Sneaking into burning man this year. FTW

[Deleted member 20]

Well its decided after scouring the internet & regional bm forums in search of a last minute ticket I have decided to just bike in by crossing the desert forgoing the normal route & ticket. For your info FTW also stands for "foreva on 2 wheels" as well as "Fuck the world" so both are fitting. Seeing that I don't have the $400 plus for a ticket anyway. My friend whom I drove out to BM last year from NH & Mass respectively are gonna make the trek again. He worked a lot more than me on the fishing boats this year & has been salivating over going all year. He passed out from unknown alcohol/chemicals & or heat exhaustion enough that they were considering a $25,000 airlift via helo last year while the man burned so he purchased his ticket in December, while I was scrounging up xmas gifts for my daughter. I just decided that am going sans ticket about the time I stated writing this thread.

Please be advised as to how much more dangerous this is, compared to just being a stowaway in a vehicle(recommended method). But that being said I am kinda a bad ass mothafucka. I have existed in a constant state of danger for so long it is common place. I am your atypical former USMC 0311 spec ops type. I ride trains, hop borders, do long distance bike treks, traverse mountains, scale buildings, rappel, swim or kayak across rivers, lakes & oceans. I have worked as a bike messenger, high rise window cleaner, ironworker connector & currently work as a commercial fisherman when I am not wandering around.

So I plan to get a ride to Nevada as usual but instead of waiting for 12+ hours in line & paying $400+ for a ticket; I will be evading federal authorities(BLM), state highway patrol, county sheriffs to name a few agencies to have a micro trip inside of my normal 3000 mile road trip (1 way).

I will be painting my Giant Iguana SE up in desert camo colors. I will be carrying my normal US Army assault pack with goretex bivy sack that straps on to the rear rack. I will have a military buttpack attached to the handle bars. I will be wearing my current US Mil digi camo uniform that are actually designed to help defeat nightvision goggles. I will also be making an inexpensive IR cloak/ghillie suit using combat casualty blankets, burlap & camo netting from a kids toy store. I will be adding an extra bottle cage & probably breaking down to buy a camelback. Since nvgs are my main concern, my heat signature will be my main concern while traveling at night; but I will also travel during the day. I plan to treat this as another high risk mission & be completely ready to evade authorities. Seeing that I have a natural cop like vibe, am really a former military guy complete with training & jargen & have current issue gear; there is a small chance that I will blend in (think plain sight) if found.

Since cell phones don't work in this area & that I don't have a gps I will be navigating using a topo map & a compass. Since I will be on a bike I will be unable to keep an accurate pace count so I will have to be confident in exactly where I am going. The large illuminated 2nd largest city that pops up every year in Black rock city should be a good beacon but while dehydrated In the desert, anything is possible. Providing sand storms don't conceal the stars I can also use my celestial navigation skills. I will have flares that shoot into the sky in case of emergency. I plan on purchasing a handheld scanner to monitor the airwaves. If it lasts I guess my stubborn ass can start using them while riding trains, lol.

I just got to sneak in then I can blend in. I have illuminated wheel riders for my bike & more appropriate playa wear that will be in my pack. Hopefully I can rendezvous with my buddy & camp with him. He will carry most of my water & food & we will just leave burningman as normal via the approved road.

I am confident in my trade craft that I will probably live to post the completed story on STP without being caught. I am more concerned with finding my buddy amongst the 70k other campers once in BRC. Most communications devices do not work & regular FM GMRS walkie talkies are so common that the airwaves are filled with lots of skip & mumble jumble. Even last year with a map it was hard for me to navigate the playa & was lost for 24 hours & didn't get stressed at all. Since I was home!

To all you snobby, snooty burners who don't support me sneaking in to the Burn, well. fuck off. To all other who think that the million dollar "non commercial" machine that is BM has gotten out of control & is excessively overpriced then we are in agreement.

Unfortunately this is a solo mission. I don't care how many cub scout badges you've earned or how well you play Halo 1,2,3 or 4. Unless you have actually done HALO jumps (High altitude low opening) & have access to a willing aircraft & pilot, don't bother asking to come with me.

So in closing this entire trip will be 6k miles of a normal road trip & only the last 4 miles will be via bicycle. Sure there is a UP line from Gerlach to Winnemuca that also has some BNSF traffic that I could hop with bike & all but trying to think of a reason why this train would stop where I wanted it to is naïve to say the least. The desert aint no joke kiddies.

PS Skydivers are notorious for attempting to sneak into burning man & getting caught, most likely since they are amateurs & opening their shoots way too early & most likely using the pre arranged official LZ.

 

[Rob Nothing]

 

[Dmac]

Best of luck! take lots of pics.

