TEN DAYS to pack ALL the things, get your costumes and provisions squared away, and to choose your side in the final Reckoning —- UNICORNS in all their majestic hooved and horned stampeding glory and dubious fantastical cryptozoological existence? Or RAINBOWS with ephemerally damp beauty, connections to banjos and frogs, and untouchable yet undeniable scientific reality?
WHAT WILL IT BE?!?!?!
This is the final Flame before Burning Flipside 2016, so read up, then load out!
As usual, it’s worth your while to read the whole thing!
For more info, stay tuned to:
- Flipside Flame
- Announce email list
- Burning Flipside Calendar
- Official Burning Flipside Facebook Page
- @BurningFlipside on Twitter
Remember, if you have something you’d like to contribute to the Flame or Announce, use Flipside Flame/Announce Submission page to send it in. Announce tends to be at the beginning of the month, and Flames usually get published around the middle of the month. Get me the info at least a week before then, and I’ll do my best to get your contribution included.
~Editor
NO Fireworks
We know you read your Survival Guide. We know you’re committed to keeping Flipside safe and MOOP-free. So this is a redundant but gentle reminder that fireworks are prohibited at Flipside. Due to changes in state law, and depending on the county, you may see active fireworks stands on your travels towards Flipside this year—but the event policy hasn’t changed. Leave the fireworks for a more appropriate time and place.
Load Out is Saturday — Get Your Hands in it!
Flipside load out is this coming Saturday 5/20 at Lloyd the Warehouse at 10:00AM.
The year of the Rainbow/Unicorn reckoning is upon us. The 19th year of Flipside!
The train is leaving the station, flip or fly, this Saturday at Lloyd the Warehouse. It is rolling.
We do this thing as a community. A lot of us are year-round community… Some just for the event, that is fine too. But, it is a volunteer run event. It does not happen without a LOT of help .
The community is what makes this go. YOU make it go.
Come show your bad ass DAFT, City planning, Site-Ops, Safety, Genesis, Art — ALL the departments — some love.
You could go straight out to the land Saturday as well to help City Planning flag the city, and put up street signage if that is your calling.
Can’t lift?
Cheerlead, bring beverages, bring snacks.
Show your appreciation of this amazing group of volunteers who make our event happen.
You paid for a ticket, right?
We have a different kind of currency as well, Social Capital is our currency, come make some of it!
Go with us out on the land to unload, many hands make for happier volunteers and easier tasks.
Rainbows, Unicorns, Team Colon, support your team!
It will be fun. Don’t make me stop this car and turn around.
It’s Flipside fuckers
feel the love,
~~~ Clovis
Radical Self Reliance and First Aid
First Aid is something everyone should know, and a first aid kit is something everyone should have. Everyone (currently) has a body, and taking care of it is, in my mind, the most important part of self reliance. Most of us also have several other bodies that we care about.
But FOR REAL: CAMPS, THEME CAMP OR OTHERWISE, SHOULD HAVE A KIT. This is a huge (are we saying “yuge” now?) thing theme camps can do to help your medical team, the event, and the community. Nobody plans on needing it, but then they need it. So buy it with camp dues. Whether or not you choose to share your kit with people outside your camp is up to your giving burning soul.
Tips
- Tailor your kit to your own potential needs, as well as your skill/knowledge level. Put stuff in there that you have wanted in the past. Put stuff in there relevant to your, or your campmates’ medical conditions. A paper list of your medical conditions, medications and allergies. Glucose tablets and a spare glucometer if you’re a diabetic. Kid meds if there’s kids in the camp. Etc.
- If you have a kit, and there’s stuff in there you don’t know how to use, either learn how to use it, or throw it away. Practice with your kit as much as you can. Sure, you’ll use your precious stuff, but then it will be more valuable because you know how to use it correctly. This also reduces the need to….
- Check your kit from time to time. Meds expire, tape and such decomposes. Especially if you store it in a car in the (Texas) summer. Crusty unusable supplies are no good.
- Buy quality stuff. Lots of pre-made kits have these little dinky tweezers in them with blunt tips, worthless scissors, etc. There’s a big market for things that could fulfill a check in a box, but not actually do the thing they’re designed to do.
- Buy generics of medicines until you have personally found them to not be as good. This applies to things like moleskin as well.
