The Lake Satoshi Report
A Glimpse into a Decentralized Future Where Trust, Technology & Community Converge
- Author - soul exporter
An unexpected start
When Jon promoted Lake Satoshi on the Meshtadel group and the Ungovernable Misfits podcast, it sounded intriguing. My wife, eager to visit the USA, was surprisingly on board when I jokingly suggested we turn Lake Satoshi into a family trip. That’s how our journey began—a blend of Bitcoin, exploration, and adventure across the American Midwest.
When Max and Jon organized a friendly “Closest Guess Contest” on how many miles Bubba and his wife would drive with their truck that week, I threw in a dad-joke funny and probably irrelevant number as I like to do: 2420 (‘to four twenty’)
*/sreenshot/*
Even with my questionable guess, I was the closest one that was able to attend, securing one free entry (thanks, Bubba!).
Winning a ticket to Lake Satoshi felt like a sign.
The correct answer was by the way a mind blowing 8500miles in one week 🤯
From there, the planning kicked into high gear. Flights, side activities, and road trip logistics were all on the table. Jon recommended we visit Rev Hodl’s farm, adding another layer of Bitcoin Pleb excitement to our itinerary.
The Road trip
After some deliberation, we decided on a route that would take us from Chicago to Rev’s farm, then to Lake Satoshi(*1*) , and finally to Niagara Falls. We’d fly into Chicago, visit the city for two days, spend another two at Rev’s farm, two more at Lake Satoshi, and then cap off the trip with two nights in Niagara before flying home from Buffalo. It was an ideal prep for Lake Satoshi—a mix of Bitcoin, nature, and classic American road tripping. This itinerary is something I’d recommend to any European Bitcoiner, especially those who appreciate the principles of permaculture. Just realize that Niagara Falls offers a very different vibe from Lake Satoshi: it is fiat vs Bitcoin 😁!
Arriving at Lake Satoshi
With our road trip well underway, we focused on Lake Satoshi. I hadn’t bought tickets in advance, being too enthralled by the journey to worry about the details. On Jon’s recommendation, we arranged for an RV to be delivered to the venue for some added comfort while traveling with the family. That was our first priority.
After a few delays—thanks to the classic “Papa, I need to pee urgently” just after passing the last gas station—we arrived just in time, or maybe a bit late, to meet the RV folks. The only indication that we were at the right place was an orange fluorescent arrow. A bit further on, we found a large hangar with cars, the registration building, and a scattering of big trucks and heavy-duty vehicles. Yes, we had arrived—at a quarry.
The first person we met was PF, who, with his bearded, friendly demeanor, seemed like Santa Claus in summer disguise. I initially thought he was just another visitor, but he quickly explained that admission was a symbolic $21, payable in cash or Sats. Before I could get my bearings, I received a call from the RV rental family. PF instantly reassured me, saying, “Don’t worry, man. Get settled first. We’ll take care of the admission later. “
Settling In
The RV arrived slowly, the drivers unsure if they were at the right place, guided only by that same fluorescent arrow. After a quick introduction, we were surrounded by friendly faces, helping hands guiding us to our spot next to the lake, complete with electricity and water hookups. To reach this idyllic location, we drove along a dusty road that wound between the lake and the forest, eventually passing a sign that read “Bitcoin Beach North. ” It was a different world within the same terrain—spacious, peaceful, and perfectly suited for the event.
Our RV spot was ideal, offering comfort and convenience, but there were plenty of other great spots for tents among the trees, a beach with kayaks and SUPs for the kids (and the young-at-heart adults), a playground, a half-court for basketball, and a pavilion with tables, benches, and a gas grill. It was the perfect setup for a family-friendly Bitcoin gathering.
