I-80 Exit 46 is a good place for long drive to Gerlach ...
... & Gerlach here I come ...
Oooops ...
"Accidents line the route, including ...
this one that required a helicopter ride"
Mirror, mirror on the car ... how do I look?
City of Empire ... they should have a desert party too!
2 hours from I-80 later ... Gerlach!
Normally, all they watch is the cars rust, but NOW the locals have Burning Man ...
Buying a bike and leaving it is not a bad idea (just bring a lock) ...
Gettin' food ready for the
lunch crowd to come ...
What ... more space?
1st "sign" of Burning Man ...
... and still a long road to drive
... 20 minutes from Gerlach ...
... and 2 checkpoints & a "virgin" gong ring ...
... I parked for 1 week at "No Name Camp"
Neighbor on the east side ...
View to the north BEFORE the big trucks moved in ...
"Safety #3 Camp" to the west ...
My 1st Mutant Vehicle sighting ...
... cool!
Territorial boundries are set ... dust is starting to fly ...
Who remembers the neighborhood Bookmoble?
Tents of all sizes ...
... colors ...
... comforts are constructed ...
... with the dome design VERY popular!
Desert floor ...
,,, sucks the moisture from your bare feet
Experienced Burners for sure ...
Sofas will start to form around this guy
as the hours & days pass ...
Did anybody see the instructions?
A traveling western saloon ...
... I like it!
Streets are Esplanade + A-L and 2:00-10:00
in a horseshoe design ...
Solar panels ARE the way to go ...
Ya' gotta have water (or lots of beer) ...
Fire-Breathing Mutant Vehicles ...
Under Construction ...
... see it later on the Playa
"Turtle Camp" ...
... one of their Mutant Vehicles ...
... and one of the "Turtle Camp-ers"
My north view is disappearing slowly ...
"I can do this ...
... see I told u so ...
... whoa ...
... ouch ...
... I gotta park this guy ...
How about a bike?
1st Burning Man sighting
at 8:30 am (before the 1st burning) ...
Now THAT'S a bug!
1 of 3 coffins I saw ...
... BIGHEAT was a grill
"Get your pancakes here, get your hot pancakes ...
"WE DRUM & DRINK" - they gotta be a fun camp ...
Something for everyone ... ouch!
Esplanade ... the inner street on the PLAYA
"Bubble Lounge" ... Leroy & Kirk (I remember!)
Ice lines were the ONLY lines I saw ....
Burning Man radio ... 94.5
Anyone see an "egg" around hear?
Some people have the best toys ...
The center street at the furthest point out ...
Orange pole ... 6:30 G address
(use them AFTER people steal the street signs)
Guys NEED to bring a dress ... mandatory!
See Burning Man in the far distance?
She don't need no stinkin' horsepower,
she's got MANPOWER ...
Dome assembly requires team work ... a big team!
Sofas just appeared one-by-one around this centerpiece ...
If you could drive it, that WOULD be cool!
"Under Construction"
Subway was "Under Construction" continuously ...
Noon time on Esplanade ...
Official Post Office with Black Rock City postmark
... but bring your own stamps!
"Whoa ...
... we need a close-up of this!"
"Mini dust storm ...
... cool!
(NOTE: they make a whistle sound when you go through it)
"Safety 3rd Camp" ... Desert kayak ride anyone?
The sunset stick walk ...
... heading somewhere ...
Desert shadows are unique ...
"Where the Burning Man was the night before the ...
... 1st un-anounced buring
(notice my shadow pointing at the spot?)"
If she jumps off now, it's a long way down ...
My first sunset ...
Day 3 begins @ 8:00am ...
"Veggie Oil Powered VW"
The SUPER Shower
It's obvious, some people prefer to be alone ...
... really alone!
"NOW that's a pARTy stash!"
"No SHORTAGE of space in this van (hee hee)"
"Our Lady of Schlongs Camp"
Isle of Denial ...
This is Star Wars ...
... check out the footprints!
This guy will be a sub-of-sorts ... soon!
A spot for everyone ...
... & everyone for a spot!
Biking was popular ...
... and and often had a good end(s) to their story.
Interesting vehicle ...
... and real interesting dude!
"Wait a minute ...
... can u see the driver?
How about now?
"MY favorite mutant vehicle for sure!"
"Fore ...
... or is that three?"
I don't think I could be a fireman!
Where's my mountains?
Porta-Potty reading ...
"Let's here it for CouchSurfing.com"
"Tent city residents ...
... for people who like people ...
... a lot of people"
"If I stretch real hard, I think I can touch it"
"Dresses are almost mandatory for ALL guys
... u never catch a girl wearing one though!"
"An extra sock ...
... never hurt"
"Run-A-Way Bill's" personal front porch
"Boys will be ???"
Day 4 begins at 9:30 am ...
The FOOT SPA is needed unless u r a shoe & sock person ...
