (maybe way too much) and a lot more, but so do other cities.

Instead, if you look closer (and I urge you to click on each photo for a biggie) you may find something more than messages written on lumber. It took me a few burns to actually come to this realization about Burning Man. It took me a few years to understand the meaning of the Temple. This understanding came with a strong desire to cry and smile at the same time, while experiencing a sunrise at the temple.

See these writings. Read these messages. Understand them. Realize how we all share the same feelings in a way or another. Realize how we share the same fear and dreams.

Then realize we are indeed one.

Please…

Burn…

My…

Pain…

Too…

Sick for the Big Sun

2011-10-12T20:00:00.000-04:00

True... and everlasting, that's what you want
True...
True... and everlasting, that's what you want
Better than looks
Better than looks
Better than looks
Better than looks
We're sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick
We're sick for the big sun

Cool... an everlasting, that's what you want
Cool, cool... and everlasting that's what you want
Better than looks
Better than looks
Better than looks
Better than looks
We're sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick
We're sick for the big sun

We're sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick sick
We're sick for the big sun…

The 2:30G-Spot Crew

2011-10-12T12:00:00.000-04:00

Free Fallers

2011-10-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

Burner Sapiens, part 4

2011-10-06T21:00:00.000-04:00

Rites of Passage, Burning Man 2011

53,735 Souls
One Man
One Fire

Few things worth mentioning:

1- This blog post is part 4 out of 4!

2- Click on a photos for a bigger size picture, then right-click on it to save it in your computer.

3- I would love to keep in touch, get your opinion or even see your photos from BM, so feel free to add me on Facebook [ Bernardo Borges, Fairfield ], follow the blog or email me directly.

4- I would love to send you a print of your photo, as a gift. Just contact me and we’ll take it from there!

5- Last, but not least, if you see someone that you know, please send them the link to this blog or send them my contact info.

For those curious about the previous “Portraits in the Playa” workshops, here are most of the shots:

Burning Man 2010
Burning Man 2009

DragonFly

2011-10-05T23:55:00.000-04:00

I suppose part of the magic is the use language to share feelings and ideas. Communication. Expressing one’s self. Expressing one’s self thru stories. Stories with meanings.

Thank for sharing your beautiful story, it is part of my Burning Man story now.

Burner Sapiens, part 3

2011-10-05T20:00:00.000-04:00

Rites of Passage, Burning Man 2011

53,735 Souls
One Man
One Fire

Few things worth mentioning:

1- This blog post is part 3 out of 4 parts, so if you don’t see your portrait here at this post, please check again after few days.

5- Last, but not least, if you see someone that you know, please send them the link to this blog or send them my contact info.

For those curious about the previous “Portraits in the Playa” workshops, here are most of the shots:

Burning Man 2010
Burning Man 2009

Burner Sapiens, part 2

2011-10-03T22:30:00.000-04:00

Rites of Passage, Burning Man 2011

53,735 Souls
One Man
One Fire

Few things worth mentioning:

1- This blog post is part 2 out of 4 parts, so if you don’t see your portrait here at this post, please check again after few days.

5- Last, but not least, if you see someone that you know, please send them the link to this blog or send them my contact info.

For those curious about the previous “Portraits in the Playa” workshops, here are most of the shots:

Burning Man 2010
Burning Man 2009

Burner Sapiens, part 1

2011-10-02T22:00:00.000-04:00

Rites of Passage, Burning Man 2011

53,735 Souls
One Man
One Fire

First thing off the bat I would like to thank all Black Rock citizens for creating this beautiful community. You are all shinning beautiful beings, thanks for sharing and expressing your creativity and beauty. And more importantly, thank you for the opportunity to photograph you. This is the third year I’ve been running the “Portraits in the Playa” workshop, and I was very surprised with the results this year, considering my health condition - the “limping photographer” .

Again, thank you very much for participating and creating, this is the essence Burning Man.

Few things worth mentioning:

1- This blog post is part 1 out of 4 parts, so if you don’t see your portrait here at this post, please check again after few days.

5- Last, but not least, if you see someone that you know, please send them the link to this blog or send them my contact info.

