Deserts can have great beauty. The Burning Man festival is fortunate to be located in the remote Black Rock Desert of northwestern Nevada where it is surrounded by dramatic mountain scenery.
Situated on a flat playa that stretches out for over 100 miles, Burning Man is dwarfed by surrounding mountains and a vast, flat, desert floor. Once, the playa was filled with a huge, glacier fed lake that was over 500 feet deep. Wooly mammoths and Native Americans lived on its shore and called it home. Like other Great Basin Lakes, there were no outlets. Water that flowed into the lake stayed there and sediments carried in from the surrounding mountains sank to the bottom. As the climate changed, becoming hotter and drier, the lake dried up and the sediments became the base for today’s Playa.
By the 1840s and 50s pioneers and gold seekers from the young United States of America made their first forays into the desert heading for the goldfields of Northern California and Southern Oregon. The Applegate brothers created a trail through the Black Rock Desert that bears their name. I live in the Applegate Valley of Oregon beside the Applegate River, all named for the family. I also have family connections. Applegates and Mekemsons intermarried in the early 1800s.
Today, I am going to post several photos that place Burning Man in its Black Rock Desert surroundings.
I like this photo because it emphasizes how flat the Playa is. You can barely see the fence that marks the outer boundary of Burning Man. Art can be found even in this remote section but it takes a bit of effort to get there. The flat playa has enabled some land speed records to be set here. It has also provided a good base for launching rockets.Of course, I like to spend time out there given my love of wide open spaces, desire to escape the crowds, and interest in the art. Here I am on the outside looking in. It was shortly after this that the Black Rock Rangers, the Border Patrol of BMO, came roaring over in an official truck. I hopped the fence and zoomed off on my bike. (Photograph by Peggy Mekemson.)The Border Patrol is wise to be vigilant on the outer edges of Burning Man, however. Aliens are known to hang out there.Some even resemble cats. This doesn’t surprise me. I’ve always thought that cats have a taint of alien blood. It may be more than a taint. Have you ever found your cat staring at you in a strange way and wondered what alien thoughts were passing through its mind?Another perspective. Note the rain clouds. The Black Rock Desert receives less than 10 inches a year, which is the definition of a desert. At times, it seems like the majority falls during Burning Man! All traffic is stopped. A thick, caky mud clings to vehicle tires, bike tires and shoes. A small garbage bag worn on the shoes helps feet avoid the worst of it.We’ve seen some spectacular rainbows accompany the storms.Another example.My friend, Ken Lake, caught a photo of this double rainbow hanging over Black Rock City.The first rays of the morning sun touch the mountains surrounding Burning Man. Early morning and evening are the best time to photograph the scenery.A few minutes later.This sunrise photo is an example of how the large event is dwarfed by its surroundings.Another example.The sun sinks into the west, signifying that life at Burning Man is about to be seriously ramped upward. While many Burners think party as night approaches, others pause to enjoy the beauty.And beauty there is.As the sun sets, the moon rises.With a beauty and drama of its own. (Photo by Don Green.)I’ll conclude with this photo of the moon hidden by the clouds— a contrast in light and dark.
NEXT POST: I was reading Walter Isaacson’s book on Leonardo Da Vinci this morning and Isaacson was discussing how incredibly observant Da Vinci was. This led me to look up at our house from a slightly different perspective. I was struck by some of the weird things we collect and decided it would make a fun post. The next post: A Home Full of Whimsy… What’s in your House?
The point about wandering through Black Rock City is that you never know what you are going to find, such as a goat with purple hair wearing a sagging tutu and a bear necklace.
I spend the majority of my ‘out and about’ time at Burning Man on the Playa. That’s where the major art pieces are displayed, and seeing them is my primary reason for going to the event. Some, I return to several times to admire and photograph in different light. And there is night, where they take on a totally different personality.
Peggy and I always reserve a day for walking around Black Rock City, however. The same creativity found in the creation of art, mutant vehicles, and major camps is found in BRC as well. In fact, you never know what you will find, such as the goat above. In addition to the fun and curious, there are things to do, food to eat, more art, and camps to admire. People watching is also fun, as it is out on the Playa and at the Center Camp cafe.
