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Wild Palinor

Wild Palinor

Tag Archives: Friends

Burn Baby, Burn . .

30 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by palinor in Uncategorized

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adventure girl, Black Rock Desert, burn, burning man, Friends, on the road, reflections, sobriety, strength, sunsets, wild

It’s been a while since I posted here. It’s not because I’ve forgotten. I’ve composed half finished entries in my mind over the last month or two. I”m not even sure how complete this one will be. The rattling on and on of a mind at work that is trying to also rest.

What I don’t think I’ve said in previous entries is that I work for Burning Man. And by saying that I don’t mean that I go out and volunteer for the event for just the week. I mean that I work for the DPW. More specifically for HEaT (heavy equipment and transpo) within the DPW. I drive heavy machinery for Burning Man. I’ve done so for years. Every year I spend 6 weeks in the desert building and tearing down was of the most wild and quirky festivals on earth.

This year was no exception. I was out there in the dust for a long time. I laughed and cried. Overcame many obstacles. Made new friends, strengthened old friendships and let some people go. I lost a friend to death as well. And above all I learned, again how mortal I was.

I could say so much but then it might be too much. I find that sometimes the simple ways are best. If we hold onto something too tight it just falls apart.

I’ve been abstaining from alcohol. My goal is one year. Maybe more but definitely one year. I made it through all of DPW without one drop of booze touching my lips. The hardest 6 weeks I can remember enduring. My friend, Spoono, died in his sleep in his trailer pre event. I still can’t even come to terms with those feelings yet. And the endless play of human dynamics. It’s a small town out there. And dealing with emotions in the desert is always so much harder than ‘real life’. But I survived, a little battle worn but I did it. Time for me to get lost in the woods for a bit. And then finally get back to mountains and climbing them.

Pictures are a thousand words so here are some of mine

Sunset is always incredible

Sunset is always incredible

Being a machine operator is dusty work in a whiteout

Being a machine operator is dusty work in a whiteout

Spoono's art car at sunrise after early man. I will miss seeing him riding around on playa

Spoono’s art car at sunrise after early man. I will miss seeing him riding around on playa

Hanging out in front of HEaT on a busted up old car like classy ladies do

Hanging out in front of HEaT on a busted up old car like classy ladies do

Scrubbing Bubbles art car rides off toward the Calico Mountains

Scrubbing Bubbles art car rides off toward the Calico Mountains

That one time when I was famous at Burning Man. Cocking the counter weight to the trebuchet

That one time when I was famous at Burning Man. Cocking the counter weight to the trebuchet

Man burn night with Tom and Spencer. With those two I always feel vertically challenged

Man burn night with Tom and Spencer. With those two I always feel vertically challenged

The Temple at dusk right before it burned

The Temple at dusk right before it burned

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On The Road . . .

22 Monday Jun 2015

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adventure girl, Arches, Art, Black Rock Desert, Colorado, Edward Abbey, explore, Friends, Hot Springs, Moab, Mountains, nomad, on the road, Reno, Utah, wild, wild palinor

Finding time in a busy life of adventuring to write about my adventuring. That’s the trick, the magic. Holding on to those thoughts and feelings long enough to convey them into words on this medium. I arrived in CO almost two weeks ago but just now I’m going to write about it.

The road has been my home for over two years now. Moving, always moving. I’ve house sit or had extended stay with friends but all my belongings are in a 5 x 10 storage unit in Oakland. After stopping to switch out gear for the summertime I hit the road again. I had planned to be in Wyoming for part of June. Idaho for the beginning of July. But decided to head to Colorado first to see my family. And of course I drove there.

On the way I made a stop at the Burning Man ranch to see my friend Jay. I love the desert. Something so simple yet complex about it beauty combined with harshness. Dinner followed by a walk through sagebrush with the setting sun to soak in a hot spring fed by a geyser. Good company, conversation, fluffy clouds and warm waters. It was a good night and I was happy.

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On my way to Reno the next morning I had to stop and walk on the playa. One of the many places that I call home in this world. The wind caressed my face. The silence enveloped me into a peaceful state. I walked for a while, my feet turning white and smiled.

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The next stop of my journey was Reno for a couple of days. Some good friends are working on a large scale Burning Man art project. They’ve partnered with an art group in Taiwan to create a beautiful space, Mazu Goddess of the Empty Sea.

http://www.mazugoddessoftheemptysea.com/

I am so proud of my friends and I eagerly anticipate this project on playa. I spent a couple of days hanging out and lending a hand when I could at The Generator in Reno. I met new friends and reconnected with old. This community that we created, it has teeth and is growing into something so profound.

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After Nevada it was onto Utah.

Oh Utah . . .

“Men come and go, cities rise and fall, whole civilizations appear and disappear-the earth remains, slightly modified. The earth remains, and the heartbreaking beauty where there are no hearts to break….I sometimes choose to think, no doubt perversely, that man is a dream, thought an illusion, and only rock is real. Rock and sun.” ~Edward Abbey

Utah is magic. So many varied landscapes that don’t seem like they’re from this world or the next.

I decided to head to Colorado via the 70 which skirted parts of southern Utah and then through the mountains. Along the 70 I started seeing signs for Moab, Arches National park and Canyonlands. The exit approached  and without thinking I turned off. Heading the 30 miles to Moab and Arches National park. I don’t think words could describe the beauty that I only saw briefly. I did a quick drive to the Windows portion of Arches. I was spellbound for the short duration of my stay. Red rock formations rising skyward with arches scattered throughout. The La Sal mountains green and still tipped with snow in the background. I would like to say that something profound came to mind but all I could do was stare with my mouth hanging open. The one thing I did realize, is why Edward Abbey was so fierce about protecting this land.

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After Arches I ran into Moab to check the town out and grab lunch. It’s an adorable place with red rocks and mountains plus a river running through it. An outdoor lovers paradise. It had a good feeling to it. Made me happy. After only spending a couple of hours there my mind was already scheming on how to live there next spring for a month or two. Climb, hike, bike my heart out.

Back on the 70 I was speeding towards Colorado. Hwy 70 is a beautiful highway. You rise through foothills into canyons then huge mountains. It’s breathtaking the whole way. I had to pull over many times just to try and get some pictures that would do it justice. The hardest thing to do it take pictures of mountains that do them justice.Sadly my iPhone wasn’t up to the job. I did manage one panorama outside of Breckenridge at sunset that was lovely. I will leave you with that for now. Next up my time in Rocky Mountain National Park.

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