For those curious about the previous “Portraits in the Playa” workshops, here are most of the shots:

Burning Man 2010
Burning Man 2009

Rocket Man

2011-09-26T17:00:00.000-04:00

Here are some aerial shots of Black Rock City. Look around and you may be able to find your camp, art car or even yourself, depending on how big you are.

Finding a pilot to take us over BRC was no easy task, but thanks to my friend Kevin O’Pilot, who pulled some very tight strings, we made this awesome trip. Well worth the wait! Thanks again Kevin!

Welcome to Black Rock City

2011-09-19T19:08:00.001-04:00

Note to BRC virgins or “Burners who usually choose to sleep thru the gate waiting line” (I am guilty!): Black Rock City starts at the road to the playa, enjoy it!

Breaking Bad(ly)

2011-09-15T22:19:00.000-04:00

I suspect the big girl got really insulted when we returned from last year’s cross-country round trip and people would be surprised to hear we had driven almost 7,000 miles. Even more surprised when I would tell them Catalina was a 1988 RV, very similar to the RVs around Nebraska, cooking meth. Well, La Poderosa had to do it again, hit that road and rip through this enormous country. I admit, sometimes breaking badly and other times badly breaking down. But nevertheless, piling up miles after miles. And guzzling that sweet (and expensive) gasoline,of course.

This year’s road trip was quite different than last year’s: whereas we had been planning for the trip for a solid 9 months, this year the trip came together in less than 3 weeks and minimal preparation. Catalina had been up for sale since June, but only with local ads. Not a lot of interest or offers. I then realized Fairfield county was not a hot market for 29’ RVs, so I decided to place it on Ebay. Less than two days in and a couple from Arizona contacted me, asking if I would drive it to the west coast and deliver the RV. I felt like a 5-year old kid being asked if he wanted ice cream for dessert.

All of a sudden going to Burning Man was no longer an intangible dream for the year, but actually a very viable option, and magically in the best possible hippie way: driving to it! I

I, Burner

2011-08-25T18:53:00.001-04:00

Rites of Passage, here I come!

Metropolis: The Life Of Cities

2011-08-07T12:25:00.001-04:00

Burning Man 2010
Black Rock City, Nevada
Pop: 51,454 beings

Achilles, God of Crutches

2011-07-27T17:47:00.000-04:00

Burning 2011 is in jeopardy! As of today, I am 100% convinced that I do not know if I’ll be coming to the playa this year. Yes, this is 100% accurate: I absolutely do not know what will happen, and I am glad to say that I do not have a plan (wow, just typing it about sheds an extra 25 pounds off my soul…)

June 10th: Snapped!
After a well-done soccer stunt, if I may actually call wondering around the soccer field after a game a stunt, my Achilles tendon simply gave up and ruptured on me: loud snap, lost foot movement and I knew right away the culprit, Mr. Achilles, the God of Crutches. Arranged for a ride back home and Adriano took me to the ER. Surprisingly not a lot of pain, but total lack of movement. My right foot was like a piece meat simply hanging in there…

I remember going thru the same feelings I had back when I had the bike accident: am I going to fully get back from this and be able to do the various things that I love doing?

The pictures above were taken a week after the incident, a week before the surgery. So far the only photos taken this spring/summer. I needed someone recording me, hoping around, adjusting lighting and angles, during a very hot afternoon… Well, the struggle is behind me and the show is here… Well worthy in my opinion: this is the shot to remind me of this ordeal I am going thru.

June 22nd: Knife Time!

This is me, moments before my surgery.

July 6th: XP Walker Boot
Only two weeks after surgery and Dr. Brodsky removed me off the cast, and put me on a “air cast”. This could possibly be the most expensive shoe I have ever purchased: $200 a piece. Not sure

Two weeks after surgery

The Gypsy Queen

2011-05-24T21:00:00.000-04:00

Here are some of the unique things you may only find around Black Rock City: a fisherman’s boat loaded with speakers and dancing fishermen in the middle of the desert! And if you realize that Black Rock desert is a lakebed that is a dry remnant of Lake Lahontan, then you get the extra humor of having a fisherman’s boat cruising around a dry lake!

This year we dropped our shop at the Gypsy Queen camp. Actually, it was more like we invaded their village than anything else, but at the end of the day they were nice enough to let us stay at their village area (and we had a 29’ long camper plus a yurt and tents, so we did take some nice floor area).

