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The Arizona Regional Decompression, October
9-11
When? Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11.
Where? Continuing the tradition at Gateway Ranch 30 miles
NE of Flagstaff
Who? Burners and Burner-friendly friends 21 and over. Under
21 allowed with a parent or guardian.
Admission: Contribution of just $12 per person covers event
expenses and donation to BRAF and the STAR School. Contributions above this
amount go to art programs for Navajo kids and are greatly appreciated.
Greeters will have receipts for tax deductible donations. Anyone bringing
their Art to Decomp gets in free-- if you contact Kismet in advance to be
put on the guest list (or if we’re blown away by what you show up with).
Welcome to the 2009 AZ Decompression
No need to suffer from Defaultitis—keep the Burn alive! Come join old and
new friends at the 8th Annual Gateway Ranch Burner Family Reunion. We never
know what mysteries, wonders, and absurdities will unfold, but we know it
will be even better if you are there. Bring your Art, Music, Performance,
Community Events, and Uncategorizables to share for a magical weekend.
What You Need to Know:
This is a Leave No Trace event. Pack it in, pack it out, there's no garbage
service at the ranch. Also be advised that without prior special arrangement
there is no Water, Power or Shelter for your personal use on this property.
Bring what you need to survive and create.
Gateway Ranch is a remote site. Do not plan to go back into Flagstaff for
supplies. Bring what you need for a weekend camp out and you will do just
fine!
#1 LNT Rule: Don't drive over the bushes. Drive only on
existing roads and cleared spaces. If you arrive at night, be especially
careful not to drive on the indigenous plants, which take many years to grow
back in this high desert environment.
Dogs: We love dogs but they have sometimes caused problems.
We would prefer not to have dogs at the event (even our own if they had
somewhere else to go) and the simplest policy would be just to say “no
dogs”. However, in some cases --like beloved Pookie-- may be admitted with
advance permission. So you can ask, but here are some reasons not to bring
your dog: there are three dogs here that are used to having the place to
themselves and can be territorial and start skirmishes. Two of our dogs have
had bad, contagious coughs for several weeks— the vet doesn’t know what it
is. There will be loud music, explosions, and other noises that may be
disturbing to dogs. Dogs pee and poop on people’s stuff. Anyone who brings a
dog is expected be responsible for it 100% of the time.
Weather:
The Gateway Ranch is at 5300' elevation. When checking weather online, look
up Leupp rather than 7000' Flagstaff. Weather link:
http://www.wunderground.com/US/AZ/Leupp.html
This area's weather is similar to the
Black Rock Desert- just not quite as extreme. Most often in early October
it's in the 70's in the daytime and 40's at night. It can be very pleasant
or chilly and windy. We've had rain at a couple of past Decompressions so be
prepared. There's not much dust unless it’s windy, and no mud since this is
a volcanic area with cinders.
Gateway is surrounded by two huge ranches --no cattle (just chickens) at
this time of year-- and the nearest human neighbors are miles away. In other
words, we've been able to do what we like out here without interference.
Yay!
Check out the Azburners Image Gallery for AZDC photos from 2002-08.
Burning Man customs and courtesies
*Participate! You are what makes this event extraordinary. We invite all
forms of art and creative input, planned or spontaneous.
*No commercial transactions of any kind. Revel in the spirit of gifting.
*Take care of your own trash and any MOOP you see.
*Take out what you bring in and dispose of it yourself.
*Extra help with clean-up on Sunday is needed and welcome. Help us get back
to the near-perfect standard that was set in the early years of Decomp.
*Do whatever you really wanna do, don't do what you don't wanna do, and
respect others' right to the same.
*Fire: The Toaster will glow warmly all night, as long as people feed it.
Mr. God's fire sculptures warm the Greeters Station and spin in the middle
of the amphitheater. Clayton's Fire Trees guard the entry to that area.
There will be other fire pits/barrels/sculptures. Personal firepits are not
encouraged, but are allowed in already-cleared areas where they don't
destroy vegetation. Help with wood chopping and hauling in advance and
during the event is needed --talk to Kismet, bring a chainsaw if you have
one.
*Water: Bring your own drinking and wash water. The ranch has only roof
catchment and hauled water.
*A wood fired hot tub is on the front deck of the main house. This is
especially popular when it gets cold late Saturday night. As with everything
else, the hot tub depends on whether people make it happen or not. Last
Decomp the hot tub floor dissolved and it needs resurfacing at the Oct. 2
workparty. We need help cleaning the tub before and after the event, and
with water hauling from Leupp Rd. using our tank.
