Black Rock City, the temporary town north of Reno created for the Burning Man festival. Seen from our airplane as we circle in for a landing. The Burning Man structure is at the center. The city is about 1 mile across.
Center Camp, from the air. It was not at the center, but on the edge of the Playa. You can see the large open tent, surrounded by shows and services. Real camping (tents, RVs) are at the bottom of this image.
Center Camp, a slightly more wide-angle view from our airplane. (This was taken by telephoto lens; we were not that close, on the final day as we left.)
The hard surface of the Black Rock desert. There was nothing alive -- except for the people. No plants; no animals; no insects. Maybe not even bacteria. (Actually, I know better than that.)
We camped by Don's plane. It was a quiet location (music from Burning Man could be heard throughout the night) and only a short walk (1/4 mile) to Black Rock City, through flat dry desert. This was a quiet location. We started our visit to Black Rock city at night. Each of us brought things to give away; I brought prints of my favorite dandelion photo.
A great kinetic art creatio by Mark Lottor called "The Big Round Cubatron." Each ping-pong ball can change color, and it is all controlled by a computer. It was totally mesmerizing, even for those of us who were not stoned. See the Cubatron movie I made. See also artist Mark Lottor's website.
The Cubatron, the ping-pong ball sculpture, changes colors. See my movie here. See also artist Mark Lottor's website.
A wheel of fire. There was nothing around to burn. The streaks show the paths of embers as they fly off. The person on the left is turning the wheel of burning wood. See my movie.
Geodesic dome with performances of opera (Puccini, very well sung) followed by a fight between competitors suspened by swings. (Odd combination.)
Next morning, walking in towards the center in Black Rock City. You can see campers, RVs, porta-potties, people walking and biking.
The Ice House, where you can actually buy ice. Mutant vehicle (green horse) passing by.
Sculpture made of dead bicycles -- perhaps left over from the 2006 Burning Man. This was one of the entrances to the Center Camp. (Viewed from the Center Camp.)
Bicycle Sculpture Entrance Way (to the Center Camp)
Center Camp -- a place to rest out of the sun
A child working a puzzle in the Center Camp. She succeeded in twisting it just right so a small ball traversed the entire interior.
Listening to music at the Center Camp.
Dancing and moving and interacting in the Center Camp
Music, performed in the Center Camp
Lots of emergency medical facilities, in case you fall from a geodesic dome, get burned, or just drop from the heat.
Center Camp. Coffee and Lemonade are sold. (In the old days, they were free.) The lemonade was the best I have ever tasted -- but I've never had lemonade in the middle of an Akaline Desert before this.
Sculpture and structures out in the Playa, the central "beach" region devoted to art and "mutant vehicles". The Burning Man structure is visible in the background.
The man to be burned. He had to be rebuilt because an arsonist had set him on fire several days earlier. On his right, 1/4 mile distant, is the Temple. It too would be burned, on the day after the Man.
A mutant vehicle. This one appears to be designed to look like a raft.
Kinetic sculpture. You turn the wheels and the spirals spin in opposite direction.
People ("citizens of Black Rock City"), sculpture, and a mutal vehicle (looks like a desert island to me).
A building made of camouflage material, mostly blown down (by the time I took this photo) by an extremely intense wind/sand/dust storm.
The tent made of camouflage material, after it was mostly blown down, with the artist.
Mutant vehicle, bicycle, and the Ice Pavillion where ice was for sale.
A mutant vehicle. Is it a brain? Intestines? Coral?
Music, in the Center Camp.
Kinetic sculpture. The cones rotate when pushed. You can climb inside through the bottom platform.
Balloon sculpture, and truck sculpture. They go well together. The balloons moved and waved every time the wind shifted. It was a good way to judge the wind.
Dust/sand/windstorm approaching. You could see them coming. That gave time to put on your protection.
The Temple, me, and the Little Temple.
The "Little Temple" out in the Playa. It was a great place to rest, lie down, and look up at the marvelous decorations and wind chimes.
The Little Temple interior. Wonderfully designed and decorated.
Me in my Tuareg head covering and jalaba, near the Temple. My dress proved to be the perfect clothing for the desert. Why should anyone be surprised? I so nobody else so appropriately dressed for those harsh conditions.
The Temple.
Inside the Temple. People left messages, thoughts, prayers, photos. It would all be burnt down on the day after the main Burning Man event.
Inscriptions in the Temple. These will all go to heaven (or whereever) when the Temple is burned.
The Temple.
Art, out in the playa.
Wedding, on the Playa in a dust storm. I took some photos for them, and they gave us champaigne.
There was no grass. There were no bugs. This part of the desert had no living thing, except for the Burning Man Festival.
Mutant Vehicle. These roamed the Playa, and anyone could get on board for a ride.
Large wheel vehicles held a race. This was one.
This was another large wheeled vehicle for the race. Note it is getting dusty out.
Another mutant vehicle. Note the dust mask.
Mutant Vehicle, one that could actually drive out of Black Rock City. (Have I seen this one in Berkeley?)
Mutant Vehicle. Green man on the left. Some costumes/clothing was more comfortable than others.
A real treat. Just was we walked by, this camp announced they were giving out popsickles.
Rosemary walking back to our camp, just south of Black Rock City, while a wind/sand/dust storm passes in the distance.
Hard alkaline former lakebed desert. Note airplane in background.
A fantastic and somewhat frightening sculpture, taken at night with a flash.
Burning Man burning. Don't miss the Movie of Burning Man that I made near
the beginning of the burn.
Sunday, after the Burning Man burn, many people leave. The line of cars waiting to get out the gate is huge. (They let people out slowly so they don't clog local roads.) Center camp is visible near the bottom middle.
Traffic slowly (very very slowly) leaving Black Rock City on the final Sunday.