I’ll let today’s photos reflect our walks over the years. Most of them were taken by Peggy and me, but some were taken by the two other photographers in our camp, Tom Lovering and Don Green.
Joy riding isn’t encouraged at Burning Man. This was an exception. (Photo by Don Green.)Safety on bikes is critical with 60,000 or so running around in BRC and out on the Playa. Bike crashes do happen, however, and it’s amazing there aren’t more. One year, bikers were invited to crash into empty boxes on the Esplanade.This guy welcomed Peggy and me with open arms..This fellow, not so much.And this creature stuck its tongue out at us. Looking at it now, I’m sorry I didn’t pose Peggy sticking her tongue back out at it.Hungry? The PB&J camp had a solution. Lots of peanut butter, several different types of jam, and bread! It was all free and is an example of Burning Man’s gifting philosophy.A close up.The Kentucky camp developed a Kentucky Fried Chicken theme one year and offered fried baloney sandwiches with a shot of bourbon— for breakfast. That woke me up…Restrooms, as it turns out, are a major focus at Burning Man. The reason: the restrooms are the modern version of an outhouse, the porta-potty. If you have ever used one, you know they are not the epitome of having a pleasant bathroom experience. There are banks and banks of toilets, hundreds of them. This is a view of the back side.Veteran Burners wait until they are cleaned. A whole fleet of trucks is kept busy.Another view. You want to camp close enough to the porta potties for convenience, but not too close!Humor is the best approach when it comes to outhouses. There was actually a bowling alley set up next to the toilets! As I remember, I rolled a strike.I’ll drink to that!In addition to large trucks running around emptying the toilets, water trucks are constantly watering down the roads to reduce the dust. Nothing stops the dust storms, however. One’s coming. Burners used to run along behind the trucks getting their daily bath and washing their clothes at the same time, assuming they wore clothes. I saw more than one naked person running by, giving a new meaning to streaking. Today, Burning Man claims the water is recycled from sewer operations, effectively putting a stop to the showers.Lest you think that Burning Man is a lawless party in the desert, there are police everywhere including the feds, DEA, state police, BLM rangers, and local sheriffs’ departments. It’s best to behave yourself!I am assuming that Burning Man is not a favorite event of the present administration in Washington, although Ivanka reputedly has a Burning Man photo in her office. Let me report, however, in my 11 years at Burning Man, I have never once seen an illegal alien cross over. I did once, however. How could I not, given Burning Man’s iron clad rule that no-one is to cross the barrier. Within seconds an official BMO truck was bearing down on me. A Black Rock Ranger yelled at my departing back: Do Not Cross the Fence! Be that as it may, bear with me and I will move on to more officially acceptable Burning Man activity you can see when you walk around BRC.Such as stacking blocks.Or playing a trumpet in drag…Or getting married on top of a bus…Or checking out Burning Man in a hot air balloon…Or riding a fish…Or having a free nipple covering business. Pastie Dan is close to a legend at Burning Man.Or checking out a Barbie Doll camp.Or reading the messages on a large birdhouse. Most had to do with being forgiven for something. Burners, apparently, have lots of regrets. Or wondering why the grinning dinosaur bit the woman’s head off.It’s hard to get bored at Burning Man, but if you do, there’s always a lending library of some type or other around. Books are free and there is never a requirement that you bring them back.The book mobile.Checking out people’s homes is an honored activity just about anywhere. Apparently, it was moving day for this Burner. You don’t have to be a large camp to have an interesting residence, even if it is only for a week. This gypsy type home was right across the road from us one year.And last, but not least, is Zsu Zsu’s Home. There was a suggestion on the side that you might want to give her a kiss. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)
NEXT POST: A look at the Black Rock Desert, home to Burning Man and Black Rock City.
The creativity that goes into making the mutant vehicles I have featured in my last several posts about Burning Man also goes into most other elements of of the event. For example, the Burning Man Organization, BMO, requires commercial media operations to check in and obtain credentials. BMO could put up a nondescript building for this purpose. Instead, this is what they built in 2015 to reflect that year’s theme, A Carnival of Mirrors.As I recall, the mouth opened and served as the door. I wondered if a person with a fear of clowns would go through the door.