The Lake Satoshi Experience
From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed by a whirlwind of introductions. Unsure whether to use my real name or my nickname, I opted for both, creating a unique form of self-imposed anonymity—thanks to my unusual pronunciation, I’m sure not many fully caught either! 😊With all the kindness and friendliness, I briefly wondered if I had stumbled upon some sort of cult. We decided to take a breather and do some grocery shopping, during which I bought three tickets via Oshi, just to be safe. When we returned and I mentioned the tickets to PF, he nearly insisted on refunding the entry fee for the kids. I had read something in the Telegram channel about kids under a certain age getting in for free, but at $21 per person—food, drinks, and RV amenities included—it was still a fantastic deal. Even so, all the proceeds from the event are donated to a good cause! Pay it forward! 💕
The whole event felt spacious and uncrowded, a perfect venue for meeting up with fellow Meshtadelians. Despite the challenge of matching nicknames to real-life faces, especially after a few beers, the sense of camaraderie was palpable. It felt less like meeting strangers and more like reconnecting with friends I simply hadn’t met yet.
A Unique Gathering
Lake Satoshi was a beautifully unstructured event, built on well-organized preparation. Yes, there was a speaker schedule (which I mostly missed), food and drinks for every meal, and plenty of facilities. But the overall vibe was one of freedom and flexibility, an atmosphere where anything seemed possible. In a way, Lake Satoshi embodies the most positive aspects of anarchy—no top-down rules, just friendly requests and advice. Everyone seemed motivated to do the right thing, driven by a natural peer pressure to maintain the event’s laid-back yet respectful atmosphere.
Reflections on Lake Satoshi
Was Lake Satoshi perfect? Surely not, there are always some minor issues,. . . like enthusiastic conversations growing loud enough to disrupt the speaker sessions. But these were quickly resolved, with folks being asked to chat outside the presentation area and one mom taking the kids to the beach for a playgroup.
What struck me most was the community spirit. Unlike other Bitcoin events where developers and influencers dominate, Lake Satoshi was a gathering of builders—mechanics, farmers, and other hands-on workers who are creating the future they want to see. It was a place where ideas and projects were born out of a genuine desire to build a better world, not just in the digital realm but in tangible, everyday life.
And then it hit me: Lake Satoshi wasn’t just a Bitcoin event. It was a gathering of social engineers—not the kind trying to manipulate systems, but those building social bonds and communities grounded in freedom. Freedom not in the sense of privacy or anonymity, but in the ability to transact openly with trusted peers.
In truth I feel jealous, for it has become clear to me… the first real-life, physical manifestation of the Meshtadel spirit is being built in Michigan. And for that one and a half day, we were lucky enough to be a part of it.
The Power of Community in Action
Lake Satoshi was a microcosm of a world where community, trust, and social bonds took precedence over commerce and profit (& influencers). The interactions I witnessed and participated in during my time there left a lasting impression—showing that, in a culture where technology often dominates (Bitcoin is and will always be code 😊), human connection remains at the core of what truly matters.
One of the most striking aspects of Lake Satoshi was the way people naturally took care of one another. It wasn’t just about Bitcoin or technology; it was about creating a community where everyone felt included and supported. This was evident in the way as I mentioned before Otis’ wife, without hesitation, took charge of a whole bunch of kids, leading them to the lakeside for a playgroup. It wasn’t planned or organized—she simply saw a need and filled it, allowing the speakers & audience less distraction while other parents could relax and engage with the event, knowing their children were in good hands.
This sense of communal care extended beyond just the children. Vendors at the event, instead of guarding their stands closely, would often abandon them, leaving their goods out, sometimes with a QR code for payment. They trusted that their fellow attendees would pay fairly, even in their absence. It wasn’t just about making a sale; it was about fostering an environment of mutual respect and trust. I found this particularly inspiring.
My Experiment in Value
I was there with some clothing I had designed—an experiment, really. I wasn’t there to focus on the sales but rather to see how people would respond if I left the value of my goods up to them. I highjacked a table from Jon and soon followed the example of other vendors by leaving a simple note: people could find me or my son somewhere at the event and pay whatever they deemed the clothing was worth.
For me, interacting with the people present was far more important than haggling over prices. This experiment forces buyers to be more mindful of their purchases, to consider the value not just in monetary terms but in terms of what the item meant to them personally.