*Earth: There's a traditional Navajo Hogan (8-sided log cabin with a ceiling
like an upside down bird's nest) on the hill at the end of the road to the
South. ***FOR 2009 the Hogan is unstable and unusable. It’s undergoing
repair and has scaffolding inside. Please do not climb on it or try to go
inside.*** We hope to have the Hogan usable again in the future. In past
years DJ's have been known to take over the Hogan. There's a woodstove and
lantern inside that can be used. Hogan is the site of a notorious Apple Pie gigglefest.
*Sky: you’ll see more of that than anything else. The view stretches up to
Navajo Mountain in Utah and includes Black Mesa to the North, the Hopi
Buttes to the East, and the San Francisco Peaks to the West.
During Decompression weekend the moon will be a few days past full going
toward the third quarter. This means we’ll see the moonrise over the Painted
Desert very night.
Plans and Schedule
Dates: Friday, October 9th - Sunday, October 11th. Early arrival or late
departure is possible, just ask Kismet. Arrivals before noon Friday get in
without tickets and will be put to work!
Events:
Watch the Azburners list for planned events-- although much of what happens
is always a surprise.
*Sunrises and sunsets and awesome stargazing
*Giveaway Boutique hosted by Hot Candy
*LCD Projector system available for photos and video.
*DJ's- send a note to kate@ttn.org
*Live music- send a note to kate@ttn.org
*Fire performances- We love fire!
*Rooftop disco floor (at your own risk)
*Hot tub late Saturday night
*Do I smell Waffles???
*Much More
If you're planning something, please let us know so we can look forward to
it and plan if necessary. Also, events (or snarky comments about posting
events) can be posted on a central message board when you get here.
Spontaneous creative mayhem is always encouraged.
Excursions: Roden Crater has had a 24 hour guard for the past 3 years and is
closed to the public. They say they're opening in 2011. Please do not try to
sneak up there-- in addition to getting an unpleasant reception, it could
harm the relationship between the Gateway Ranch residents and the crater
folks. Roden Crater is an amazing site and we will work on getting
permission to go there again as soon as possible.
Nearby excursions include Grand Falls (where the Little Colorado River goes
over a 230’ lava flow), Wupatki National Monument, Sunset Crater, the STAR
School, small hilltop ruins at Gateway Ranch, and hiking nearby Merriam
Crater. See the image gallery for Grand Falls photos from past years.
Burnin' Shit: Anyone planning to do a large art burn, please let us know so
we can prepare a clear spot for it. Scrap lumber is available and we can
corral piles of dry tumbleweeds into cylinders that burn fast, hot, and
loud. Anyone want to incorporate these into your burning art? Let us know.
Please don't camp or park near things that are gonna burn! The winds are
most often from the SW, but can shift. I think we learned this lesson in
past years.
Kids: All ages are welcome, with the usual guidelines about parents taking
responsibility for their kids. There's always been a pack of kids running
around at Decompression and they've had good experiences. If you have
suggestions or offerings for kid activities contact Kismet. No childcare
services are planned but parents may want to collaborate on supervision and
activities. Indoor spaces are not open to children this year except by
special permission. It is requested that children go to bed at a reasonable
hour— this is up to parents, but the later it gets, the less
child-appropriate some activities tend to be.
Alternative energy and building materials: All Gateway Ranch electricity
comes from solar power and water is collected from the roofs. There's a
straw bale building, a new Rastra Block addition, and the Gnome Dome made
from "Super Adobe" sandbags. If you have interest in any of these, Hot
Danish Mark would be happy to talk to you or show you around.
Phones and Internet: Regular cell phones rarely work out here-- count on not
having your cellphone service. In case of emergency communications during
Decompression, the main house has a cell phone with a large rooftop antenna.
The ranch number is 928-606-6589.
There's satellite Internet at the straw bale building. *If* the power is on
in that building there's a wireless hot spot covering much of the property
from the amphitheater to the main house. You'll have much more interesting
things to do out here than e-mail, but if anyone has an urgent need, it may
be available.
***More Things to be Aware of***
Rule #1 Again (but probably not for the last time): Don't drive over the
Bushes. Kismet will cry if you do. Please minimize driving off the roads-
there are good parking/camping places that do not require crushing any
bushes. Grasses can survive being driven over a little, but when the
perennial bushes (mostly yellow flowered rabbit brush) are destroyed, they
take decades to come back. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.