If you have been following my Burning Man posts over the past couple of months, you now have a fair idea of what mutant vehicles look like. Today, I am moving off of the Playa and into Black Rock City, starting with a look at the structures built by large camps (villages). A camp is usually made up of people who share a common interest or background. All of these photos were taken during the 11 years I have attended the event: 2004-5-6-7-9-10-12-13-14-15 and 17. It is interesting to note that these structures are built to last one week, going up at the beginning of Burning Man and coming down at the end.
I never did find the name of this particular village, so, I called it Camp Bubbles. Note how the mutant vehicle at the right follows the camp’s white theme.The NOLA Camp recreates a bit of old New Orleans. There is even a cafe where free beignets and chicory coffee is offered to Burners.This structure provided shade for the Sacred Spaces Village at Burning Man one year.The entrance. Inside a variety of meditation options were featured.One year, a Burner who wanted to get married at Burning Man built this church for the purpose.The ceremony after the wedding. For those of you who follow the Bone story, Bone was also married in the chapel to Bonetta. Bone and the lovely Bonetta are married at Burning Man 2013.The Elvis Wedding Chapel offered an option. And no, I didn’t see Elvis wandering around Burning Man. But I wouldn’t be too surprised…Many camps build facilities that double as lounges or bars where free drinks are disbursed to Burners. This is the Shipwreck Tiki Lounge.I was particularly fond of these Teepees that were set up on the edge of the Playa along the Esplanade. The Esplanade serves as a division point between Black Rock City and the Playa. Most major camps are located along the Esplanade. Looking out from Center Camp across the Esplanade and out into the Playa.Vamp Camp was located within the city.As was the Firehouse with its burned out graffiti look.A number of camps along the Esplanade located on the outer edges of the city offer music venues, very loud music. Those are speakers. The DJ for this music venue had the nose of a 747 to spin his tunes.Celtic Chaos had a castle.Another music venue.Looking for a mystic experience? Camp Mystic is the place to be. Numerous classes were offered throughout the week.This was its mutant vehicle.This giant fellow (who may be familiar to you, except for his pink Tutu) was found lurking among the buildings. Maybe Kong was in disguise, or drag.I don’t know whose camp this was, but I liked the eagle with a large heart. Again, massive banks of speakers. I conclude with this jolly devil whose mouth provided an entry into the Kostume Kult.
NEXT POST: A view of Black Rock City outside of the large camps, out in the boonies where I lived.
If you have watched the movie Stardust like I have 20 or so times (it’s one of Peggy’s favorites), then you will be familiar with an airship. The dreaded, ‘whoopsie’ Captain Shakespeare played delightfully by Robert DeNiro used it for gathering lighting. This rendition at Burning Man was quite impressive. .
The Burning Man Organization, BMO, works hard to insure that the mutant vehicles that wander across the Playa and through Black Rock City are both creative and safe. The process starts with an application from Burners who want to bring a mutant vehicle to the annual event. A photo or detailed drawing of the vehicle must accompany the application. A committee then reviews the applications for originality and safety. Numbers are strictly limited. Burning Man is primarily a walking/bicycling event. Upon arrival the mutant vehicle must check in with the Department of Mutant Vehicles, DMV, and pass a safety inspection before receiving a license. Vehicles that shoot out fire must pass even more stringent requirements.
Here’s where the mutant vehicles have to check in upon their arrival before venturing out on to the Playa or into Black Rock City. I was amused by the infinite clearance. Some of the mutants, like the sailing ship and El Pulpo Mechanico, do reach quite high into the sky!
I am wrapping up my series on Burning Man’s mutant vehicles today. There are, after all, another 14 categories of photos from my 11 years of attending the far-out happening in Nevada’s remote Black Rock Desert. Being last, however, does not mean least. Most of these simply didn’t fit into the groups I created. Take this eye, for example.
An eyeball moving across the Playa was one of the most unique mutant vehicles I have seen.Given all of the local, state and federal law enforcement agencies that show up at Burning Man, I could’t help but wonder if Big Brother wasn’t watching us. (Not seriously, but what a clever disguise it would be.)While focusing in on body parts, this fellow seemed to have a hand out. The question: was it offering help or looking for spare change? I think I recognize him from the street corner. And what about those ears. On the other hand (so to speak), and more likely, there may be a more serious Hindu or Buddhist reference here. Or maybe it’s a Hare Krishna recruiting effort.Pucker up, sweetie. There’s a chance that this cutie wanted more than a kiss, however. There’s a good chance that she wanted your blood.Bounteous would be the description I would apply here, with a slight touch of Egypt. I’d think sphinx except for the duck up on top of her head. Or maybe its a seahorse. (Photo by Don Green.)