 

[Tude]

Dood - you rock!

 

[Deleted member 20]

My cellphone/smart phone is constantly letting me down. It almost always dies when I most need it or is completely dead during photo ops. Most times when I am lucky enough to have a charge I will be trying to trace a car & the fucking csx computer cant understand my boston accent or the slack/brake noise of the train distorts what I say. I am constanly using it for google maps & other shit & charging it is a priority alongside water, shelter & food; but it often lets me down.

I will try to to take pics as always even tho I am bad at sharing them outside of instagram. The process is easier for me to do from that same phone. With my tapatalk app Its hard enough for me to read posts & comment.

 

[Traveler]

Why is it hard to sneak into burning man?

 

[Deleted member 20]

I don't necessarily know if it is or aint. I haven't snuck in yet. I do know that federal, state, tribal, local police & volunteer BM rangers are all trying to prevent people from sneaking in. I approach most of my endeavors with this type of precise planning & educational phase, followed by an on site recon to evade detection. I know its probably easier for me to sneak inside someones vehicle but that would require me to convince another person to undergo risk & punishment. I tackle real world problems alone anyway. I guess I like to test myself against opposition forces that are actively attempting to prevent me from going somewhere. Its also rewarding to gain access to secure sites undetected. Especially in the harsh environment of the high desert with little natural cover & only my wits, training & luck to avoid detection by the best military equipment & trained leo's.

 

[pigpen]

why on earth would there be a multi agency effort to keep people from sneaking into burning man? I cant imagine the feds or state cops really caring enough to patrol the perimeter day and night. what's the worst they could really do if they caught you trying to sneak in, it's not like burning man requires special security clearance or anything, it's a big private party in the desert.

 

[Deleted member 20]

Well its the second largest city in Nevada for a lil over a week. 70,000 people become this largest tempotrary intentional community. The permit from BM allows a specific amount of people to play out on the playa.

Its on the Bureau of land Management land & having attended can speak to the amount of leos patrolling. There are undercover agents/rangers partying alongside burners, all the while building cases to make arrests. Public sex, illegal drugs & fireworks are still "illegal". That is primarily inside the event. However there are patrols in trucks, atvs, on foot etc & lookout stations. Since there is a trash fence that is the perimeter of the absolutely massive event (square miles), any travel outseide the fence are trespassers. The BLM rangers routinely drive well over 100mph in their 4x4s to apprehend people or save them if they have gone off the reservation while tripping balls on their chosen halucinogen.

I wish I was making this up, lol. This isn't sneaking into your local warped tour to see Green day or what ever bitch ass bands plays there now. There are people that physically search your vehicle for people, dogs to search for drugs. The real risk is whom ever is driving the vehicle you get caught in has to return you back to the nearest town. A day long drive round trip with traffic from the mass of attendees trying to get close while only allowed to drive 25 mph & waiting in insane 12+ hour lines.

This is just my chosen method. I have successfully trespassed for many years without a single sitation or arrest. On occasion I have just had honest conversations as to who I am & what I am doing & have had my name taken in a notebook of a cop that goes no further than that. I do all my own reconnaissance & find my own way in. I do not rely on crewchange guides to hop trains. I don't need no wet behind the ears road dawg to hold my hand. Its just me & this is how I roll.I go out & get shit done, & don't get killed or caught! I don't have a ticket but that wont stop me.

 

[Matt Derrick]

normally, i would dissuade anyone making these kinds of plans, but from the sound of it you have everything planned out and are prepared in a big bad way that i don't see from most travelers, which is unfortunate, since there's a lot of epic things like this we could all be doing with just a little bit of balls and some pre-planning.

i salute you sir, and i think your plans are incredibly bad ass. i know you just have your phone, but if you could maybe take notes and write a story for us afterwards, i would be eternally grateful, as i am actually quite excited to hear how this turns out. i mean, this could be one hell of an epic story. i don't know what else to say besides good luck and may the force be with you

 

[Cardboard]

They are pretty crazy about stopping people getting in. My housemates went on a mission in 2006 to sneak in, 4 out of 5 were caught, and issued 1500$ fines for being within 75 feet of the perimeter. They took them inside to issue the fines, at which point, friends of ours who were BRCC organizers laughed their asses off at the guys, and gave them free entry (still the criminal tresspass charges and $1500 fines though). These guys were also all taking it really serious, weeks of planning, scouting, and having good supplies specifically for sneaking in.
The one guy who made it in, no problems, not a single question asked, just took off all of his clothes, put a blanket over his head, and walked through the main gates, acting like he was totally fucked on drugs.