Fire, fire, fire ... they love it!
The ONLY line was for ice at Arctica ...
Coffin # 2 ...
FREE pancakes?
The far NorthWest ...
"Camp PartyTime" ...
... from 12-5 daily ... pARTy On!
"Puttin' 4 Pabst" ... everybody PARTY!
It's the sub ...
... I told you about.
FREE roller skating in the desert ... with shoes!
THIS would be good desert sleeping ...
... & there's a whole camp of them.
Early steam-pwered RV ...
Don't mess with this girl ...
FREE bokks & root beer ...
Here's the device ...
... & here are the directions
Mini RV ...
IF you dress normal, you will look wierd!
"Safety 3rd Camp" bike course
"I'm impressed ...
... how about you?"
"STEP 1, place head in bell ...
STEP 2, strike bell with big stick.
Another dust in the distance.
Man in the desert, wearing a skirt, & sewing
... only at Burning Man!
Do you see what I see?
"Slow the Fuck down!" as the shout goes.
Here comes the first big dust (not sand) storm ...
... and it lasted about 50 minutes.
"I should have closed my van windows!"
Smokers can light a cigarette ANYWHERE!
Then it's time for damage repairs ...
... and spear chucking"
Let's clean up this place ...
Well, at least I don't have to walk OR peddle.
Major damage - tent's gone, table smashed, tent flattened ...
... but the spider survived the 1st storm.
Wasn't there a canopy here a few minutes ago?
Small 5 minute aftershock ...
WOW ... a real book mobile (from the inside) ...
... with FREE books!
Day 5 Begins at 9:10 am ...
ANOTHER fire-maker ...
The recycled art gallery inside a
recycled carboard building ... cool!
Desert art gallery ...
LOOK ... they fixed the Burning Man ...
... now they can burn him a 2nd time!
One of those foptprints is mine ...
... and I'm touching future ash!
A Hexa-what?
If ONLY my knees would hold still ...
... it would be a great view!
I can do this ...
In the distance is the Oil Tower set to burn ...
Symbolic PRAISE to oil ..
What's this?
... LOOK, it's a ...
... piano slingshot!
I climbed up on one of these ... and I didn't like it! ...
... and see how far the Oil God is from this point.
Close ...
... closer ...
... closer ...
... closest!
This temple was burned to the ground too ...
"IF you want solitude ...
... you can have solitude"
That's the Burning Man way in the distance ...
Tent back up & camp back in order agaain ...
FREE sofa anyone?
The foot course (of course) ...
"Safety 3rd Camp" with the Stuffed Animal Sling ...
... target - - - EVERYONE!
READY for release ...
... AIM ...
"BEAR in the AIR ... heading for the bare-breasted ...
"Another bear in the air heading at Unicycle Girl"
FREE Gatorade stop ...
"Safety 3rd Camp" Annual Bitch Slap Fights
Dust storm #2 hits on Day 5 ...
... and it was a bad one!
The spider didn't make it this time ...
... and neither did this camp
My home got dirty ...
... really dirty! ...
... but NOW it's night and pARTy Time!
Day 6 begins at 6:54am ...
The PLAYA is hard until we humans loosen it up ...
Renting is a lot less mess at the end
Gateway to the OUTBACK & the "Let-Me-Aloners"
Fresh Virginia Beach bike tracks ...
... and they're folllowing me!"
"What Am I" is the question on the sign
4:15 Landfill ... could u find this place?
He don't need no stinkin' RV or tent ...
These guys are from Fallon, Nevada ...
This truck is ALMOST older than me ...
LOOK, it's that sub-thing again ...
Is this my bed?
Wake me when it's time to go to pARTy again ...
"Got Viagra?" (the sign asks)
Dancing before 8 am?
Oh, yeah!
Roaming music machines ...
... and fully staffed 24 hours a day.
WOW ... they're everywhere!
Can u see the HURT in TRUTH?
TRUTH has 2 sides ... (actually 3 sides -
your side, my side & the real truth)
The subway is nearing completion ...
... and just ...
... a few more touches ...
... and there - it's done!
"Art IS ...
... Imagination"
A bubble in the morning sun ...
... and another big one ...
... and everyone likes bubbles!
Dancing alone ...
... or with a group before 9 am is good!
Not EVERYONE is dancin' in the mornin' ...
Did anyone see my rider?
Mommy & Daddy have a toy horse too ...
Oops, it broke ...
LOOK ... a water square!
Down the street from me at 5:30 & G is ...
... a pool table AND ...
... Coffin #3 with Home Brew Man Camp ...
root beer, hard cider & beer from a casket tap!
didn't we just put this up a couple days ago?
Horseshoes flying in the air ...
Full-scale recycle process of all food wastes ...
Now THAT'S a see-saw ...
3 Cheers for "Vertical Camp" ... hip-hip-hip hooray!"
One of the best places to ...