Well, enough on body parts, already. I’ve written a fair amount about steampunk at Burning Man, especially as it applies to mutant vehicles. Here’s a couple more.
As I recall, I found this vehicle hanging out near the rhino and the octopus. It struck me as a Capatin Nemo type vehicle.A front view.At night.The requisite gears apparently required on all steampunk vehicles.My friend Don Green captured another great example of steam punk.
Burning Man constantly throbs with the sound of heavy metal music. I always carry sound makers to reduce its impact on my beauty rest. A number of large venues are found throughout Black Rock City. Mutant vehicles carry on the tradition out on the Playa. Whenever one stops to whip out the tunes, Burners gather around to dance. There’s no question about the intention of the boom box mutant vehicle. Large speakers are another sure guarantee that loud music is about to happen.
One year, this mutant vehicle was for sale, minus its sound equipment. Tempting, I thought. But I would have turned it into a blues mobile or a jazz jalopy.There were enough speakers on this puppy to send any city council into paroxysms of angst or at least anxiety. The police chief would be called. At Burning Man, it was only a medium sized player.
With music rolling across the Playa, it’s not surprising that there was also a bar. This one was hauled by an old tractor.
You have to admit that there is a bit of old fashioned charm here. The aluminum roof reminded me of my childhood.Tom and I had to try out the bar. Potent moonshine was being offered. I stand out like a pink something or other. The barmaids came with boots and not many clothes.The mutant was more than a bar. however. The other side was a circa 1950s type kitchen. At one point, I think I remember them cooking chocolate chip cookies. But maybe that’s a memory from my childhood. Peggy is checking out the kitchen, but she wasn’t offering to cook…Maybe she needed some Crisco. Is this an example of canned entertainment?
What if Picasso made it to Burning Man. The first mutant vehicle below might be what he would create. The second would be more likely to be found among the ‘primitive’ painters who were inspired by the South Pacific and exotic tropical islands.
Definitely shades of Picasso here and other modern art themes.And here we have a Tiki God with thoughts of Polynesia. Is that a Polynesian maiden to the right? I’m pretty sure that she would capture Paul Gauguin or Rousseau’s attention.
Big things come in small packages, as the diamond merchants like to remind us, over and over.
Would it be humanly possible to cram one more thing onto this mutant ATV?A close up showed a dog…And a strange kid.
My final three…
A king who reminded me a bit of Larry Harvey, the creative genius behind Burning Man who passed away last year.A big wheeled horseless carriage. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)And the mutant vehicle I would build! It could be my office. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)
This scary/wonderful creature called Rabid Transit is another creation from the fertile imagination of Duane Flatmo, the same person that brought El Pulpo Mechanico to Burning Man. In fact, Rabid Transit is built on the same Ford chassis that El Pulpo was built on.
Duane Flatmo lives in Eureka California, a short 3 plus hours away from where I live and a million miles away in imagination. Wanting to create a new creature, he struggled with a concept that would live up to his fantastic El Pulpo Mechanico.
El Pulpo
Rabid Transit was his answer. Like El Pulpo, Rabid Transit was created from items gathered at a local junk yard in Eureka. Note El Pulpo’s legs made out of abandoned barrels.
A full view of Rabid Transit. Various animals are situated around the vehicle. Note the sharp toothed fishy hood-head.A side view of Rabid Transit.Rabid Transit in full fire! As you might imagine, you can feel the heat and hear the roar.
Never Was Haul comes as a Victorian home on wheels with a cow catcher on the front. (Cow catchers are what trains use to put on the front of their engines to remove cattle, moose and buffalo from the tracks.) Born in Berkeley as part of the steam punk art movement, Never Was Haul has been to Burning Man many times.
A photo taken of Never Was Haul by Tom Lovering. When Tom first saw the mutant vehicle, it was love at first sight.Another photo by Tom.A close up side view. And a front view.