The Road: As mentioned elsewhere, the road from our mailbox to the ranch is
all dirt. It's graded occasionally, but gets ruts after heavy rains. It can
be washboardy in places; the washboard effect is less if you drive 30-40 mph
or so where you can go this fast safely. Watch out for blind curves and
rocks in the road, and go slowly over cattle guards. Like most things in
life, pay attention and use common sense and you'll be okay.
Don't drown the fire in the hot tub! There's a wood fired stove submerged
right in the tub. Water can slosh right over into the stove and kill the
fire if too many people are in the tub (in the past the limit was 8, just
watch the water level), or if they are too rowdy— which of course would
never happen in this group :-). This can also result in ashes floating into
the tub water, yuck. We'll be fine as long as someone is paying attention to
the water level and if you just soak, don't splash.
Firearms: Decompression is not a firearm friendly event. You may not carry
or display a firearm inside this event. If you travel with a firearm we do
not want to know about. Leave it safely locked in your car.
Spiders, Snakes, Scorpions: Snakes try to stay away from humans, especially
loud groups, but you may find one where it wasn't expecting to find you. In
2007 we saw two rattlesnakes when walking up the hill at sunset and in 2008
we found two tiny baby rattlers in construction areas. We don't hurt them
and if possible catch them with a stick (broom, shovel, etc), put them in a
large can with a tight lid and take them a few miles away. Please call
Kismet or Mark or someone who knows how to catch snakes if you find a
rattlesnake. Bill is a snake catching expert. We also see the larger bull
snakes, which are harmless and are said to eat rattlesnakes. Scorpions are
very rare, we've found only 5 during the past 19 years. Black widow spiders:
look closely before you put any part of your body into a small, dark place
that hasn't been used in a while. Centipedes have not been a problem at
Decompressions but can sting if handled. If you find one in your tent area,
catch it in a container and take it for a walk before releasing away from
people.
Tickets: Suggested donation is $12.00 per person. Additional donations are
welcome-- and tax deductible-- for the STAR School art program. Advance
tickets *may* be sold-- watch for announcements. We don't want anyone to
miss out because they're short on cash-- if you're willing to help with set
up and clean up, or if you’re bringing your art and would like a free
admission, contact
Kismet.
You must be 21 years old to attend this event if you are not with a parent
or legal Guardian.
Ticket funds pay for:
*Portapotties
*Wood to burn
*Water for the hot tub
*Propane for fire trees
*Repair of the amphitheater area, dome, hogan
*Maybe a bar for the Greeters
*Over 10% of total ticket sales will be donated to the Black Rock Arts
Foundation. We appreciate BRAF grants that were received by AZBurners,
including the STAR amphitheater and fire tree sculptures. We're glad to make
donations that will support more community art.
Money left over after expenses will be donated to the STAR School
www.starschool.org, a non- profit 501(c)3 Charter School that serves
pre-school through 8th graders in the local Navajo community. Azburner funds
have supported the STAR School art program, amphitheater and radio station.
Donations to the STAR School qualify for an Arizona Educational Tax Credit
of up to $200 per person. For Arizona taxpayers this means you can help the
school at no cost to yourself. Donation receipts are available by mail or at
the Greeters Station.
Decompression Volunteer Opportunities
Greeters Station, The Lovely Conchita is once again graciously organizing
the Greeters. Contact her at conchitatait(at)yahoo(dot)com
Rangers: If anyone is interesting in Rangering at Decompression, please
contact Blank. We'll figure everything else out from there! Oh, and don't
send a blank email. That only works if you're subscribing to a list, but we
need to know who you are before you subscribe, because it's a limited list.
Is anyone interested in coordinating Earth Guardians or other LNT efforts at
Decompression? This would help avoid the embarrassing amount of trash that
was left during the past couple of years. Write to
Kismet.
Music: Calling all DJ’s- you know who you are! Please let us know ahead of
time if you want to DJ. Any live musicians out there? Do we need to provide
a generator and/or amplified speakers w/mixer? Contact
Kismet
Decoration of the Amphitheater: Feel free to decorate the Dome or other
public spaces with lights, fabrics, hanging things, pillows, torches,
furniture, etc.
Lamplighters? Anyone bringing lanterns? Robes? Tiki torches around the
amphitheater also will need tending.
Road signs: We need them, and volunteers to put them at strategic spots.
Nice bright blinky lights with magnets can stick on the screws in the
signs-- they'll need to be checked and turned on each night. If you’re
willing to make road signs and bring them by Friday AM, contact
Kismet
Hot tub preparation: The hot tub needs to be cleaned and we'll have to haul
2 loads of water for it, then someone needs to keep an occasional eye on the
fire while it heats up.