 

[Deleted member 20]

\Well perhaps I will be imploring combined multiple tactics as some of your housemates. I hate to sound elitist but I have to believe that my extensive USMC training, real world application of that training, current generation personal equipment and honing of my tradecraft/fieldcraft over 20 years should give me an edge. It would be easier to say that I am more likely to succeed compared to an untrained group of stoners sitting around a kitchen table because I know that would be ignorant of me to say. Problem is that I don't know the background of any of your friends that tried. I have been working on this since forking over the $380 last year for a ticket.

I would like to think that the naked successful guy had a phd in pysch for his genius but more likely just a huge set of balls. I will be using terrain, known landmarks, camo & concealment, shift changes & will utilize tradecraft to adjust my appearance once over the trash fence. The knowledge of electronic optics & how/when they work I hope gives me an edge.

I have a weeks worth of time to get caught, processed rehydrated & keep attempting it. Since I will be collecting intel on every recon attempt I will be able to use that intel the next time. Ideally I can adjust on the fly to compensate in security/patrol patterns that I see. As far as the $1,500 fine; they cant get blood from a stone. I already over over $100k to the US govt not including a lifes worth of income taxes (figure another $300k+). Ideally my audacity will prove over the top enough to succeed.

I hope to be a a dusty phoenix rising up out of the desert in a place that no human would dare sneaking in from!

Since I am actually leaving on the road trip today I cant give any more operational clues until after the mission. Since this is a public forum their is a chance that someone here actually volunteers for G, P & E or knows someone who does. Since I want to volunteer for the "P" in G,"P" & E next year I don't mind making a name for myself but also don't want to not be accepted into there cadre. I'm not really worried about authorities searching the net for stuff since all they got to do is patiently wait in their air conditioned vehicles to see something out of place.

 

[Matt Derrick]

personally, i can't wait to hear back on how this goes. i watched a documentary a while back on current tv about burning man, and they had a segment on the security there. one guy had some night vision goggles... i seriously doubt they were 3rd gen 'actual' nightvision googles (the shit the army uses is expensive as fuck, as im sure you know). but that guy kinda seemed like a tool/wannabe cop in the doc anyways. just pointing it out. it's not like they got swat with military gear or anything, but you never know, there might be that one over zealous guy. so my point is to be careful (which you already are)

 

[Deleted member 20]

My fear goes past nir optics & nvgs even current gen mil. My fear is flir & even worse radar. Flir has its vulnetability but radar(like on a boat can sweep huge areas of a target area like 50 miles & avail to public for less then flir.

 

[Deleted member 20]

Just got wheels up from Mass. The journey begins.

 

[Cree]

Nothing but "good vibes" for you on this trek!!!

 

[Deleted member 20]

Well i thought i was wheels up from Mass. Turns out i crashed on my wifes grandmas couch waiting for my friend. His procrastination on routine vehicle maintenance has turned into a potential disaster. He spent the night trying to vix the VW only to find another problem. We are delaued hundreds of miles & 16hours so far from the scheduled safe departure time. With black rock city 3k miles away & a specific time the gate opens not to mentiom the needed supplies we need to get in reno, traffic of 60k people on 1 entry road & the unforseen travel delays. We are now far behind the 8 ball.

 

[Cardboard]

Hmmm, I would guess that your training does indeed go farther, but would also guess that with all of the connections we have to the BRCC, that they knew better what they were up against, and may have had a tactical advantage. The guy with the blanket is a crazy guy, but a psych major, not quite. I bet tons of people who are on this site are wearing patches he made though. These people were well experienced travelers, some of the original AMF organizers, People with a lot of years of touring/organizing with many festivals, and had a good idea what they were doing.

However, that said, I meant no criticism towards your plan, just thought I would share the story. I still crack up thinking about this shit till this day. Everyone coming back pissed off and having to go to court, except the one crazy guy who put in the least effort, came back after having a great time, and had made loads of money selling patches in the mean time...

 

[Deleted member 20]

Its all good. I appreciated the story to put things in perspective to us at stp who routinely squat, trespass, sneak in places to explore daily. My military training & many years as an experienced budget traveler cant seem to get my ass out of my own damn neighborhood, so its all humbling. I am still eaiting on my buddy & roadtrip partner to macgyver his vdub back into action. All dressed up & no where to go!!!. Most Boston & New england peeps driving out have already left. Unsure if the mass en

 

[Dameon]

If you have a smart phone, you have a GPS, regardless of normal cell service. If it's Android, I know there's several free apps on the play store. Other types of smart phones probably have similar free apps.

Have you considered taking all the effort and resources you're putting into this and just putting them into going into the wilderness with a few friends and having your own party? Probably be a lot more fun and higher odds of success.