... have a look AROUND ...
... & around ...
... & around (see dust storm?) ...
The PLAYA is hugh ...
... bigger than you can see!
See "Vertical Camp" in the rear?
It's Mini-Man!
The BIG squirt ...
... & it's COLD!
LOOK, a cone head ...
Y ...
... M ...
... C ...
... A!
DAMN, that's cold!
I want a couch with a coffee table ...
Bike limbo ahead ...
... whoa, where's our bikes?
"Safety 3rd Camp" & the Limbo Bike Ride Gauntlet
Tonight is the final night ...
... the final sunset ...
... the final glimpse of the PLAYA ...
... pARTy On! Burning Man!
Lining up HOURS for the burning ...
All's quite on the PLAYA at 7:30 ...
... but 2 hours later the man turns green before he turns to flame.
Day 6 begins at 7:15 am ... EVERYTHING has gotta go!
"Barbie & Ken sex-a-thon ..."
The Oil Tower worshopers are left ...
... but the tower is just twisted
MELTED metal & timber ashes
"The paty continues ...
"We need more fossil fuel to party!"
"The PLAYA is lined with
lost, STOLEN, & abandoned bikes ...
... and its such a BIG place"
"LOOK ... a lost, stolen or abandoned person too"
All that remains of the Burning Man (#2 for 2007)
is a few timbers and ...
... souviner hunters ...
... oh yeah, and this guy too ...
... still smokin' 9+ hours later ...
"Another roving Music Machine ...
... and the Music Man himself"
"A couple last PLAYA swings ...
... another look at TRUTH ...
... and the Shadow of TRUTH ...
... and some sort of TRUTH fire ritual"
"NOW let's burn some more stuff ...
... and even I get to burn something ...
... burn baby burn"
"It's good to be HOT!"
(they call 'em HOT because they will burn u)
Day 6 has no line foe ice ...
... but that don't mean people are not ...
... drinking cold beverages!
"MEMORIES ...
... and the memory makers ...
... are all that remains of BM 2007 for many"
"I remember that sofa well"
"BM, Peace & Smiley Face ... kinda tells it all"
"Shower area & rubber duckies will need to go"
"NOW Finland IS a long way
(& he/she did it 3 times)!"
"Desert sand-surfng"
"LOOK ... something else to burn!"
" A traveling bar ... the WORLD needs more of these ...
... and more daners in the morning ...
... with giant speakers in the air"
"THIS is the way to travel back to the east coast
(or even Finland)"
"FIRE - FIRE -
- FIRE ... WE LOVE IT!"
"Happy 420 Everyone ...
... yeah U 2!"
"Let's take a close-up look ...
... from underneath ...
... from the rear ...
... from the bottom ...
... and the control room"
"Safety #3 Camp" is always up to something!
"A Barrel of Monkees has nothing on these guys"
He's ALIVE!!
"SMOKE ... I'm missing a fire!"
It's over there ...
How did they do that?
Final night in the Center Cafe ...
Put the ball in here & it comes out ... ???
Day 7 ... beginning of the end ...
"Neighbors are moving out ...
... they know it came from the car ...
... just getting it back in with room
for people seems to be a problem"
Not even 9 am yet, & I'm almost ready to drive ...
"Many are still staying ...
... but lots have left ...
... and a great many are leaving with me"
"Van - scene #1 ...
... Van - scene #2 ...
... Van - scene #3 ...
... & Van - scene #4 ... the end!"
7 lanes X as far as u can see = u better get comfortable
"We don't need no stinkin' gas ...
... the line's movin' ...
... is anybody at the wheel?"
"They break down coming & going ..."
Made it to the checkpoint gate in under an hour ... cool!
"She was sittin' there 6 days ago when I got here"
SECRET: Left lanes move
MUCH faster than the right lanes.
In the meantime, we look around ...
... avoid the sun ...
... check out da' babes ...
... and their cars ...
... feel bad for the breakdowns ...
... wishin' I had stole some of those signs ...
... but glad to eventually be down to 2 lanes
... with the one-lane in sight ...
... and now down to one lane ...
... NOW why would anyone go that way? ...
... and off and running in under 2 hours!"
"Long line ...
... but the line behind is longer "
Slow Down ... yeah, right!
The look behind ...
... the look ahead.
The speed limit is picking up ...
... and FINALLY a city ...
... and the local fire department ...
... car wash ...
... 2 wash hoses ...
... check out his hose ...
... a wash team ...
... and a rinse team"
"Downtown Gerlach has fun ...
... and stuff ...
... plus clubs ...
... lodging & gambling ...
... AND a road to Interstate 80 just 80 miles or so ahead"
"Gerlach suburbs (for 1)"
"Refueling station ... food & gas (from the food)"
"They were in line all that time & now they stop???"
"Farewell Burning Man, Farewell Gerlach,
& Farewell desert dust ... I'll miss you!"