July 31, 2007

2007 is going to be the year of the DUST. We inspected the playa surface mid-July (2007) and found it to be in rather bad shape. I hope I am totally wrong, but this could be the year that giant dust storms ravage BRC at the slightest provocation from wind.

My purpose here is not to discourage you, but to advise you to be PREPARED for dust . . . as prepared as you can possibly be.

The four photos below were taken at two locations in the desert. The surface of the playa is SOFT and CRUMBLY. This is due to the fact that there was very little snow or rain during the winter months.

The photo to the right is a few hundred yards off from the eight mile entrance - the one they use for the main gate. As you can see, the ground is in pieces.
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Same view, but I brought the camera down to ground level. In a short time, all this will be reduced to silky sand before the event even begins!

The playa surface is in even worse shape down by the twelve mile entrance. There is an eternity of soft broken dirt here that may make for the most fantastic dust storms BRC has ever seen..
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A closer look shows the integrity of the surface. All one needs do is touch it and it falls to pieces.