For sheer fun, I’d have to list the large vase mutant vehicle shown below as a top candidate. I was even more entertained when I discovered it changed colors at night.
Settled into camp, this is what the vase looks like during the day time.And here it is at night.In twilight’s glow.And a final night time view.
Several trains have appeared at Burning Man. There has even been a caboose, the Dust Bus, which proudly claims it is part of the Nor Cal Black Rock Railroad..
One of the trains, complete with cow catcher.A side view…Another train.Here it is at night with its cow catcher lit up.
Before trains, people got across the US in Conestoga wagons. The Oregon Trail passes through the Black Rock Desert not too far from Burning Man and would have seen many of these wagons carrying pioneers west, among them, my Great, Great Grandmother.
This giant rendition also transported many people across the desert, or at least the Playa.A side view.At night.
I’ll finish today’s post with four individual mutant vehicles:
I’d go with Kilroy, here.Needs no introduction for those over 40. It’s a phone. (grin) A brain.I will conclude today with Walter, the giant VW van from Arizona. I think they used an airport firetruck as its base.
NEXT POST: Peggy’s perspective on our hike on the PCT this past summer.
Having trouble persuading your kids to climb on the bus and go to school? I bet they would climb on this Burning Man mutant vehicle in a flash. When they arrived at school they could exit via the slide! Woohoo!
Once again I am returning to Burning Man on my blog and posting photos from the 11 years I have attended the event: 2004-5-6-7-9-10-12-13-14-15 and 17. As I have over the past couple of weeks, I am focusing on mutant vehicles today.
I’ve featured some pretty wild land and sea creatures in my past several posts. Today and Wednesday I’ll be introducing mutant vehicles that are closer to their cousins in real life. For example, a number of retired school and city busses make it to Burning Man. While their look has changed, they more or less maintain their original form like the school bus featured above and below.
Here’s another view of the school bus with its intricately carved exterior. This bus has always been a favorite of mine.This school bus has been decorated with orange somethings. What, I’m not sure. Writhing beetle grubs are about as close as I can come.A psychedelic paint job and horns served as disguise here.The silver bullet hides the bus, sort of. Think of it as a see-through outfit.This fellow added a neon top knot and cutouts. And finally, a bus with tail feathers. It had a beak on the other end.
Do you remember the cult film Mad Max where Mel Gibson and a cast of seedy characters went at each other with souped up, modified vehicles? Well, there is a whole genre of mutant vehicles at Burning Man that look like they belong in the movie, or a demolition derby. These vehicles are not among my favorites but I find them interesting and they belong in any compilation of Burning Man mutants. Besides, some of you might say, “Wow, that’s my dream car!”
This one was prepared for battle. It came with a missile and a coffin! What kind of bad dude carries a garbage bag for his trash, however? And the empty bottle and mattress suggest the 60’s mantra “Make love, not war.” Feelers swept back from the hood of this vehicle. And maybe it had legs.Equipped with flame throwers.I think these these seven toothy heads also shot out fire.Was she glad to see him or was it a hold up. It appears that the guy is high on something.Tom Lovering took this photo at night. Playa dust was reflected by the flash from his camera creating a desert ‘snow storm.’ Is that an alien piggybacking on the vehicle?One of Burning Man’s tribes, The Death Guild, likes to decorate its mutant vehicles with skulls. Not surprising.Definitely a Mad Max vehicle.I’d give this guy the right-of-way.
Art cars are different than mutant vehicles. They are simply highly decorated cars. Therefore they aren’t allowed to roam the playa and have to be parked. None-the-less, some of them make their way to Burning Man and are on display. Here are a few examples.
Kilroy was here.The aliens have landed and they are running around in a VW bug.O My Gawd!Here’s looking at you.Highly detailed hood of an art car at Burning Man.
I think of the following vehicles as modern day ‘hot rods,’ so I googled ‘hot rods at Burning Man’ and what did I find? My photos of ‘Burning Man hot rods’ from earlier posts. Oh well. Here they are again for those of you who haven’t been following me for several years.