Their village was big and we only had a chance to interact with a few of them, mostly the ones near our HQ (it already felt bad invading their camp, so we tried our best to be as little intrusive as possible). My understanding was some of them lived in North Carolina (if not all of them) and they actually drove the Gypsy Queen cross-country for the event (as in previous years). Well, I imagine most people have not cruised cross-country in a regular car, however, I can relate to traveling thousand of miles in a big vehicle. Still, I can’t imagine how they did it on a boat! I vaguely remember talking about the trip to one of the owners (pictured below) and if i recall correctly, they had mechanical problems and almost didn't make to BRC.

Well, things happen at the playa, and they made it all right!

I am not the man they think I am at home, Oh no.. no… nooo…
I am a Fisherman!

All The Small Things

2011-03-19T20:00:00.000-04:00

Intriguing how our perception of value is linearly proportional to our reality at that moment, and most of the times what we have abundantly available to us is not given proper value. Life is a collection of choices, and at some point or another we happen to choose something based not on its actual value but merely on its perceived value. And other times we do the opposite.

For those that really know me, this one should be a no-brainer: me and my best friend, in the Black Rock Desert, away from the psychological constraints of everyday life and enjoying some charcoal-grilled steak. Plain and simple. Sea salt and music. Nothing expensive or luxurious. Maybe life does get better than this, but not by much, believe me. Here are a couple of 2010 best moments, and the perfection, though absolutely imperfect, comes from the simply fact that all small things were together, making the big thing unforgettable.

I would like to celebrate, as usually late, my brother’s birthday, this incredible wonderful human being that has taught me a lot more about life than he can imagine. A true friend that I really admire and always try to learn from.

Adriano, thanks for the great multi dimensional journeys and the lessons of true friendship! I wish you all the greatest things, small and big. Love ya bro!

Road to Burning Man

2010-11-18T20:00:00.000-05:00

Last year I had the chance to spent the night at Pyramid Lake before heading up to Black Rock City. Me and two others, sharing a small tent by the side of the lake. In the middle of nowhere. In the middle of nothing. Right there at the center of everything. Quietness. Silence. Only darkness. And many stars.

I woke up a solid hour before the sun, and started working on my gear, getting ready for what would become one of my favorites shots for that trip. Modest, simple and resilient: i remember only getting a camera with my fisheye lens, a tripod and some inner strength to fight the desire to stay put inside my warm sleeping bag. No, I could not pass that moment, though I had no idea what would look like. The result is the photo below.

This year we drove right through the reservation: beautiful, quiet, patient nature. The cozy clouds are a well known sign, giving me a hint this will be a great burn. I had remembered the previous experience, sleeping by the lake, the darkness and the complete solitude.

Nostalgic moments make me wonder if I would find peace by the lake, away from society, away from the chaos: no moments allowed to live in the moments, time leaping time. No time to have time. A blink and two months go by. A nap and ten years are gone.

I wonder how fast seconds are in a place like this. For me, right now, even a place like that may not be slow enough for me: I need time. I need more time. I need to slow down life.

Please

Slow

Down.

Please.

What happens in Vegas...

2010-10-12T23:02:00.000-04:00

... is exposed right here!

Our last full stop before Black Rock City was Las Vegas: the plan was to arrive one evening and leave town the following morning, leaving one full day to explore the infamous Sin City. Out of the three of us, I was the only first timer in town, so everything was kind of new to me. The other fold of the stop was for me to visit an old friend of mine and her daughter. I hadn't seen this friend for about 3 years, and never had a chance to meet her 4-year old daughter.

The Palazzo

Thanks for a special friend, I was able to spend some time in the pool area at the Palazzo and enjoy some caipirinha at Sushi Samba! Fucking yeah.. nothing better than some chillin' before a week at black rock desert...

