The Invasion Has Begun

by Desert Rat 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  Desert Rat

  Here it is Friday August 13th, still three weeks until Labor Day weekend. This is the time each year when 'it' begins. In any other month, we have a peaceful little community. Every body knows everybody else in town (about 200 here). Like Mayberry, my doors are unlocked for the most part. The windows are down on my car. My young Grandkids are free to ride their bikes all over town alone. I know if they crash and scrape a knee, someone will call and tell me they've washed their wounds out. If they do something they know they are not suppose to do, I guarantee I will know about it before they can even get home! In an hour, we'll walk around the corner to the park, with chairs and blankets in tow. At dark, the plant projects a movie against the outside wall of the pool house. Adults and children come together and will share drinks, popcorn, and conversation for the next two hours.

  But, life in our small town (as we know it) will now change for the next few weeks, because the invasion has begun. Yep! I live on the edge of The Black Rock Desert!

  The Burner's are coming!!
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  beksbks

  Whooooooot!!
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  Gregor

  I assume you are near the Burning Man event. I have seen documentaries on it and I know they get pretty rowdy and wild, but do they cause concern to the locals as far as crime or vandalism?
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  StAnn

  Desert Rat, you might want to think twice about leaving the windows down in your car. My son had a friend who left his windows down. Someone walking down the sidewalk tossed their cigarette butt and it landed in the friends car on the front seat. It began to smolder and later that day, he looked out his bedroom window to see his car engulfed in flames!
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  beksbks

  I would bet they bring in huge revenues.
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  Desert Rat

  There are problems... Not as many as one would expect. I don't like waking up in the middle of the night to my dog barking, because someone has there RV parked in front of my house, using my hose to fill the water tank, (when I've forgotten to bring the hose in.) Our only store within 82 miles, doubles the price of everything in it, so they can make a profit. You can't get inside to buy anything anyway!

  The biggest irritation I have... They claim they leave nothing behind?? That's because they throw all their garbage out on the highway leaving the event!
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  Quillsky

  Have you ever thought of attending the Burn?
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  Desert Rat

  I attended once. Not my cup of tea, believe me. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate them all. I do dislike the disruption of life, the carelessness of some. Last year I followed a car the 82 miles out here on the highway. In that 82 miles, that idiot threw 6 burning cigarette butt's out his window into the dry Nevada desert. I think the theme last year even had something to do with protecting 'Mother Earth'...!

  No Beks-- the only revenue to be made is for the store and Bruno's (gas, cafe and motel).
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  Lozhasleft

  I dont understand what the 'invasion' is all about being from the UK - but I love the pic you've painted about your little town Desert Rat.

  Loz x
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  Desert Rat

  Loz, what the invasion is all about, is that upwards of 50,000 people are about to converge on our area. A lot of them are already here. They form their own town (camp city) on the playa. It is a town where anything goes. Nudity, drugs, everything. You can look at the Burning Man website to see pictures and get an idea of what happens. Without really saying, I work where I see most of the locals almost everyday. There are very few that actually look forward to the event. Most dread it.

  StAnn, my goodness! My car is in my driveway, not in the street. But that would make a person think twice about leaving their windows down!