The Actual List
Things to have in your kit if you don’t have them elsewhere
- Soap (Poison ivy’s active compound is an oil. Tecnu is very expensive. Dish soap cuts oils just as well) Also useful with……
- Handwashing stuff. I like to use pump sprayers, which are $12 at Home depot. This reduces water use and can be used as a great cooling method. Label it “Clean Water Only” to avoid confusion.
- Bug repellant
- Blanket. Have you ever tried moving a floppy person that couldn’t help? A blanket or similar thing will let you haul them back to camp, or whatever. Also keeps you warm. Even in May, a person laying out all night can get cold. Wool stays warm even when wet. Also provides emotional security.
- Electrolytes. It’s what plants crave. Gatorade….meh, I don’t know, easy to carry in powder form, cheap, but kind of sucks. Too much sugar, no magnesium. If used, should be cut to about half strength. Eating complex foods is best, juices. Coconut water is bland if you’re nauseated.
- Hand sanitizer
- Head Lamp – get a quality one. $20 and up, Black Diamond or other respectable brand. Helps avoid injuries and cast illumination on existing ones. Trying to get a splinter out in the dark doesn’t work. Best brand is Zebralight, about $80.
- Sharpie/Permanent Marker
- Duck tape – This does everything. Splints that don’t fall apart with movement, waterproof covering for bandages, sports wraps…the list goes on. You can store it by wrapping it around another object, like a water bottle, or taking out the center cardboard and wrapping it around itself.
- A watch – old fashioned time keeping device. Lets you keep track of when a problem started, count pulses, etc.
First aid kit – Everyday ailments
- Moleskin for blisters. Seriously, bring extra. Then remember to bring extra wool socks next year. Store bought is easier than hunting and skinning your own moles.
- Band-aids of multiple sizes and shapes. Breathable preferred – they stick better and allow for more movement.
- Coban – that self adhering elastic wrap for bandages, splints, etc.
- Gauze – in sterile packaging. Flat pieces and in roll form.
With Coban and Gauze you can pretty much cover anything. There is a huge variety of choices when it comes to putting white stuff on red stuff. Again, the most important thing is that you know how to use different products.
- Saline – contact solution. Good for washing ash, bugs out of eyes. Also good for cleaning cuts.
- Belt – for the patient to bite when you’re cauterizing wounds. Just kidding!
- Eye drops – I like regular eye drops. Numbing and irritation relief varieties exist.
- Good tweezers, not bad tweezers. Fine point or flat tipped, preferably both. Good for splinters and cactus thorns.
- Antibiotic creme: In general, I’m not a huge triple antibiotic cream/Neosporin(tm) fan, at least not for small stuff. I get cut and scraped all the time and have never gotten tissue infections. Soap and keeping it clean are your best bet. That said, camping for several days may make that difficult. Being a dirty hippie may make that difficult. Using the river as your primary means of bathing may make that difficult. Also, punctures (like stepping on a stick) can get infected easily.
- Aloe vera vs. a time travel device and more sunscreen. (MORE SUNSCREEN, seriously)
- Disposable gloves. You’re way more likely to touch someone who needs help if you’re wearing these. Also useful for touching anything greasy, sticky or otherwise gross. Also useful for ice packs.
- ACE bandage – The best thing for an injury is rest. People never want to do that. Find a former athlete and get them to show you how to wrap injuries.
- Tape – Useful for taping injuries as well. Don’t make this stuff up, get a knowledgeable person to show you. Too-tight wraps can be dangerous.
- Scissors – trauma shears are actually about a buck a piece if you can find the right source.
- Ice packs – self cooling, or just a source of ice to put in gloves or a ziploc bag.
Over the counter meds
OTC meds are not harmless. Read warnings. Make sure people you give them to are familiar with them, or have read and comprehended warnings. Be careful of combining Tylenol (aka acetaminophen) and alcohol, as well as taking Advil/Motrin (ibuprofen) and not drinking enough water. Be careful with Tylenol and Advil/Motrin in general, especially with repeated doses, or with people that have liver or kidney issues. They probably wouldn’t pass modern OTC regulations.
There’s a million options of things to buy. Most are stupid, simply expensive recombinations of things you could buy individually for a tenth the price. Here’s a good article about OTC med labeling.
Medicines are the most susceptible items in your kit to degrading, especially in heat. Store in a cool dry place if possible. Expiration dates are less important than proper storage. Expiration dates are kinda BS anyway. Nothing OTC is going to become dangerous, only slightly less effective.