Same colors, Same winds, Different Vibes

After Seeing Vegas and already been to Black Rock City, I was shocked how drastically similar and different both cities were. It must be something in Nevada's water or just the desert dust. As I was exploring Vegas, I couldn't help myself but make the comparison to BRC:

Lights. lights and lights: You make the call: neon? color LEDs? Laser beams? Fire? They both have them, enough to "transform" night into day.
Entertainment: let's just ignore the "fun" factor / quality aspect of it and say both cities do offer TONS of entertainment. I must admit, if I didn't know better, I would be entertained in Vegas. Enough said.
Seasonal places: No argument here about BRC, as the city only technically lasts 7 days. Now I was surprised talking to some "locals" in Vegas, to hear most people come, stay for a couple of years, then go. Kind of Waikiki but turboed: the "locals" seemed to be from all over the place, but Vegas, which I guess is typical for tourist cities.
Creativity: okay, let's just please take this as I am presenting. I said creativity, NOT originality, so burners out there, CALM DOWN, I am not insulting BRC! Even the art of copying something has creativity in it, and the concept itself of creating cities in the desert is creative. So in my humble opinion, both cities do reveal levels of creativity beyond an average city.
Reality Refuge: inarguably, both cities do attract a vast range of newbies driven by the concept of a surreal lifestyle. It is common to hear stories about first timers going to Vegas as well as Black Rock city: tales of sex, drugs, alcohol, parties, and the list goes on.

Plastic x Flesh

At a first layer, the similarities are there, but as you peel off the shells, in essence there is not much in common between these cities: their dynamics is absurdly different, their vibes are entirely opposite.I believe the gap is so huge, as to white and black, dry and wet, FAKE and REAL. Which one is each? It is in the eye of the beholder. You pick your flavor. As for me, I know I am a Black Rock city citizen.

Yes, the foundation of my analysis is very poor, after all I had spent less than 48 hours in Vegas. At the same time, I invite anyone willing to make a better comparison, to visit BRC, and see what this city is really about.

Encounters of the Weird Degree

2010-08-25T11:34:00.000-04:00

Noun: encounter

A minor short-term fight
A casual or unexpected convergence
A casual meeting with a person of thing
A hostile disagreement face-to-face
A cop stopping you on the highway

Noun: “weird degree

Suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
Strikingly odd or unusual
Beyond what is natural
A cop stopping you on the highway, separating you from your friends, interrogating each one individually and checking the answers and politely asking if you have an amphetamine lab in your RV.

Now I can look back and laugh at our encounter, but it was a damn intense moment. Very weird how similar to the Supertroopers opening scene it was… Geez.. luckily Adriano was the only one that had a chance to sit inside the police car with the K-9 smiling at him.

Catalina, The Brave

2010-08-24T17:50:00.000-04:00

After 1,300 miles we are at Omaha, Nebraska. No, this is not a planned stop point, we don't know anyone in Nebraska and we most definitely wish we were somewhere near Boulder/Denver. But that’s how life is: you plan for coffee, and you get tea. You plan for black, and sometimes you get white.

Catalina, The Brave. Indeed, La Poderosa, The Powerful Conqueror. Royal brave girl disguised as a humble pagan. Wounded in battle, scarred for life, but resilient. Maybe it is the Transformers’ culture influence in which machines mirror people and even show feelings, or maybe it is just me hoping she is on my side. Either way, it is a machine with lots of character, something rare in some people.

She has been driving 16 hours a day, with a leaky water pump, covering ground to get us to our destination. At every stop, a puddle of antifreeze is beneath her. Temperature running high, but within specs shows us her desire to keep on moving, to not give up, and continue the course. Showing off the resilience within, showing off her character.

We have been racing for 1,300 miles to locate a water pump and a garage shop that could do the swap. Not a easy task, considering it is a 1988 vehicle and no parts store will store it. I was actually able to locate an Autozone store in Nebraska that had a returned part in stock. And on top all off mechanical issues, we had a route to follow.

On the way to Chicago - 1st Night, Dunkin Donuts

The Crew + Catalina, The Brave – 2nd Night, Lake Manawa State Park, Iowa

Ron’s Garage

Miles driven today so far: 0

The Crew

2010-08-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

The crew has finally met at Ground Control. And what a unique crew: two Brazilian hippies; and American lawyer and a Russian Buddhist. We know for sure we are legally protected, spiritually blessed and, well, ready to party!

And to close the circle, we have Catalina: clean, shiny and desperate to hit the road. It is her purpose on life, it gives her meaning. She is not supposed to be parked in a driveway somewhere in Connecticut. She needs the road. She needs the asphalt passing underneath her at 60 mph. She wants to show everyone she is capable of that one more challenge. And she will successfully, with the help of our unique crew, achieve that.

