A YEARN TO BURN

 It's Burn Time, the end of August, when all God's (crazy) children head to the desert for Burning Man.

Covid changed all that and like the 2020 gathering, this year's Burn has been cancelled. I went to NW Nevada four straight years before the pandemic. Now there's just a hot, dusty void. I miss it most when I think of my friends there and peruse the photos I took.

Here are a few. 

Ain't nothing like a Burn.

 

Our hometown crewe at Burn '18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 We live in 800 camps with creative names. Here is our troop, Camp Journeylizm.

 

My son,Ian, preparing to head to the high desert (where it can snow in August).
 

I was constantly amazed at Burning Man, so much to see and explore. 

 

 

 

Here's the Auto Shishkabob, eight cars impaled on a huge, steel stake. If you made it to the top there was a small trailer with cold beer inside.

 

You might not find that at Disneyland. 

 
One of four hundred "mutant vehicles" that roamed slowly roamed the desert floor, always lit up the night.

Our vehicles were illuminated bicycles

that took us all over to tour the ChickenHous,

 

see giant puppet shows, 

 

and to ride the giant, spinning pig.

  You can walk into most of the sculptures and be a part of the art.

 

 

You haven't lived until you've danced with a hip-hoppin' robot.

 

 

 

 

When I visited the Burn's "big projects" I marveled at how things this fantastic could be brought to life in a distant, sweltering desert.  

 

 

 

 

Some were more successful than others. This huge Mylar sphere was supposed to "mirror the world" but it reflected little after the first dust storm embraced it.

 

 

Can you imagine what it took to turn this old airplane into a tourist tower? Groups form to create these miracles every year like Oakland's "Flaming Lotus GIrls".

Mr. Mushroom

 

 

 

 

Occasionally, you run into families who apparently could not find a baby sitter. This dusty kid was giving her art away while

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

my posse drew portraits badly for anyone passing by on foot, bike, 

 

 banana car

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

covered wagon

gigantousVW van

or land yacht. 

There were parties onboard mutant vehicles day and night. Its a multi-million dollar with no advertising. Art is created for art's sake.

 

Out in the desert the nomads have their own dress code  (Yes, the hilarious guy on the right came as "Florida Man"). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's an international affair so you meet folks from all over. 

 

 

 

 

If you're doing it right you're always prepared for the next dust storm.

 

In the middle of it all is a fifty-foot stick man. As the week-long event winds down you pay one last visit before he's set on fire.

 

On the last day you greet the morning sun,

 

doing your best to avoid land sharks,




 

witness the glorious final ceremony,

 

  The Terry Boyz, 2017

 

jump into your torpedo car

and head

 

 
 

Hopefully we'll see an end to the dreadful pandemic so we can create dreams in desert again.