Burning Man Pt. 2

The first night at Burning Man was quite a miserable one. I don’t think you can prepare yourself for how cold it can really get. Shaun and I were under a sleeping bag rated at 40 degrees and an additional fleece blanket. One would think that would be able to get you through the night but Shaun and I spent most of the time tossing and turning as well as trying to steal each others body heat. Needless to say the next night we were much more prepared and added an additional blanket on top.

Shaun hanging out under the shade structure!

No matter what time you go to bed the previous night, you will be up by 8:30am. This is the time of the day where it starts to get unbearably hot and you wake up slightly sticky. This would also explain why so many of us spent the hot days napping on and off under the shade structure that was built on the 2nd day of Burning Man.

I have to give it to the wonderful Cherie, the UNorganizer of Camp Nomadia/blogger for Technomadia – she did an amazing job of rallying the troops to get whatever shade structures everyone brought and attach them together. This created the foundation and main meeting spot for our week long camping community, complete with hammocks, cots, rugs, decorations, and a million camping chairs. I woke up to many a Bloody Mary under this shade structure.

Most of the time you experience Burning Man is at night. Our friend Kevin (which was one of our most awesome World of Warcraft friends) was camping with the tenured and well known Burning Man camp, the Tiki Fkos. You can definitely tell they have been here multiple times. Their common area is an insanely huge dome covered in a military grade parachute. Inside you can find a DJ, 2 couches, 3 swings, and an area to sacrifice Burning Man virgins – complete with squirting red wine to look like blood.

Our first real night of exploration was fantastic. The Tiki Fkos created an amazing art car/mutant vehicle and we were able to be chauffeured in style around Burning Man. I think we ended up coming back to camp at about 4am or so – which in playa terms, is quite early. Parties were still going full blast with gogo dancers, flames, explosions, and enough music to have you dancing for decades. While this can be a blast for many, I can be quite the wet blanket when I’m cold and tired. Not only did Shaun not prepare for the night out and was shivering away in his light jacket, but getting through the heat of the day can really take it out of you.

Tip: Remember to bring light, airy clothes for the day and your winter clothes for the night. A whole bunch of people brought homemade coats of the faux fur (think Harry from Third Rock from the Sun) you can find in your local fabric store. Apparently the fur on the jackets keep the playa dust from sticking on it.

Tip: Bring your cup when traveling around the playa. This can lead to it being filled with yummy alcoholic beverages randomly.

Random Art Car

Camp During the Day

Complete with Brian from Bike and Boots!

A Sunset to Remember

Tiki Fkos Camp

Tiki Fkos Art Car and Ride

Sights

Temple

The temple at Burning Man has different meanings for everyone. This is a place to go to remember loved ones, to think, or to put a memory to rest. Many people leave pictures and memories of friends and family that have passed as a way to memorialize them during the burn on the last night of Burning Man. This is most often a solemn burning, unlike that of the burning of the man on Saturday night.