Effigy -- Art -- More Art -- Cranky -- Yum -- Creek -- Camp -- Caber Toss -- Moulin Tradge -- Nose Dive -- Effigy Night -- Fire Play -- Burn

Flipside is unmistakably a Texas regional. The hippie love's still happening but these folks aren't averse to a little barroom brawl once in a while. It's just high spirits, and when not brawling, these Burners are among the friendliest. And boy is there a lot of BBQ. The art's all well and good but if you're out camping with a bunch of nice folks, it better be an outdoor cookout.

Speaking of art, just about the most beautiful thing there was when the guy opened both sides of his big-ass smoker which was stuffed with sweating animals of several species and sweet potatoes ... all those lovely gleaming shades of brown, let me tell you I was surely glad to be where I was just then. And he had competitors too.

Maple syrup on bacon-sausage-and-cheese breakfast-calzone-French-toast? She said trust me, and I did. And I did right to.

YUM dispensed a taste of anything one wanted. Given the expanse of possibilities, my request was on the pedestrian side, since I asked for a real and obtainable food. Although not easily obtainable. A British Burner lady who now lives in the mountains in California with a bunch of manly backwoodsmen had promised she'd try to get me some bear! You can only get that from a hunter; it's not available from the butcher because unlike elk and deer and alligators, bear aren't raised on farms, and hunter-shot meat can't be sold. The butcher said she has seen it though, and smelled it -- very musky, she wouldn't want any of that, she said, and I was more intrigued than ever. Well, the British woman said she'd bring it to Xara if she managed to get some. And she did manage it, but Xara got cancelled, so she brought it to Freedom Fest which was organized as a substitute, but I wasn't there.

So I closed my eyes, YUM put some jerky in my mouth, and someone running by made it more believable by shouting "You're eating poo!" It was as good as could be hoped for. But that big musky bear steak still eludes me.

The point of this story is I'm hoping the reader will recognize there's a need, and will help if possible. I live in the greater LA conurbation and have no hunter friends. I once talked to someone from Minnesota who assured me the locals there eat fox. Bear, fox, bobcat, elephant, folks, if you get a hold of some, try to remember I would surely appreciate a taste. Bring it to Burning Man; I camp at Bad Idea Theater this year.

	Text and images © 2007 D. Aline Lurie	-->