Walter the Giant VW Bus zips across the Playa at 5 MPH with his flag flying proudly. In another life, he was a fire truck.
Having owned and wandered in a 1976 VW Camper Van from 1976 to 1983, I felt an immediate attachment to Walter, the giant VW Bus. I decided to look into his past. Most of Burning Man’s Mutant Vehicles have lived full and meaningful lives by the time they make it to Black Rock City. Walter, it turns out, started life in 1963 as a Walter Crash Truck at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. He took his name from the Company. The Crash came from the fact that he was supposed to show up at an airplane crash site before anyone else and spray flame retardant on the highly volatile jet fuel. It was “BOOM” and kiss your hose goodbye if he failed. Beyond that there was a lot of sitting around and waiting. That’s the life of an airport fire truck.
Next, Walter made his way to a less dramatic but still important role with the New River Fire Department north of Phoenix. From there he retired to the Gold King Ghost Mine just outside of Jerome, Arizona as an antique to be admired. Don Robertson, the owner of the mine, likes old things and, judging from photos, is something of an antique himself. Walter would have been happy to spend his retirement years rusting away there— and he would have except for one of those strange quirks of fate.
Numerous vintage VW Buses make their way up the mountain annually to the Jerome Jamboree and camp out at the ghost mine. Kirk Strawn, who was among the participants in 2003, had just read an article on Burning Man. He saw Walter and fell in love. He didn’t see an aging fire truck; he saw a giant VW Bus. Walter was about to be reborn. Kirk traded a 1979 VW Camper for Walter and moved him to an old lumberyard in Scottsdale where a crew of dedicated volunteers, Tribe Walter, began the transformation process. Six years later, Walter made his first trip to Burning Man, and according to all reports, loved the event.
I found this VW Camper Van in Jerome, Arizona when I was there two years ago. I wonder if it was the van traded for Walter? I’ve never seen more bumper stickers on a single vehicle. My favorite: “Heavily Medicated for Your Safety.”
For those of you who crave details: Walter is 30 feet long, 13 feet tall, and weighs 19,500 pounds. He has a 330-gallon water tank for an on board misting system. His nights are lit up by some 10,000 plus LED lights. You can learn more about this interesting Mutant Vehicle at Walter the Bus.
Walter lit up with his LED lights.
Altogether, there were close to a thousand applications for Mutant Vehicles at Burning Man in 2015. It was too many for the event and the Burning Man Organization, BMO, limited the number of permits to 600. I agree with the decision. Biking and walking take precedence. Still, I can’t help but wonder what wondrous creations didn’t make the cut. On the other hand, I didn’t have time to even start to appreciate all of the vehicles that were there. Here are a few more before I move on to my next topic: There was an old woman who lived in a shoe, and other Burning Man sculptures.
My friend Tom tempts the King of Beasts by snoozing on his tongue. The sign says, “Burning Man, it’s ok I guess.”
The King of Beasts at night. Maybe Tom wouldn’t have been so ready to jump in his mouth…
I’d get off the track for this giant train engine.
What’s a train without a caboose?
Where’s Alice?
Spider woman?
How about a kiss? Come on, you know you love me.
The fish in front has a big problem.
The fish at night. Still dodging his toothy pursuer.
The airship (blimp) is ready to launch…
I decided this “Mad Max” vehicle deserved a World War II black and white photo look.
Giddy Up!
Giant bug. Big teeth have always been “in” at Burning Man.
I decided this is a cow but I could be wrong. Her herder is walking along beside.
Modern art in an urban setting.
I’ll conclude with this big lipped Narwhal. (Photo by Don Green.)
Wandering through Time and Place 
Walter is so true to design, it’s hard to tell how big he is until you look close and see the people!
I think I read it was exactly a 2:1 ratio, Susan. –Curt
For some reason, the ‘cow’ thing appealed most and made me laugh. I think it’s the sheepish expression. The airship is pretty stunning too.
The ‘cow’ did have a humorous expression. It looked friendly. I was ready to climb on the airship and sail off across the desert, Hilary. –Curt
Oh dear, there are far too many people crammed into that bus for this introvert’s taste. 😉
Peggy made a similar comment Carrie. Once she pointed it out I had to agree. –Curt
Reblogged this on Nevada State Personnel WATCH.