- Aspirin – pain first line treatment for heart attack. Low-dose chewables are fast and easy to administer. FOR ADULTS ONLY. Do not give aspirin to children.
- Pain and swelling (Tylenol/Acetaminophen for pain, Advil/Motrin/Ibuprofen for both pain and swelling).
Lots of options, just pay attention to active ingredients. - Anti-diarrhea (loperamide or imodium)
- Anti-nausea (dramamine or meclizine, pepto-bismol)
- Anti-histamine (Benadryl aka diphenhydramine or longer acting drugs for seasonal allergies)
- Hydrocortisone cream for bug bites. Reduces swelling and itching.
- Calamine lotion for poison ivy, if that works for you. I never use it.
Real Emergency Equipment
These things should be included only if you have the training to use them. In a real emergency, CPR can be done without equipment, clothes can be used as bandages and slings, anything rigid can be a splint, a belt can be used as a tourniquet, etc. But if you want to be a little more prepared for these things, here’s a list.
- Bag Valve Mask or One-way CPR mask – so you don’t have to risk infection to breath for someone
- Sam splints – with education (youtube is great), can be molded into many different types of splints. 2 are better than 1.
- Premade tourniquet
- Cervical Collar
- Oral and nasal airways
- Quickclot gauze/pads
- Blood pressure cuff and stethoscope
TICKETS TICKETS TICKETS
Has it been over a month since you submitted your Ticket Request? Has your life changed? Did you leave that bad relationship? Did you move out of that old place? Did you transcend reality and need to update your zip code?
Never fear! Log into secure.burningflipside.com and update your ticket request!
The River Runs Through It
This was the river last weekend. It is way down from where it was in April. This is from the “Shady Beach” near the middle of the land. At this time the gauge upstream read about 7.6cfs. If you want to monitor the river more closely you can check that gauge’s readings here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?08105700
Please note, the San Gabriel is a public water way. Any swimming, wading, or other river activity is performed at your own risk. The dam at Granger Lake is controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers and could release more water at any time, so please be aware of rising water levels.
Acquaintances! Burners! Flipiziens! Lend me your eyes!
Behold below these words, the 2017 Road Direction Map!
Well not, exactly those words, but the whole text here.
Forsooth, your eyes do not mislead you, there is something new.
For all the Pyropolis is a stage, and now it has an exit and an entrance.
And one map, in its time, has many parts
The city part, in green, holds all that is awesome to us,
And the parking part, in blue, holds our precious rides home.
Change, befalls us all, and we will succeed in this tumultuous time.
For, we, fail? But screw your courage to the sticking-place,
And we’ll not fail to drive on the roads in the right direction and park our cars in parking.
…………………………………………………………………………..
Okay, that last bit was a stretch. Actually, the whole thing was bad Shakespearean yoga. Here’s the map:
The MAP is out!
This year’s map is released and ready for viewing or download — CLICK HERE to see it in all its glory and to view a listing of all theme camps!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AWAIT YOU!
Volunteer Roulette — Want to Play?
Hey everyone! Do you want an easier way to volunteer, without having to crawl through the numerous teams we have? Well, we’ve got you covered!
Just tell us when and how you are available, and we’ll find you a shift with Volunteer Roulette:
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS–ECHELON NEEDS YOU–only 10 days until the gates open!!!
We still have lots and lots of shift to fill for Echelon.
At safety HQ Echelon volunteers are responsible for handing out radios, laminates, maintaining safety HQ.
We have a unique volunteer schedule at Echelon.
There are 6-hour shifts, each 24 hour day dividing into 4 shifts, with one-person working each of those shifts. Each Echelon shift starts 1 hour before all of the other safety shifts so we are ready to handle shift change.
We also have four 1-hour shifts per day (one person each) which coincide with the first hour of the other safety shifts, as that’s the busiest hour for check-ins.
So there are opportunities every day for 1-hour shifts — rare volunteering opportunities at Flipside!
I’d hope if you sign up for a 1-hour shift at some point, you’ll at least sign up for at least one other 6-hour shift or maybe 2 or 3 other 1-hour shifts.