Round Trip Created

2010-08-02T23:42:00.001-04:00

6,465 miles round trip created. Just click on maps for biggies!

Lady in Red

2010-07-27T21:00:00.000-04:00

I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight
I've never seen you shine so bright
I've never seen so many men ask you if you wanted to dance
They're looking for a little romance, given half a chance
I have never seen that dress you're wearing
Or the highlights in your head that catch your eyes I have been blind
The lady in red is dancing with me cheek to cheek
There's nobody here, it's just you and me, It's where I wanna be
But I hardly know this beauty by my side
I'll never for get, the way you look tonight
I've never seen you looking so gorgeous as you did tonight
I've never seen you shine so bright you were amazing
I've never seen so many people want to be there by your side
And when you turned to me and smiled, It took my breath away
I have never had such a feeling
Such a feeling of complete and utter love, as I do tonight
The way you look tonight
I never will forget, the way you look tonight
The lady in red
The lady in red
The lady in red
My lady in red (I love you.)

Housecleaning: PurplePower Powa!

2010-07-25T00:00:00.000-04:00

One thing that I have learned while working in some-what big projects, is that if you are performing some kind of cleaning and/or aesthetic work, is that the project is moving along as expected OR there is something really dirty and smelly!

In our case, fortunately the project has been moving along very nicely, with small bumps on the road but well within schedule. Yes, we still have a list of tasks to complete, but we are confident will get done in time. We have been pushing really hard lately so when you hit a 95F Saturday like this past weekend, we allow ourselves to take a break and do some "cool off work".

Actually the cleaning work was comprehensibly easier than we thought and the results were exponentially better that expected. Not a bad combination, not at all. Also, we need to give props to those guys at PurplePower: I've been using their product on wheel/tires cleaning for years and i knew how powerful it was. Great great great!

3,376 Miles

2010-07-22T22:10:00.000-04:00

3,376 miles away from Black Rock City. 331 gallons of petrol away from the Man. 15 full gas tanks away from freedom.

The plans have been set. Ready. Ready to be changed, but at least, ready. And, ironically, exactly 30 days to departure.

On the road again…

2010-06-23T18:18:00.000-04:00

On the road again
Just can't wait to get on the road again.
Goin' places that I've never been.
Seein' things that I may never see again

Here we are, on the road again. This time, instead of 150 miles round trip to a state park in Connecticut, we are covering 500 miles to Maryland. A very modest and pretentious measure of resistance when compared to our final goal. a 7,00 mile cross country trip, but nevertheless another achievement. And once again La Poderosa has shown us how capable and willing she is.

The final destination was The Coalesce Festival: a summer festival full of arts, music and good vibes. This was the first year for this specific festival, though the main groups putting the party together have other festivals going on at the same time (Gaian Mind, Pex, Psybotik, etc).

Having La Poderosa as our HQ was actually great, and originally we had agreed to simply park her, and put our tents up near the sound stages, but after the first night when we had a nice bed and all the benefits of a RV we decided to change our original plans.

We had our music going on any time we wanted, we had the awnings, we could rest inside, and quickly isolate ourselves from the party whenever we wanted to.

One of the tasks for this trip (yes, I am an engineer and my projects are divided in tasks!) was to finally figure out the gas consumption for the big girl. Very simple task, isn’t it? Just fill up the tank, drive 5 hours to Maryland, re-fill the tank and measure the distance. Well, not with this girl. We absolutely have NO idea how many gallons

On the road to find out

2010-06-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

Few months away to the main trip, and we still face some important questions regarding La Poderosa, and something we could not address previously was the plumbing conditions:

- Are the water tanks working? How do they actually work? How is the plumbing? Can we rely on the RV for water usage in the desert?

Originally these were not really hard questions to figure it out, but testing these systems at a driveway would be impossible. So here was the latest plan: go to a state park with RV sites, connect the hoses and plumbing, and figure out the systems. Great, on top of that, we could possibly meet some other RV owners and get some pointers on things.

The plan is set, we reserved a site at the Salt Rock State Campground in Connecticut, bought some beers, got some pounds of red meat and got ready for the trip.

Well, we were in a great mood, despite the fact we were only able to leave Stamford around 4pm Saturday (and we had to come back next day and we had a list of tasks planned for the weekend), but once on the road, happiness was all reigning again inside La Poderosa: the sound system was working fine, the girl felt lighter after the generator removal, and best of all, we had just purchased a new grill and were about to do our very first trip around.