The trade I am most proud of came out of this experiment. I had been eyeing a board game that I first saw at Rev’s farm (Mission Bitcoin), thinking it would be a great addition to our family collection. When I mentioned this to SeB, the seller surprised me by suggesting a trade—a hoodie from my collection in exchange for the game. It was a perfect reflection of the atmosphere at Lake Satoshi, where value was seen not just in Bitcoin but in the connections we were building and the shared experiences we were creating.
Trust, Freedom, and the Social Layer of Bitcoin
Thus Lake Satoshi provided a powerful reminder of the importance of the social layer in Bitcoin. In a system where money no longer requires trust—thanks to Bitcoin’s decentralized nature—we can bring that trust back into our social relationships and interactions. This creates a space where we can build bridges between like-minded individuals, fostering networks of trust that provide a sense of belonging.
In a world where technology often seems to distance us from one another, Lake Satoshi was a reminder that it’s possible to create spaces where trust, community, and human connection are at the forefront. It’s in these spaces that the true potential of Bitcoin—and any layer or even broader technology on top of that base layer—can be realized.
At Lake Satoshi, we as a whole, challenged traditional economic models and explored what it means to build a community in the digital age. The social bonds we formed were far more valuable than any transaction could be.
It became a practical example that removing trust from money allows us to reintroduce that trust into our social relationships.
This shift is about more than just financial transactions; it’s about building bridges between like-minded individuals, creating social networks that foster a sense of belonging and trust. This stands in stark contrast to the mindset that fuels the reliance on privacy coins—a mindset rooted in fear rather than hopefulness.
At Lake Satoshi, the concept of trust was not tied to the anonymity of transactions, but to the openness of the community.
For once you are able to trade with your neighbors, I would dare to challenge any chain analysis company to try to root out who owns which coin and did which trade. It isn’t possible by just tracing transactions, one would need a deep understanding the human connections even IF they would be aware of each transaction (and not each transaction happens on-chain).
Reflecting on the state attack on Samurai, which was a big blow on the privacy potential of Bitcoin, I believe the answer doesn’t lie in seeking more privacy through alternative cryptocurrencies. Any currency other than Bitcoin, in my view, operates at the wrong level. The real solution lies in rethinking the problem from a social perspective, rather than merely a technical one. However I do understand if someone wants to use any tool to hide from the state (to name one example), I do not recommend to use any tool as a replacement. On a personal level, I remind myself: any weapon you use incorrectly, puts you in more danger than your adversary 😊 (read: I would probably fuck up using for example Monero and just put a big target on myself)
Reclaiming Trust and Community
Historically money originally emerged as an abstraction of barter, allowing us to trade with those whose services or products we didn’t immediately need. Yet, over time, we’ve drifted too far from the social element of trade. The internet, in particular, has spoiled us with the convenience of global shopping—enabling us to buy products from halfway around the world without ever considering the needed interactions and conversions that underpin those transactions. We’ve become accustomed to a system where multiple layers of conversion—between currencies, cultures (and means of transport), and languages—happen invisibly in the background. This abstraction, while convenient, has distanced us from the social aspects of trade.
Bitcoin, however, with its unique characteristic of absolute scarcity and its globally auditable supply and at same time global availability, removes the need for a big part of these conversions. It offers a universal measure of value that transcends borders and simplifies transactions. But for Bitcoin to fully realize its potential, we need to reconnect with the social relationships that make trade meaningful.
This is where the concept of a “Meshtadel” comes into play. As I said, at Lake Satoshi, I witnessed a Meshtadel taking a physical form, and I hope to see replicated around the world— thus the beginnings of forming a global loose network of physical Meshtadels. Not just gatherings or events, but thriving communities where social bonds are as important as the technology that underpins them. In these spaces, Bitcoin isn’t just a currency; it’s a tool for building trust, fostering collaboration, and creating a sense of belonging.
Imagine a world where Meshtadels form a global mesh network of communities, each interconnected yet self-sufficient, bound together by shared values and a common vision. These communities would represent the true potential of Bitcoin—not just as a decentralized currency, but as a catalyst for social change. By focusing on the social layer, we can reclaim the trust that has been lost in our increasingly digital and impersonal world, and build a future where technology serves to enhance, rather than replace, our human connections.