Also if you have a 6-hour shift already, consider signing up for a couple of 1-hour shifts. It’s just an hour, and it will either help you be ready for your 6 hour shift, or if you’ve already done a 6-hour shift, we’ll benefit from you being back and knowing the drill. Come join Echelon – it’s a great way to see how Safety shifts work and meet other volunteers from all over the event!
CLICK HERE to learn more or to sign up now!
Exodus
Looking for an unconventional opportunity?
Flipside doesn’t end when the effigy burns Sunday night…. There are teams of volunteers just like you that work hard after the event to make sure that we leave the land better than we found it.
Exodus is looking for volunteers to help Flipizens leave the city safely and smoothly and we’d love your help.
Work on Monday and stay overnight.
Signups are open on the Pyropolis wiki, so head over and volunteer!
Recycling Volunteers Needed
Since a lot of things don’t decompose quickly, how can we not fill up landfills?
Of course the answer is …. Recycle!!!
To make this easier Burning Flipside has a recycling station. Check the survival guide for what they take and the times they are open. While planned to be open daily Friday through Monday, Recycling cannot happen without participants help. We need you to volunteer for a few quick hours.
As of writing this, it is not looking good – We need help!!
We need an assistant lead, volunteers for all shifts, and 1 to 2 truck drivers. To find out more about Recycling at Flipside, CLICK HERE
To sign up for a shift GO HERE!
–> Recycling
Shaven Apes
Like helping people build things and looking for folks in need of assistance? Sign up to be an Ape!
Be someone’s hero! Shaven Apes are the helping hands of Pyropolis. We help hold poles, bang stakes, and, sometimes, lay a lot of hay.
Our shifts are 3 hours long and you get to be a part of art projects, theme camps, and have an inside look at what folks are doing or have brought out this year.
We are not a safety department, and there’s no pre-event training required, so new event attendees can volunteer.
If you have a friend coming for the first time and looking for a great way to participate, send them our way. Shaven Apes wouldn’t exist without volunteers. Sign up for a shift today. Thursday shifts are in particular need!
For more information or just have a question, you can contact Samantha directly at
https://www.burningflipside.com/contact
–> Shaven Apes
Restoration
- First, we will have more property to cover. Parking is moving to the other side of the road.
- Second, we want to add photos and GPS coordinates of MOOP found into published documentation.
- Third, we want to notify the Earth Guardian of any registered camp were MOOP was found, allowing them a chance to review the MOOP in person on Restoration Saturday following the event, and to pick it up.
- Fourth, we want a prompt publication of the MOOP Map, detailed spreadsheet, and photos of MOOP.
- Fifth, we will dispose of ash and hardware from the burnt effigy.
- Sixth, we will complete all MOOP Sweeps with pick up and disposal.
- Seventh, we will pickup all placement flags.
There is going to be a great deal of walking, and very little MOOP to pick up.
(because Flipizens are pretty darn good at picking up after themselves!)
For more information or just have a question, you can contact Xander directly at
https://www.burningflipside.com/contact
–> Cleanup
Transportation – Drivers Needed!
We need drivers for Load-in and Load-out! Every year we take event infrastructure and the effigy from the warehouse out to the land the Saturday before the event, and bring the infrastructure back the Saturday afterwards.
This post we tackle BIODEGRADABLES!!
One question often discussed is, “Are biodegradables, such as peels/shells/biodegradable glitter/etc. MOOP?”
The simple answer is YES!
Just because something eventually decomposes does not mean it should be left behind. Would you want others to discard banana peels in your own yard? Since we do not have trash cans, everything brought out to Apache Pastures must be taken home.
On the topic of decomposing, do you know how long things take to decompose? It may surprise you!
- Plastic bottles: 70-450 years
- Plastic bag: 500-1000 years
- Tin can: around 50 years
- Leather shoes: 25-40 years
- Rope: 3-14 months
- Cigarette Butts: 10-12 years
- Milk packet (tetra) covers and drink packets: 5 years
- Nylon clothes: 30-40 years
- Glass bottle; 1-2 million years
- Aluminum can: 200 years
- Tinfoil- It does not biodegrade.
- Styrofoam- It does not biodegrade
That is right, the cigarette butt you dropped last year is probably still there.
The beer can you threw in a gully will be there long after we are gone.
That is unless WE do something about it. The message is simple, pack it in – pack it out!
Green Crawls!
Earth Guardians would love to have you out to spread the word of LNT and ensure MOOP ends up in its proper place — the original owner’s hand.
