First and foremost, thanks for reading the blog. It has been a long trip with a lifetime of memories. There was never once a day where I wish I had kept my reliable and steady life in San Francisco. This bike trip was full of twists and turns that tested my inner core. I found new gears inside. You cannot unlock these without the real concern for survival, which was more frequent in my travels than I should have allowed. I flew by the seat of my pants and proved to myself that I can quickly adapt and prosper in any environment.
I wouldn't be honest if I did not tell you that I was tired of traveling around the 6 month mark. When you travel, you constantly have to explain yourself and listen to others doing the same. I met so many people that I cannot even try to name 10% of them, and I know I was forgotten by most as well. I pushed through my trough in travels and culminated my journey with a week in the high Nevada desert in Black Rock City where the annual community of Burning Man comes together. With that said, the true end of my biking took place in Chicago. I took Amtrak from Chicago to Salt Lake City, where I met friends from NYC and drove an RV to Black Rock City. After Burning Man, we drove back to SLC where I took Amtrak once again to Glenwood Springs, CO. I did a short ride on no sleep or food to Wolcott where Lindsay picked me up but I am not counting that. The site of her car and putting my bike on the rack was a great cathartic feeling.
I am now in Vail, CO looking for a job and apartment.
DETAILS!
Before leaving Tully's apartment in Wicker Park, I had made arrangement to ride the train to Reno and ride to Burning Man where I would have a ticket at will call and camp with my friends from San Francisco. After leaving Tully's apartment, I was offered a ticket and spot in an RV with a camp from NYC. (The ride from the apartment to the Amtrak station was only 30 minutes. This is what I mean by flying by the seat of my pants.) I took this offer and changed my ticket to Salt Lake City. I was refunded $7.20! The train was a mess. Immediately after leaving, there were massive delays. It took 16 hours to get 6 hours into the original schedule. All in all, the train was 16 hours delayed to Salt Lake City for a 50 hour ride on my part. The reason for the delay was mostly out of control of Amtrak, but they did not do a good job setting expectations. Iowa had received massive flooding in May of 2011 and most of the land was still under water. Apparently Interstate-29 is under water and some of the train stations as well. The tracks had been washed out so Amtrak was sharing a single line of track with the freight going in and out of Chicago.
After arriving in Salt Lake City, I rode to the Mormon Temple and took in the sights. I found the visitors center and found a place to wash my things and a hostel. I was a total hobo doing my laundry in my underwear and spreading out all of the things that were supposed to air dry in the grass outside. The hostel was only $20, and I had a room to myself.
After watching the sunset, I went to find a beer and some food. It turns out that there is decent nightlife in SLC. Obviously the ones in the bars are not Mormons so they have to make up for their non-partying peers. The girls were amazing. Beautiful faces with incredible fitness. The bars do close at 1am however. I was there on a Friday night, and the downtown streets were barren. The SLC people drive there cars to the bar and go directly in. There is no bar hopping it seems. Even with these nightlife downfalls, the city more than made up for itself in friendliness and attractiveness.
The next day I lumbered my bike to the place where I was meeting the NY Infinity Camp at an RV center. We all did our meet and greets then got to shopping. We spent 8 hours between, grocery and hardware stores. It was tedious getting on the road, but once we were on the move, the anticipation of Burning Man was incredible. In our RV of 7 people, there were 3 Burner Virgins including me. I drove the floating whale of an RV most of the way to Black Rock City before almost passing out going down the craziest road that was not recommended by the organizers of Burning Man. The route I took cut off over 100 miles but was unpaved and rattled the RV like a paint mixer. Depending on the quality, the road allowed for speeds between 20 and 50 mph for a 90 mile stretch. When the road was paved again, we picked up 5 - 15 gallon jugs of water in Gerlach and proceeded directly into Black Rock City.
Upon entry, I was devirginized at the gate with hugs and ringing of a bell. We spent most of the day setting up, and I passed out in the dome considering I was running on less than 1 hour of sleep. This sleep level would provide the norm for the week. There is no time for sleep with this much energy. The excitement in the air was greater than anything I have experienced including: New Year's Eve in NYC; Mardi Gras in New Orleans; Kentucky Derby; or the 2006 Texas vs. USC National Championship Football Game.
