The Gypsy Queen

 

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

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

 

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...

... 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:

1. Lights. lights and lights: You make the call: neon? color LEDs? Laser beams? Fire? They both have them, enough to "transform" night into day.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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

 

Noun: encounter

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

Noun: “weird degree

1. Suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
2. Strikingly odd or unusual
3. Beyond what is natural
4. 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

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

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.