Speeds are limited on the Playa, and maybe that’s a good thing.All of the gears, shown here in black and white, suggest a touch of steam punk.Exhaust pipes?A side view. Not sure about the camel’s role.The few hot rod magazines I thumbed through in my youth featured attractive women. Given my interest in cars, I suspect that may have been my reason for perusing the pages.It turns out I had walked in on a photo session, which always presents an opportunity I am more than willing to take advantage of. That’s it for today.
NEXT POST: More mutant vehicles including trains and planes!
I doubt that there has ever been a mutant vehicle at Burning Man more known and loved than El Pulpo Mechanico, the steam punk octopus. El pulpo was born in a junk yard in Eureka, California.
As noted in my last post, I’ve been sorting through and categorizing my Burning Man photos from the 11 years I have attended the event: 2004-5-6-7-9-10-12-13-14-15 and 17. I’ve created 15 categories and will do posts on several of my favorites from each category over the next several weeks.
Burning Man’s home, the Black Rock Desert, wasn’t always a desert. 15,000 years ago it was part of the huge, 500 foot deep Lake Lahontan. Given this, it isn’t surprising that many mutant vehicles take on an appearance of having once swum in its murky waters, or boated across them. Creatures range from an octopus to a hermit crab; Boats from a sailing ship to a yacht. Today’s post features some of the more fishy things about Burning Man.
Big teeth seem to be a requirement of the fish that swim across the Playa on wheels. This one resembles an angler fish that dangles what appears to be a tasty morsel right in front of its mouth.This one has great chompers. Is that blood on its teeth? (Photo by Tom Lovering.)Another perspective of the fish showing its scales. (Photo by Tom Lovering.)Another angler fish. This one seems to know what Burners want, a disco ball, and appears to have been successful at attracting dinner. Is a little pole dancing in order?No people on the menu? How about another fish? The tongue seems to promise an interesting ride.Not surprisingly, a shark was roaming the Playa at night. Should we break out in a Jimmy Buffet song?More like a crocodile. But it has the large teeth.Big city people will be familiar with articulated busses. This is a Burning Man equivalent: an articulated fish.Small teeth, perhaps, but a fancy pink eye.A guppy, perhaps?I decided that this might be a streamlined squid, but I could be wrong. Land speed records, BTW, have been set on the Black Rock Desert.Do you know what this is? It’s a narwhal.A closer look. A narwhal’s tusk is made of ivory. I like the eye.Here’s the long view.No question about this fellow. It’s a hermit crab.I never expected to find a full scale sailing ship at Burning Man.Or a yacht. This is the Christina. How about a river boat plus mermaid? (Photo by Tom Lovering.)Another sailing ship of yore. Nevada Burners created this ship.Ready to float down the Nile, perhaps.I’ll finish this post off with a couple more photos of El Pulpo. At night.
NEXT POST: Peggy provides her perspective on our hike down the Pacific Crest Trail last summer.
Steampunk, the fantasy world where life and machines meld together, is fairly common at Burning Man for costumes, art, and mutant vehicles. This horse is one of the best examples.
As noted in my last post, I’ve been sorting through and categorizing my Burning Man photos from the 11 years I have attended the event: 2004-5-6-7-9-10-12-13-14-15 and 17. I’ve created 15 categories and will do posts on several of my favorites from each category over the next several weeks.
In my last Burning Man post, I introduced some of the larger animal mutant vehicles that roam the Playa at Burning Man. Today is the turn of the smaller mutant animals, like the horse above. Check out the head and the expression in its face. If my innards looked like the horse’s, I’d be a little wild-eyed too. Usually if you see gears used like this, you can assume that you’ve entered the world of steampunk.
It would be really hard to find a horse more opposite from the steampunk horse!
There aren’t a lot of insects normally found on the floor of the Black Rock Desert. In addition to being hot and dry, there aren’t any plants. When Burning Man comes to town, so to speak, things change.
One of the most impressive bugs to ever visit the Playa was this praying mantis.Being buggy means being buggy eyed…And it doesn’t get much more buggy eyed than this.Any decent beetle needs a shell…Right?Now here’s a sweetie, a dung beetle. It rolls up a large dollop of poop and drags it along behind. I think it is supposed to be the home for its new children.
Burning Man has its share of fur bearing mammals that slip into the mutant vehicle category.