We will be doing an LNT rampage daily at Flipside at 1pm.
Come spread the word and enjoy whatever camp’s hospitality we find spreading the good word of NO MOOP.
Meet up at the crossroads volunteer center (right next to Recycling – two for one, YAY!!) at 12:45.
If you can, sign up in advance at the Earth Guardian Wiki – CLICK HERE
Corn dogs and their sticks may eventually decay but they are still MOOP. Take them home with you!
VOLUNTEER ASSISTANCE SQUAD!
This year at Flipside, the Volunteer Assistance Squad will return to help all the volunteer teams function more effectively!
NEW this year, we will also have a 311 Information Station at the Civic Center, just in case folk have burning questions that just can’t be extinguished by rumor or hearsay.
But, to bring everyone the help, we need more folk to help us!
Join our team, as we bravely seek and acquire the extra people that volunteer teams need, in real time, with our trusty megaphone!
Then, we’ll move them from here to there with our larger-than-average golf cart!
There are shifts available to help in both Volunteer Assistant and 311 Operator positions.
CLICK HERE to read more and SIGN UP today!
Come join the hottest newish team in Pyropolis, and help everyone get everything done better, faster, and squishier! This year, we’ll have more Rainbow Unicorniness than ever before!
Huzzah!
Signs, Signs, Everywhere are Signs…. if YOU Help!
Howdy! Looking for a way to volunteer and help keep Flipizens safe?
The Boundaries and Safety Signage team needs you!
This is the crew that fences off the event’s perimeter, installs safety signs at Gate and Greeters, and puts up signs that warn about safety hazards.
We have to erect this stuff before participants roll in on Thursday and then we take it all down on Monday.
Contact Ronin your Safety Signage Lead (Area: Site Ops –> Safety Signs) to get “sign”ed up!
City Planning is looking for a few good burners…
Do T-stakes bring you happiness? 
Do you long for the days in the sun setting up a new fence, or maybe erecting a Posted No Dumping sign?
Can you work a power drill? Or can you hold something still for someone working a power drill?
Or, maybe, you have a secret yearning to label underground cable because of the little flags?
Do you want hands-on knowledge of where all the camps are before everyone else?
Can you read a map? Can you write clearly? Can you bend over and stick a little flag in the ground?
If you answered yes to ANY of those questions, help City Planning help you build the city!
We need volunteers to help with City Signage and Flagging all of the theme camps on-site the weekend before Flipside (May 20th).
You MUST be on the list to gain access to the land, so if you are interested contact Emily, your City Signage Lead or Rachel your Flagging Lead with your REAL NAME.
Contact Emily your City Signage Lead (Area: City Planning –> City Signage)
Flagging happens the weekend before Flipside, and you MUST be signed up to be on site that weekend. Interested? Contact Rachel The Flagging Lead™ and let her know your RealName™ and she’ll keep you up to date on the final details.
(Area: City Planning –> Flagging)
Ever wondered about who helps keep the city safe?
Are you introverted and need a little bit of time to recharge away from the big crowds?
Do you want to know how night vision works?
Come check out the Guardians Department!
Badass shirts and patches to be had if you work a couple shifts with us.
Contact Froggy at https://www.burningflipside.com/contact
(Area: Safety –> Guardians (perimeter))
Or our Facebook page: Guardians of Flipside
-Froggy, your Guardians Lead
What’s Happening? Eventful Events!
Camp Curly 10th Anniversary
This year marks Camp Curly’s tenth year at Flipside and we are going all out this year with our biggest and best Rockstar Karaoke Party yet!
Song Challenges and trophies will be awarded!
The open bar will be bigger and better stocked than ever!
Smudge Camp
The Return of Flipside Franks
The return of Flipside Franks has been a painful waiting event for Crickett and myself.
The last two years of rain and mud kept us old folks at home. Two years without the burn was painful to endure, but the rain has stayed away so far, and we are in full swing with preparations to show up with a big bang.
Flipside Franks will not only be serving our famous hot dogs, with an array of condiments that would be fitting for the most discerning tastes, fit for any connoisseur. Additionally we will be complementing our dogs with addition of a Soft Serve machine which will be serving those tasty ice cream cones every day.
Check us out at Flipside Franks (which will be located in the Badlands) for times of service. Have a great burn, and Welcome Home!
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