Wood cutting. There are at least 10 dead juniper trees at the school and
nearby property that could be cut down and hauled to the ranch for burning.
Even harvesting a few small trees would help. Nice, dry, crackly branches.
Clothing and BMan Supplies Giveaway. Bring your stuff to the Boutique and
leave with a fresh wardrobe!
Massage table will be available if someone asks Kismet for it and puts it up
(and down). Mmmmm.... ahhhhhh..... mmmmm.....
Waffle breakfast- bring goodies to make it special. Sunday morning? Look for
further announcements.
DIRECTIONS
***NOTE CHANGE FOR 2009: This only applies when returning home. Directions
to the ranch are the same as always. The Westbound lanes of I-40 between Cosnino Rd. and Flagstaff are under construction and the Cosnino Rd. entry
onto I-40 is closed. You have a choice of either turning Left at
Camp-Townsend/Winona Rd. and getting on I-40 at Winona, or taking Camp
Townsend/Winona Rd. toward Flagstaff all the way to Hwy 89. At that point
you turn Left, go past the Mall, and follow signs to I-40.
From the East:
Take I-40 through Winslow, AZ
About 6 miles West of Winslow take Hwy 99 Northwest to Leupp, a small Navajo
town.
When Hwy 99 T's at Leupp Road, turn Left (West) Go about 18 miles on Leupp
Road (3 miles past the rez line cattleguard), 3/10 mile past Milepost 441
You'll see a group of about 6 mailboxes and a dirt road on your Right. These
mailboxes are off the pavement a little and on the other side of a fence, so
look carefully. In the dark, you probably won't see mailboxes at all until
after you've turned onto the dirt road.
From the mailboxes, follow *Dirt Road Directions* below
From the West or South:
From the I-17 and I-40 junction, go East on I-40 about 9 miles to the
Cosnino Rd. exit.
Go North (Left) 2 miles on Cosnino Rd. until it T's at Camp Townsend-Winona
Rd.
Turn Right on Camp Townsend-Winona and go 1.7 miles to Leupp Rd., which comes
in only on your Left.
Turn (L) on Leupp Rd. and go about 12 miles, 8/10 mile past Milepost 440.
Look for a group of 7 mailboxes and a dirt road on your Left. These
mailboxes are off the pavement a little and on the other side of a fence, so
look carefully. In the dark, you probably won't see mailboxes at all until
after you've turned onto the dirt road.
From that point, follow *Dirt Road Directions*
*Dirt Road Directions*
Turn in on the dirt road that goes by the mailboxes. A sign --and probably
blinky glowy things at night— will be posted at this point. Mailbox numbers
are pretty random out here so ignore them.
Follow this dirt road for 7 1/2 miles. Watch out for kamikaze jackrabbits
and ditches.
Important: be sure you stay on the *one and only road in the area that is
ever graded* and is wide enough for two large trucks to pass each other.
Look for our signs to guide you at intersections.
There are other rough dirt roads meandering around the area, but if you stay
on this graded road it will take you all the way to the Gateway Ranch.
In addition to several event signs, you know you're on the right trail when
you pass the following landmarks. Distances are measured from the mailboxes.
*1.5 miles: Low stock tank to your right, just after curves and hill
*2.3 miles: Cattle guard
*3.2 miles: Intersection with low stock tank on your left (watch for a
sign-- the Ranch road curves to the Right at this intersection)
*4.7 miles: sharp S-curve
*5.5 miles: Fork in road where you'll go Left up (and then down) a hill
*6.3 miles: Log cabin on Right. Make sure you take the road to the Left of
the cabin, not the one that goes into the cabin area.
*7.5 miles: Turn in at the "Gateway Ranch" sign. You'll know you're here
when you see a Dome, Greeters, fire, and ....well, you’ll know.
There are no other houses for miles. The ranch has 3 buildings with
turquoise metal roofs. It covers 80 acres from Sunny’s Saloon and Bike
Garage to the Navajo Hogan on a hill, down to the fence far to the East and
up to the top of the hill.
The ways people have gotten lost are when they
1) Don't watch the mileposts and miss the turn-off from the highway
2) Keep going straight at the 3.2 mile intersection and head off over a lava
flow, leaving the graded road
3) Don't check their odometer on the dirt road and think they're lost when
they really just need to keep going a little further.
On the way you may be thinking "This gives new meaning to the Middle of
Nowhere" but you'll find us!
Happyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!
Kismet
Who requests once again that you remind her to relax and enjoy all of
the Burning Love, to drink, dance, hug, kiss, snuggle, and laugh even more.
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