The best way I can describe Burning Man is a experiment in self reliance that will fail where the community will step in to support you. What I mean is that everyone comes to BM with the materials to survive. However, you will undoubtedly be in a pinch where you need water or food from another person. Everyone is there supporting themselves and each other simultaneously. It is a city of exploration and discovery. I have never been so impressed with mankind and their artistic ability. There is one big misconception of BM: Leave No Trace. When I was standing at the edge of the Playa looking back at the city, you can see dust all over the city. This dust does not exist in the deep untouched Playa. It is clear that all of the movement of the people is absolutely ripping up the soil and leaving quite a trace.
My favorite dance party was at Robot Heart, which set up shop in a random place on the 10 O'clock side of the Playa.
My favorite theme dance dome was Monticello. It is pretty surreal dancing next to Thomas Jefferson with some random furries and people from the US Civil War mixed in. I guess my underwear, tutu, and pink wig didn't turn heads.
The Burning Man community ends with the burning of the Temple of Transition. I couldn't have asked for a better ending to my journey. All of the tears and sweat to design, build and destroy the Temple were lying in ashes as I passed out directly on the Playa after the crowds had dispersed. It was a life changing week that I recommend for all.
Leaving Black Rock City was a nightmare. It took 7 hours to get out of the line just to get to the two lane highway. We then had another 8 hour drive in front of us to SLC. We arrived in the morning and paid only $100 to clean the filthy RV. I caught Amtrak at 3:30 am, which was right on time. It dropped me off in Glenwood Springs, CO at noon ahead of schedule. I assembled my bike and tried to ride towards Eagle-Vail only to find out that the massive snow pack of the prior year had washed out the bike trail leaving me with no realistic option. I paid a van $20 to take me 5 miles down the road past where the trail was in the Colorado River! I had no energy but managed to make it Wolcott where Lindsay drove up and scooped me.
I am now looking for residence and employment in the Vail area. This land is some of the most beautiful in the country and hope to have as many visitors as I had in San Francisco.
Thanks for reading!!!
I wouldn't be honest if I did not tell you that I was tired of traveling around the 6 month mark. When you travel, you constantly have to explain yourself and listen to others doing the same. I met so many people that I cannot even try to name 10% of them, and I know I was forgotten by most as well. I pushed through my trough in travels and culminated my journey with a week in the high Nevada desert in Black Rock City where the annual community of Burning Man comes together. With that said, the true end of my biking took place in Chicago. I took Amtrak from Chicago to Salt Lake City, where I met friends from NYC and drove an RV to Black Rock City. After Burning Man, we drove back to SLC where I took Amtrak once again to Glenwood Springs, CO. I did a short ride on no sleep or food to Wolcott where Lindsay picked me up but I am not counting that. The site of her car and putting my bike on the rack was a great cathartic feeling.
I am now in Vail, CO looking for a job and apartment.
DETAILS!
Before leaving Tully's apartment in Wicker Park, I had made arrangement to ride the train to Reno and ride to Burning Man where I would have a ticket at will call and camp with my friends from San Francisco. After leaving Tully's apartment, I was offered a ticket and spot in an RV with a camp from NYC. (The ride from the apartment to the Amtrak station was only 30 minutes. This is what I mean by flying by the seat of my pants.) I took this offer and changed my ticket to Salt Lake City. I was refunded $7.20! The train was a mess. Immediately after leaving, there were massive delays. It took 16 hours to get 6 hours into the original schedule. All in all, the train was 16 hours delayed to Salt Lake City for a 50 hour ride on my part. The reason for the delay was mostly out of control of Amtrak, but they did not do a good job setting expectations. Iowa had received massive flooding in May of 2011 and most of the land was still under water. Apparently Interstate-29 is under water and some of the train stations as well. The tracks had been washed out so Amtrak was sharing a single line of track with the freight going in and out of Chicago.