The cat car is a favorite standby that makes it back to Burning Man year after year.The kitty from the rear. I confess to finding the tail pipe rather amusing!A cool cat of a different color!Rabbits range from this friendly, furry fellow you’d probably allow up on your bed if he weren’t so big.To this guy you wouldn’t let in your house…To this one. You would probably get a rabies shot if you encountered it.Dogs are few and far between. And this one may be a cat. Anyway, one way or the other, I have probably insulted the dog or cat kingdom.This robot looking dog is wearing a pink tutu, which is what I expect to see at Burning Man.Normally, one avoids polar bears. But a polar bear carrying a rose? (Photo by my friend Tom Lovering.)A small, Chinese dragon? Or is it a duck?Now this is a duck! I think. It shoots fire out of its head at night.Everyone recognizes chicken pox. Especially if it is labeled. I’m guessing that this mutant vehicle moves across the Playa slowly. (Photo by Don Green.)I’ll wrap up today’s post with the king of beasts hitching a ride on a what… a whiskered slug? Do you have a clue?
NEXT POST: These mutant vehicles came out of the deep. There is something fishy about Burning man…
The massive beast wandered across the Playa at Burning Man, coming straight for me. I quickly got out of its way, but not before I snapped a photo. Wildlife photographers have to take chances! And there is lots of wild life at Burning Man.
As noted in my last post, I’ve been sorting through and categorizing my Burning Man photos from the 11 years I have attended the event: 2004-5-6-7-9-10-12-13-14-15 and 17. I’ve created 15 categories and will do posts on several of my favorites from each category over the next several weeks.
The bigger tribes (groups) at Burning Man often create large mutant vehicles to transport their members around. Many of these come in the form of large animals— like really big animals.
The gargantuan fellow I dodged looked even scarier from the side.I caught up with it at night a few days later at a burn and discovered it had laser eyes, which was even more disturbing. When I was processing photos for this post, however, I noted that the license plate on the front said Wool. The mutant was a sheep. It changed my whole perspective. Who worries about sheep! Going back to the top photo, I saw a friendly animal looking at me.
And why worry about a sheep when there are rhinos and lions and hippos and angry unicorns about! Oh my! Following are my photos of the large mutant animals I have found wandering the Playa during the day and at night. Enjoy.
This rhino is one of my all time favorite mutant vehicles in the Black Rock Desert.Here it is out wandering across the Playa.Here we have the king of lions. Note the Burning Man symbol cut outs on its cheek. Burning Man is ok! I guess.A look at the full lion. My friend, Tom Lovering provides perspective by relaxing on the lion’s tongue! Is he about to become fast food?Another favorite of mine: a mammoth. This fellow was on a potty break. Its passengers had all climbed off to use the port-a-potties.You could crow home about this fellow.Even more so at night.Your friendly, local neighborhood warthog.And a side view. Judging from this unicorn’s face, it had gotten up on the wrong side of the bed.It was still scowling at night.A more elegant unicorn.The Cheshire Cat. Alice would be pleased. She would probably be enamored with Burning Man as well. I always feel like I am in Wonderland. And I am pretty sure that I have seen the Mad Hatter there.And another cat. A very large white one. At least I think it’s a cat. Here’s another animal I am not 100% sure about, but I think it is a hippo.Looking a bit more hippo-ish.There’s no question here. The hippo even came labeled: Hippo Love.One very large canary. I’ll bet it would be good at tweeting. Watch out Donald. You may have competition. (Peggy thinks it’s a rubber ducky.)No cart before the horse here. The horse is part of the cart.The horsecart’s head.A large elephant apparently having fun with a truck.Burning Man is where the Wild Things are. Yum!Folks from the South will recognize this Armadillo mutant vehicle.And I will conclude today’s post with another favorite of mine, a cockeyed frog. I think the tongue is made to shoot out flames. Apparently the frog likes to cook its bugs before it eats them!
NEXT POST: A PCT post if I have the time to put it together. A post on smaller animal mutant vehicles if not. It’s ready to go.
A green dragon waits patiently while its passengers climb off to admire a 30 foot high sculpture on the Playa at Burning Man.
