WOOT WOOT! Burning Man here I come!

[JHarris1385]

I was driving from Tahoe to San Fran on the last day and saw alot of BM cars. VERY DUSTY. Thats one way to spot them. Beyond that and not in any way degrading I do have to ask were there showers there?

I am interested in going, however I do not still fully understand the whole idea.

Zues - could you sum it up in a couple of lines or so what you feel it is? Plus how much is the weekly ticket?

[ZEUS]

I was driving from Tahoe to San Fran on the last day and saw alot of BM cars. VERY DUSTY. Thats one way to spot them. Beyond that and not in any way degrading I do have to ask were there showers there?

I am interested in going, however I do not still fully understand the whole idea.

Zues - could you sum it up in a couple of lines or so what you feel it is? Plus how much is the weekly ticket?

No, there are no showers! Sorry... See, an open, inhospitable, desolate, Nevada playa is converted to a city surface once a year by the organizers and participants of The Burning Man Project to form Black Rock City, Nevada - complete with a post office but no plumbing. It is an annual community experiment and art installation - this year 50,000+ strong. Apparently the org gives the BLM $3mil yearly to use the playa for this one week. Because of the happenings and police presence during the event and the expense of the land use, there is talk of a private land purchase somewhere - with that I have heard of the possibility of plumbing, but I find it doubtful. Bring your own solar shower if you can't handle your own BO. I twice followed behind a water truck as it doused the dusty roads and I otherwise used wet wipes before applying sun block every morning.

BM to me, huh? Hmm... besides what I have explained, BM is about unity, equality, imagination, freedom, inner peace, spirituality, sharing, artistic expression, (drugs and/or alcohol for those inclined), and a rite of passage. The typical introduction goes as follows: "Welcome Home." It is also a canvas for art displayed in many forms; loud music, painting, human interaction, sculpture, the nude female body. Words really don't do justice for the effects it can have on your psyche upon arrival or departure. You won't fully understand the whole idea without experiencing it yourself - promise.

I also like this description by Daniel Pinchbeck: "I consider Burning Man to be a fulcrum for the evolution of consciousness on the planet, where cutting-edge scientists consort with neo-pagan warlocks, and arcane bits of knowledge are exchanged at hyperspeed."