Our brand new Weber charcoal grill, the highlight of the evening

(Un)Fortunately, life is full of surprises, and its on you to decide if the glass is half full or half empty. At our first attempt trying to use the city water hook up, we basically flooded La Poderosa’s interior. Not good, and even worse if you consider it is carpeted and we have intensively tried to remove the mold odors out of it… Water was flowing freely inside and we had no idea what the hell was the problem. Next attempt was using the water tanks. Well, again, not so good: water was AGAIN leaking inside the RV, and the carpet was soaked. But we were able to confirm the water tank was working as well as the water pump. :)

But the night was approaching and nothing better than a nice piece of Picanha to cheer some spirits up!

The food was actually great, and that did help us forget the plumbing issues for a minute and focus on other items we needed to fix: the poker table needed some tightening, the sheets needed to be placed back, the seats needed the upholstery back, and things like that. We decided the next morning we would first focus on the easy things then take another look a the plumbing.

Here is the beauty of life, and how one failed day can absolutely be followed by a nice Sunday: it was our first time actually sleeping inside of it, and despite the fact we did not verbalized it, we both new La Poderosa wanted to make the trip with us: we were taking care of small things, tightening screws here and there, cleaning and vacuuming the water out, taking care of every small detail.. We were a family now… We knew we had to respect it, and it would respect us back.

The plumbing issue all of a sudden became a small detail: we’ve traced it back to a hose connection, and we are confident we will be able to fix it. The game is on!

Note #1: Remember in 10 years how Adriano was desperately trying to light up the grill and took him almost 1 hour.

Note #2: Remember in 10 years that I was trying to be a Smartass and show him how to light up the grill using a “fan”, but because I didn't have a fan I tried instead using the vacuum, thing is, it vacuumed the almost-lit charcoal and melted the vacuum cleaner!

Note #3: Also remember that Adriano was not able to light up the grill Sunday morning, so we gave up eating steak for breakfast. We actually even tried using engine oil and toilet paper but that didnt work. Lesson learned: we need cooking oil and newspaper for the trip!

Note #4: The plan to meet some random RV owner and ask for tips did not happen: we were literally the only people camping at the ENTIRE state park.. the previous weekend was a holiday (i am bad remembering holidays) …

Surgery Table: Liposuction

2010-06-18T12:00:00.000-04:00

Not that I do not appreciate some strategically located fat on women, but La Poderosa, at a handful of tons (more accurately two hands full!), definitely could benefit from some weight-loss program and our pockets would really appreciate the better mileage as well! Time is of essence, so when you need to lose weight and you don’t have the time do to it naturally, you go to the surgeon’s table!

In our modest case, we could not fully afford a professional surgeon, so we went the old fashion: the butcher’s way! You go there and rip that fat out! LOL!

Here we have Butchers #1, Adriano, analyzing our dear patient!

Here we have the cavity, after the procedures!

The culprit: Onan 4KW Generator, weighting approximately 250 Lbs… so yeah, our lady is a bit sexier now!

Cleaning up the mess

2010-05-01T07:46:00.000-04:00

No that La Poderosa was in terribly shape, but she definitely could use some cleaning up! There was a hint of odor inside the car, and we were in the hopes cleaning could improve that.

We have decided to removed all curtains and sheets, wash them, dry them pretty well, and put them back later on.

Test Ride: Crusing Around

2010-04-17T10:58:00.000-04:00

La Poderosa has been registered! New license plates, registration cards, and we are ready to go!

Me driving, my mon the passenger seat and the sheets from the laundry!

It feels actually great driving La Poderosa around!

Crazy Heart

2010-04-10T22:23:00.000-04:00

“All the redemption I can offer girl
Is beneath this dirty hood”

"Finding Catalina"

2010-04-07T08:54:00.001-04:00

Less than 18 hours. Thats how long it took to find Catalina. We had the entire trip to W Virginia figured it out by friday night: start early, hit the road, stop in Baltimore and check one RV and then head to WV and check the second RV and make a decision. And then drive back 6 hours.

But at 10pm on Friday night, I did another search on bargainnews.com to see if anything had come in the local market. And there was.

