Building BRC

Hurry Up and Wait

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5 comments
The playa LOOKED pretty yesterday, but you couldn't get there from here
The playa LOOKED pretty yesterday, but you couldn’t get there from here

Hi all, we’re subbing today for the very capable Hun and her Resto blog cohort Summer Burkes to bring you news from the playa.

And in a word, there is no news.
No moop map update, no reports from the lines, no nothing.
The crews have been idled in town since midday Wednesday, when a dust storm chased everyone back to town. Then the rain moved in on Thursday, and it rained and rained and rained.
By the late afternoon, there was standing water where Black Rock City used to be, and when there is water, you simply can’t walk or drive on the playa, which really hurts Resto efforts. The sun popped out toward the end of the day, reminding everyone how ridiculously gorgeous it is here, but it was too late to begin drying things out.
Phoenix stood in a puddle near the entrance to the playa; Shalaco was taking her pic for documentation purposes
Phoenix stood in a puddle near the entrance to the playa; Shalaco was taking her pic for documentation purposes
This morning dawned beautifully, and the work crews duly gathered for their customary 7:30 morning meeting, but work was called off for at least the first half of the day.
A little after noon, people began to gather with their moop sticks outside the Saloon, hoping that things would have dried out enough to be able to get out there. But no go. Booya and Bubblegique and Phoenix had made an exploratory trip to the Shoreline, but the news was not so good. In fact, Bubblegique  got stuck, and if the desert whisperer himself got stuck, you can imagine what would have happened to a busload of pent-up moopers. It would not have been pretty.
So we’ll try again tomorrow.
There’s at least one more street to go over, and the pressure is on, because the BLM inspection is scheduled for Monday.
Stay tuned!
Phoenix radioed in a report about the conditions.
Phoenix radioed in a report about the conditions.

About the author: John Curley

John Curley (that's me) has been Burning since the relatively late date of 2004, and in 2008 I spent the better part of a month on the playa, documenting the building and burning of Black Rock City in words and pictures. I loved it, and I've been doing it ever since. I was a newspaper person in a previous life, and I spent many years at the San Francisco Chronicle. At the time I left, in 2007, I was the deputy managing editor in charge of Page One and the news sections of the paper. Since then, I've turned a passion for photography into a second career. I shoot for editorial, commercial and private clients. I've also taught a little bit, including two years at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism and a year at San Francisco State University. I live on the San Mateo coast, just south of San Francisco in California.

5 Comments on “Hurry Up and Wait”

  • IFellFromTheSky says:
    October 2, 2015 at 2:04 pm

    Just aint gonna dry up in time…
    Not enough wind and cooler temps.
    DPW will get stuck out on playa if they attempt to moop tomorrow.
    might also have some t-storms tomorrow….woo hoo!!!

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  • Rainbow says:
    October 2, 2015 at 2:16 pm

    I can only imagine the frustration this brings to y’all…
    I relate it to a ski trip I once attempted when there had been 5 ft of snow but by the time we arrived the temps were in the 60’s and the mountain had melted… I have never seen so many skiers drinking away their sorrows. I hope you are all sufficiently lubricated and consoling each other. Love, hugs, gratitude and a return to dust.
    Rainbow
    ps. I really will be out there with you one day – meanwhile I’ll keep sending good vibrations and hope hugs help.

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  • Po-boy says:
    October 2, 2015 at 5:57 pm

    “The playa LOOKED pretty yesterday, but you couldn’t get there from here”

    I see what you did there, Curley.

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  • Tiahaar says:
    October 2, 2015 at 11:26 pm

    Hovercraft. Y’all are gonna need hovercraft to get out there =^.^=

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  • IFellFromTheSky says:
    October 4, 2015 at 1:18 am

    MORE RAAAIIINNN!!!!!!!
    Yessssssssssssssssssss.
    Fuck GREEN….RED….whatever
    MOOP map for 2015 is BLUE for water.
    Hahahahaha……

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