On Thursday (02 SEP) I went on The Pink Ride led by Halcyon. The Pink Ride is a part of his Hug Nation movement that takes place both on and off the playa. At the core, Hug Nation is about advancing the notion that the world and those in it would rather hug you than hurt you. Halcyon is carrying forward the mission that he and his Grandpa Caleb started not long after 9/11, and it’s a beautiful thing.
We gathered at Pink Heart Camp around noon (playa time) and eventually made the ride to center camp where we essentially flash mobbed the place to hold an impromptu Hug Nation. Even the capoeira performers that we ambushed joined in the hug. I left shortly thereafter, but Halcyon then led the remaining contingent out to the Temple for more story telling and contemplative time. I definitely want to stick around for that next time.
There are many pics of The Pink Ride on Halcyon’s Flickr stream, but I’ve uploaded the ones where I found myself somewhere in the image.