If I recall correctly, the town was Killngworth or something like this. Only 1 hr away from Stamford and the ad sounded great: Coachmen Catalina, sleeps 6, strong engine, good condition and the whole deal.

A change order at 10:30pm Friday night: postpone the 6 hrs trip to WV and check the local RV first.

The result of the visit is shown below: 1988 Coachmen Catalina mounted on a F350 460 V8 7.5L E Engine.

The Pursuit of Transportation: The Contenders

2010-03-31T19:04:00.001-04:00

The plan: travel across country to Burning Man 2010 in a RV. The idea is not to zip thru the country, but enjoy the trip as much as possible each leg in a 7-day period.
The first step would be getting the RV, naturally. Easy step, for those familiar with these vehicles. Not so simple for someone that has never been inside one! If you think buying a used car is a big hassle, buying a RV is exponentially worse!

The idea was to buy the RV in the middle of the winter, hoping prices would be low, clean it, add about 10K miles on it and sell it the following spring season, hopefully for the purchased amount. Kinda solid plan, isnt it? Buy it low, use it, and sell it quick at the high season.

Well, as most things in life, "planning" is always the easy part, the actual "doing" it is a lot harder!

After checking local ads for RVs and realizing it is a very small market (talk about finding a RV, in good condition, for less than $4K and near Stamford? Impossible!) we decide to check Ebay, and limit the search within 5 hrs driving. The fun begins!

Maybe 20 different RVs in the price range and location shows up on the search. And now, how do we know what we need? V8 or 4-Cyl? Generator or no? How many beds? How big can it be? And the list goes on...

We basically chose a 1988 Chevy LeisureCraft as a starting point: it looked great (from pictures!) and the ebay seller assured (via description) the thing was "ready to hit the road". We waited for two listings to end, and they ended at around $2,500, no meeting the reserve price. The plan as to drive all the way to West Virginia (5hrs), check the RV, and offer $3,500 cash and hope for the best!

But then we realized it would be a waste of time to drive all the way there and not buy this particular RV. Why not check more RV's in the way there? After all, none of us, had EVEN been inside one, so the more we check, the better off we would be to choose the right one!!

So there you go, here was the list of contenders for the Ultimate Prize, the trip to Burning Man 2010:

1984 CHEVROLET LEISURECRAFT 26' MOTORHOME

This was the strongest contender. Photos looked nice, the ad on ebay was very appealing and the price was in the range: $4,500 buy-it-now price on Ebay and located 5hrs away.I called the seller few times and asked if it would be okay to come by saturday, test drive it and make an offer. All they said was "sure!".

1988 ITASCA PHASER

$2,600 final bid on Ebay, not running (needed timing-belt adjustments) and a Renault 4-cylinder engine (ouch!). Not really very promising, but it was in the way to WV, so why not stop buy and check it?

1976 FROLIC HOMES CHATEAU MIDAS

$3,000 bidding price, located in MD and 1976. Not sure what we had in mind here, but we were open to stop by and check it as well.

1977 DODGE HONEY

Reserve price $2,500, located somewhere in PA. At first I thought it came with the cowgirl, but after contacting the seller, he said his daughter was not part of the deal and hung up on me. I dont think he wanted us "testing drive" it, so at the end, the Honey was out of the deal. :)

The Peaceful Warrior

2010-03-30T20:02:00.003-04:00

I don't own a microwave oven. I have no TV. I don't know how to operate a dishwasher. Or more accurately, I was never interested in learning how to use it. And the list goes on... friends are aware I do things my way, and it is usually the "old fashioned way".

Don't get me wrong, I am a "techie guy": i can order parts, build a computer and set it up. I can figure techie things that must people don't even think about. If the car is broken or needing maintenance, I can do it. And the list also goes on.

But one thing I have always "heard" about it and never really figured it out, was the damn "blogging"! It actually took a while to understand how it works, and the irony is there is nothing to work! I guess this is the beauty of it.

I am officially creating my digital persona. My digital steps. This blog will be used as a communication tool for friends and family, so they can "participate" (virtually, I guess) in my enterprise across the USA.

As they say, happiness is not getting to the final target, the final goal, but rather the experiences and choices you make in order to get there. So let it be. My goal is to enjoy the process, the path. Feel and acknowledge every feeling involved in the moment.