Tix sold out for inclusive event Burning Man
Part 1 of an 8 Part Series - Prepping for Burning Man
As Crunch Valley prepares to send investigative reporters into the "inclusive," "decommodifying" retreat for the white and wealthy, we will be profiling one veteran party goer every month to get a sense of the what Burning Man truly is.
Meet Leland "L.D." Derbyshire, King of his Gore-Tex Bedouin Domain
When we first met Leland DePaul (“L.D.” of “Lee Dee”) Derbyshire, he was gearing up for Burning Man 2019. A ten-year Burning Man veteran, there's not much else that gets the for-profit-dialysis-company heir excited these days.
"Ever since I first started coming, when I finished college back East, I fell in love with Burning Man. I just, I relate so much to the people here. It's hard when you're born into money, you feel like an outsider, so when Burning Man rolls around, and everyone pretends they're not rich, it's great. No money, no problem. You just better have brought enough stuff to trade. That's why I shop early. Burning Man's motto is "decommodify" so I make sure I scratch all the brand names off my shit."
We asked Lee Dee what his list of “must have” items was, and he gave us the following tips:
“Getting around can hard, so I like to have a mode of transportation,” Lee Dee said. He recommends a Yamaha ATV YXZ1000R SS (MSPR $18,999).
“The YXZ is great. It’s nimble and good on gas. And it can pull a trailer, which is essential. I recommend the XT1500 Off-Road ATV Trailer. It’s not too expensive so you can just leave it when the event is over.” XT1500 Off-road ATV trailer (MSRP $379).
“Tent’s are essential. I buy a a Mountain Hardware Space Station tent ever year, cause I don’t like the smells that are retained.” Mountain Hardware Space Station (MSRP $4,125)
“Lastly, I’d say a cooler. It gets hot and you need a lot of water.” Lee Dee says he lives and dies by his Yeti Tundra 350. (MSRP $1,299).
When we asked about drugs and alcohol, Lee Dee replied, “more and more people are going sober and doing, like, fasting and yoga, or bringing their Pilates instructors. But, there’s still some partying. I usually bring about three grand in cocaine and a thousand in marijuana. I used to bring acid, but I’m getting a little old for that.”
And so, with a check for a mere $35,000 from Crunchy Valley corporate, our reporters were off to procure the bare necessities for the world’s foremost display or bourgeois escapism.