In the end, it’s not about hiding behind ‘privacy coins’ or seeking refuge in alternative currencies. It’s about building the social relationships that can make those tools unnecessary. Lake Satoshi in Michigan is just the beginning—a prototype for what could become a global network of Meshtadels, where trust, community, and social bonds are the foundation of a new, more connected world….
Fireside Reflections: Proof of Concept
These thoughts did not come out of the blue when seeing Lake Satoshi. As you could read in the start of this writing, our trip took us to Rev Hodl’s farm.
As I sat in the evening with Rev Hodl by the fire, alongside my son, the conversations we had were more than just idle chats—they were a prelude to these realizations that would crystallize at Lake Satoshi. Watching Rev and his family work on their farm, I saw a living embodiment of what it means to integrate and nurture every part of an ecosystem, from the land to the animals, and even the people who enter his life. Rev and his family aren’t rulers of their domain, bending it to their will with heavy machinery. Instead, they are gentle stewards, guiding the land with subtle interventions that allow new paths to flourish.
This approach goes beyond the physical land; it extends to the animals they raise, the pets they keep, and even the wild creatures that share the same space. Rev’s philosophy of care doesn’t stop at the edge of his property—it includes the neighbors, the guests at their B&B, and even the Bitcoin miners on the farm, which serve a dual purpose in the ecosystem. The family has cultivated a web of interdependencies, much like a mycelium network, where each small connection strengthens the whole, benefiting the land, its caretakers, and the broader community among other things as one of the driving forces behind what I start to call in my head “the Michigan Meshtadel”.
These fireside talks with Rev Hodl served as a lens through which I could see the social fabric of Lake Satoshi in a new light. Our discussions naturally drifted to the social aspects of Bitcoin and the potential, as well as the limitations, of Bitcoin and the Lightning Network (LN). In the past, I conceptualized the idea of the Rings of Fire, which I entrusted to the ‘Connect the World’ team (they took the concept to a whole new level). However, one of the limitations I’ve come to realize is that the LN will never fully replace the legacy financial system due to issues like pathfinding, which LN critics rightly point out.
Yet, the bigger insight I gained, both at Rev’s farm and later at Lake Satoshi, is this critical importance of the social aspect of trade—something that often gets overlooked in our digital age. Instead of trying to create a generic network of payment channels that can handle all transactions by hopping through various nodes, what if we focused on building networks that reflect our social connections? What if the channels we open on the LN aren’t just random connections, but representations of the trust and relationships we’ve built?
This might seem like a side story, but it’s a crucial one. At Lake Satoshi, I witnessed the Michigan network taking shape before my eyes. And imagined (and discussed about this idea) how these interactions could be even more private by only (or at least mostly) involving the parties present and thus not leaving any big onchain traces.
Although I’m a distant participant, my interactions with the people there have been meaningful enough to establish a few key connections that anchor me to their growing momentum. Even if it’s just once a year, these connections pull me into the community, reinforcing the bonds that have been formed. So I already ponder and wonder if I should also make some relevant LN channels to make a distant connection to some of the spokes of the Michigan network surrounding Lake Satoshi. 😊
If my dreams could materialize into reality, I would love to create a local version of Lake Satoshi—a Meshtadel in my own community. However, I doubt that I would ever be able to even think of a way to replicate the intricate, well-oiled machine that’s being built in Michigan. What they’ve achieved is more than just an event; it’s a thriving social network that mirrors the best aspects of Bitcoin: decentralized, resilient, and rooted in mutual trust.
As I reflect on these experiences, it becomes clear that the future of Bitcoin is not just about technology, but about the social structures we build around it. The Michigan Meshtadel is just the beginning, a prototype for what could be a global network of interconnected communities. And while I may not be able to replicate it exactly, the lessons I’ve learned from Rev Hodl and Lake Satoshi will undoubtedly influence how I approach building my own social networks, both online and off.
In the end, the real power of Bitcoin lies not in its code, but in the communities that form around it, and in Michigan I saw it is possible.
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