After arriving in Salt Lake City, I rode to the Mormon Temple and took in the sights. I found the visitors center and found a place to wash my things and a hostel. I was a total hobo doing my laundry in my underwear and spreading out all of the things that were supposed to air dry in the grass outside. The hostel was only $20, and I had a room to myself.
After watching the sunset, I went to find a beer and some food. It turns out that there is decent nightlife in SLC. Obviously the ones in the bars are not Mormons so they have to make up for their non-partying peers. The girls were amazing. Beautiful faces with incredible fitness. The bars do close at 1am however. I was there on a Friday night, and the downtown streets were barren. The SLC people drive there cars to the bar and go directly in. There is no bar hopping it seems. Even with these nightlife downfalls, the city more than made up for itself in friendliness and attractiveness.
The next day I lumbered my bike to the place where I was meeting the NY Infinity Camp at an RV center. We all did our meet and greets then got to shopping. We spent 8 hours between, grocery and hardware stores. It was tedious getting on the road, but once we were on the move, the anticipation of Burning Man was incredible. In our RV of 7 people, there were 3 Burner Virgins including me. I drove the floating whale of an RV most of the way to Black Rock City before almost passing out going down the craziest road that was not recommended by the organizers of Burning Man. The route I took cut off over 100 miles but was unpaved and rattled the RV like a paint mixer. Depending on the quality, the road allowed for speeds between 20 and 50 mph for a 90 mile stretch. When the road was paved again, we picked up 5 - 15 gallon jugs of water in Gerlach and proceeded directly into Black Rock City.
Upon entry, I was devirginized at the gate with hugs and ringing of a bell. We spent most of the day setting up, and I passed out in the dome considering I was running on less than 1 hour of sleep. This sleep level would provide the norm for the week. There is no time for sleep with this much energy. The excitement in the air was greater than anything I have experienced including: New Year's Eve in NYC; Mardi Gras in New Orleans; Kentucky Derby; or the 2006 Texas vs. USC National Championship Football Game.
The best way I can describe Burning Man is a experiment in self reliance that will fail where the community will step in to support you. What I mean is that everyone comes to BM with the materials to survive. However, you will undoubtedly be in a pinch where you need water or food from another person. Everyone is there supporting themselves and each other simultaneously. It is a city of exploration and discovery. I have never been so impressed with mankind and their artistic ability. There is one big misconception of BM: Leave No Trace. When I was standing at the edge of the Playa looking back at the city, you can see dust all over the city. This dust does not exist in the deep untouched Playa. It is clear that all of the movement of the people is absolutely ripping up the soil and leaving quite a trace.
My favorite dance party was at Robot Heart, which set up shop in a random place on the 10 O'clock side of the Playa.
My favorite theme dance dome was Monticello. It is pretty surreal dancing next to Thomas Jefferson with some random furries and people from the US Civil War mixed in. I guess my underwear, tutu, and pink wig didn't turn heads.
The Burning Man community ends with the burning of the Temple of Transition. I couldn't have asked for a better ending to my journey. All of the tears and sweat to design, build and destroy the Temple were lying in ashes as I passed out directly on the Playa after the crowds had dispersed. It was a life changing week that I recommend for all.
Leaving Black Rock City was a nightmare. It took 7 hours to get out of the line just to get to the two lane highway. We then had another 8 hour drive in front of us to SLC. We arrived in the morning and paid only $100 to clean the filthy RV. I caught Amtrak at 3:30 am, which was right on time. It dropped me off in Glenwood Springs, CO at noon ahead of schedule. I assembled my bike and tried to ride towards Eagle-Vail only to find out that the massive snow pack of the prior year had washed out the bike trail leaving me with no realistic option. I paid a van $20 to take me 5 miles down the road past where the trail was in the Colorado River! I had no energy but managed to make it Wolcott where Lindsay drove up and scooped me.
I am now looking for residence and employment in the Vail area. This land is some of the most beautiful in the country and hope to have as many visitors as I had in San Francisco.
Thanks for reading!!!
