Day 3: Burning Man Festival, Black Rock City, Nevada

Diane: Since everybody else stayed out late exploring the Esplanade and all its attractions, I was the only one up before sunrise. I took a bicycle ride out on the playa and watched the sun rise beyond the temple.

First I rode out to the center of the action - The Burning Man. At night it was a big bright neon blue figure, almost a stick figure.

During the day, the dome underneath was the center of interest. The exterior installations were empty.

As I walked inside, there were two video screens that just said “Thank you” on them. In the background played a feel-good bright and cheery remnant from ‘Bewitched” or a similar 1960’s sitcom. I just had to laugh. There was a wish machine. Just write down your wish, insert, and it would be beamed off into space. I just had to laugh some more. Further down there were two vertical beams of light that seemed to jump out with an image as you stared at them. If you shook your head towards and away from the light, you could make out a picture. I saw the Mona Lisa. Then the picture would change. I have no idea of the mechanics behind this piece, but was WOWed by it. I walked out grinning from ear to ear - it was all so absurd.

I continued on to the temple. It was made of carved, cut, and layered wooden boards. It almost gave the lacelike appearance of intricately carved marble. It reminded me of the marble latticework of the buildings and balconies of Jaisalmer, India. But it was wood and it will burn on Sunday. It was also several stories high. So, I’m certain, it will be a spectacular blaze.

This evening I went out on the town. Bicycles under butt, headlamps beaming onto the darkened figures wandering the desert at night, we made our way from structure to structure. Everywhere we saw wild costumes.


Satin, lace, wigs, fur, garish colors, painted bodies, and lots of glow sticks. We danced at outdoor discos. We stopped at a home-made wild-looking roller coaster with women dancing in cages high up in the air. It looked like a scene out of “Mad Max”. There actually was a Thunderdome. We rode through half a mile of triangular blinking light structures. And lots of fire blowing out of sculptures along the way. It had the feeling of a carnival at night, all lit up, on a hollywood set with everyone decked out in costume.


And people would stop and talk and play for a while as they were making their way in various directions.

Tom: Water is critical, water is neccessary, our bodies are 97% water and the desert wants all of it, the desert will kill you to get your water, drink more than you can imagine you need, the low humidity, the wind and the sun suck the moisture from your body at a pace that needs constant attention to counter, a gallon a day is minimal if you are not active, more is needed if you breathe, more still if you walk, ride a bike or dance, one motto of the festival is "Piss Clear", this is a direct reference to the fact that your urine becomes dark shortly before you collapse from dehydration, untreated severe dehydration may result in seizures, permanent brain damage, or death, these are dangers of the desert, drink enough water so that you always produce clear urine, the desert never quits, Kipling said "Drink, for you for you know not whence you come nor how. Drink, for you know not where you go nor why". Here in the desert you drink, water in this case, or you die.