BURNING THE MAN

     Seven days ago five of us drove deep into the barren desert north of Reno, Nevada. 

  Chillin' at the MIners Club, Gerlach, Nevada.  L-R, The Grove Guy, Dylan, Natalia, and Ian. Our friend Ward took the picture.

We were determined to join 70,000 others at the world's greatest party, Burning Man '18.
    It wasn't easy. Tickets are difficult to come by. Once we reached the main gate, we had to drive down an endless dirt driveway, with 10,000 other cars, vans, and mutant vehicles. Watching a Dusty Sunset in  slow-moving traffic

     Blinding dust storms closed the main gate for five hours.  Sometimes we could not see a car ten-
 feet away.  Our line of cars moved so slowly it took nine hours to go the last four miles. A baby (wearing a gas mask) could have crawled it faster. 
   
     We knew this August ritual of creating a  temporary city in the middle of nowhere would be worth it. This past week we have been amazed by colossal art installations, 

"The Great Sphere" which reflected the whole show.










Banana Jet
  
 Little House on the Prairie with Chicken Legs

terrific music, and the friends we've made from all over the planet.
   This year's them is "I, Robot". It's also the name of a popular record album from the '80's by the Alan Parson's Project. Two nights ago we heard them play it under the stars.
   On Monday night we saw 300 blue-lit drones rise up into the sky and shape-shift like a flock of robotic starlings. 

  
    It's one of dozens of amazing thing's we've seen.

     We landed in a great neighborhood too. Our tents are pitched with a group of international journalists covering the event. Camp Jouneylism
 

    "Camp Jouneylism" makes staying here simple as they provide us with great neighbors, an outdoor shower, and a much-needed kitchen.
    The week is rushing by and "The Man"- a sixty-foot wooden figure in the middle of it all- burned for the 32nd time just an hour ago.  It was a bonfire like no other, probably visible from the moon.
    In the morning, there will "burners" cooking French toast on the embers remaining. It's one of this festival's many delightful traditions. I'll be telling you more about others in the weeks ahead.
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