Apogaea TAZ
X marks the spot of the Apogaea 2006 regional gathering, where 499 participants camped out at the Happy Ass Ranch, located high in the mountains of Colorado. This event site is about one mile higher than Black Rock City and consists of 160 wooded acres of private land, surrounded on 3 sides by National Forrest. Isolation and private property combined to enable the creation of a temporary autonomous zone, where a number of experienced burners, including DPW, Rangers and Emergency Services, provided 24-hour services to the community. The high altitude and mostly unlevel terrain, coupled with a statewide burn ban, made an interesting challenge for all participants. The issue of the fire ban was solved with a variety of propane-fueled metal artworks and a number of rock-lined, propane-fueled community campfires. And in a move reminiscent of Burning Man 1990, the actual burning of the centerpiece icon, "the Phoenix" was held off for another time and place. The Colorado Fire Tribe added more than sufficient flame to the Great Circle on Saturday night.
Theme camps, events and art spread across a topographical landscape to make this a pedestrian village with delightful discoveries to be found while wandering around in a forrest setting. The Freak Farm provided a safe and nurturing environment for families with kids and other attractions like Boom Hollow, Time Shock Therapy, Left Field, LA Liquor & Croquet, Casbah and Bass Cave added variety. The Pink Pussy Palace was the place to be on Friday night and was rivaled in adult content only by the Miss Apogaea Contest & Fashion Show on Saturday. On Sunday morning, Bible Camp held a 9 am devotional, where the faithful could be cleansed of last night’s sins and have a breakfast of wine & cheese served up by an un-robed Virgin Mary.
The Apogaea regional gathering was lots of fun and in the finest tradition of Burning Man.
Jun 12, 2006