Burning Man is many things, and different things to different people. One of its qualities that I have always loved about it is its weirdness, wonderful weirdness. And I like weird.
My friend Tom called a couple of days ago. “Are you ready to go to Burning Man, Curt.” There was silence on my end. Tom and I had discussed the possibility in the spring and I had tentatively agreed. Going back to Burning Man always sounds like a good idea to me. It would be my 14th time. His purpose was test a new battery driven blender he has invented under extreme conditions. It is small, powerful, quiet, and tough. The plan was to set up a booth on the Playa and give away slushies and margaritas. It would be an ideal test: Extreme temperatures, dust storms, and the legendary thirst of Burners would guarantee it. Then, as it turned out, Labor Day Weekend was an excellent time to begin a kick-starter campaign. Burning Man was removed from the equation.
Unfortunately, the first shipment of blenders necessary for the campaign won’t get here on time. They are coming via a slow-boat from China. The Burning Man trip was back on the table. “I’ll pay for your ticket and a rented vehicle,” Tom offered, sweetening the pot. He really wanted me to go. But here’s the thing. The event is a little over 3 weeks away and Peggy and I have just returned from two months of wandering around in Europe. I’m still in recovery. Two, we are planning a leisurely trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway starting immediately after Labor Day, which is when Burning Man ends. Three, I checked the weather forecast. Another heat dome is predicted to be over Nevada for the whole week. Daytime temperatures are predicted to be in the triple digits— every day. Somehow, having a booth with zero air-conditioning in the middle of the desert in 100° plus weather with likely wind and black-out dust storms didn’t sound all that appealing. On top of that, we would have to set up and take down the operation each day, not to mention schlepping hundreds of pounds of ice by bicycle. Some fun, huh. Especially for an 83-year-old. I reluctantly told Tom no.
Okay, no Burning Man for me this year. Sigh. I went back and looked at the photos that Peggy and I have taken over the years to cheer myself up— and was struck by an idea. I should do a post to encourage newbies to go looking for weird when they arrive at Black Rock City. It’s found everywhere: In sculptures, paintings, mutant vehicles, camps, and costumes. Following are examples from my 13 years of journeying to Black Rock City.
How’s this for weird? I think that this was an ancient rain god, ugly but powerful. He was there in 2023.Bone, being Bone, challenged him, saying ‘Show me what you got!’ (Bone has been traveling the world with Tom and me ever since we discovered him in a snow bank south of Lake Tahoe in 1977.)Watch what you ask for, Bone. I didn’t tell any of my fellow Burners what Bone had done, given that all 70,000 of us were stuck in the mud from a massive rainstorm.This house/beast with legs would have been ideal for hoofing it out.Speaking of hooves, it’s rather weird that creatures are always crawling up out of the desert floor: Fish, people, a large ship. One year it was a giant Texas long horn, a lot of bull.An octopus slithers up through the desert floor. The sunken ship La Llorona rises again. Or maybe it was sinking.Not that there is any lack of strange sculptures resting on the surface. The imagination of artists that bring their work to Burning man knows no bounds.I’m not sure what this was but it was something I didn’t want to catch. I kept my distance.Brainy child or pregnant woman? Hmmm.No question what this is. A skull tree. Just what you need growing in your backyard. Note: There might be some objections if you live in an HOA. Or anywhere.A sign and Calvin informed me that this was Hobbes.Blue Dog at Burning Man.A skyscraper next to King Kong wearing a pink tutu.Medusa! I could go on and on with sculptures, but there is so much more that is weird.Take murals, for example.Bad kitty!Some murals and paintings are in much greater detail. Odds are we found this fellow at Camp Mystic.Look closely at this painting. The details are as amazing as they were varied.Always been one of my favorites.The only way one can drive on the Playa at Black Rock City is in a mutant vehicle. There are two rules: the vehicle can in no way resemble the original vehicle and two, it has to be safe. Imagination runs rampant. I wonder how many of today’s Burners will have actually used one of these?!In the swamps of Louisiana. This was a NOLA creation!Way up north. (Tom took this photo.)Chicken pox at Burning Man.Clever use of tail pipe on cat car.This scary creature is called Rabid Transit. Many mutant vehicles are designed to operate at night as well as during the day, and many of them shoot out flames. Burning Man at night is totally different at night, and in many ways, an even more magical world.Cleverly done. The Eye.Cheshire Cat.Costumes are big at Burning Man. Burners are strongly encouraged to wear one. This long legged fellow enhanced his costume by pulling a piano that was being played! Note the Burning Man symbol on his chest.This dude stopped by our camp each day demanding a beer… The best we had.Almost everyone uses a bike at Burning Man. There are thousands of them. Many of them are decorated!A lioness. Have you ever seen a ‘do’ like this one? Our friend Don Green took this photo.Real but surreal. The ‘barbie’ look above reminded me that you can walk down any street in Burning Man and see elaborate decorations that are created by the camps. A camp is a group of people who share some commonality. This camp featured Barbies. Hundreds of them. They were marching to their final destination.The bigger the camp, the larger the decoration. How do you feel about clowns? Campground decorations are often related to the theme for Burning Man. This year it was Carnival.BM’s media tent also featured a clown. The tent was appropriately named Media Circus.These guys were out in front of the Silicon Valley Camp one year. Many of the Valley’s billionaires make their way to Burning Man. Musk has been there several times. I think he looks a bit like the guy on the left.I have to wrap this up so a few last photos. It is rumored that aliens have made their way to Black Rock City where they can wander around without fear of being recognized.Age apparently isn’t an issue. (I may know that better than anyone who attends the event.) I think I would recognize the red breasted woman as an alien, however. It’s possible the ‘cats’ at the top of this post were aliens as well. I think this guy is reminding Burners to look for the weird. You are guaranteed to find dirt. Monday’s Post will feature the Hairy Coos (cows) of the Scottish Highlands!
Wandering through Time and Place 
A little cultural difference than Europe!! Great photos!!Steve
Substantially, Steve…. Thanks.
Maybe someday I’ll make it to Burning Man. Until then your pics and prose entertain me.
And I’d like to get back, Peggy!