Thanks for the reblog again! –Curt
What an amazing collection of vehicles. Especially love Walter and the train engine.
Two of my favorites as well, Peggy. –Curt
Well, VW vans featured in many lives. The big Walter takes the cake. It would have been rather spacious. Is it legal?
I believe it is legal, Gerard. –Curt
I’ve always had a soft spot for the name Walter! Amazing pictures.
Thanks Kayti. Amazing pictures are easy at Burning Man. –Curt
Curt I have run out of adjectives for these posts. Basically my jaw just hangs open while my brain tries to imagine what it would be like to see these in person. Wow pure and simple. Keep the giant bug away please and thanks. 🙂
You are very welcome Sue. Sculptures are up next! –Curt
The mutant vehicles are always fun – Walter is a sweetie!
Just think all of the animals you could fit in there. 🙂 –Curt
Oh, I love Walter.
Water had personality plus. 🙂
I have fond childhood memories of parading in a VW beetle decked out as the Great A & W Rootbear. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/113434484336115198/ …and Volkswagen will always be my favorite hippie-car! -Ginette
Checked for the site, Ginette, but it took me somewhere else. I did want to see your AW/VW. 🙂 I remember how upset my first mother-in-law was because I planned on buying a bug. She definitely saw it as a hippie car! –Curt
Oops, not sure how that happened, here’s our bug…https://whitepostcards.wordpress.com/2014/05/11/follow-the-great-root-bear-to-aw/?preview_id=663&preview_nonce=32452232bb&post_format=standard&preview=true
That is fun Ginette. Thanks for sharing. My girlfriend in high school worked at an A&W. It was always my favorite root beer. 🙂 –Curt
Oh I do hope that Walter hailed from Jerome Arizona!
Great post. Thank you.
That he did, at least for part of his life as an aging firetruck. 🙂 Thanks for your kind words. –Curt
I actually saw Walter during his time in the Verde Valley. So happy to see he is well and thriving.
Very well, thank you. 🙂 I believed he returned home to the Verde Valley after Burning Man, JoHanna. –Curt
I love the train engine and the caboose. I just don’t have the attachment to the VW bug and van culture, I guess, even though I owned a bug. But, I’ll still admire Walter. I’m just not sure I’d want to ride in him. His photo gives me the sense he’d be as claustrophobia-inducing as Mardi Gras.
Well, Walter was a bit crowded. I like the term claustrophobia-inducing for Mardi Gras. That is exactly how I felt. I remember having to move with the crowd because that was the only option. I enjoyed the floats and the play but not the mob. I had the sense if anything went wrong, there would be no escape. –Curt
Thanks for Walter’s story and stats! That’s one amazing vehicle. My faves here are the narwhal and the Rasta cat. There are so many mutant vehicles. Just can’t get over it. It’s a non-stop show there at Burning Man.
“It’s a non-stop show there at Burning Man.” Yes it is Crystal. 24 hours a day. 🙂 –Curt
I can’t believe there were over 1,000 applicants to bring vehicles to BM. Wow! I feel as if I live under a rock never knowing that this whole mutant vehicle show is unfolding in the desert annually. And as a 60s girl myself, I can’t resist the iconic VW bus as my favorite!!
The thousand applications floored me as well. People keep upping the ante at Burning Man in terms of both art and mutant vehicles. It was the 70s before I goth around to it, but I owned both a VW Bug and a VW van (much to my ex-mother-in-law’s mortification who thought them far too hippyish. :)) –Curt
That train was missing Joe Isuzu. 😉 Indeed, what an astounding collection of one-of-a-kind vehicles. My favorite was the Mad Max copycat, with the imaginative weaponry, perfectly finished in B&W. But Walter… Man, that was an engineering masterpiece. How he could keep that diesel engine cool?!
Joe probably would have fit in. Lot’s of Mad Max type vehicles make it to Burning Man, Koji. There is a whole camp of them known as Death Camp.