For the last years after the cushy Irvine, Ca venue there has been a lot of elements to deal with that I was not expecting. All these new elements definitely gives you good practice for BM.
Heat....heat..heat. There is no way around it and knowing this and preparing for long hours of sun is the only way to survive. I have no idea why I thought I could make it on bare essentials. I mean, I could, I did 3 times! Once with 2 little children! But can I say that I did it mentally smooth? No...can I say I did it and had fun the entire time? No. But I will! Because now I know to expect unbearable heat and no shade anywhere. By the end of the festival my friends and I were making our way, in the early morning, to the one large tree and setting up blankets and sleeping most the day away, waiting for the sun to die. Unfortunately the shade only lasted a short while and we had to move around in search of shelter. Next year I will be better equipped with a way to transport a blanket, have a parasol or some way to makeshift a shade structure at the different areas. I missed a lot of speakers because I couldn't stand to be under the beating sun. This made me sad.
The best thing for me was the ice. My festy mate had a thermal that kept things cold for over 24 hours. Some vendors were selling ice for $1. Ice with the free water spickets made the cotton mouth go away and didn't leave a bad aftertaste like the hot out of the spicket water did. The best treat was the strawberry lemonade at the Mexican food vendor. Yum!
Dust became an issue which I wasn't expecting at all! Thank god I had a few bandanas and scarfs to makeshift a face mask for me and my buddy. Our ears, nose and mouth were filled no matter what but at least during the dust bowl tornados we were semi protected.
The venue had a lot of trekking up and down massive hills. I don't know how this one can be dealt with. I was thinking of using a moped but next year I will have my girls so that's probably not going to help at all. One thing I thought of is staying in the middle campgrounds but the Woogie Stage would be the one to suffer. I LOVE the woogie stage!!! I'm a Woogian... When in doubt woogie out!
The festival still was amazing. I look forward to my 5 days of creative freedom and frolicking with like minds. I'm already counting down the days until I can go home. Until then I will be planning and collecting my much needed equipment for the best time EVER.
Until then, I will be exploring the Pocket Underground world and getting back to the forest and desert with Terrakroma and affiliates.
Here is my favorite poem from LIB inspiration.
{{{ Ice water and cigarettes }}}
In the day
The sun rose high above
It's rays
beating
Merciless upon
The half naked
Hoopers
The gypsy dancers
Meditating lovers
Heads dressed
With sopping scarfs
Meeting
Intermingling
Around the free water spout
Anxiously waiting
For the trickle trickle fill
To sooth their burning skin
To quench
Their cotton mouths
As they aimlessly wander
To a decided destination
Most likely
A magical corner
One of many to chose
To discover
Invoke
And live out
Their wildest dreams
Immersed in enlightened sound
I watched
Void of thought
Just exsisting
Among the high vibration
Hiding from the sun
In a triangle shadow of our own
We sat silently
In perfect company
Upon a sleeping bag
On Chumash dirt
We sipped iced water
And shared
Rolled ciggarettes-
The good stuff
And we just were
Together.