I’ve been sorting through and categorizing my Burning Man photos, all 11 years’ worth including 2004-5-6-7-9-10-12-13-14-15 and 17. As you might imagine, there are several thousand pictures. I’ve created 15 categories and will do posts on several of my favorites from each category over the next few weeks. My plan is to use Mondays and Wednesdays for my Burning Man posts and Fridays for my Pacific Crest Trail posts. Expect a few other subjects on Fridays as Peggy and I wander.
I debated with myself over how to kick the series off. Frankly, starting anywhere works when focusing in on the creativity of this annual event in the remote Nevada desert. Art is everywhere. Appreciating and enjoying it is the primary reason I have returned to Black Rock City again and again. Of course, people go to the event for many other reasons as well, such as dancing and drinking to the rolling thunder of heavy metal into the wee hours of the morning. They also go to see and be seen, to dress up in elaborate costumes, to attend lectures, to escape from their everyday worlds, and to participate in and contribute to Burning Man’s unique culture. The latter is central to the event. I consider photographing the art and sharing it with you as part of my contribution.
One of the most creative endeavors at Burning Man is the building of mutant vehicles, which is undertaken by both individuals and groups, or tribes as they are sometimes called out on the Playa. They are three ways to get around at Burning Man: to walk, to bike (which most do) or to travel in radically altered vehicles— i.e. mutants. Normal cars, vans, trucks, etc. must be parked. Mutant vehicles come in a variety of forms from bugs, to animals, to ships, to you name it. Today I am going to focus on dragons, most of whom breathe fire! Now, back to the green dragon featured at the top of the post.
The green dragon’s head and neck are operated by a series of pullies and springs.A close up. I’d say that this fellow is about to spring into action. Note the dirty snout. That’s where the dragon breaths out its fire.The Burner here is preparing to take the dragon across the Playa at Burning Man. The chains are used for operating the head and neck. Imagine yourself in the driver’s seat!The dragon prepares to depart as a Burner climbs on board. The bikes provide passengers with an alternative form of transportation. Note how the tail has been lifted to provide a door.This dragon appears eager. On your mark, get set…Go! Wait, could that intrepid driver be the fearless Peggy?It took me a while to decided that this sharp-toothed golden creature was a dragon. But the tube in its mouth persuaded me that when the sun went down, she would be breathing fire!And check out those claws!One year the dragon ran around on the Playa by itself. The next year it had a baby. Given all the dragons found at Burning Man, it hardly seems surprising.I caught an earlier version of the dragon with its eyes glowing at dusk. I’ve noted over the years that the same mutant vehicles may come back again and again, but they often morph.Is this dragon smiling? I’d still be reluctant to get too near its mouth.Lest you get taken in by its teeth as well as its smile. I would suggest that the weapon up on its back speaks to ill-intentions.My friend and fellow Burner Tom Lovering caught this shot of a car dragon.Another low to the ground dragon. If you look carefully at its mouth, you can see that it is eating a frog. But maybe the frog is escaping.This dragon was personality plus, although it was more sculpture than mutant vehicle.And what about this beauty with its bright colors and proud wings… (Photo by Tom Lovering.)A close up. That almost looks like a sword hanging down from its mouth. Maybe a dragon slaying knight met his untimely end. This impressive dragon was labeled Heavy Metal, which was probably the name of its tribe. I was sorry that I only got one photo of it.I’m convinced that this dragon is one of the scariest at Burning Man.Here’s another head shot.A full shot of the dragon. I would not like to meet it at night! Check out the size of those hind legs.Speaking of night, mutant vehicles take on different personalities as the sun goes down behind the desert mountains.Whoa! Eyes that glow in the night. Mr. Blue Eyes in the photo above this guy appears positively friendly in comparison.Striking green dragon head with interesting teeth.Dragon with red snout!Not sure that this creature was a dragon, but it was impressive. Maybe it is a mutant cat or? This night dragon wins the prize for size among the dragons of Burning Man. The driver is up on top. A full view. People actually walk near the front and sides of these large mutant vehicles to guide them and make sure that they don’t run over anyone!A four eyed dragon, rather Asian in its look.And I will conclude with one of my favorites, which just might be a alligator. I found it hanging out near the New Orleans tribe’s camp. It either had green wings or was lurking under a palm tree, waiting for an unsuspecting victim.
NEXT POST: From dragons to bugs, to cats, and hippos! More mutant vehicles.
Wandering through Time and Place 